Allerleirauh

by Chantal Gadoury

  I felt my cheeks burn as I slowly bobbed my head in agreement. As I looked back at the small pile of hair, Klaus clicked his tongue.

  “The servants can tend to that in the morning. Leave it for now,” he assured and gestured with his chin towards the side steps. I moved back towards the darkened stairs and climbed them quietly. I moved without a word until I reached the safety of the library doors. Klaus entered first and quickly began to work on building a fire in the fireplace. Within minutes, he had the hearth roaring to life. He laid out the fur cloak on a nearby chair, giving it a chance to finally dry thoroughly.

  “Sit,” Klaus commanded softly, pointing to a nearby chair.

  I lifted my gaze and parted my lips as I began to try to contest his order.

  “I promise I won’t hurt, you,” he continued. “You can trust me.”

  His green eyes were soft as he came to stand beside the chair. With his oath ringing in my ears, I took the offered seat and waited until he came to sit beside me with a small pair of sewing scissors.

  “Did Adelais teach you?” I asked softly, my gaze locked on the small instruments in his hand.

  “Mmhmm,” Klaus hummed as he snipped little strands of hair around my shoulders.

  “She used to cut my hair when I was a child. There were a few times I had insisted on doing it myself, and since then I’ve learned a bit in maintaining it,” he admitted.

  His fingers touched my chin as he studied the length for a moment. I jolted back and felt my cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment. Klaus peered at me with shock.

  “Why do you react like that? Whenever I touch you . . .” he paused, stopping himself from speaking the rest of his words. “I won’t hurt you.”

  Instinctively, I wanted to reply with reassurance, but I was left stumbling over my words. He tried again, moving near my collarbone and cut a small strand of golden hair. He took extra care as he brushed his finger along my chin, pausing cautiously each time he approached me as though I were a wounded, frightened animal. Perhaps I was; perhaps he saw me for what I truly was. I kept my eyes on Klaus as he moved to the other side of me and continued his administrations. His hair was dark and tangled in small curls from sleep. His breathing was steady as his soft green gaze darted briefly to mine, like he wanted to make sure I was alright.

  “Perhaps you could think of something that makes you happy,” Klaus suggested as he moved to different patches of my hair. I sat in silence as I tried to do as he suggested. My only happiness were shared memories with Myriah.

  “I used to have a friend named Myriah,” I admitted softly. Myriah made me happy; she had been my only friend.

  “Myriah?” he asked, tilting his chin enough to allude he was listening.

  “She was a maid in the König’s quarters,” I said carefully, changing her story and our connection to keep with my lie I had supplied before. “She used to tend to me in the village sometimes. She was like a mother to me.” When he didn’t reply, I shifted and moved my hands to rest on my lap. A wave of guilt washed through me as I remembered his story of Adelais and his mother.

  “She taught me how to braid my hair,” I continued softly. “And she taught me much about friendship and love, and how to be brave.”

  “What happened to this Myriah woman?” he asked, his tone peaked with curiosity.

  I closed my eyes as my compressed grief filled me. Releasing a sigh, I shrugged slightly as I twisted my fingers in my gown.

  “She died in the fire . . . in the castle,” I replied. “The same night I ran away from home.”

  The prince lifted his gaze up to me, pausing in his cutting. I could feel his eyes on me, and I imagined they were full of a soft sympathy.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I can imagine all of this has been overwhelming for you.”

  “She promised she’d meet me here, in Saarland der Licht,” I admitted. “Myriah was the one who urged me to come to your borders.”

  Klaus smiled, broad and without restraint as I looked at him.

  “I’m glad she did. I’m glad I was the one to find you.”

  Unable to resist, I returned his smile with one of my own. I was glad and grateful he had felt compassion for me and brought me back to his home. He certainly could have left me there in the brushes of the forest as I imagined anyone else would have. My father would have. . .

  Without a second thought, Klaus had treated me almost as an equal.

