Josephine the Princess

Once upon a time there lived a king. The king had a daughter and they called her Josie. The king loved her. The girl grew up and when she was sixteen the king decided to marry her to a man who would be brave and strong. So he sent a messenger to his friend, the king of the neighbouring country. That king had three sons.

All three princes were handsome lads with bright minds.

Now they were sitting at a large table that was overflowing with exotic fruit, meat, bread and wine. The king sat at the front and his daughter by his right side. The king stood up. The dining hall grew silent.

„I have only one daughter,“ he said. „And there are three of you.“ The king paused and then he went on: „ I know that you all are brave in your hearts. I know that your arms are strong and your minds are bright. But I must choose only one of you, my dear young friends.“

Josie looked up at the eldest brother who sat at the other end of the table. Their eyes met.

It felt like a flesh running through her body. And he felt the same. Something strange happened at that moment between them two. An invisible thread bound them. And they knew it.

„ You will fight to win my daughter,“ the king said. „Tomorrow there is going to be the first fight. And the day after tomorrow will tell us who will be the king of this country.“

Josie knew too well whom she wants to be the one.

On the next day the first fight took place.  The youngest brother Jeremiah gave in to his older brother Kenneth. The eldest brother Patrick watched the fight from a balcony. When Josie looked at him she saw a tensed expression on his face. He was pale. His throat was dry.

Patrick noticed that the princess was looking at him and tried to look at ease. But deep in side he was scared.

What will tomorrow bring?

The princess could not fall asleep in the evening. The picture of Patrick’s face kept coming back to her. What was it that she saw on his face? Was Patrick ill? Perhaps he doesn’t feel well. Shouldn’t she help him? Ask him how he is? Bring him tea and some medicine?

Oh yes. Josie jumped out of bed and dressed. She didn’t bother with her hair and let it loose around her shoulders. She went down to the kitchen, put a kettle of warm tea on a tray and hurried upstairs. She almost bumped into Kenneth, the middle brother.

„I am sorry,“ he said. „Will you let me carry your tray to your room, dear princess?“ Kenneth asked when he saw the kettle with tea.

„Oh no,“ shook Josie her head. „It’s not for me. It’s for your brother Patrick. He is ill.“

„Is he?“ Kenneth raised his eyebrows in surprise, „I didn’t know that. What illness did he catch?“

„I don’t know,“ said Josie, „I only know that he was white as paper in the afternoon. I think he might be ill. I want to ask how he is.“

Kenneth started to laugh.

„Why are you laughing?“ Josie asked.

„It is no illness, dear princess,“ Kenneth answered. „It’s just fear.“

„Fear?“ Josie didn’t understand.

„Oh yes,“ Kenneth nodded. „Patrick is afraid. Patrick is afraid to fight.“

„I don’t believe you,“ said Josie. That can’t be true.

„He never fights.“ continued the prince. „He gets cramps in his hands when he touches the sword. His teeth clutter when he faces his rival. He becomes blind when he tries to fight. And he always blacks out when he sees blood.“

„I don’t believe you,“ Josie repeated. „I am sure that he will win.“

Kenneth looked in her eyes and what he saw didn’t make him happy. He examined her gentle face and slender body. Yes, he liked her. And he wanted her to be his wife. I must win, he thought, and I surely will. Kenneth smiled at the princess.

„Believe me or not that’s the naked truth. Wait until tomorrow, Josie. You will be my wife.“

Josie didn’t answer. How dare he call her Josie?

„Will you let me through?“ she asked in a reserved tone.

„Of course,“ the prince stepped aside and let her pass. She didn’t turn her head. She went straight to Patrick’s room.

Patrick was sitting on the bed, his head in his hands. His armour, helmet and his sword were at his feet.

„Come in.,“ he said when he heard the knock on the door. He rose to his feet quickly when he saw that it was Josie who was entering his room.

„I am bringing you some tea,“ said Josie.

Patrick didn’t know what to answer. A princess is bringing him tea. The castle is full of servants.

„Thank you,“ he said.

They stood there for a while in the middle of the room. Josie with a tray in her hands, Patrick with pain in the heart.

Josie was the first to move. She put the tray on a table and turned back to Patrick.

