It was a lovely warm, sunny day and Prince Strongheart, sole child of the King and Queen, was out for a ride, accompanied, of course, by one of his attendants.
They neared the end of the forest that marked the boundary of their kingdom.
"We should turn back, your highness." His attendant reined in his horse.
The Prince sighed softly and stopped as well. He didn't want to go home yet... it was such a nice day.
"We could take the long way around," his attendant suggested, sensing the Prince's mood, "That would make the ride longer."

He shook his head, "Why must we always stop at the border?"
"Because.... it's the border, highness," the attendant replied, somewhat bewildered by the question.
"I would like to see what's beyond."
"But... you can't..." he sputtered.
Strongheart turned towards him, "Why not?" he demanded, "It's not like I'm a boy any longer."
"It isn't that, highness..." he said, "But you'd be leaving the kingdom."
"It's my right to know what's beyond!" he snapped, "isn't it?"
"I suppose highness," he replied, "But you should speak with your parents about arranging an official visit."
"My parents..." he muttered to himself. He hated having to run to them for permission for every little thing. "I'm eighteen! Soon to be nineteen!" He exploded, "I don't need their permission if I'm simply going to explore!"

"There are procedures that must be followed," his attendant said patiently. He loosened the reins to let his horse graze. When Strongheart worked up a temper tantrum it usually took awhile to burn out, and there was no going anywhere until he'd calmed down.
Strongheart rolled his eyes slightly. "Procedures, Ha!" he snorted scornfully, "This isn't a 'political' trip."
He brought his horse right up next to his attendant's, "You're with me. What other procedures must I follow?"
"It isn't polite to drop in unannounced," he replied.
Strongheart laughed, "We aren't going to visit anyone. I just want to take a look around."
"Highness..." his companion started in the tone of voice that usually meant a lecture was to follow.
Strongheart couldn't be bothered to remember everything from the dull etiquette lessons he'd sat through. It was all silly useless stuff. He didn't want to sit through another one here.
"Fine, fine," he said, cutting him off, "we will head back."
The attendant gave a nod, satisfied by that.

Suddenly the Prince turned his horse homeward. "Race you!" he shouted, nudging his horse into a gallop.
His attendant was taken by surprise, but he quickly urged his horse after.

Strongheart laughed and urged his horse on, but his attendant was rapidly gaining. As they entered the well tended forest path, they were neck and neck.
Perfect... thought the Prince, signaling his horse to slow down slightly, first to a canter and then, as his attendant vanished ahead of him, to a trot.
A mischievous smile crossed Strongheart's face. That had been almost too easy. He slowed to a walk and then to a stop.
"Good boy," he rubbed his horse's neck, "Now let's go exploring."
The horse wickered at the pat and trotted forward in the direction Strongheart indicated - back to the border.

At the border, Strongheart stopped again and looked around. "Well, here we are."
His horse lowered his head to graze.
"Now isn't the time," Strongheart scolded gently, "You'll have oats when we get back."
He snorted, but raised his head and moved forward.
"I promise the first apple tree we see, you may have one."
The horse snorted again, but his ears flicked with interest.

They crossed over the border. The landscape didn't change that much, and nothing terrible happened.
Strongheart laughed. "I don't see what my attendant was all uppity about, do you?"
The horse simply walked on.

After a few minutes of walking they could see a castle in the distance.
"Wonder who lives there..." the prince murmured, "Might be interesting to find out..."
He turned his horse in that direction, just intending to take a look.
When they got near, his horse whinnied and shied away, tossing his head.
"Hey now..." Strongheart tightened his hold on the reins, "Woah boy... It's alright..."
He got the animal back under control, and patted his neck again, "There now... easy boy..." He cautiously lightened up his hold.
The horse snorted and lowered his head to graze.
Strongheart sighed softly, but allowed it. Anything to calm him down.

Once the horse was finished, Strongheart urged him forward again. The horse reluctantly obeyed, but every inch of his body was telling the prince that there was something ahead that he did not like.
The prince ignored that. "I wonder if whoever lives there has a daughter..." he mused

One of the side gates to the castle was open. He could get a peek inside. That would be easier than trying to peer in a window.
Just outside of the gates, he felt an odd wind and heard some strange chanting.
His horse shifted uneasily.
"Shh..." he soothed, going up to the gate and peeking inside.

A man with long dark hair, clad in ordinary gray work clothes was standing in the yard next to a large furnace. Smoke and heat whirled around him in visible waves as he twirled a glass ball on a pipe, occasionally blowing into it.
Intrigued, for he had always liked watching the glass makers in the city around the palace, Strongheart eased his horse in further.
The horse caught a whiff of the smoke and let out a distressed whinny.

