The Scar-Faced King

by Isabell Schmitt-Egner

  Isabell Schmitt-Egner

  The Scar-Faced King

  Copyright: Isabell Schmitt-Egner 2017

  Fichtenweg 12

  32139 Spenge

  Germany

  Tel. +49 5225/1757

  romankonzentrat@gmx.de

  Cover: Isabell Schmitt-Egner

  Translation: Stephan Waba

  Contents:

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  1

  She seized the oak door with both hands and gave it a push that was full of her rage. Unfortunately, the heavy wood in the forged hinges only moved a little and did not shut with a crash, as she had wished at that moment. She had to work hard to make the door close at least loud enough for her father to hear. Then she slid the iron bolt forward and, breathing heavily, took a step back.

  Only a blink later he rattled the door and then slammed his fist against it.

  “Lilliana!”

  He only called her that when she had done something wrong and even then not all the time. Things were getting serious for Lilliana.

  “You will open this door now.” His voice sounded menacingly calm, and she imagined him standing out there, head lowered in attack, surrounded by guards staring ahead, more or less embarrassed.

  “No! And you need not wait for it either!” she shouted through the wood. As she did so, she looked around her room to see if she saw a jug of water on her table, for perhaps she would have to hold out in here for a day or two. Nothing. Lilli narrowed her eyes briefly. This was more than inconvenient, but she would not give in now.

  “You will be there tomorrow and do what is required of you,” it came from outside and she heard very clearly that her father was trying to strike the right tone between severity and dignity, even though he himself was in turmoil inside.

  “I said, you need not wait for it!” Lilli briefly considered dropping onto her bed to bury her head between the pillows and hear no more, but curiosity about her father’s reaction prevailed and so she stopped to listen, out of breath.

  “Tomorrow, Lilliana.” Footsteps from several pairs of boots moved away. Lilli stood alone in her chamber and exhaled, trembling with anger. Now it was time to calm down and devise a good plan. She knew she couldn’t keep up this game of hide and seek here forever. If necessary, her father would have the door forced open. But until then ... Lilli pressed her hands against her cheeks, which were glowing as if in fever. She went into the bathroom and stepped up to her washbasin. It was made of a beautiful, light-coloured wood and the artist had designed the table legs like mermaids that rose up in the water to support the tabletop. Lilli glanced into her basin with its dainty gold pattern without spotting a drop of water there. Her maid had polished the bowl dry, but at the same time filled the pitcher for the washing water to the brim. Lilli took a linen cloth and put some water on it, then dabbed her face with it. If necessary, she would drink the water from the jug if she got nothing else. Therefore, she had to use it sparingly.

  The cool cloth did her good and Lilli went to the window and opened it. The wind, blowing on her damp face, cooled it nicely. She leaned out of the window and looked down into the courtyard from the second floor. It was one of the castle’s backyards, where many servants were running around, carrying buckets, laundry baskets and bundles of wood. Lilli leaned on the window ledge and looked around for a familiar face. She couldn’t turn to just anyone with her request. There were enough servants who would betray her to her father. For a while she watched the goings-on down there, then she saw just the right person for her venture.

  “Conrad! Hey! Con!” She didn’t shout it too loudly, yet two laundry women also looked up at her. Conrad, the lean stable boy, was also staring at her with his mouth open.

  “What is your wish, Your Highness?” Conrad called up.

  “You, there! Go on! Get out of here!” Lilli shooed away the laundry women, who hurried off. “Kon! I need you! Wait, I’ll write it down for you and drop the paper to the ground.” She was about to step away from the window and hurry to her desk when she saw Conrad sign frantically to her.

  “Your Highness, but I can’t read! Forgive me!” he called upwards, looking quite frightened.

  “Ah!” Lilli was about to run her hand through her hair and got caught in her hairdo. Conrad looked up at her helplessly. “Well, look ... I need something to eat. And to drink. Get me a supply in a wicker basket. Plus, a rope so I can haul it all up. Don’t ask! Go!”

  Conrad nodded in confusion.

  “And not a word – to anyone!” she called after him as he stumbled away. Lilli drew back and closed the window. Then she contemplated that Conrad would surely come to that window. Of course, she had just ordered him to! Thus, she opened it again so she could hear him and then went back to her room. Basically, she had everything she needed in here and could last longer than a few days. There were many books waiting for her in her reading corner and plenty of paper and ink at her desk. She could write something, maybe even a letter of protest to her father, which she could slip under the door into the corridor.

  Surely, he had guards posted outside her door so she couldn’t sneak away. Lilli blew away a black curl tickling her forehead. This time she would get her way. What he was planning for tomorrow was nothing more than a degrading marriage market. She had discussed it with her father for hours, then argued loudly, and in the end, he had made the mistake of telling her what a splendid example her elder sister had set, who two years ago had married a scrawny king from the north who reminded Lilli of a starved rat.

