Princess without a Palace: A King Thrushbeard Fairy Tale

by Kristen Niedfeldt

  After she had finally given up her search for a letter from Roderick the night before, she had sunk into the pile of straw, sick with worry. She hoped Roderick would be safe. A broken dam was no trifling matter, and she prayed he would be able to return quickly and unharmed.

  Finally, needing some way to distract her mind from pondering over Roderick facing such perils, she had pulled out her paints again.

  Liesel rolled to her side to look at her completed painting and smiled. The painting looked even better in the sunlight. It was a great personal achievement to have painted such a fine picture and she considered it a masterpiece. The painting looked just like him.

  She hadn’t realized how much she must have studied Roderick’s face during the last few weeks to be able to paint it so accurately, but considering what a fine face it was, she wasn’t surprised. He was the most handsome man she had ever met.

  Studying his face now, her heart filled with hope. Roderick was quite strong and capable. He would be safe and he would return for her. And she was sure there was a very good reason he hadn’t written her before he left. She just knew it.

  Hearing the faint sounds of Maria singing in the nearby garden, Liesel’s face twisted in annoyance. For all she knew, it was likely Roderick had written her and mischievous Maria had probably just hidden it somewhere. She wouldn’t be surprised at all by Maria doing such a thing.

  Liesel gingerly picked up the canvas, careful not to touch the drying paint, and stared at his likeness. The frantic worry she had felt during the night when she had considered him leaving and something happening to him to prevent him from ever returning made her realize just how much she cared for him.

  In fact, she was pretty certain that she loved him.

  This undeniable realization took her by surprise. Was she really ready to promise him forever? She looked back at her painting of him and her heart swelled within her chest.

  It was true. Like the way Hilda felt about Albert, there was nothing she wanted more.

  And now it appeared that she had some time before he returned to think of the perfect way to tell him.

  Realizing she couldn’t keep lounging the day away, she set the painting aside and pushed herself to her feet. She couldn’t spend too much time right now consumed by how to tell Roderick that she loved him. She was late and needed to get to the castle before Hilda sent someone looking for her.

  Grabbing her purple shoes, she started slipping them onto her feet, but immediately froze, her gaze arrested by the sunlight reflecting off of the large, silver buckles.

  These shoes had plagued her since she had stolen them. Roderick had teased her about their prominent buckles, the purple hue had given her away to Prince Cornelius’s men, and they were a disaster to walk in when it rained.

  But a smile spread across her face as she looked at them now.

  Perhaps they could finally serve a noble purpose. Perhaps stealing the shoes hadn’t been such a mistake.

  She hastily finished pulling them onto her feet and ran out of the barn.

  She would hurry as quickly as she could to the castle, but first she needed to find Albert.

  The castle’s kitchen turned out to be quite a chaotic scene when Liesel finally arrived. The ball was only one day away, and with so much still to be done, everyone dashed to and fro around the fireplaces and ovens as Hilda shouted off a never-ending supply of orders.

  When Hilda slipped into Liesel’s small room to check on her progress, Liesel turned to her proudly and announced, “I just finished kneading my twenty-fifth loaf of bread and have passed along six cakes for baking!”

  “Well done,” the old woman commended with a nod of encouragement before she walked back into the bustling kitchen.

  Liesel turned back to her bread, releasing a quiet, tired sigh, and wiped the back of her flour-dusted hand across her forehead. She was exhausted, but she felt too fidgety to sit still and rest. How grateful she felt that it was such a busy afternoon so that she could keep herself sufficiently occupied while she waited for Albert to arrive as he had promised.

  Although she had already looked out the window more than a hundred times that day, she couldn’t resist peering out just one more time before she started her next loaf of bread. She didn’t know if she could expect Roderick to return that day, but if he did come back, she prayed Albert would be the first of the two of them to return.

  She bit her lip in excitement. Roderick was going to be so surprised when she saw him next. And she could hardly wait.

  As she kneaded her next loaf of bread, she listened to the servants in the adjoining kitchen chat eagerly about their great happiness to finally have their princess returning home. Rumor had it she was expected to arrive by the end of the day, and there no shortage of speculation as to how much more beautiful she must be after having been away for an entire year. Liesel smiled to hear their joy. Although she did feel a fragment of sadness settle in her heart since she knew that she would never have such a happy homecoming in her own kingdom, she could not begrudge the princess of Brenhausen her celebration when she was obviously bringing so much happiness to others.

  Besides, Liesel had her own bright future with Roderick to look forward to now. Her heart soared just thinking of it.

  Near the end of the day, Liesel began to grow anxious when Albert had still not arrived. But just as the sun touched the horizon, he burst through the kitchen and into her tiny room.

  “I’ve done it!” he declared with no small amount of pride, setting a sizeable bag of coins onto the table before her.

  Liesel’s heart accelerated at the sounds of the clinks and chinks of the coins. Pulling the purse open, she gazed into the pile of bronze pieces, and exclaimed, “This is perfect, Albert.” She looked up at him, eyes shining. “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

  “Oh, it took a few exchanges for me to trade until I had enough coins. Otherwise I would have come sooner. Bronze bits are the smallest denomination we have so that’s the best I can do. But are you sure you’ll be fine walking in those shoes now?” he said, nodding at her feet.

