Princess without a Palace: A King Thrushbeard Fairy Tale Read Online Free Page B

than the elder.”
    “We don’t claim such a tradition,” King Richmond
remarked bitterly with an angry look toward Liesel.
    His wife reddened beside him as she
searched for a suitable explanation to offer, but like always, Adelaide was
prepared to step in and readily voiced, “Oh no, good King, it is just my
sister’s noble heart.”
    In her sweet voice she continued, “She
dresses like that to remind herself to always be mindful of all of the citizens
of our country … even the peasants.”
    “Is this true?” King Carl asked Liesel,
looking notably impressed.
    Liesel felt like her tongue was swollen
in her mouth and felt powerless to reply. She had no desire to reveal her
sister as an outlandish liar by refuting the claim, but she certainly didn’t
feel comfortable being attributed such a benevolent motive.
    “My sister is too modest to own it,”
Adelaide answered on her behalf. “Modesty is another one of her many virtues.”
    Adelaide leaned forward to catch
Liesel’s eye down the table and smiled mischievously. The king and queen
visibly relaxed between them. Adelaide had safely thwarted the catastrophe they
had feared.
    Liesel shook her head. Adelaide had gone
too far. Much too far. It was time to regain control of the situation.
    She cleared her throat. “Prince
Cornelius, my sister told me that she very much enjoyed riding one of your white
horses this afternoon. Your father must be very proud that you are able to
raise horses so suitable for ladies.”
    She said it so sweetly Prince Cornelius
had to pause for a moment to decide if she had truly given him a compliment or
an insult.
    But his father spoke for him, “I am
proud of all of my son’s many accomplishments.”
    “And you forget, Princess Liesel, that
those are your horses now,” Prince Cornelius reminded.
    “Indeed,” Liesel acquiesced. She then
turned to the bearded men. “And speaking of accomplishments … King Carl, I
wonder that I have never heard much of you or your country before. In all of
the tales I have heard my father tell in this hall of great conquests and
glory, I don’t think I have ever heard him speak of the Kingdom of Brenhausen …
But perhaps there just isn’t much to tell.”
    King Carl’s eyes widened in shock.
    “Liesel, I command you to leave this
room,” her father roared as he threw his fist down into the table.
    “Please, Richmond,” his wife implored.
She then addressed the bearded king. “We must beg you to excuse our daughter.
She speaks of things she knows nothing about. This is quite out of the
ordinary. I do not know what has come over her.”
    King Carl set his spoon aside and folded
his arms across his chest. “It would seem the fearless warrior who often boasts
about commanding tens of thousands appears to be unable to control his own
daughter.”
    “I assure you that is but anything close
to the truth,” King Richmond replied with a dark look toward his daughter.
    Liesel began to protest, but her mother
gripped her knee firmly under the table, silencing her midsentence.
    The exchange wasn’t lost on the bearded
king.
    “It makes no difference.” King Carl
stood and the rest of the bearded men followed suit. “I believe I have seen
enough to know there is no potential for any alliance. Your daughter appears to
enjoy engaging in battles as much as you do.”
    “Please,” King Richmond implored. “At
least finish your meal.”
    “I thank you, but no. We will not impose
upon your court’s hospitality any longer.”
    “Then at least allow me the honor of
escorting you back to your rooms,” King Richmond requested humbly.
    After the bearded men had followed the
kings through the great doors, the queen turned to her daughter with
fire-filled eyes.
    “Go to your room, Liesel.”
    “But I,” Liesel began.
    “Please come, milady,” Gretchen
interceded, speaking softly from behind her seat. Liesel didn’t know how long
the maid had been standing there, but she felt a degree of relief