  Simply horrible! But Elise was supposedly taken with him. Maybe just by his estate and considerable fortune. Or she had chosen the least evil among the princes and kings who had courted her. The choice could, at best, be described as modest. Things were not going well with marriage candidates and now – two years later – things were unfortunately not looking any more promising. Lilli could already see herself leaving for a foreign country in a carriage next to an unknown man. A life at anyone’s side ... and only because she had a brother, a real heir to the throne. That was why she had to leave. She had thrown that at her father, knowing full well that she was being unfair. She loved her brother, who was currently undergoing military training, which certainly wasn’t fun, so she didn’t envy him at all. But why couldn’t she stay at court as his sister? Why did she have to marry?

  Because you’re not getting any younger. Eighteen is an ideal age. Almost too old! In two or three years, all you could have had will have been taken!

  Her father had argued like this again and again. Crown princes were scarce, and if she refused, they would choose other princesses and she would be left. A spinster that no one would want any more.

  And that was only right for Lilli. Why shouldn’t she? She just had to endure and when the time came, her brother would certainly not throw her out the door. Anything was better than a quick marriage.

  She crept to her massive bedroom door and placed her ear to it. Nothing. If there were guards, they did not speak. She ran back to the bathroom and leaned out the window. There was still no sign of Conrad in the courtyard area, and she decided to stay right there so as not to miss him.

  It wasn’t long before the boy with the ash-blond hair appeared down there again and looked up at her with a flushed face. In his arm he carried a woven basket, to whose handle he had knotted a thin rope.

  “Throw the rope up to me!” Lilli cried, waving impatiently at a man with a sack over his shoulder who stopped and ogled Conrad. “You,
there! Get out of here and don’t stare like that!”

  The man hurried on and Conrad threw the rolled-up rope upwards. Lilli reached for it and missed. She growled and held her patience until Conrad had sorted the rope and rewound it. This time she caught it and carefully retrieved it so that the open jug in the basket didn’t knock over. Carefully she pulled up her “order” and when she lifted the basket through the window she laughed with triumph. Yes, she could take care of herself. She didn’t need a husband at whose side she suffered a miserably boring existence.

  Lilli dragged the basket into her room and placed it on the table. She felt almost heroic as she took out the packets one by one and lined them up in front of her. There was a small loaf of bread along with a decent piece of cheese, three apples, pancakes, and honey biscuits. There was also a jug of fresh water and even one with milk. Lilli settled down on a chair and took one of the pancakes. The argument with her father had made her hungry and lunch had been cancelled because of it. She chewed, unprincess-like, with her cheeks full and took a big sip of milk. That felt good! The food restored her calm to some extent. It also allowed her to think better. She went through all her options and kept coming to the conclusion that she had to sit it out steadfastly. How embarrassing it would be if the marriage candidates arrived tomorrow and there was no princess for them to gawk at.

  The pancakes were delicious, and she took another one. As she did so, she imagined the strange men with smug smiles – and feigned reservation towards her – bargaining with her father for the dowry. What would he pay to get rid of his daughter?

  At this thought, the heat of anger rose in her head again and Lilli took a sip of cool water. Calm, she had to keep calm. Then she could do it.

  Outside, the sun was slowly setting. No one had knocked on her door in the last few hours, her father had not yelled at her through the wood, nothing at all had happened. Lilli found that a little scary because she knew her father. If he didn’t keep trying, even though a lot depended on it for him, that certainly didn’t mean anything good. But what could he be up to? Maybe he didn’t think she had anything to eat and was waiting for her to give up?

  She wandered around her room, hands clasped behind her back, and as nightfall made it increasingly difficult for her to find her way around the room, she decided to go to bed. Usually at this time her maid came and lit the candles and oil lights. On cold evenings, a fire in the fireplace was built. But like this, there was nothing left for her to do but surrender to the night. Lilli fumbled to get out of her dress when she remembered that it would not be possible to pass her nightgown through the closed door. On the spur of the moment, she decided to sleep in her undergarment. She also loosened her hair by herself – for the first time in more than ten years – and then braided her hip-length strands into a plait after she had cursorily untangled them with her fingers.

  Finally, she slid under the finely woven sheets of her large bed in the last blue light of the day. Three silken pillows were waiting for her, in matching colours with her duvet and canopy of sky blue and cream. What would it be like with a foreign king? In his castle? She knew that she would then be expected to sleep next to him in his bed. She wrapped herself tightly in her soft blankets and now, under the cover of darkness, she felt like crying. How unfair it all was! That her father would do such a thing to her! Slaves were sold, for them money was given. With her, he would add money on top so that she would disappear ...

  In essence, Lilli knew that she was overdramatising a little, but she did nothing about it and cried a few tears until she finally fell asleep, exhausted.

  The steady knocking startled her. The darkness had cleared from the room, rays of sunlight fell on the bare floor in an oblique angle, with ornately woven rugs everywhere. The sight of her room was so familiar and yet it seemed different to her today. The remains of her meal were still on the table, no one had tidied up. Her dress lay carelessly on the floor and hairpins were scattered on her dressing table.

  The knocking again.

  “Princess! It’s me!”

