Princess without a Palace: A King Thrushbeard Fairy Tale

by Kristen Niedfeldt

  Roderick was waiting beside the door, casually leaning against the wall, and greeted the pair with an arrogant grin.

  “Here is your beloved,” Hilda announced, bringing a blush to Liesel’s cheeks. “But be careful to not let her catch a cold if it rains. I can’t afford to lose my best help.”

  “You can trust me to take care of her,” Roderick promised to Hilda, but with his eyes firmly fixed on Liesel.

  Liesel avoided his gaze, looking down at her feet instead as she felt the heat on her cheeks spread to her ears.

  Hilda smiled. “I know. Now off with you both. You’ll have to race these clouds home.”

  Now that’s an idea, Liesel thought to herself with relief. She hadn’t been able to avoid this walk with Roderick, but she could do everything in her power to ensure it wouldn’t last long.

  “You are right, Hilda. We must hurry without delay. Come, Roderick,” Liesel called over her shoulder as she began to briskly march down the lane.

  Roderick had to jog to catch up with her.

  “Why are you walking so fast?” he asked between breaths as he fell into step at her side.

  Liesel gave him a quick, sidelong glance before answering, “Hilda told us to hurry.”

  “I don’t think she intended for us to run.”

  “I’m not running.”

  “And that’s a pity, since I think it’s easier to run at this pace.”

  “You’re welcome to do as you please,” she replied without slowing her steps.

  Nothing more was said, and Liesel had to strain to maintain her place half a step ahead of Roderick as they rushed through the city and into the marketplace. It wasn’t easy since Roderick had longer legs, but avoiding conversation made it worth it.

  A rain drop splattered against her cheek, and she looked down to see several more plopping around her. She raised her chin again. The rain would not slow her.

  But the rain began to accelerate in its decent and their cobblestone path was soon painted with a slick coating.

  Seconds later, Liesel slipped, and Roderick grasped her elbow to keep her from falling, but she yanked her arm away. She was quite capable of making it home on her own. However, since she didn’t want to fall and make a fool of herself, she did relent a little on the briskness of her pace.

  They turned a corner and began walking down a steeper lane which quickly began to test her resolve to remain upright. When she slid and almost slipped again, she had to bite back a regrettable exclamation. It was obvious her cursed purple shoes hadn’t been made for adventuring.

  “Your shoes seem to be giving you some trouble,” Roderick noted.

  “Well, they weren’t exactly made to withstand the elements. They were made for …”

  “Made for what?” Roderick prompted when she didn’t finish.

  She dropped her gaze to her feet, all too aware that her face must surely be as red as a tomato. She couldn’t believe she had almost blurted that the shoes had been made for “dancing.” She definitely didn’t want to encourage any more of that after what had happened the other day. But at least she had caught herself in time.

  “Not this,” she finally responded lamely before hurrying on, “but I have walked in them in the rain before, as you might remember. I’ll be fine as soon as we reach the dirt country roads.”

  However, she soon slipped again, and Roderick swiftly wrapped a strong arm around her waist to help hold her up.

  She tried to wiggle free, but he held onto her tightly.

  “I can walk just fine on my own,” she protested.

  He looked down at her with a twinkle in his eyes, and replied simply, “Obviously.”

  A clap of thunder sounded overhead, seeming to release a waterfall of rain from the skies. Roderick quickly steered her to the side of the lane to find shelter under a nearby overhang, but Liesel resisted. She moved to continue on, but Roderick pulled her back.

  “I don’t want to stop,” she proclaimed.

  “We can’t walk in this. It’s not safe. Especially for you in those shoes. This will pass soon enough and then we will continue onward. But for now, we have to wait.”

  Liesel hated that she knew he was right. As much as she wanted to turn away and walk on by herself, she knew she would only last a couple of steps before she inevitably lost her balance and landed on her back in what was certain to be an embarrassing display.

  Roderick slid to sit on the ground, leaning back against the wall, and after a moment Liesel reluctantly joined him. But she made sure she sat a safe distance away.

  He shook off his wet hat, and set it beside him.

  Liesel eyed it curiously and asked, “Why the large hat?”

  “I was pretty certain it would rain today. And it appears I am right.”

  Liesel nodded and then looked around at their surroundings. The street was completely desolate. Not a soul could be seen. She felt quite uneasy to be so alone with him. Hadn’t she just days before resolved not to let such a thing happen?

  She was content to wait out the rest of the rain in silence, but Roderick had other plans.

  “Liesel, may I ask you a question?”

  She finally looked over at him with a mixture of fear and trepidation, and suggested, “Let’s just sit quietly and enjoy the sound of the rain.”

  But Roderick shook his head. “No. You’ve been so busy lately I’m not sure I’ll ever have another chance to ask you and I would really like to know something before you leave.”

  Liesel sighed. She supposed she could grant him one small question. She folded her arms tightly and then surrendered, “Alright. You may ask it.”

  Roderick paused, and she wondered if he had changed his mind, but then he asked, “What did you do to make your father so angry that he would ever send you away to marry a traveling minstrel?”

