The continuation- Rebekah

"Oof!" Katherine fell back catching herself with her hands. What she saw made her heart leap.
"So, we meet again!" said a gruff voice.
Katherine felt herself go limp and fall backwards in a faint.

When she woke up, she was lying on a bed in a dark room in the princess' tower. A bandage was on her arm and across from her sat the dark figure of a man. The man was covered in a thick shadow, so she could not see his face. she saw his head turning towards her and quickly closed her eyes.

A laugh resounded upon the cold stone walls. "are you afraid of me then?" The evil merchant said. "Probably a good thing. But I will not harm you, ugly one. I only ask that you tell me exactly why you were in this tower, and I will let you go." She opened her eyes again, only to see the figure staring at her. He smiled a huge smile when she looked at him. "I cleaned the wound Princess Fern gave you!" somehow he sounded like a child.

"Where is the princess?" Katherine asked, trying to sit up.

"The princess is in the other room, cooking us a meal," The evil man laughed again; it was not a pleasant laugh. "But you know she can't cook worth a rat's tail! So she just sits at the window of hers and waits for one of those blumming sevants to throw a meal up to her like," he used a high raspy voice, trying to sound like a woman " 'Princess Fern, Princess fern, let down your golden rope.' It's quite a laugh! You know why? " The man leaned his hideous face into the light and so close to Katherine she could feel his breath. "Because you're the only worm that had the guts to even feed the monster!" He laughed again, right in Katherine's face. She sat as still as possible, having spent all of her courage on the knife incident with Princess Fern. "You're being so loud dearie! You'll have to be quiet or she'll hear us and it will ruin everything." He smiled and leaned away. "Just tell me why you decided to come up here and talk to our little decrepit princess. Huh?"

"She is our future queen. When the king dies," The king is 98 years old, readers, "We will need someone to govern our people, and not from a tower." Said the brave, and shaking, Katherine.

"Ah, so you thought you'd just come up here and see if you can talk the crazy hag into some sense, didn't you." Slowly Katherine nodded. "Well," Said the merchant, "We can't have you ruining the opportunity I have been waiting years and years for, now can we? I will let you go now that you told me, but if you ever come up here again, I will kill you."

"Can I say something to the princess first?"

"No."

So Katherine left the sadly confused princess and the creepy old man alone, through a secret passage the merchant had shown her, only wanting to go home, hug her two wonderful parents, and leave the problem to God. Little did she know, her words had already done the damage on the evil man's plan. While Katherine walked home wondering why the scary merchant would bother to bandage her arm, Princess Fern longed for her beauty, but mostly for her home.

Fern lay on the hard floor crying, which (as you can tell) she had been doing a lot of lately and her tears had been slowly cleansing the hideous wound on her cheek. With no mirrors in huge tower, the princess only had a small bowl of water to see herself in. Fern got up, off the floor, and looked at the face in her mirror-bowl.

"How can I govern my people, if I am ugly? How can I make my mother happy?" she looked at the wound and slowly fingered the sensitive flesh around. "How am I to get married?" A tear distilled the water momentarily leaving the princess only her thoughts to look at. "What if that plain woman were correct? What if, though I dare not hope, this hideousness can be healed?" The water was still once more and the princess did not believe it the difference she saw in the reflection. For a moment, she saw her old beauty again, and only a flicker of her wound. Then the picture went back to her unkempt hair and huge, nasty wound.

"If she was right about my wound," The princess had decided to hope, "Then maybe other things she said were true. Didn't she say 'Beauty isn't everything'? could I be beautiful on the inside, as I was on the outside? Could I be a good queen, even if my face does not heal?" with these thoughts, the princess made a decision with someone else in mind, for the first time in her life.

Meanwhile, a very happy merchant twisted through a dark corridor. as he traveled passed dark room by dark, scary room, he rubbed his boney hands together. The only sounds were the patter-patter of his sandals as the small man shuffled to his destination and a faint, constant dripping, which came from a drain leading out of the grand palace above. Finally he made it to his designated door, it was considerably larger than all the rest. The merchant knocked on the door and the sound bounced off down the hall.

