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Once upon a time there were two kingdoms ruled by wise and just kings. The West Kingdom and the East Kingdom were peaceful and prosperous. Princess Catrina of the West Kingdom and Princess Serenity of the East Kingdom were best friends and were both tutored by the Great Wizard Beren in all things.

Beren cared for his charges and taught them simple spells to protect them from harm, for the Dark Magician desired to overthrow the Kingdoms and rule with an iron fist.

To Princess Catrina he taught the skills of weaving and dance for her small lithe body was made for it. Princess Catrina had a marvelous gift, she could talk to the animals. The Courtyard was a haven for orphaned cubs and kittens of all forest animals. Princess Catrina cared for them and would not eat any meat because of her love for her animal friends.

To Princess Serenity, he taught how to play the piano and harp for she was a musician at heart. Her room was a haven away from Court for she was a truly gentle soul that found joy in music and dance. The Courtyard was filled with trees and songbirds that sang as she danced. She would not eat meat to honor her best friend.

To both he taught the skills of intrigue and court, for even in fairy tales, that is how things work. The two Princesses learned many things from the wizard and both began to learn his craft as well. They learned simple parlor tricks to delight their fathers and learned to defend themselves from those that would harm them.

When both began puberty was when the Dark Magician's spell began for he needed innocent blood to help him win. For they were of Wizard Blood of old. Beren had placed each child with royal families that were cursed to be barren so as to cause strife when the Crown was to be passed.

One day, an old hag approached Princess Catrina as she danced within her Courtyard. Princess Catrina saw her and asked," Pray tell me o visitor how may I help you today?"

"I am an old woman and but need to sit and rest. Please o Princess, dance and sing to ease my burdens for awhile."

"Then if you wish me to sing and dance for you, sing and dance I shall." Then as she sang and danced, she was transformed into a doll.

"What bewitchment is this?"

"O Princess, you are mine now, you shall be a Princess Doll until I release you." With that, Princess Catrina became a doll that the old hag picked up and in a puff of smoke vanished, leaving behind a letter on the bench.

Then the King entered the Courtyard looking for his daughter. "Catrina, where are you?"

Seeing the note, he bent over to retrieve it. When he read the note, he cried out, "WHAT BEWITCHMENT IS IT THAT HAS MY DAUGHTER!! I MUST SEE THE GOOD WIZARD!!" With that said, he sent a carrier pigeon to summon The Wizard Beren from his castle.

Meanwhile, an old hag appeared in the Courtyard of Princess Serenity where she was playing the harp. Seeing the old hag, she stopped playing and asked, "Greetings to you my guest, how may I serve your needs?"

"Ah dear, sweet child, please continue playing yon harp. I have not heard such beauty in my entire life."

"Your wish is my command kind lady." As she began to play, she merged with the harp until she was a part of it. Her body formed the frame, her hair and gown flowed away from her body to form the harp as the strings played her distress.

"Oh my pretty Princess, now you shall play for me or lose your innocence." then with a cackle of evil glee she shrank the harp until it fit into her palm. Then she vanished again, leaving behind another note for her father to find.

Then her father came into the Courtyard to find out why she no longer played her harp. "Serenity, where are you my child?" Then, seeing the note, he read it and started crying aloud, WHO HAS TAKEN AWAY MY DAUGHTER!?!? I MUST CALL UPON THE GOOD WIZARD!!" Then he ran to the tower that held the pigeons and sent a note to call The Wizard Beren to his Court.

In his castle, Beren was relaxing when both pigeons arrived. "What is this? What would cause the two kings to summon me?"

Reading the notes, he hastily requested both to come to his castle and all would be explained. After the pigeons left, Beren began to assemble his arsenal of magic to combat the old hag. He assembled his wand and staff along with special potions about his person and then readied his castle for his guests.

As both of the Kings approached, Beren called out to them as he was walking down the road. "Oh great and wise Kings, I know of the plight of your daughters. They are under a bewitchment made by the Old Hag, who is my ancient enemy the Dark Magician."

"I go now to free them from their spells. King Leopold, Father of Catrina, your daughter is spelled into a scullery maid.. I must free her from the spell or she will never return to you. King Hart, Father of Serenity, your daughter is spelled into a magical harp. I must free her or she will stay that way forever."

