Sarah Wallenfang is currently an English Major and Business Minor at St. Norbert College and a member of the class of 2014. She is from Sobieski, Wisconsin. She enjoys writing for fun and has even published a short story named “The Woods” in an anthology called 22 Naked Bodies Inside. Sarah is also the head copy editor for the St. Norbert Times and writes for a regional magazine called Women. She is going to work in marketing after graduation and plans to continue writing.
Alex Waller
Alex Waller
THE gallant princess
By Sarah Wallenfang
The royal palace stood tall in the center of Gilded City. Great walls of stone surrounded it to ensure that the royal family was kept safe. Inside the walls a garden of unparalleled beauty served to satisfy their every fancy with its bright colors and bold designs. If you asked the commoners they would say you could find nothing but joy behind those walls. But, alas, there was poor Prince Caspian.
Prince Caspian paced anxiously around his chambers, the heels of his boots rapping smartly over the floor. “Lance, I’m too late. I just know it. Two and twenty years already—much too late to find love!” He furrowed his brow and began pacing faster.
“Oh, Your Highness, that’s nonsense!” Lance replied. He had been the prince’s most faithful servant for as long as Caspian could remember.
“But all the other princes—Charming, Eric, Phillip—they’ve all found their one true love ages ago! There are simply no more damsels in distress. The pool has dried up.” Prince Caspian threw his arm across his eyes and fell into his bed. He heaved a great sigh, then peaked at Lance to see if he had started to feel sympathetic.
Lance shook his head. “Enough with the theatrics, Sire. When it’s meant to be it shall be.” He snapped his fingers. “Now, up with you. You have a meeting with your father.”
***
Meanwhile, in the land of Rolling Hills, young Princess Nissa also paced about. “Mother, it’s high time I had an adventure. It’s time I see the world—its people, its places!” She gesticulated wildly, clearly having prepared her speech beforehand. “I’m nigh on twenty years and haven’t gone beyond the Rolling Hills.”
Nissa’s mother, Queen Clarisse, studied her for a moment. Her lips were pursed tightly, and Nissa’s heart sank.
“Please, Mother, I—”
The queen held up her hand to silence Nissa. “I have not said no yet, Child. Have patience.” She tapped her fingers together contemplatively. “You know, I think you’re right. Perhaps now is the time for you to explore. Have an adventure. Slay a dragon. After all, soon you will have to take over for your father and me.”
“Thank you, Mother! I knew you would see reason.” Nissa rushed forward to peck her mother on the cheek before scurrying to the stables.
***
“That’s it! I’ve had enough.” Prince Caspian strode purposefully into the North Garden, where the King sat talking with his High Knights.
“Father,” Caspian called.
“Yes, Cas, what is it?” King Mandell replied without looking up from the scroll he and his knights were studying.
“I’ve decided I’m going out in search of love. If it don’t now I fear I will die alone.”
The king sighed and rolled his eyes. “You most certainly are not. It’s dangerous out there for a man as young as yourself. You don’t know what’s lurking beyond the city’s borders.”
“But father! I need to do this. I’ll do it no matter what you say!” Caspian stomped his foot.
“Silence.” The king suddenly rose to his feet. “I will not stand for this. Until I can trust you won’t try to run I shall have you locked up in the tallest tower of the Emerald Castle. There you will learn to not be so insolent!”
And it was just as the king decreed. The prince was locked in the tallest tower of the castle on the northernmost border of the Gilded City. There the king set a most fearsome dragon to ensure the prince was well guarded.
***
Princess Nissa felt a thrill course through her veins as her steed pounded over the ground. “I’ve finally found her. That great dame—adventure!”
She shrieked gaily, not giving a care to the world around her when suddenly she heard a great roar.
Pulling hard on the reins, she brought her steed to a halt. His sides rose and fell laboriously as she looked around. Suddenly, she spotted smoke in the distance.
“A fire,” she said, “this is just the adventure I was looking for!” With that she spurred her loyal mount on and headed towards the smoke. Her mind was consumed with her quest for adventure. The roaring became louder until Nissa was sure her eardrums would burst. Then suddenly it stopped.
Slowing to a walk, Nissa leapt from her mount. She led him hesitantly forward but stopped when she broke through the line of trees.
