In a kingdom far, far away, in the tallest tower of the greatest castle lay a princess with hair like spun gold and eyes that put the blue sapphire to shame. And in the deepest dungeon under the largest mountain of the same kingdom far, far away was a prince with hair like brown silk and eyes that made the green emerald weep in jealousy.

      The princess was asleep and at peace. The prince was bound in chains and in the most terrible torment. For once upon a time, a prince fell in love with a princess as they danced together in a crystal ballroom.

      But the princess was not in love. For once upon a time a princess fell in love with a boy with hair like straw and eyes that would not make even dirt jealous as they talked under the gentle sway of forest leaves.

      And then the witch came, and the princess threw herself at her feet and begged for death, for she could not marry the prince when she wanted the boy. And so it was; the princess would die. But three kind, misguided fairies thwarted the princess and the witch, and in the attempt to save the princess, they condemned her instead. Now, the princess would not die, but only sleep like death ‘til she was awakened by a magical kiss.

      With her slept the people of the kingdom far, far away, put there by the fairies that had saved the princess and condemned her all at once. Briars of the sharpest thorns and the reddest roses grew, covering the castle in a thick blanket, and any who wandered into their midst would die, rose red blood spilling on green grass.

      The prince disappeared, captured by the witch who swore to never let the princess awaken again. The boy died, trying to fight through the wicked briars with neither sword nor shield, and rose red blood spilled. And so the princess slept on unaware and at peace as her kingdom turned to dust and her true love died. And the prince struggled on in agony as his heart cried out for his beloved.

      She slept on.

      He struggled in vain against gleaming shackles until he hung, exhausted, hopeless.

      She slept on.

      He restored his hope as the fairies came and gifted him with shield and sword and freed him from the dungeon, leaving him to start towards the tallest tower of the greatest castle of the kingdom far, far away.

      She slept on.

      He trudged through scorching deserts, boggy swamps, and ever-stretching forests.

      She slept on.

      He came to the greatest castle and hacked his way through the towering briars, fighting with both sword and shield, and he passed the body of a boy with hair like straw.

      She slept on.

      He raised his sword against the witch who became a dragon, sunlight glinting off the metal blade.

      She slept on.

      He ducked and ran and slashed, leaping away from great gouts of fire, crying out as long claws raked against his chest, and finally shouting in triumph as he plunged his sword into the witch’s heart.

      She waited.

      Slowly, he entered the greatest castle of the kingdom far, far away and walked up the steps to the tallest tower.

      She lay in front of him.

      Then the prince bent forward and pressed a magical kiss to her lips, and the princess woke and the prince smiled.

      And the princess whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek, “Why did you wake me?”