Once upon a time in the Land that Might Have Been, there lived a King and his daughter.
The King’s wife had taken ill and died. Nanny Flossie became the surrogate mother for the little princess, but soon found the little girl to be quite a handful.
“Your majesty,” Nanny Flossie said with a deep bow, “I am an old woman. Your charge is more than a body can take!” Nanny Flossie was a trusted confidant in his majesty, and he favored her insight.
“What will you have me do?” the King asked.
“There is a school. She will learn the qualities of a lady, mi lord,” Flossie answered.
“Aye, the young princess is a bit much. She lacks the touch of a mother. Not that you have not tried Flossie. We understand your concerns,” the King sighed.
“Mi lord, ‘tis for the best,” Flossie said as she lay a soothing hand on the weary King’s shoulder.
And so, the young princess was sent off to school. She adjusted wonderfully, but she had a penchant for reading about legends. Her favorite was “Nina, Warrior Princess.” Often the little princess would get into trouble jumping off school fixtures and running up walls, “Nina style.” But as time went by, she became quite good at the skill of turning spectacular flips in mid-air. She also grew into a very beautiful princess with long, dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, ruby, red lips and a fair complexion.
Also at the school was a young prince. Prince Halsten stood a majestic 5’10”. He had shoulder length light brown hair and a muscular build, plus he had a dimpled smile that was a killer. He was renown at school as a fierce, but fair fighter. His training in swordsmanship was unparalleled, but he believed in using his skills sparingly. He did not believe in unnecessary fighting.
The Prince was impressed with the Princess’ spirit. He was even more so impressed by her ability to seemingly fly through the air as she mastered her “Tina-like” flips. Soon, the Prince found himself teaching her sword skills. They would often meet after class and she, always dressed as a boy because ladies were not to be taught such skills, proved to be a very quick student. The Prince became quite taken by her and asked her to be his bride.
The entire school knew the two were destined to be together and that they would rule a fair and peaceful kingdom. There was great joy in the school when they became engaged. There was also great joy and celebration in each kingdom. The kingdoms of Zar and Zan, in the Land that Might Have Been, were to be united. However, that was only on the surface in the kingdom of Zan.
The King had married a very hateful woman while his daughter was in school. Though she was careful not to show the King her bad side, she spew her venom on the staff. She was especially cruel to Nanny Flossie. The Queen was setting the stage for her take-over.
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Princess Helen had completed her studies at the school and was now preparing to return to her kingdom to oversee her wedding plans. Her entourage entered the waiting coach. Prince Halsten waved farewell and Helen waved a handkerchief from the window as the coach set off.
Satisfied that the coach was well on its way, Halsten decided to get in a little sword practice. Before he could start his paces, he was attacked from behind. The prince fell to the ground and found himself pinned.
“You knave! What is the meaning of this?” he shouted at his attacker.
“The first rule, mi lord,” the attacker answered, “‘always be on guard.’” Then, as the attacker slowly released the hold, Halsten turned to see who had attacked him. He saw what appeared to be a mere boy.
“You were not watchful,” the attacker said as “he” removed “his” cap to reveal long, dark brown hair. His attacker was Helen.
“You! I saw you enter the coach!” Halsten said in surprise.
“You saw a person enter the coach,” Helen laughed. “Not me!”
Regaining his composure, Halsten embraced Helen and reversed it into a hold that made it impossible for her to move. “I should have never taught you those moves.”
“Oh, but I MUST know if we are to rule in peace. I have vowed to rule and fight when necessary, side by side with my King. You know, like Nina, Warrior Princess.”
“You are NOT Nina; you are my future wife. If you don’t return home, I may have to find another bride,” Halsten teased.
“Oh no you don’t!” Helen shouted as she struggled against Halsten’s hold.
“Then I must take you to your coach,” Halsten smiled, revealing those killer dimples that he knew would melt her. Slowly, he released his hold.
“Then I guess you must,” Helen sighed as she waited for Halsten to kiss her, but he teasingly held back.
“Oh no. No sweet kisses for such a bad little princess.”
“Impossible!! You are just impossible,” Helen pouted.
“Just like you,” he smiled. He looked into her hazel eyes and pulled her into a kiss. It made her weak and she melted into his arms. Halsten’s kisses were intoxicating to her and he knew it. “Now, we must get you to that coach!” Halsten firmly said as he broke away from the kiss.
“Aw, you did that on purpose!” Helen gasped trying to regain her composure.
“Smart Princess,” Halsten grinned as he grabbed her hand and headed toward the stables.
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“Stop the coach!” Halsten ordered.
“Is something wrong, mi lord?” Andrews, the driver, asked as he guided the coach to a stop.
“It would help if you carried the correct cargo,” Halsten said as he dismounted his horse.
“Sire?” Andrews asked.
The Prince pulled what looked to be a sack from his horse and steadied it on the ground.
“The Princess,” he said as he took the cover from her head. A gasp was heard as Helen smiled and waved to Andrews.
“Your father will hear of your ways, child!” Andrews scolded.
“Oh no. Please, no,” Helen pretended to whine.
“Obviously she switched places with her lady in waiting. Charlotte, come out of the coach,” Halsten ordered. The door slowly opened and the “Princess” emerged. When she removed the veil from her face, it was indeed Charlotte and she bowed before the Prince.
“You are a clever one, Helen. Now mind your ways and have a safe journey home. You have a wedding to plan,” Halsten said as he prepared to mount his horse. He watched as Helen and Charlotte entered the coach. “Sir Andrews, you have precious cargo. See that they arrive safely in the kingdom,” he said.