A tall guard opened the door and lead the merchant in, placing him in front of a large, black throne, "WHAT IS IT, GYLIE?" a huge voice boomed over the momentary silence.



Celina---GO!

Jess~The Continuation- pt. 7

Okay gals, sorry for the delay, here it is!


            __________________________________________________________________
Katherine cowered back against the fireplace, and her hand desperately grabbed for something to defend herself. Ah! She felt the handle of a bucket of ashes. Katherine tensed her muscle as the princess rushed across the room towards her, a bare knife in her hand...


Quickly, Katherine heaved the bucket, sending ashes everywhere, blinding the princess for a few moments. 


"Aah!" Fern cried. She bumped into a side table and fell over it, crashing down along with a vase of flowers, the knife flew from her hand, hitting the wall and landing a few feet from Katherine.


For a few moments, everything was silent. At first, Katherine began to wonder if the princess was really hurt, but then a soft sound of weeping could be heard. Again, Katherine knew not what to do. 


"I never wanted to become a monster!" wailed Fern, "I only wanted people to love me and admire my perfect beauty! But all because of the silly, ignorant maid...gone! All my pride and joy."


"But princess, not all is lost. There is still hope! We can fix your wound, and it will heal! Besides, beauty isn't everything." Katherine said compassionately.


"WHAT?!?! You know not what you are talking about! Beauty is everything! What would I be without my beauty? You are wasting my time. Leave now!"


"But my princess, if only yo-"


"Noo!!!" Fern came closer, to Katherine, rage in her eyes. She quickly bent down and picked up the knife, getting ready to aim it again at Katherine.


Katherine turned and started to run, but a second too late, for the blade caught the sleeve of her dress and dug into her skin.


"Oww!!" Katherine cried, freeing herself and running out the door. A piece of wood, protruding from the door snagged the hem of her skirt and she tripped. As quickly as she could, she picked herself up, wincing at the pain in her arm.


The princess, still after her, was catching up, but Katherine was fast.  After a long chase, Fern finally gave up and collapsed in one of the many halls of the great palace, heaving great breaths from tiredness. 


Katherine, still running at full speed, turned her head to see the princess fall. Not looking where she was going, the girl ran into a large man walking in the opposite direction of Katherine.


"Oof!" Katherine fell back catching herself with her hands. What she saw made her heart leap.


"So, we meet again!" said a gruff voice.


Katherine felt herself go limp and fall backwards in a faint. 


Okay!! I think Rebekah is next :) Have fun!!

Grace- The Story

Katherine was curious and compassionate and so one day she resolved to go up to the Princess Fern's window to bring her food. She threw a rope up to her window and started the long climb. When she reached the window she climbed in and called out, "Hello?" She saw a woman stand up and turn around from a high back chair and she was not prepared for what she saw...

At first she saw nothing, heard nothing, and then there was shriek of fury, and all of a sudden a large black shadow flung itself upon her, knocking her to floor!

Katherine hit her head upon the stonework, and for a second she saw stars, but shaking her head she brought herself back into focus, and well for her that she did, for at that moment the shadow came rushing at her again, this time with a large staff in her hand.

Katherine, who was light and quick, sprang up and to the side, so that the heavy staff crashed harmlessly into the wall. Now Katherine took the offensive. Before Fern could send another blow her way Katherine leaped forward and caught her uplifted wrist. She could see nothing of the Princess's face, for it was covered in a heavy tangle of black hair.

The princess struggled wildly, and for a moment there was a violent battle going on in the middle of the room. But Katherine's cool moves and strength won out, and finally she managed to throw the exhausted princess to the floor.

Katherine stepped back a pace breathing hard, and she very slowly went to retrieve the staff, just in case the princess decided to try to use it again.

But there was no need, for now Fern had thrown herself full length upon the floor and was sobbing like a woman possessed.