And suddenly she knew that Kenneth had told her the truth. Patrick was afraid. Patrick was scared to death. And desperate. Because he loved her but wasn’t able to fight for her.

„You must win,“ said Josie.

He didn’t say anything.

Josie hesitated for a moment but then opened the door and left.

Tears were coming down his cheeks. He looked out of the window and felt that he has to leave this place, run away and never come back, never see her face again.

He felt a terrible tension in his chest, he could hardly breathe, he had to go out…. Patrick left everything he had where it was and hurried down the stairs and out of the palace. He found his horse in the king’s stables and left the king’s grounds. Nobody saw him. Only the princess looked out of the window just to see a rider disappearing in a forest.

Next day the king and his court gathered to watch the final fight between prince Kenneth and prince Patrick. The rivals were already in the ring; both dressed in heavy armour and helmets that completely covered their faces.

„Where is my daughter?“ asked the king.

„She said that she was not in the mood to watch violent fights,“ answered the princess’s maid, „She is tired and she went to bed.“

The king shook his head. „Doesn’t she want to know who she will be married to?“ But when the fight began he forgot about his daughter and watched how the brothers struggle for victory. Both had a good training, it could be seen and it was hard to say who was better. Once fortune was on Kenneth’s side, once on the side of prince Patrick. It was a long fight and both rivals had even chances. Then at last Kenneth fell down with Patrick’s sword on his neck. The king went down to the arena and raised the winner’s arm. „Patrick is the winner. „The king proclaimed, „He is your future king and the bridegroom of my daughter Josie.“

Kenneth rose to his feet and took off his helmet. He came up to his brother and shook his hand.

„It’s time you put your helmet down, brother,“ said Kenneth.

But his rival was there no more.

Kenneth and Jeremiah have just arrived home.

„Where is Patrick“ is the first they ask their mother.

„He is in his room,“ told them their mother, „He wants to be alone. He doesn’t want to see anybody.“

„But I have to talk to him.“ said Kenneth.

Patrick was standing with his back to the door, looking through the window.

He turned around when his brother came in.

„So you won.“ Patrick said.

„No, I didn’t.“ said Kenneth.

„And who did?“ Patrick was surprised.

„You did.“ answered his brother.

There was a long silence.

„Me?“ asked Patrick. „Me?“ he repeated once more.“ But I wasn’t there. I didn’t fight!“

„Goddammit I know you didn’t,“ said Kenneth angrily, „I knew that it wasn’t you at the moment my rival raised his sword. He was so confident, so courageous! And he was well trained.“

„Who was that?“ wanted Patrick to know.

„I don’t know.“ shrugged Kenneth his shoulders. „It’s a mystery. Maybe a magic knight came from the heaven to win you Josie.“

Somebody knocked on the door. A servant came in.

„A woman is waiting at the palace gate and wants to be let in. She wants to speak to prince Patrick,“ the servant informed.

„A woman?“ both brothers were confused. „Let her in.“

The servant brought a woman in a black cloak and a black veil over her face. She knelt down at prince Patrick’s feet.

„What do you want, woman?“ he asked.

„Her majesty, princess Josie asks you to come over to her palace and claim her hand, dear prince,“ said the woman in a quiet voice.

„I am not the winner,“ answered Patrick. „Go back to your princess and tell her that I can’t marry her.“

„Why not?“ asked the woman.

„She must marry the one who won the fight.“ Patrick sighed.

„And what if it is not possible?“ asked the woman.

The woman in black leapt up to her feet and uncovered her veil.

„Because I am the winner.“ she said and the brothers saw it was princess Josie.

Patrick lost his speech.

Kenneth watched the princess with a smile on his face. Now he knew who his rival had been.

„My admiration, princess.“ he said and kissed her hand. Then he left the room.

„I love you,“ said Josie to Patrick.

„I love you too,“ said Patrick, „but how could you marry such a coward?“

Josie came closer to him and hugged his cheek. „We love each other“ she whispered, „And nothing else matters more.“

Patrick  hesitantly put his arms around the princess and closed his eyes. He felt the tension leaving his chest and his heart was beating fast.

„Nothing matters more.“ he whispered to her ear.

And that ś the end of the story. They had a great wedding that took place for thirty days and thirty nights. And they lived happily to the end of their lives.