Albrecht von Hoehnwart was followed by His Royal Majesty, Cristoff of Lichtensingen, a lean lad who looked who looked to be in his forties, and immediately after him they welcomed Crown Prince Sifridt from the neighbouring kingdom. Sifridt was twenty-three and, according to Margarita, was waiting to finally be allowed to ascend the throne, which he was not entitled to until he married.
Another young man, who was even quite handsome with his shiny brown hair and tall stature, introduced himself as Zacharias, Crown Prince of Lierland. Lilli felt sorry for him already, for he looked at her with such anticipation that it might hit him even harder than the wretched rest. Nevertheless, she had decided to show no mercy. She would not get married. Not today and not in several months.
King Jaromir invited the guests to join him at the table after the traditional toast with a local wine, and Lilli noticed on the way to the table how the men furtively glanced around at her, following her every move, pretending that this visit was about something else entirely.
Laughable. Why didn’t they say it? Why was it all so phoney? As they sat at the table and there was a little scramble for the seats next to her, she had to compose herself not to start drumming her fingers on the tabletop. The handsome Zacharias sat down opposite her and seemed to smile at her with his eyes. Lilli returned his smile. The grin would soon be gone from his face. Her father observed her behaviour with an almost euphoric expression.
Dinner was served, servants passed around platters, poured wine into precious cups.
“A beautiful castle you inhabit here, Your Majesty.” Albrecht apparently felt called to open the game. “I also have a rather nicely situated little castle in the mountains, I like to spend the summer there.”
“Very nice,” Lilli said, cutting the meat on her plate into small pieces. “We’re usually by the sea in the summertime. My father hates the mountains. And so do I.” She put a piece of meat on her fork and led it to her mouth. Albrecht cleared his throat.
“The mountains as I know them are very beautiful. Even in summer.”
“Then I wish you much more enjoyment up there.” Lilli took a sip from her wine goblet. Under no circumstances could she drink too much.
For a while everyone busied themselves with their plates and seemed to be waiting for a suitable moment to speak. Apart from Albrecht, of course, who was obviously having a hard time taking the defeat. The king came to the men’s rescue by raising his goblet again.
“Welcome once again to Aurenbrunn Castle! My daughter and myself are very pleased to welcome you, noble lords.”
The kings, crown princes and whatever their names were all returned the gesture, and Lilli was sure that everyone here was aware that her father was trying to straighten out Lilli’s insolence of a moment ago.
“And what does Aurenbrunn, and its surroundings have to offer?” Cristoff of Lichtensingen now asked in Lilli’s direction. “What is your favourite pastime, Lilliana?”
“Swimming.” Lilli scooped up the vegetables on her plate. “We have many fishponds.”
Cristoff of Lichtensingen fell silent and Lilli watched Zacharias cough into his napkin.
“Do you have any questions about that?” Lilli looked politely at Cristoff.
“I ... no.”
“Excellent.” Lilli dabbed at the corners of her mouth and took a sip of wine. As she did so, she met her father’s grim gaze.
“Lilliana has always been a freedom-loving child,” the king said, giving her another threatening look, which Lilli returned, beaming. That was what he got for it now. She was sure he wouldn’t be so quick to order any more marriage candidates to her when she was done with them.
“I approve of that,” Sifridt interjected expertly. “Children need their freedom to develop. But they also need a firm hand.”
“And you know that how?” Lilli asked. “Do you have any yet?”
Zacharias laughed and then winked at her.
It was nice to see the boy having his fun. Unlike Sifridt, who had actually blushed a little.
“Of course not, Your Highness,” he said in a controlled manner. “But I do hope to be blessed with many children. And a good wife and queen.”
“You will most certainly find one,” Lilli said with kind confidence in her voice. “It wouldn’t be anything for me though.”
“Well, well. And why not, if I may ask?” Albrecht interfered again.
“I hate children,” Lilli said. “Even when I hear some, it’s distressing. But to SEE them ...” She shook her head gracelessly and sighed.
Now she had the full attention of all the men at the table and their expressions ranged from shocked to wearily controlled – Zacharias with suppressed laughter, Lilli’s father with anger.
“And you don’t even wonder what your future husband will think of your having this attitude towards the greatest happiness on earth?” Albrecht probed further.
“Well – understandable that you are interested,” Lilli said. “But I don’t intend to marry, and if I had considered it, I’m sure my husband had known how to deal with the fact that I won’t have any children.”
“Oh, and how are you going to prevent your having any?” Albrecht continued. He was in a rage now, this was his revenge for earlier, so he didn’t even seem to notice the impertinence of his question. But Lilli remained quite calm.
“If you don’t know how to have children, perhaps you could ask the jolly gentleman on your right,” Lilli said, nodding to Zacharias, who looked as if he would bite the edge of the table at any moment.
“I think that’s enough for now.” Albrecht of Hoehnwart rose with a crimson head. There was something throbbing at his throat.
“Are you not feeling well?” Lilli asked, gazing into her wine goblet as if she could see anything interesting there.
“Your Majesty ... may I withdraw? I am sure you have a word to say to your daughter, whose character you have described to me – and I think I speak for all the other high lords at this table – quite differently from what I now experience here.”
