island beyond the horizon, he would build her a private observatory so she could study the stars all day long if she liked.
“All night long,” she corrected.
“Possibly,” he said in a voice that oozed suaveness, “but I may be keeping you otherwise occupied during the night.”
Realizing that he was trying to seduce her—outrageously—Affonyl giggled, but when she thought she sounded like one of her ladies-in-waiting, she stopped. All in all, she decided this merchant prince would be a much preferable husband than the boorish Duke Kerrl.
Indico’s ship was due back within a week, and she couldn’t wait. She needed to set up her plan and work out the details for her flight. She’d have only one chance at this, if she meant to escape marriage to the duke. There had to be much better things in store for her. . . .
“You don’t look hungry, my sweet,” King Norrimun said. “Think of all the starving peasants and eat it for them .” Affonyl dutifully took a piece of honeyed fruit, which was much too sweet for her. The king was very fond of the special honey from a distant village called Folly.
She decided to try one last time, pulling a father’s heartstrings. “As a hypothetical question, Father, let’s say I have a friend who’s a princess about to be married to a duke she doesn’t love. She feels she has more significant things to do with her life than being wedded to a brutish man who wants to take over her father’s kingdom so that he can finance his wars.”
“Oh, dear, that sounds terrible. Who is your poor, dear friend?” King Norrimun said. “I didn’t know you had other princesses for friends.”
“I said it was hypothetical , Father.”
“Ho-hum, yes you did. Unfortunately, princesses have certain obligations—as you know full well. For instance, you’re marrying Duke Kerrl because it’s best for the kingdom. Fortunately, he’s a charming, powerful, and wealthy man . . .” He ran his finger along his chubby lip. “Wait a minute—I think that hypothetical princess is you!”
Affonyl had the good grace to blush. “You caught me, Father. I really don’t want to marry Duke Kerrl.”
“ Want? Hmmph, it’s your duty. A princess is a princess. Your only other choice is to be sequestered in a nunnery, and no one wants that.”
Affonyl considered. “Don’t nunneries have large libraries?”
“Being sent to a nunnery is supposed to be a punishment, and I’ll not punish my darling daughter. You are going to marry Duke Kerrl, and that will save our kingdom.”
“It’ll lose our kingdom, by making it part of Kerrl’s dukedom.”
“I prefer to consider it a win-win situation. I win, and the duke wins.”
“And I lose,” Affonyl said.
“Don’t think of yourself as a person, my sweet,” he reminded her. Frowning, he scratched beneath his multiple chins. “Princesses have been forced to marry against their will since time immemorial, but you could have it much worse. After all, other kingdoms are plagued by dragons .”
I’ve been so carried away with my story that I just now realize that others are listening in. They all love a good tale, but few of them have ever heard of King Norrimun, or Duke Kerrl, or that entire subset of my adventures.
Appreciating the audience, I raise my voice as I continue. Maurice, though, is eyeing me suspiciously as the story sinks in. “Now, wait a minute. How do you know that part? You weren’t there with Princess Affonyl or King Norrimun. Are you speaking as the omniscient narrator again?”
I drain my second tankard. If we had met the young prince on our travels, Dalbry, Reeger, and I would have considered him a tough nut to crack. “Who’s to say that Affonyl didn’t tell me the story afterward? A good audience participates in the tale through willing suspension of disbelief.”
The boy brightens as if someone had lit a candle over his head. “I see where the plot threads are coming together! Is Princess Affonyl my
“All night long,” she corrected.
“Possibly,” he said in a voice that oozed suaveness, “but I may be keeping you otherwise occupied during the night.”
Realizing that he was trying to seduce her—outrageously—Affonyl giggled, but when she thought she sounded like one of her ladies-in-waiting, she stopped. All in all, she decided this merchant prince would be a much preferable husband than the boorish Duke Kerrl.
Indico’s ship was due back within a week, and she couldn’t wait. She needed to set up her plan and work out the details for her flight. She’d have only one chance at this, if she meant to escape marriage to the duke. There had to be much better things in store for her. . . .
“You don’t look hungry, my sweet,” King Norrimun said. “Think of all the starving peasants and eat it for them .” Affonyl dutifully took a piece of honeyed fruit, which was much too sweet for her. The king was very fond of the special honey from a distant village called Folly.
She decided to try one last time, pulling a father’s heartstrings. “As a hypothetical question, Father, let’s say I have a friend who’s a princess about to be married to a duke she doesn’t love. She feels she has more significant things to do with her life than being wedded to a brutish man who wants to take over her father’s kingdom so that he can finance his wars.”
“Oh, dear, that sounds terrible. Who is your poor, dear friend?” King Norrimun said. “I didn’t know you had other princesses for friends.”
“I said it was hypothetical , Father.”
“Ho-hum, yes you did. Unfortunately, princesses have certain obligations—as you know full well. For instance, you’re marrying Duke Kerrl because it’s best for the kingdom. Fortunately, he’s a charming, powerful, and wealthy man . . .” He ran his finger along his chubby lip. “Wait a minute—I think that hypothetical princess is you!”
Affonyl had the good grace to blush. “You caught me, Father. I really don’t want to marry Duke Kerrl.”
“ Want? Hmmph, it’s your duty. A princess is a princess. Your only other choice is to be sequestered in a nunnery, and no one wants that.”
Affonyl considered. “Don’t nunneries have large libraries?”
“Being sent to a nunnery is supposed to be a punishment, and I’ll not punish my darling daughter. You are going to marry Duke Kerrl, and that will save our kingdom.”
“It’ll lose our kingdom, by making it part of Kerrl’s dukedom.”
“I prefer to consider it a win-win situation. I win, and the duke wins.”
“And I lose,” Affonyl said.
“Don’t think of yourself as a person, my sweet,” he reminded her. Frowning, he scratched beneath his multiple chins. “Princesses have been forced to marry against their will since time immemorial, but you could have it much worse. After all, other kingdoms are plagued by dragons .”
I’ve been so carried away with my story that I just now realize that others are listening in. They all love a good tale, but few of them have ever heard of King Norrimun, or Duke Kerrl, or that entire subset of my adventures.
Appreciating the audience, I raise my voice as I continue. Maurice, though, is eyeing me suspiciously as the story sinks in. “Now, wait a minute. How do you know that part? You weren’t there with Princess Affonyl or King Norrimun. Are you speaking as the omniscient narrator again?”
I drain my second tankard. If we had met the young prince on our travels, Dalbry, Reeger, and I would have considered him a tough nut to crack. “Who’s to say that Affonyl didn’t tell me the story afterward? A good audience participates in the tale through willing suspension of disbelief.”
The boy brightens as if someone had lit a candle over his head. “I see where the plot threads are coming together! Is Princess Affonyl my
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