Maiden of Beauty

[Forward: This story is dedicated to my dearest; Amadeo Pneuma. He always sought to fill the world with wonder and story and taught me to fight for what I believed in.]

There once was a beautiful Maiden so divine that her smile outshone the moon and her voice put song birds to shame. News of her beauty reached far and wide; even to the Gods of Zakhara. They were so enamoured with the young woman that they began to quarrel over which of them she should serve.

The commotion attracted the attention of the genies. Once they spied the Maiden, they too began to fight over her. Their collective fury and emotions caused the elements themselves to respond with devastating effect on the mortals.

In fear for her city and herself, the Maiden fled into the jungles. She came upon Fate. The Maiden explain her woes and begged for assistance. Enchanted by the beautiful mortal, Fate devised a cunning plan. She disguised the Maiden as a horrible old man and returned with her to the city.

The city was in cosmic uproar from the fighting. The Old Man approached the Gods and genies to announce that he was to judge which of them would have the Maiden but he would only make his decision once they all left.

With Fate beside the Old Man, no one could see through the disguise and they all begrudgingly returned to their own realms to await the verdict. The Maiden never picked a suitor. Instead, Fate remained with the her and taught her wisdom.

Written by Sawyer Tengille