The flirt was up to no good

The news spread quickly ’cross all the land
Of the lights and the music, the envy of all
When the queen and king through the finest ball
To see who would claim the princess’s hand.
For that was the thing to do, you see,
For that was the thing to do.

The royal parents were modern and fair
And so wished their daughter to marry for love
But she stayed as aloof as the skies above
And drove mom and dad to the brink of despair.
Though they only wanted what’s best for their girl
They only wanted what’s best.

So this night, they told her, just try someone out
You don’t have to commit, just agree to a date
The kingdom couldn’t just go on and wait
For her to reject every marriageable lout.
And magnanimously she consented, my dear,
And magnanimously she consented.

The night of the ball, and all seemed to go well
The princess was stunning in a pale yellow dress
As she mingled and laughed her parents had to confess
That their little girl was now a beautiful belle.
But the flirt was up to no good, you see,
The flirt was up to no good.

As she smiled and curtseyed and pouted and sighed
Each man and each woman seemed completely enthralled
But not ten minutes later their energy stalled
And each group began taking their leave, sleepy-eyed.
And the king and the queen watched aghast, my dear,
The king and the queen were aghast.

They soon figured out what the princess had done
A few drops of potion in every guest’s drink
Creates a powerful urge into slumber to sink
Perfectly safe—once again the princess had won.
And she still had an ace up her sleeve, she did,
She still had an ace up her sleeve.

Her parents confronted her when all had gone home
None had stayed for a final dance
The princess just smiled and spread out her hands
For she had just sunk into her mother’s throne
And had taken a sip of the potion herself,
She had taken a sip of the potion.

And before anything that mom and dad could have said
Their daughter and heir had fallen asleep
They looked at each other, and without a peep
Picked her up, and set her back down in her bed
And above the clock chimed out the hour, it did,
And above the clock chimed out the hour.

They grow up so fast, said the queen with a smile
And it feels like only yesterday she was small
The kingdom will just have to wait, that’s all
Perhaps she can stay as a child for a while.
And they quietly kissed her good night, and left,
They quietly kissed her good night.

Part of Poem-a-day 2012. Title donated by Irene T.