Azure and the Glass Castle

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a beautiful land ruled over by a kind king. The king loved many things, he loved his people, he loved his land, but what he loved most of all was the beautiful skies above his land. The glorious day sky was like the purest sapphire. The sun was never too hot, and the clouds floated gracefully without a care. The evening sky was however, a most spectacular sight. Millions of stars shone in the night sky, their brilliance making even the brightest gems at the local jewelers look shamefully dull in comparison. The moon was truly the king of the night. The white orb of brilliance caused many of the local poets and minstrels to sing praise to the wondrous majesty of its grace and beauty.

The king so loved the beauty of the sky, he built a castle. This, however, was no ordinary castle, as this castle was made of glass. Glass walls, glass ceilings and even glass furniture. In the day, the light of the sun would shine of the castle, causing it to sparkle like a huge diamond. People from all over the land, and even some of the neighboring lands, would sometimes just sit and gaze at its beauty. The castle was visited by many people from across the lands, and was heralded as a wonder, unlike any the world has ever seen.

After a long and happy life, the king passed away. The kingdom was sad at the loss of such a kind and generous king. However, the king had left behind him his young daughter the princess.

The princesses name was Azure. The king named her that for his love of the color of the day sky, which matched the color of her eyes. The princess was loved by all, for she had learned to love her people and her land as did her father. She was a kind ruler who took pity on the weak and needy. She could usually be found in the kitchens feeding some poor travelers who were hungry, or out visiting the sick farmers offering her sympathy and the royal healers to help them recover.

Azure was a kind women by day, but by night she suffered greatly for while she loved her father the king, she did not share the same feelings towards the castle. She found it very difficult to sleep at night, as the bright light from the moon and stars would keep her awake. Then would come dawn, and the even brighter light of the sun would chase away any hope of sleep for poor Azure.

Night after night she would lay awake, cursing at her misfortune. “Why did he have to build it of glass? Why couldn’t he build it out of stone like everyone else?” She would ask herself each night. And each night, she never got an answer to her question. The moon kept glowing and stars kept twinkling and the sun kept shining.

The princess spent many months in this fashion, and eventually she succumbed to her fatigue and fell ill. She withered like a flower without water, her bright eyes lost their brilliance as the shadows under them grew darker every day. Her cheerful attitude was replaced by a short temper, and fits of rage and bouts of crying.

Her servants, fearing for their mistresses health, fetched the greatest doctors in the land to find a cure for her ailment. Many healers arrived and many cures were tried. Sleeping herbs, soft music, one doctor even told her to spin herself around until she fell dizzy and slept, but that did nothing except to make her feel even more ill than before. They tried covering her eyes with all sorts of fabrics, but the princess's sensitive skin would start to itch horribly should she touch anything but the finest silks, and the finest silks were not thick enough to keep out the light.

Alas, the poor princess feel deeper into her illness, and no doctor could find a cure for her. The kingdom feared for the worst.

One day, a poor merchant passed through the kingdom trying to sell his wares. As he passed by the castle, he saw the withered princess sitting in the garden crying softly to herself. He quietly walked into the garden.

"Pray tell me, what ails you beautiful princess"

"I cannot sleep" she replied weakly

"What horror keeps you awake while your land sleeps?"

"No horror other than this glass castle. I cannot sleep for the light shines too bright"

"Will you listen to the advice of a poor merchant?"

"I have listened to doctors and healers, some of whom were jesters. I see no harm in taking your kind advice"

The merchant smiled and told her his secret remedy.

"T’is not the light that chases away your slumber, but only your attempts to shut it out my princess"

"Jest not with me merchant! Begone!"

"I jest not your highness. Tonight, when you retire to your bed, look into the moon, and allow its light to comfort you. The moon hates you not, t’is only doing what it knows to do."

"I shall try your method merchant, but I do not think it will help"

"I bid you comfort and ease young princess. Farewell"

As he walked away, the princess saw the sun gently setting in the west, and decided it was a good time to try the merchants advice. She did not know whether her illness will allow her another day.

As she lay in her bed, squinting up into the bright moon and silently cursing the foolish merchant and her own foolishness at having believed his so called remedy, she thought back to her father, and to her friends, and to all who loved her. All who have tried to cure her while she was ill, and before she knew it, she was no longer squinting at the moon. Instead, she found the light bearable, even more so, comforting, soothing and relaxing. She looked up at the moon, and she saw another world. a world of peace and happiness. a world of butterflies, and fairies and unicorns. a world where dreams came true, and no one grew old or ill. It was a peaceful place

As the first rays of sun shone over the horizon, and gently nudged the princess awake, she realized she had slept through the entire night. She felt refreshed, and energetic. The moons healing light had vanished her illness overnight.

The kingdom rejoiced at the princesses miraculous recovery, and they sang and danced for many days, and the princess in honor of her loving father ordered that all homes in the kingdom have glass roofs, so that all may enjoy the beauty of the sky as her father did before.