AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lord Otter of the unclaimed Forests of Otterwald.”
Wiping his fatty hands on his golden trousers, he bowed. He didn’t even bother to look at my father but instead stared straight at me, grinning, a lusty shimmer in his piglike eyes. How could my father tolerate this?
“Your Highness, if I may remark, my peasants have often sworn to have seen the face of a beautiful angel roaming the forests of my vast lands. And before seeing your face tonight, I had not believed them. But, truly, angels do exist in the world.”
I pinched my lips.
Do it, Mina. There is no other way.
“Odd,” I said in an arrogant tone, “because I did not need to see your face to believe pigs existed throughout my kingdom.”
For a moment, it was dead silent in the room. Then the crowd broke out into loud laughter.
It was working.
My father turned to me in shock, then watched Lord Otter stumble away in a trancelike state.
“Short and thick is never quick,” I said as I watched him disappear into the crowd, who in response laughed louder.
“Mina!” my father growled at me. “Stop this at once.”
He signaled Wimfred to continue quickly. His rod banged loudly onto the floor, managing to calm the crowd.
“Lord Buschnick of the City of Towers, with a priceless diamond as a gift for the princess,” Wimfred announced. A tall, skinny man rushed forward and handed me a small, glittering stone. It was a diamond indeed, but by far the smallest in my collection. I frowned at Lord Buschnick. His face was as long as a horse’s.From pig to horse, I thought.
“Lord Buschnick,” I said quickly before he could speak. “Are the towers in your town as long as your face?”
The crowd erupted into cheerful laughter again.
“I...I don’t know, Your Highness.” Lord Buschnick bowed and removed himself.
“Long and thin has little in.” I forced out a fake laugh, joining the jolly mood of the crowd.
My father’s grip tightened around my arm as he leaned over. He was smiling, pretending as if he, too, was amused. But I knew better. He was raging on the inside.
“What has gotten into you? You are shaming us and every soul in this kingdom.”
I freed my arm from his grip with a quick jerk. Deep down, it hurt how much I embarrassed my father. It had for years, and it would only get worse at the side of a brutal Northern husband I hated with all my heart. And after years of loneliness and no love, there was lots of hate in my heart to give.
“But, Father, don’t you see how much our guests are enjoying themselves?”
I lifted a hand at Wimfred to signal him to stop. “No need to keep going, Wimfred.” Elegantly, I strode toward the line of families awaiting their introductions. “I shall take a closer look myself.”
“Your Highness, the protocol—” Wimfred protested, but I was already close to my next target, a young man whose skin was as white as snow.
“As pale as death” was all I said, passing by, not even looking at him for more than a few seconds. The crowd erupted into new laughter again, but this time, I was close enough to witness several people with serious faces—quiet disapproval.
But I didn’t care.
I scanned the line of waiting families as I passed them, each and every one looking away, hoping I would pass without making them a laughingstock. Despite their struggles, these were powerful families. Wars had been fought for less than my insults, but I knew that none of them would dare to make my father his enemy. Especially not in times like these.
I stopped next to a forty-something man, who was obviously drunk. He swayed slightly, and his chubby face was as red as fire.
“A tomato soaked in liquor,” I remarked loudly, then moved on before stopping in front of a man with lopsided ears and a crooked nose. He was leaning over in a lazy posture, most likely tired from his travels.
“Not straight enough. You look like a tree about to fall.”
The crowd erupted in another round of laughter. I smiled, pretending to enjoy myself. Then, out of the corner of my eye, a man stepped out of the crowd and into the middle of the room, only a few feet away from me. I had to turn to face him, my green silk dress swirling with my movements.
