The Sea Princess
An Unknown World
Once upon a time, beneath the mighty waves of the sea, there existed a world, a world unknown to the people on land, to kings, and even to the wise ones above. A very ancient world, and yet so magnificent that, if you looked upon it for even a moment, your heart would fill with everlasting joy and happiness.
However, it was impossible to witness the wonders there, for it was a world invisible to outsiders. And, if you hear someone boasting about what they saw there, it's simply ridiculous, and you should run away from that person.
But not me, no, sir, for I was part of this wonderful world for a long time and witnessed all the magical things that happened. And today, I will tell you a story from the depths of this world. Stay with me.
The Birth of Princess Kylie
You see, King Octopius was the best king in the entire world and did everything in his power to ensure the marble realm prospered. Things were going wonderfully, and the fish-folk were content.
On top of that, a princess was born.
— Her name shall be Kylie.
Oh, how adorable Princess Kylie was!
— Ha ha ha!
She had hair as green as seaweed, bright and shimmering, and eyes like pearls.
— Ha ha ha!
Finara's Visit
— Oh, she popped her first bubble! — Ho ho ho ho ho ho!
But things were about to change, for the evil spirit of the sea, Finara, who had awakened from her deep slumber, turned her gaze towards our world.
— Greetings to the great king of the sea, the mighty Octopius, and to Her Majesty Queen Marina. I am Finara, and I have come with gifts for the princess. I hear she is the most beautiful being in the entire world. — Thank you, Finara, she truly is the most beautiful. — Then I must see her immediately. I can't wait to give her my blessings. — Oh, you know what? We'd rather not do that. You have a rather bad reputation, so... — Octopius! You humiliate me in front of your fish-folk! — I'm sorry, but I'm doing my duty as a parent. Please don't be upset. — Oh, ha ha ha ha ha! I'm not upset, King. I'm not upset.
Finara's Curse
Finara had no intention of being humiliated like that. That night, when the king and queen were sleeping, she entered the palace disguised as a fish and crept into the king's chamber.
— Oh, you are indeed very beautiful. But what good is beauty if you become a horrible, horrible person? Ha ha ha!
The Angels of Evil
— Princess Kylie, I present to you Envy, Pride, and Wrath, my three angels. They will grow up with you. You will not see them, but they will always, always be with you. Unless you find a way to stop listening to them, which certainly won't happen. Ha ha ha! For once they take hold of your mind, you won't be able to get rid of them easily. Ha ha ha! Oh, bye!
Kylie Becomes Arrogant
And that's exactly what happened. As Princess Kylie grew, her attitude became uglier and uglier.
— How beautiful that seashell is! It must be yours! — Give it to me! — But, but it's mine! — Don't forget I'm a princess! I'll take what I want!
A Mysterious Light
— Nancy, where's my tiara? — I'm sorry, Kylie. — That's not how you talk to a princess! Put her in her place! — Oh, really? So you think I forgot? — No, that's not what I meant. I'm sorry. I'll look for it now. — No need. You're fired! — What? — Kylie, Sir Val from the Pacific has come to visit you. — Hello, Princess. — He's just some knight, Kylie. And you, you are a princess and should only speak to princes. — Oh, hello. Have you come to beg? — Kylie! — Mother, please bother me when a prince comes here. Not just some knight. Ha!
Yes, the little princess with hair as green as sea algae and eyes like pearls did not grow up as her parents and the fish-folk of the marble realm had expected. One day, as Princess Kylie was playing tag with her friends, the group wandered very far from the palace without realizing it. Princess Kylie was "it" and chased after her friends.
— Ha ha ha ha ha!
As the princess chased her friends, suddenly, she noticed something, something shining brightly on the surface of the sea. Curious, she turned back and began to swim towards it, unaware that she was moving further and further away from her friends.
— What is that?
As she swam, she felt hypnotized and drawn by the light, so much so that she didn't see the edge of a cliff and...
— Ow!
The princess immediately fell unconscious.
The Benign Fairy
Then, from the shining light, a being emerged, a radiant and brilliant being. It was the soul of the sea, the fairy Benigna.
