-- The Story of Emilian Lovel --
Rumors of the Princess of the Sea’s beauty had long circulated throughout the kingdom in hushed tones or fantastical stories. These tales could have no claim of truth for no one had laid eyes upon her since her presentation at birth. Little did those living within her family’s kingdom know, but along with her elegant beauty came a deep sadness which threatened to engulf her in eternal darkness. Ever since she could remember she had spent her time enveloped in jagged rocks commonly referred to as the tower. Her only view of the world outside was the white crested waves rolling languidly in the distance, motioning for her to leave her prison and find peace in their salty embrace. Even so, Molokai was duty bound to remain where her parents had placed her. They had long since abandoned her but she never gave up hope that they would one day return to her with love for their only daughter gleaming in their eyes. All of her days seemed to blend into one as she did anything she could to keep her mind off of her loneliness, an octopus named Inky being her only constant companion. He had been a gift from one of her professors, the most amazing gift she had ever received aside from the wondrous pearl she kept hidden away in a green glass orb protected by her friend.
From the day she could comprehend speech she had been informed that she was to be married to the noble prince Nikolai. She had heard from the few that came to her tower over the years of his just temper and handsome exterior. He seemed like an astonishing stallion and she often found herself fantasizing about the day she would finally be able to smile at him in greeting. These dreams of meeting Nikolai kept her from crushing darkness on many occasions, but alas, he never came. Sometimes she would peer through the jagged rock that formed her cage and see a sturdy figure in the distance, seemingly staring back at her. Her eyes would rest upon this silhouette for hours, her mind willing it to move toward her. Though her prince remained absent from her life she never stopped dreaming of the day when he would clamber up the steep rocky walls of her tower and rescue her.
The prince, unlike her parents, had not intentionally abandoned Molokai. Nikolai was everything the tales had described and more, but he was also painfully shy. Ever since the pearl had been gifted to the princess as a promise of their betrothal he had thought of how he would approach her. He would spend hours outside of her tower, gazing upward so that he may catch merely a glimpse of her beauty. Often he would listen to her melancholy melody echoing out over the landscape, a heartbreaking plea for help, and fight to gain the confidence needed to approach her and save her from her captivity. Unfortunately, every time he seemed to talk himself into it his hooves would plant themselves firmly into the ground and the courage would slowly drain from him. He wanted nothing more than to be the hero she expected, the mate she dreamed of, and the prince he knew himself to be, but something within him just would not cooperate.
Molokai was not the only one who placed her future mate upon a pedestal, Nikolai had done the same. In his eyes the princess was much like his family’s pearl that she possessed, flawless and beautiful beyond all imagining. Her voice tugged at the strings of his heart as well as the tethers of his soul, and though he had only truly met her once he found himself deeply in love. She was the symbol of his happy future, the good thing that would come out of the strange relationship with his family. The one thing Nikolai never counted on was that his days of working up confidence in order to talk to his bride to be were numbered. The reality of this situation hit him only when a shadowy figure snuck into her tower one night, and what came to pass made him realize he may lose her.
It was by complete accident that the gypsy even discovered the strange formation of rock. His clan had sent him on a mission to retrieve something that had been stolen from them long ago when he heard the most beautiful and sad song resonating hollowly through the trees. For the first time in his life the urge to dance did not surge to the surface, but instead an urge arose to see what could make such a sorrowful sound. His ears remained pricked and alert as he wound his way through the forest, his body growing heavy as the darkness of the song weighed upon him. He finally came to a stop before a formidable formation of stone. He was amazed and somewhat disturbed to find that the song was coming from within those rocks. Curiosity drove him forward as his hooves skidded and slipped over the uneven surface, his nerves finally soothed upon seeing what looked to be a cave like entrance.
