The Many Adventures of the Hero Monello and the Princess Davina

Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a land not so far away, there lived a hero and a princess. The hero was tall and strong with eyes of green and gold. The princess was fair of skin with eyes as green as the grass. She was kind, graceful, and brave. The hero and the princess shared many amazing adventures, but every story must have a beginning; this is theirs.

You see, dear reader, the hero was married to a lovely queen. She was as short as he was tall and had hair the color of roasted chestnuts. She was a wise and gentle ruler to all in her kingdom. The hero's name was Monello and his queen's name was Ninfalide. The hero and the queen loved each other very much, but there was a sadness they could not dispel. they longed for a child. Monello dreamed of teaching his child to fish in the crystal lake by their palace and Ninfalide spun fairy dust into silver, purple, and pink threads and made blankets to wrap her baby in. But, alas, there was no baby. Years passed and still Ninfalide did not announce the anticipated arrival of her heir. Eventually Ninfalide gave up hope, and, in despair, put the fairy dust blankets away.

The suffered from her broken heart. Monello tried to bring her joy, but her heart cried out for a child while her arms remained empty. Monello, ever the hero, tried for years to show Ninfalide that they could be happy without a baby to no avail.

Monello could not bear to see his bride so sad, and his heart broke for her. And so begins the very first adventure of the hero and his princess; it is the adventure of her birth. Just as the hero joined his queen in her despair, a fair maiden from the farthest reaches of their kingdom knocked timidly on the throne room door. This young maid was scared, alone, and she had come to offer the most precious gift, one born of the selfless love of a mother. She was to have a baby the next spring, but she could not care for the child; she asked Ninfalide and Monello to accept the child as their own. the hero and the queen cried in joy! They were finally to be parents! They built a nursery and placed an antique cradle in their room for the baby. They announced to the kingdom that at long last there would be a baby in the castle. They anxiously awaited the spring.

But what would an adventure be without danger, dear reader? Why, it would be boring I say! And so, it happened on a cold night in the middle of winter that Ninfalide and Monello received an urgent message from the maiden. The baby was coming that very night. Ninfalide called for the fairies to come and attend the birth for she feared for her child's life. Monello called upon the unicorns to rush them through the night to the maiden's side. Once in the cottage of the maiden, Monello sent word to his family to join them as they awaited the birth of the baby. He made jokes and Ninfalide's sister, Carina, and step-mother, Matrigna, told stories to pass the time. As more and more time passed, Ninfalide began to worry; what if the fairies could not save her baby? Then, just as she was about to scream from the tension, a pink cloud blew on a gentle breeze through the bedroom door. It was a girl! A princess had just been born! Monello and Ninfalide named their daughter Davina which was a named that symbolized their belief that they had been blessed by God with a child so beautiful her appearance could only have been designed by the brush of the Divine. The tiny princess appeared to be crafted from the finest translucent porcelain and had hair that shone like the oak when the sun dances upon it. Her cry was small and she was as brave and strong as her hero father. So proud of their miracle were Monello and Ninfalide, that they declared the day of her birth to be a holiday so that the whole kingdom could join them in celebrating their joy.

Monello was exceedingly proud of his princess and he doted upon her to excess. He loved her beyond words, and he was excited to teach her all he knew and have countless adventures with her; for her knew that all too soon, life could change, and the adventures might one day come to an end.