"Can you indeed free our daughters Good Wizard?" the Kings asked in unison.

"Yes I can for I know his secrets and shall bring them both home. They are as dear as daughters to me. Please stay in my castle as my guests until I return."

Then as the Kings entered Beren's Castle and were treated with dignity and honor, Beren spelled himself into Princess Catrina's enchantment. She was the beautiful daughter of a kind father that had died, leaving her to be raised by her Aunt Sophie who had two daughters.

Catrina was made to a servants black dress. To humiliate her, the hem was at mid thigh, forcing her to wear black tights under her bloomers. Aunt Sophie entertained many young nobles in order to find a husband for her daughters.

Her daughters Molly and Dolly were twins and had lost their maidenhood early on and often were wooed at night by their suitors. But poor Catrina was hard pressed to stay a maiden as the nobles tried to woo her as well.

When an announcement arrived announcing Prince Charming's Birthday Ball, the twins both forced Catrina to make them evening gowns and her Aunt Sophie demanded one as well so that she could see her daughters woo the Prince.

When Catrina was alone, Been appeared before her as she was standing outside, wishing for a way out of her plight for she knew the fairytale that she was in and dreaded the fulfillment of it. "Wizard, are you here to help me out of this tale or am I to become the unwilling chattel in this story?"

"Ah my Princess, only if you wish to live this life instead of your own will I leave you here. "

"I detest this life and people, my Father taught me to respect others, but if I had a wish, I would wish that Aunt Sophie and the twins pay for their treatment of me."

"Then allow me to correct your clothing Princess, please go to your room and don the gown laid upon your bed."

Going to her room Catrina found that the gowns which she had made were all there, but her other clothing was gone." "Wizard, I made these gowns and I know that they will not fit me."

"My Princess, they will now."

Coming out in a beautiful gown, the Wizard then sent them to his castle where her Father awaited her return.

"My Princess, you are returned!! Now my heart is at ease." he said as he hugged her.

"Yes Daddy, but my friend Serenity has yet to return. Until she does, my heart is broken."

"How do you know this my daughter?"

"The old crone told me."

"Be at Peace everybody, I will go and get Serenity from the story that she is trapped in." With that, Beren vanished into the realms of magic.

Beren appeared besides the frozen form of Princess Serenity and freed her from the harp. "Wizard, I thank you for freeing me. The giant was always using me to sate his need for food. He has used me to raid the farms under his cloud."

"Worry not my Princess, soon Jack shall deal with the Giant and end his reign of terror."

"Good, but I still want to make that old crone pay for her evil."

"Your wish will soon be granted as soon as I return you to your Father." Then he sent them back to his castle.

"My Daughter, You are safe!! Beren has kept his word to us!!" Then he hugged his daughter.

"Yes Daddy, I am safe now, but what of Catrina? Where is she?"

"Right here my friend." Then the two Princesses danced until Beren fell over in pain and the Dark Magician stood over him, laughing evilly.

"Dark Magician, you have caused great harm to the Two Kingdoms! For your crimes, you are banished from the Earth for all time." said Princess Catrina.

"Foolish girl, you can not banish me," he sneered.

"No, but TOGETHER, WE can! said Princess Serenity, then raising their hands in unison, they sent him into the Outer Darkness forever. Then, as they wept over their beloved teacher, he awakened.

"Wizard, what just happened here?"

"Princess Catrina, both of you have Wizards Blood flowing in your veins, That is why I taught you so that you could harness your gifts."

"Are you our Father then?"

"No Princess Serenity, I am but a simple Wizard that has taught two wonderful students."

"But what of our Kingdoms, we love each other and do not want to marry a Prince, sorry Daddy, but I want to wed Princess Serenity."

"That is simple my daughter, you two can adopt just as we two Kings did and you have always made me proud to have been your Father."

"And I love you my daughter, marry Princess Catrina and be happy."

"Thank you Daddy."

Then the two Kingdoms were joined into one and the Two Princesses adopted children who received their gifts of Wizards Blood thanks to Beren who became the trusted Adviser and with their Father, helped them to rule wisely.
Finis