The sound startled the man into dropping the glass ball. It shattered into millions of tiny pieces as it exploded in bright green smoke.
Strongheart had only a second to notice this before his horse reared, throwing him to the ground, despite his best efforts to stay on. The terrified horse whirled and took off.

The prince sighed softly, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. He'd have to go try and catch it. He started towards the gate, but it slammed shut with a clang.
"You!" a voice roared.
Strongheart whirled to see the glass maker advancing, an angry look in his black eyes.
"Who are you?" the glass maker demanded.
He stood up as tall as he could, "I am Prince Strongheart," he stated proudly.
"Do you have any idea what you have done?" the glass maker snapped angrily.
"I apologize," Strongheart responded regally, with a slight bow, "I was merely curious, and my horse spooked. I will pay you for the glass..."

The glass maker glared and gestured, and suddenly an odd sensation filled the Prince's body.
"Come here," he ordered.
Strongheart felt his foot move forward, and then the other one. He tried to hold back - to turn and run - but... he couldn't! He couldn't control his own body! What kind of glass maker was this?
"You have just destroyed six months of work!" he growled.
"Let go of me!" the Prince demanded.
"Silence!"
Strongheart's mouth closed, and try as he might, he couldn't make a sound. This was no glass maker.... this was a wizard!

He marched Strongheart into the entrance hall, and forced him roughly to his knees.
"Why have you come here?" the wizard demanded.
"I... I was only curious," Strongheart responded, trying not to let his fear show through.
"Liar!"
The prince cried out as his arms were twisted behind his back painfully.
"Who sent you?" he demanded.
"I..." He took a breath, trying to hide the plead in his voice, "I came on my own. No one sent me!"
He cried out again as he was forced forward until his forehead touched the ground.
"Do you know who I am?" the Wizard asked.
Strongheart squeezed his eyes shut. This was one of the most uncomfortable positions he had ever been in. "N-no..." he whispered.
"What were you doing at my gate?"
"I-I heard an odd s-sort of noise a-and I... I..."
The Wizard raised his head, staring into the prince's terrified eyes. And then he laughed. "You were curious," he stated.
"Y... y-yes..." he whispered meekly.

"Tell me, Prince Strongheart. Have you ever heard the expression 'curiosity killed the cat'?"
His blue eyes grew even wider.
"Answer me."
He gulped. "Y...y... yes..."

He laughed cruelly and allowed Strongheart down to all fours, then he forced the prince to crawl towards him.
Strongheart gasped as his body moved on it's own, following the wizard down a hallway, through a door and down some stairs. Where was the wizard taking him?
They finally stopped inside of a tiny cell.
The prince gulped. "Wh-what are you going to do with me?" He whispered.
"You disrupted my spell, I need to see if anything can be salvaged," the wizard replied, making
Strongheart lay down on the ground, "And then I will deal with you."
He gestured and Strongheart's eyes closed.

The prince heard the wizard walk away and the door clang shut. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn't.
He couldn't move a muscle, not even his eyes.
Strongheart tried for awhile to open his eyes but eventually he gave up and let out a soft whimper. The floor was cold, hard and uncomfortable, especially the one stone digging right into his spine.
Deprived of all other senses, his hearing seemed to grow sharper. Water was dripping down off somewhere behind his head.
Some small animal squeaked and he tensed inwardly.

After he got used to the sounds, he started to think, to worry about what would happen to him. His imagination conjured up all sorts of horrible fates.
Then suddenly he felt some small animal crawling over his leg. He let out a yell, but he couldn't shake it off.
Strongheart whimpered softly. He hated being made a prisoner in his own body.

It seemed like years before he heard footsteps. It had to be the wizard. His heart raced and he shook inwardly as the footsteps came closer and the door opened.
He swallowed a few times before he was able to speak. The Prince tried (and failed) to sound brave.
"What... what are you going t-to do with me?"
He felt himself rise to his hands and knees and crawl forward a step.
"I have not decided yet," the Wizard replied.
Strongheart really hated this... the Wizard could make him do *anything*.

"My father will be looking for me!" he said, "He sent his guards and you'll soon have them at the door unless you let me go!"
As he said that, his courage returned. He was the Prince, his father was a King.
"Guards at my door?" the Wizard repeated, amused.
"Yes," Strongheart replied, "So unless you want trouble, Let. Me. Go!"
"You caused me more trouble when you were free," he pointed out
"So I made you break that glass ball. I'm sorry," he said, trying to keep the huff out of his voice, "You can create another."
The Wizard simply humpfed.
"At least let me stand and see!" he demanded.
"No, I don't believe I will."
"I'm a Prince!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, I believe you have told me that. Several times."He growled, "I don't belong on the floor, crawling around on my hands and knees like..." he paused, "like some lowly... dog!"

