Happily Never After

Once upon a time, In a secluded, distant kingdom, There lived a beautiful princess Who spent her days carefree, If not slightly impassive, Exploring the palace gardens and Dancing nimbly around the courtyards, More often than not accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting, The youngest of which had become Her best and most trustworthy friend over the years, and whom, Unbeknown to the princess, Suspected she had fallen in love with her. The princess's sixteenth birthday came, and there was Great rejoicing throughout the land. The princess and her best friend Found it all rather amusing and tiresome when The King declared that it was time His daughter was married. The princess took little interest in the Many suitors who came to try and Win her heart, though when she Consulted her friend, The lowly lady-in-waiting, She was always sure to remark on Which man seemed the kindest, Who was the funniest, and Which would provide her with stability and care. Though, of course, She privately dismissed them all. So the years went past, The princess grew more beautiful each day, Beginning to make an effort to impress The neverending stream of suitors, Whilst her lady-in-waiting, Silently saddened and horrified by her own desire, Continued to enourage, comfort and love the princess As the suitors came and went. The princess laughed and kissed her friend, saying No man could ever mean as much to her as she. Then one day, a prince arrived at the palace, One unlike any the princess had met before, He smiled at her and she Never sighed or turned away, But merely smiled back. The lady-in-waiting watched them Explore the kingdom astride a white horse, Dance delightedly together in the moonlight, And she saw the prince Encourage, comfort and love the princess, And she blinked away her grief. Soon wedding bells rang throughout the land As the prince and princess held hands and Spoke their vows, The lady-in-waiting stood near the Back of the congregation, Smile frozen on her face. She had no horse, of course, She could not waltz, She was a lady-in-waiting; a servant, And the princess always marries the prince And they live happily ever after. There are no fairytales for fools like her, And she is left waiting, wanting, wasting, Without a hope of happiness, And that's how the story ends.