  Carefully, he went back to work; his long fingers delicately brushing against my hair. His utensils snipped away the last remaining strands until he was finally finished.

  “It’s a little shorter than it was before . . .” He held a strand of my hair between his fingertips for me to see. “But you still look just as beautiful.”

  Father. Mother. Golden hair. Promise. Beautiful. Wife. The images flashed through my mind as my heart began to race. Klaus’s fingers released the strand of hair and took a step back to watch me. I tried to collect myself as I let out a small breath of relief.

  “I’m grateful for your kindness,” I confessed.

  A chuckle escaped from Klaus as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “You’re welcome.”

  Turning on his heel, Klaus maneuvered to the other side of the room to the fireplace and knelt to place another log on the fire. The sound of the crackling of the wood filled the room. Klaus rose from the floor and shifted to take a seat in one of the nearby chairs.

  “I used to come here all the time,” he said softly, his deep tone filling the space between us. “The library was a safe haven for me growing up. While I studied, I enjoyed getting lost in the novels my father collected from all around the world.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from staring at him with surprise. We both shared the love of our libraries; the safety they provided to us. Slowly, my gaze staggered to the shelves and admired the variety of novels he possessed.

  “I recall a few early memories of my mother reading poetry to me,” he said with a grin as he shifted his forest green eyes to me.

  “Do you still have the book of poetry?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

  Klaus nodded and stood from the chair. He walked swiftly to one of the shelves and pulled a small book among the many others and came to sit beside me. He offered the book to me with a small smile.

  “Here, take it,” he said. My fingers reached for the small book, gingerly resting it on my lap.

  Opening the book, I revealed brittle pages of elegant hand-written poetry. On the last page, a name was written with careful twists and turns: Charlotte.

  “Charlotte was my mother,” he said as I shifted my blue stare to him.

  “This is wonderful, Klaus,” I replied softly as I pushed the book back into his hands.

  “It is,” he said with a nod and carefully took it from me. My eyes scanned over his still form, taking in his solemn silence. What he had said in the kitchen was true; there was a deep unhappiness he kept hidden away, deep inside of himself. Klaus turned his chin and lifted his brow curiously.

  “How would you like to go with me tomorrow to see something special?”

  “Where?” I asked inquiringly.

  “You’ll have to agree to come with me to find out,” he said with a small, teasing smile. “Would you be willing to come along?”

  With a shy smile, I felt my cheeks begin to warm.

  “Yes, I’ll go with you,” I finally replied after taking a moment to gain the courage to answer.

  Klaus seemed pleased by my response by the way his smile seemed to widen. He slid his palms along the tops of his thighs as he began to yawn. As he leaned back in his chair, he lifted a hand to rub his eyes.

  “It’s late. We should retire,” he said softly.

  “Yes, you’re right,” I replied, lifting a hand to touch the ends of my shortened hair. “Thank you for your kindness, Klaus.”

  Klaus smiled again.

  “I’ll see you in the morning,” he murmured as he stood and walked toward
the door. He paused just before leaving to turn and look at me.

  “You no longer need to hide yourself, Allerleirauh. You’ll find that many of us here in the palace mean well. We want to help you.”

  I didn’t know how to respond, but before I had the chance, he dipped his head in a silent farewell. Disappearing into the darkness, I was left alone in the library – the fur cloak and me.

  32

  With the new morning, I dressed before Adelais came to rouse me from bed. I attired myself in a dark blue gown, with a curled matching blue ribbon through my hair, keeping it tied back in a small braid. While the shorter length was new, I found I preferred it. When Adelais finally came into the room, her grey eyes were wide as she found me without the fur cloak.

  “Your cloak . . .”

  Her voice was full of surprise as her eyes scanned around the room, finding it folded on the large bed.

  “You may take it to clean, if you wish,” I replied softly. “I won’t be wearing it today.”

  In truth, it felt strange to be without it. It almost felt as though I were without a layer of my skin and left completely exposed to the occupants of the palace.