  Margarita. Her maid was at the door. Lilli flung back the blanket and walked to the door across the cool stones.

  “You can’t come in, Margarita,” she said, running her hand through her hair.

  “Please let me come in. I swear there are no guards with me. It’s just me.”

  Lilli hesitated.

  “All right.” Lilli’s hands gripped the latch. Margarita would not lie to her. Quickly, Lilli pulled back the latch, her maid slipped inside, and the door closed behind her.

  To Lilli’s great disappointment, Margarita was wearing a magnificent dress in bright shades of green with gold embroidery over her arm. She knew exactly what that meant.

  “I’m not wearing that. And I’m not going out there,” Lilli said firmly. “And you’re not going to persuade me.”

  “Heavens ... child!” Margarita placed the dress upon a chair. “What have you done here?” With swift hands, she began to clean up the mess. Lilli went to the bathroom, and when she returned a little later, Margarita had already tidied everything up. Lilli settled down at the table with her food basket and began to eat breakfast without paying any further attention to her maid. Surely, she was just waiting for Lilli to ask questions.

  What did my father say? Have the princes arrived yet?

  No. She wouldn’t say. Besides, she firmly expected that Margarita could not keep the news to herself, and just so it was.

  “Your father expects you to appear,” Margarita began the anticipated lecture.

  “I will not be bargained away to any strange men,” Lilli said, breaking off a piece of bread. Her maid watched with disbelief as Lilli ate the cheese with the bread from her hand.

  “What are you DOING, Your Highness?” Margarita asked.

  “I am eating.” Lilli bit into the bread again. “If you’re only here to persuade me, then you’d better leave. I didn’t think you’d be so uncomprehending of me either.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” Margarita replied, a flash in her eyes, “I can imagine how you feel. This is a difficult situation for any princess. And you can imagine that your father has been urging me not to come out of here unless you accompany me.”

  “Most definitely. Tell him he can wait until winter if he likes, I’ll stay in here.” She picked up an apple and bit into it.

  “Do you know what will happen if you don’t go out?” Margarita asked. Lilli nodded.

  “Sure. The insulted kings and princes will leave again?”

  “Yes, but they will come back. For they will not know why you were not there. Your father will tell them a story that will prevent him from losing face.” Margarita picked up a few breadcrumbs from the table, swept them onto her palm, and then walked the few feet to the window to throw the crumbs out.

  “He’ll probably say I’m indisposed. Suddenly fallen ill,” Lilli mused.

  “That’s possible.” Margarita wiped her hands on her apron. Her rounded cheeks were glowing, and a grey-blonde strand had found its way out from under her bonnet out in the open. “Go on talking, princess. I’m not allowed to give you advice on that. Your father has forbidden it.” She looked Lilli firmly in the eye.

  “What ...?” Lilli returned the look, not understanding what her maid was getting at. “... when I’m supposedly ill, they’ll come back. So what? I don’t care. I’ll stay in my room as usual then.” She took another bite of the apple, which unfortunately tasted a little stale.

  “Right?” Margarita had raised her brows and was swaying her head from side to side slightly. Lilli raised her shoulders in perplexity, took some more bread and kept chewing. As she did so, she mulled it over. After a while, a smile crept onto her face as she realised.

  Yes, it would not be easy, and she had to pull herself together when her father ...

  “I love you, dearest Margarita!” Lilli jumped up and flung her arms around her maid’s neck. The latter blushed and adjusted her bonnet.

 
“But Princess, I beg you, do not tell your father that I ...”

  “You have nothing to fear, on the contrary.” Lilli grinned and glanced at the green dress. “After all, you made me attend this marriage market. Run me a bath. And then tell me everything you know about men! You will have heard a few things, I am sure!”

  “Certainly, Your Highness!” Margarita exclaimed. “Quite a lot – indeed!”

  With satisfaction, Lilli turned in front of the mirror and felt her heart pounding. While they had been doing her hair, her father had come in and praised her understanding. That had been the most difficult moment because Lilli had been fuming on the inside and almost leapt up and shouted at him, but she managed to restrain herself. Another outburst of anger could jeopardise her plan, which would be so much more effective than the game of hide-and-seek in her room. Margarita was absolutely right: her father would come up with an excuse and then invite the pack of princes to Aurenbrunn again. And that had to be prevented at all costs.

  The sparkling of her green-brown eyes competed with her dress and she had instructed the maids to make her hairdo as stern as possible, to make her look older. She smiled mischievously at her image in the mirror and then switched to a polite smile of welcome. Yes, that would do it.

  Lilli was ready.

  With her head held high, she strode down the aisle and towards the throne room where they would welcome the guests.

  The very first man who came scuffling across the long carpet towards Lilli and her father – yes, Lilli could find no other word for it – provoked the deepest aversion in her.

  He indicated a bow to her, introduced himself as Count Albrecht of Hoehnwart, saluted King Jaromir of Aurenbrunn together with his charming daughter, and Lilli inwardly discarded the broad-shouldered man with the bowl haircut. She knew her father did not wish any affiliation with the count, so she did not have to worry about him.