The Poison Hidden in the Roses
A Tiny Tale by T. Rae Mitchell
THE PALACE GARDEN WAS ALIVE with the hum of bees and the heavy perfume of roses climbing marble walls. Butterflies drifted lazily over the flowerbeds, and near the center lay a little princess on the soft grass.
She could not have been more than five years of age, small and bright as a summer blossom in her blue dress. Her chin rested atop tiny fists while her slippered feet kicked lazily in the air. Sunlight spilled across her dark curls as she peered hopefully within the shadows of the rose bushes.
Nearby, her nursemaid slept beneath a willow tree, her broad hat tipped askew over her face, a half-finished embroidery hoop forgotten in her lap.
The princess smiled to herself. He would come now. He always did once the garden belonged only to the two of them.
She thought of him, beautiful as the gold-and-turquoise necklace her mother wore on feast days. The way his shiny suit shimmered green and blue beneath the sun, and how his eyes reminded her of the rich, red-brown of freshly turned earth after rain. When he curled around her shoulders, his jeweled coat felt cool as polished gemstones. She especially loved the gentle tickle of his oddly forked tongue against her cheek when he greeted her.
She waited patiently, though her lids nearly drifted closed before she heard the soft swish through the grass.
The little princess turned eagerly to see him gliding toward her. “You came.” She held out both hands.
Her friend slipped over her palms with effortless grace, coiling lightly around her wrists before winding across her shoulders and around the back of her neck with his head poised next to hers. “Hello, my sweet princess. What would you like to do today?”
The princess glanced toward the sleeping nursemaid to make certain she had not stirred. Satisfied, she leaned closer. “Tell me a tale.”
His strange red eyes gleamed. “As you wish.” He settled more comfortably around her shoulders and began.
Long ago, a wicked Witch laid a curse upon a young Prince. She hated his kingdom and chose to exact revenge on the king and queen by punishing their only son. Before the royal court, she spoke evil-sounding words, transforming the Prince into a Serpent.
The Witch declared, “Only the love of a princess who sees your heart instead of your form may break the curse. But if fear ever poisons her love, your serpent nature will consume her.”
For many years, the cursed Prince wandered from kingdom to kingdom seeking the one who might save him. He befriended many princesses, speaking gently and guarding them faithfully. Yet each, in time, listened to the frightened voices around them and came to fear the Serpent. And when they turned against him, the curse struck true, and his venom became their end.
At last, the Serpent came to the garden of a little Princess, who was too young to know what he was. She trusted him completely and the Serpent became her faithful companion, guarding her through childhood like a silent shadow. For the first time in many years, the cursed Prince believed the Witch’s spell might one day be broken.
But as the Princess grew older, so too did the fearful whispers around her.
“Serpents are deceivers.”
“No creature with fangs can be trusted.”
“Beware. A serpent’s nature never changes.”
Little by little, fear entered her heart and she stayed away from the garden for many years. All the while, the Serpent waited, certain she would return to him.
One evening, the Princess ventured out into the garden. Perhaps thinking the Serpent had left long ago. But she found him waiting beside the roses as he always had, and this time, she recoiled in terror. When the Serpent saw the fear in her eyes, the curse fulfilled itself once more. He struck her hand and the poison carried her gently into an eternal sleep among the roses.
With fading breath, the Princess whispered, “Why did you betray me?”
The Serpent bowed his head in sorrow. “It was not I who betrayed you. It was fear that poisoned the trust between us.”
Then he slipped back into the shadows, doomed to wander forever more.
The garden fell quiet. Even the birds stopped singing.
The little princess frowned deeply, her small brows knitting together. “I could never lose trust in a friend. Even if it was a serpent.”
For a long moment, her friend simply regarded her with those beautiful earth-red eyes, and something troubling glinted there—hope edged with sorrow, perhaps even fear.
His tongue flicked softly against her cheek, gentle as a kiss. “I truly hope so, my sweet princess. With all my heart.”
This concludes The Poison Hidden in the Roses
(Princess and Serpent art by LisaLeo on Pixabay)
I hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into a world of magic and mystery. There’s much more waiting for you if you’re in the mood for a fierce heroine, dangerous secrets, slow-burn romance, and worlds where magic always comes with a price in my full-length romantasy series, Her Dark Destiny.
You can explore the books below and begin the journey anytime. Who knows, your next favorite adventure might be just a page away!
