The Peasant and the Pea
Desperately running through the wet forest, I took a chance to turn my head and that's when I saw the angry, yelling mob catching up to me. I was amazed to see so many people angry with me for stealing a loaf of bread. I was young, hungry, and poor and did I say hungry yet? Well, I was... in fact I'm still ravenous, seeing that the loaf is safely tucked under my left arm uneaten. I sighed sadly, knowing that it really wasn't worth it anymore since shortly after I stole it, a fierce storm suddenly appeared and made the bread all soggy.
Without warning, I stumbled over a log and rolled headfirst down a steep hill. My poor body was becoming battered and my ragged dress was getting dirty. I landed hard in front of a wrought-irongate, a palace gate, I realized, when I saw a large castle loom over me. Fearing that the mob would find me, I pounded against the gate, which swung open easily. I rushed through it and up a brick path to a tall door. Mustering up my courage, I knocked loudly. I shivered in the cold, biting my lip in apprehensive anticipation.
The rain chose this time to beat down harder on me. I heard soft footsteps in the large castle and mentally kicked myself. I was a scruffy mess! Why did I knock here at a palace? No royals would allow a lowlife girl like me in! Of course, I recalled, I do have to get away from the mob. Thinking I should find refuge somewhere else I was about to turn around when the door opened. A finely dressed man peered down at me worriedly.
"You look a fright dear child! Come, come out of this dreadful rain!" He ushered me into the castle and closed the door. The water from the rain ran down my hair and dress and dripped down onto the floor. My clothes clung to my exhausted body.
"I-I am so sorry." I told him quickly.
"Do not worry young one, I'll have one of my maids clean it up." He snapped his fingers and two maids rushed to him awaiting orders. "Helen, please tend to this girl and get her dry. Beatrice could you clean the floor and tell my wife of..." He turned to me, "I'm sorry I did not catch your name."
"Are you here for the princess competition?" Maid Helen asked me.
I blinked. Competition? Just then a marvelous thought struck me. "I... uh, yes. Yes, I am." I curtseyed awkwardly despite my condition. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Princess Leandra."
"Ah, very well then... of Princess Leandra's arrival?" Maid Beatrice nodded once at him and left." I am King Frederick." He smiled.
My eyes widened. A king? The King Frederick I had heard so much about in my village? I was standing before the great king myself? I eagerly smiled back.
"Father?" called out a handsome voice. A young man of eighteen entered the room. "I need..." he stopped mid-sentence and stared at me.
I think my heart swooned at that moment, for the most charming-looking gentleman I have ever laid my eyes upon stood in front of me. I didn't even realize that Maid Helen had dried me off now and left.
"Ah, son. Could you show Princess Leandra to her room?" King Fredrick asked. "She is one of the contestants for your search of the perfect princess to be your wife."
Wife?! I gaped as the word echoed through my mind. Marrying this man would be a dream come true I thought.
The young gentleman took my hand and led me up his long stairs. He talked with a most beautiful voice as we walked. "As you most likely know I am Prince Arnold. I figure that you are fifteen years of age?" I nodded shyly as we came to the last door at the end of a hall. "Here we are. This is your room miss." He opened the door and inside was the most beautiful, and frankly royal room I have ever seen.
"This is... my room?" I asked excitedly.
"Only the best for my contestants," he chuckled adorably.
"And who might this be?" A perfectly royal voice questioned. Behind Prince Arnold a woman glowered down at me. Maid Beatrice stood beside her.
"Her name is Princess Leandra, mother. She's a contestant. A rather, extraordinarily lovely one at that," he answered. I blushed at his compliment. Me lovely? I could hardly believe what I was hearing.
"Yes, yes I heard, a contestant hm? Princess Leandra is it? Why, darling, are you dressed like that then?" she asked me, indicating my raggedy, dirty dress.
I stammered, "It was an... an accident Queen Deborah."
"But of course..." she muttered, faking a smile at me. "I'll see you when the sun rises. Come Beatrice." She abruptly left with the maid following closely behind.
"Sorry for the way my mother is acting," Prince Arnold apologized.
"It's quite all right," I assured him.
We both walked into my room. "Will this do for you miss?" the Prince asked me.
"It certainly... will." I saw the bed, stacked with mattresses and quilts up to the ceiling! Leaning beside this queen-sized bed was a ladder.
Prince Arnold smiled with embarrassment. He fumbled with his words, "We are to um, have all the princesses sleep on twenty mattresses and twenty quilts... Do not question, Miss Leandra," he shrugged sweetly.
"All-all right then," I paused. "This will do fine."
"Wonderful then. Your gown is laid out on that chair there. I'll see you in the morning." He left with a small wave.
I sighed happily and closed the door. "What have I gotten myself into?" I asked myself. I shook my head merrily and changed my clothes, careful to avoid the bruises I had received earlier that day. Then I stared up the many layers of bedding. Groaning, I hoisted myself up the ladder and started climbing. After only two steps, I unexpectedly fell. "Ouch..." I rubbed my backside. "Well that hurt." I muttered angrily. "Maybe I should remove some of that bedding before I get on. I'm sure they won't mind if I don't sleep on all of it."
I decided to remove the lower layers... that will be easier I thought. I grabbed the last three layers and gently tried to take them out. As I did this, a single frozen pea came out and rolled onto the wooden floor. "Hm?" I left the layers on the bed and crouched down to pick up the single pea. "What is this doing here?" I shrugged and decided to eat it. (Hey, I'm still hungry you know? I never got to eat my bread...) I grimaced as the cold pea was swallowed. "Yecch. Not a good idea." I giggled to myself for being so silly and climbed up the ladder once more, carefully this time. I forgot about getting rid some of the bedding as I was terribly tired. Being chased by an angry mob can really tire a girl out.
