• Lover:
    I, a simple courtier, had fallen for the King’s most prized possession, his daughter, the woman who silently ruled beside him. Each night I would creep along the stone walls of the castle to meet my beloved in the rose garden. I understood what my consequences would be if we were to be caught, but my mind was set far from the thought.
    Tonight was no different from the many other nights. I made my way silently through the dimmed corridors, my shadow followed behind me on the walls as the fire light flickered. I halted at the entry way leading into the garden. The moon reflected its brilliant shades of blue off the many colored roses aligned and arranged perfectly in the small garden. My eyes traveled from petal to petal until they set upon a woman, whose radiance glowed with the moon.
    She stood still in the middle of the garden, smiling at me. My heart melted as I looked into her blue eyes, they sparkled as the light from the moon beamed on them. Her hair fell gently around her face, shoulders, and came to a stop just above her waist. It had been kissed by the sun, representing its golden color. She was draped in a beautiful baby blue, the end of the dress caressing the floor.
    I walked towards her and grasped her hands in mine. I looked at her and smiled. I leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. She moved closer and I encircled my arms around her, holding her close.
    “I love you.” I whispered.
    She opened her mouth, but before any words were spoken, loud shouts were heard all around the garden. I was violently pulled away from her. She held onto my hand until she could not hold on any longer. As I was dragged along the cold stone of the garden floor she mouthed the words ‘I love you.’
    They threw me onto the dirt and closed the metal bars shut. I crawled to the corner and thought about my punishment. I already knew what it would be.
    Every week the King would hold an event to punish a man accused of crime. This man would be placed into an arena with the option of two doors. He would have to choose one and hope what he found behind the chosen door would be something of celebration, rather than death. There would either be an untamed tiger, ready to kill, or a beautiful maiden behind the door. If he were to choose the door with the tiger it would result in his sudden death. However, if behind the door stood a woman, he would be instantly wed to her, no matter his marital status. This act of punishment was one of cruel entertainment for the King’s pleasure.
    After a night of restless sleep, the loud screeching of sliding metal woke me. I was forcibly yanked off the ground by my upper arm. The two guards held no emotion on their faces as they pushed me forward. I stopped before a massive wooden door, whose russet color was beginning to fade with the many passing of years. My heart began to
    race as I heard the shouts and yells of the crowd outside, waiting in anticipation to find out what fate would be brought upon me.
    The door opened and I was blinded as the sun’s rays hit my eyes. The arena was filled from bottom to top with people who had come to watch. I was pushed onto the dirt, the fallow color staining my white sandals. I turned back to the door, watching it as it closed. I was alone.
    I walked to the center, hearing many different voices in every direction. I felt lost and afraid. I turned slowly in a circle, stopping as my eyes caught the emotionless face of the princess. She was seated on the left of her father. Her eyes burrowed into me as I continued to stare. My gaze shifted to the King and I respectfully took a bow, rising slowly, looking at the princess again. Her eyes flickered quickly to the door on the right, behind me in the arena, then back at me. At full height now I took one last glance at the King, then at her.
    I turned, and with a firm and rapid step I walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed immovably on me. Without the slightest hesitation, I went to the door on the right, and opened it.
    My eyes widened, staring in complete shock and relief at what had appeared behind the door. A woman, clothed in white and hair falling in honey-brown ringlets around her shoulders faced me with flushed cheeks. Her smile was warm and kind. I turned around, looking upon the princess, whose heart had not yet been tainted with barbarism, and nodded with appreciation and gratitude.
    Princess:
    Although jealousy raged violently through my body, I could not bear to watch the man I love be torn apart by the vicious tiger. I rose to my feet and left, while at the same time the priest entered the doors of the arena.