lowered her eyes again and took a deep breath.
– Well, I’m not equal to you, I’m a commoner.
The prince was hopeful and again happily grabbed her hand:
– What you? You are more valuable to me than any princess. Yes, I can’t live without you! – exclaimed in the hearts. – Say yes!
– Yes, – she breathed out, barely audible, and clung to his chest.
He gently hugged her at that moment, the king appeared from behind the trees. The girl saw him, got scared and jumped back:
– Oh, – she held out her hand. – There is a merchant coming. Yesterday he wooed me for his nephew.
The prince stood with his back to the forest, turned around and smiled when he saw his father, and then frowned:
So this is my father? Daddy, I’m asking for an explanation. To what kind of nephew were you going to give my fiancee?
Papa slowly approached, giggling guiltily and shrugging his shoulders:
– He-he, well, you know, son, I should have checked your chosen one. Is she worthy of you, is she not greedy for gold. What if for her clothes and jewelry are more valuable than you?
Here the girl pouted her lips. And the king continued:
– And now I see that you deserve each other.
The couple immediately cheered up and exhaled easily. The prince grabbed the bride’s hand, approaching his father, and both knelt down. The son asked his father:
– Bless us, father.
The King touched their foreheads with a satisfied smile and said:
– I bless you, my children, for a long and happy life together.
Her parents arrived from the market. She kindly greeted them, laid a tablecloth on the table for them all. The king and the prince were delighted and immediately wooed the girl, saying that she would marry him. Parents and daughter agreed to have a wedding in the palace. And the king nevertheless decided to tell his wife that he had decided to marry his son to a village girl. And upon returning to the palace, he went straight to her.
– How?! – furrowing her brows and pursing her lips, the queen murmured: – Well, I already found a bride for him, it doesn’t happen more beautifully, just look. Royal bloodlines. Why do we need a rustic? Here, look, her portrait. Check out what a beauty!
The king looked and thought:
– God, it doesn’t get any worse. Does my son deserve better? – and said aloud: – Do not worry, my love. This village girl will not be more beautiful than you anyway. You should only see her: neither your grace, nor sophistication. She doesn’t even know how to wear royal outfits. Where does she reach for you? That’s why I chose the country one, so as not to overshadow you.
– Yes?! – her face smoothed out, she raised her head high and said with mock pride: – You’re right, dear, there is some truth in this.
Her cutesy manner seemed to make her head and shoulders taller. And the king embraced his wife, kissed her on the forehead, that the woman blossomed.
At the imminent wedding, the queen was sitting on the throne, she was surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, preening her, bringing a mirror to check if any curl had fallen. The ceremony was already in full swing, the feast was a mountain, the music was playing. A sea of distinguished guests gathered. The queen did not even look in the direction of her daughter-in-law – she did not care what kind of ugly girl was brought to the palace. She just admired herself in the mirror, saying:
– What a beauty I am, you can’t find such a beauty in the whole wide world, – and as if in time with her speeches, she heard the whisper of the crowd: – Oh, what a beauty!
The queen turned up her nose: yes, I am! But then she heard a continuation of the speech:
– What a lovely couple. What a beautiful bride, and you can’t say that she’s not a princess.
– Bride?! What bride? – the queen raised an eyebrow in surprise and turned towards the newlyweds and, seeing her daughter-in-law, was stunned: an unwritten beauty stood next to her son.
– Who is it? Who dragged her? Changed! Was there a villager there? – and with her eyes she began to look for her husband, expecting an explanation from him. Not finding him nearby, she turned to the maid of honor, deciding that she was mistaken: – And how exquisite she is in a wedding dress. And a diamond necklace suits her. I have never seen such a princess?
Involuntarily admiring her, she forgot. The maid of honor just batted her eyelashes stupidly, not daring to comment on anything. And then the queen started up, as if waking up from a dream:
– So this is that redneck? – If that doesn’t happen, I’ll think of something! Only I alone will be the most beautiful in this kingdom. I’ll take it out, and I’ll find another for my son, – she threw the mirror on the floor with anger, jumped up. And convulsively fanning her face, she passed through the crowd, nervously pushing the courtiers aside. – My feet won’t be here, – she hissed angrily under her breath, rushing to her chambers.
The bride and groom were so intoxicated with love and did not take their eyes off each other that they did not notice the absence of the queen. Everyone was dancing, lightly circling around the hall. The hall was full of colorful outfits. The king noticed how his wife quickly left the guests, and, apologizing to noble persons, followed her.
– What happened, dear, why did you leave the ceremony? Let’s go, everyone is waiting for us.
– I’m not going anywhere, go alone. I got a headache.
– Are you sure you weren’t offended by anything? – He gently lifted her chin and slyly looked into her eyes.
– No, really, just a headache from the noise. I’ll be back later, don’t leave the guests, – she was cunning, pretending to be tired.
– Well, dear, take care of yourself, rest, – and, kissing his wife on the cheek, he left.
Left alone, the queen began biting her lips as she concocted a plan to get rid of her daughter-in-law.
– Oh, – how indignant the queen was, she was crying, twitching her upper lip and biting closer: – how can I exterminate my daughter-in-law?
The girl’s parents went home after the feast, and the prince and his wife were so happy and loved each other that they did not part for a minute. Even a short separation caused them pain. But the main affairs of the father pushed love into the background.
One day, the prince and the king went on business to a neighboring state to sign peace agreements. They were gone for a week. The Queen, seizing the moment, rubbed her hands and said smugly, smiling:
– Now is the right time, I should not miss this chance.
She called the servants and ordered to secretly steal the daughter-in-law from her chambers at night, so that no one would see and take her to an abandoned castle, which was located far beyond the forest in the swamp. And imprison her there like a prison. Together with the servant girl, she sent a chest of jewelry there, sarcastically remarking that it was not appropriate for a noble lady to look bad there:
– A lady must be a lady even in a swamp. And this lady only belongs there, next to the frogs and mosquitoes.
She ordered everyone to be silent, otherwise they would lose their lives. Here, from fear for their lives, the servants involved in this were silent.
In the morning the whole palace was raised to its feet: the daughter-in-law