  Liesel felt a painful pang in her heart as all of the memories she had pushed away during the last few weeks came flooding back to her mind. She sorted through the pain for a moment until she felt she had some control over her emotions and then finally answered, “I scorned the suitors he brought home for me to consider. It was an unforgiveable act. I tarnished his honor and so he disowned me.”

  Roderick nodded and studied his clasped hands resting on his bent knees for a moment before he further asked, “And why did you refuse them?”

  “I only promised you one question,” she reminded.

  “What else do we have to do while we wait?” he asked, waving to the unrelenting rain. “Please, Liesel. I’ve done everything in my power to help you during these last few weeks. Please let me understand you better before you slip from my life and I never see you again.”

  Liesel bit her lip as she debated what to do. He was asking her to reveal things she had buried, things she had sworn to leave behind in the life that had ended when she had left her castle. She finally looked at him, hoping he would have compassion when he saw her pain, but it was his eyes that moved her. They were silently pleading with her, and she wondered if he was hiding some fear of his own as well. She couldn’t look away and she realized she had to tell him. He had indeed given her so much and this was all he was asking for in return.

  “I didn’t want to ever marry. Especially not a prince,” she answered quietly.

  “Why not?”

  Liesel exhaled a shaky breath. Fear swept over her as she wondered if her heart would threaten to collapse if she unearthed things that were hidden so deeply inside. Things she had never given words to. Would she be haunted forevermore if her fears were finally given form by speaking them aloud?

  Liesel surmised Roderick had probably given up hope she would ever answer by the time she finally opened her mouth to speak. “As a child, I adored my father. He was my favorite person in the entire world. I wanted nothing else than to be with him and to be like him.”

  She let out a laugh and added, “And considering my stubbornness, I suppose I did turn out to be like him in some ways.”

  Roderick smiled as w
ell and she continued, “But he was often away fighting one battle or another. There was always something calling him from home. And he was always willing to go.”

  “So you hated how other kingdoms always stole him away?”

  Liesel shook her head. “No, it wasn’t that. He was even more of a hero to me because he could help so many people. No, I think I decided not to marry when I became old enough to understand the real dangers of war. After I realized the risks he took every time he entered a battlefield, then every time I said goodbye, I was left agonizing over whether he would ever come home again. And I hated living like that. I hated the fear. I hated the uncertainty … And since I was a princess and could only marry a prince who would most certainly be swept into an endless supply of battles as well, I decided to simply never marry. I loved my family dearly. I could have been completely content living the rest of my days with them. Never having to ever say goodbye.”

  She looked back at Roderick with a sad smile and shrugged her shoulders. “But instead I was banished because of my resolution. And now … I’m left without any of them.”

  “Liesel-” Roderick began, but Liesel shook her head to stop him from voicing his sympathy.

  “Please don’t. It’s actually just amusing how ironic everything turned out.”

  “Liesel,” Roderick repeated and she quickly turned away.

  “And to think,” she hastily continued, eager to be the one to fill the silence, “that not only did I lose my family, but my father betrothed me to a minstrel whose occupation also keeps him from home for long stretches of time.” She smiled weakly, trying to lighten the somber mood that hung over them and joked, “But at least a prince would have had a castle.”

  “But there are not as many dangers for a minstrel to face in his kind of work,” Roderick pointed out.

  “Not unless your audience begins to hurl things at you in an effort to make you stop singing,” she argued.

  “But you know I sing well enough that that wouldn’t happen,” he answered with confidence.

  “Your voice means nothing if your lyrics are weak,” she countered.

  “I’m sure my audiences will always appreciate the song about the princess and her shoes,” he said with a wink.

  Reflexively, she tucked her shoes beneath her skirts again and scowled.

  Roderick laughed. “And now I can add another verse about them causing the fair princess to slip.”

  Liesel shook her head. “You give yourself too much credit, sir. I suggest you take a shield for protection if you ever attempt to perform such a song.”

  Roderick laughed, but then his eyes quickly grew somber. “But you could be sure, that if I was fortunate enough to have you waiting home for me, nothing—not even flying objects from angry kings—would ever keep me from coming home to you.”

  “Please don’t tease me,” she pleaded, turning away. “I shared my secrets, but I didn’t expect you would ever treat them so lightly.”

  “I’m not teasing,” Roderick assured, taking her hand and entwining her fingers through his own. “I promise to always, always,” he repeated with emphasis, “treat your heart with only the upmost care.”

  She turned away from him, but he didn’t release her hand. The letter from Prince Cornelius seemed to burn at her side and she reminded him, “I’m leaving in four days, Roderick. You shouldn’t say such things to me.”

  “I can’t let you go without a fight, Liesel. I know I said I would help you leave, and I will if that is what will make you happy, but I can’t do it without telling you first that I desperately hope you will change your mind and decide to stay.”

  “Roderick, this isn’t part of our agreed plan,” she argued, shaking her head.

  “It wasn’t my plan either,” he admitted, the corner of his mouth turning up to form half a smile. “But I have fallen in love with you, Liesel. And now I want nothing more than for you to stay here … as my wife.”

