by K. M. Shea
“You aren’t a mere lady’s maid. You are our guest,” Conrad said.
“The original arrangement was that I am to serve as Davina’s lady’s maid until she is married and settled here, then I may return to Astoria,” Rynn said.
The furrow was back in Conrad’s brow. “You mean to leave?”
“Forgive me, but I did not plan to act as a lady’s maid for the rest of my life—even if I did serve a princess,” Rynn said, privately adding, indeed, I got this job knowing it was temporary. If I continued I would probably suffocate Davina with a pillow within a year.
“No one is expecting you to serve as a lady’s maid,” Conrad said. “Even Davina. She says you are her friend. Her only friend.”
The words touched Rynn more than she cared to admit. As much as she complained about Davina and despaired over her impetuous actions, she did like the princess. When she wasn’t dragging her into ridiculous messes, that was.
“I hoped you would stay in Farthendale,” Conrad added.
“Why?” Rynn asked.
“Because I believe I am in love with you,” Conrad said.
Rynn gaped at him. Did he just…but I…what? She mentally scrambled for a foothold, unused to being caught completely off guard.
Conrad used her stunned silence as a chance to stroke their clasped hands with his thumb. “I thought I was being imprudently obvious,” he grunted. “Foolishly so. I would never hold hands with my cousin’s intended, after all.”
“I…I…I,” she stammered, unable to come up with anything intelligent to say.
Conrad waited a few moments. “Do you find my confession distasteful?”
“Nooo!” Rynn said pulling back in horror. “Not at all! It’s just…unexpected?”
Down the aisleway Falada hung his head over his stall door and snorted. “In what way? You’ve had more romantic rendezvous than most engaged couples.”
Rynn shot the fairy horse a glare. “Don’t you have a mushroom to flirt with?”
Falada bared his teeth at her, and the horse and rider sneered at each other for several moments.
“You still have not given a reply,” Conrad said.
He’s not easily distracted, is he? Rynn primly cleared her throat. “Are you really sure about this?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Rynn nodded slowly. “Right.”
“Then will you stay?” Conrad asked. “For me?”
Rynn mutely nodded.
Conrad smiled—a true smile that made his eyes light up and softened his expression to make him handsome enough to rival his royal cousin. “Thank you.”
He leaned in again, though this time he did not stop as he had before, and he pressed his lips to hers in a kiss.
Rynn was aware of his free hand cupping her cheek as he tugged her closer to him and deepened the kiss.
She wished the moment would last forever, but she broke off the kiss with a startled squeak when Falada kicked his stall door.
Conrad growled. “Yes?”
“I do not wish to see you noisy humans groping each other,” Falada said. “Be gone.”
Rynn grumbled under her breath and pushed her face into Conrad’s shoulder.
The spymaster shrugged. “Fine.”
Rynn blinked when he stood. “Fine? Fine wha—ahh!” She broke off with a startled cry—which threw stall shavings into the air in little clouds when the wind reacted—as Conrad picked her up with ease. “What are you doing?”
“Taking you to the palace. I suppose I should officially introduce you to my parents with your real name,” Conrad said.
“Um,” Rynn intelligently replied.
Conrad briefly pressed his lips to her temple. “They’ll love you,” he said.
“That’s reassuring,” Rynn muttered as he carried her from the stable. She waved to Falada over his shoulder before they ducked out of the stable and into the crisp night air.
Rynn gazed up at the stars that studded the sky. Is it just me, or are they brighter now? She wrapped her arms around Conrad’s neck. “You can put me down.”
He nodded. “I could.”
“…Allow me to rephrase that. You should put me down.”
Conrad shrugged. “No.”
“No?” Rynn repeated.
“Until today I had to keep my distance—or at least I had to try to. It’s no longer necessary, so, no.”
Rynn snorted at his logic, but tightened her grip on his neck as she recalled the day’s events and her near miss with Lady Maela.
Rynn had spent most of her life managing others—whether it was geese, her siblings, or Davina. She had always considered herself a workhorse who toiled for the sake of others. Hearing Conrad’s story, knowing what he had done for her sake…
“Thank you, Conrad, for protecting me,” she said suddenly.
“Of course. Whatever you desire.” Conrad looked at her, his dark eyes glittering in the starlight. “I’ll even be a goose boy if you wish.”
“Please, no,” Rynn said.
Conrad hesitated in the courtyard. “Maybe it isn’t necessary to see my parents this evening,” he said, his gaze heated as he again stared at Rynn’s lips.
Rynn smacked him in the shoulder. “Conrad!”
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s a please put me down.”
“Request denied.” Conrad again started for the palace.
Rynn leaned into his shoulder, her happiness building. So, this is what I was missing after all.
