“What’s the matter?” I glanced down at the bracelet and then back at her. “Do you think he should not have sent such a gift?”
I could see Myriah weighing her words again. I reached out to touch her shoulder and she patted my hand with a small smile and sighed.
“I’ve raised you since you were a babe. I’ve watched you grow in front of me. I’ve seen you ache for attention from the both of your parents. I’ve seen them turn their backs to you. This gift frightens me—frightens me in what it might imply to him, and what it might signify to you.” She took the box from my hands and placed it on the fireplace mantle.
“What do you mean by ‘what it might imply to him?’ He did ask if he could send me gifts as a way to mend the past—to make up for the way he’s neglected me.”
Myriah grabbed a folded and clean linen from my bed and held it up for me to take. I rose from the water and wrapped it around myself, stepping out carefully on a special rug she placed before the basin.
“I don’t mean anything by it, princess,” she explained softly, shaking her head. “I think if the König wishes to try to connect with you, then I can only be happy for you. I just want you to be careful. There has been plenty of rumors traversing round the castle, and I know something isn’t right. Something hasn’t been right with His Majesty for . . . quite some time.” I knew Myriah spoke the truth. I had known since seeing the maid in the hallway.
Just as she finished dressing me in a clean nightgown and began to comb out my hair, I touched her arm with a gentle smile.
“Thank you, Myriah, for caring—for tending to me. I . . . I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“You don’t have to thank me, princess,” Myriah said. “I know you’ll be careful. You’re a strong girl, Aurelia. Stronger than you know.”
I took the comb from her hand and smiled.
“It’s late, Myriah. You should get some sleep. I can do this myself.”
Myriah chuckled and patted my cheek with her gentle fingers, “My sweet girl.”
I smiled in response and pressed a small kiss to her cheek.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” I promised.
Myriah walked slowly to the door and turned back to look at me with a shine in her eyes.
“He doesn’t deserve your forgiveness, princess. He doesn’t deserve anyone’s forgiveness for the crimes he’s committed.” With a stubborn nod, she opened the door and slipped into the corridor.
4
The next morning, after being dressed and tended to, I decided to take to the gardens for a short stroll. Myriah helped me to slip on the opal bracelet the König sent me.
As I stepped out into the brisk air, I found the flowers of the garden were beginning to change from their brown and twisted forms. A few were still covered by a light dusting of frost. I hoped to enjoy the warm glow of sunlight among the many layers of soft furs I wore underneath my coat. The promise of spring lingered in the damp morning air. It was there I found my father standing near the edge of the stone wall, overlooking another portion of frozen land. His cape billowed around his ankles, and I could see he was sliding his fingers through his hair; the same way I had seen him do in his study while councilmen bombarded him with names of potential brides.
Everything around the castle was decaying and grey with death while my father stood with his gleaming, golden crown.
I walked to him and touched his arm gently with my gloved hands. He turned to me, surprised. Slowly, consciousness filled his eyes as he drifted away from whatever thoughts he had just been absorbed in. I wondered where his thoughts took him.
“How are you, meine Liebste?” he asked as he turned towards me with a welcoming smile. There were dark circles under his eyes as though he hadn’t slept at all the night before.
I gave a slight bow before I came to stand next to him at the wall. He startled me by taking my hand and kissing my gloved knuckles. My cheeks felt warm as they flushed. I took his affection as a kindly act—a warm welcome.
“Danke for my gift.” I murmured.
He seemed pleased by my response, for he lifted my hand higher to examine the bracelet around my wrist.
“It pleases you?”
“Yes, very much.” I replied in earnest.
His returning grin was bright but fleeting, and diminished quickly. Confusion squirmed through my gut as he turned to look over his lands again. He let go of my hand, and slid his fingers through his hair once more.
“Are you alright, father?” I lifted my hand to his arm again, wanting to catch his gaze. There seemed to be something troubling him.
“Fine,” he whispered sharply and eyed my hand from the corner of his eye.
With his look of sudden displeasure, I lowered my hand and licked my bottom lip. I wondered what he was thinking about; what he saw as his glare scoured over the gardens.
“Perhaps you’d like to join me tonight for a dinner, hmm?” he asked after a long moment of silence.
Before I could answer, he gave a sharp, curt nod. “I shall see you when you come to me.”
It was not a question, but an order. I knew I should not argue or disagree with him. I knew to be gracious about his invitations. There was no jilting the king. I quickly wore a small smile and nodded.
“Of course.”
“Sehr gut,” he replied.
After another long moment, he turned and bowed his head to me. “Go, enjoy the day. If there is anything you wish, request it. See to it you do what you desire.”
With a chaste kiss against my cheek and a quick squeeze of my hand, he turned away and began toward the large doors. I watched after him until he disappeared inside the castle’s corridor shadows. I didn’t understand why his mood changed so quickly; what plagued him enough to slip away with such abruptness? I glanced down at the opal bracelet around my wrist and let out a sigh.
