The Sacred Pond

King Ashwin and Queen Adriana were loved by everyone in their kingdom. The couple were kind and generous and had everything they could ever dream of, except for a child. For years, they longed for the day they could have a son or a daughter, but their prayers seemed to go unheard. One day, one of the new maids at the castle, Lara, spoke of a secluded pond found in the nearby woods that was said to grant anyone with a good heart what they desired the most.

“Anything we desire?” the queen asked.

“Yes, your highness. Anything that is good, for it is a sacred pond,” the maid replied.

The king and queen heeded her words and visited the pond to make their wish. Their prayers were finally answered a month later, when the queen realised that she was with child. The following year, she gave birth to a baby girl, whom they named Arianne. The princess treated everyone in the kingdom the same way her parents did. Life couldn’t have been better for the family until, one day, King Ashwin fell gravely ill. Princess Arianne was only ten years old when her father passed away. Several suitors from far away lands requested the queen’s hand in marriage for five years, but she turned them all down. Eventually, however, through the persuasion of her kith and kin, Queen Adriana finally decided to accept one of the proposals. Two weeks after the marriage, however, the queen, too, passed away.

The new king, with the powers he had acquired, set out to eliminate Princess Arianne by hiring criminals. Arianne, however, learning about her stepfather’s plans, escaped into the woods nearby with the help of the maid named Lara. The king made it seem like the princess had simply gone missing, but very few believed that story, although they dared not question it in public. Lara brought Princess Arianne to the secluded area where the pond was. Arianne wanted to wish for the king’s downfall, but Lara prevented her from making that wish.

“No, princess. Such a wish would only bring misfortune upon you. The sacred pond does not take ill wishes lightly.”

“How do you know so much about this pond?”

“Because it’s where I was born.” As Lara said those words, her entire body was enveloped in a bright blue light.

The princess jumped to her feet and backed away. “What are you?”

“Fear not, princess, I won’t hurt you. I’m a fairy, but most importantly, I’m your Fairy Godmother.”
The events that led to her birth connected in Arianne’s mind; had it not been for Lara, she would not have been born. The princess trusted Lara’s words, for the fairy had plenty of opportunities to hurt her earlier, but she didn’t. It was not long before an idea then crept into Arianne’s head: she couldn’t wish for the king’s downfall, but perhaps the king could bring it upon himself. The princess requested her Fairy Godmother’s help, and together, they devised a plan in the silence of the dense shrubs. A day later, Lara took an invisible form and created visions in the king’s head that made him aware of the sacred pond’s location and its powers. Fueled by greed and intrigued by the possibilities that lay ahead of him with the power of the sacred pond, the king wandered off alone into the woods until he reached the site. As she saw him approach the pond, Princess Arianne leapt out of the shrubs and confronted him.

“You fiend. I will not forgive you for killing my mother!”

The king laughed. “ Perhaps you should join her.”

The king turned to the pond and wished for Arianne’s demise, but what proceeded drew a blade of fear into his chest. The ground began to rumble, and the water in the pond began to swirl violently, hurling streams onto the surroundings as swift currents began to form across the water’s surface, spiralling inward to form a whirlpool. The rumbling continued, growing louder and louder, as the skies above darkened and gusts of wind began to howl around the rustling trees. The king turned around to escape, but the surrounding shrubs had risen so high that they were taller than any castle wall—there was nowhere to run.

However, the shrubs behind the princess receded, letting her pass through to safety. The king tried to follow her, but was soon grabbed by giant vines that sprang forth from the depths of the pond as a dark chasm formed at its core. The king was pulled into the abyss, and the violent waters soon subsided to remain still, as they were before he had arrived. The greens returned to their former state, and Lara undid her invisibility spell to greet Arianne. The princess and her Fairy Godmother returned to the castle right away, where they were welcomed by loud cheers.