  Adelais’s gaze darted back to me curiously as she parted her lips to speak, but no sound emerged. With an amused laugh, I walked past her, towards the door.

  “I didn’t expect to find you so speechless,” I teased with a smile as I paused in the doorway. Adelais’s eyes continued to follow me until I turned and disappeared out into the hallway. Eagerly, I went in search for Klaus, only to find him in the small dining room. A thrilling sort of excitement filled me, knowing Klaus was going to show me a secret, special place.

  As I approached the dining table, I saw Klaus sipping on a cup of hot spiced chocolate with an opened book near his plate. His eyes reflected tenderness as they met mine. He closed the cover of his book and lowered the cup to the table.

  “Guten Morgen,” he murmured with a warm smile and stood. “It’s nice to finally see you.”

  I felt my cheeks warm as I nervously grasped the edge of the table. He made me feel so warm and strange, and yet everything about him was comforting.

  “Good morning, Klaus,” I replied and took my seat across from him.

  An assortment of dried fruit filled nearby bowls, along with toasted bread and cooked sweet meats. I helped myself to some of the choices and heartily enjoyed the small bowl of creamy butter by slathering my bread with it. Perhaps this was the first time I ever ate my food in such an un-lady-like manner, but my growling stomach allowed for no precautions to formalities. I was even more delighted when a servant brought me my own cup of hot spiced chocolate. As we finished our meals in silence, Klaus cleared his throat and grinned at me.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked, tilting his hand towards the nearby door. “The servants should have the horse ready.” I lifted my gaze away from my cup with a smile.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “The day holds much promise. The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll arrive.”

  Prince Klaus rose from his chair and waited for me to do the same. Together, we walked out towards the entrance of the castle where Adelais was waiting with cloaks. She handed me a dark blue cloak with a soft white fur lining underneath. The cloth felt new and soft; it reminded me of several things I had been forced to leave behind in Tränen. I caught Klaus watching me as I pulled my braid to the side, his expression curious. I was almost sure Klaus would be able to hear the pounding of my heart in my chest.

  “Be careful not to catch the chill,” Adelais said, reprimanding us almost as though we were still children.

  “I’ll be sure to return just as I am, Adelais,” Klaus reassured her with a laugh and kissed her cheek. “I promise to return the lady better than before.”

  She pursed her lips as she tried not to chuckle herself.

  “Come,” Klaus murmured as he lifted his arm to me. His kind smile encouraged me to take it; to take the chance to allow some happiness melt into the days that were once so dismal. After the previous night’s events, I knew I could allow myself to trust Klaus completely. I owed myself the chance to have a friend.

  With a smile reflecting his, I placed my hand delicately on his arm. Klaus guided me through the doors, out to an awaiting horse. The dark brown horse appeared strong and well bred as it stood proudly before us. I quickly realized there was only one horse. Would we ride together? I diverted my curious glance back to Klaus.

  As though he read my silent question, Klaus grinned and replied, “I wasn’t sure how comfortable you’d be in riding a horse. I thought it best for you to ride with me.”

  He took the reigns from one of the stable boys and pushed himself up onto the saddle. Extending his hand out to me, he helped to lift me up in front of him. After a flurry of laughter as I struggled to climb up, I finally secured myself between his arms. With the click of his tongue, he nudged the horse with the back of his heels. I could hear Adelais call after us to not be out too late. I was grateful she never mentioned the mess of hair Klaus and I left in the kitchen. I wouldn’t know how to begin to explain what had happened.

  We galloped through the trees, disappearing into the thick woods. I only glanced back over my shoulder to see the beautiful, white marble castle disappear through the overarching branches and leaves. Klaus concentrated on the trail ahead while I took in the beautiful sights and sounds of the forest. Everything was alive and green. The sunlight shimmered through the leaves, creating a tranquil atmosphere around us.

  “It’s beautiful,” I remarked, taking in a deep breath of the fresh air.

  “Isn’t it?” Klaus agreed as he leaned forward, a bit more closely.

