A FAIRY TALE
"More wine!" The king pounded his heavy cup on the banquet table like a spoiled child. "And be quick about it!"
A serving girl filled the royal goblet and then dropped a shy curtsy at her lord and master. Before she could take her leave, his Royal Highness plunged a meaty paw into her cleavage and tore the girl's thin blouse down the middle.
"Your Majesty!" the girl screamed as her breasts spilled from the rent garment.
"Hah! I knew it," shouted the king. "Wondrous teats. Didn't I say this wench was hiding something from us? Hah!"
The room erupted with cheers and applause, as indeed it must whenever the monarch chooses to make a sally.
"Oh, don't make such a face, girl," the king said. "You have pleased us. And if you're good, someday you may have the honor of suckling my sons."
The maidservant burst into tears and fled the great hall to the accompaniment of more cheering and clapping from the sovereign's drunken guests.
The king's younger brother, Prince Harry, smiled broadly. Not at his brother's crude joke of course (the prince abhorred such boorish behavior) but a sighting of firm young dumplings always brought a smile to young Harry's lips.
"What say you, brother?" The king threw a strong arm around the prince's shoulders. "Would she not make a fine wet-nurse for future kings?"
"She would indeed, Sire. An excellent choice." Prince Harry leaned to his brother and lowered his voice to a murmur. "I say...Richard?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"There are two pairs of feet - peasant feet, if I'm any judge - at the bottom of that lumpy curtain on yon wall."
"Ah, you always had a sharp eye about you, little brother."
"I take it then they are not the feet of spies?"
"Spies? Ho!" The king slapped the prince's back with royal good humor. "Not spies, Harry...a surprise. But you must be patient."
"I await your pleasure, my liege."
Behind the "lumpy" curtain, Alice Bean squeezed the hand of her twin brother Alex. "Did you see what he did to that poor girl?" she hissed. "He's a beast!"
"Shhh, Alice. Do you want them to hear you?"
Alice shrugged and turned her eye back to the tiny tear that served as her window on the festivities. The great hall was filled with knights, noblemen, clergy and sycophants, a most raucous and rowdy crowd. Laughing and shouting, they swilled the king's wine and gorged themselves on his victuals. Scraps of goose, boar, quail and mutton littered the long tables and clung to greasy beards. The royal hounds scavenged the hall waiting for a tossed bone, a dropped piece of gristle. More meat passed the slathering lips of the dogs than Alice had seen in all her eighteen years. Her stomach growled in rebellion and Alex shushed her again.
Finally the revelers seemed to have had their fill. Loud belches echoed throughout the cavernous hall and even a bit of rhythmic snoring. Alice watched as a young man seated at the king's right hand, stood to address the room. He was handsome, with noble features and long, brown hair that fell softly to his broad shoulders. Unlike most of the other celebrants, he was clean shaven and tidy. He waved his hand for silence and as it was immediately granted, Alice knew he must be Prince Harry.
"Our lord and liege, King Richard has asked me to deliver a short announcement." The prince's voice sounded like a clarion and every ear turned to hear.
"His Majesty regrets an early end to tonight's festivities. The Queen is taken ill and as her health is of the utmost importance to His Royal Highness and to our sovereign nation, our Lordship must bid you all a good morrow so that he may watch over our Queen. King Richard is confidant his subjects will join him in prayer for the restoration of Her Majesty's good health. God save the king!"
A strident chorus of "God save the King" rippled the curtain and reverberated in the high rafters. The knights and noblemen and clergy and sycophants filed past the king's table. They bowed and swore their allegiance and vowed to prostrate themselves in prayer on the Queen's behalf.
When the last of the king's guests departed, King Richard called to his steward. "Fetch them at once."
The steward swept aside the torn curtain, dragged Alice and Alex out into the great hall and pushed them to their knees before the monarch and his brother. "Leave us," the king instructed the steward. "Arise and face your betters," he commanded the young couple.
"Twins!" Prince Harry exclaimed. "How delightful."
"Do you like them, Harry? Perhaps you'd prefer blondes?"
"Oh no, your Majesty," said the prince. "They're perfect. Look how her dark eyes shine like obsidian. And the hair...so thick and lovely."
"She seems quite eager, too," said the king, pointing out the nipples that jutted against Alice's shapeless dress.
"It's cold in here, Sire," Alice snapped, crossing her arms over her ample bosom.
"Such spirit," said the prince. "Wherever did you get them?"
"The Archbishop gave them to me," the king answered. "Said he found them wandering the roads. All but starving, the poor things."
"And what will you do with them, dear brother?"
"The usual, I suppose. Her for you and him for me."
"Oh, Dicky, you spoil me so!"
The steward returned to trundle Alex off in one direction while a burly woman with a whiskery mole dragged Alice in another. The girl was given ten minutes to eat, strip, wash and cloak her young body with an elegant dressing gown before being pushed into Prince Harry's bedchamber. Awestruck, she peered about a room larger than the finest house in her small village. Ornate tapestries adorned the walls and the prince's quarters were ablaze with the flickering light of torches and candles.
"Oh my," said Alice.
"Indeed," said the prince. "Come near, my beauty."
Alice crossed to the gigantic bed where the prince in his nightshirt sat dangling his bare feet. "My lord," she said humbly.
"I'm told you're called Alice."
"Yes, my lord."
"You tremble, child. Do you fear me?"
"No, my lord," said Alice. "I fear for my brother."
"Your brother is in good hands, Alice."
"My brother is with the king"
"I see."
"Alex...my twin is gentle and sweet."
"And the king is not?" Harry leapt to his feet. "Speak freely, child. No harm will come to you."
Despite the prince's benign smile, Alice hesitated. "His Majesty," she said, "is...well, he's...I mean he's..."
"Crude?"
"Well..."
"A brute?"
"Please sir..."
"A swinish boor?"