Emily Rose // Selene Laurent
The Golden Hind
The Prince had fallen in love with this woman, this nymph... But day after day he would leave the castle, on the hunt.
Always hunting the elusive creature with a golden coat, a swift Hind that ran freely through his territory... Always getting away, just out of reach of his arrows...
Then one day, he returned from the hunt to his castle and love... He knelt and asked and vowed everlasting love for her.
"My love," she said, "I beg of you one promise and I am yours. Forever and always."
"Anything. So long as you are my Queen and I your King." He replied.
"End your hunt of that creature. I want you here... with me."
The Prince hesitated.
Long had he hunted the golden creature to the point of obsession. Yet he also yearned for this woman. She was the other half of his heart...
"I will not hunt the Hind any longer..." He lied and she believed him.
Few days passed before, riding through his territory, the Prince caught a glint of gold in the distance. Like a ravenous dog, he salivated.
"Men, one last hunt!" He called to his kinsmen.
On horseback they thundered and surged towards the creature. Caught in surprise, it ran again. Ran swiftly through the trees and brush, but instead of going deeper into the forest... It headed towards the castle.
"Finally!" The Prince thought in triumph as the hounds bayed and howled in close pursuit behind the doe.
Its hooves clamored on the cobbled stone of the courtyard before the palace. The Prince notched an arrow to his bow and let it fly.
It flew straight and true.
It struck the Hind whom collapsed at the foot of the palace steps. As the Prince dismounted from his horse to inspect his kill... The Golden Hind transformed.
No longer a doe with golden coat but his love with her golden hair.
The Prince cried out his anguish.
"How can this be!" He cried and cradled her in his arms.
"I begged you to end the hunt..." she replied weakly. "It is I who you found at the stream so long ago, bathing. And it is I who ran through your territory so often to see my handsome Prince..."
"Father! Please do not punish him! He knew not what he has done!" She cried to the skies as a thunder roared above and dark clouds rolled forth.
With a last shuddering breath she sobbed again, "Please!" But her pleas fell on deaf ears.
For she was the daughter of a God of Nature and she the nymph that protected the palace forest. This God roared a storm above as the Prince held his love close to his chest and wept.
"I will be lenient for my daughters sake but you shall be punished!" The formless voice above rumbled. "You will become what others fear and what you are in your heart!"
And with that, the Prince was cursed and transformed into a hideous Beast...
The Golden Hind
The Prince had fallen in love with this woman, this nymph... But day after day he would leave the castle, on the hunt.
Always hunting the elusive creature with a golden coat, a swift Hind that ran freely through his territory... Always getting away, just out of reach of his arrows...
Then one day, he returned from the hunt to his castle and love... He knelt and asked and vowed everlasting love for her.
"My love," she said, "I beg of you one promise and I am yours. Forever and always."
"Anything. So long as you are my Queen and I your King." He replied.
"End your hunt of that creature. I want you here... with me."
The Prince hesitated.
Long had he hunted the golden creature to the point of obsession. Yet he also yearned for this woman. She was the other half of his heart...
"I will not hunt the Hind any longer..." He lied and she believed him.
Few days passed before, riding through his territory, the Prince caught a glint of gold in the distance. Like a ravenous dog, he salivated.
"Men, one last hunt!" He called to his kinsmen.
On horseback they thundered and surged towards the creature. Caught in surprise, it ran again. Ran swiftly through the trees and brush, but instead of going deeper into the forest... It headed towards the castle.
"Finally!" The Prince thought in triumph as the hounds bayed and howled in close pursuit behind the doe.
Its hooves clamored on the cobbled stone of the courtyard before the palace. The Prince notched an arrow to his bow and let it fly.
It flew straight and true.
It struck the Hind whom collapsed at the foot of the palace steps. As the Prince dismounted from his horse to inspect his kill... The Golden Hind transformed.
No longer a doe with golden coat but his love with her golden hair.
The Prince cried out his anguish.
"How can this be!" He cried and cradled her in his arms.
"I begged you to end the hunt..." she replied weakly. "It is I who you found at the stream so long ago, bathing. And it is I who ran through your territory so often to see my handsome Prince..."
"Father! Please do not punish him! He knew not what he has done!" She cried to the skies as a thunder roared above and dark clouds rolled forth.
With a last shuddering breath she sobbed again, "Please!" But her pleas fell on deaf ears.
For she was the daughter of a God of Nature and she the nymph that protected the palace forest. This God roared a storm above as the Prince held his love close to his chest and wept.
"I will be lenient for my daughters sake but you shall be punished!" The formless voice above rumbled. "You will become what others fear and what you are in your heart!"
And with that, the Prince was cursed and transformed into a hideous Beast...