The film won two Accolade Competition Awards of Excellence In 2003 and 2004, both for the musical score by composer Alan Williams.

War and famine have destroyed the glory of the old Kingdom of Corazion, since the story of how a princess was discovered by a pea became lost in the process.

Sebastian, the royal raven, tries to restore the story using an old tapestry found by a young Prince Rollo of Arveya, but it is partially torn.

Helsa, who feels sympathetic towards her niece as she too lost her mother at a young age, remorsefully begs Laird to give the baby to a loving family.

Years later, Heath's daughter, named Daria, has grown into a beautiful, kind, and gentle young woman.

Laird is revealed to have broken his promise to Helsa, for he has instead placed Daria in the care of lazy pig herders who are hired to watch after her.

She fills in Daria’s place as the princess, although she treats everyone around her with cruelty, which does not help the kingdom nor Heath, who (believing her to be his daughter) struggles to raise her properly.

He — impressed with how his daughter turned out to be and her immediate claim for Rollo — informs Helsa that the time has come to tell Hildegard of her true lineage (although the princess responds to this with anger and disgust).

Meanwhile, Rollo, on his quest to find a bride, meets Daria and her trusted pig companions, Princess, Hungry, and Fearless.

Rollo continues in his search for a real princess to marry, desiring a woman of proper lineage, beauty, grace, and class.

Meanwhile, Sebastian has been searching for a lost prophecy that dictates: “To discover true nobility, one must place a pea beneath twenty mattresses...”.

Nonetheless, he finds solace in knowing that Rollo has found the girl of his dreams, as her personality bears a striking resemblance to his late wife.

Rollo returns to the kingdom in an attempt to save Daria, not knowing she has already escaped with the help of her animal companions.

The prophecy reads: “To Reveal the Heart of True Nobility Place the Pea Twenty Mattresses Deep The Princess True is Love and Sensitivity Upon Such, She Can Never Sleep” Delighted at solving the obstinate mystery, Sebastian celebrates, not aware that the building has caught fire.

Atop the castle’s tower, Rollo finds Hildegard holding Daria hostage, threatening to toss her over the fence.

Laird knocks Rollo off the edge, causing him to dangle for dear life, and orders Plague to end him.

Fearless (who was initially cowardly at the beginning of the film) finally lives up to his name by helping the crew defeat Hildegard.