"Well then young Prince," the Wizard smirked, "Come."
He turned and walked out of the room, controlling Strongheart.
The Prince was unnerved, crawling along behind the wizard with his eyes closed. "I demand that you open my eyes!"
"You are in no position to demand anything."
"Where are we going?" he asked instead.
"To my workroom."
Strongheart gulped, but held back his fear, "At least be decent enough to let me see where I am going!"
"No."

After 'walking' a bit further, Strongheart felt carpet under his hands. And then, suddenly, he felt the feeling of being controlled leave him - all except for his eyes.
He gasped in surprise and sat up. His arms and legs felt stiff from laying still for so long. Strongheart sat still for a moment, and then slowly and awkwardly rising to his feet, being careful not to bump into anything.
He heard the Wizard moving some things around, it sounded like glass clinking.
"What's going on?" Strongheart asked.
The Wizard did not answer. All that Strongheart could hear was the fire crackling.
"What's going on?" he demanded.

Strongheart continued to demand... and then ask... and then plead... and then beg.
"Please... I would like to see again..."
"Would you?" he asked, amused.
"Yes..." he whispered.

His eyes slowly opened and blinked, looking around the room. After having his eyes closed for so long, it seemed so bright.
When his vision cleared, he saw the Wizard standing behind a table covered in bottles.
He slowly took a step back.

The Wizard walked over to the fireplace and Strongheart backed away.
"I have decided what to do with you," he said.
"What... what are you going to do?" he asked nervously.
He tossed something in the fireplace. The flames blazed bright red, all the way up the chimney.

Prince Strongheart held out a hand to shield himself from the heat, but it swirled around him. He cried out, eyes wide. "Wh-what's happening?" he cried in fright.
The Wizard ignored him, chanting something as he walked anti-clockwise around the Prince. After he'd gone around three times there was a flash of light. Strongheart cried out and covered his eyes.

"From now on, no eyes shall see you as you are," he said.
He opened his eyes slowly at the wizard's words.
"Perhaps then you will learn that it is not wise to interrupt a wizard at work," he said.
"What did you do to me?" he whispered, looking down at himself. He didn't *look* any different.
"It's called a curse, dear prince," he sneered.
His eyes widened, "Curse??" he squeaked.

Suddenly the flames surrounded him again. It burned and he screamed, dropping to his knees and squeezing his eyes shut.
Once the heat vanished, he opened his eyes again. Everything looked different... "Wha-?" he started to ask, and then cut himself off, hearing it come out as a whimper.
He looked to the wizard, who looked much taller. "What did you do to me? What happened?"
"You said that you felt like a dog. I just made you feel more so," he said.
"No..." he gasped, before looking down at his hands.... white fur covered paws, "No!!"
"To all eyes, you shall be a dog," he said, "But if you wish to be human, you may just will yourself to be."
Strongheart backed away, "Change me back! Remove it!"

The Wizard went back to his table and returned to ignoring him.
Strongheart backed towards the door. He had to get out of there! After a few more steps, he turned and raced out of the room, down the stairs, out of the castle and into the yard.
The closed gate brought him to a sudden stop. His heard was racing and he looked all around, and then down to the ground. Without thinking, he started to dig. It wasn't until he had a small sized hole that he realized what his body was doing.
When there was a decent sized hole, he squirmed his way through it. It was a tight fit, but soon he was outside of the gate... free.

He didn't stop running, his paws carrying him further and further away from the castle.
Prince Strongheart slowly slowed, until he came to a stop. He couldn't run any longer, his lungs were burning and his paws ached.
He laid down and looked around. The world looked different to a dog. He knew the grass under his paws was green, but it looked gray. But now he could smell it, and all of the sounds were much louder.

Strongheart rested his head on his paws and whimpered, blinking back tears and wishing with all his heart that he was human again. He didn't want to be a dog...
And then the fire came again. He cried out as it felt like all the fur was being burned off his body.
He tumbled forward on the grass, landing hard with an 'oof!', blinking his eyes to clear his vision. The color was back in the world.
Strongheart gasped and looked down at his hands. They were dirty, but human.
He stumbled to his feet. He had to get home...
The first few steps were more like staggers, but soon he steadied and walked back in the direction of his kingdom.

Once Strongheart was safely inside the familiar forest he relaxed and let out a sigh. He was safe now.
He started for the direction of home. He'd been gone for at least a day and he was sure his parents must be worried sick.

He hadn't gone too far when he heard voices calling his name. He had to smile at that. He was missed, they were searching for him.
Strongheart called out to them, hurrying towards the sound.
He heard a happy shout, and a crashing sound as someone rushed towards him.

