it shall be!” bellowed the king. “You have one week.”
A cheer rang up in the room, for no attempt had been received so well thus far. The remainder of the night was filled with jolly celebration as hope sprung anew; until the next morning, when somber reality returned in the shape of twelve pairs of shoes worn clear through.
PRINCESS ATTENTIA
PRINCESS ATTENTIA WOKE UP THE MORNING AFTER THE GREAT FEAST FILLED with excitement. She was the only one of her sisters who had fully recognized the validity of the wizardess’s claims. She knew it was true; for she could recall in vivid detail the dreams where she and her sisters gathered together in their father’s castle each night, dancing away the hours. She also knew that she was not nearly as happy now as she had been in her childhood home. What surprised her was to learn that her sisters suffered similarly. They had all seemed, to her, so content and settled in their married life. No doubt she, too, appeared to be the same.
She was certain the wizardess could help. The fact that Harmonia Brist had identified the problem of the worn shoes gave her cause to hope. How wonderful it would be if she could become as joyful and content with her husband as she had been with her father and her sisters.
Princess Attentia put on her prettiest dress and sat down at her dressing table to style her hair. As she did so she thought about the wizardess. How beautiful she was! And oh, how Princess Attentia admired her. She wished that she were more like her.
Just then her husband’s head popped out from under the blankets. “What are you doing up so early?” he asked.
“I want everything to be perfect for the wizardess when she gets here,” she told him. “And you, too, should get up and make yourself ready.”
“Isn’t it a bit early?” he asked her sleepily.
“I don’t know when she will arrive, but I’m sure she’ll come here first since we are the closest to the castle.” With one last adjustment to her hair she approached the bed and sat close to where her husband lay. “I do so want her to like us.”
“How could she not?” he asked, reaching out to grab hold of her and draw her closer to him.
She smiled but pulled herself gently out of his grasp before he could rumple her dress. “I just want to be sure,” she replied.
He looked at her speculatively for a moment. “You seemed genuinely moved by her theories last night,” he remarked. “Are you unhappy, Attentia?”
“Of course not,” she replied automatically. She looked at her husband and was instantly charmed by his appearance. His face had a childlike quality while it was still flushed from sleep that clashed delightfully with the masculine stubble on his chin. His gentle gaze and husky morning voice captivated her. She loved him so much. Shouldn’t that make everything right? It seemed that it did not. She knew that he loved her, too, and that he wanted to please her. And yet there were times…
The door chimed just then, causing the princess to jump. “I knew it!” she exclaimed, running from the room.
Harmonia breezed in, looking exuberant and self-assured. She wore lovely bright colors that complemented her golden hair streaked with gray. She had a young, watchful expression, as her eyes took in everything around her. She carried with her a doctor’s bag of sorts, quite large and stuffed to overflowing. Princess Attentia wondered what was inside.
Princess Attentia apologized profusely for not having any refreshments prepared as she led the wizardess into their kitchen and immediately set about the task of making coffee.
“I have breakfasted already,” the wizardess told her, sitting down at the kitchen table. “What I would really like is for you to sit here next to me.”
The princess dropped what she was doing and sat down immediately.
Harmonia smiled at the girl’s eagerness to please. “Where is your husband?”
“Oh, he will be down in a moment. He didn’t expect you so early.”
There was silence a moment as the women looked at each other.
“Are you going to give us some kind of test?” the princess asked nervously.
“No, not really,” replied the wizardess. “Usually I can identify the difficulty by observing symptoms in people. Sometimes I have to ask questions. But once I know where the problem lies I can often produce the appropriate remedy.”
“So you’re like a doctor.”
“A bit,” agreed the wizardess. “Except that instead of medicine I use a lot of intuition and a little magic.”
“I hope that doesn’t mean there’s any chance of me being turned into a frog,” said the prince from the doorway, looking perfectly turned out as he joined them.
Princess Attentia laughed cheerfully as she looked her husband over with appreciation. He gave her a wink. The wizardess was charmed by the pair. But where was the problem? Was the princess simply unknowledgeable in matters of sharing pleasure with her husband? Or was there something else? She watched them carefully.
“You both seem very much in love,” she observed.
“Oh, we are,” the princess insisted earnestly. Indeed it is so, thought the wizardess.
“And you no doubt find each other very attractive,” she continued.
“Oh, immensely so,” said the princess.
“Perhaps too much so,” agreed the prince.
The wizardess stared at the prince for a moment. “Well!” she exclaimed at last with a look of satisfaction. “I have something here that will be of great benefit to you both.” She set her overstuffed bag on the table and began to shuffle through it determinedly.
“Have you detected our problem so quickly?” asked the princess.
“Oh, it is not so much of a problem at all,” the wizardess assured her. “You will by no means have difficulty in overcoming it. Ah. Here it is.” And she pulled from her bag a most extraordinary leather contraption.
“What is that?” asked the princess.
“It looks like some kind of a…surely it couldn’t be…” The prince stumbled over his words in stunned mortification. “A…chastity belt?”
“It is worn like a chastity belt,” admitted the wizardess. “But it does not serve the same purpose. This belt is charmed, as you will soon find out. The inscription on the leather will tell you all you need to know.” The wizardess set the belt on the table and stood up. “Wear it whenever your husband is nearby Princess Attentia, and all will be well. It is lightweight and as soft as skin, so it shouldn’t trouble you overmuch.”
“I don’t know…” said the princess doubtfully. She looked at her husband, who was still staring at the device in horror.
“The king has decreed that my instructions are to be followed to the letter,” Harmonia reminded them.
“Well…I suppose it couldn’t hurt to try it,” consented the princess. Her husband remained speechless.
“I must go now,” said the wizardess. “I have the rest of your sisters to visit. Goodbye.”
As the princess escorted the wizardess out, the prince picked up the mysterious belt from the table. It was indeed as soft as skin. He examined it closely.
“How does it work?” asked Princess Attentia, rushing back into the kitchen after having led the wizardess out as quickly as she could manage without being rude.
The prince squinted as he examined the inscription. “It says, ‘There is no key. The belt will open of its own accord at the opportune time.’” He looked up at his wife. “What do you suppose that means?”
“I