The Blind Princess

There was a young and handsome king named Pedo who was deeply in love with a beautiful local girl named Envia, a daughter of a spectacle maker and a flower vendor. King Pedo was so in love with his girl that he promised to marry her someday.

One day, King Pedo's kingdom, Rosalin, suffered a plague that resulted into the destructions of livelihoods of his people and greatly affected their trades and income. King Pedo was devastated. He reached out to other kingdoms for help but no one wanted to help him except the kingdom of Nivre, a very wealthy kingdom. But the king of Nivre has a condition. He wanted King Pedo to marry his daughter, Princess Usana. King Pedo declined the offer.

Months past and King Pedo's kingdom was slowly collapsing. All their resources to sustain the kingdom and its people were almost gone. And no kingdom wanted to help. People were starting to move to other kingdoms and countries. King Pedo was saddened by the news. He was desperate for help.

Before his kingdom collapsed, King Pedo went to the king of Nivre and he asked him to reconsider his earlier decision. King Pedo has agreed to the king of Nivre's condition. King Pedo forced himself to marry Princess Usana. Their engagement was immediately announced to the people and other kingdoms.

At the kingdom of Rosalin, the news of the king's engagement was spreading like wildfire. Envia heard it from her parents. She was distraught that she fled her home into a faraway land and never to be heard.

King Pedo was informed about her disappearance. He was sad about the news but there was nothing he could not do. His people should come first before his personal feelings.

Soon after, King Pedo and Princess Usana married. And after years and years of trying to have a child, they were finally blessed with a beautiful baby girl. She was born with big dewy cyan-colored eyes.

"Her eyes are so beautiful," King Pedo beamed with joy. "Just like her father."

"The most beautiful eyes in all kingdoms," Queen Usana said to him. "What should we name her?"

King Pedo thought for a moment.

"Maha," he answered.

The birth of the princess was then celebrated with cheers, congratulations and lavish parties in the kingdom. The big news was shared across all nations. And on the night of Maha's birth, an uninvited guest appeared out of nowhere.

"Who are you?" King Pedo asked the guest.

"Don't you remember me, my love?" the guest said. "I'm the one you promised to marry someday but instead, you broke my heart."

"I don't remember promising anyone for marriage but my queen here," he told her as he hugged Queen Usana who was holding baby Maha.

"LIAR!" the guest screamed. "I was that girl you once loved deeply."

"Envia?"

"Yes. I'm Envia, now Queen of Scornia. Land of heartaches and despair."

"What happened to you?"

"I am not here to chitchat with you. I am here to give your newborn a gift. A very special gift."

Envia raised her hands and a green smoke appeared from nowhere. She waved the green smoke and directed it toward Maha who was being carried by Usana. The green smoke engulfed the baby and disappeared in an instant.

"I curse your precious daughter," Envia smiled. "I curse her. That as she grows up, her sense of sight will slowly fade away until she can no longer see."

King Pedo and Usana were shocked at what they heard. Envia laughed hard at them and immediately vanished into thin air. Baby Maha started crying.

Maha was growing up so fast and that made the king and queen worried. They noticed that on Maha's every birthday, she complained about the candles on her birthday cake becoming dimmer. Now that she was turning nine, they were terrified to know that one day their daughter would end up blind.