“What is this place?” she wondered, dropping the reins. She wandered forward alone, gazing up at the massive castle that stood before her. Every inch of it was covered in emeralds that glittered in the sunlight.
She followed a winding path that lead to a magnificent wrought iron gate. It was locked tight, but that didn’t deter her. With nimble hands and feet, she climbed up the rough wall beside the gate and dropped lightly on the other side.
“At last,” she breathed, “Adventure.”
But before she had time to celebrate her small victory, Nissa heard a great rumbling, and the ground shook beneath her feet. Nissa stood motionless as the dragon emerged from its post at the back of the castle. Smoke billowed from its nostrils, and its great yellow eyes flashed as it lumbered toward her.
Without thinking, her hand flew to the bow at her back. She drew an arrow from her quiver and knocked it, waiting.
“Don’t come closer, Beast!” She stood her ground, no trace of fear on her face. “Or it will be the last thing you do.”
The dragon let out a mighty roar and belched fire. Nissa felt the heat pour over her and released her arrow.
It flew true and pierced the dragon’s left eye, and it shrieked in rage, emitting and endless stream of fire. Nissa put down her bow and reached for the sword at her side. She charged the dragon from its blind side and leapt up, piercing it straight in the heart. It let out a final, ear-splitting wail before falling at her feet—dead.
“Victory!” Nissa shouted, brandishing her bloody sword. She was busily cleaning it off when she heard a voice from above.
“Is it—is it dead?” The voice was tremulous, coming from a young man leaning out of a window in the castle’s tallest tower.
“Yes,” she replied, and the head disappeared.
Moments later she heard the loud thump of a door closing, and the young man came running at her.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you ever so much!” He fell to his knees before her in gratitude. “I feared I would never be free. How can I ever repay you?”
Nissa didn’t respond; she was too shocked at his outburst.
“Oh, I know. I know!” A look of glee spread over the man’s face. “You are my love. Ah, yes, that’s it! I knew I’d find you at last.” He reached out and went to kiss her hand, but Nissa pulled away.
“I am prince Caspian of the Gilded City,” he continued, undeterred. “And for your gallant rescue the least I can do is ask for your hand in marriage.” He beamed up at her. “What do you say, my fair maiden?”
Nissa started to laugh—great guffaws that shook her whole self and made tears stream down her cheeks. Then she said, “Prince Caspian, that’s a very generous offer, but I cannot accept. You see, I’ve just gotten my first taste of adventure, and marrying you is the last thing I want to do.”
Prince Caspian paced anxiously around his chambers, the heels of his boots rapping smartly over the floor. “Lance, I’m too late. I just know it. Two and twenty years already—much too late to find love!” He furrowed his brow and began pacing faster.
“Oh, Your Highness, that’s nonsense!” Lance replied. He had been the prince’s most faithful servant for as long as Caspian could remember.
“But all the other princes—Charming, Eric, Phillip—they’ve all found their one true love ages ago! There are simply no more damsels in distress. The pool has dried up.” Prince Caspian threw his arm across his eyes and fell into his bed. He heaved a great sigh, then peaked at Lance to see if he had started to feel sympathetic.
Lance shook his head. “Enough with the theatrics, Sire. When it’s meant to be it shall be.” He snapped his fingers. “Now, up with you. You have a meeting with your father.”
***
Meanwhile, in the land of Rolling Hills, young Princess Nissa also paced about. “Mother, it’s high time I had an adventure. It’s time I see the world—its people, its places!” She gesticulated wildly, clearly having prepared her speech beforehand. “I’m nigh on twenty years and haven’t gone beyond the Rolling Hills.”
Nissa’s mother, Queen Clarisse, studied her for a moment. Her lips were pursed tightly, and Nissa’s heart sank.
“Please, Mother, I—”
The queen held up her hand to silence Nissa. “I have not said no yet, Child. Have patience.” She tapped her fingers together contemplatively. “You know, I think you’re right. Perhaps now is the time for you to explore. Have an adventure. Slay a dragon. After all, soon you will have to take over for your father and me.”
“Thank you, Mother! I knew you would see reason.” Nissa rushed forward to peck her mother on the cheek before scurrying to the stables.
