PRINCE BUTTERFLY by FOUTOUX

Prince Butterfly by Foutoux
Al Rights Reserved Copyright L.Ivison 2013

Prince Ambrose was a particularly small child with particularly cruel parents.  King Regis and Queen Regine ruled a Realm which stretched from one corner of the earth to the other and their subjects, like their only son, lived in fear of the Kings terrible rages.

The Prince spent most of his time in the garden were, under the lilac trees he would collect butterflies and caterpillars.   He  would put the caterpillars in glass jars  watching each one transform into a crysallis and finally butterflies.   They would flutter around his bedroom until he opened the window and watched them fly off.  How he envied their freedom.

When he reached 12 years old he found that he too was sprouting wings from his back.  He made sure that they were hidden under his silk shirts as he knew his father would fly into one of his rages if he suspected the truth.

The Summer arrived early that year banishing the cold April and warm westerly winds blew across the Kingdom bringing with it the swallows, the butterflies and the bumblebees which hummed and buzzed around the lilac.

One day the Prince came down to the trees after a particularly violent outburst by his father.  Hiding behind the bushes he took off his silk shirt and revealed the wings of a Red Admiral butterfly - quite in proportion to his body.  He breathed in the perfume of the flowers and let his wings unravel in the sunshine.  And then, with a final look at the Castle, he flew  high above the Royal Gardens  borne on a westerly wind and was never seen again.