  Liesel glanced down at her ragged, purple shoes which now sported round, gaping holes on the tops from where she had ripped off her silver buckles. She merely shrugged. “I’d rather have holes on top of my shoes than on the bottoms.”

  Albert laughed and Liesel clutched the purse of coins to her chest. “Thank you, Albert. I do believe I will be able to fill my savings jar now. Thank you for being such a dear friend to sell my buckles and to exchange all of my silver coins for me.”

  The old man blushed at her praise, but quickly waved it aside. “Ah, I just know Hilda would much rather have you help here in the kitchen than me. I’m glad I could do this for you so you could help her here.”

  “I agree,” Hilda said, leaning in through the doorway. “Excuse the interruption, but Liesel, the servants need help collecting platters from the dining hall. Would you mind lending them a hand? We need them cleared before we can start laying out supper.”

  “Of course,” Liesel answered and then turned back to Albert. “And thank you again for helping me.” She held the bag up, her face radiating pure joy. “This is truly more than I had even hoped for.”

  Liesel tucked the purse away in her apron pocket, not daring to leave such a precious possession behind. She hummed softly to herself as she strode through the kitchen and into the dining hall. She couldn’t remember a time in her life when her heart had been filled with so much joy. Truly, she was wishing away the time until she could pour her purse of coins into the savings jar and present it to Roderick. Then he would know that she loved him—that she was ready to marry him.

  Arriving at one of the long, oak serving tables, she gracefully hoisted a large silver platter littered with crumbs onto her shoulder and then turned around to return to the kitchen. Looking across the room, she tripped and then her feet skidded to a halt when a group of women entered the hall hovering around a tall, raven-haired woman.


  Liesel blinked. She prayed her eyes were only deceiving her.

  The dark-haired woman was Maria.

  She felt the blood drain from her face and she clutched the platter to prevent it from falling. How could this be? Surely Maria was not …

  She couldn’t even bear to finish the sentence. Not even silently.

  She looked down before she could be noticed. She had to escape. She couldn’t stand to hear what she now suspected spoken aloud.

  Tears filled her eyes, and she rushed toward the kitchen with her head still bowed. Escape was within her reach as she approached the entrance to the kitchen, but unfortunately, in her haste, she collided with another servant entering the room.

  The crash of the silver platters colliding and tumbling to the ground echoed throughout the enormous hall and Liesel could feel everyone’s eyes in the room turn upon her as she fell to the floor to help clean the scattered food.

  “I’m so sorry, I’m so terribly sorry,” she whispered to the other servant as she helped the young man return the fallen vegetables onto his tray.

  “It’s nothing,” he answered, smiling kindly, obviously more than willing to forgive her

  She forced a smile in return and would have felt at ease by his generous response had she not heard footsteps approaching from behind her.

  “Liesel, there you are. I was hoping to find you.”

  Liesel squeezed her eyes shut and tried to rally her courage. She then inhaled a deep breath and resigned herself to the confrontation. She opened her eyes to see the young servant’s face full of sympathy. He must have noticed the look of dread on her face. She tried to smile reassuringly at him, and he offered a small smile in return as he helped her to her feet.

  Forcing her hands to hang calmly at her side, she turned to face Maria with her back straightened, and her chin held high.

  “Why, Maria. What brings you to the castle?” she asked, pretending ignorance.

  The women around Maria gasped, and one elderly woman declared, “You are speaking to the royal princess, miss. Please address her with respect.”

  But Liesel just arched an eyebrow, and didn’t say anything.

  “Thank you, Genevieve. But you mustn’t trouble yourself scolding this young woman. After all, she is a stranger to our lands and isn’t acquainted with our noble ways,” Maria answered, her eyes never leaving Liesel.

  “If you will excuse me, I am needed in the kitchen,” Liesel said, moving to walk away, but Maria stepped to the side to block her path.

  “Actually, I would like to have a word with you,” Maria replied. She then looked at the women around her and then finally at the young male servant and added, “Alone.”

  The group dissolved as the servants scattered away and Liesel was left standing all by herself facing Maria.

  “You’re a princess?” Liesel asked incredulously when no one else was around to hear. Although she had been tempted not to ask the question since she knew Maria wanted the satisfaction of answering it, Liesel had to do it. Now that she saw that things were not as they seemed, she needed to hear the words. She needed the words so she could force her mind to see that the life she had grown accustomed to during the last few weeks was not actually real.

  Maria smiled. “Yes, I am.”

  “And Roderick? Is he really your brother?”

  “Yes. He’s the crown prince of Brenhausen,” Maria answered. The corner of her mouth turned up and she reminded unnecessarily, “The prince you rejected.”

  Liesel felt her heart plummet deep within her. Her face faltered, revealing the lack of confidence she was feeling and she admitted, “I don’t understand.”

  Maria glanced around the room to ensure their privacy and then she sat on a nearby chair and indicated that Liesel should sit as well.

  But Liesel shook her head. “No, thank you. I’d rather stand.”

