Patricia Briggs by The Price

Author:The Price [Price, The]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-07-06T02:25:13+00:00

He looked so upset she stepped near him and touched his shoulder. "It's all right, you know. You kept my father safe, sir. I cannot tell you how grateful I am."

Silence fell between them, but she left her hand where it was.

"What did you think," he said finally, "of the tablecloth I sent you?"

She was surprised at his choice of topic, but grateful that he wasn't arguing with her. "I thought it was the most remarkable piece I'd ever seen."

"It might do. There was a little magic in its makings — something so that you would not miss the intent of the gift." He looked away. "If you tell me where it is, I will get it for you."

"No." She would not sacrifice his gift so that she could marry the king. Especially since she wasn't certain that death would not be preferable to the life of a miller's daughter married to the king.

"It was just a tablecloth," he said, though his eyes glittered with suspicious brightness.

She raised her chin, not letting tears fall for what might have been. "I will not sacrifice your work for his benefit — I would sooner sacrifice my firstborn child."

There was a long pause while he measured her words; then he gave an abrupt nod. "Accepted."

"What?" she gasped, but he was already speaking the words of his spelling.

This night she stayed awake, watching the golden straw give way to mounds of gold. As she watched, the realization came to her that he would not let her die, even though it meant she would marry the king.

She also realized that she would rather this odd man raise her child than have it raised in the court with the king as its father.

When the last bit of straw was gone, she got stiffly to her feet and walked to him where he stood beside the spinning wheel. He'd pulled the hood of his cloak over his face and she pushed it down, kissing his cheek.

"Take care of my child for me," she whispered.

He started to say something, but the sound of a group of people approaching the door interrupted him.

He took two steps back and vanished.

Molly said nothing when the king entered the room; she said nothing when he married her, nor did she speak a word that night.

.

In the morning, the king asked her to spin more straw into gold.

She shook her head. "I was given three gifts of magic. I have no more."

He slapped her face and stormed out of the lodge, leaving his retinue to follow. The queen visited her later and gave her a cold, wet cloth to hold against her cheek.

"I have reminded my son," she said, "that his word was given based on your past deeds, and that the gold you brought was more than the amount most of the heiresses in the kingdom could have amassed. He's leaving for the castle, and I doubt he'll be back. Can you read?" Molly nodded.

"Good. I will send you letters once a week and you will reply.

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