Baldeen The Beautiful

Baldeen had no idea her life was about to change when she stepped foot into that little shop two towns over from her own. Her eyes lit up at the sight of all the mannequin heads lined along the walls all adorned with beautiful wigs. Some were long and straight, some short and curly, and all of them came in various shades of blondes, reds, brunettes, blacks, and every color in-between. The smell of coco butter and vanilla danced in the air to the lovely tune of hope that seemed to sing from Baldeens heart.

Baldeen, like everyone else in her kingdom, did not have any hair of her own. She always envied how it never seemed to be a problem for any of the men. She hated how a woman was seen as nothing more than a housemaid if she could not afford to have a steed she could harvest hair from. Baldeen could tell just by looking at these particular wigs, that they were of no steed. Not even wigs produced for the queen herself, harvested from noble stallions traded from the far east lands have looked as good as these.

“That is because they are woven with magic silly girl”

Baldeen was startled by the sound of a woman’s voice that seemed to know what she was thinking. Baldeen turned to see a woman standing in the shadows of the shop, her long black tunic blending her into the darkness. Long gray hair swept the floor behind the woman as she emerged from the shadows. Baldeen was stunned by her beauty and the fact that her hair was so long. It seemed to flow from her scalp to the floor like a waterfall spilling into a river. The hair that pooled onto the floor seemed to dance playfully around her feet as if it had a life of its own.

“I know what you seek girl, and I can grant you what you wish.” 

The woman’s voice was strong but Baldeen could feel a warm sense of comfort in her tone.

“I wish to have..” The woman rose a delicate well manicured hand in the air silencing Baldeen before she could finish her sentence.

Baldeen watched the woman in a trance as she glided across the shop floor over to a shelf of long straight black wigs.

“This one whispers your name girl. It whispers Baldeen in the night.”

Baldeens mouth ran dry as the woman brought the wig over and placed it in her hands. The hair was luxuriously silky soft as it flowed between her fingers like liquid night.

Even the richest women in the village didn’t have wigs that could compare. Some of the best wigs in her village still could not run a brush through in one pass. This hair was simply unbelievable. Baldeen couldn’t find any words as she ran her fingers through the silky smooth wig in her hands.

“Place it upon your shiny dome and see what beauty my magic possesses.”

Baldeen didn’t even hesitate as she lifted her arms to do so. She adjusted the cap inside to her bald head and brushed the hair from her face to reveal the shop woman already holding up a mirror. To Baldeens dismay the wig appeared ragged and off centered. Baldeen looked over to the shop woman who now wore a wicked smirk upon her face.

“Do you wish to make a fool of me?” Baldeen snapped at the woman. “I just fear this may have looked better on display then upon my head.” Baldeen did not make eye contact as she waited for the woman to respond at her attempt to recoil.

“Patience girl!” The woman hissed.

The silence in the room began to make Baldeen anxious. Just as Baldeen lifted her hands to remove the wig, all the hair just fell off on its own. Baldeen remained stunned with her hands in the air as the hair rained down at her feet. As the last bit of hair dropped to the floor, Baldeen, mouth still agape, began to feel the panic rise within her.

“I swear I did not..” The air then felt as if it were snatched from Baldeens lungs as her scalp began to tingle. It did not bring her any pain and she could feel something soft and silky caress her ears and make its way down her neck. Baldeen lifted her hands to her once bald scalp and shivers trickled down her spine when her fingers were met with that luxuriously silky wig. Only this was no wig, this hair was coming from Baldeens scalp! 

Baldeen became overwhelmed with emotion. She cried, she laughed, and danced around the shop whipping around her new silky locks.

“Not so fast girl!” The shop woman snapped bringing Baldeen back to reality.

“This hair is not yours to wear forever, as my enchanted wigs will only last you for three rises of the moon. After that you will be bald once more. My prices are fair and worth every coin.”

Baldeen said nothing, cheeks burning with embarrassment. How could she let herself get so swept up in the moment?

“You must show me how to remove this.” Baleen said in a low tone as she starred at the floor and continued.

“I am not of a wealthy family, there is no way I could afford this treasure.”

