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

silence.
    The king pointed a thick finger at her
and declared, “We will have no more of your childish antics, young lady. I will
have compassion on my friend, King Waldemar, and send him and his son away
tomorrow. But after that you will turn away no more suitors from my door. The
next man who asks, be he a peasant or a mighty king, he will have your
hand in marriage.”
    “Any man?” Liesel breathed, bewildered.
“You cannot be serious.”
    Turning toward the queen she pleaded,
“Mother?”
    But her mother only looked away.
    “Your father has spoken,” the queen declared
quietly.
    Trembling threatened to seize her limbs,
but Liesel refused to succumb to the display of weakness. Instead, she clenched
her jaw and raised her chin to look straight into her father’s eyes.
    “Is that all?” Liesel asked in a
measured tone.
    The king waved her away. “You are
dismissed.”
    Liesel turned to retreat from the room,
but as she began to push the door open to leave, her father’s voice stopped
her.
    “Prepare yourself, daughter. The next
man who dares to ask—whoever he may be—there will be no objections.”
    Gripping the door, Liesel closed her eyes
and nodded. “I understand, Father.”
    But she prayed that her father’s threat
would never be realized. She planted all her hopes on that possibility.
    After all, word would soon spread that
she had not only scorned Prince Cornelius, but the mighty Thrushbeard prince as
well.
    And after that was common knowledge, who
would ever be bold enough to ask?
     

     
    Moisture clouded her eyes, but Liesel
quickly wiped the tears away.
    What had she done?
    She charged down the hall, eager to find
a place to hide and register the shame that was sweeping though her.
    Why had she forced her father to such an
extreme decree?
    Oh, if only she had listened to
Gretchen! If only she hadn’t brushed Adelaide’s pleadings aside! She hugged her
stomach tightly. An ache was growing deep within her that she feared would soon
consume her.
    “Excuse me,” she mumbled, almost
barreling into a towering figure as she rounded a nearby corner.
    “On the contrary, I must beg your
pardon,” the deep voice answered, stepping aside.
    She glanced up and anger swelled inside
her. It was the bearded stranger from the banquet hall.
    Why must he torture her with his presence
at her lowest of low moments? If only he and his companions had never ventured
from their rich and lofty kingdom.
    “May I escort you somewhere or be of any
assistance?” he questioned.
    “Thank you, but … I’m sorry, I just …”
she stammered before finishing firmly, “No, thank you.”
    Avoiding his gaze, she kept her head
down as she resumed her retreat. Her steps quickened to almost a run as she
hurried to increase the space between them.
    She didn’t know where to go. She had no
desire to return to her room with the possibility of a lecture from Gretchen
awaiting her there.
    She turned a corner and her heart felt
drawn to a nearby door. Instantly, she found herself yearning for the familiar
comfort she knew she would find inside.
    She knocked lightly and then quietly
entered the room.
    Her eyes scanned the area until she
spotted the young child sleeping against a servant’s shoulder.
    “If you don’t mind, I’d like a moment
alone with my brother,” Liesel explained softly.
    The nurse stood to transfer the baby to
Liesel and assured, “I’ll just be in the next room if you need me.”
    “Thank you,” Liesel answered, “I think
I’ll be fine though.”
    But still, the nurse left the door
slightly ajar as she left, enabling her to hear the baby from afar. Liesel
smiled into her brother’s soft hair. She was glad he was so well-looked after.
    She cradled the warm baby against her
and walked in slow circles around the moonlit room. She relished the soothing
affect her young brother had on her. He was so small, yet he seemed to emit an
endless supply of love.
    “How is my little miracle baby this
evening?”