News from the forest reaches the ears of the young prince— a fair maiden lies enchanted,guarded in her shrine by a cadre of little men. He vows to journey there and discover her secret. When he does so, he awakens the maid with a kiss as the sun sets. They fall in love, and travel back to his castle to marry.The maiden has odd habits, though, and the prince's retainers are uneasy. Over time, morestrange things happen, and when the King dies, the young prince is the new king, and his new bride becomes queen. Her secret begins to have dire consequences for the people of the kingdom.