Usual disclaimers: Hardly a word of this story is true. The names and places have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty. Don't sue me over this, cause I have allergic reactions to lawyers, which would require me to see a doctor, which would start the whole process over again, cause the doctors cause the same allergic reactions, which make for lawsuits, and on and on and on.....

Yes, this is a Pretender story.....sorta. Just read and you'll figure it out.

Please don't archive this anywhere without my express permission, though I'll be happy to give it. Just give me the address of where you archive it. (Sekrit message for Lady K and Shan: can you figure out why I chose the name Archer Man? Hehehe)

Rating G

Happy reading!

Once upon a time there was a little boy. He was a very special little boy, for he had magic powers, and was a changeling, and could do things that no one else could do. The king in that land, a very evil man, kept the magic boy locked up in a big tower so no one else could use the magic boy's powers against the king. A wizard who worked for the king said that the magic boy didn't ever need to get out of the tower, because if he did, the world would never be the same.

One day the magic boy met a little girl. She was a princess, and the evil King was her father. The queen, her mother, had died when the little princess was ten, and she and the King lived in the grand palace with the evil wizard. But she was very pretty, and the magic boy was tongue tied, and couldn't think of anything to say to the little princess. She just took his hand in hers and showed him all sorts of wonderful things he had never seen before, like little rabbits, and secret rooms where they could play, and other little boys and girls that they could play with.

They were great friends with the good wizard, the one who took care of the magic boy and the little princess. The magic boy and the little princess had lots of fun finding places to hide from the King and the evil wizard, and they grew to love each other.

The little princess went to the seashore one day with the King, and she found a seashell that she decided to give to the magic boy so that he would always remember her. When her father the King took her back home from her outing, she tried to find the magic boy, but he was gone. She asked her father where the little boy was, and he told her that the magic boy didn't want to see her anymore. The little princess started crying and was taken by the guards to a new room in the grand palace.

The magic boy knew that the little princess had gone on an outing with the King that day, and he waited anxiously for her to return so she could tell him all about her adventures. When the magic boy tried to find the little princess he was told by the wizard that the little princess didn't want to see him anymore, and to get back to work.

So the magic boy grew into a man, and became able to use his powers as a changeling, and he was more powerful than the evil wizard. The evil wizard made sure that the man never found out that he was more powerful than the evil wizard, and still kept him locked in the tower. The good wizard helped the man make his magic for others, and they thought that the magic would be used for good. But the bad wizard and the King were using the magic for evil, to destroy other kings and lands, and to scare everyone into paying tribute to the evil King and the evil wizard.

When the changeling found out that his magic wasn't being used for good, he decided to escape from the tower and go out into the world making things right. So one night he escaped through a hole that he told no one, not even the little princess, about, and traveled out to seek his fortune.

The world was a cold dark place, the magic man soon found out, but he also discovered that he could bring light into the dark corners of the evilness using his magic. And the changeling was very happy making wrongs right in the world.

When the palace discovered that the changeling was gone, they decided to send for a tracker. The one they chose was the best one they had, for she had some of the magic herself. She was the magic man's old friend, the little princess. She had grown up to be a beautiful princess, and the King was sure that she could work her charms on the magic man and get him back.

She was given two helpers, the good wizard who was the changeling's keeper, and a lowly squire, and together they traveled through the land trying to find the magic man. They met many people along their way, and found many people that the magic man had helped. The princess was not the same sweet girl she once was, for in losing her little friend, she grew up to become a bitter princess, preparing to rule the kingdom after her father died.

The princess caught the changeling one time, but he got away from her and then caught her. She asked him why he didn't kill her. He said, "Because I still remember the little girl who gave me my first kiss." The princess realized that it was wrong to chase him, that the magic man was doing good in the world, so she stopped trying so hard to catch him. The magic man and the princess started a game, she would chase him, and he would almost let her catch him, but then they would miss each other on purpose and the game would start all over again. Both liked the game, and they continued pretending to hate each other.

The King called the princess before him and asked her why she hadn't caught the magic man yet. She told him that the magic man was much smarter than anyone had realized, and that nobody could catch him. The King brought forth the all of the trackers in the kingdom to replace the princess, but none of them had any luck catching the changeling either. So the princess stayed on the chase, still pretending to hate the changeling.

One day, after a year of searching for the magic man, a new tracker from another kingdom was brought forth to help the princess in her search. His name was Archer Man, and he was the best tracker in the whole country. He started helping the princess, and he almost caught the magic man, but a the changeling managed to escape.

After he came back to help the princess, they discovered a strange thing. The princess and Archer Man were twins, and that made Archer Man the prince of the kingdom.

Archer Man decided that he should be the one to rule the kingdom after the King was gone, so he tried to have the princess killed. When he failed, his thumbs and big toes were cut off, was banished from the kingdom, and was made to wander throughout the country until the end of his days.

The evil wizard tried to find and kill the changeling, for he was jealous of the changeling's powers, but the good wizard shot a golden arrow into the evil wizard. The evil wizard disappeared in a puff of smoke and was never seen in that land again.

The princess found the changeling and got him to help her find the King, who was hiding somewhere in the palace. The squire, who knew all of the secret places, found the King first and killed him.

So, the princess and the changeling got married, tore down the big tower where he had been forced to live, and ruled the kingdom with kindness. The good wizard was able to help people with the magic powers that the changeling bestowed upon him, and the squire married one of the courtiers and had lots of babies.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End.

So, what did you think?? I'd love to know!