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The Poet Princess - a Fairy Tale
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The Poet Princess - a Fairy Tale |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
*Note: this was from a challenge by DuskTreader, months ago! I vowed I would post it so voila! Here it is... *** The Poet Princess A Fairy Tale Once upon a time, there lived a King and his beautiful Queen. The King doted on his bride and would deny her nothing. She was wise and witty. She was talented and learned. And she was very shy. It seemed the King had never known a shy woman before and mistook his wife’s reticence for disfavor. He sought counsel from his attending lords but none could advise him how to gain back the Queen’s affection that he thought he had lost. The local pharmacologist offered only herbal teas to induce a state of drunkenness that eased her Majesty’s taciturnity. The King sent for his wife’s old nanny, from her father’s castle. The nanny was a mean tempered woman who, unbeknownst to the King, was jealous of the Queen’s beauty and wit and had been chastised by the young woman for her own lack of knowledge. The nanny offered the King this advice. “Tis learning that has done this to the young Queen.” She said. “Take away the books, forbid her mind to wander off in other pursuits and surely she will find her thoughts on you all of the time. But you should not let her know that this is directed solely at her. Make it a rule throughout the land and she will abide by your decision.” Without any other logical explanation, the King accepted the old nanny’s edict. He paid her ten pounds and sent her back to her home. And thus it was the King’s decree that all females born in his kingdom were forbidden to be taught anything more than what was necessary to be a good wife and mother. The Queen, after several years of boredom, died of a broken spirit. Her children, two sons and three daughters mourned their mother. The sons grew to manhood, one to succeed his father and the other to become a great general in the army. The daughters, all beautiful, were married to Royal Dukes and moved away. The edict continued in the kingdom for many generations. *** Princess Rowena hid in the cupboard of the schoolroom where the Royal Tutor was teaching her twin brother Prince Robert. Robert had dared her to join the lessons years ago when they were children, taunting her with his ability to recite the alphabet and daring her to learn it to try and best him. She learned it in half the time and could recite it forward and backwards. Robert loved his sister and was never offended. He found that he learned better with her as his foil and continued to trick the tutor, Mr. Hobbney, into speaking loud enough for Rowena to hear him as she hid in the cupboard. Robert and Rowena had two older sisters, Princess Anne and Princess Sarah. Both were beautiful and charming, though they learned nothing, not even how to read, it was soon evident that they would make more than suitable marriages based solely on their good looks and their father’s lineage. Rowena, unfortunately, took after a maiden aunt in looks. Reddish hair and far too pale a complexion that tended to turn out in freckles if she was allowed to be outdoors for any length of time. The less attractive female Princesses were notoriously hard to ‘pop off’ as their father called it. Marriages were not as easy to arrange as they had neither looks nor education to recommend them. Some of the least attractive were left as spinster Princesses who grew mean-spirited and peevish. Princess Rowena thought it was their great great great grandfather’s fault. It was he that decreed that no female child should be educated. And if any girl in the village was caught trying to learn, she was immediately banished from her home to fend for herself. It was a shame. Even Robert thought so. That is why he, loving brother that he is, encouraged his twin to join him surreptitiously. When Rowena and Robert celebrated their sixteenth birthday, their father, King Gerald, decided that Robert was to be sent away for a year to learn with other young royals. Rowena was devastated. Not only was her beloved brother going to leave, but also she would lose the one other thing that mattered most to her – learning. The day before Robert left, he gave Rowena a box of paper and quills and a bottle of ink and told her to write to him – and to take them to a village where she wasn’t known and post them. She agreed, and crying with sadness, hugged her brother goodbye. ** Rowena’s letters were well received by her brother. She wrote clearly with a sense of humor that made him chuckle as she described the events that occurred in their father’s kingdom. She would include sketches and brief stories. And then she began to write poetry for him. He thought it was the most incredible poetry he had ever read. He saved the letters in a book, and shared them with his best friend Prince