text: The morning was bright and cheery as I strolled through the forest. I listened to the birds sing, and the gentle breeze swept my hair. It seemed so peaceful, like a fantasy, until a heartbreaking noise filled the air. I twirled around, and I saw before me a wounded deer with his muscular legs trapped in a snare. The hunters were at work again before the threat of winter took over. I ran to the poor creature and continued to untangle the trap that he was stuck in. Not one second after I got him free, he stood up. On his hind legs! To my total surprise, his legs were wholly healed...and human. The deer was transforming into a man before my very eyes: a young, good-looking, and very naked man. I blushed and turned around, still in shock. "Please put on some clothes. I have so many questions for you." Who was this man? Was I still dreaming? His low voice cut through the silence. "Oh yeah, it is rather chilly." He chuckled, gazing intently at me. "I don't think I have any clothes with me." I quickly slipped out of my jacket and gave it to him, trying not to look. I had so many questions. My curiosity was taking over, and as soon as he fastened the jacket around his waist, I turned around and bombarded him with all my inquiries. He quickly introduced himself. "My name is Aspen. A few days ago, I was put under a powerful enchantment. I was cursed in the body of a deer for the rest of my life unless my soulmate freed me. So I guess that makes you my soulmate." I gasped, but he didn't seem to mind. He was smiling, his eyes alight, but something else was in them. I was still determining what. I also couldn't stop myself from scanning his beautiful body, seemingly too perfect. There was something he wasn't telling me. We spent the whole afternoon together. That is after we stopped by my cottage and fetched him an old pair of pants that had belonged to my father. Time seemed to go by far too fast as he told me stories, and I opened up like I never do with anyone. Not that I had anyone left. My mom died when I was young, and I grew up as my dad's most prized possession. We weren't rich, but we had a good life together. However, my dad passed away a year ago from tuberculosis, and I had learned to fend for myself. As I opened up, we clicked seemingly magically. We laughed under the shade of the towering trees for countless hours until the sky turned dark as ink. I soon discovered he was from a wealthy family and an only child like me. I sensed he was a good man and learned that we shared a passion for exploring the world beyond the walls of our kingdom: Puria. The following day, I went out to get some bread for Aspen and me. He had stayed the night, as it was dark when we returned. He wasn't able to sleep at all till finally, he fell asleep at the crack of dawn. He must have still been running on a deer's sleep schedule. As I walked down the busy streets of Furia, I overheard talk from the vendors. King Tobyn, the 1st, had put out a reward for his missing son. I saw a flier a few meters away, and my heart sank. I realized what had seemed off when I first met him- I had seen his picture before. Aspen was the throne prince. Apprehensive about the reactions of others, I decided not to share this secret until after I confronted Aspen. I didn't know why this news bothered me; I had only known him for a day. He was wide awake when I arrived, anxiously pacing around the steps of my house. "There you are!" He exclaimed. His face was a mixture of worry and confusion as I entered with a frown. I placed the loaf of bread on my dining table and took a deep breath. To my surprise, I erupted as I turned around to look at him. "You lied to me. You told me that you were wealthy, but you so conveniently left out the fact that you were the crown prince of Puria? That is not something you just forget to tell someone. Why didn't you tell me?" A sob broke out in my throat, and I swallowed heavily. Aspen made strides toward me, at my side, within seconds. He cupped my face and stared into my eyes. They seemed to look directly into my soul, searching for something. To my surprise, he backed off not a moment later, his hand at his side in a blink. Like the moment had never happened. I raised my head at him defiantly, demanding an answer. "I know. I heard talk in the forest the day before I met you. I didn't want you to treat me differently if you knew I was a prince. I wanted something based on love, not status or what society deems right. I really like you, Emily. I really do and don't want anything to change between us. I know of the implications of my background on a relationship, but I really want to try this. Come back with me to the palace." The whole world seemed a little brighter after he finished, and I released the breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding. "I... I like you too. But how can we be? A poor, insignificant girl and the crown prince of all of Puria?" The second the words came out, I realized I really did want to be with him. Yesterday had been the best day of my life, at least for a long time, and I didn't want to lose him. His lips parted as he replied, a flame in his eyes. "You are not insignificant, and I will convince my father that my decision is final. He can choose to accept it or not, but I am the only heir. He will have to." Looking into his eyes, I let myself nod. "Okay, I trust you. I'll come with you." I saw him exhale in relief, his eyes shining and his posture straightening. This time, I made the first move. I tiptoed so our eyes met and pressed my lips against his. His lips were warm and soft against my own. I could feel the gentle tickle of his breath beneath my nose, his fingers carding through my hair as we breathed each other in. It felt magical and so very right. Like fate wanted it to happen. The following day, we devised a plan to ensure our happiness while not compromising the kingdom's stability. We had to wait until the time was right to announce our love to the king and the kingdom. The domain continued their search for the prince, and we secretly embraced our moments together whenever we could. Whenever I returned from work, Aspen would be waiting for me with a bouquet of freshly picked flowers and a sheepish grin. We cherished every moment together, knowing that our secret could be