The woman clicked her tongue and pondered in the silence as if whatever choice she was making in her head was a difficult one to come to.

“How’s a bouts we strike a deal girl?” The woman grinned as she rubbed her manicured hands together.

“I will let you take this wig free of charge, tell the women of your village of my magic, bring them to me to buy wigs of their own and I will consider your debts paid.”

Baldeen embraced the woman and gave her, her word she will show the village women and bring them back.

It’s almost comical how quickly Baldeen gave up on her promise to the shop woman. As Baldeen walked through the first of the two towns on her way back home, she received more attention than she ever had. Men cleaning boat decks on the harbor nearly broke their necks to get a look at her as she strutted by. Men from the east docking there boats here to trade, hopped off their boats simply to say hello and tell her how beautiful she was. She’s never gotten this much attention and she was reveling in every moment. She loved the way she even caught the wondering eye of men walking with their wives down the market streets.

By the time she made it to the last town before her home where most of the village women she knew resided, she no longer had a second thought about the shop woman who gave her the beauty she now possesses. She only thought about how good she was going to feel when she saw jealousy in the eyes of the village women. Boy was she right, she reveled in the look on their faces when they saw her for the first time. Some of them were too stunned to speak. They all knew her hair was better than anything they have ever seen.

When they began to question Baldeen about where she got this beautiful hair, Baldeen didn’t even think twice about the promise she made to the shop woman. She wanted to let the woman wonder in awe of where and how she might have obtained such beauty.

The next morning word traveled fast throughout the kingdom all the way to the queen. Baldeen awoke to a letter in her mailbox from the queen herself requesting her appearance at the royal ball so she may see this hair for herself. Baldeen felt a tinge of panic as she realized by the time of the ball this wig would have already fallen off.

She pondered for a while on how to go about things. She knew she loved the attention and had no intent of letting that end. She was just starting to see the opportunities falling into her lap simply because she had the best hair in the village. She knew if she were to show up to the ball with hair like this she would certainly be married into a royal family. She knew she needed another wig and it wasn’t until this moment that Baldeen remembered the promise she made to the shop woman.

Baldeen began to think, if she tells the village women about the shop woman now, she will run the risk of no longer being the most beautiful one at the ball, therefore diminishing her one bright chance of finding her royal match. Maybe if she could just wait until after the ball, of course the shop woman would appreciate the money a royal wife could provide compared to the common village maid. She began to find herself comfort in that thought. Everything would be fine once she was married into royalty.

Baldeen spent most of her time showing off her hair and making sure the other village girls knew they would not be able to stand a chance against her at the royal ball. She bragged telling the women she wouldn’t even be surprised if the queen anointed her as the new judge of beauty. Not only will she set the standard, but she will enforce it. Baldeen couldn’t help but smile as she made her way to the shop woman. She made sure along the way to soak up as much attention as she could before sneaking into the woods making sure no one saw as she journeyed back to the shop.

Baldeen did not realize how close she was cutting it until she reached for the doorknob of the shop and noticed the pile of hair at her feet and the cold breeze that swept over her bald head. She threw up the hood of her tunic and rushed into the shop.

“Vanity leaks from you like a rusted pipe girl.”

The womans voice filled the air of the shop before Baldeen was even able to lay eyes on her. Her voice was just as strong as Baldeen remembered, yet this time it was lacking the comfort and warmth she felt upon their first meeting. Before Baldeen could respond, the woman’s voice filled the air again, this time it was louder.

“You have not fulfilled your promise to me girl!”

Baldeen could feel the goosebumps begin to fester as she contemplated her response.

“You see, Ive been invited to the royal ball by the queen herself! Once she sees what wigs you can provide, they would come flocking to you with the wealth of their families!”

The shop woman hissed as she glided close enough for Baldeen to see the cold stare in her sharp green eyes. The woman glared into Baldeen as if she was sensing something deep within her. Baldeen felt her body tremble as she took in a sharp breath as the woman’s once green eyes turned white as snow. Before Baldeen could even release the air from her lungs, the woman’s eyes went back to green and she began to glide across the room.

“Your vanity speaks louder than you do girl.” The woman said.