Cristoff hastened to nod in response.
“You spoke of me before this visit? I hope only good things!” exclaimed Lilli. The king clutched the edge of the table and his jaws looked tense.
Lilli speared another piece of meat on her fork while Albrecht of Hoehnwart left the room.
“They’re all gone, except for Zacharias of Lierland and Sifridt!” Lilli’s father stood behind her as angry as ten men, while Lilli calmly brushed her hair, watching him through the mirror.
“Well then,” Lilli said with satisfaction and continued to arrange her hair. She was already wearing her night robe and a warming cloak of blue velvet. “I’m sure the two of them will leave in the morning then.”
“I will not allow you to do that. Making a mockery of me like that.” Her father’s voice sounded like an approaching thunderstorm. Lilli dropped the brush on her dressing table and leapt to her feet.
“Me of you? What have YOU done? You’re bargaining me away to these dreadful men like a piece of cattle! Who will pay the most?”
“You think they are dreadful? Lilliana ... you are young and have no idea of the words you utter! Your tongue is quicker than your mind! These men were your only choice. There are no kings or crown princes who will marry you, who are the right age and take an interest in you! I will try to keep our last two guests happy. For you! And you will see them tomorrow and make amends for your behaviour!”
“Never!” She shouted it in his face and saw her father swallow. They had never argued with each other in such a tone.
“You will. Or ...”
“WHAT? Or WHAT? Father?” Lilli breathed heavily.
“You’ll do it. There is no other choice left for you. I’ve already said that! Or do you want to marry Karl Herbert of Reihlandsberg? Whose wife died when he was forty-five? Or Sibert of the North, who drank himself insane? Or Amon of Grauemfall, who is as ugly as a changeling?” Her father paced up and down in front of her, upset. Lilli
had pressed her lips together and thoughts were racing inside her.
“You don’t understand that I am NOT going to marry AT ALL. None of them! How many times do you want me to say that! If you want to get rid of me, you can get that easier than forcing me on any men!”
The king stopped and his dark eyes looked like black holes in the low light. Lilli shivered.
“You are going to marry. I don’t care who. But you will choose one of them by tomorrow.”
A gust of wind pushed open the window and several candles in the room died out, as if fate itself had invaded her room. In Lilli, her spirit of dissent thrust forward, and she stood up as the wind tangled her hair.
“You want to get rid of me ... you don’t even have to wait until tomorrow for that. I’ve made my choice.” She watched his face closely, the surprised expression, the faint hope of her seeing reason about to be shattered.
“I am marrying Amon of Grauemfall.” She had said it quietly and saw in her father’s face exactly what she had expected.
“You talk in confusion,” her father replied. “I won’t allow it. The man is a deformed bastard. They say he killed his own brother. Stabbed him to death.”
“So what?” Lilli smiled in victory. “I have to spend my life with him after all. Not you. My mind is made up. And now I want to sleep. Good night!” She turned away from him and closed the window.
A moment later she was lying in her bed in the dark, still feeling the wild triumph. She imagined what her father thought about what to do next. Probably the first thing he would do would be to try to make the handsome Zacharias appealing to her, of course without the slightest success, whereupon the last two marriage candidates would leave. Her father would not allow her to marry Amon of Grauemfall in a hundred years. His daughter as the bride of a deformed madman – never.
Lilli expected a few months of peace and quiet – and perhaps her father would give up his plans to sell her completely when winter approached and travelling became difficult.
She pondered various scenarios for a while longer, each one working to her advantage – then she fell asleep, exhausted but confident.
2
The next day she stayed in bed particularly late and then had breakfast served to her room. Late in the morning, Margarita delivered the news that the distinguished gentlemen had left. Lilli screamed excitedly, threw herself on her bed, piled blankets over herself and bit into her pillow. She had made it! Now she just had to wait for her father to calm down.
“Princess!” Margarita helplessly began to rearrange the pillows and blankets.
“Yaaaaaaa! I did it!” Lilli sat up, her hair completely destroyed, and beamed at her maid. “And you deserve all the credit! You’re the best!”
“I didn’t do anything.” Margarita put a pillow in its proper place, her head flushed, and patted it into shape.
“Yes, you did! Without you I wouldn’t have known how to deal with them. And the King of Grauemfall thing is a lifesaver. Hach!” Lilli dropped backwards into the cushions; arms outstretched.
“Princess ...” Margarita raised her hands helplessly.
“I’m going out. You can clean up here!” Lilli jumped out of bed and ran down to the courtyard. She needed to get some fresh air now to relieve the tension and to do some thinking. She hurried into the huge castle gardens where, hidden by bushes and trees, she had the opportunity to indulge her thoughts unobserved. After walking around for a bit, her excitement subsided, and she almost felt sorry for her father. Now that she had won and he had to give in, she managed to see it from his point of view as well and yes, she had embarrassed him terribly! Lilli knelt down by a pond and watched the colourful fish darting back and forth. She stuck her hand into the water and shortly afterwards little fish mouths nibbled at her skin. It tickled and she had to smile at the cute animals who didn’t know there was a world outside their little kingdom.
