The Barkeeper and the Prince

"And the roses fell along her dainty nose as she danced the night away with the beautiful milk farmer. And lo! They return into the sunset, flying away to a happy life!"

The prince looked on at the worn down poster that was hanging in the shop of a once famous bookstore in the capital. That quote had been his favorite line in his book, "The Chateau La France," the 31st in his regrettably-famous book series. Every story ended with him running off into the sunset with another beautiful woman. To be frank, it was the last straw for many people; a king that can write is a king that can fight, but a king that only writes of love... well, that didn't really go over too well for the monarchy. The one blessing in it all is that the prince was forgotten, much to the approval of all, including the prince himself.

"Oh, what wondrous times are these," the prince sang (you must understand; he always sang), "To be forgotten and lost in the capital city!" The prince took his sorry frame and slowly walked along the sidewalk, kicking rocks as he walked through the low-end district. Taxis passed by him and honked their horns at each other racing to achieve greatness in life only to find that cars break down and families starve. I apologize, this story is about the prince, not the people he rules. Ruled.

"If only my wings were wings true, then I could take flight and return to the castle where my love awaits me!" the prince raised his thin arms into the air and collapsed to his knees and began to flap his "wings," as if to truly take flight. People passing beside him laughed, while others ran in fear, lest they gain his sickness by association.

At this point, a devilishly handsome man approached from a nearby alleyway. His chin was cut so neatly, that even the angels above envied his striking face. His black hair shined neatly as it cast off the light of the sun, showing dominance over it. And his rippling muscles! You had to be there. Nevertheless, this wonderful man saw the prince and took pity on the poor man. So he approached the prince and waited beside him, watching the boy flap his wings.

"Kid, what are you doing?" the man with the really good looking chin asked.

The prince looked up at this man and looked relieved. "At last! A hero is among us! Surely, heaven itself has sent a hero in black hair to save me from this hunger!" (you must understand; the prince spoke with exasperation at the end of each sentence at this point, shouting everything).

"I need ya to move along, your scarin' the customers."

"I am indeed this customer you speak of! A customer of life! And you, a hero!"

"Hero, eh?" the man spit to his side, "Listen, kid, you've gotta move on with your life. Your romantic days are over."

"See?!?" the prince cried louder than before, "This here is a hero that recognizes me!"

"Yeah, I recognize you, even in your sorry state." The man pondered his situation. Should he help this prince? Perhaps. It might bring in customers. So the man mercifully extended a hand to the prince.

"Yes!" the prince shouted for joy and danced around, screaming something about Athena and her fellow gods. The prince followed the man into a tiny café that had been hiding in the alleyway this entire time. Once inside the quaint place, the prince sighed in relief. "At last! Air conditioning!" The two customers took one look at this prince and groaned. They finished their coffee and quickly left without even giving a tip. The man turned around and set the prince onto a stool.

"Okay, first we need to go over a few house-rules. No singing. And no shouting."

"But how will the world be blessed by my singing?" he asked.