Five dashing princes, all fighting for the same prize: a cursed princess. Only one can awaken her from her slumber. Who shall be the victor?

This is The Sleeping Beauty Chase.

The cameraman began recording as Mitch Grimm, the host of the show, fiddled with the microphone on his tie. "Are we rolling?" He nodded as the charismatic presenter slicked back his hair, hiding the sweat on his forehead. "Greetings all, welcome to 'The Sleeping Beauty Chase', the racing show where five princes from different kingdoms compete to win the heart of the fair, young sleeping princess in her tower. I'm your host, Mitch Grimm. Let's meet the contestants!"

Mitch strolled over to the start of the track, followed by the camera. The five princes were lined up in their respective spots, tending to their noble steeds. He wandered up to the first one in line, a muscular prince with light blonde hair and emerald eyes. The prince wore silver metal all over, demonstrating his stature as a knight as well. "Here is one of our first contestants, Prince Edward."

Upon recognising a camera was pointed at him, and that he would be seen by millions, he stopped combing the mane of his white horse and grinned. "Greetings, Mitch and, to those watching at home, hello there." He winked at the camera, flirting with all the ladies who may be watching.

"So, how are you feeling? Are you ready to fight for the princess?" He asked.

He bobbed his head, swishing the blonde locks on his head. "Absolutely, I would fight for anyone really. I've been all over the world and haven't found my destiny yet, perhaps that could change once I win this race."

"You seem fairly confident." Mitch pointed out.

"Oh, I am, Mitch. I have trained for this since I was a young boy." He leaned in to murmur his thoughts into the camera. "In fact, I would say that I am a more professional and handsome prince when compared to these... façades."

"Well, good luck, Prince Edward." He assured him, moving onto the second contestant nearby. This prince was a brunette instead of another blonde. He appeared to look less arrogant than Prince Edward though you never judge a book by its cover. "Hey, Prince Andrew, how's it going? You excited?"

The prince seemed surprised by that they were speaking to him, hesitant upon replying. "Yeah..."

Mitch frowned at the camera, confused by his demeanour. He had heard stories of the Prince being one of the noblest men in all the land, his bravery led to an entire village being freed from the clutches of a giant. Yet here he seemed distant as if something were on his mind. "You sound nervous."

When hearing his words, the prince quickly changed his attitude and put on a smile. "No, no. Of course, I'm not nervous. I'm actually hoping that this race will actually change my life for the better."

"How so?" He queried. "You already have a good life and plenty of support from your fellow subjects, why do you feel the need to change it?"

"Well, I recently... recently had my heart broken by this lovely girl." As he explained, Mitch gave a quick glance to the camera, intrigued by this sob story. "She was amazing and... well, it was tough to say goodbye. So, I thought that the best way to move on was to try and find a distraction, something that would take away the pain. Someone that will listen to my struggles."

Mitch smirked. "Well, this girl has been asleep for a hundred years, I'm sure she'll understand what it feels like to be alone."

His eyes lit up. "You think so?"

"Oh, Andy," He placed a hand on his shoulder, supporting him. "I'm sure she will." The prince appeared to have tears in his eyes, moved by the presenter's words. He patted him on the back before returning to his horse, secretly weeping. Mitch backed away, the camera trailing him. 

He drew the tie-microphone up to his mouth. "Not!"  A huge grin formed on his face as he moved on to the next prince. "Now, here we have Prince Phillip- oh!" 

Mitch was shocked by the height of this man, he towered over them. He had to be more than six foot. "Blimey, you're tall! Phil, you sure you need that horse for the race? You're big enough already."

The great prince approached him, looking down at the sudden cowardly presenter. "Those who have mocked me have died a terrible death. I have killed thousands of creatures and fought many villains, none of whom has succeeded to this day. I am not afraid to put up a fight. Do you understand?"

He frantically nodded, fearful. "Yes, y-yes. Understood, completely. I'll leave you to it then." As he wandered further down the line of princes, Mitch kept glancing back at Prince Phillip who had resumed tending to his horse. "Well, I guess we're moving on to our next contestant, Prince Robert."

