The False Bride

This came of reading the colour fairy stories too much


Long, Long ago there lived a King, who was twice married. His first wife, a good and beautiful woman, died at birth of her Loran.

In the years that passed time wiped the grief from the King\'s heart and he married again. His second wife was beautiful in face but her heart was as cold as the ice of the north.

Now the land was made of thirteen kingdoms. All had been in a great war for many years but as the prince came of age peace came to the lands. Now the largest of all the kingdoms was to hold a series of majestic balls at which the prince of that land would pick his queen. Now ten of the eleven kingdoms had a daughter to send but the King had only two sons, one was Loran and the other the son of his new Queen.

The Queen greatly wished for her son to be King and so devised a means too be rid of her stepson. As the ball came closer and the princesses were to be sent to the kingdom, the Queen eager to be rid of Loran, spoke to the King with kind and loving words for a time but her words soon turned to his son. \"My King, we have no daughter to send, but your son could pass for a daughter for his he not light and slender as a maid?\" The King agreed with this but refused to send Loran.

Twice more the Queen spoke these words and at the third time the King did answer. \"Yes, I\'ll shall send my son though a false bride he shall make.\" At this the Queen smiled and so Loran was sent.

Loran awaited the first ball with great trepidation. He looked at the maiden in the looking glass. \"Thou art a lovely but false maid.\" He spoke to his reflection. A knock came at the door. \"M\'lady the ball is starting.\"

As Princess Loran entered there was immediately a profound silence, they left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was everyone to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown newcomer. Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of:
\"How handsome she is! How handsome she is!\"
The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, and telling the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature grace the palace.
All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and headdress, that they might have some made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine material and as able hands to make them.
The King\'s son conducted her to the most honourable seat, and afterward took her out to dance with him; she danced so very gracefully that they all more and more admired her. A fine collation was served up, whereof the young prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he busied in gazing on her.
The King\'s son was so enamoured of Loran that he devised a means of speaking with her alone in the garden.

Loran delighted the King\'s son as they spoke in the garden. In the tree a songbird sang

\'Prince, oh Prince, the fair maid is foul
Prince, oh Prince, this bride is false\'

But the song went unheard from the joyous laugher of the couple.

At the next ball, again the King\'s son took Loran to the garden and again the bird sung but the song went unheard as before.

At the last ball, Loran seemed sad to the King\'s son, she spoke little but he was content to gaze at her beauty. Again the songbird sang

\'Prince, oh Prince, the fair maid is foul
Prince, oh Prince, this bride is false\'

At this the King\'s son eye\'s did widen. \"Loran say that the bird sings an untrue song.\" But Loran simply looked downcast. \"Prince, I am indeed a false maid. The only son of my mother but my step-mother sent me as your false bride certain of my death at the hands of your court.\"
\"Loran I would have wed you for cert if thou were a maid.\"
\"Aye but a man I am and as such I expect only death.\"
\"Nay, Loran you have been much betrayed by those who should love you well.\" They did speak in low tones for a time finding a suitable way of bringing the betrayer to the court.

In the kingdom that beget Loran, the King and Queen received an invitation to the wedding of the King\'s son and they soon sent word that they would arrive within a few days.

The King and Queen were most astonished to see a princely looking Loran sat at the side of the King\'s son. \"Welcome to my court, King and Queen.\" As they sat, the prince looked most puzzled.
\"What vexes thee so Prince?\" Loran asked.
\"Ah, it is most sorrowful, I must punish a betrayer.\" At this the Queen did voice her opinion on the matter. \"Prince, I would make a box of wood, put that person who did betray you within and then nail it tightly closed and thus imprisoned I would then order many fine blades to be driven into it until the blood runs freely.\" At this the King\'s son did stand and summoned the guards to take her. \"Unnatural woman, you have spoken your own fate!\"

And so the Queen was put to death and Loran married a princess of the court. The King\'s son did wed also and made Loran his most trusted advisor. They did live happily and wisely for all of their lives.