"Gone, gone! It's all gone! My own selfish pride, that stupid maid, oh! My skin, my beautiful skin, ruined! All I ever had, my beauty, gone! And they are glad, yes, they are all laughing at their foolish princess who is locked in a tower! "

Katherine stood in the corner in silence. She stood thus for so long, that finally the princess raised her hair covered head and looked about her. Seeing Katherine in the corner she stood up, and then leaned against her desk, trembling so hard that she could hardly stand.

Katherine took pity on her, and moving gently across the room, she pulled out a chair and helped the princess to seat herself in it. Then, because she did not know what to say, she turned around and began tidying the room, which had been horribly wrecked in the fight.

Princess Fern sat watching her move about the room, straightening the rug, rearranging the furniture in a more attractive way, and stirring up the embers of the fire. Finally, she spoke.

"Who are you? One moment you are a maid of steel, the next, you are a fairy of lightness and ease? Why have to you come to my tower where I locked myself up so that none may look upon my countenance." Katherine turned her solemn face upon the princess.

"'I cannot speak in the eloquent tongue that you use my lady. As for who I am, what does it really matter? I am someone who is here to help you if you will give me the chance. I will tell you this, my father is a maker of shoes. And I was present on the castle grounds the day that you had your accident." The princess stood up and stormed over to the window, still not revealing her face.

"Ah! And so I suppose you saw the look of delight upon people's faces when I had damaged my face, and when I was locked in this room."

"I saw many anxious and worried looking people. I cannot say whether or not they were angry, sad, or happy. Their feelings were their own. As for my feelings, I have been watching this tower from my window for over a month. And daily I have seen a rope let down and a basket of food lifted up. I finally decided that it was time for me to come myself."

The princess made no reply, so Katherine bravely went on.

"I must ask, why my Princess, have you locked yourself in here?" The reply was given in a mournful and despairing tone.

"Foolish girl! Have you not heard? My beauty is spoiled forever, my face is now a wretched sight. And I will suffer none to look upon it."

"None? Or yourself?" The Princess's shoulders jerked upright.

"Ah, you think I am hiding from myself? Well once you have seen my face you will hardly blame me. Behold!" And shaking back her hair, she turned around so that she could face Katherine.

It took all of the self control that Katherine possessed to keep from starting back in horror, for the princess's face was a wretched sight indeed! The burn had never been properly treated, and now the skin was trying to grow over the scar, creating a hideous and disgusting face that frightened one to look upon.

But upon further scrutiny, Katherine could see that the deformation was not permanent. In fact, for she knew something of natural healing, with a little bit of scraping and poulticing, the princess's face could be made smooth again, with only a red line remaining to tell the story.

However, Katherine said none of this. For she had a greater purpose and lesson in mind. So instead she replied quite casually,

"I do not think it is as bad as you make it out to be. For indeed, my grandfather had a face like that, he had been hit in the face with a wagon harness, and it had healed up in just such a way. But I never saw my grandfather with fear and loathing, I always greeted him with love and delight. It is you that have made yourself out to be wretched and miserable. And it is you who must change that if you ever want to leave this tower again."

The princess's face turned white with fury at this bold speech, and with a low cry she grabbed a knife from the table beside her, and rushed at Katherine at full speed!

Katherine cowered back against the fireplace, and her hand desperately grabbed for something to defend herself. Ah! She felt the handle of a bucket of ashes. Katherine tensed her muscle as the princess rushed across the room towards her, a bare knife in her hand...

Lydia, Story

"OH can I come with you too? I have ALWAYS wanted to go to the castle!" Pipped up the young Samuel....

“No, Samuel, I need you to stay here with me,” his mother replied. “I am so proud of you Katherine my girl.”

     Katherine walked the distance to the stone castle and peered up at the towers flying the green flag with the moon on it and she saw people hurrying back and forth. She stopped at the castle gate and told the guard her duty. However the guard would not let her in. He said there was a disturbance in the palace and told her to come back in a week. Katherine was somewhat relieved, but was worried about her task even more. 

