Violoncello (A Gay Cinderella Story)

The Kingdom

Once upon a time in a land far, far away there stood the most beautiful castle that glowed in both the sun and moonlight. The white stone used to create the enormous structure showed no sign of dirt or age. The castle stood towering over the village of Arcadia for generations. Towering in a way that protected the village and country from harm, be it from neighboring invaders, the elements, or from each other.

The people of Arcadia lived relatively normal, happy lives. They were well taken care of by the royalty and lived to serve them as the royals lived to serve the country. Most had no complaints about their lives. They were all hard workers, but for those who could not work, the community had no issues in taking care of them. Everyone was treated like family here.

The King and Queen who governed the land ruled with pride, grace, and determination. Beloved by all, they did everything in their power to ensure the safety and civility of their nation. Queen Moira, a beautiful and dainty woman, constantly visited the women of the village. She paid extra attention to the nursery building that was built for expecting mothers. It housed mothers with their newborns before they were well enough to go home. She was a powerhouse of a woman who let the world know that she was not here to stand behind her husband but to stand with him, ruling the country jointly. She also made it her mission to ensure every woman and girl bore the same confidence and poise as she. No woman in her kingdom would be subservient to any man, regardless of what other nations were doing.

King Yusef was an extremely stoic man. His height forced him to loom over most of his men and he had a consistent fire burning in his eyes. Letting his wife and Queen take the lead in most matters to the kingdom, he shined most in times of conflict. Using his extraordinary skills in diplomacy, he has been able to calm the most problematic of nations on the verge of war. Using his remarkable skills in military operations, tactics, and reconnaissance he's been able to subdue or ultimately destroy the enemies of his kingdom and allies before they even had a chance to strike. Luckily, there have only been very few enemies of Arcadia.

They both did what was needed to guarantee their kingdom continued to last for generations to come and that it would be easy for their only son to follow after them. Prince Gabriel was the best of both of his parents. With his father's dashing good looks and his mother's passion, everyone knew he would make the most excellent of kings, even at a very young age. His parents did their best not to spoil the boy, but it was inevitable after they tried for children for so long with Gabriel being their rainbow baby. Once news spread throughout the country of the bouncing bundle of joy, citizens across the continent traveled far and wide to bestow gifts and blessings to the family.

King Yusef and Queen Moira knew immediately that their boy would be destined for greatness. Prince Gabriel did his best to live up to his parents' expectations. He studied diligently with his mentors and teachers. He was always well-behaved. He was very thoughtful when it came to his parents and the people he loved. He treated everyone who worked within the castle with dignity and respect. It was very difficult for anyone to not smile when coming in contact with Prince Gabriel. He exuded an aura of warmth and kindness wherever he went. Even his own father, as emotionless as he could be, would shed an occasional tear of happiness and pride because of his son. His parents knew that once they were gone, their kingdom couldn't possibly be in more capable hands. There was only one thing missing that would make all of this complete.

Their son needed a wife.