discovered at any moment. Months passed as we planned for the perfect time to announce our secret love affair. However, fate had a different plan. One evening, as we strolled through the marketplace, the air cold and the clouds dark shades of gray, a voice stopped us. "Hey, you look awfully like the prince on all the missing posters." I turned to face an elderly woman as a crowd gathered around us. How had she seen through Aspen's disguise? His beard had grown as well as his hair, and he wasn't in a royal suit but in plain peasant clothes. No one had been able to recognize him so far. I turned to look up at his face, still stoic and hard at work, thinking of a way out of this. I could almost see the gears moving as he said, "Me? I'm just a simple man taking a stroll with his lady." "How come I've never seen you before? Or ever heard about you?" The woman sneered, jabbing her finger at him. I was getting nervous, and we were drawing too much attention to ourselves. Before he could reply, I took his hand and led him away as we ran back to the comfort of the forest. When we were safely surrounded by the overhead trees, we stopped. Little droplets of rain started to fall, and we stood there, breathing heavily. "We have to tell my father. We aren't safe anymore here. If my father finds out from someone other than me, he'll never be able to forgive me. We shouldn't have to hide, and we shouldn't have to keep our love a secret." I nodded. He was right. It was time to make our love known. "Okay," I said. "I trust you. Wherever you go, I'll follow. If you'll have me." "As long as I have you, I have all I need. I love you. I love you so much, and I can't imagine a life without you. You are the most adventurous, beautiful, caring girl that I have ever met, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my wife." I couldn't believe it. Tears flooded my eyes as he knelt on one knee, his eyes never leaving mine. "I don't have a ring yet, but I couldn't wait a moment longer. Will you marry me? Will you be my queen?" I gasped, overcome with happiness. The rain started to pick up speed as it wiped the tears off my face. "Yes. Yes, Aspen. I want to be yours. I love you." I couldn't stop smiling as he rose up and cupped my face, his lips pressing against mine. The kiss was full of tenderness and urgency, a dance of two hearts in perfect harmony. I felt his sturdy arms wrap around me, pulling me close as we lost themselves in the moment. The world around us ceased to exist, leaving only us in a sea of emotions. The kiss lasted for what felt like an eternity, our lips parting only briefly to catch our breath as droplets of water trickled our faces and the sky broke out in thunder. As we finally broke our kiss, I looked into his eyes, knowing that what we had was special. It was a moment that stayed with me forever. The time to tell the king was tomorrow, but today was our time. __________________________________ It was time to go. The sun had made its way across the sky, and the birds were chirping in delight. Aspen came up beside me as we said goodbye to what had been our home for the last couple of months. Hand in hand, we started out on our journey to the castle. Our hearts were filled with a mix of hope and fear. Upon arrival, after several days of traveling, we made our way to the king. Aspen seemed at home here, and I could feel him longing to see his father again. The great doors to the throne room creaked open, and there, upon his majestic throne, sat the king, his crown catching the sunlight in a wreath of gold. "Father," Aspen began, his voice echoing through the hall, "I come before you with an apology and a truth I cannot bear to hide from you any longer." The king's sharp eyes filled with relief but also burned with anger. I held my breath as his gaze scanned over his son and me, the girl who clasped his son's hand in peasant garments. "Speak your truth, my son." I squeezed Aspen's hand in encouragement as he rose from his knees. He stepped forward, saying, "This woman beside me, brave as she is kind, has saved me from a curse. Not only that, she captured my heart and opened my eyes to a whole new world. I ask not only for your forgiveness but for your permission to unite our hearts in marriage." The room held its breath as the king rose to his feet. His gaze shifted from me to his son and back at me again. "Love," he said, his voice surprisingly warm and kind, "is the truest form of loyalty one can offer their kingdom. If she has your heart, then she shall have mine. You have my blessing." A swell of cheers broke out around us as the courtroom erupted in applause and welcome back's. However, I couldn't help but notice that not everyone was happy for us. Some officials were still whispering to each other, their eyes filled with contempt as they scanned over me. But now wasn't the time to think about such things. We had the king's blessing. The wedding bells ran not two weeks after the scariest night in my life. From the moment Aspen led me around the garden, I knew it was special. Our wedding was set in the blooming gardens of the castle, where the air was fragrant with roses and the sounds of joyous celebration. I had quickly gotten acquainted with the queen, my lover's mother. I learned that she had also been of low status when she married the king, and she accepted me with grace and kindness. So, that's how I ended up dressed in a gown of silk and lace, walking towards the love of my life, a smile on my face brighter than the morning sun. As I arrived at the altar, I took his firm hands in mine, and we exchanged our vows, sealing our love in writing for all the coming generations to see. Our first kiss as husband and wife was sweet and full of promise, filling the air with a love that would be sung about for ages. Ultimately, it wasn't my poverty or Prince Aspen's royalty that defined us, but our courage to trespass all expectations and defy all odds. Many years passed, and I had a lot to learn as a future queen, but together, with the guidance of my new family, I did it. The king passed away peacefully, and we had to take over the throne. There would always be some people against us, but our kingdom flourished like our love, and we lived happily ever after. And to think it was all thanks to a curse. The End!! Merry Christmas!!