Epilogue
Rynn walked hand in hand with Conrad, grinning as she watched Falada snort and roll on the sweet grass of the goose meadow.
Conrad’s horse—a mare as calm as Falada was temperamental—munched on grass nearby, occasionally raising her head to search for Conrad.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Falada this happy before,” Rynn said.
“I don’t think anyone knew he was capable of being happy,” Conrad said. “Which is why many questioned Davina’s choice of gift.”
After announcing their relationship to Conrad’s family, Davina had declared it was absolutely necessary to hold a double wedding together—which would take place in one week—and gave Falada to Rynn as a gift. (Publicly Queen Cassia was horrified Davina had given something so priceless to her one-time lady’s maid, but privately everyone agreed it was a wise choice, particularly because Falada had broken down his stall door and started shouting for Rynn when a groom tried to saddle him for Davina to ride.)
“He didn’t want to leave his home—back when the fairies first gave him to the Astorian royal family I mean,” Rynn said. “I think he’s been so callous because he had no control over his own life, even though he can talk and feel like you or I.”
Conrad nodded and watched the fairy horse stand and toss his head. “It makes sense.”
Rynn grinned as one of the braver geese waddled up to Falada and rubbed its head on his legs. Falada swatted the bird with his tail and walked away, the goose trailing in his wake.
Conrad kissed the top of Rynn’s head and snaked an arm around her waist. “Was the letter you received from Eva this morning filled with good news?”
“Yes. She is finally happy—which she deserves after all she endured this past year. I thought I was in a poor situation, but at least I was not kidnapped.” Rynn stooped over and picked up a dandelion that had already bloomed and was now a sphere of fluff and seeds. She blew, making the seeds scatter with her breath, then blinked when she realized the wind barely stirred.
“Is it…fading?” Rynn thought, afraid to hope. (Regulating her breathing had grown particularly difficult thanks to Conrad’s habit of snatching random kisses from her.)
“Is what fading?” Conrad asked.
“My magic—controlling wind,” Rynn stood and dusted her hands off before tucking her arm into Conrad’s.
“Of course it’s fading.”
Rynn and Conrad whirled around to find Mortimer—his wings as small as ever and his clothes perh
aps more rumpled than usual.
Mortimer raised an eyebrow and looked down his nose at Rynn. “I said it would only be temporary.”
“Fairy Godfather Mortimer?” Conrad asked. (Rynn had, of course, told him the story of how she had received her unwanted powers.)
Mortimer squinted at Conrad. “You’re not a prince.” He turned to Rynn. “He’s not a prince. I thought all girls wanted to marry a prince.”
“No,” Rynn said firmly. “We don’t.”
“Picky, picky, picky. You don’t want a prince, you don’t want magic powers.” Mortimer rolled his eyes and shook his head in disgust.
“So my powers really will fade?” Rynn asked, hardly able to contain her glee.
Mortimer scratched his ear. “Yeah. You’ve got about a week left with it.”
“Thank you.” Rynn impulsively hugged the fairy godfather, making him squawk in disdain.
“No touching.” Mortimer peeled her off and shivered in revulsion.
“I just didn’t want it to be like…” Rynn trailed off, thinking of her siblings that had been granted magical gifts.
Mortimer dusted his robes off, his face still creased in disgust. “I might have learned my lesson. Until I haven’t, anyway.”
Rynn blinked. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Thank you for caring for my bride, sir,” Conrad said respectfully. (Rynn had no idea how he did it without grimacing at the arrogant expression that settled on Mortimer’s face. It probably was his training as a spy.)
“Of course. The oldest brat is one of my goddaughter…and all of that other disgusting sentimental garbage.” Mortimer grunted, then shifted his gaze to Rynn. “You’re fine now. Wish granted?”
Rynn reveled in the act of letting herself sigh and raising barely more than a whisper of a breeze. Naturally he’s most concerned with fulfilling wishes so he can get back to his research he’s constantly yammering about. “Yes, Mortimer. I’m very happy now. Thank you for your help,” she said. Even though she wanted to shout and sick a goose on him, angering the fairy godfather wouldn’t be a smart move.
Mortimer nodded once at Rynn and once at Conrad. “Good.”
When the duo stared at him he sneered. “Goodbye,” then disappeared in an unnecessary and overly dramatic flash of light.
Rynn laughed when she was assured he was gone. “I’m going to be free! This is wonderful! I feel so happy I almost can’t believe this all worked out. It’s nearly too perfect!” She kissed Conrad on the cheek, laughing when he returned the favor by kissing her on the lips.
When they finally parted, Conrad studied her with a serious light in his eyes. “Are you satisfied living in Farthendale?” he asked.
She tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Conrad furrowed his brow. “I know what your family means to you, and they all live in Astoria.”
“Yes, well…the truth is I’ve fallen in love with Farthendale and its forests and mountains. Besides…you can leave Cadburey long enough that we could visit my family in Astoria, right?” Rynn reached up to snake her arms around his shoulders and the back of his neck.
“Of course,” Conrad said. “If Geraint complains we can always drag Lunette or Arthur with us and claim it is to further their education,” he added, referring to his younger cousins.
Rynn grinned. “Excellent. I thought you would have a plan. So yes. I’m more than satisfied to live in Farthendale and to marry you.”
“Good,” Conrad nodded.
He kissed her again, this time releasing her only when Falada swore at a goose and galloped across the meadow to get away from it.
The End
Entwined Tales continues with Eva’s story
An Unnatural Beanstalk: A Retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, by Brittany Fitcher.
Some fairies ruin everything.
Eva never doubted her place in her happy little world. Born second to a former woodcutters-turned-wealthy merchants’ family, all she ever wanted was to care for her siblings and to play the harp. Unfortunately, when her fairy godfather’s gift-giving goes awry, Eva receives an unusual talent that gets her abducted and betrothed to a loathsome duke with giant plans for the kingdom.
Jack never ventured far from his mother’s farm. But when Eva’s fairy godfather, in an attempt to fix his goddaughter’s plight, forces Jack to take some magic beans and responsibility for saving Eva, Jack finds himself in as much danger as the girl he came to save.
In this retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, follow Jack and Eva as they attempt to outsmart the duke, save the kingdom, and just possibly find their own happily ever after as well.
Entwined Tales
Everyone wishes they had a fairy godmother to make the world a little more magical…
They’ve never met Mortimer.
Every good deed merits a reward, at least according to the Fairy Council. But when a kind woodcutter’s family is rewarded with a grumpy, sarcastic, irresponsible fairy godfather named Mortimer, their lives are changed forever… and not in a good way.
Follow the woodcutter’s seven children as Corynn, Eva, Sophie, Elisette, Martin, Anneliese, and Penelope head out into the world to find adventure, new friends, and their very own happily-ever-afters. Their greatest challenge? Avoiding their fairy godfather’s disastrous attempts to help.
Welcome to the Entwined Tales—six interconnected fairy tale retellings by authors KM Shea, Brittany Fichter, Shari L. Tapscott, Kenley Davidson, Aya Ling, and Melanie Cellier. Join the fun and enter the brand new world of the Entwined Tales for six enchanting stories filled with humor, magic, and romance.
To sign up for the series newsletter to receive information about upcoming releases and more, visit www.entwinedtales.com!
Afterword
Thank you for reading A Goose Girl, I hope you enjoyed Rynn’s story! If you want to read more of my work, sign up for my newsletter to receive my free K. M. Shea Starter Pack ebook.
It contains:
A King Arthur and Her Knights prequel short story
A Red Rope of Fate prequel short story
An original fairy tale, Princess Snow and Queen Ruby
My newsletter is released every month, and contains information about contests, new freebies—like short stories and extra scenes—free books, and reader opinion polls.
Thank you for your support and encouragement. I am proud to say I have the best readers. Therefore, it is my dearest wish that Rynn and her friends made you laugh, and warmed your heart. Thank you.
Other books by K. M. Shea
Life Reader
Princess Ahira
Timeless Fairy Tales
Beauty and the Beast
The Wild Swans
Cinderella
Rumpelstiltskin
The Little Selkie
Puss in Boots
Swan Lake
Sleeping Beauty
Frog Prince
12 Dancing Princesses
The Snow Queen:
Heart of Ice
Sacrifice
Snowflakes: A Snow Queen Short Story Collection
The Elves of Lessa:
Red Rope of Fate
King Arthur and Her Knights:
Enthroned
Enchanted
Embittered
Embark
Enlighten
Endeavor
Endings
Three pack 1 (Enthroned, Enchanted, Embittered)
Three pack 2 (Embark, Enlighten, Endeavor)
Robyn Hood:
A Girl’s Tale
Fight for Freedom
The Magical Beings’ Rehabilitation Center:
Vampires Drink Tomato Juice
Goblins Wear Suits
The Lost Files of the MBRC
Second Age of Retha: Written under pen name A. M. Sohma
The Luckless
The Desperate Quest
About the Author
K. M. Shea is a fantasy-romance author who never quit
e grew out of adventure books or fairy tales, and still searches closets in hopes of stumbling into Narnia. She is addicted to sweet romances, witty characters, and happy endings. She also writes LitRPG and GameLit under the pen name, A. M. Sohma.
Hang out with the K. M. Shea Community at…
kmshea.com
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