Tulip Morningstar

Tulip Morningstar is a princess in Serena Valentino's novels The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince, and it's sequel, Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch. She is the cousin of Aurora from Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

Physical Appearance
Princess Morningstar is described as having golden-locks, a milk-and-honey complexion, with light sky-blue eyes and an angelic, bunny face.

Personality
Tulip is very scatterbrained. In Beast Within, she is very giggly whenever she is with the Prince and is eager to please him, which is why she never stands her ground when he has a temper.

By the time of Poor Unfortunate Souls, Tulip has gained a sense of self and has become more confident and outspoken than she was in the past.

The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince
Princess Tulip was engaged to the Prince after Lucinda, Ruby and Martha arrived with their sister, Circe to curse him into the Beast.

Tulip had met the Prince at a party at his castle, thrown for the sole purpose of finding him a wife. It was at this party that the prince decided he was going to marry her. She visited the Prince frequently during their engagement, usually accompanied by her nanny, and on occasion her mother, Queen Morningstar.

During these visits, Tulip would play with and quickly befriend the castle's cat, Pflanze. She was unaware that Pflanze did not actually live in the castle and belonged to the witches that cursed the Prince, and that Pflanze was just there to spy on him.

However, during these visits, the Prince would also bring her close to tears. As he was very vain, he would always seem to question her appearance, or ridicule her intelligence, and did so with such scorn, that Tulip began to dislike him.

As the curse slowly began to take effect, the prince became more deranged. After Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts go missing, and other strange things begin to occur at the castle, the Prince mistakenly begins to believe that Tulip does not love him, as the effects of the curse are not stopping. He banishes her and Nanny from the castle, calling off the engagement.

Distraught by their breakup, Tulip attempts suicide upon her return to her kingdom. She jumps off the cliffs into the ocean, hoping to drown herself, but is saved by Ursula. Ursula agrees to spare the girl in exchange for her beauty and her voice, and Tulip agrees to the deal.

Circe later learns about the deal from her sisters, and goes to Morningstar Castle to convince Ursula to give up the deal in exchange for her shell necklace. Ursula agrees and Tulips beauty is restored.

Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch
Tulip's father, King Morningstar had made a pact with the sea witch, Ursula that he would not interfere with her kingdom, and she in turn would not interfere with his. As long as his fisherman stayed in her domain, the Unprotected Waters, she would hold up her deal.

Tulip has sworn off being a princess after making her deal with Ursula, but after Circe arrived and made a new deal to restore her beauty, she protested. Circe explained that the deal had been sealed, as Ursula wanted the necklace more than Tulip's voice and beauty. Soon, princes from many different kingdoms had arrived to the castle to ask for Tulip's hand in marriage. She discovers a basket had been delivered, and believed it had been from Mrs. Potts, and remembers that the Beast had asked for her father's forgiveness after he had married Belle. When she opens it, she discovers Pflanze inside. Her Nanny distrusts the cat, saying that Circe will have to check it next time she visits, as Nanny believes the cat was sent for evil means.

Several weeks after Pflanze's arrival, about forty-five of Tulip's pursuers are taken over by a spell, causing mania in the castle courtyard, forcing the residents of the castle to be sequestered in the highest tower. Nanny tries to contact Circe, but to the horror of Tulip, Queen Morningstar, and herself, she summons Ursula instead. Tulip watches as Ursula sends massive waves to injure the men. When Ursula questions why they are searching for Circe, Pflanze tells Nanny and Tulip to flatter Ursula and make her leave, as she could not be trusted.

Tulip later receives an apology from one of the pursuing princes, Prince Popinjay. Nanny encourages her to write him back and invite him to tea.

During preparations for the winter solstice, Popinjay arrives to have tea with Tulip. Tulip hated small talk but managed to break the silence. During their conversation, she apologizes to Popinjay that the Queen could not receive him, as she was away visiting her sister Queen Leah, who was suffering from so much sorrow due to all the problems Maleficent has caused. When Popinjay begins to talk about the history of her kingdom, and the battle between the giants and the Tree Lords, Tulip becomes more relaxed.

Later Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha arrive at Morningstar Castle to talk with Nanny on the whereabouts of Circe. Tulip enters the room unexpectedly, and soon asks Nanny who they are, discovering that they are Circe's older sisters. When the sisters reveal that they and Nanny are all witches, Nanny uses her magic to put Tulip into a deep sleep. After Ursula's defeat, Circe arrives at Morningstar Castle and tries to revive Tulip and the witches, after a servant tells her they were attacked. Nanny discovers Circe in the room, and tells her Tulip will be fine, and that she can revive the princess whenever she wishes.