***
“That’s it! I’ve had enough.” Prince Caspian strode purposefully into the North Garden, where the King sat talking with his High Knights.
“Father,” Caspian called.
“Yes, Cas, what is it?” King Mandell replied without looking up from the scroll he and his knights were studying.
“I’ve decided I’m going out in search of love. If it don’t now I fear I will die alone.”
The king sighed and rolled his eyes. “You most certainly are not. It’s dangerous out there for a man as young as yourself. You don’t know what’s lurking beyond the city’s borders.”
“But father! I need to do this. I’ll do it no matter what you say!” Caspian stomped his foot.
“Silence.” The king suddenly rose to his feet. “I will not stand for this. Until I can trust you won’t try to run I shall have you locked up in the tallest tower of the Emerald Castle. There you will learn to not be so insolent!”
And it was just as the king decreed. The prince was locked in the tallest tower of the castle on the northernmost border of the Gilded City. There the king set a most fearsome dragon to ensure the prince was well guarded.
***
Princess Nissa felt a thrill course through her veins as her steed pounded over the ground. “I’ve finally found her. That great dame—adventure!”
She shrieked gaily, not giving a care to the world around her when suddenly she heard a great roar.
Pulling hard on the reins, she brought her steed to a halt. His sides rose and fell laboriously as she looked around. Suddenly, she spotted smoke in the distance.
“A fire,” she said, “this is just the adventure I was looking for!” With that she spurred her loyal mount on and headed towards the smoke. Her mind was consumed with her quest for adventure. The roaring became louder until Nissa was sure her eardrums would burst. Then suddenly it stopped.
Slowing to a walk, Nissa leapt from her mount. She led him hesitantly forward but stopped when she broke through the line of trees.
“What is this place?” she wondered, dropping the reins. She wandered forward alone, gazing up at the massive castle that stood before her. Every inch of it was covered in emeralds that glittered in the sunlight.
She followed a winding path that lead to a magnificent wrought iron gate. It was locked tight, but that didn’t deter her. With nimble hands and feet, she climbed up the rough wall beside the gate and dropped lightly on the other side.
“At last,” she breathed, “Adventure.”
But before she had time to celebrate her small victory, Nissa heard a great rumbling, and the ground shook beneath her feet. Nissa stood motionless as the dragon emerged from its post at the back of the castle. Smoke billowed from its nostrils, and its great yellow eyes flashed as it lumbered toward her.
Without thinking, her hand flew to the bow at her back. She drew an arrow from her quiver and knocked it, waiting.
“Don’t come closer, Beast!” She stood her ground, no trace of fear on her face. “Or it will be the last thing you do.”
The dragon let out a mighty roar and belched fire. Nissa felt the heat pour over her and released her arrow.
It flew true and pierced the dragon’s left eye, and it shrieked in rage, emitting and endless stream of fire. Nissa put down her bow and reached for the sword at her side. She charged the dragon from its blind side and leapt up, piercing it straight in the heart. It let out a final, ear-splitting wail before falling at her feet—dead.
“Victory!” Nissa shouted, brandishing her bloody sword. She was busily cleaning it off when she heard a voice from above.
“Is it—is it dead?” The voice was tremulous, coming from a young man leaning out of a window in the castle’s tallest tower.
“Yes,” she replied, and the head disappeared.
Moments later she heard the loud thump of a door closing, and the young man came running at her.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you ever so much!” He fell to his knees before her in gratitude. “I feared I would never be free. How can I ever repay you?”
Nissa didn’t respond; she was too shocked at his outburst.
“Oh, I know. I know!” A look of glee spread over the man’s face. “You are my love. Ah, yes, that’s it! I knew I’d find you at last.” He reached out and went to kiss her hand, but Nissa pulled away.
“I am prince Caspian of the Gilded City,” he continued, undeterred. “And for your gallant rescue the least I can do is ask for your hand in marriage.” He beamed up at her. “What do you say, my fair maiden?”
Nissa started to laugh—great guffaws that shook her whole self and made tears stream down her cheeks. Then she said, “Prince Caspian, that’s a very generous offer, but I cannot accept. You see, I’ve just gotten my first taste of adventure, and marrying you is the last thing I want to do.”