The princess had been too distracted watching the enticing ocean waves to notice the brightly colored stallion making his way into her tower. She was alerted only by a gasp of surprise which had her whirling about fearfully to catch a glimpse of the intruder. For a moment her surprise was replaced by a flicker of hope as she thought that her prince had finally come to rescue her. This hope was snuffed out as she found herself looking upon what could only be described as a gypsy. Though she had never laid eyes upon one, her tutors had told her the many stories about how they had taken to tormenting the kingdom rather than becoming useful members of the herd. Poising herself for the worst she stared back at him through what she thought were hardened blue eyes.
The last thing that Emilian had expected to find hidden behind the jagged rocks was an alluring mare. He had thought that perhaps he would find a strange bird of some sort, or something stranger yet, but not this. He was unable to mask his shock and could only stare as the frightened mare turned to face him. He had heard many tales about a princess being trapped in a tower but he never thought that the stories were anything more than elaborate fiction. The reality of the situation greatly disturbed him but, bowing his head and lifting his right foreleg he issued her the traditional gypsy greeting, at a loss for any other action.
Two completely different cultures collided that night, and beneath the rays of the full moon and to the rhythm of the ocean waves a bond had begun to forge. Both, at first, had preconceived notions about the other but those barriers were soon broken down and the truth was revealed. The princess had just begun to trust in the gypsy when Inky moved a bit too quickly and caused the pearl to roll loudly within the glass orb. His interest in the sound didn’t alert her to any suspicious behavior and, with the decision to trust in him firmly in place, she told him of how she came to own such a precious gift. She even prompted her eight armed friend to pull the pearl from its hiding place so Emilian may get a better look.
When Emilian was young the elders of his clan would gather and tell stories about a mystical pearl that had once belonged to them, a pearl that provided the clan with wealth, health, and love. The time when the pearl had been possessed by his clan had been the brightest moment in their history. Alas, it had been stolen from them long before his birth by one of royal blood. The specifics were never mentioned, just that the treasure had been taken from them by one of the crown. When he was old enough the elders asked him if he may venture out in an attempt to retrieve the pearl, for they had found their champion, the one who differed from all the rest. Thinking it a fool’s errand he accepted halfheartedly, thinking of it more as a vacation than anything else. But now, as his eyes lingered on the smooth white surface peeking out from under a green tentacle he knew the stories to be true. The small round object was calling to him; he knew it to be the pearl of legend. It was at that moment he realized what he would have to do, he needed to con the mare he had just become friends with.
Nikolai watched night after night as the stranger would sneak into the tower of his future mate. At first he was furious, but upon catching a glimpse of the stallion he began to worry. It was obvious that this interloper was one of the gypsies plaguing the kingdoms. Though he believed in giving everyone the chance to prove themselves he couldn’t help but to worry about the fate of Molokai. She was naïve and susceptible to being tricked, something he knew gypsies to take advantage of. Sounds of her delighted laughter and the ceasing of her sorrowful song only served to exacerbate the issue. Not only was she possibly in physical danger, but she was also in danger of falling in love. Jealousy was a new emotion for the just prince, but the very notion of losing her spurred him into action.
Like the gypsy Nikolai began climbing to her tower, his determination keeping him from being as clumsy as the other stallion. Like the heroes in tales of old he entered her dim habitation, straightening himself up and looking more handsome than ever. Everything was going marvelously until she turned with a smile that obviously was meant for another. The smile did not leave her face but it turned from one of excitement to one of confusion. Opening his mouth he attempted to force a cohesive sentence out but only managed a few stuttering words before clearing his throat and cursing his hastiness.
Molokai knew it to be him the moment she set eyes upon his charming and sweet face. Only moments ago she had been dreaming of when Emilian would come quietly through the entrance, and now she was looking at the prince she had fantasized about since her foalhood. Her heart danced in her chest as she was finally able to put a face to the name. Even as he stuttered to speak she did not find herself disappointed, he had been everything she had imagined. Her excitement ebbed only a small amount when the sound of Emilian’s voice echoed within her mind. For the first time she was torn, between the stallion she had dreamed of and a newcomer she had only recently met. Flashing a warm smile and displaying the new confidence she had gained while speaking with the gypsy she greeted her prince just as she visualized she would.
