The prince gathered 99 masked young women from every corner of the kingdom and swore that he would marry the one whose voice captured his heart. But when the chosen girl removed her mask, the entire palace froze in horror at what they saw š±
The prince had long been known throughout the kingdom not only for his wealth and title, but also for his unusual stubbornness.
He had already turned twenty-five, and neighboring kings and dukes constantly offered him brides from the noblest families. Yet not a single young woman had managed to win his heart.
Some were beautiful, others were intelligent, and still others came from ancient noble bloodlines. But every time, after meeting them, the prince would simply smile politely and say:
ā No. She is not the woman I am looking for.
The courtiers were beginning to worry.
The king was growing old, and the heir to the throne still showed no desire to marry.
One day, during another grand ball, the prince suddenly announced his decision before the entire court.
ā I love music more than anything else in the world. I want my future wife to be able to sing in a way that touches the heart. Therefore, I am announcing a special competition.
The guests immediately fell silent.
ā In one month, young women from across the kingdom will arrive at the palace. And I swear that I will marry the one whose voice is more beautiful than all the others.
A murmur swept through the hall.
But the prince raised his hand and continued:
ā To make everything fair, each participant will perform while wearing a mask. I do not want to see faces or clothing. I will listen only to the voice.
The news spread across the entire country.
Daughters of wealthy families, counts, princes, and influential merchants began arriving at the palace. Each dreamed of becoming the future princess.
On the appointed day, the enormous throne room was filled with guests.
The prince sat upon an elevated platform. In front of him stood a stage.
One by one, the young women stepped onto the stage wearing identical masks.
The first sang beautifully. The second sang even better. The third amazed many of the guests.
But the prince simply listened calmly and shook his head.
ā Next.
This continued for several hours.
One young woman burst into tears on stage after being rejected. Another ran out of the hall covering her face with her hands.
A third could not hold back her tears and left the palace with her family.
When the ninety-eighth participant finished her performance, many believed the prince would once again choose no one.
But then the doors opened.
The final young woman entered the hall. She wore a simple dark mask. No jewels. No expensive ornaments.
No one paid much attention to her. The guests began whispering.
ā She will probably fail too.
ā All the best singers have already performed.
ā She doesn’t stand a chance.
The young woman slowly walked onto the stage.
Silence filled the hall. Then the music began. And the young woman started to sing.
After just a few words, people began exchanging astonished glances.
Her voice was so beautiful that it seemed as if it was not a human singing at all, but a magical bird from a fairy tale.
Some guests stopped breathing in amazement. Even the musicians nearly forgot to play their parts.
Even the guards at the doors listened without taking their eyes off her. And for the first time that day, the prince leaned forward on his throne.
He could not take his eyes off the stage. With every passing second, his eyes shone brighter.
When the song ended, absolute silence filled the hall.
Then loud applause erupted. People rose from their seats. Some women wiped tears from their eyes.
The prince slowly stood up. For several seconds, he looked at the young woman.
Then he declared loudly:
ā I have made my choice.
The hall fell silent once again.
ā I will marry you. Remove your mask.
An excited whisper spread throughout the palace. Everyone wanted to see the lucky young woman.
The girl carefully raised her hands.
And removed her mask.
When they saw what had been hidden beneath the velvet mask, the entire palaceāand even the prince himselfāwas completely shocked š³š± The continuation of this story can be found in the first comment š
A collective gasp swept through the hall.
Many guests literally froze in place.
Some courtiers could not believe their eyes. Because standing before them was not the daughter of a count. Not the heir of a wealthy noble family. Not a princess.
Standing before the prince was an ordinary palace servant.
The very same young woman who cleaned the hallways every day, brought flowers to the royal chambers, and helped in the kitchen.
ā That’s impossible…
ā A servant?
ā How did she even get into the competition?
People stared at one another in shock.
The young woman lowered her eyes.
She understood that she could be thrown out of the palace at any moment.
Finally, the prince asked:
ā Is it really you?
The servant quietly nodded.
ā Forgive me, Your Highness. I knew I would never be allowed to participate. So I decided to wear a mask and simply try my luck.
The young woman took a deep breath and added:
ā I have loved you for a long time. Perhaps it is foolish. I knew I had no chance. But I wanted, at least once, for you to hear my voice.
After those words, many expected the prince’s anger.
But instead, he smiled unexpectedly.
Then he stepped down from his throne.
The entire hall watched in complete silence.
The prince approached the servant and took her hand.
ā That is exactly why I ordered everyone to wear masks.
The guests exchanged surprised glances.
ā I did not want to see titles or wealth. I wanted to find someone who could touch my heart. And today, I found that person.
The young woman’s lips trembled. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
The prince turned to the guests and announced loudly:
ā In one month, our wedding will take place.
This time, the hall erupted into thunderous applause.
