Allerleirauh

Chapter 18

18

The morning’s light pierced through my window, stirring me awake with a ray of sunshine. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment more, wishing the night hadn’t disappeared as quickly as the week had. Myriah was the first to stir in my chamber, tending to the fire quietly. Within a few minutes, the flames crackled and she came to stand by my bedside.

“We must get you ready,” she said calmly as she extended her hand to me.

I searched her eyes for comfort as I sat up. I knew I needed to trust her in this. I took her hand with a soft sigh. Myriah dressed me in a white gown with folds over the bodice that resembled swan feathers. Just as she finished curling my hair into a small bun, there was a knock on the door followed by a servant girl who gave me a small, sad smile.

“The König is ready for you in the great hall,” she announced with a slight bow.

“Danke,” I muttered in the smallest voice and watched as the young girl disappeared.

Myriah pressed her hand on my shoulder as she peered at me in the mirror reflection. Her eyes were warm and comforting.

“You are strong, Aurelia,” she murmured. “Believe in that.”

I could only nod a response as I stood. With one last look at my reflection, I followed Myriah to the door. Myriah led me from my room and guided me down to the great hall where a line of servants awaited my arrival. Lord Haven’s face greeted me first as I entered the hall with a solemnity. He gestured ahead towards my father who sat at his table watching me closely.

There was amusement in his eyes. Several servants came up to me, one by one, each carrying small gifts wrapped with delicate bows. I only stared at the boxes blankly as they lowered them to the floor near my feet. Only then, four elder servants came into the hall with the long gowns draped in their hands.

I felt Myriah grab my hand and squeeze tightly as we gazed at the flaunting selection. Even with Myriah’s steadfast grip, I could feel my hands shaking as I watched them parade by. The first servant carried the beautiful glowing, golden gown in his hands. I could make out small details of yellow thread weaved into shapes of the sun and light rays. There were even sparkles of gold scattered on the bodice and body of the dress.

The second servant approached me with a shiny silver dress, and like the golden dress, small silvery thread decorated the gown with shapes of moons and circles. It was the simplest of all the dresses, but the most elegant. The fabric was silk and shined in the glistening daylight.

The third servant displayed the last dress; the star-dust gown. There were elements to the dress that glittered and twinkled as brightly as a star would on a clear night. The tailors had captured the star-dust vividly.

Each dress had its own glow, its own atmosphere; each were breathtaking and beautiful. My father clapped his hands once and another servant entered the room, carrying the large fur cloak. I could see his eyes searching my vacant expression. He was gauging my reaction to his success in fulfilling my impossible demands.

I appraised the coat, taking in the overwhelming size. I could make out the squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, foxes, and many other furs I did not recognize. My heart raced as I realized I was surrounded by all the things I requested and hoped would be impossible. I had truly been defeated.

“As you can see, mein liebe,” he began, gesturing towards the servants and the gowns near me. There was a smugness in the way he spoke. “I have held my end of the arrangement. A dress of sunbeams, a dress as silver as the moon, and a dress of stardust.” He stood from his seat and descended toward the group of servants and myself as he smiled. “And a coat made of all the furs in the Königreich, to drive away the cold winters.”

Motivated by a snap of his fingers, the servants moved themselves closer to me, allowing me a better view of my new wardrobe. His eyes dared me to touch them as he stood beside me. His icy gaze challenged me to find something not to my liking. He knew there was nothing I could say. Everything was just as I had requested, and more than I could have ever imagined.

Myriah’s hand rested upon my shoulder and I could feel her fingers gently squeeze again. Be strong. Her silent affirmation reminded me of our conversation the night before. As I had climbed back into my bed after my failed attempt of burning the gowns, Myriah and I devised my plan of escape.

“You’ll leave under the night’s disguise and travel into the forest. While the König and his hunters might try to follow you, their dogs will become confused with the smell of all the animals you’ll wear. Do not stop until you’ve reached the vast meadow in the northern part of the Königreich. Just beyond the meadow is a village that belongs to Saarland der Licht. Stay there until I can come for you.”

I recognized the name of the kingdom from the man I had danced with at the ball. My mind traveled back to those moments when I was just a girl dancing with a kind and gentle lord. Myriah showed me a homemade map she had stolen from the armor room, and went over the trail I needed to follow. I watched as she curled the parchment into a tight roll and tucked it into the modest satchel she readied for my journey, filling it with canteens of water, a loaf of bread, and other necessary provisions too.

“Just as we agreed, Aurelia. Tomorrow, we will wed. The dresses are my gifts to you for your new life as my Königin,” my father said as he reached for my hand, bringing me back from my thoughts. I pushed my arm behind my back as I forced a smile. I knew I couldn’t bear to feel his touch, no matter how small it might be.

