The Poet and the Princess

There once was a man who possessed the talents of poetry and song. He lived the adventurer's life, traveling from one town to the next, stopping along the way whenever nature's muse would inspire him to write his next great opus.

It so happened that one day he found himself in the capital city of Brighton, a busy burg nestled in the verdant foothills. The Poet meandered through the city streets, taking in all of the local sights and sounds. Eventually, he came upon the royal castle, which was situated at the very center of the city. After a brief look around, the Poet walked over to a spot between the main road and the castle wall. He placed his pack on the ground and took up his lute, which he deftly tuned. His preparations having been made, the Poet turned his attention toward the people passing by, and then he began to do what he did best...he began to sing.

The first song was one from the ancient days, full of heroic deeds and daring adventures. One of the soldiers at the castle gate bent his ear to listen, while several children who had come running down the road suddenly changed course and made their way over to sit down near the Poet and revel in his musings. Without so much as a breath or pause, the Poet adeptly transitioned into a comedic song about a pig who thought he was a dragon, much to the delight of the children.

As the Poet continued to sing and effortlessly shift from song to song, a crowd began to grow around him, curiosity getting the better of many of the passersby. At the same moment, in one of the castle towers high above where the Poet was performing, the Princess caught wind of the hubbub below and turned her attention toward a nearby window. Carefully looking out the window so as not to be seen, the Princess attentively watched as the Poet continued his performance.

Suddenly, one of the women in the audience called out, "Do sing us a tale of love!" To this cry, the Poet responded with a gentle nod, a sweet smile, and a seamless interlude into a beautiful ballad. The Princess smiled, herself, and let out a gentle sigh as she listened to the Poet recite a tale of the tender and passionate love shared between a knight and his beloved.

As the Poet brought the amorous song to a close with a final gentle strum of a chord and a respectful bow to his audience, a great cheer went up from the crowd. The Poet gracefully bowed once more and then took up his pack in order to make his way through the throng of clapping and praising people.

The Princess, upon seeing that the Poet was intending to leave, quickly threw on a cloak and rushed down through the castle. As she reached the castle gate, she made a motion to the guards, and they respectfully made way for her to exit. The Princess looked around through the crowd, which was now dispersing, and finally caught sight of the Poet quite a distance away on the main road. She began to run toward him but was hindered by all the people trying to resume their errands. Alas, after much struggle, the Princess lost sight of the Poet, and she finally decided to return to the castle with much sadness in her heart.

Many days passed in which the Princess searched for information on the whereabouts of the Poet, but to no avail. Until finally, one day a messenger arrived with the news that the Poet had been seen in a neighboring town. The Princess immediately disguised herself and rode to the town. Upon arriving, the Princess inquired about the Poet and learned that he had been last seen at an orphanage that sat at the outskirts of the town.

The Princess resumed her journey until she found the orphanage, where she dismounted her horse and knocked on the door. A kindly priest opened the door, and the Princess inquired after the Poet. The Priest smiled knowingly, invited the Princess inside, and then led her to a clearing behind the orphanage where the Poet sat, surrounded by a group of young children who were all listening intently to the Poet.

A few moments later, the Poet shifted the song he had been singing to a new tale...this time, one about a travelling Poet. As the Poet began to sing this new song, he also rose and began to walk slowly and deliberately through the seated children. Eventually, it became clear that he was walking directly toward where the Princess stood.

When the Poet finally reached a spot only a few steps away from the Princess, he strummed one final chord, smiled at the Princess, and then gave a slight, but respectful bow. He then looked deeply into the Princess' eyes, smiled sweetly once again, took the last few steps toward her, and quietly said, "I have been waiting for you..."

"You...you've been waiting...for me?" the Princess quietly stammered in surprise.

"Yes, I have," the Poet replied with a knowing grin. "I have been waiting since the day I played in front of the castle and saw you run out into the crowd."

"You knew...that I sought you...that I would come?" the Princess asked. "Then...why did you not turn back to meet me?"

"Because it wasn't the right time..." the Poet quietly answered.

"Not the right time? Why not?" the Princess asked.

"Because we were not here...and because there is something I wanted you to know..." the Poet responded.

The Poet stepped aside so that the Princess could once again see the children. However, they were no longer seated. Rather, they had cleverly arranged themselves while the Princess had been focused on the Poet, and each of them held a large piece of parchment upon which were written an assortment of letters of the alphabet. The Princess looked from child to child, reading each parchment in turn, which together spelled out: "Thank you for everything you have done for us. You are so beautiful and kind. We love you dearly!"

The Princess smiled as she turned back to the Poet. However, she was met by another surprise as she realized that the Poet, too, now held a large parchment on which was written the following: "As do I!"

The Princess let out a slight gasp of pleasant surprise as a tear rolled down from her cheek. The Poet handed his parchment and lute to a young lad who had quietly come to his side, and then he took the Princess' hands in his own. The Poet then smiled and gently kissed the Princess' right hand as he bowed slightly. He then gently pulled the Princess close to his chest.

"You are loved..." the Poet said warmly, as a tear of his own ran down his cheek.

"As are you..." whispered the Princess, smiling sweetly.