Then she thought about whether her father would forgive her and how great his anger towards her might still be today. She decided to avoid him for the time being. In a few days, everything would surely return to the way it had been before.
The days passed. Lilli had hardly seen her father, and when they met once, he had paid no attention to her, as he seemed to be engrossed in an important conversation with one of his advisors. Lilli had not shown any sign of it either or had continued on her way confidently.
She continued to avoid him but acted cheerfully and confidently when she noticed him watching her. She didn’t want him to think that she was unwell or that her conscience was bothering her.
Another seven days went by and nothing changed. Lilli wondered whether she should venture forth again and address Jaromir on some trivial matter. Surely his anger had dissipated sufficiently. The day before she had even heard him laughing out loud, yes, the usual everyday life had returned to Aurenbrunn Castle.
She thought of perhaps handing him a homemade gift of reconciliation, this had proven successful with him in the past. Lilli liked to paint in her free time and so she ran to her room, fetched the easel and paints – yes, in her zeal she carried everything by herself and didn’t ask a servant – and soon she was sitting in the garden in front of the pond and painting the dark water with the fish in it, which stood out colourfully in her picture. She framed the whole thing with vines and flowers and only stopped when the falling dusk took away the light and drove her back into the castle. She carried the easel carefully, for the painting was still drying. She encountered an unusual number of servants in the corridor, who avoided her as she dragged her heavy load through the corridors. The closer she got to her room, the busier the bustle seemed to become. She saw a servant pass her by with a box that clearly belonged to her. Lilli looked after him with her mouth open, then hurried the last bit to her brightly lit room.
“What’s going on here?” She put down the easel and looked around, startled. Everything was gone! Only her furniture was still in place, but even her bedspread and pillows were missing. Empty shelves yawned at her from her reading corner. There was nothing left on her desk, not even a pen or ink.
“Is everything taken downstairs?”
It was her father’s voice at her back and Lilli felt her body begin to tremble. What devilry had he devised for her? She struggled to keep an impenetrable expression as she turned to face him.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“You’re leaving. To your future husband of choice.” She detected a tell-tale flicker in her father’s eyes. He had wanted to shake her with this news, and he had succeeded in doing just that. But she would not let on. With a blank expression, she nodded once.
“Good.” Lilli did not take her eyes off her father’s face. She would win this duel, too. “Only I could have been told before everything here was cleared out. I would have put on travelling clothes. The nights are chilly.”
“You will get that opportunity,” her father said.
“Excellent. I’ll go and change then.” Lilli left the room to look for Margarita. On her way out, she had seen surprise in her father’s eyes and a twitch in the corner of his mouth. A sure sign that he hadn’t expected this reaction from her, which Lilli scored a point for herself.
So, this was what he had been preparing behind her back all along! He had probably sent a messenger to Amon of Grauemfall, and the king had gone along with the deal.
Lilli looked around, and when no one was paying attention to her, she slipped into the library. She needed a moment to calm herself. Needed to be alone and reflect. Her heart was beating faster than she wanted it to and that annoyed her. She leaned back against the closed door and took a conscious breath. Her father was trying to make her beg him to let her stay. He wanted to wear her down so that she would then agree to marry one of the young lords. The king assumed that no princess in her right mind would marry the disfigured king of Grauemfall and so he would come for her and take his daughter back. He was only planning to frighten her; she was sure of it.
So, there
was no reason for her to worry at this point. On the contrary. Travelling to the neighbouring kingdom was the best thing she could do to make a counterattack. How long would her father wait before he sent for her to return? Ten days? Twenty days?
It’s all the same, Lilli decided. She had to go now and find her maid. This very day she would leave the castle with her head held up high.
The farewell scene Lilli pulled off before her father’s eyes was a masterpiece of acting. She smiled, even managed to laugh heartily once, hugged Margarita, and then waved euphorically, but not so much that it seemed forced, as they rode off in stride. Lilli assumed that her father had also purposely arranged for them to travel into the night instead of setting out in the early hours of the morning and taking full advantage of the daylight.
Therefore, she pretended that it was very much to her liking. Jaromir did not accompany the entourage of riders and guards, for which Lilli was grateful. This way she had to act less and was allowed to be more herself, to allow herself moments of reflection.
They rode for hours and Lilli almost thought she would fall asleep on the horse when they finally reached a lonely inn and took up quarters there for the night. An almost endless amount of time passed before her luggage was taken to her and she was finally able to close the door to her room. There was no maid or personal servant in her entourage; that too was probably a prank played by her father. Through clenched teeth, Lilli rummaged through her things, carelessly tugging a nightgown from the neatly packed garments. At least there was water for washing, even if it was cold. She got ready for bed and then slipped between the rough sheets of the simple bedstead with a slight shudder.
No, she would not give in, she could endure all that.
The next morning began with difficulty. Lilli had barely found any sleep, tossing, and turning on the uncomfortable bed, jolting up again and again. She didn’t know for sure whether she had slept at all as she peeled herself out of the blankets in the dewy air. The night’s dampness seemed to have crept into absolutely everything, right down to her travelling clothes, which she slipped on with clammy fingers.
The Scar-Faced King Page 2
