Chapter 3: Stranger

In Theresa's kingdom, she was swamped by her admirers. People came from all around hoping to get a glimpse of her. She was the kingdom's favourite, and yet she was miserable.

She wished day after day she had been more like her sisters. Contrary to what people may have thought, she did not enjoy her beauty and how it made people act around her. People did not treat her like a real person.

Though she had the admirers, no one had asked her parents for her hand. They had been expecting offers from every kingdom, but none came. Everyone was far to intimidated. The two older sisters had started to attract attention and both seemed to be likely to form good alliances, so atlas the King and Queen settled with that.

Theresa knew trouble would come when people had began to refer to her as a goddess. She first heard this as quiet murmurs, but those voice grew all around her. She was not only beautiful they said, but a goddess of beauty, a rival of Ilo herself. Some foolish humans even built her a shrine, thankfully it was promptly taken down.

Anyone Theresa heard calling her a goddess she corrected, yet they kept coming. She had but to hope her worship of the gods and goddesses would protect her. But her hope thinned out as time passed.

One day a stranger came by her kingdom, wrapped tightly in a deep purple cloak. He walked straight from the gates to the castle, in a measured voice he told the King he had come from far away, hoping to see the famous princess Theresa whom he had heard so much about.

The King, thinking this stranger had perhaps came for her hand, was delighted to have him as a guest. The stranger was a very stiff young man, who spoke quite softly and was well mannered, though he never claimed to be, they suspected him a prince of some sort.

The King went and happily fetched Theresa, who had been in her room staring out at the sky.

"Someone has come to see you," he told her.

She fixed him with a distant gaze, not what he had expected from her, and followed him.

When she first saw the stranger she thought little of him, until he spoke to her. He seemed curious about her in a way others were not. Though she was hesitant she let down her guard and found conversation quite pleasant with him.

The King and Queen looked on with immense hope, for Theresa seemed happy. Atlas the young man stayed the night, he was thankful to the kingdom for boarding him but declared he must depart the next day.

Theresa did not get the chance to wish him farewell.

From her high window, Theresa watched him go with sadness. She had enjoyed him, though she hadn't been as keen on a union as her parents, she missed the connection she had felt. She turned away when she could see him no longer and resigned to her fate.

She knew the truth, she carried a curse disguised as a blessing.