#also pulled in a bit of another faitytale motif of a princess born with a star on her head

[princess-ibri]

King Magnifico Backstory Part 2

(Sorry it took so long. The holiday rush caught up with me, and it hasn't ended yet, so this is probably gonna be a three parter, actually. But here's the link to Part 1 and some other meta that connects to the backstory!)

The young man and his new bride sailed through time and space, through storms and starlight, out into the sea of a new world

Their ship crashed upon the shores of an island, on which stood the remains of a great castle and above which shown a brilliant star, shining as if it were a good omen that here they could build a new home for themselves

And such a home they built. The magic of the young man seemed to swell even greater beneath the light of the star--(the star he did not know was the home of his own fairy godmother)-- and as he and Amaya built their new home, others began to flock to them, as if also drawn there by the star.

The young couple welcomed them, and the young man used his magic to aid them in their dreams in exchange for their help in creating a new kingdom, where he hoped to be able to use his powers to bless those worthy of it--for he still felt the swell of love and happiness and wonder that came from helping to grant the wishes of others, so powerful it felt almost tangible at times.

They called the island Rosas, after the favorite flower of Amaya, and took the rose and the shining star above them as their symbols. Indeed, the star was already engraven on many parts of the now refurbished castle.

And soon enough, with the help of their new friends and subjects and the magic that flowed around them, a beautiful kingdom rose up, with Amaya as Queen, and the young man the people began to call “Magnifico” as King.

As the years passed, King Magnifico granted many wishes, and Rosas grew in prestige and beauty, people from the farthest flung places in the world began to flock to it, seeking its joy and bounty, and the chance to have their wishes granted.

Eventually the kingdom's population grew so great and so quickly that Magnifico--who had learned his lesson on granting wishes indiscriminately--decreed that only those who had lived in Rosas for a year and a day would have their wishes granted, and only then their greatest wish--so as to have time to prove their character and loyalty. Eventually this was raised to three years, then five, and finally all those who were born in Rosas and reached 18 were to have their wish granted, once per month at a grand ceremony.

To help aid and protect his new home, Magnifico studied magics both great and small, dark and light. He had books brought to him from all the lands that came to Rosas, and--though he did not know it at first-- the natural magic that drifted down from Rosas's guardian wishing star helped to aid him in becoming one of the greatest sorcerers in this new world, where magic was not as bountiful as the one he had been born in. One so great he managed to mostly stave off even old age for himself and his beloved queen, so as to keep their kingdom stable and secure

(And perhaps there was something of vanity within this. Having been starved of true affection for so long, Magnifico had became rather susceptible to flattery, and took perhaps more pride in his appearance then was healthy).

But for all his powers, and all his ability to grant the wishes of others, Magnifico found over the years that he was unable to grant the greatest wish shared between him and Amaya--to have a child of their own.

At last, one night, in desperation, remembering the vague story he had heard of his own birth, he wished upon the star above them.

And the star answered.

They named the child Maroula, “Wished for Child, or, Star of the Sea”, as she was born with the mark of a star on her forehead

The couple adored their daughter, as did the whole kingdom. Neither Rosas nor its rulers ever knew greater happiness than in caring for the young princess and watching her grow.

One day though, as young Maroula was playing in the rose garden of the palace, she heard a soft voice calling to her, though she could not see from where.

“Maroula, Maroula, wished-for-child of a wished-for-child. Great will be your power, but great too will be the trials that come to you from it. Would you face them when you are young, or old?”

And the little princess thought, “Far better to get anything bad over with sooner than later. Then, once it's done,I can live happily ever after without worrying about it”

So she answered “When I'm young”

"So be it" said the voice, and faded away...

And yet the years went by without any sign of these promised trials, until Maroula had grown into a beautiful young woman.

The princess has always been close with her father, and over the years he had taught her magic as well, and eventually she became his official apprentice, as well as his heir

Maroula studied hard, and became wonderfully proficient in all manner of spells and sorcery, helping her parents to bless their kingdom and aid in its prosperity

All seemed well, until the eve of the Princess's 18th birthday…

Part 3