  “Suit yourself,” Maria answered nonchalantly. She then clasped her hands together, and asked in a self-indulgent tone, “Where do I start?”

  “You might explain why you, a princess, were living in poverty,” Liesel replied, her tone sounding more like an accusation than a suggestion.

  “That is a suitable place to begin,” Maria approved with a smile. She paused dramatically and then began, “You see, my father rules his home and country in a more peculiar fashion than most other kingdoms. He wouldn’t stand for just any sort of person ruling as a monarch, so he designed a test that all of his children must complete. When a child comes of age, he sends them out into the country to live one year on their own, without any help and without any title so we can learn empathy for the poor and less privileged in our kingdom. Roderick did it when he was eighteen, two other brothers have also successfully passed their test, and today marks the end of my own test. My year is complete,” she finished proudly.

  Liesel didn’t congratulate her.

  “That is why,” Maria eventually continued, “when Roderick witnessed your appalling behavior in your own court, he suggested to your parents that you might benefit from such an arrangement.” She fell silent for a moment and then added, “But unfortunately, for your sake, your father only thought you would last a month.”

  Liesel refused to react to the woman’s insult. But she couldn’t deny that Maria’s words had cut deeply. More than she would ever let the merciless woman know.

  “And knowing you would never agree to it on your own,” Maria explained, “the farce of a betrothal was devised so Roderick would have the excuse to bring you to live with me so you could learn to be a little more humble and much less selfish.”

  Liesel could be silent no longer. “Please do not talk about me in such terms. You do not know anything of my heart.”

  “You’d be surprised,” Maria replied with an arched brow. Her eyes fell to the purse bulging from the pocket of Liesel’s apron, and she inquired. “Are those coins for your little jar?”

  Liesel’s silence was telling and Maria’s face filled with mock sympathy again. ”Look around, Liesel. Roderick doesn’t need your coins.” She paused and then added quietly, “He was never filling that jar for anything.”

  Tears burned in Liesel’s eyes, and her throat felt like it was swelling closed. Could it be true? Had Roderick only been pretending the whole time? If that were true, then the dance, the kiss, and the words that had sent her heart soaring had only been nothing but a charade.

  She suddenly felt like her heart might shatter, but she refused to fall apart. At least not there, right in front of Maria. She swallowed, pushing the lump she felt in her throat deep within her, and she forced her eyes to not stray from Maria’s. She refused to display any indication of weakness.

  “Well,” Liesel replied when she had finally collected herself. “I’m afraid I believe I have monopolized your time long enough. Your faithful subjects are beside themselves with happiness by the return of their beautiful, sweet, and generous princess. You wouldn’t want to keep them waiting, would you?”

  Liesel paused to let her words hang in the air and it appeared Maria was quite uncertain how to interpret them.

  “Now if you will excuse me, I must return to the kitchen,” Liesel said in an unmistakable tone of finality. She then walked swiftly toward the place where her fallen platter still lied and swept it into her arms.

  “I have not dismissed you yet,” Maria called at her retreating back.

  Liesel turned around and proclaimed, “And I am not your subject. So you may order however you like, but I am under no obligation to serve you.”

  She then swung around on her heels and marched from the room.

  When she entered the kitchen, she knew from Hilda’s face that the old woman could see that something was wrong. Hilda was at her side in an instant.

  “Is something wrong, dear? Your face has lost all its color.”

  Liesel clutched her stomach with her hand. “I’m afraid that I am suddenly unwell. Do you mind if I return home?”

  The old woman patted her arm gently a
nd answered, “Of course not, dear. Would you like me to call Albert to escort you there?”

  Liesel shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m sure I’ll be able to find my own way.”

  Hilda looked hesitant, but nodded her head in agreement. Liesel tried to force a smile of gratitude before she then pressed on through the kitchen and into the fading light outside.

  Finding herself feeling more alone than she had ever felt in her life, she glanced around, at a complete loss at where to go.

  For although she had assured Hilda that she could find her own way, she realized that she did, in fact, no longer have any home.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Liesel hoisted the heavy jar of coins from one side to the other and cradled it in the crook of her arm. Why had she asked Albert to collect so many confounded coins? She again cursed that impulsive decision, which had now proved to be nothing but foolish. Although she was tempted to sprinkle some of the bronze bits along the side of the road, she refrained. Lightening her load right now was not worth jeopardizing her future.

  At the sound of distant horse hooves, she quickly darted from the road and hid behind some nearby bushes. She set the jar of coins on the ground beside her and waited for the lone rider to pass. As an unchaperoned young woman, she could not risk being found by a bandit or any other person who might possess less than noble intentions.

  When the rider had safely come and gone and the sound of the horse’s hooves pounding the dusty ground could no longer be heard, she ventured from her hiding place and resumed her trek down the road through the forest.

  She sighed, but then pushed her shoulders back, resigned to continue along the never-ending road stretching out before her. She had no idea how many hours she had spent walking since she had arisen that morning from an exceedingly fitful night of sleep, but considering her throbbing feet and the way the sun was hovering high in the sky, she knew she had been walking for quite some time.