Meanwhile, in the village lived a young woman. This woman was not beautiful, as most fairy tales go (but this is no ordinary tale). She had been very fair in her youth but, alas, had been marred and scarred by her suitor. He was a callous man - very handsome to look at, but with the blackest heart one could ever imagine. He had been her suitor since her youth, and though it had only been a few years, she was already beginning to look haggard and worn. The youthful innocence was almost completely gone from her face, and despair was settling in to stay in this young maiden's life. How she longed to be free from this arrogant and awful man, and find comfort in the arms of someone who was kind and gentle, and who she could trust with her innermost feelings. She felt so alone and rejected. Her suitor hated her, yet he would not let her go free. The townspeople either distrusted her or feared her, mainly because of their hatred for him. She had nowhere else to go, and no one to turn to.

One day, a servant ventured out of the king's palace on a very special mission. He was there to find a bride for the king! News traveled quickly in this town, and soon the young woman overheard folks talking about the messenger and this unique mission. "Oh," the woman thought, "how wonderful it would be if I were to be chosen as the king's bride!"

As she mused, suddenly a full length mirror caught her eye. She gasped in astonishment. As she gazed into the mirror, tears began to stream down her face. The once beautiful reflection that used to look back at her now looked so old and ugly. Her clothes were tattered and worn. What had once been long beautiful brown hair was now stringy and gray. Dark circles appeared under cold dim eyes, which were once bright and cheery. The once faint rosy glow on her cheeks was now replaced by a shallow and shoddy gray. There were wrinkles on her face, and her back was bent from years of hard living and cruel treatment from her wicked suitor. There was no way ANYONE was going to want her - much less a king! She slumped down into a chair, and burst into tears of hopelessness.

At last, the appointed day arrived. The town was bustling with excitement and expectancy. She overheard the king's messenger shouting in the streets. He was saying something about "preparing the way for the king". Was he actually going to come out of his palace and show himself to the people? She thought to herself, "I must go to him and tell him of my plight!" She knew there was no way he would want her as a bride, but just maybe the king would look on her with compassion, and make her one of his servants. After all, she wasn't worthy for anything else, and he would probably never appear again. This was her only chance!

Although frightened beyond belief, out of desperation she pressed her way through the crowd to get to him. The crowd was unrelenting, for everyone wanted to get a glimpse of the handsome ruler. Finally, with one last burst of strength, she broke through and fell on her face before the king. Expecting to be driven away, she lay there, trembling and afraid.

Suddenly, she felt a gentle hand guiding and lifting her to her feet. As she looked up, she gazed with awe into the eyes of the king himself. His eyes were filled with more love and compassion than she had ever seen in her lifetime. It was as if he was the essence of love itself. He opened his mouth and spoke, and his voice was as the sound of a gentle flowing stream. "What is it you wish I should do for you?" he asked.

She stuttered and stammered, and when she opened her mouth, no words came out. She heard the others laughing and was almost persuaded to run away and never come back. But his eyes - she could not run from his eyes. It was as if they looked straight down into her soul. Finally, in a moment of desperation, she blurted, "Please, your majesty, take me away into your palace and make me your servant! I'll do anything you wish! No job is too lowly and dirty for me - I beg of you!" She sobbed uncontrollably.

Without hesitation, the king spoke. "Yes, I will take you. But not as a servant - I will take you as my bride." The crowd gasped in amazement. The king continued, unabated by their shock. "You see, my love, I have watched you all these many years from my palace window. I have laughed with you, cried with you, and experienced everything you have ever experienced, though you did not know me. But I've always known of you, and have loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you."

"But why? Why didn't you take me when I was young and beautiful?" she asked in amazement.

"Because I was waiting for you to come to me."

"But I am so ugly now!" she sobbed.

The king shook his head. "You are always beautiful in my eyes, no matter what you or anyone else says, thinks, or does. Come, my love, my bride."

And with that, he took her by the hand and led her into his palace, and they were wed that very day.

Another full length mirror caught her eye, but this time it did not show tattered clothes. Instead, she was wearing the most beautiful white gown she had ever seen - fine linen, pure and white. The wrinkles were gone from her face. Her eyes shone with a purity and brightness she had never seen before, except in the eyes of her new suitor. Her skin was glowing, and the dark circles were gone from under her eyes. Her hair was long and flowing and draped down her back, which was no longer bent, but now stood tall and graceful.

As she stared with amazement at her reflection, she heard the voice of her beloved whisper in her ear.

"Behold, I make all things new."