     Meanwhile Princess Fern arose and rung for her maids.  They came in and she told them to select her gown. They picked one she didn't like and the process went on for longer then usual. The Princess was quite upset when she was finally dressed. She ordered the maids to curl her hair. Even there best efforts pricked her temper. “You silly, blundering fool! Get the iron hotter!” The angry princess yelled.
   
     The maids had been trying to curl the princesses long black hair, but because of its thickness and length it made that difficult. The princess was getting angry and wanted the iron hotter so it could curl her hair better. One of the maids put the hot curling iron into the fireplace to heat it up. All the maids were apprehensive about what the princess might do next.They knew the princess was in a bad mood and she was unpredictable.

After waiting awhile the iron was scorching hot and the maid took it out of the fire. She bent down to wrap the princesses hair around the iron when the princess, furious for the long wait turned to yell at the maid. She accidentally bumped the maid though and the maid tripped and the iron fell across the princesses’ face burning her soft perfect pink flesh. The maids fled not wanting to be victims of more harsh words and beating. Princess Fern screamed and wailed and yelled at the top of her lungs, but no one came to help her. When she could cry no more she locked her self in her room. 

The maids spread the rumor that she had turned into an old hag and so no one dared go up to her. Time passed and from time to time some one would attach a basket of food to a rope and heave it up to the princesses' window. The princess had been quite humbled by her experience, but was still bitter and angry inside.

Katherine was curious and compassionate and so one day she resolved to go up to the Princess Fern's window to bring her food. She threw a rope up to her window and started the long climb. When she reached the window she climbed in and called out, "Hello?" She saw a woman stand up and turn around from a high back chair and she was not prepared for what she saw...


Is it Grace next?

Celina, The Story

Ok here goes I am hoping to do as well as you guys did

What happened last-

"On the grounds of what I see. I see some one who never stops to pay attention to anyone but herself, and has not once had any interest in anything other than material things. That is what I see sir. What do you see that is so valuable in this Princess?" the noble did not respond. "Upon mine honor as a peasant, I apologize if I offended you sir. But I will not make saints of any noble." Said the cocky boy, and he turned walked away.

"Wait!" The noble reached out toward Terrence. "Could you tell me how to find a family by the name of.......

Smith? "ahh Smith?" there are about a million Smith's in this city!" said the red head boy.

"Oh, well I was told that I would find a certain Mr. Aleap Smith. He owns a shop in the market I believe."

"OHHH Mr. Aleap Smith! What are you doing wanting to talk to him?"

"Well I was told to find him as soon as I arrived here you see I am from out of town. But that is none of your business you are just to answer the questions."

"True you business is no business of mine. Well in answer to your questions; yes I know of him, and yes he has a shop in the market, if you can even call it a shop. It is about the fifth shop down and the only thing you can find there is a bizarre jumble of books and things that no one would ever need."

"I thank you! Oh and one more thing do you know if the Princess comes here often?"

"Yes she does, but only come to lessen if you are wiling to spend hours standing. But of course you would not care about that would you?" Walking off the Noble man glares at the boy and then turns and heads straight towards the market, to look for who know what at the old pawn shop.

After following the boy at almost a breakneck pace for what seemed like at least a hour, the boy finally stopped in front of Katharine's family's shop.

"SEE!" Said the small boy.

"See what?" asked a very confused Kathrine.

"I washed the windows!"

Just then Kathrine's mother walked out "Oh Kathrine I see you met our new apprentice!"

"Yes I did mother, he dragged me all across the town at a breakneck pace, just to show me that he cleaned the windows!"

"Oh Samuel! I told you to clean the windows and then fetch Kathrine, not half kill her!"

"Oh, Sorry mam I was trying to fetch her as soon as possible like you told me." the boy looked at his feet.

