The Wishing Princess - Chapter 25

25. Death of a Princess

In all the activities that thus transpired, no one paid much attention to an old warrior who walked silently and approached the Princess. He caressed her gently.

"Ah, princess," Opa said, "What a mess you are."

"Is that you, Opa?" The princess was laid down on the sand, bedded by her own blood. She was so far gone, that she could no longer see.

"We'll get you to a healer." said Opa. It was a hopeless case, but the very least they could do is try.

"It's alright, Opa. It doesn't hurt anymore."

Opa wept. Poor Opa. Opa the brave! Opa the Mighty! Opa, who once single handedly defended a mountain against a whole enemy troops, broke and wept over a few comforting words of a young woman, for he loved the Princess dearly, and he knew that she was about to die.

"Is Oma here?" asked the Princess.

"At your service." replied Oma, who then knelt beside her.

"Will you comb my hair?" asked the Princess.

"Yes, Princess." said Oma.

Then Oma untied the Princess's hair, and as she unbind the knot, one by one, she said thus.

When you were 5 years old,
The kingdom was in drought
And you wished for rain
And rain fell for 5 days and night,
And the crops became bountiful.

When you were 7 years old,
The Kingdom was plagued by bugs.
And you wished for good bugs to come,
While the bad bugs to leave.
And it was so.

When you were 9 years old,
The Kingdom was suffered no joy.
And you made a selfish wish.
You wished for a doll.
And brought happiness to the kingdom.

When you were 11 years old,
The people of the lands were bickering.
They all want to have their ways.
And you wished for understanding.
And our King made it so.

When you were 13 years old,
There were horses in the kingdom.
And you wanted to ride them.
So you wished for a cavalry.
And we have the finest of them all.

When you were 15 years old,
The people was hungry,
Too many people, not enough food.
And you wished for good hunts and farm,
And the fields became bountiful.

When you were almost 17,
The lands were warring,
Over the prophesied child.
And you wished for peace,
And peace spread throughout the lands.

Oma kept combing the Princess hair. Hearing Oma's voice, the Princess relaxed, and closed her eyes. And she died, peacefully, with serene expression upon her face. Opa cried. Oma cried. Everybody knelt to give their respect. Even the Queen knelt.

The Queen said, "We will construct a memorial tomb right here where she fell, so that her sacrifice will not be in vain. Let it be made of marble, to make it last for eternity. Let her messages be carved into stone, and her wishes be known. To all who passes here, this land of Red Sands, all will know that this is the time and the place where peace begins to spread throughout the lands."

And all the kings agreed that it was so. And each king, brought a treasure of his land, to be put into the memorial, to ensure that there would be no doubt, among all passer-bys, that indeed, this was the place where the peace began.

The Great Warrior King, the father of the Wishing Princess, accepted his fate without complain. He spoke to Opa about it. Old men with no children, seemed to be the fate of old warriors of the Kingdom of the Hidden Valley.