As the coach began to move, Helen stuck her head out of the window and called, “Spoilsport!” To answer, Halsten’s horse reared as he and his guards watched until the coach was out of sight.
****************
Inside the coach, Charlotte pleaded with Helen to change clothes.
“Enjoy it Charlotte,” Helen sighed. “Besides we’ll be home soon. Don’t worry, father will lecture me, but you won’t get into any trouble.”
“Do you think you will like your new mother and sister?” Charlotte asked.
“Oh, I suppose. As long as father is happy, I will be also. Besides, I hope my new sister will help with the wedding. Oh Charlotte, this is going to be so exciting!” Helen laughed. Then she placed the cap back on her head and sat silently thinking about her prince.
Thirty minutes into the journey, the coach was attacked. The Princess managed to run into the forest, but she was followed by the attackers. She was almost home free when she slipped and fell down a small cliff.
“She’ll never survive that fall!” one of the attackers said. They looked down and saw her body sprawled on the ground.
“She’s dead. Let’s get back to the coach.” the Captain said.
Once back at the coach, the attackers took the remaining members of the party prisoners. They left the coach abandoned and went back to the castle to report to the Queen...Helen’s step-mother. Later that day at the palace...
“Are you sure she’s dead?” the Queen asked.
“Yes, your majesty, we saw her body. She could not have survived such a fall from that cliff,” the Captain reported.
“Good. Job well done. I will inform the King of the tragic news. You see to it that the others are placed in servitude. You may go!” The Queen laughed to herself as she went to tell the King the news.
The Queen stood outside the door of the King’s chamber. Before she entered she looked at herself in the mirror, putting on her best sad face. Unknown to the King, the Queen was once an aspiring actress. She had merely played the part of a “Countess” to attract the lonely King’s eye. Now as Queen, she was in her greatest performance; the performance of a lifetime. With a sad look upon her face, she entered the chamber.
“My lord, forgive my intrusion, but I have news of importance,” the Queen said with a deep bow.
“What news? Has my daughter arrived?” the King asked hopefully. Then, he saw his wife’s sad face. “What is it? Tell me.”
“Your daughter. She—she was on her way home when her coach was attacked. She is dead, sire,” the Queen sobbed.
“What? This can not possibly be true! Where is she?” the shocked King asked.
“She was chased by her attackers and fell from a cliff. Our guards could not retrieve her body.”
“Our guards?” the King asked.
“I sent the guards out to meet the coach. When they came upon it, it was abandoned. They searched the area and found tears of the princesses’ clothing. They followed them to the edge of a-a cliff. She did not survive.”
“What of her group? Where are they?” the King asked.
“There was no one, sire. The coach stood empty.”
The king sat in stunned silence. His beloved daughter, dead. Her companions, gone. This was to be a happy occasion. Helen was to be married. She was to meet her new mother and sister. How could this all change in a day? Tears of sadness fell upon the King’s cheeks. His world has turned from brightness to darkness.
“Send a declaration to the kingdom. We are in mourning. Send a messenger to Prince Halsten. I shall see no one but Halsten. Leave me, now,” the King sadly said.
“Husband, I–I am truly sorry. I will do as you wish. I will return with tea to sooth you,” the Queen said as she left the room. As she closed the door, she heard the King release a sorrowful wail for the loss of his daughter, and she smiled. Secure in the thought that her plan was working, she went about to carry out the King’s request.
“The King is in mourning. Until further notice, I am in charge. All matters meant for the King will come through me. Do I make myself clear?” the Queen said to the King’s council.
“Aye, your highness,” came the collective answer.
“Good. The King is not to be disturbed. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I must take my husband his tea.”
As the Queen left the room, the King’s council sat concerned about the news they had heard.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Sir Nigel said. To no surprise, the other members of the council agreed.
The Next Day...
When Prince Halsten heard the news he was devastated.
“Tell the King I will arrive at the castle tomorrow,” he said to the messenger. Halsten then wandered through the halls of the school.
He thought of the mischievous princess. She just could not be gone. His thoughts were interrupted when he found he had walked to the field where just yesterday morning the princess had “attacked” him. Overcome with sorrow, Halsten sat down, put his head in his hands, and cried.
(Music: “Shades of Gray” The prince, in memory format, recalls his times with Helen: when they first met, her spectacular flips thru mid-air, when he taught her how to use the sword and the mistakes she made before she got it right, their first kiss, the announcement of their engagement, their dancing a courtly waltz, and when he pulled her from his horse to put her on the carriage. The final image, as the French horn fades, is Helen sitting in a field of flowers smiling with the wind blowing her hair.)
Later that same day at the Pad in the Forest. . .
The Monkees had won the audition to perform at the royal functions as well as the wedding, so Mike made sure his band mates got in plenty of practice. After their practice session, one band member, Peter Tork would find his world suddenly changed.
“See you guys later. I’ve got a date with nature,” Peter called as he ran out the door.
“Don’t say a word Micky. It calms him like your tinkerin’ around with mixtures an’ things,” Mike warned. To that, Micky closed his mouth and pouted.
“‘E sure knows you, eh?” Davy snickered and barely missed the cushion Micky threw at him.
Meanwhile, Peter found his way to the clearing in the forest where he meditated. Today, however, his peaceful thoughts were disturbed by moans. Following the sounds, Peter soon found what appeared to be a young boy sprawled in the clover.
“Are you OK? Can you move?” Peter asked. The young “boy’s” eyes fluttered open and upon looking into Peter’s face, “his” eyes grew wide. She whispered “Halsten” and then fainted. Peter picked up what he thought to be a young boy and ran back to the pad in the woods.