"Oh well, that is ok dear just be a little gentler fetching her next time" She smiled kindly at the young boy. "Well any way, you are here now Kathrine, I wanted to tell you that the Princess has ordered that we send some one to the castle tomorrow to get some new shoes made for her. With you Father away buying more materials you will have to go."

"ME! Mother I am not sure that I am ready for that task! What if the Princess is displeased with the shoes I make for her!"

"Yes I know dear you will have to be vary careful with what you say to her. But I believe that you can do it."

"Yes mother, I will do it if you wish me to."

"Yes I do dear."

"OH can I come with you too? I have ALWAYS wanted to go to the castle!" Pipped up the young Samuel

THERE! hopefully that is long enough! I think that it is Lydia's turn next. :)

"Yes I know him

Grace- A Good Message

Just a little reminder of where our hope comes from. I read this lovely lady's blog a lot, and I felt like I should share this post with you all. Enjoy!

http://myblessedlife.net/2011/09/my-hope-is-built.html

The Story

Man, you guys are really good at making endings where the writer has to be super creative. We ended here:

“Are you Katherine?” He said in a shaky voice.

“I am,” she replied,

“Good, you must come with me, and quick! There is no time to lose!!” The boy almost shouted, and then ran back, his arm outstretched, beckoning her to follow.

“But what is wrong?”

The boy didn’t answer, but only continued running…

Katherine, for a moment forgetting the troubling things the trader had told her, went after the boy as quickly as a girl can in a dress. She did not want to make things worse in what she perceived to be a delicate situation. A little worried, she caught up with the boy, who thankfully had stopped running quite as fast when he saw she was following.

Meanwhile a very handsome young man yawned as he watched the haughty princess sing the thirteenth song for the mid-day. "How she can manage to keep a crowd spell-bound for three hours like this, especially when we're all standing, is beyond me." He whispered to himself.

"It might possibly be the shining kindness she shows the servants that have been holding her royal chair up these past hours, or maybe the enchanting moral importance of her songs. Oh, that's definitely it!" A peasant by the name of Terrence was standing next to the young man, he had bright orange hair and many brown freckles on his tall forehead and big nose. Upon seeing him standing next to the tall noble one might notice the comical difference between the dark handsome young man and this scraggly boy on the brink of puberty.

The noble, to be named later, jumped in surprise upon hearing the squeaky voice, and had to restrain from jumping another time upon coming inches from Terrence's greasy hair. Looking down at Terrence's face the noble frowned as he remembered the boy's words, at the same time hearing the loud and beautiful voice of Princess Fern's emotionally singing:

"My heart is offered still unto thee.
Full now of woe and deep despairing,
Say one farewell my love,
I had not time to gain thy kiss."

A laugh broke the awed fixation of the crowd and the noble's cheeks flamed red as every eye turned on him in shock, or frustration.

"Well thank you sir," Terrence said shaking the nobles hand, "For relieving me, and all of these beautiful people, of the spell of Princess Fern. Now, if you don't mind, I have to talk to a man about a fish." The grinning Terrence turned toward a random man in the crowd, "that man actually!" He said pointing, and the bald trader turned a shaking finger at his chest and mouthed the word 'Me?' to which Terrence replied with a grin and whispered to the noble before stalking away, "I am glad to find you have a sense of humor after all, for a moment there I wasn't sure about you."

Across the court sat Princess Fern who was also red, but her blush was derived from a very different feeling than embarrassment, Full out, I could scream, anger. She looked at not at the noble, for which the laugh had come forth, but at the carrot-top, grinning boy. For Princess Fern had many but stupidity was not one of her faults. She took one long ragged breath, preparing for the justice to be delivered to the one who would dare make sport of her gift, yet a calm cold hand was placed on her arm as a warning. the Princess looked savagely at her mother who had come out of nowhere and closed her mouth.

"You don't want you people to think poorly of their future queen because of some silly peasant's joke, would you?" whispered the Queen. Waving a hand at the Servants who diligently held up the princess, the queen disappeared. An angry, but not quite, Princess made her way home and vowed to later pour out her wrath on some poor servant. The princess left a shocked crowd that slowly and disappointingly went back to their everyday market-day, sometimes glaring at the dark noble who still stood rooted to his spot.

