THE AWAKENING OF PRINCESS PATRA

Once upon a time, there lived a damsel in an enchanted land. She was a damsel among other damsels but she believed that she was the fairest of them all. Her name was Patra and her dream was to one day, grow even more beautiful and marry the prince of the land, Archie.

Prince Archie was said to be handsome, charming and extremely wealthy. He had power over the lands and the waters and the law could not touch him or even as much caress him.

All he lacked was a princess by his side. A beautiful woman who would look after his castle while he was away, who would make sure his regal attire was always clean and ironed and who would give him an heir that would carry on his name. In return he would take care of her and make sure she never lacked anything.

Patra was in love with Archie. She loved his power, his authority and his wealth. All of that just to take care of his clothes, dome and children? She had been training to do that her entire life. She was born to be the prince's bride. Her Majesty Patra Archie. 

That name sounded so sweet, so authoritative, so fulfilling.

As a damsel, that was her lifetime achievement and nobody would stand in her way.

But there were other damsels who wanted the prince as much as she did. Her strongest opponents were Misa and Gina.

Patra was determined to win the prince's heart, so she devised means to make sure Misa and Gina failed their tests on the selection day.

When Gina was called to prepare a meal that would soothe the prince's stomach before making its way to his heart, Patra advised her to make it really spicy: "Let the food be the symbol of your burning desire to be his bride". Gina took her advice and she was disqualified.

It came Misa's turn to wash one of the prince's regal attire. Patra once again offered her advice: "Show the prince that you are not only pure of heart but that everything you touch is made to spark". Misa took the prince's red clothings and soaked them in bleach. She, too, was disqualified.

One after the other, every damsel was sent home, until there was no other woman standing except Patra.

It was a dream. She had won. She had become the prince's bride. She no longer had to worry about comfort ever again. She lived in a magnificent castle, wore beautiful clothes and ate rich and delicious food. 

There she was: princess Patra Archie.

The first months of marriage were a bliss. She made sure the castle was always tidy, the prince's food was always warm and delicious and that he looked majestic any time he stepped out of the castle.

She soon got pregnant. Her first child was a boy. The land rejoiced and celebrated for three days and three nights. The prince showered her with gifts and praises and she was exempted from her royal duties for a year.

When the dolphin was two years old, Patra got pregnant again. This time she gave birth to a girl. The land didn't rejoice and all she got from the prince was a cold "weldone".

Unlike the first time she gave birth, this second time she was not given any rest. She was forced to resume her royal duties as early as the next day.

She wished she could spend more time with her baby girl but the castle was so big it took her the entire morning to clean it. The prince's food was made of six courses. And his clothes were always so complicated and bulky. How come she had never realised this before?

Was she so blinded by all that wealth that she had failed to notice the enormous load of work she had been required to do every single day since she got married? Even with that many servants, she still had to supervise everything, otherwise the prince would complain.

"Those curtains are dirty".
"This meal is cold"
"This shirt used to be whiter".

Now she had two children, she needed a break. She needed help. She couldn't even recognise herself anymore. Even prince Archie could see she was no longer the pretty damsel she used to be.

A year came when scarcity befell the land. The prince was struggling to find a solution and no one among his wise counsellors could offer any. Patra knew. As a damsel she had dedicated some of her training to learning how to read and write. She read hundreds of books to that effect. Books about love, war and people. The books about war had taught her how to survive in cases of extreme lack. They had made her smarter and wiser and she believed the land could benefit from her knowledge.

"My husband, I know about our recent struggles to produce enough food for the people and I think I might have a solution".

The prince looked at her. He chuckled at first, then he stared at her with a condescending smirk that suggested everything but appreciation.

"I married you to cook, clean and bear my children. I pay my counsellors to do the thinking".

And she never tried to offer advice again.

One day princess Patra fell sick and could no longer perform her tasks as per usual. The prince brought a strange damsel to the castle to do the job until the princess got better.

"The prince is so thoughtful".

When she caught him laying unlawfully with one of the servants, she took a dagger and charged at her. The prince blocked her hand and knocked her down with a punch on her left cheek. He later apologised and promised never to do it again.

"The prince is so loving."

She overheard him telling his mother that he missed the days when the princess was still fair and beautiful and that, if he could, he would gladly trade her for a younger damsel. He later apologised and claimed that he only told his mother what she wanted to hear.

"The prince is so considerate".

But a day came that the princess finally realised that her handsome prince had never loved her and would never.

The castle was taken under siege by mercenaries who were notorious for their brutality. They told the prince: "We always like our booty to be tainted with some red. Whose blood shall we spill?"

"Not my mother, please. I cannot replace her".

And his mother was spared.

"Not my son, please. I could never have another one."

And his son was spared.

He pled for the servants too because they had been working for his family for generations. So it finally came down to himself, his wife and his daughter.

"My husband, say something". Patra said amidst tears and sweat.

"Patra, you need to understand. I am the prince of this land. My people need me. You have been a wonderful wife: loving and forgiving. I'm sure you can understand. Just like you left your father to come into my abode, our daughter will also leave this castle to live in her husband's..."

Patra interrupted him: "Are you saying I should offer my daughter to be slaughtered? Or do you want me to be slaughtered? You don't need me to clean your castle, prepare your meals or give you children, after all. Your servants had been doing all of that before I arrived and they will continue to that even after I'm gone. Or you can just bring in one of those young and beautiful damsels. You also have your heir. Your beautiful baby boy who will sit on the throne when you die. What do you need me for? Have you ever needed me, Archie? Have I ever meant anything to you or was I just another tool you used to make your life easier?"

Patra stood up and walked up to one of the mercenary who had already sharpened his sword and was ready to strike.

"You will have your blood tonight, but, first, you must do something for me. Take my daughter with you as part of your booty. I'd rather have her live among barbarians with no name and no land than to be a stranger in her father's castle. And, please, tell her of this night. Tell her of how her mother, Patra, denounced her husband, prince Archie and therefore renounced her title as princess Patra Archie. Let me be known as the woman who died so that her daughter would be free".

Patra hugged her daughter one last time and kissed her with every atom of love in her body.

"Don't be a fool like your mother. You don't need a prince to be happy. I love you, Femme."

And to her son she said: "I hope you will be a better man than your father, Nise and that you will truly treat your princess with the love and respect she deserves".

She then pulled out a dagger, that she had managed to sneak into her cleavage while the intruders were not watching, from underneath her nightgown and slit her throat to the dismay of everybody.

Patra spilled her blood, confident that her children, Femme and Nise, would grow up to be better people than she and her husband ever were.

Her body died that night but her spirit awakened and lived on ever after.