Once the initial moment of introduction was through Nikolai found himself gaining the confidence he had always lacked. Molokai was everything he had thought she would be, and he was finally able to see that for himself. Thoughts of the gypsy were erased from his mind as he spent much of the day in the company of the princess, stuttering only occasionally as he spoke gently to her. When at first he had seen the strange stallion creeping into her tower he felt himself beginning to lose hope, but now a warm feeling began replacing it. Perhaps he would not lose her to the stallion that lurked around at night.
Nikolai was the sun and Emilian was the moon, one visiting her during the day and one visiting her during the night. Molokai’s loneliness had begun to vanish when Emilian had come to see her, but now that both were there it had all but disintegrated. Emilian would woo her with smooth words, stories of far off places, and exceptional gifts of the likes she had never seen. Nikolai would charm her without trying, he was a genuinely good soul, and somewhat of a rarity she had once been told. Her heart had never been filled with as much joy as it had in the days with her prince and her gypsy.
Alas, as history dictates, moments of peace are always disrupted with moments of sorrow. One night as Molokai sat listening to the story of an old gypsy trader and a beautiful young mare she slipped off into a deep sleep. Emilian, who had given her an herb to knock her out, went to her glass treasure box, his only obstacle being Inky. Angry yellow eyes peered up at him from within the pool of water where the octopus resided, guarding his charge. Emilian had been trained to keep his personal emotions from affecting how he did his job. Glaring back at the small creature that the princess loved so much he slammed his hoof into the water, causing the octopus to spook and slice through the water followed by a cloud of darkness. Dunking his head into the water he pulled the glass orb out, before making a hasty retreat from the tower.
Molokai awoke late the next morning to the tender nudges of Nikolai, a look of concern evident upon his countenance. Smiling up at him she brought herself to her feet and nuzzled him briefly, but was caught off guard as he stood as firm as a boulder. His eyes were planted on something across the musty space and as she followed his gaze a sense of panic filled her breast. Inky was resting forlornly in his pool, one damaged tentacle reached pathetically outward as though searching for something. Molokai’s first concern was her injured friend, but after tending to him she noticed that her pearl was gone. Nikolai allowed her to brace herself against his strong chest as she cried, not for the loss of a material item but instead for the betrayal she knew to be true. Nikolai couldn’t even lie; he was not the culprit, which left Emilian as the only viable suspect. She didn’t realize how much she had loved him until that very moment, for despite everything, she knew if he were to come back she would forgive him of it all.
Nikolai hated seeing his beloved in such a state, and he knew it was the gypsy who had caused it. He figured that with him around the stallion would be inclined to leave the princess alone, but when Molokai spoke so highly of him he decided to let it be. The prince was by no means vengeful, but a sticky black feeling toward Emilian had formed within his breast. Whatever the case, it was now his duty to care for Molokai, as he had always intended.
Something began to weigh heavily on the mind of the prince as he thought on the bleak situation. Why the pearl? He had once heard a story from his family about how it had brought them luck, and about how it may have been stolen from the gypsies, but it had never been anything but a folktale. He told the princess of his suspicions later on, even though he knew it could sway her feelings. Nikolai was an honest stallion, and he would hide nothing from Molokai.
Emilian had returned to his clan, shouts of victory and praise following him as he went. His natural pride swelled as he watched his family demonstrate a happiness that had been long since forgotten among them. But as soon as he handed the pearl off to one of the elders a deep pit opened within his chest, one so dark it nearly brought him to the ground. Confused he looked to the grandmother for help. She smiled sorrowfully and shook her head explaining that the pearl brought love as well as wealth, and it revealed in Emilian something he never thought would be possible. He had fallen in love with Molokai, but he had lied to her. He had pretended to woo her just to get close enough to the pearl in order to steal it, but it seemed now that it was less pretend than he initially thought. Grandmother told him it was now his duty to return to the princess, and with apprehensive determination he made his way slowly back to the tower.
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