Princess Hope was unlike any other Princess that had ever been born in the Land of Everlasting. Her father, King Paladin, had been anxiously waiting a daughter. He dreamed of her as far back as he could remember. He had three wonderful and rambunctous little boys, but he knew that one day his opulent castle would be graced with the delicate, joyful laughter of a little girl. The day Princess Hope was born King Paladin invited the whole kingdom to celebrate in her honor. He served the best food and wine and proudly showed her off to all who entered his castle. He named her Hope because he had always known that she would be the one to restore his kingdom. With the birth of their daughter, the King and his wife, the beautiful and loving Queen Pillar, felt like they finally had everything they ever wanted.
But there was someone in the kingdom that wasn't quite so happy that Princess Hope had been born. In fact, he was incensed. Prince Malevi, who was second in line to the royal crown hadn't stepped foot in the land of Everlasting in many years. Many years ago, Prince Malevi was once one of the most handsome and well known princes in all of Everlasting. He and his brother learned from a young age that the first of them to marry would be the one who would inherit the kingdom. Prince Paladin was known for his selfless love, and giving heart. But Prince Malevi was sure that his good looks and reputation would win him a Queen well before Prince Paladin. One day, Prince Paladin met the beautiful Princess Pillar of the land of Terra. Her goodness and beauty were only met by her strength and courage. They quickly fell deeply in love and married. Prince Malevi was furious that he was not to be King and was jealous of their pure love. Even though the newly crowned King appointed Malevi as head of the Royal Guard, he continued to get more and more jealous as the days went on. He couldn't stand to see his brother so in love and preoccupied with his Queen. As the Queen bore King Paladin three sons, and heirs to his kingdom, Malevi began to refuse to take orders from the King and even plotted with a few rogue members of the Royal Guard to overthrow the King and take the place he felt was rightfully his. When King Paladin found out about the plot, he was deeply hurt and saddened, but for the safety of his kingdom and of his family, he threw Prince Malevi out of the Kingdom. The day that Malevi was cast out of the kingdom, he cursed all the people in the land of Everlasting so that they would no longer see color.
Since the day he was cast out, all Prince Malevi has done was try and destroy King Paladin's kingdom. Malevi is unable to cross the borders into the kingdom, so when the royal subjects leave, he and his followers try and turn them from King Paladin and join in their plot to get rid of him. He tries to convince them that they don't need a King anymore. He tells them that it is the King himself who causes them to not see color. The day that Malevi heard that the King's dream had come true and that a daughter had been born, he became enraged. He plot to destroy King Paladin became his life.
Princess Hope, knowing nothing of this curse, was a happy, joyful little girl. She never knew color, so didn't know to miss it. She was courageous, and kind like her mother, and loving, giving like her father. All of the people of the kingdom loved her and looked forward to hearing her running and singing down the streets. She along with her brothers and the other children of the kingdom could always be found inventing games, laughing, and playing. One day, she and her brothers invented a game in which they dared someone to step out of the gates of the kingdom and then see how long they would stay there until they got too scared and ran back. Since none of the boys would go first, Princess Hope volunteered. She skipped out of the kingdom gates and down the path a ways. She turned around and waved at her brothers, laughing at them for being so scared. As her brothers were busy figuring out who would go next, a man dressed in royal robes rode alongside Princess Hope as she stood laughing along the path. The stately man hopped off his horse and smiled at the little girl. Alarmed by the sudden presence of this stranger, Princess Hope staggered back a few steps and fell to the ground. The man ran to her side and picked her up ever so gently and dusted her off. He smiled and asked her if she had won the game yet. A smile slowly formed across her face as she began to excited tell the stranger of her bravery. The stranger tells her that he was just about to go in and see one of his dearest friends, King Paladin, but that he needed to get a gift for the lovely Princess Hope that he had heard so much about. Princess Hope delightedly tells him that she is that very princess and that she doesn't need any gifts at all. He tells her that he will concede to her request, but that it would be quite egregious to not bring a gift to Queen Pillar. He told Princess Hope that he was just searching the woods for a special flower that grows near the kingdom gates so that he could pick it and give it to the Queen. Ever since the curse, no one had seen any flowers, so Princess Hope was amazed as he tried to describe it to her. He asked Princess Hope to help him search for it so as to not further delay his arrival. Princess Hope wanted nothing more than to please her mother, so she grabbed his hand and followed him into the thicket to the right of the trail.
Just as the young princes had decided who was going to be daring enough to go next, they turn around to see that Hope is nowhere to be seen. They yell her name out from within the city gates, but there is no answer. Fearing that they too would be taken if they left the safety of the kingdom, they decide to run as quickly as possible to their father. When King Paladin hears that his daughter had gone missing after leaving the city walls, he is filled with rage and anger. He knew immediately who had taken his precious daughter; his brother, Prince Malevi. The King immediately gathers all of the warriors of his kingdom and prepares them to head out and search for his missing daughter. Before one knight could lift a shield, the King was already riding off toward the gates. There was no time to spare....
To be continued.....
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