Suddenly the fire returned. He dove behind the tree and held back a cry until the pain faded and he saw the searchers and he hurried out to greet them, failing to notice the shades of gray that his world was in.
"Here I am!" he called out to the searchers.
The man jumped at the sound of barking and looked down at the white dog. "I know I heard him..."

"It's me! It's Prince Strongheart!" he yipped, pawing at the leg of one of them, "down here!"
The man jumped at the touch and backed away.
"It's me..." he whimpered.
"Easy boy," one of the guards held out a hand to him, "Good boy."
"It's me..." he whimpered again, "the Prince..."

"Maybe the shout came from over here..." they walked off.
"No!" Strongheart cried out and followed them, trying to get them to understand.
They tried to shoo him away but he wouldn't go.
One of them took some food out of his bag and tossed it to the ground.
Strongheart backed away, letting it fall to the ground. Food? Was *that* what they thought he wanted?
He huffed and followed after them, ignoring the food.

Finally one of the searchers looked down at him.
Strongheart whimpered softly, "it's me..."
"You can follow if you like," the man said, "but don't expect too much."
The Prince sighed. He would follow... his mother and father at least would have to recognize him.
He followed them until night fell and they gave up and went back to the castle.

They reached the castle and two of the searchers made their way inside, where the King and Queen were anxiously awaiting news of their son.
Strongheart stayed close at their heels, keeping out of sight.
Once they'd entered the room, the Queen hurried over to the searchers, "Anything?"
"Mother!" Strongheart exclaimed, rushing out between the man's legs and jumping up on her, knocking her over, "Mother! It's me! I'm home!"
"Get it off!" the Queen cried, terrified.
"It's me!" he yelped, "Your son!"

One of the guards grabbed his collar and hauled him off. "I'm sorry your majesty," he said, "I didn't know he'd followed us in."
"No!" Strongheart growled at the guard, "let go!" He turned back to his mother desperately, "Mother... surely you recognize me! I'm your son!"
The Queen sneezed as her allergies made her eyes water. She gathered her skirts and hurried from the room.
"Mother!" he struggled, trying to run after her.
The King shut the door and Strongheart whimpered softly, "Mother..."
"She's terribly allergic to dogs," the King said to the guard.
"I'll keep him away from her," the guard promised.
"Father..." Strongheart approached him, jumping up on him, although not as forcefully as he had with his mother.
The King patted him gently on the head. "See that he's fed." He had a soft spot for dogs, even though his wife couldn't be near them.
"But it's me..." the prince whimpered as he leaned into his father's touch, "your son..."

The guard took Strongheart gently by the scruff of the neck. "Come on boy," he coaxed.
"No," Strongheart struggled, "It's me... Father! It's me!"
He continued to struggle and call as he was taken out of the room and downstairs into a different room.
The guard shut the door and then let go of him.
Strongheart looked at the closed door and hung his head sadly. He half-opened his eyes at a clinking sound and looked to see the guard put a dish of water down next to him.
"I'll get you something to eat," the guard said in a kindly tone.
The prince laid down sadly.

The guard brought a plate with some scraps over, "I'm sorry you can't stay in the castle," he said, "But the queen is terribly allergic to dogs." He patted him on the head, "but you can stay here for the night."
He stood up and left the room, leaving Strongheart alone.

Table scraps. How degrading... He pushed the plate away with a paw and lay back down, closing his eyes. If dogs could cry there would be tears rolling down his snout. His mother was allergic...
A sob tore through him, coming out as whine. No one knew who he was... no one could know. No one could help him. He was trapped...
With all his heart and soul, he wished he wasn't a dog anymore.

It was all he could take to keep from screaming as the fire engulfed him again. His vision blurred and he collapsed. After the pain subsided, he was human again.
Strongheart blinked as he looked at his somewhat-dirty hands. This had happened before... on his way out of the wizard's castle... The wizard had said "from now on, no eyes shall see you as you truely are."... Now it all made sense. He could be human when he was alone...
Strongheart slowly rose to his feet, looking at the door. He couldn't open it as a dog, but now... He turned the handle and peeked out into the empty hallway.
He had to leave... They were going to turn him out anyway tomorrow morning...
"I'll save them the trouble..." he murmured sadly to himself.

Strongheart quietly left the room, hurrying down the hall to the door. As he passed another door he heard footsteps and voices. The Prince all out ran for the door and managed to duck into some bushes before the curse took hold and forced him back into the form of the white dog.
He lay there for a moment, catching his breath before he was able to get to his feet again.

He stepped out of hiding and looked up at the castle.
'I'm sorry mother... father... I love you but... your son is lost forever...' he whimpered before turning and running towards the village, not looking back.