Once upon a time, on the outskirts of the enchanting kingdom of Rusone, a gallant hero emerged, earning the title of the true prince. And with his true name lost to time, he became known simply as Prince True. With a heart as steadfast as his resolve, he began his journey battling bandits, rogue knights, and cruel hunters. But Rusone, a land teeming with perils, demanded more. The evils grew progressively darker, and Prince True rose to the challenge, facing witches, warlocks, dragons, fearsome beasts, and monstrous familiars with valor that befitting a true royal.

Though Rusone was not his realm, Prince True roamed its lands on his trusty white steed, his billowing red cape a banner of hope and courage. He vowed to save this troubled kingdom, protecting its people from the evils that threatened them. One fateful day, his quest led him to a cavern shaped like a whale's mouth, where he encountered a witch of unparalleled power. In a fierce battle, the prince was gravely injured but pressed on, driven by the desperate cries of a damsel deep within the cave. After vanquishing the witch, a tree began to take root where she had fallen, a testament to the slaying of a powerful being.

Rushing to the source of the cries, Prince True discovered not a damsel, but an enchanted flower, weeping and pleading for safety. Enraptured by her delicate beauty and hypnotic words, he felt an inexplicable need to comfort the little flower. Despite his vow to make Rusone safe, Prince True lingered in the cave, telling himself he needed to recover from his wounds and ensure the flower's well-being. As their bond blossomed, and the prince began to recover, he grew restless, torn between his duty and his newfound attachment.

One night, beneath the starry sky, he confided in his loyal steed. "My noble friend, I am torn. I have a duty to protect all who suffer, yet something within me longs to remain by her side. Am I mad? A traitor to my cause? A fool enchanted? What is this feeling that binds me so? Love? Selfishness? I know I must leave, yet I cannot bear to part from her."

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The next day, sensing his turmoil, the flower offered to join him on his journey. Overjoyed, Prince True accepted, and the flower entwined her roots, leaves, and thorns around his heart, promising to guide him through his trials and provide comfort. With renewed vigor, the prince continued his quest, the flower nestled by his side.

Yet as time passed, a prickling unease grew within him, like thorns creeping into his soul and strangling his heart. Despite his questions, the flower's sweet whispers lulled him into complacency. Ignoring the growing pain, he pressed on until his body and spirit could bear no more. He failed his quest, unable to save several homes from the fiery wrath of a dragon.

In a moment of anguish and reckoning, Prince True confronted the flower. "I have one mission in my life: ensuring the safety of those around me. Yet because of you, I have failed. You promised me love and companionship but have only delivered anguish and pain. Release me, I beg of you! I cannot endure this any longer."

But she clung tighter, suffusing his heart with more agony. In a desperate act, he tore her from his chest, enduring searing pain unlike anything he had ever felt. Once freed, he threw the flower as far as he could, his heart shattering into dozens of pieces scattered across the land.

Alone and broken, the prince pondered his fate with his faithful steed. "My noble friend, what path lies before me now? Shall my legacy be one of sorrow or redemption? Will I find solace and healing, or forever wander these realms with a lost and shattered heart?"

And so in the kingdom of Rusone, Prince True was never seen again. This failure and public spectacle marking the last anyone saw of him, proving that sometimes love isn't just a weakness, but can also be a weapon. His legend lived on, a tale of bravery, love, and the bittersweet nature of enchantment, echoing through the ages in the land of Rusone. With him being the first to try and closest to freeing the lost kingdom from the evil clutches it'd fallen into.

The End,

Thank you for reading,

Cursed Narratives 2: Prince True