However, when attempting to greet him, the timid host noticed him sharpening his sword intensely and seriously. It didn't look like he wanted to talk to anyone, in fact, he silently glared at the less than bubbly presenter and his cameraman. "Or perhaps not." 

Mitch kept walking, already reaching the end of the line where the final prince stood. "Ah, Prince Oliver of the Western Kingdoms. Your reputation proceeds you."

Unlike the others, Oliver's blonde hair was long and fairly conditioned without a single tangle. He didn't seem too big nor too small. To be honest, he looked rather dreamy to the wandering eye. There was no denying it, he was perfectly charming. "Does it now?" He asked, flashing his sapphire blue eyes and his whitened signature smile. "I mean, I certainly try my best to charm."

"Y-yes... definitely! Of course, you do! Why wouldn't you, eh?" The camera managed to catch the blushes Mitch deliberately tried to hide from view, gesturing his cameraman to focus on the contestant rather than the embarrassed host. He cleared his throat. "H-how do you think you'll do in the race?"

"Oh, I hope to do excellently, Mitch." The handsome prince answered, swishing his blonde hair ever so slightly. "Actually, scratch hope. I'm GOING to do excellently."

"Do you really think you'll beat these other fairly bold princes?" He wondered.

Prince Oliver scoffed arrogantly. "Of course. These other princes lack any charm, they're more like ignorant monkeys who clearly don't know how to sweep a maiden off their feet."

Mitch squinted, confused by his words. "Can you elaborate?"

"These men may be handsome in looks and skilled, but what a princess really needs is someone with substance. A prince who can please them day and night for eternity. If I know women, Sleeping Beauty will easily fall out of love with these guys any day." He explained, shooting arrogant glances at the other contestants. "She deserves a man like me, not these idiotic brutes."

"Well, you have the look, the charm and you can certainly sweep a princess off their feet with one smile. I'm sure she'll fall head over heels in love with you after you awaken her," Mitch leaned in. "That's if you win of course."

"Not IF, Mitch. The word "if" is insinuating that I might not win. I think you'll find I WILL win in the end." Oliver corrected. 

"IF you say so." The presenter joked, quickly leaving the track to allow the chase to begin. Soon enough, Prince Oliver was distracted by his own reflection, drastically checking his hair was perfect.

All of these princes were seemingly perfect, which meant they were all perfect for The Sleeping Beauty Chase.

The cameraman followed Mitch over to a nearby podium where he prepared to announce the start of the race. He raised his microphone up to his lips, smirking. "Ok, dashing princes, it's time to mount your horses." The contestants obeyed, steadily climbing atop of their steeds whilst making sure they were safely secured for the journey ahead. "The track is simple, just stick to the path and you'll eventually reach the castle in the end. Now, this race won't be easy. There will be many distractions along the way so be warned."

However, the princes were unfazed, too focused on the race than Mitch's words. Not that the presenter cared, he just wanted to see who would be victorious in the end. That's the reason people watch game shows and racing shows in the first place: to see who wins. 

"Young nobleman, this is your chance to save a beautiful princess. Up in the tallest tower, she is awaiting a kiss from her true love. Make sure it's you." advised Mitch, smiling at each of them. "The Sleeping Beauty Chase begins..." He took a whistle from the stand, placing it near his mouth as the princes listened in excitedly. "NOW!"

A loud high-pitched screech erupted from the minuscule object, alerting the contestants as they swiftly galloped off into the distance as fast as they could. Mitch observed their looks of determination as he watched them from the podium.

Once again, the satisfied host spoke through a different microphone, commentating. "And they're off, the princes already heading off towards the dazzling snow-white cliffs where you get a magnificent view of the sea."

The princes were riding past as the water below smashed onto the chalk rocks, already catching their collective attention. Though the rest were unfazed by the landscape, Prince Andrew kept looking out at the waters. His horse was noticeably riding closer to the edge, the dark-haired prince's thoughts were clouded as his concentration on the race quickly faded. 

Abruptly, to his surprise, a shimmering green tail was seen splashing in the water. His eyes widened, hastily halting his steed and leaping off in awe. Prince Robert, galloping nearby, spotted Andrew in confusion. "What on earth are you doing, good sir?!

