Kleenex is, but he reaches into his pocket and
procures a bit of paper, sort of a paper handkerchief.
I take it and sniffle into it. I try not to snuff too loudly. However, I have been crying
very hard. So finally, I have to give in and snort like one of the horses so that, in
addi- tion to being the stupidest girl in all Euphrasianay, the worldI might also be the
most disgusting.
To his credit, Jack pretends not to notice, and his kindness sends forth the torrent of
tears I have been trying to avoid. When I finish, he says, My dad can be kind of a jerk, too. But I didnt think princesses
had to deal with that.
I am not even certain I am a princess any longer. Can I still be a princess if Euphrasia
is no longer a country? It is all my fault! I am so stupid!
Youre not stupid. You messed up. I mess up all the time.
Messed up? I move away from him, wondering if my face is blotchy, if I am hideous now, in
addition to being stupid and disgusting. But I catch a bit of my reflection in the mirror
attached to the wall. No, Violets gift has held true. I am still beautiful. Perfect, in
every way save one.
He continues. From what Im getting, you had a curse placed upon youthat before your
sixteenth birthday, you would prick your finger on a spindle. Right?
I nod. Right.
My dad, hes a businessman, and hes always looking at the wording of things. So thats how
it was phrased? Before her sixteenth birthday, the princess shall prick her finger on a
spindle . . . not the princess might prick her finger or if she is not careful, she will?
I nod. But I was supposed to take care. Mother and Father always said He holds up his hand. Meaning no disrespect to them, either. I guess they were trying to
protect you, but I dont think you could have kept from getting pricked with the spindle if
it was part of the curse. It had to happen. But . . . I stop. I rather like the way this young man is thinking. In fact, he is quite
handsome for a peasant. Do you really think so?
I do. There is conviction in his eyes. This witch put that curse on you, and that was
thatyou were going to touch it. Maybe she even enchanted you to make you touch the
spindle. It was your destiny.
Destiny. I like the sound of it, particularly because it means that this whole fiasco is
not my fault.
Yeah, destiny, like how it was Anakin Skywalkers des- tiny to be Darth Vader.
I have not the slightest idea what he is talking about. But that does not change the fact
that Father believes me a fool and thinks it is all my fault that our country is ruined. I
remember what Father said earlier, about how he would rather I had run away and eloped. I
gaze at Mr. Jack ONeill. He is tall, and his brown eyes are quite intoxicat- ing, and in
that moment, I see my escape. Do you think perhaps . . . ?
I cannot ask it. But he says, What, Your Highness? His eyes are kind as well. Talia. Call
me Talia, for I am about to ask you to . . .
take me with you. What? He backs away three steps, as if he has been pushed. When he recovers himself, his voice is a whisper, and he glances at the door. I
cant.
Why not? If it is because I am a princess and you are a commoner, this matters not. I am an outcast now. Father despises me. They all . . . I
gesture toward the window, indicating the ground below, the land, the people. They all
shall hate me soon enough. Their crops are dead. Their food has rotted. They should be
long dead and rotted themselves, but because of me, they are alive still, only the whole
world has changed around them.
But Im only seventeen. I cant be responsible for a princess. I can barely get my homework
done.
Whyever not? Seventeen is a grown man. Surely, you must be learning a tradelike
blacksmithing or making shoes.
Sort of. I go to school. Thats what everyone does now.
Now. Everything is different now. But I must change it. I was destined to prick my finger
upon a spindle, and I
procures a bit of paper, sort of a paper handkerchief.
I take it and sniffle into it. I try not to snuff too loudly. However, I have been crying
very hard. So finally, I have to give in and snort like one of the horses so that, in
addi- tion to being the stupidest girl in all Euphrasianay, the worldI might also be the
most disgusting.
To his credit, Jack pretends not to notice, and his kindness sends forth the torrent of
tears I have been trying to avoid. When I finish, he says, My dad can be kind of a jerk, too. But I didnt think princesses
had to deal with that.
I am not even certain I am a princess any longer. Can I still be a princess if Euphrasia
is no longer a country? It is all my fault! I am so stupid!
Youre not stupid. You messed up. I mess up all the time.
Messed up? I move away from him, wondering if my face is blotchy, if I am hideous now, in
addition to being stupid and disgusting. But I catch a bit of my reflection in the mirror
attached to the wall. No, Violets gift has held true. I am still beautiful. Perfect, in
every way save one.
He continues. From what Im getting, you had a curse placed upon youthat before your
sixteenth birthday, you would prick your finger on a spindle. Right?
I nod. Right.
My dad, hes a businessman, and hes always looking at the wording of things. So thats how
it was phrased? Before her sixteenth birthday, the princess shall prick her finger on a
spindle . . . not the princess might prick her finger or if she is not careful, she will?
I nod. But I was supposed to take care. Mother and Father always said He holds up his hand. Meaning no disrespect to them, either. I guess they were trying to
protect you, but I dont think you could have kept from getting pricked with the spindle if
it was part of the curse. It had to happen. But . . . I stop. I rather like the way this young man is thinking. In fact, he is quite
handsome for a peasant. Do you really think so?
I do. There is conviction in his eyes. This witch put that curse on you, and that was
thatyou were going to touch it. Maybe she even enchanted you to make you touch the
spindle. It was your destiny.
Destiny. I like the sound of it, particularly because it means that this whole fiasco is
not my fault.
Yeah, destiny, like how it was Anakin Skywalkers des- tiny to be Darth Vader.
I have not the slightest idea what he is talking about. But that does not change the fact
that Father believes me a fool and thinks it is all my fault that our country is ruined. I
remember what Father said earlier, about how he would rather I had run away and eloped. I
gaze at Mr. Jack ONeill. He is tall, and his brown eyes are quite intoxicat- ing, and in
that moment, I see my escape. Do you think perhaps . . . ?
I cannot ask it. But he says, What, Your Highness? His eyes are kind as well. Talia. Call
me Talia, for I am about to ask you to . . .
take me with you. What? He backs away three steps, as if he has been pushed. When he recovers himself, his voice is a whisper, and he glances at the door. I
cant.
Why not? If it is because I am a princess and you are a commoner, this matters not. I am an outcast now. Father despises me. They all . . . I
gesture toward the window, indicating the ground below, the land, the people. They all
shall hate me soon enough. Their crops are dead. Their food has rotted. They should be
long dead and rotted themselves, but because of me, they are alive still, only the whole
world has changed around them.
But Im only seventeen. I cant be responsible for a princess. I can barely get my homework
done.
Whyever not? Seventeen is a grown man. Surely, you must be learning a tradelike
blacksmithing or making shoes.
Sort of. I go to school. Thats what everyone does now.
Now. Everything is different now. But I must change it. I was destined to prick my finger
upon a spindle, and I
Similar Books