Darrow. He never told Rowena that he shared her letters for that would surely embarrass her and she, being the elder by five minutes, would probably hit him over the head with something. And Robert never told Prince Darrow that his sister was breaking a law by writing to him. Robert wrote to his father regularly and the family gathered once a week to listen to the letter. As her father read, Rowena compared what Robert told their father to what he told her. In the letters to their father, Robert spoke of the teachers and the vast knowledge he was gaining so that someday, he would make a good king. To Rowena, he wrote of his homesickness and his loneliness. To cheer him up, Rowena wrote him poetry, silly rhymes that she would make up in her head and memorize. He marveled at her skill and compared her to the poet laureate at the academy. And though she never told Robert, his praise of her ability pleased her quite a lot. She often wished she could show her parents or her sisters, not from pride but because she felt that girls should be taught, there was no reason not to learn. Rowena also thought she would like to start a school for the village children, boy and girls, so that they would find pleasure in reading and writing as she had. ** One day, the letter from her brother held a second sheet of paper. Rowena wondered at the writing as she had come to know her brother’s large angular script. This was smaller and slanted more. The letter read: “Dear Princess Rowena, I am a friend of Prince Robert and he has shared some of your poetry with me. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading them. I wish I could write like you. Your words seem to paint a picture in my mind. Would you mind if we corresponded? Sincerely, Darrow” And thus it began innocently. Rowena and Darrow corresponded for the two years that Robert was at the academy. When it was time for him to return home, the King received a letter announcing that Prince Darrow and his father, King Frankl of Ablethorpe, would accompany Robert. The King was well pleased and hoped the friendship forged by his son would mean that Prince Darrow would find his oldest daughter, Princess Anne, a suitable bride and the two kingdoms would form an alliance. All in the kingdom were thrown into a frenzy of activity, cleaning and preparing feasts. The Princesses were fitted for new gowns and the kingdom’s seamstresses sewed until their eyes were red. Rowena spent her days in constant worry about meeting the Prince. She felt as though she knew him well from their correspondence. But she was afraid that her secret would be revealed. She worried what punishment her father would deal her when he found out. And there was the added worry that he would not like her when he finally met her. Their letters had been friendly but caring. Rowena hoped, when they finally met, that he would see past the red hair to find her heart. *** The day Prince Robert was to arrive dawned bright and beautiful. Rowena stood at her window and watched the sun wipe the darkness from the horizon. She quickly turned and found her writing materials to pen a poem about the day. When it was done, she hid it with her other work, sadly aware that for the time Prince Robert visited, she would not be able to share it with him. Rowena sat with her hand on the box where she kept her writing. It had become precious to her. A way to express herself, to see her world and her life as she lived it. She was very proud of what she had written. And ashamed that she had kept this secret from her father. She felt butterflies of panic in her stomach. Surely, Darrow would make comment to her father about her writing. And then she knew. She knew that her writing made her strong. That she had to tell her father what she had done. She took her precious box in her arms and walked slowly towards her father’s study. The footman in attendance turned and opened the door noiselessly. Her father, an impressive figure in his white and red raiment, sat behind his desk and barely glanced up as she entered. Two men, soldiers in her father’s Army stood in front of the desk. Rowena knew to wait until he had spoken before she said anything. She stood nearly ten minutes, box in hand. “Yes, Rowena? Please speak quickly as I have just learned that I am to travel to meet Robert and his guests. I cannot spare you a moment.” Rowena stood, silently as her father gathered papers together and rose from the desk. “Well?” he asked. “I’ll talk to you later Father.” She stammered. Coward! She thought to herself. The King swept from the room followed quickly by the soldiers. A moment later, Rowena heard the sound horses leaving the courtyard. She went back to her room and sat waiting for her brother and his friend to arrive. She felt very much like a weakling, unable to face up to her father and fight for something she believed in. *** The note from King Frankl, Prince Darrow’s father, had been terse. ‘Help is needed to complete our journey.’ The King, fearing for the safety of his own son, Prince Robert, rode quickly, his faithful Army keeping pace. An hour from the castle, they found the travelers’ sitting on the side of the road, no horses in site. King Frankl rose from where he sat beneath a large oak tree as King Gerald dismounted. The two monarchs bowed to each other and then quickly clasped hands. Prince Robert and Prince Darrow were no where to be seen. “What is the trouble?” King Gerald asked. Before King Frankl could answer, a gang of highwaymen emerged from the woods. On one horse, tied back to back, sat the two young princes. Prince Robert looked unharmed, but Prince Darrow had a strip of blood running down one side of his face. “What is going on here?” King Gerald demanded. “The leader of the highwaymen dismounted and walked over to the two men. Standing in front of them, hands on his hips, he smiled. “We need money, your Highness.” “I have none on me, you cur! This was to be a welcoming party. I do not carry coin on me!” “Yes, “ the highwayman said shaking his head in apparent sadness. “Twould seem no one in this illustrious caravan has much of value except for a few paltry rings. Such a sad state of affairs when we criminals cannot rely on the pomposity of our betters to send them out into the world with nary a golden crown or ruby encrusted scepter!” King Gerald glanced at the brigand, staring at a man, obviously lowly born, but with a command of words that even his children’s tutor would be proud of. “Who are you?” he asked. “Just a man. Fallen on hard times.” The man replied. “I mean you no bodily harm. But would ask that you spare some coins for our brethren and their kin.” His arm swung out to include the other men in his gang. “I have no money.” The King replied. The leader of the band of criminals pulled a piece of paper from his shirt and handed it to the King. Reading it, the King realized it was a ransom note. “One of your men will ride back to your village and present this to your Queen. She, hoping to save her husband’s life and the life of her son, will send a box of gold coins. When they arrive, you will be free. And we will be gone forever.” “How do we know we can trust you?” King Frankl asked. “You don’t.” “Then why should we do this?” “We are desperate men. From a place that knows only desperation. We seek to escape to a land where we may live and have families in peace.” “Let us go and you can live on my lands.” King Gerald said. The highwayman laughed. “No good sire, that would not be possible for we have made ourselves known as thieves and outlaws. Our only hope is to leave this country as quickly as possible. To do that, we need money. Please let’s not discuss this further.” An outlaw, dressed as a messenger in the King’s colors, was brought forward and the note was handed to him. He was instructed to ride quickly to the castle and return with the money. King Gerald was invited to sit on the ground next to King Frankl. The princes taken from their horse and led to sit next to their respective father. Prince Robert glanced quickly at his father and saw a look of concern on his face. Suddenly, King Gerald had realized what would happen with the messenger reached the castle. No one there could read! His wife and daughters had never been taught to read and there was no man left in the village that could. Sadly, he realized the outlaws would probably think the King’s family would not pay the ransom. “Father, what is it?” Robert asked quietly. “We are doomed I’m afraid.” “But why? Mother will gather some money and send it for our release.” “Robert,” the King said shaking his head. “You forget. No one at the castle can read the note. They will think it is for me and hold it until I return.” “But father,” Robert began. He would now confess to his father that he conspired to break the law of the land and helped his sister learn to read. “Not now Robert.” His father sighed as he closed his eyes in contemplation. Robert figured it would take at lease two hours, one hour to ride to the castle and one to ride back plus half an hour to get the coins together. So as the first hour passed into the second, he was not worried. He knew Rowena would do what was necessary. She would have to let their mother know of her ability to read. She would not fail. Almost three hours passed before they heard the sound of a horse coming over the hill. King Gerald and his son and King Frankl and his son rose and stood waiting. King Gerald looked anxious as the rider drew into view, the distinct site of a small wooden chest held in front of him as he rode. The messenger drew to a stop in front of the leader of the gang and tossed the small chest to him. They all heard the unmistakable sound of coins rattling as the chest was caught. “It seems you are all saved.” The highwayman said as he opened the chest to reveal the golden coins inside. He nodded to his men and they quickly mounted and escaped into the forest. The