In a fantasy based on reality, there once lived a king who had three daughters that bore his family name. Their mother died when after giving birth to the youngest leaving their father to care for all three.
When the daughters were young girls he would sit with them in chairs in front of the fireplace where the family crest lay above. One night, his youngest daughter asked “Father, what is that thing? I want it!” And her father answered, “The crest of our family, my dear. And with it comes many riches and an amazing amount of power. In time, you and your sisters shall receive it, but not at this age.”
The daughter nodded back and smiled hopefully at the crest then looked back towards her father and said “I will get it one day! I will! And then I’ll be as powerful as you. And then I’ll say ‘I told you so! I told you so!’”
“All right, that’s enough. Off to bed now,” her father commanded.
As the king grew older he realized that his daughters were becoming more distant every day. The two eldest had their own husbands as well as their own crests now and the king had been so sad to see them off, just like when he had lost his wife. In order to prevent anyone else from ever abandoning him again, he drew close the youngest daughter one evening and spoke to her.
“Make me a promise,” he said. “Promise me that you will never leave me ever and stay here for all of time.”
“But, father,” she replied. “I could never make a promise like that.”
“But, why not?” the king cried.
“Father, I love you so very much. But my future here does not lie with you. I need to grow up and go out and explore the world! And I need to discover who I truly am!”
The king was silent for a minute and then yelled “Treachery! Guards, throw her out into the forest and rains! She’ll get no sympathy from me any further.”
The guards did as they were told and, despite the princess’ objections, she was thrown out deep into the forest. She cried for serveral hours. Depressed and hopeless on her situation until she came across a young maid who had wondered too far from the castle.
The maid confessed to the princess that she was running away as the job had been too difficult to handle. The daughter agreed to trade clothes with the maid so the maid would be able to start a fresh new life. Then the daughter, disguised as the maid, slowly maid her way back into the castle.
It was nearly dinner time now. The daughter entered the kitchen and noticed that the king’s meal had been prepared and was about to be delivered. She made her way over to the meal and placed a drop of poison serum she had always carried with her for self-defense in the food.
Once she was finished she delivered it to her father, who did not recognize that she was his own daughter. As the king had his first bite he began to choke and spasm violently out of control.
“What have you done to me?” the kind demanded.
The daughter said nothing but smiled and then looked towards the family crest resting above the fireplace. The king followed her gaze and then looked back at her in sudden realization.
“I told you so! I told you so!” the daughter cheerfully said.
And then he perished.
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