Terrence was the one to finally bring the noble back to this world. "Well don't just stand there, you wanted her to stop too didn't you? You can't say she's the most charming little thing, despite all her dazzling qualities." He said whimsically.

"Don't speak of Princess Fern like that! You are nothing but a fool." said the dignified noble and looking at Terrence's raised eyebrow he stated loyally, "She was many good qualities!"

"Oh?" Said Terrence, quite enjoying the offensive manner of the noble. "Pardon me good sir! I didn't quite look at the princess as intently as you," The noble blushed. "If you could kindly fill me in on these, uh, qualities."

There was quite a pause as the prince tried to think of something that would impress and prove wrong this brash young man finally he said, "well I don't know her very well. But I am sure that neither do you and therefore on what grounds sir do you have to says such things about you future queen?"

"On the grounds of what I see. I see some one who never stops to pay attention to anyone but herself, and has not once had any interest in anything other than material things. That is what I see sir. What do you see that is so valuable in this Princess?" the noble did not respond. "Upon mine honor as a peasant, I apologize if I offended you sir. But I will not make saints of any noble." Said the cocky boy, and he turned walked away.

"Wait!" The noble reached out toward Terrence. "Could you tell me how to find a family by the name of.......

Celina! It's Your turn!

Jess~Continuing the story

Okay! Here it goes! This is where we last left off...

The crowd immediately parted and squeezed together on the sides of the road so that the Princess and her attendants might ride through. Katherine looked up in interest as the princess rode by. A trader beside her leaned over and said...

"I'll bet you ain't ever seen anybody as pretty as the Princess." The man spoke in a gruff, raspy voice that made Katherine gasp slightly. His clothes were ratty and threadbare, with the strong stench of someone who had not bathed in months. His face, rough and scarred left the small girl frozen where she stood.

"N...no, sir." She responded finally, still wary of his appearance.

" Aye, and I'll bet you wish you was as charming, am I right?"

"No sir," Katherine responded frankly, "My mother and father have always told me that I was made like God, and He thinks I'm beautiful. And that kind of beauty is all I want." The girl became more brave and stood taller.

“HA! My dear child, what foolishness you have been told!” the man said sharply.

“I…I don’t understand,”

“How ignorant you are to not know that your dear father and mother, bless their souls, are only telling you that to keep you from becoming beautiful like the other girls. But, my young one, you must face the truth sometime. They just want you to think you are beautiful,”

Katherine started to cut in, “Sir! I-“

“NO! You must listen,”

Katherine was starting to be frightened. She could no longer see the man’s ugly face or his old clothes, nor could she smell the strong stench, for something fiercer was entering her mind. She started to back away, but the man grabbed her arm. The crowed had left, along with the princess, but Katherine didn’t notice.

He continued, “They don’t want you to be beautiful, they want you to be unhappy, to stay ugly the rest of your miserable life.”

“No!” cried Katherine, “It’s not true, you’re lying, my father and mother love me dearly!”

“My child, I would not lie to you, believe me,”

The man let go of her arm, leaving a small bruise. With a haunting smile, he turned and left. Katherine, still shaken turned also, away from the direction he went, toward home. She wanted to return to her small home, and be embraced by her parents love.

She was lost in thought, with the man’s lies still in her head. And then, Katherine started wondering, “Could he really be true? Could I really not have any beauty, and my father and mother not want me to be happy?” The lies grew bigger until her head began to swim.

Just then, a small boy, about the age of thirteen came running up the road. Katherine did not see him, or know that he was running towards her.

“Are you Katherine?” He said in a shaky voice.

“I am,” she replied,

“Good, you must come with me, and quick! There is no time to lose!!” They boy almost shouted, and then ran back, his arm outstretched, beckoning her to follow.