5
I was relieved when my advanced lessons had finally come to an end for the morning. My father had insisted for me to continue with my education shortly after the ball. He wished for me to learn philosophy, geography, and political policies. My tutor left me in the library to read his selection of philosophical novels until after lunch. He usually returned after his afternoon tea and we’d begin again.
I let out a soft, exasperated sigh at the sight of the small pile of books beside me. Beside it lay a list of several chapters outlined for me to review. I wished to read the sort of books I fancied. I longed to get lost in the pages of romantic poetry or epic adventures. At times, I found my tutor’s reading list boring and bothersome, and in my opinion, hardly helpful in my education. Many of them were large books on historical accounts of many philosopher’s lives, while others studied the way of life; expectations of royalty with power. Just as I opened the cover of one, two servants entered the other side of the room. Pushing myself from sight, I snuck into my favorite large window seat, hiding away from their prying eyes; the library was my safe haven.
“I hear he’s determined to marry a woman before the next harvest season.” A servant whispered to the other as they set their wash pails against the stone floor.
“. . . and there is a celebration planned. I overheard the chef ordering large amounts of food and wine from the village. It seems the König might be holding another ball much sooner than we thought. I wonder who he’ll choose to dance with this time.”
“Oh hush, it certainly won’t be with you.” The other barked with a high-pitched giggle.
I peeked around the edge of the drapes to see their faces, but they were unfamiliar to me. They were none of the maids I recognized from my own wing of the castle.
“Perhaps it’ll be with the princess again. You know how they’ve been talking since the ball last night.” One of the servants wrinkled her nose at the other as they tucked a few dirty rags into the pockets of their aprons.
The servants were older, and their hair was curled and frizzed from their sweat. They looked nothing like Myriah, with her soft complexion and well-
tended appearance. They seemed more like kitchen help than cleaning maids.
“Oh, I’ve seen the way the König stares at the princess. The poor girl seems to not even notice or mind.”
“Perhaps she’s like her mother. . .” The older maid grinned as she snapped her rag playfully at the other. “Perhaps she’s a witch. She does have her mother’s charm and whit. And her hair . . .”
I bit my bottom lip, preventing myself from interjecting their private conversation. I wanted to cease their lies, but I knew if my presence were discovered, they’d stop their chattering.
“The König is determined to find a bride with the Königin’s golden hair. The only one to come close is the princess,” the other replied. “Perhaps the princess killed her mother, in hopes to be the future Königin.”
I felt angry and sick at their cruel gossip. I was not like my mother. I was not a witch, nor as beautiful or cruel as she had been. I glanced down at my hair, feeling a strange twist of dread and embarrassment.
“You should keep an eye out,” the older one replied with a cackle. “For, if it is the case, the König should be announcing his wedding soon. To whomever he chooses.”
Together, they laughed as I lifted my hand to my mouth. As my bracelet glimmered in the sunlight coming from the windows, I lowered my hand. My gaze took in the sight of the golden gift and suddenly wondered if this was Myriah meaning. I didn’t understand how this gift could be anything more than a sign of my father’s affection for me—his daughter. He was never so demonstrative before, but I was both honored and grateful for the opportunity to know him now.
I listened as they polished the large table, and a few other items around the library and then finally left. As soon as I knew it was safe to emerge, I grabbed my books and raced back to my rooms.
6
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as I sat at the dining table for dinner. My dress felt too tight around my waist, and sharp carvings of the chair dug into my back. It didn’t help that I was famished.
Many different dishes scattered the long table, all of which were things my father preferred to eat. A large swan, garnished with its white feathers, almost seeming to be untouched by the cook in the kitchens. Different bowls of potatoes and vegetables, which had been all grown within the castle gardens. There were also large pitchers of what I presumed were wines.
Normally, I took my dinner later than the rest of the court and stole away to my room with Myriah. I was not used to the formality of sitting at such an elegant table with so many people.
My mother always preferred me not to attend their evening meal. It was only moments earlier a servant arrived at the door of my room reminding me to join the king for dinner. I withheld telling Myriah of the chatter I heard in the library, unsure of how to ask her if what they said was true. I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to argue about the gown she dressed me in for dinner.
She pinned the layers of my hair up, allowing only a few of the tight curls to fall over my shoulders. The dress was a dark shade of blue, almost as dark as the night. The sleeves ran down to my wrists, and the collar was high around my neck, and met with a plunging line down the front of the dress. Small dark blue beading adorned the bodice, following the revealing line down to the skirt.
“I’m to wear this?” I asked as Myriah guided me down the hallway to the dining room.
She said nothing in reply. Her silence was my answer: a gift from my father. My body was exposed in a way I was not used to; in a way I had always known to be unacceptable. As I sat quietly, I tried to pay attention to my deep breathing as I waited. Time stood still as I felt a wave of nerves wash over me upon his entrance into the room.
He was dressed in black, from head to feet. His blue eyes pierced mine as he took his own seat at the head of the table. I adjusted quickly in my own seat beside him, sliding my hands underneath my thighs. He smiled warmly and lifted his goblet for the nearby servant to fill with wine.
