Princess Carmelita (Chp Finale)

PRINCESS CARMELITA
(Adapted from the movie “El Laberinto Del Fauno” or “Pan’s Labyrinth”)

“Arise, my daughter. Come.”

Maya opened her eyes and found herself standing a great big hall made of gold and silver studded with precious jewels of all kinds. Her blood-soaked dress was replaced with a magnificent gown the colour of forest-green with diamonds and black laces everywhere. When she lifted her skirt, it revealed a pair of dark green buckled shoes that shone when it caught light. A diamond and ruby-studded tiara settled comfortably on her head and a long veil flowed down her silky brown hair, like she was in a wedding dress.

As she walked down the hall, she saw four thrones that towered all the way towards the ceiling and people of all forms of features, shapes and sizes sitting on both sides of the hall like one would in a stadium. The whole place looked like a church, with stained glass that let the light in, illuminating all the jewels in the hall, and her footsteps echoed as she walked towards the thrones. On the middle thrones sat a man and a woman in crowns and clothes as magnificent as hers who had silver white hair but had features as young as a twenty-year-old. Though she only seen them for the first time, Maya knew instinctively who they were.

“Father?”

“You have spilled your own blood rather than the blood of an innocent,” the King said proudly. “That was the final task and the most important.”

Suddenly Faun came out from behind the pillar that held the throne, followed by the fairies who danced around her, chirping happily and excitedly. Maya was both surprised and glad that the fairies she thought dead were alive and kicking, welcoming her back where she belonged. Faun walked towards her and took a bow.

“And you chose well, Your Highness. Welcome home.”

“Come here with me and sit by your father’s side,” the Queen said as she gestured her to the thrones. “He’s been waiting for you for so long. You may like who he has betrothed you to. He has waited for your return as well.”

It was then she noticed that there was a teenage boy dressed in dark blue and grey sitting beside the Queen. The boy noticed her staring and smiled, as if glad to be finally meeting his royal fiancé. The Queen was right; she did like who the King had betrothed her to, because her royal fiancée looked a lot like Pedro Sanchez, the errand boy that she loved.

As everyone in the hall gave her a standing ovation, she knew she had chosen the perfect ending for the Princess.

*

Pedro couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He had gotten to her too late. When he and his colleagues went to search for Maya, with the red string tied to his wrist so that they would not get lost, they saw the Count coming out of the centre of the labyrinth with Alexandra in his arms. Seeing himself surrounded by the law-enforcers, he knew he was defeated. He handed Alexandra to Pedro. He knew that although he was to be arrested and lose his Count title and rights, at least his son was in good hands.

“Tell my son that his father fought bravely. Tell him that…”

“No,” Pedro said as he backed away a little, holding Alexandra close to his chest. “He won’t even know your name. Take him away.”

Either it was the sedatives still in his system or the sense of defeat, he didn’t resist arrest as one of Pedro’s colleagues took him away, following the string out of the labyrinth. He then went into the labyrinth centre and found Maya lying on a pool of blood, struggling to breathe. The gunshot wound she sustained was fatal and there was no doctor in the world that could save her. All he could do now was make her passing more peaceful, and as he sung her his grandfather’s lullaby, he watched as she smiled and slipped away from his arms quietly.

He knew that his presence before she died was the happiest moment of her life, but the guilt of unable to fulfill his promise to her still remained.

And would remain till the end of time.

And it is said that the Princess returned to her father’s kingdom. That she reigned with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. That she was loved by her people. That she left behind small traces of her time on earth, visible only to those who know where to look.