Title: The princess who wouldn't believe Author: Natalie Farr E-mail address: catatonic_gungirl@yahoo.com Summary: It's a fairy tale, there isn't one really. Keywords: Alternate universe. Category: Story (fairy tale), romance. Spoilers: Small mentions of 'Detour', 'The Host', and 'Home'. Rating: G (harmless) Disclaimer: I don't own them...but this baby got me a B+, so I'm obviously not that bad at taking care of them. They belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and Fox. ------ ------- ------ ------ Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, fare away, there lived a beautiful princess: Princess Katherine of the Kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist. Her people had always complained that this was on name for a kingdom, but her father, the King, had always said that it was a perfectly reasonable name for it, as it was perfectly true. (And I'm the author and can do whatever I want.) Now her father was dead, and princess Katherine had to take over the kingdom, as her mother couldn't be bothered to anymore. Queen Margaret was perfectly happy spying on her daughter to make sure she didn't make friends with bad people, with the rest of her family. So the princess became a great ruler alone and the people, elves, and fairies were happy. One night princess Katherine retired to her chambers and her fairy-in-waiting smiled sadly at her as she lay down on her silk couch. Flowers rested in her red curls, and a little smile rested on her red lips. Her blue eyes shone with curiosity. (Ok, Natalie, enough Gillian-adoration for one night at the image of this.) Fairies flew around her, straightening her dress as they floated up and down in the air, and doing other magical things that fairies do. "What is it, fairy Melissa?" she asked her fairy-in-waiting and friend. "Why, Princess Katherine, I see into your heart and see a great sadness there." "Why is this, fairy?" "Because you lack a king and husband." "Now, don't you start that! You know of...the curse." At the mention of the curse all the other fairies gasped and hid. "Yes, I know of it. The day you were born, the evil man of Smoke put a curse on you that you would never believe in anything spooky." "I DON'T believe in anything spooky; there is no evil in the Kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist." "You see, it worked! And because of this stubbornness, he knew that no man would ever want to have you as his bride, and therefore there would be no heir to the throne. That was the point of it." "I know, I know! Alas, my father died with the knowledge that our family would not carry on!" "But, my lady, I have a cunning plan!" All the fairies gasped again. "Your father on his deathbed told your good mother the Queen something that could not be understood. He said that love would find a way. I do believe that he meant for you to remember that. For it is well known within the kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist that every person, elf, and fairy has a soul mate made for them by the Gods. That person is specially made so that they can learn from one another and be eternally happy. They shall be perfect for each other in every way." Princess Katherine sighed. "Than my truelove will be a handsome man with lovely brown hair, hazel eyes you could drown in, and a wonderful nose...who-boy..." she swooned. "Could such a man really exist for me? And would he really be able to love me despite my horrible curse?" "If one shall learn from each other's soul mate than shouldn't he be able to help you with it?" "There is only one way to find out! Send twenty of my messengers over the kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist at once, going in every direction! Tell them to find my true love who can cure me of my curse!" So twenty fairy and elf messengers were sent out to search for this man and after many moons and hardaches, three of the elves came to a little cottage. They knocked on the door and a young, handsome man with hazel eyes and brown hair opened it. (Oh, come on! You knew it was coming; it wouldn't make sense otherwise!) "We bid you good day, my lord. We come from her highness Princess Katherine of the Kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist. We are three of her of elf messengers; our names are Langly, Frohike, and Byers." "What news do you bring?" said the rather gorgeous stranger. "We come in search of her highness' truelove. The man who is destined to be her husband and king of all the kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist!" "How shall you know this lucky man when you find him?" "He shall be the only man in the kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist who can cure her of her terrible curse. And love her with all his heart." "Then take me to her beautiful highness this very instant! For I have loved her from the moment I first saw her. And I have spent my life studying, hunting, and putting an end to spooky things: Some of which have torn myself apart! After everything I have seen I do believe I convince her that there are spooky things!" So they flew back to the palace in an instant (because after all that trouble of getting there, they always manage to get back without any trouble in these stories), and the handsome stranger was presented the princess. She looked the stranger up and down, and seemed quite taken with him. Some heard her mutter something like "ho, boy" and make a dizzy face. "WWW-who is this man?" she asked. "MY name is Sir William, and I shall cure you of this curse." So they went into a room privately, and he told her of the most frightening things that lurked in the kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist. Tales of the Mothmen that lurked in the deep, dark forests of the kingdom's borders, which he had slain - he hoped. Stories of the Flukeman that could cut a man in half with one bite - until he had heroically managed to enter it's deep watery cave and chop him in him as well. And of the three deformed brother trolls who ate children for breakfast - which he hadn't managed to slay, but you can't win them all. After they had talked for a long time, they returned out to the balcony, holding hands, and she spoke loudly to the people down below. "This man has opened my eyes to amazing things. Things I would never have thought possible. I am now free from the curse and I am in love. I shall marry this man who I know I am meant to be with forever and he will rule over the kingdom beside me." And there was a great cheer from everyone down below and in the palace, except from a Lord Pendrell of Lab, who'd just traveled all that way from one unreality to another unreality to ask the princess to marry him. So he went off in a huff his fairy-servants decided to stay there because it just seemed so nice there. And Princess Katherine and Prince William ruled the kingdom well, and they all live happily ever after. Except for the man of Smoke, for as soon as he heard that his spell was broken started to smoke so much that he caught fire and burnt up, so therefore they all really DID live happily ever after without danger - and I think it was well deserved. THE END ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ So...hate it, hate it, wouldn't wanna date it? I'd love to know! Any feedback would be appreciated at catatonic_gungirl@yahoo.com. I deserve it after having to write "the kingdom-that-doesn't-really-exist" all those times. Thanks for reading!