  After a moment of silence between us, I murmured, “I know I wasn’t quite myself last night. I suppose you could say I was rather out sorts. I just wanted to . . .” The words fumbled from my lips as my thoughts scattered; preventing any sort of coherent idea to emerge.

  “Thank you,” I managed. “. . . for helping to tend to me last night. I’m grateful for your discretion.”

  “You’re welcome,” Klaus replied compassionately from behind me. I could feel his arms tighten around me, almost as though he were wishing to hold me. My cheeks began to warm from embarrassment. The sound of him clearing his throat filled the small space between us before he continued, “I’d like to have the chance to get to know you better. For us to be friends.”

  His words surprised and delighted me, both in strange ways I had not expected. The notion of becoming Klaus’s friend was something I most desired. I managed a small nod as he slowed the horse to a walking pace.

  “Alright,” I breathed as I peeked a glance over my shoulder. He adjusted against me, sitting up a bit straighter.

  “Have you always been called Allerleirauh?” he asked me carefully. My stomach lurched; what was I supposed to say? Perhaps he had seen through my lies all along. Perhaps he knew Allerleirauh was a false name. I debated with myself again if it would just be better to tell him the truth.

  “Not always,” I confessed as my heart plunged into my gut. Squeezing my eyes shut, I waited with anticipation for his answer. I tried to concentrate on my breathing – in and out. What would he say? Would he insist for me to tell him my real name? Would he call me a liar? Would he . . .? The anxiety of the situation saturated every movement, every thought until I could barely see anything before me.

  “I supposed you hadn’t,” he replied politely. “May I ask what you were called before?”

  “I don’t answer to my old name anymore,” I explained quickly and bit down hard on my lip. “At least not right now.”

  “You could at least permit me to know what it was,” Klaus reasoned; a hint of interest in his tone. There was so much hesitancy in answering the question. I couldn’t decide if I should share such a valuable piece of myself. Would he recognize the name of the Princess of Tränen? Had Crestwood shared my name with him after his visitation in Tränen? In all he had done for me the night before,
I felt an overwhelming sense of obligation to him. He was a good and kindhearted man, and somehow cared about my well-being.

  “Aurelia,” I confessed; the name coming out in merely a whisper. I held my breath as I waited for his reaction, waited for him to voice his discovery of my true identity. But nothing came in the tense silence, until I heard him chuckle.

  “Was that so hard, Aurelia? I like your name much better than Allerleirauh.” There was a smile to the tone of his voice. “I think it suits you just as your appearance does now.”

  My heart was beating against my temples as I lifted a hand to my warm cheeks.

  “Would you permit me to call you by your real name?” He continued. “Even if it’s just between you and I?”

  Back in Tränen, I had decided to leave everything behind, including my identity as Princess Aurelia. It was far easier to leave the shattered girl who had been used by her father behind, and hide away behind the fur cloak. My father ruined any use of my old name.

  “Just as I wish for you to call me Klaus, I would like to address you in familiar fashion. We are friends after all, aren’t we?” he questioned with a teasing smile.

  My grin was slow in strength, but eventually, I was unable to prevent the growth of it on my lips. In the short time spent with Klaus, I had been unable to resist his charms or his warmth.

  “Alright,” I said, giving in. “You may call me Aurelia if you wish.”

  “I do,” he countered. “Danke.”

  The rest of the journey through the forest was not too long-lasting; the morning hours flew by as Klaus spoke to me of his childhood memories with Lord Crestwood and Adelais. He told of troublesome tutors and many of the troubles he had been in as a boy. It became easier to imagine a younger Adelais in my thoughts, chasing after the daring young prince who wished to challenge her authority in every way.

  “If you look closely, you’ll see a cottage ahead,” he said as he pointed his finger into the distance. In the approaching grove, a small home situated near a large shimmering lake appeared. Mere minutes later, we arrived at the front entrance of the cottage. Klaus slowed our horse to a stop with the slight tug of the reigns and swung his leg over the saddle, landing on the ground with his feet.