The Princess and The Jester by Dzvinka Zilinko

Not too long ago, and not too far away from here, was a Kingdom.

The Kingdom had a King, and that King had a daughter. Beautiful as she was smart, he loved her with all his heart. Unfortunately, her mother died when the Princess was young and the King was always busy, so the girl grew up lonely and without friends.

One day, the King noticed how sad his daughter was, and hired a Jester around her age. He was bright and energetic, although his face was heavily scarred and eyes nearly blind. Still, the Princess was overjoyed to finally have a companion, so the two soon became inseparable. It didn't matter what the occasion was - studying, hunting, a stroll in the gardens, or even a ball, she took the Jester everywhere.

The older the Princess and the Jester got, the closer they became, and the King started to grow worried about their relationship. If the boy fell in love with her it would be one thing - besides, unrequited love would just make him more loyal. However, if the Princess would be the one to fall for him, it could be a disaster! She could run away with the Jester, or reject a noble suitor in favor of her servant!

So, when the King saw the two sweethearts embrace each other for too long, he decided it was time to act. He decided to arrange a tournament for the Princess' hand before she would even realize what she was felt towards the jester.

Soon, the announcement was heard in city squares across the kingdom - a man of any status could try his hand at the archery contest that would let you marry the Princess. All he would have to do, is shoot an arrow through a ring hung up on a tree. From farmers to lords, men all over the kingdom spent days and nights practicing, for months the tournament was all people would talk at markets, inns, and banquets. Everyone was excited about the tournament.

Everyone except the Princess, of course. She found out about her possible marriage to someone she didn't know on the same day as everyone else, and, furious, locked herself in her chambers. She didn't let anyone expect her maids in, forbidding even her dear Jester from entering.

He wasn't too happy about the marriage arrangements either. Not only did he love the Princess deeply, but he also wished for her to be with someone who would make her happy. In his experience, skills with a bow didn't translate to compatibility.

After weeks of no sound but wailing coming from the Princess' chambers, she finally summoned the Jester. When he entered, she threw herself into his arms, begging the Jester to enter the contest and at least try to win her hand.

Shocked that the Princess asked him to marry her, the Jester agreed to participate, despite his blindness. She thanked and thanked him, and, after sending him off with a kiss on the cheek, locked herself in her chambers again.

The tournament grew closer and closer, but despite his attempts to practice, the Jester wasn't getting any better at archery. The King saw all this hard work and only snickered into his beard - after all, the contest has been devised specifically to prevent the almost blind Jester from winning.

On the night before the tournament, the Jester has lost all hope. The people were beginning to gather and set up their tents outside of the castle, and a few started laughing at his attempts to shoot. Tired of their jeering, the Jester took his bow and went to practice in the nearby woods.

As he walked though the thick shrubs with tears in his eyes, he heard something crying nearby. The Jester followed the sound, and noticed a small Creature, caught in a hare trap. He couldn't recognize the Creature, but took pity on it and set it free.

Back on solid ground, it suddenly stood up on its hind legs and thanked him. Turns out, it wasn't a simple animal, but a fae, so it asked how it could repay the Jester for his kindness. Surprised, he sank to his knees and explained everything - the Princess, the contest, the promise he made, and his feelings for the princess. The Creature shook its head in thought and gave the Jester a blue ribbon. To win the contest, the fae explained, all he would have to do is tie the ribbon around his arrow. The Jester thanked it and ran back to the palace.

The next morning, the courtyard was filled with people, but as the tournament went on, the excitement had all but disappeared. The challenge proved to be impossible, so when the Jester took his turn it was a welcome moment of levity. Everyone, including the King, laughed, as he tied the blue ribbon around his arrow. The Princess looked like she would cry.

Yet, as he pulled back the bowstring, everyone could feel the air change. The jester let go, and with the smell of petrichor, the arrow soared through the skies and went right through the ring.

The courtyard fell silent, until the Princess ran down to the Jester and wrapped her arms around him.

The King wanted to protest, but as he tried stand up and say that this shot wouldn't count, he caught a glimpse of the ribbon, fluttering in the wind. He felt the smell of storm about to hit again, and his tongue, as if on its own, blessed the marriage.

The world didn't know a wedding as big and fun as this was. Some say, the celebrations lasted a month, while others swore they took a year. Still, nobody was as happy as the newlyweds, who went on to rule with wisdom, compassion, and a bit of help from the fae.