“I’m glad to see you came. Did you enjoy your day, meine Liebste?” he asked as he took a sip.
I nodded slowly as I watched the servant maneuver to my place setting and fill my goblet with the same wine. My father lifted a piece of the sweet meats, which had been set before him. Piles of meat rested upon each other on large, wooden trays, while bowls of freshly picked strawberries were strewn nearby. Loaves of bread were cut into large squares, and adorned with small amounts of freshly churned butter. Everything smelled so wonderfully.
“Tell me what you did to amuse yourself,” he said as he took a bite from a piece of meat on his plate. He watched me with entertained eyes as I carefully lifted a few figs from a nearby platter and placed them on my plate. I popped a pomegranate seed into my mouth as I tried to think how best to answer his question.
“What did you do?” he asked again as he leaned upon his elbows, moving closer towards me with interested eyes.
It was strange for me to explain how I spent most of my days in the library. I assumed he’d known what my mother had permitted me only to do.
“I was preoccupied by my lessons,” I said softly, “and spent much of my day in the library. Mother only allowed me to—” I stopped myself from saying anything further as he watched me with a darkened expression. “I enjoy spending time in the library. It’s often the only place I consider my own,” I quickly added, darting my gaze to the figs on my plate.
I heard my father chuckle as he lifted his goblet toward the servants again. They quickly refilled it and my father took a longer sip. The servant came to check upon my goblet, only to find I hadn’t touched it. The smell of the wine was too strong. I placed my hand on the rim of the goblet and shook my head at the servant.
“No wine for you, Liebste?” he asked, seeming a bit surprised. “Do you not like it?”
“I enjoy sweet wines. This is a bit too strong.” I knew my father enjoyed stronger tangier ales and merlots than I preferred. As a child, I had only been permitted to have a sweeter, diluted wine. It was what I became accustomed to. He only chuckled at my reply.
“The late Königin possessed the same tastes,” he murmured, glancing at me as if he were pleased with my response. “I think perhaps if you try to drink more of this, you’ll grow a liking to it,” He gestured towards his cup.
I noticed his eyes trailed over me a bit longer than before.
“May I be permitted to ask you a question?” I asked softly as I lifted my goblet to my lips.
I wondered if I did as he suggested and drink a bit of his wine, he would converse more candidly with me. He nodded as he watched me take a sip of the dry cabernet.
Seeming to be pleased by my actions, my father took a deep bite from the meat as he raised his brow curiously.
“You may ask me anything.”
He smirked as I shifted in my chair, uncomfortable from the carved figures on the backrest. I imagined the king who left the poor maid in the hallway, alone, terrified, found a small amount of pleasure in my unease.
“I briefly overheard a rumor about a wedding that might be in development,” I said softly, taking another small sip of the bitter-tasting wine. My father straightened in his seat as his gaze latched onto mine. His piercing glare could burn through me. His hand slid nervously through his hair again.
“Have you found a wife?” I asked as I picked up a small carrot from a nearby plate and started to nibble on the edge.
He lowered the meat back down onto his plate. Warily, he wiped his fingers on the linen near his side and grazed his fingertips along the edge of his beard.
“I would do anything to make you happy, Aurelia. You must know this,” he said tenderly, his gaze catching mine.
His answer felt a bit unusual. As he shifted in his chair and nervously fumbled with the cloth napkin in his lap, he appeared to be trying to choose his words wisely; His eyes focused on mine.
“I’d make you the most beautiful dresses. They’d be crafted of anything you wished, anything you could think of. I’d travel the world
to capture furs of wild beasts and present you with the most beautiful coat the kingdom has ever seen. I’d dress you in jewels. I’d give you the best that Tränen could ever provide, just as long as you would remain here with me.”
His words sent an icy chill down my spine as we both stared at each other quietly.
“O-Of course,” I responded softly as I watched his fingers trace over the surface of the table. “But what does that have to do with…”
“When I take my wife . . . you will be the first to know,” he promised as he eased and leaned back into his seat and lifted his goblet in a toast.
I lifted my own goblet hesitantly and took a large, deep gulp. I turned my gaze away from the smug smile just before he took another sip.
7
Relief filled my lungs when I heard news of my father’s departure a few days later. He had gone to discuss trade with a neighboring kingdom. I was comforted to know I would not be required to join him for more countless dinners and awkward conversations. And I would not be subjected to wear the gowns of his choosing. At least for a fortnight.
After a long day of pricking my finger on needlepoint, and a warm and filling dinner in my room, Myriah and I decided to sit in front of the large hearth; Myriah promised to read to me from a new book from the library. Just as she opened the cracked cover, a knock on the door disturbed our silence.
She wore a perplexed expression as she opened the door of my room, revealing Lord Haven, who held a large wooden box in his hands.
“I’m here with a gift from the König,” he announced as he took a step into my room.
He politely nodded to Myriah and stepped past her, extending the gift to me.
“His Majesty sent this ahead for you, princess. He wanted to extend his apologies regarding his delay in returning home. He hopes this will bring you happiness in his absence.”
Allerleirauh Page 3
