Author's note: Welcome to new followers Moonshoes94 and 13-Red-Cards. To reviewers Jimli, Caroline Lily-ann Youla and 13-Red-Cards: your reviews bring sunshine to the rainiest day.
PRINCE FLORIAN SEEKS A BRIDE
6.2
Next morning Florian was the first to walk into town, straight to the castle's breakfast room where he had a bowl of porridge with raspberry jam. That warmed him up again. Until three in the afternoon Florian was free so he went for a walk in the town and admired the stunning architecture. It all looked grand and expensive, totally different from the more homely buildings in his country. He had lunch outside an inn overlooking a pretty little square. Afterwards he slowly made his way to the castle where he arrived just in time.
He was pointed towards the throne room where the whole court was assembled. Florian bowed to the king and his daughter who were seated on their thrones.
"I wondered if you had perhaps sneaked out of town," Princess Maria said.
"Oh no," Florian answered. "… I ... have no reason."
Before the princess could start wondering, he asked her, "How much time do I have to guess your answer? And how many tries do I have?"
"You have half an hour to come up with an answer, but you're allowed only one answer."
"Thank you," said Florian and began pacing up and down the room, holding his chin as if he was deep in thought. Occasionally he stopped in front of the princess and studied her until she started fidgeting.
His time was nearly up when the princess said, "Are you going to give an answer today or are you going to concede defeat and take your punishment."
"Your Highness has to give me time so I can read your thoughts. Besides I would be a fool to not at least hazard a guess. But I'm pretty sure I don't need to guess. I'm pretty sure you've been thinking about … your shoes."
Princess Maria turned a shade paler. "You're right," she said and hurriedly left the room amid the clapping and cheering of the king and the rest of the court.
"Well done, my boy. Splendid answer," the king said, clapping Florian on the back.
The following night the princess went to the house in the forest again and again Florian was too late to go in behind her. This time though he knew which window to go to. There he found a log and standing on it he could just look through the window. What he saw astonished him. In the room stood a richly dressed man with the face of an ugly troll. Princess Maria came in and ran straight into the ugly thing's arms. Florian couldn't believe she actually kissed it.
"He guessed," she said. "He actually guessed what we had agreed upon. What am I to do next?"
"You could stop this comedy and tell your father about us, darling."
"You know I can't," sobbed the princess. "He'll die if I tell him. His heart couldn't take it."
"I know, darling. It is summer so think of something unlikely. Think of your winter gloves. Think of your warmest winter gloves. And to add a difficulty: think of the left one of your warm winter gloves. He's unlikely to guess that."
Then Florian saw Princess Maria and the troll-faced man sit together kissing and whispering vows of love. He sat down on the log, just in case the troll changed his mind about the glove but after a while he heard the door open and the princess whispering "Good night, David". Because of the lack of hiding places close to the secret door into town Florian had to sleep outside once more.
Next morning Florian surprised the guards at the gate yet again. After another breakfast of porridge with the delicious raspberry jam he went in search of the king's doctor. When he had found him, Florian didn't beat about the bush and asked the doctor immediately, "Does the king have any health problems? A weak heart perhaps?"
The doctor was taken aback by this seemingly mercenary question. In a none-too-friendly tone of voice he answered, "It is by no means certain you'll win our princess, young man. But if you do you'll have to wait your turn to become king. His Majesty, I'm pleased to tell. Is enjoying an excellent health and is likely to live for a very long time yet."
"I'm pleased to hear it. I had heard some rumours and the way the king himself talked about seeing his grandchildren before it was too late led me to believe …"
"No, no, no," the doctor interrupted. In a much friendlier voice he continued, "There is nothing wrong with the king except that he's a bit of a drama queen."
"I think it upsets the princess," Florian suggested.
"Surely not. Princess Maria knows her father only too well," the doctor said in his most reassuring bedside voice.
At three o'clock Florian entered the throne room. Just like the previous day he walked up and down, rubbing his chin, studying the princess even more closely than the previous day. Finally he said, "I've worked out what Her Highness is thinking about. It is summer, so she will have been thinking about a wintery item to try and confuse me. Probably an item of clothing; Her Highness is after all a woman." Florian saw the princess wringing her hands. "Gloves," he said. "I know! Her Highness is thinking about her warmest winter gloves, more specifically the left one."
Princess Maria turned pale as death. "You're right," she said with a sob before running out of the room.
Again the king and his court cheered loudly but Florian was looking at the door the princess had disappeared through. He was sure she'd been crying and he didn't like it that he had been the cause. That evening he left the town before the gates closed and was waiting in the forest for the princess to arrive. The house was not to be seen but he knew it would appear later. When it did he hid as close to the door as possible. The princess entered the house and before the door could close Florian pushed a thick branch in its way. Quietly he too went in and found the room where Princess Maria was talking to her troll lover. Florian peeked through the keyhole and saw the lovers embrace.
"He guessed." The princess was crying. "What are we going to do if he guesses the last thing as well?"
"There are only two possibilities, my darling, and one of them can't be done. I don't want you to risk your father's health. The other possibility is to think of me. Tomorrow, think of my head."
"I think of you all the time," said the princess, tears rolling down her cheeks. The creature buried his face in the princess' black curls. They held each other tight until it was time for the princess to go. Florian hid in the shadows when she came out of the room and left the house. Then he opened the door to the troll's room and went in. He only just managed to jump out of the way of the creature's sword and drew his own. Florian hated fighting; always had. His father had even sent him to a special training camp when he was twelve. It didn't teach him to love battles but at least he could hold his own. More through luck than skill he eventually managed to disarm his opponent. The troll's sword twirled through the air and landed in Florian's hand. With the point of his sword hovering over his heart and Florian's sword at his throat the creature was cornered.
"What are you waiting for", the troll-man said. "Cut off my head and end this."
Florian shook his head. "I've inherited a large streak of nosiness from my mother," he said, "and I want some questions answered. Besides, I seriously doubt that offering a girl the head of her lover is a good start to a relationship. So, first question: what are you? You have the face of a troll but trolls are short and stocky, not tall and slim."
"What does it matter? I'm doomed to live and die like this because the king can never be told about his daughter's love for me. It will kill him. I think you care about Maria, so end my miserable life and make her happy."
Florian lowered the swords and smiled. "I have a much better idea," he said.
To be continued ...