“But what is wrong?”

The boy didn’t answer, but only continued running…

Okay, I pick...*Drum-roll* REBEKA FARR.. :)

Good luck! 

Grace- Story Time

I am going to write the 1st part of a story, and then I am going to ask one of the other writer's on here to continue it. She will then pass on the baton and so forth until it comes back to me.

Rules

• Nothing gross or inappropriate.
• A godly message.
• No moonlight kissing scenes.
• A good fight or two.
• A heroine is an absolute must.
• A hero is a life necessity.
• No villain, no story.
• Comic relief, absolutely.
• One character who we all totally fall in love with just for being who they are. Like Sam in Lord of the Rings.

Once upon a time...

There once was princess by the name of Fern. She was the daughter of the king and queen of a land called Dimland.

This princess was stunningly beautiful, rumored to be the most beautiful princess in the world. Her hair was a shiny black mane that reached to the floor. Her eyes were olive green, and her skin white and creamy.

Her voice was melodious, her step was graceful. She could dance all night and never grow weary, she could ride and wave to her people all day and never falter, she could sing and play on her lute for hours on end and never lose her voice. She was in fact considered, the perfect princess.

But those that really knew her knew that statement to be untrue. For though Princess Fern was beautiful and accomplished, she lacked some very basic qualities.

First of all there was her temper. Many a poor maid had been locked up in a high tower on bread and water for days on end because of this fault. Many times had she raised her voice in anger to her royal tutor, who bless his soul had only corrected her grammar. And many horses had she scared by letting herself go into rages while in the royal stables.

Second of all, the princess very vain. She would spend hours sitting while maids arranged her hair or dress. She was constantly fussing about her appearance, and she had even hired one maid whose only task was to stand ready with a golden mirror.

Third of all, the princess was selfish. She had never cared for others. As a child she had never shared her toys and pleasures with the other children at the palace. When a poor blind beggar came up to her carriage and asked for alms she turned him away.

Truthfully, Princess Fern was definitely not the perfect princess.

There was another girl who lived in the kingdom, a shoemaker's daughter. Her name was Katherine. She was a very sweet and lovely girl, but not considered out of the ordinary. Her hair was a brown color, her eyes blue. And her skin tanned from being out in the sun.

A stranger passing by her would have taken no notice of her existence, but to those that knew her she was treasured above great riches. For Katherine was a princess in her own way.

Katherine had a temper of her own, and she quite frequently lost it. But it was not at the trifles that Princess Fern would lose hers for, it was at injustice, cruelty, and dishonesty.

When younger Katherine had worried very much about her appearance, always doing this or that to make herself "prettier". Her father and mother noticed this after a time, and one day they took Katherine out into the hills surrounding the village for a picnic. Here there was a splendid view of mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys. While gazing it awe at this scene, Katherine's mother said,

"Do you see all of this beautiful creation that the Lord has made Katherine?" Katherine nodded, her eyes bright in wonder.

"You know also that He created you, don't you my darling?" Katherine nodded again.

"Well did you know that you are the highest thing in His creation? That He made you in His own image? So to Him, you are no less beautiful, but in fact more beautiful than all of this?"

Katherine never again questioned her value or beauty. Not that she dressed without taste, or never enjoyed the pretty trinkets that delight a girl's heart, but she never again fretted about not being the most "beautiful".

Katherine was very unselfish. Her mother was often sick, and so Katherine had to take over the responsibilities of running the household while tending her mother. In constantly giving of herself Katherine had learned the hardships, and the joys of being unselfish.

One day Katherine put on her cloak and went out into the town with her market basket upon her arm.

She was bargaining for some lettuces when a crier ran through the town shouting,

"Way for the Princess Fern!"

The crowd immediately parted and squeezed together on the sides of the road so that the Princess and her attendants might ride through. Katherine looked up in interest as the princess rode by. A trader beside her leaned over and said...

Okay, I am going to ask Jess to pick this story up and make it go on. Forward my brave writers!