Princess Mave of Merridale 1 a rare magical gift: she could 2 anything into stone. She and her younger sister, Laura, spent countless happy hours playing in the royal gardens, racing stone tomatoes down the hills. One afternoon, Laura was carrying a watermelon when Mave decided to play a harmless 3 by turning it to stone. The fruit instantly grew heavy, 4 Laura's hands, and 5 her foot, fracturing it. When Mave tried to help, she accidentally turned Laura's foot into stone.
Terrified, Mave rushed to her parents, who took Laura to Merlin, the kingdom's wise wizard. He 6 her foot, then explained that Mave's magic was 7 her emotions -- the stronger she felt, the stronger her powers grew. Unless she learned self-control, she might someday hurt Laura 8. Frightened of another accident, the King and Queen separated the sisters. Mave 9 everyone, and as the years passed, the once 10 sisters grew distant.
When Mave turned twenty-one, the royal family held a 11 birthday celebration. There, Laura met the handsome Prince Marcus, and the two fell in love almost immediately. Before the night ended, Marcus 12, and Laura happily accepted. When the couple asked for Mave's blessing, she refused, warning that they were 13 marriage. The sisters argued, and Mave's emotions 14. Stone spread from her magic, turning tables, chairs, and even the 15 to marble. Horrified, Mave 16 into the western mountains.
There, Mave slowly accepted her powers and built a marble palace of her own. But the magic she had released kept spreading, slowly turning all of Merridale to stone. 17 save everyone, Laura searched the mountains until she found her sister. Mave was 18 with guilt -- she had 19 how to undo the damage. When she panicked and accidentally touched Laura's arm, it too began turning to stone. Laura rushed to Merlin for help, while Mave stayed behind, 20. She was afraid of causing more damage.
Merlin warned Laura that unless the spell was broken, she would eventually turn fully to stone. The only cure, he said, was an act of true love. Laura rushed to Marcus, hoping his kiss would save her. They shared a heartfelt kiss, but nothing happened. As the stone 21 further up her arm, Laura realized she was running out of time.
Meanwhile, Mave finally 22. She raced back to Merridale, found Laura, and, through tears, begged for forgiveness. Gently holding her sister's stone arm, she looked into her eyes and whispered, "I love you." Then she closed her eyes and poured her whole soul into a single wish: that every trace of her stone magic be undone.
Laura's arm slowly returned to 23, and across Merridale the stone 24. But when Laura looked up, she saw that Mave herself had turned into a stone statue. Laura fell at her sister's feet and 25, understanding that Mave had willingly 26 herself to save both her and the kingdom. To this day, Mave's statue still stands in the town square, a reminder that the greatest magic of all is selfless love.