"IT'S MIRANDA! MY LOVE!" He yelled, ripping his armour from his body and discarding the parts onto the ground. "I knew she'd come back for me!"

Prince Robert was too far away to hear his final sentence, unknowingly missing Prince Andrew leap off the cliff and dive into the water below to reunite with his ex-girlfriend.

Mitch, who was watching eagerly nearby, announced on the microphone. "Look's like Andrew's taken a dip out of the competition to find some more fish in the sea." He chuckled, turning to his cameraman who was not feeling the joke. "What? It was a good joke!"

Meanwhile, the four princes continued their journey now heading more into the mainland, entering a dense and green forest. The trees instantly engulfed them, hiding them from sight. The seemingly heroic Prince Edward was steadily ahead of the others, determined to be the first to kiss the princess. It was his destiny, his happily ever after was within reach. He wasn't weak like the others, at least that's what he told himself.

Like the unfortunate Andrew, he too was distracted upon hearing a beautiful singing voice nearby. His attention was drawn away from the race immediately, his horse turning away from the path and following the beautifully angelic song that called him. The others were both confused yet enlightened by the arrogant prince's departure, leaving Prince Oliver, Prince Phillip and Prince Robert who were travelling along the path.

Edward continued his voyage into the wood, the voice growing louder as he edged nearer to where it was coming from. He was completely mesmerised. The young prince had been trained to slay terrible beasts and save beautiful damsels, it was natural for him to find a girl in need.

Eventually, he reached an opening where the trees lay on the outskirts of a tall tower. The voice was coming from within, yet there was no opening and no way to get up there. Perhaps a young maiden had been imprisoned against her will. Maybe it was his destiny to save her, not to do a stupid race to awaken a sleeping princess.

He jumped off his horse, not wanting to give up on the trapped damsel. His eyes scanned the exterior, noticing a large amount of ivy and vines attached to the brickwork which led up to the window. The prince grinned, sprinting over and grasping onto the plants. He clung on using his immense strength, pulling himself up. It was lucky that he was lightweight.

Soon enough, his hand settled on the window ledge. Then his other hand joined it, hauling himself up. "Don't worry, young maiden! Your hero is here!" He exclaimed, presenting himself.

Although, instead of a beautiful woman inside, there was a crooked old witch. Her eyes were bug-eyed and her grey hair stuck out like long spikes. The divine voice transformed into a hellish cackle. Her bony hands latched onto his as Prince Edward's face contorted into a look of terror. She grinned with the remainders of her teeth. "It seems you are, my handsome hero."

Edward screamed, unable to let go as the ugly witch pulled him into her tower, imprisoning him with her. The princes were unaware of this occurrence, but Mitch and his cameraman had been watching the whole time. "Ooh, look's like Prince Edward's fallen for the wrong witch. I'm sure he and his new girlfriend will be very happy together."

The remaining three continued to ride through the forest until finally leaving the green and entering a nearby village. People were watching from the sides, fascinated by these brave men and cheering for them. Prince Phillip had managed to overtake Prince Robert whilst Prince Oliver was close behind.  

In the distance, the shining castle could be seen as clear as day. The sun reflected on its silver bricks, the tallest tower sticking out like a sore thumb. That's where the prize was, the sleeping princess was up there and now they were so close.

The two princes in the front were so confident, flashing each other looks of determination and anger. Both wanted to be the first to reach the princess.

Behind them, Oliver attempted to catch up as the village began to fade in the background. The people's cheers died out as they entered a quieter part of town. There were still citizens wandering about, observing the three in curiosity but they did not cheer for them. As the charming prince looked out at the small streets, he abruptly noticed a young woman unknowingly lose her shoe whilst climbing a stairway.

His eyes widened, making a split decision and halting his horse. Prince Robert and Prince Phillip failed to notice him, like they hadn't noticed Prince Andrew from earlier. 

Following close by, Mitch and his cameraman watched Prince Oliver climb off the horse and sprint after the woman. "What's this? Another girl catching the prince's eyes. This happens less with princesses, I swear..."

Prince Oliver scooped up the shoe with his right hand, approaching the lady at the top of the marble stairs. "Excuse me, miss?" The young woman turned, confused. Her hair seemed to be brown with some blonde highlights that seemingly blended into one another. Her eyes were a light shade of brown like chestnuts. She was beautiful, anyone could see that. 

