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Emma Riehl was born August 23, 1992, in Shiocton, Wisconsin.
She grew up reading Harry Potter, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and
Edgar Allan Poe. Emma decided to become an English major in hopes
of pursuing a career in editing. She enjoys reading the more tragic tales
about experience, instead of the happy ending innocent tales. “To Win
A Prince’s Heart” is Emma’s version of the tragic fairy tale. It involves
cannibalism and violence. There is a hint of magic with a whole lot of
deception mixed in. The tale is one that is short and sweet but still full
of adventure and suspense.
Kait Paker
To Win a Prince’s Heart
Emma Riehl
There once was a beautiful young girl who lived in a
small village that surrounded the mighty castle of the king and
queen. The king and queen had one son, who was expected
to meet a beautiful lady and make her his princess. One day,
the young girl was strolling through the village market and the
handsome prince approached her. They exchanged a few words,
and he complimented her quite a lot, making her blush. Before
departing, the prince could not help but ask to see the girl later
that night. Little did she know, the prince was already under
the spell of an evil witch’s apprentice (who was breathtaking, of
course.)
On her way to the castle that night, the young girl
decided to wander through the enchanted garden that stretched
between the castle and the village. While passing the wondrous
trees and flowers, she heard a low murmur of voices nearby.
Crouched behind a rather large, sparkling oak tree were the evil
witch and her stunning apprentice.
“Have you won his love, my dear?” asked the witch with a
sneer.
“He is very close to being in my clutches. Late tonight,
I will go to the castle to have dinner with the queen. Once I kill
her and make it appear natural, I will then bewitch the prince.
Then, I will reign as queen only to turn the empire over to your
hands,” said the apprentice smugly.
The young girl was shocked to say the least, and decided
that she must do something drastic. If the apprentice bewitched
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the prince, how could she have him? At once, an idea sprung to
her mind, and she quickly sent her apologies to the prince and
dashed off to see her fairy godmother.
As soon as she met with the fairy, the plan began to take
action. The young girl was disguised flawlessly as the queen with a
quick sprinkling of fairy dust, and strolled up to the castle gates.
The butler answered the door, confused about why the
queen was at the doorstep. She quickly slashed his throat with
a concealed dagger and dashed over the threshold. Entering the
queen’s private dressing room, she fatally slit the queen just as
she was applying her finest jewels for dinner. Then, she glided
over to the prince’s chamber and coaxed him into sipping out of a
bejeweled goblet (laced with fairy potion).
There came a knock at the door. The young girl
disguised as the queen answered the door, and in a fake falsetto
of sweetness she sang out “Welcome, deary, and please sit while
I awake my son.” She watched the apprentice be seated at the
table, and pretended to go upstairs. Waiting a few moments, she
then seated herself between the king and the presumed future
princess. “I cannot wake him. He seems to be in a deep sleep.
Perhaps, after the first course, you can wake him with a gentle
touch of your lips upon his. This, surely, will win you his heart,”
said the queen.
“Of course I will wake him, your highness. I would
be honored to wake the sleeping prince,” said the beautiful
apprentice.
The first course of dinner was served and everyone dug in.
For the apprentice, a special dish was served, one she took a great
liking to. After she had eaten all but one bite of her meal, the
apprentice waltzed upstairs as requested, and opened the door to
the prince’s bedchamber.
There, barely visible behind curtains, lay the prince,
motionless. As she walked over, her evil excitement mounted,
preparing herself for the kiss while thinking of her new reign as
queen. First, she would wake the prince, then poison the queen as
they toast to newfound happiness. As she moved the curtain aside
to better view her prize, she froze in horror. The prince’s torso
had been sliced open, a gaping hole sat where his tender heart
should be. Behind the apprentice, the young girl disguised as the
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queen stepped in. “What a soft heart he had,” said the queen. “I
hope you enjoyed your dish this evening—I believe it was exactly
what you came for.”
The apprentice fled the castle, never looking back. The
young girl’s enchantment began to wear off as she smiled out the
window.
If she could not have the prince charming for herself, no
one else could either. After slaying the king, she popped the last
morsel of the prince’s heart into her mouth and savored the taste
of victory.