The Prince stood in front of his gold-tasseled mirror and took in his curly brown hair, his green eyes, and his prized build. In the light of the mirror's reflection, he could see the stately dolls that lay behind him in all their ornate wonder. There was Tashi, the golden yellow attired male doll with the regal mop of blond hair; and next to him sat Sasha, his green eyed female companion with striking crimson locks. A smile spread across the Prince's face as he turned and saw the rest of his dolls, Tanya, Eric, Donnie, and the ever beautiful Bella. "Dolls!" the Prince yelled imperiously. "Tonight you are blessed with the good fortune of witnessing something to be remembered indeed!" He continued, smiling his shining green eyes at each of the dolls in the turn. The dolls did not reply, they never did, and the prince as always took their silence for compliance.
"Today is the burning of the beautiful Bella!" He finished, his smile so joyous and bright that it seemed as if the Bedroom of Mirrors was encompassed by his bewitched grins. Still the dolls did not reply. They never did, and when the prince took Bella by the arm and she did not resist, he took it for acceptance. He dragged the beautiful blue-eyed Bella in her violet gone across the cluttered Bedroom of Mirrors, past his gold-tasseled wardrobe and his gold-rimmed bed, past the pile of ash where the remains of Tobias and Antonio lay. When the Prince flicked his match and hovered it above Bella, and she did not scream, did not run, did not cry, the Prince took it for obedience.
For the dolls never resisted, the prince knew, and why would today be any different? Why would the beautiful blue-eyed Bella be any different? With a cackle of mirth, the Prince dropped the flaming match on Bella and waited for her to burn so he could add her ashes to the ever-growing pile. Howling with laughter at the pride of his accomplishments, the Prince walked over once again to his gold-tasseled mirror to gloat his achievements- he always did. As he faced his his green eyes to the gold-plated mirror to look at the dolls that did not move- they never did... But then in his green eyes he caught the reflection from his mirror and gave a startled gasp, tripping over his tall golden boots from sheer shock. For the dolls never moved! They never did! But the faces of the now burned Antonio and Tobias, Tanya, Tashi, Eric, Donnie, and Sasha, all turned to face him. They always did. "Bella was not the the one to be burned," Tashi said.
The Prince was in a maddening panic. "You never reply! Never!" He screamed, his eyes rolling back in cold hard fear. "We always have," Tashi answered, for he always did. And then out of her ashes emerged Bella, her blue eyes burned black. Throwing her china head back in laughter, she cried, "Tonight you are blessed with the good fortune of witnessing something to be remembered indeed!" The Prince did not reply. He never would. Bella dragged him to her ashes, and he did not resist. He never could. And when Bella took the burning match and threw it on the Prince, he did not scream. He never would.