The prince was completely hypnotised by her. "Y-you dr-rop-p-ped your shoe..." He stuttered, overcome with anxiety.

The woman smiled. "Oh, thank you. Aren't you charming?"

She tried to retrieve it, but he pulled it away. "Please, let me." Oliver offered, kneeling onto the ground and slowly slipping her shoe back onto her foot. He gazed back up at her, looking into her eyes. "It's a perfect fit."

"Well, it seems as if "Prince Charming" has found love, meaning he's out of the competition." Mitch announced. "This leaves our last two princes: Prince Robert and Prince Phillip."

The two contestants rode up a hill, nearing the castle. Both were trying outride the other, their pride getting the best of them. The gates were in view, their horses galloped closer to the entrance. No one knew who was ahead of the other.

Ultimately, they both rode through the opened gates and found themselves in the courtyard of the castle. "Ha, I have beat you here!" exclaimed Prince Robert.

Prince Phillip disagreed. "I think you'll find that I beat you here."

"I detest!" He said, removing his sword from his belt and pointing it at the tall man.

"Two can play at that game!" Phillip drew his own sword, ready to swing it at the young prince.

Nevertheless, they were interrupted by a mighty roar. A large shadow cloaked them overhead, the princes looking up to find a black fire-breathing dragon snarling back at them, having claimed the castle as its nest. 

A look of fear washed over the tall prince while the smaller one was less cowardly and aimed his sword at the beast. "Well, if we can't settle our differences then let's at least slay this beast-"

However, Prince Phillip was already gone, having ran out of the gates due to his unexpected fear of dragons, leaving only Robert as the last contestant. The dragon crawled over to him, about to vaporise him. Instead of being terrified, the prince only laughed in response before launching his sword into the dragon's chest.

It screamed in pain as the sword pierced his body, swiftly dying after. As its body fell to the ground, Robert appeared upset. "That was way too easy."

However, his sadness shifted into happiness very quickly This meant he was the winner of the race, all he had to do was awaken the princess. Prince Robert ran past the dead dragon, climbed the tallest tower and finally found himself outside the door of her room. He smiled, bringing his sword up to his face and checking he looked alright. The prince smirked. "Handsome as ever."

He placed a firm hand on the wooden door, slowly opening it. In the centre of the tower was Sleeping Beauty herself, lying on a silk bed and rose petals. She looked perfect, a perfect trophy for him to take home. Robert placed his sword on the ground and slicked his hair back before wandering over to her sleeping body. His hand stroked her wavy blonde hair, leaning down and softly kissing her pink lips.

Unexpectedly, the moment he touched her lips, he began to feel a sharp pain inside him. Prince Robert fell to the ground in anguish, feeling his life-force fading from his body as if it were being sucked out. The princess was still sleeping, why did she not awaken. However, his question was shortly answered when she and the bed turned to dust. 

"Don't worry," A voice caught his attention. "She was never real in the first place." 

It was Mitch, standing with his trusty cameraman. Robert coughed, trying to keep himself breathing. "B-b-b-but... i-it..."

"Oh, this was never a real television show, I just needed to lure you and the others in for my personal gain. You were the strongest out of the rest, making you perfect. " He explained whilst approaching the poor, defenceless prince. "You see, every one-hundred years, I must take the life-force of another to stay young and immortal. All that strength and heart, that was once yours, is now mine." Robert choked furiously, painfully dying as Mitch Grimm watched in satisfaction. "Hey, you still won. Be proud. I'll see you in hell."

The prince's eyes eventually rolled back as the wicked sorcerer felt his life-force being transferred into his body, rejuvenating him once more. His familiar put the camera down, never being filming it in the first place. "What of the other princes, master?"

He smirked. "Well, by now Prince Andrew has most likely drowned chasing after his little mermaid, Prince Edward won't be leaving the witch's tower since he's now her personal pet, Prince Oliver's love spell will last until his death and Prince Phillip will be branded as a coward because of his stupid little fear of dragons." Mitch cackled in rejoice as his familiar smiled evilly. "Everything went as planned. All's well that ends well."

All's well that ends well.