King’s soldiers quickly mounted as if to ride after them but King Gerald stopped them. He would have no bloodshed on this day. The small band of men, monarchs and princes, rode silently to King Gerald’s castle. *** The door to the castle stood open and the Queen and her daughters could be seen standing on the stone steps. As the group neared, King Gerald dismounted and joined his wife. He was most curious to learn who had deciphered the note and saved their lives. But first, Prince Darrow’s wound would need to be attended to. Introductions were made quickly and suddenly Rowena and Robert found themselves alone on the steps of the castle. “I hope Prince Darrow is not badly hurt.” Rowena said. She had barely had time to curtsy in his direction before her mother had had him whisked off to be bandaged. “He was very brave. His father called him foolish, but he drew a sword to fight the brigands himself! I was very proud of him and wished I had his courage!” “If you did, then you too would now be suffering the cleansing of a wound, brother!” Rowena replied. Robert looked at his sister closely. “You like him!” Rowena blushed furiously. “Much good it will do me! I shall be sent to the dungeon when father learns that I am the one who read the note from the messenger.” “You saved our lives, Rowena. How could father not see that you are a hero too?” They joined arms and went into the castle. *** That night they enjoyed a great welcoming feast! Prince Darrow’s wound was not bad enough to require a bandage and his scarlet colored scar lent him a dangerous air. Rowena watched him from across the great hall table and knew that Robert had been right. She liked him. Liked him more than she realized. Prince Darrow would often look at her and smile, but no depth of feeling could be detected in his glances. It was towards the end of the meal that King Frankl rose and proposed a toast. “A toast to you Queen Lisabelle, for your quick action today.” The others rose and raised their glasses to drink the toast to the Queen, who sat looking very uncomfortable. “Please, no, it was not I.” She protested. King Frankl looked back to King Gerald. “Pray sir, which of your lovely relatives is the heroine of today’s adventure?” King Gerald blushed red. How could he tell this man that he didn’t know who had sent the coin that released them? “Father,” Prince Robert said. “We have Rowena to thank. It was her quick thinking that saved us. When she read the note” Robert glanced at the shocked look on his father’s face, ‘When she read the note, it was clear the outlaws meant business. She quickly gathered her own chest and filled it with coins from the safe. It is she who should be honored.” Princess Rowena sat as if made of stone. Her face flamed brilliant red hues as she waited for her father to give the order to have her arrested. “To Princess Rowena.” Prince Darrow raised his glass and the others at the table joined them. “To my daughter,” King Gerald said. “For she is ever full of surprises.” And he smiled. Princess Rowena felt tears of joy in her eyes. Perhaps she would not be in trouble after all. |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I read this several times already--I loved the story line, and it's very well written! The beginning seems more fleshed out, however. It's a lovely, leisurely read, and I LIKE that it picks up pace--it helps with tone--I think I just wanted to get to know HER better!  (and yes, grin, I'm still sitting on MY fairy tale! ) Don't groan at me, but I think I need a part II!!! |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
I left this sort of open ended...the erudite highwayman now has HER chest with the money it in and perhaps a couple of her poems (which when finished will be interspersed in the story)....perhaps the Highwayman and the Poet Princess will be Part Two! What do you think? |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I think, more, please. |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Absolutely!!! and? thank you, (yer so good to me) |
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Jeffrey Carter
since 2000-04-08
Posts 2367State of constant confusion! |
Sharon, I could read your stories all day long! Did you ever write part 2? |
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ESP Member Elite
since 2000-01-25
Posts 2556Floating gently on a cloud.... |
That was a cool read, I want more too!  "Time has told me not to ask for more, one day our ocean will find its shore" ~Nick Drake |
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ESP Member Elite
since 2000-01-25
Posts 2556Floating gently on a cloud.... |
How come my reply didnt show up? "Time has told me not to ask for more, one day our ocean will find its shore" ~Nick Drake |
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miscellanea Member Elite
since 2004-06-24
Posts 4060OH |
Neat story! More, another time? miscellanea |
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