Baldeens fear began to fester into frustration as she began to realize this woman was not going to give her another wig. She had no money nor did she want to tell any of the other women until after the ball. Baldeen eyed a curly wig on a mannequin head by the door. She just needed the shop woman to turn her back and she could swipe it and take off. Baldeens mouth went dry as she confirmed in her mind that was her best option.

“I have nothing for you girl! See your way out!” The shop woman snapped.

Baldeens heart began to pound as she slowly made her way to the door. She could feel the woman watching her as her heart thundered in her throat. She was running out of time. If she was going to do something now was the time to do it. But how? Baldeens eyes darted around as she got close enough to reach both the curly wig and the doorknob. There! Baldeen opened the door of the shop but stopped at the threshold.

“If I were you, I’d close that window before that storm rolls in.” Baldeen nudged her chin in the direction of the opened window behind the shop woman. The woman turned to the window and her eyes were met with beautiful blue cloudless skies. Before she could even turn around to curse the stupid girl for her lies, the door slammed shut and rage filled the shop woman’s body as she noticed the missing wig by the door. The shop woman whispered to herself and as she did, her hair and all the wigs in the shop fluttered wildly as if a raging wind swept through the shop. As all the wigs begin to settle, the shop woman spoke into the direction Baldeen ran.

“You will get what you deserve foolish girl.”

Baldeen knew what she did to the shop woman was wrong, but she did not let herself dwell on it for too long. She told herself she will make things right after she got what she wanted first.

The ball was finally here and Baldeen couldn’t be more excited. She kept the stolen wig hidden away inside her cottage until the morning of the ball so she wouldn’t risk it falling off too soon. The other village women all decided to get ready for the ball together and originally, Baldeen was supposed to be amongst them. Baldeen eventually decided it would be best to get ready alone and make an entrance. She couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces, she was going to revel in it.

The thought of that had Baldeen chuckling to herself as she placed the wig upon her head infront of the mirror and waited for the magic to happen. The wig looked matted and lopsided and her stomach turned as she waited for it to shed. Baldeen couldn’t tell if this was taking longer than last time or simply if the anticipation of it all made time move at a glacial pace. The other village girls will come here once they were done if she hadn’t already arrived. Her heart began thump as she stood in the silence waiting for it it happen. She took in a deep breath trying to calm the the waves of anxiety crashing inside of her and finally, a sigh of relief as the wig shed to the floor and her scalp began to tingle once again.

Beautiful golden curls began to spill over her shoulders. Baldeen watched in the mirror as the soft silky golden locks flowed down her back. Her mouth went dry as she starred in awe of the beauty forming right infront of her. Her cheekbones became more defined, and her nose became dainty and cuter than she’s ever seen it. She was speechless. Baldeen did not even think of the shop woman as she became consumed by her beauty and what she could do with it. She became entranced in visions of herself sitting on the queens thrown in a reign of beauty.

She saw kingdoms of great power kneeling at the foot of her throne. She saw gifts of gold and pledges of marriage by many men. She herd the endless symphonies of people chanting “Baldeen the Beautiful”

She was so consumed she did not even realize the hair continued to grow. The hair now flowed out of her head spreading across the floor like waves washing along the shore. Strands slithered arounds like snakes knocking things over as if hunting for their kill. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Baldeen all too consumed did not even notice, but those snake like strands of hair did and seemed to pause and turn their attention to the door. The women of the village, curious to see what beauty Baldeen possessed came to see Baldeen. As one tried to open the cottage door, Baldeen was ripped from her trance as one of the golden snake like strands tugged on her head as it slammed the door shut. More hair piled over the door keeping the women from opening it. 

Panic and fear rattled through Baldeen like a thousand volts. Snake like strands swirled around the room occasionally stricking each other as if asserting dominance over one another. For a split moment Baldeen felt like the strands could see her just as she could see them. For just a moment all Baldeen could hear was the thundering of her heartbeat and the voice of the shop woman. 

“You will get what you deserve foolish girl.”

Baldeen screamed as loud as she could before silence fell over the room as the snake like strands lurched directly into her eyes sending everything into darkness.