The Miller's Daughter, named Emalyne, was spinning when her father arrived, drunk as usual. What she did not expect to see was the way he paled visibly upon seeing her.

"What, Father?"

"I-I-I..." he stammered.

"Spit it out, Father. What tall tales did you tell this time?"

"I... I accidentally told the king that you could spin straw into gold. He wants to bring you to the palace to show him, and if you can't, then I'll lose my head!"

"Well, You're damn right, I can't do it! Do you ever think before you talk?! One of these days, you're going to get someone killed!"

"Oh, I'm doomed!"

"We both have the possibility of dying tomorrow, and you're worried about yourself being the victim in this situation?!"

Emalyne rubbed her eyes in frustration, threw her hands up, and stomped out to the mill.

Several hours later, the soldiers arrived.

After an extremely tense cart ride, during which no one spoke, Emalyne arrived at the palace.

"Welcome, Miller's Daughter!"

This was not the reception Emalyne had expected to receive at all, and it made her nervous. King Cedric, fat and heavy-handed, beamed at her from his throne, a chair covered with so much gold and jewels, it was nearly blinding. The whole room was covered in gold and large tapestries, it seemed. The only dark spot was Prince Ligeier, dressed in unadorned dark grays. He sat slouched in his chair beside his father, looking irritated with the world.

Emalyne curtsied, her knees shaking. It might have been the worst possible curtsy the king had ever seen, but King Cedric's smile didn't waver.

"We are so pleased to meet you, Miller's Daughter. Your father told me a lot about you when he was here."

"I'm afraid my father has a tendency to exaggerate, Sire."

"Does he now?" King Cedric's expression grew thoughtful.

Beside him, Prince Ligeier yawned. "I told you earlier that that man was a liar. We're wasting our time with her."

The scorn in his grey eyes made Emalyne stand a little straighter. She wanted to tell him off, but instead, she bit her tongue and tried to look humble.

"Please, Sire," she pleaded. "I've committed no crime."

The king chuckled. "That remains to be seen."

"But my father—"

"May very well be telling a tall tale, but I won't hold that against you. I like the look of you, Miller's Daughter. I think you'll do nicely."

"Sire?"

A calculating gleam filled his eyes. "How would you like to be part of the royal family? Perhaps marry my son?"

"Father!" Prince Ligeier leapt from his seat and pointed at her. "She's a common wench with a drunkard father. We should throw her out, not invite her to stay!"

King Cedric chuckled. "Fine, fine. If you're so picky, I'll take her. Miller's Daughter, spin straw into gold for us, and you'll be my queen. How does that sound?"

Emalyne sputtered. There were so many things wrong with that plan, she couldn't pick just one to protest. The king grinned at her outrage.

"Guards, please escort the Miller's Daughter to her room. We'll give her a few days to settle in and show us her powers."

Two guards grabbed her shoulders and pulled her from the room. After dragging her up a seemingly endless set of stairs, the guards shoved her into a cell, and locked the door behind her.

Just great. She was stuck here, with a spinning wheel and a mountain of straw to do it with.