All during the night I kept having nightmares about that stupid mob trying to hunt me down. I was frightened they might still be out there to find me and do... do whatever inexplicably evil thing they wanted to do to me. I tossed and turned the whole time fearfully and in pain.
In the morning
"Princess Leandra? Breakfast is ready." A soft knock was heard and my eyes opened. For a second panic struck me and I was confused about where I was. "Leandra? Are you awake miss?"
"Oh." I calmed down once I noticed it was Arnold's pleasant voice. "Yes, I've awoken. I will join you for breakfast shortly," I called out.
"Very well, see you then." I heard his footsteps fade away as he left.
I yawned loudly and climbed down the ladder slowly. I frowned when I saw my reflection in this large mirror on a dresser. I looked appalling to say the least. How could that breathtaking prince think that I was lovely? I sighed sadly and opened the dresser. I gasped quickly. Inside were stunning dresses: royal blue, golden yellow, plum purple, and baby pink dresses! I picked out one of the pink dresses that looked closest to my size and changed clothes gently. Then I brushed my hair with a golden brush I saw lying on a small desk nearby and left. I found my way to the stairs and walked down seeing Queen Deborah waiting for me at the bottom.
"Ah, Princess Leandra. Good to see you up and about," she smiled smugly. "I trust that you slept well?"
"Truthfully," I started as we walked to the kitchen, "I had an awful night."
The queen raised an eyebrow, "Did you now?"
I nodded slowly then smiled when I saw Prince Arnold sitting at the breakfast table with his father. "My dear! How wonderful to see you!" he exclaimed to me.
"Good morning Prince Arnold." I said lightly as I sat down. I quickly looked around the magnificent room. The palace never ceased to amaze me. My eyes turned back to him and a question came to mind, "Um, where are the other contestants?"
King Frederick laughed gently, "They all lost, to put it bluntly, dear. You are the newest contestant we've seen in three weeks."
"Really? Well... how will I know if I win?" I questioned.
"Speaking of which, family," Queen Deborah interrupted, "I believe she has already passed our test. The first of all the contestants."
"What?" Prince Arnold gaped at me and smiled enormously. "Has she truly mother?"
"I am not sure," she replied. "Princess Leandra said that she had a terrible night. Tell me dear," she looked at me, "what caused you to have a bad night?"
"Well, I'm all black and blue with bruises. They kept me up all night." I answered, avoiding telling her of my nightmares. Give that away and she'll know I'm just a poor orphan peasant, I thought.
"Splendid! Then you passed the test!" the father cried happily.
"You are a true princess!" exclaimed Prince Arnold.
"W-what? I do not understand," I stuttered in bewilderment.
Queen Deborah brightened up and laughed happily with her family, "Why dear... our test was that only a princess this sensitive could be a real princess! We hid a frozen pea under twenty mattresses and twenty quilts. If you were a true princess you were to have felt the pea under all that bedding and ending up with a bruised back," she smiled, "and you passed the test! You are to marry my son! Welcome to the family Princess Leandra. This is definitely a joy to us all!"
I blinked several times. I felt so bad that if I weren't to tell them the truth I would be lying to them. And yet, I had the great chance of marrying the man of my dreams. What was I to do?
"Wow... thank-you. I cannot believe this. I truly did not expect the pea to be the test." I said.
"Congratulations dear," King Frederick told me proudly. "Well done."
Later that day
I was taking a stroll with my lovely Prince through his huge garden. I clung on to him as we walked quietly and blissfully. I'm sure I seemed very happy to him, as he wrapped his arms around me, yet deep inside I was troubled. We stopped to sit on a white bench and I sighed turning to him, "Prince Arnold?" I asked timidly.
"Yes, my lovely Leandra? And please, call me Arnold."
"W-well... I really can't do that."
"Why not?" he asked curiously.
I hesitated, "I... I really did not pass that test."
"How do you mean?" he asked.
"I..."
Suddenly a shrill voice was heard. "Arnold!" His mother raced into the room with her husband standing behind her angrily.
Arnold stood up puzzled. "What on earth is it mother?"
"There is no pea under her mattresses and quilts!" she screamed.
He turned around and stared at me, "Is this true then? You lied to us?"
I lowered my eyes, "The pea really did not affect my sleep." I had us all sit down on the bench as I told them my entire story, starting with the fact that I was a peasant with no family being chased by a mob for stealing food to what had happened during the night.
"I am so, so very sorry," I told them desperately, "but I have fallen in love with your son. He is the kindest man I have ever met." A tear escaped me and rolled down my cheek. "Now that you all know the truth, I should take my leave. I am sorry for taking your time." I stood up somberly and started to walk away.
"No!" A hand grabbed my arm pulling me back. "Do not go Leandra!" I turned around and stared into Prince Arnold's gorgeous blue eyes. He stared back into my tear-stricken coffee-brown eyes. "I... I love you!"
"Arnold!" his mother gasped.
"I do mother! I do not care that she did not pass the test! It all probably means nothing anyhow! She does not need to be a true princess! For she is the true human girl for me and I love her deeply." He smiled and knelt down on one knee. "Leandra... would you please marry me? You are sincerely the perfect girl for me as I have fallen in love with you."
My body weakened and I stared down at him with pure love in my heart. "I accept dear Arnold! I accept!"
He jumped up and hugged me tightly. "Yes, my sweet Leandra." He let go and moved my hair out of my face and kissed me.
"Fabulous! The wedding shall be tomorrow!" King Frederick announced.
"Yes... it shall." Queen Deborah agreed. "It shall."
And we lived happily ever after.