Tale 144: The Grateful Prince, part 1 (Misty)

(real tale: The Grateful Prince)


"Once a king of a far away land lost himself in a forest, and couldn't find the way out." Misty begins. "As he was wandering down one path which looked promising, he saw a man coming towards him. The man asked him what he was doing there, and the king replied that he was lost. The man promised to help him in return for the first thing that met him when he came home."

"So what did he do?" Brock asks, intrigued.

"The king refused--he had an Arcanine that was very skilled hunter, and couldn't bear to give him away to a stranger." Misty replies. "After three more days of wandering without getting anywhere..." Giggles go up at this. "the king met the stranger again, and still refused his offer. After about a week, he met the stranger a third time, and reluctantly consented."

"And then?" Ash wonders.

"When he arrived home, the royal nurse was about to run and meet him with his infant son in her arms." Misty goes on. "The king ordered her to wait--had she stepped outside, he would have to give up his only son to his rescuer."

"What's the name of this little prince?" Melody interrupts.

Misty thinks a moment. "We'll call him Thomas." she replies. "He got the idea to exchange his son with the baby of a common family that lived near the castle. So Prince Thomas lived the life of a commoner, and the common girl--who we'll call Sandra--lived like a queen in the palace."

"That IS a clever idea." Brock muses.

"The years went by, and Prince Thomas grew big and strong." Misty continues. "He enjoyed living as a commoner, but he couldn't stop thinking about the girl he had been exchanged for, and why the exchange had to happen. He vowed that when he came of age, he would travel all over the world, and not rest till he had set her free. It pained him that he had to become king at the cost of a girl's life."

She waits a beat, then goes on "So one day, he got dressed, gathered his belongings, and marched straight into the forest where eighteen years before his father had lost himself. After he had walked some way he began to cry..." She then strikes a melodramatic pose. "Oh, how unlucky I am! Where can I be? Is there no one to show me the way out of the wood?"

Giggles go up at Misty's over-the-top pose. "Then an old man with a long grey beard appeared, with a leather bag hanging from his belt. He nodded cheerfully to the prince, and assured him that he knew the forest well, and would lead him out in exchange for something valuable. Prince Thomas told the old man the most heartwrenching tale about he was an orphaned wanderer, with only the clothes on his back and a few pieces of gold to his name."

"And then?" Brock is piqued.

"The old man offered for Prince Thomas to enter his service." Misty replies. "They agreed that Prince Thomas would be given food, clothing, and a portion of land for his service. They started off through the woods, until they came to a cave hidden in the brush."

Everyone waits to hear what wonders--or terrors--await Prince Thomas in the cave. "But if you wanna know what was in that cave, I'll tell you on my next turn!" Misty smirks.

"Not again..." Ash groans--he didn't count on another cliffhanger.