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The center of the island is rocky and mountainous. It gradually gives way to gentlest slopes,

green fields, and finally sparkling white beaches. These pristine stretches of sand curve around

the island like a protective ring, creating a striking divide between land and sea.

The ocean is a deep hypnotic shade of blue, fading into turquoise as it reaches the coast.

The beauty of this island is legendary. Its name is Naxos, and in more than 200,000 years

of habitation, it has barely changed at all. Heards of goats and sheep graze in the fields.

Others gather crops and harvest olives from the groves surrounding their small, whitewashed

houses. The life here is pleasant but simple. Life was simple even for the princess of the

island, Ariadne. Despite her wealth and status, she lived a relatively ordinary life. She

was not interested in fine clothes or extravagant banquets. She wore her crown reluctantly only

because her family insisted on it. In fact, as Ariadne roamed the fields and coastal paths

of her native island, she might easily have been mistaken for a shepherdess. The only thing

which indicated her royal status was her golden crown, glinting in the sunlight. When

Ariadne was at home in the white palace where she had grown up, she was usually busy with

her duties. But she felt happiest when she was outside, exploring the island on long,

rambling walks. Sometimes she would walk through the fields and forests, breathing

in the fresh scent of the cypress trees. On other days, she would set off early and

...