The Beggar Prince: A King Thrushbeard Retelling by Kate Stradling

Author:Kate Stradling [Stradling, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eulalia Skye Press
Published: 2023-10-05T18:30:00+00:00

“Every last piece,” he said to Marco that evening, in lieu of a greeting. “She sold every last piece of pottery, and all of it before noon. The minute she donned her famous smile, people flocked to her like ants to a bowl of sugar.”

“Men, you mean,” said Marco.

Thorben blinked. “What?”

“Men flocked to her, right? Most of her customers were men?”

“I… yes.”

“You’re an idiot,” the advisor said. “She’s a beautiful young woman with an engaging manner when she wants to please—and sometimes even when she doesn’t. Of course men flocked to her. And then they had to buy something in order to impress her. If she sets up shop again, you need to keep better watch. Otherwise, some of these customers might try buying something other than pottery.”

The implied meaning did not escape Thorben. He scowled, affronted. “She was wearing a wimple. That marks her as a married woman.”

“If you think that stops people, you have a lot to learn about the world. How did she feel about the whole venture?”

“She’s pleased beyond words. Bounced the whole way home, with a sack full of coins jingling from her belt.” He sprawled against the tavern table, oddly despondent at this development.

True, he had told Leonie to earn her own keep, and her previous attempts had been disasters. He had simply not expected success to this degree. Some of her customers had paid five times the worth of their new vessels.

Which meant that Marco was likely correct, that they were trying to fix Leonie’s interests rather than fill out their tableware.

“She must not have called them any names,” he grumbled.

“Don’t let it rankle you. No one’s forcing her to marry any of them, so she has no cause to resort to insults.”

This only irritated him more, though. If he had met Leonie without anyone trying to orchestrate a betrothal between them, would she have liked him? Or would she have still called him Thrushbeard and laughed as she spun away? As a beggar he received more attention from her than he had as a prince or a king. She never pretended to like him, but she hadn’t branded him with any rude epithets, either.

A small, secret part of him wanted things to remain as they were, with the odd companionship that had sprung up between them.

Thus, he forced himself to ask about the marriage annulment. “Has the council made any decisions?”

“You won’t like it,” Marco said.

His heart flip-flopped. Had they decided he couldn’t annul a decree from King Eustis after all? Were he and Leonie stuck together? And if so, how would he break the news to her?

“Tell me,” he said.

“They’ve agreed that an annulment can be granted.”

Dismay snaked through him. He pushed it away, forcing relief into his voice. “Why wouldn’t I like that?”

“Because they also agree that you have to be the one to grant it, officially, and only after your coronation so that it has the full weight of your kingship upon it.”

His jaw dropped. Marco nodded encouragingly. “B-but… the coronation is still three weeks away!”

“Two.

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