Over the hill, and far away.

That’s what all the fairy tales say.

To marry for love and not for gold.

That’s what all the love stories told.

With fear in your heart, and escape on your mind,

You leave your whole privileged life behind.

You walk through the wood, and past the stream.

The castle, your home, no longer you see.

You climb up the mountain up crumbling steps,

To bury the secrets, the ones you kept.

Attacked by bandits, who seek for your coin,

A group that you will eventually join.

Take coin from the rich and give to the poor,

Break the chains of the victims and open the doors.

An arrow will slice through your skin as you stand

In front of a boy who did not stand a chance.

Healed by a friend of the young orphan boy,

Filled to the brim with gratitude and joy.

The bandits return to take you to their home,

The place you feel safer than you’ve ever known.

Here you find family in unlikely friends,

You help them to seek their happy end.

Your duty fulfilled, you seek adventure away,

Provisions all packed, you set off the next day.

Go down via ropes, a bridge and vines,

Relish your freedom until you find

The king stands before you, fire in his stare

His stance and his scowl scream “Beware”

You ran from your duties, you hear him say

To escape over the hill and far away.

“Choose life with your crown or death in the trees,

Your choice, my girl, do what ever you please.”

You stand tall, head head high, heart full of resolve.

Be brave and you’ll succeed, the fairy tales told.

But the sword was far sharper than arrow had been,

It’s blade was so fast, you did not even see

Your father cried as he watched you fall to the ground,

Buried along side his dreams of your crown

For fairy tales are nout more than a cruel swallowed pill,

When only sorrow and pain reside over the hill.