  “Oh dear,” she whispered, pulling her hand again, finally breaking free. She practically jumped into the air as she sprang to her feet and turned away from him. She tried to put some distance between them, attempting to think things through more clearly. But the thunderous pounding of her heart was too great a distraction, and Roderick was quickly at her side again.

  “I have kept the vow I made to myself to tell you what I want,” he said softly. “But you haven’t said yet what you want.”

  Liesel closed her eyes and tried to think again. Eventually she shrugged her shoulders and honestly declared, “I don’t know what I want.”

  She turned back to face him and admitted, “Things were so clear before, but you’ve made me question everything I thought I wanted.”

  A hopeful gleam leapt to his eyes. “You can’t expect me to regret that.”

  She finally allowed a hint of a smile to escape. “But I still haven’t decided what I want.”

  He nodded and then looked deep into her eyes. “But do you care for me?”

  She was taken aback by his boldness, but eventually she gathered the courage to answer, “I … I do.”

  His shoulders seemed to fall a little with relief. Then he smiled again. “Then I won’t make you decide anything now. But on the day of the ball, I will ask you to stay.”

  He reached down and cupped her cheek in his hand and then whispered, “And I hope you’ll say yes.”

  “Oh, Roderick,” she whispered. But she didn’t know what else to say. Fortunately, Roderick’s expression indicated he didn’t expect a response.

  He gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, and she sighed. He was just so wonderful.

  His expression then changed again, but before her mind had a chance to register what it meant and possibly resist, he leaned down and softly pressed his lips to hers.

  Her world seemed to swirl around her, and when he pulled back to look into her eyes again, she felt like her legs might fail her.

  “Oh dear,” she whispered again, leaning into his hand against her cheek as her eyes locked with his once more.

  Roderick only smiled.

  Releasing her face, he then reclaimed her hand. After lacing his fingers through hers, he nodded toward the empty street. “The rain has let up. We can continue on if you want.”

  After a slight pause, Liesel nodded, albeit a little uncertainly. She wasn’t sure if her unsteady legs were up to the challenge.

  But Roderick held her hand tightly and she knew he wouldn’t let go.

  And at least for now … neither would she.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Even though she wasn’t trying to avoid Roderick anymore, Liesel still woke up at an early hour the next day. When her eyes fluttered open, the interior of the barn was devoid of any traces of light. She listened for the early songs of birds that often preceded sunrise, but instead she only heard the tap-tapping of water droplets rolling off of the rain-soaked roof into puddles below. She rolled over and tried to sleep a little longer, but it was too much of a chore to keep her eyes closed. Her mind had already exchanged dreams for reality.

  She arose with a groan. It was wet and cold outside, but as much as she didn’t want to leave her warm, straw-covered surroundings, there was nothing for her to do at home in the dark. She might as well go to the castle as she had done the last few days and get an early start tackling her list of chores in the kitchen.

  After braiding her hair back and picking off the stray pieces of straw that dotted her dress, she wrapped her shawl around her slender frame and trudged out into the misty rain.

  As she bolted the door to the barn tightly closed, she was surprised to hear the sound of another door closing. She turned toward the hut and saw Roderick wearing his large hat again walking toward the barn.

  Her heart leapt at the sight of him.

  “What are you doing?” she called out to him softly.

  “I’m coming to escort you to the castle.”

  “There’s no need for that,” she protested.

  “It’s stil
l raining. The roads won’t be any less slippery.”

  “But I’m not in such a hurry today. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  He shrugged his shoulders as he stopped just in front of her, and looked down at her with a smile. “I couldn’t sleep anyway. And I had a hunch you might go to the castle early again so I decided to start my day early too.”

  A movement behind his shoulder caught Liesel’s eye and she glanced up to see a curtain fall in one of the hut’s small windows.

  “But it looks like you’ve woken Maria as well,” Liesel observed, still watching the window for further movement.

  “Did I?” he asked, looking back over his shoulder.

  “I don’t think she’s going to be very happy with you about that,” Liesel warned.

  “Maria’s always a little grumpy in the morning,” he replied with a smile. “I wouldn’t worry over that. She probably just heard me leave and wanted to check on me before she goes back to bed.”

  Liesel wanted to say that she didn’t think Maria’s grumpiness was entirely confined to mornings, but she refrained. She was his sister, after all. But that was Maria’s only redeeming quality.

  Roderick offered his arm, but Liesel shook her head. “Truly, you don’t need to walk me all the way to the castle. You’d be walking in completely the opposite direction from your own work.”

  “And at this early hour, I will still probably arrive before my master awakes,” he returned with a wink.

  “But-”

  “Liesel, surely you must know by now that I am one of the few people who may actually be more stubborn than you. And with only three days left to convince you to stay, I’m determined to take advantage of every opportunity I can to be with you. So unless you want to stand out here in the rain all morning arguing about this, I suggest we be on our way.”

  She folded her arms, ready to challenge his claim, but the set of his jaw and his determined stare soon convinced her that he had meant every word he had said. Releasing a sigh, she finally accepted his arm and they began walking through the tall grass toward the road.