The Broken Curse

By Aarna Shah

Once upon a time there was a palace called The Royal Palace. Nobody living in the palace broke its rules. Many, many years ago, the king of the Royal Palace was entering a forest with his bow and arrow on his horse to hunt some animals. He saw a deer and killed it immediately. Suddenly a witch appeared from the deer’s body. “You have no love for animals, you selfish king. I curse you that your future generations would be harmed by animals.”, said the witch in anger. Before the king could say anything, the witch disappeared. From then there was another and the most important rule made that: No animal could enter the palace nor could anyone from the palace go near an animal.

King Cormac, Queen Daphne, Prince Brian and Princess Isabelle lived in the palace. One day while playing in the palace garden, Isabelle started walking towards the nearby forest. She saw that there was a door made in the trunk of a tree. She thought for a while about this weird door and then opened the door and entered to a room that looked like a living room. Isabelle was amazed seeing some weird creatures. They had legs of horses and the neck and face of humans. Those creatures saw Isabelle too. “Who are you and why have you entered our house?”, asked the horse-like creatures. “I am Isabelle, the princess of the Royal Palace.”, Isabelle said proudly. “Hello Miss Isabelle, we are the centaurs”, replied the creatures. The centaurs introduced themselves to Isabelle. Suddenly a handsome centaur entered. He asked the other centaurs about Isabelle. “She is Isabelle, the princess of the Royal Palace.”, replied the other centaurs. “Oh! Hello Isabelle, I am Justin.”, said the handsome centaur. Justin offered Isabelle a cup of tea. The centaurs requested her to come by and have supper some other day in their little tree house. “Sure, friends I will.”, said Isabelle happily. Isabelle went to the palace after some time.

She had a spa, ate dinner and went to sleep. Next morning, Prince Brian had gone out for some important reason. When Isabelle woke up from sleep, she saw Ronald the centaur at the window. Ronald was looking worried. “Isabelle, Justin is extremely sick. Please come to the forest with me.”, said Ronald sadly. Isabelle was shocked. “Yes of course, but how did he get ill?”, asked Isabelle. “He ate some magical fruit in the forest and when he came home, he had fainted”, replied Ronald. “Oh! How silly of him to eat any fruit in the forest without knowing what it is.”, said Isabelle angrily. She went to the centaurs’ home with Ronald.

Over their lied Justin on the bed, unconscious. Isabelle hurried over to Justin. “Four hours have passed but Justin has still not woken up.”, said one of the centaurs. “No need to worry Patrick, there is a medicine at the Royal Palace from which Justin could wake up. Let me go to the palace and get it.”, said Isabelle. “Thank you, Miss Isabelle, what would we do without you.”, thanked the centaurs. She smiled and went to the palace. She was just taking the medicine when the king saw her. “For what do you need the Chrystalon Medicine, Isabelle?”, asked King Cormac. “Um I -I saw a man unconscious near our palace so I was just taking this medicine to wake him up.”, lied Isabelle. “Then that’s okay, you can take it, dear.”, said the king kindly. Isabelle hurried with the Chrystalon Medicine to the centaurs’ house.

“Here’s the medicine.”, said Isabelle. “When will Justin wake up Isabelle?”, asked one of the centaurs. “He will wake up in a minute or two after I give him the medicine.”, said Isabelle. She gave Justin the medicine. As Isabelle had said he woke up in a minute. “Oh, hi Isabelle. Why was I lying here, on the bed? I don’t remember anything.”, said Justin. The centaurs explained everything to Justin. “Thank you very much for getting the Chrystalon Medicine for me. But I am still feeling very weak.”, said Justin. “Justin in our palace, we have a special spa from which all our weakness goes. But for that you need to come to the palace.”, said Isabelle. Sure, Isabelle I will, if all my weakness goes from that spa.”, said Justin.

Isabelle had totally forgotten about the most important rule of the Royal Palace. Justin and Isabelle went to the spa room first when they reached the palace. The spa maid was surprised to see such a weird creature. After Justin’s spa they went to the courtroom where King Cormac was drinking a cup of tea on his golden throne. He dropped the cup of tea in shock when he saw Justin with Isabelle.

“Who is that creature and why have you brought him with you, Isabelle?”, asked King Cormac threateningly. Isabelle was very scared. She had forgotten the most important rule of the Royal Palace. Queen Daphne entered the courtroom after hearing the shout of the king. Her eyes fell upon Justin. “Who is that creature, Isabelle?”, asked the queen. “That’s what I am asking her”, roared the king.

“Oh, stop insulting him by calling him a ‘creature’, he’s a centaur – Justin”, said Isabelle irritated. The king was furious after hearing these words. “You should not speak to your father like that, Isabelle”, said the queen.

After some time, the king said, “Your brother Brian is about to come back, take this centaur or whatever it is called out of this castle immediately.”

“Oh, come on father.”, came a voice. Yes, Isabelle’s brother Brian had arrived. He said, “I thought you had made these rules so that our family stays happy. Then what is the use of such rules that stops Isabelle being happy?” “Yes Cormac, Brian is absolutely right”, said Queen Daphne. The king was silent. After a while, Isabelle said breaking the silence, “I am sorry, dad. I had totally forgotten that what could happen to me if I break this rule. At that time, I was only thinking about waking up Justin.”, apologized Isabelle. “No need to apologize Isabelle, it was my fault. Justin is your friend and if you have brought him here you must have had a reason.”, said the king. “That’s my dad.”, said Brian. “I am sorry to have insulted you, Justin.”, said the king apologetically. “It’s absolutely okay, Mr. King.”, said Justin.

The witch, who King Cormac had killed as an animal years ago, reappeared again. “I am very happy that your daughter has not turned out like you, Cormac. She has helped an animal, so this curse is broken. Now your future generations have no danger from animals.”, said the witch. After saying these words, the witch disappeared. The whole family was delighted. “I am proud of you, Isabelle.”, said Queen Daphne. “Me too.”, said the king. “I am happy for your family because now they have no danger from animals.”, said Justin. “Now I won’t even have to hide from dad when I come to visit you.”, said Isabelle happily. “You’re right, Isabelle.”, said Justin. Justin then went to the forest. Every day the centaurs came to visit Isabelle. They became firm friends with Isabelle, but Justin was Isabelle’s closest friend. Later, Isabelle and Justin got married and lived happily ever after.

By Aarna Shah