— So, it is just as I thought. You are under the influence of Finara's evil spell.
The Fairy's Gifts
— According to the rules of the sea, I cannot remove a spell you've had for so long. But I can help you destroy it yourself. I offer you generosity, kindness, and modesty. They will always stay with you, guide you, and try to show you the right path. But you must listen to them. Be careful, Princess!
The Beginning of Change
— Huh? Princess? Princess Kylie, wake up! — Huh? Oh, what? You? Where am I? — In a place that's not very safe for a princess. Are you alright? — I was playing with my friends, and suddenly a bright light appeared. Oh, I don't feel too well. — Oh, I'll take you to the palace. Come on. — Really? He's going to take you home? This knight is a pauper. You'd better go alone. — Hmm, why would I want to? — You're no better than others just because you think so. Greatness comes from modesty, not arrogance. — Uh, actually, that would be very kind. Thank you. — But why are you helping me? I was very mean to you. — I am a knight. My duty is to help those in need. — So you finally found your prince? — Not yet, but I will find him soon. — I wish you much success. — Thanks!
Sharing the Apple
— Oh, Princess, what's wrong? — I'm sorry, I can't swim anymore. I need to rest a little if possible. — Of course. Are you hungry? — I'm starving! — I'll go get you something to eat. Will you be alright? — Mhm.
When Sir Val left, Princess Kylie realized how mean she had been to him. She felt terrible. Sir Val returned after a while with a sea apple.
— Here, this is all I found. I'm sorry. — It looks delicious! You must share it with him. Remember, the greatest pleasure comes when you share what you have with others. — Oh, no way! We don't share food! Understand? Understand? — Here, take some. — But, but you're very hungry. — So are you, aren't you? — Thanks.
Return to the Palace
When Princess Kylie and Sir Val arrived at the palace, the king and queen were waiting, very worried.
— Where have you been? We were so stressed and worried about you.
Princess Kylie told her parents everything, and they were very grateful to the knight for bringing her home.
— Oh, it was no big deal. I just...
Prince Galliver
— Hello, I believe you are Princess Kylie. — Oh, hm. — Oh, we almost forgot, Kylie. This is Prince Galliver from the Atlantic. He came to see you. — Oh, I would be delighted if you would come with me to visit my kingdom. It is the largest and most beautiful palace in the world.
As he spoke, Kylie realized she didn't like something about Prince Galliver. He boasted about his greatness and riches, and for some reason, that annoyed her.
True Love
— It seems you've found your prince, haven't you?
Kylie looked long at Val and remembered how kind and caring he had been.
— Prince Galliver, please forgive me, for I will not accept your invitation. Also, I do not wish to marry if that is what you are aiming for. — What? Why? I am Prince Galliver of the Atlantic Ocean. No other prince is as rich as I am. — Well, I feel that riches no longer matter so much. — Oh, what? — I'm sorry.
The Victory of Kindness
— What are you doing? — He said he has the biggest palace there is. — No, Kylie, you're right. Kindness and love are worth more than all the riches in the world. — How dare you humiliate me in this way? You will pay for this! — Ah! — Hey, don't you dare! — Oh, you're just a humble knight. — Perhaps, but at least I know how to respect women.
The King, who had been quietly observing everything, intervened.
— Prince Galliver, you may be the Prince of the Atlantic, but do not dare to approach my daughter, for I will not hesitate. Guards!
A New Life
— Princess, are you alright? — Val, you know, I don't like Prince Galliver. I like you, for you are kind and benevolent.
And as soon as she said that, the gifts from the evil spirit of the sea, Finara, left Princess Kylie and vanished into thin air.
— What? Oh, impossible!
The Moral of the Story
— Finara! — Huh? — I sent you into a deep sleep because of your evil deeds. But you learned nothing. So now I will send you back to the prison of sleep. — No!
And so, Princess Kylie became the good and kind person she was meant to be from the start. Val also fell in love with her, and after a while, they got married.
The gifts of the fairy Benigna—generosity, kindness, and modesty—remained with her forever, reminding her to stay modest, kind, and generous, for this helps not only others but also herself.
Oh, and who am I? I am the marble realm itself.