I winced as he took a step closer. As I watched him, I realized there was a slight change to his appearance I hadn’t noticed before. His hair seemed whiter than I remembered, and his skin . . . paler. There were dark circles under his eyes, which made his face look more sunken; death-like. Who was the man standing in front of me? He was not the same king who had stolen my virtue, but an old man driven by his insane promise and desire for me.

“I shall come for you in the morning,” he said confidently. “Together we will begin our new lives.” He turned to nod toward the servants holding the gowns, dismissing them from the hall.

I watched the few of them gather the gowns and gifts and leave. My father turned his gaze back to me as he murmured, “Tonight, we shall say goodbye to the phantoms of the past.”

His dark blue eyes expressed a different farewell, which made my stomach twist into horrible knots. I knew his gaze would haunt me for the rest of my life; the memory of his words, his haughty smirk, and the way his hands felt upon my skin.

“We shall move your things into my chambers tonight,” he said and turned to look at Lord Haven and Myriah.

He gave them the silent order with the nod of his head. Lord Haven flitted off while Myriah peered down at me. A few of the other servants still gathered around us appeared nauseous by what was transpiring in front of them. But in an instant, they’re scrutinizing glances changed to acceptance. They knew not to disagree with the König. They knew he intended to take his own daughter to his chambers to bed and then wed her. And that was hardly the worst of it. It was only after Lord Haven, Myriah, and the rest of the servants had left that my father finally turned back to me.

“You will come to my chambers tonight, Aurelia,” he said.

He tried to reach for my hand again, but I maneuvered a step back. It was all I could do to not shout at him; to beat my fists against his chest and demand him to leave me alone.

“No,” I said softly as I shook my head. “I will not.”

“You promised me,” he replied. A smirk grew on his lips.

“I promised to marry you if you could fulfill my requests,” I corrected him curtly. My firsts clenched tightly at my side. I needed to allow myself more time. “I never agreed to sleep with you the night before the wedding. Would you not rather wait?”

“You’re as good as my wife already,” he snarled. “I gave you the dresses you requested. A cloak made with enough furs of animals to feed the entire Königreich. It is your turn to fulfill my request.”

“I won’t,” I replied, biting my bottom lip. “I . . . I simply ask for you to uphold the wedding tradition.” Even he, as king, understood the importance of a proper wedding night.

After a long moment, my father took another step and he lifted his finger. “You may have your traditions,” he growled. “But you will lie with me again tomorrow night, and you will give me a son.”

A rippling shudder ran down the length of my spine at the mere thought of such a thing.

“Do this, and you will finally make me proud,” he continued with a scoffing tone.

His words scorched me like a branding rod against my heart and pride. I wanted to push him away and run back to my chambers. My hatred for him was becoming unbearable.

He did not allow me a chance to say anything more. He turned on his heel and left me alone in the great hall. I closed my eyes at the sound of the door slamming behind him. I knew what I had to do to be free at last. I knew tonight would be my only chance. After a moment, I gathered myself and my courage and headed towards the same doors my father vanished through. I weaved through the halls until I reached my own chamber door. As I opened it, I found Myriah folding a selection of linens on my bed. As she turned, her eyes were full of anguish.

“Worry not, Aurelia. Tonight, it will all be over,” she whispered. Her hands reached out for mine as she pushed the hair away from my eyes.

I let out a small sigh and shook my head. “I fear, Myriah, that this will never be over. No matter how far I run.”

“Come,” she beckoned as she tugged me gently to my bed.

I sat down. She extended the fur cloak to me and I took it. Carefully wrapping the coat around me, I felt the sanctuary the animal hides provided. The warmth it offered was a caress of reassurance.

I knew at least I would be able to escape into the woods undetected with the cloak. The fur would be my salvation from the court’s stealthy hunting dogs. The hood of the coat was the top part of a wolf’s head, and hid the upper part of my face perfectly. With a little soot and dirt on my cheeks, I knew I would look like many of the other commoners.

“We should call you, Allerleirauh,” Myriah said as she came to stand in front of me.

“Allerleirauh?” I asked, tilting my chin as I lifted the hood over my head. It was a word that oddly rolled off the tip of my tongue.

“Yes,” Myriah continued. She tucked a few straying golden hairs back into the dark hood with special care. “It means ‘all kinds of fur’ in my mother’s dialect. I can recall as a child; many hunter’s wives were nicknamed Allerleirauh for their extravagant fur cloaks.”

“So, I shall become Allerleirauh,” I murmured as I stood and gazed at my reflection. I would become the girl of a thousand furs. This would be my new identity—my only chance at freedom.