A Princess Prays (2 page)

Attila stiffened as she heard her father reply slowly,

“I cannot remember him at all. But I thought I had heard something about him which was not particularly to his advantage.”

Queen Margit gave an affected little laugh.

“I think you must have been reading some of the salacious news they write in the newspapers, or listening to one of your more tiresome courtiers who always has something unpleasant to say about anyone of importance.”

“I am certain I have heard something about Prince Otto,” the King murmured frowning.

Attila knew exactly what her father was trying to remember.

There had been a scandal last year.

It had been whispered amongst the Royal families that Prince Otto had seduced a young woman. She lived in an adjacent country and she was, Attila heard, attempting to sue him for refusing to marry her.

It was said she had many letters in her possession from the Prince which were very incriminating.

For weeks there had been a great deal of gossip and then the woman in question was paid a very large sum of money to disappear and no one was at all certain where she went.

Even apart from this allegation, Prince Otto was talked of as a womaniser.

Attila could remember one of her mother's friends saying she had no intention of entertaining him or allowing him to meet her daughters.

She could hardly believe that her stepmother was now actually encouraging him on her behalf.

As if the King was thinking the same he asked,

“Why would you think Prince Otto is interested in Attila? I cannot remember him coming here?”

“Apparently he was not invited,” the Queen replied sharply. “I met him the other night when I dined with the Grand Duke. His Royal Highness told me that he was longing to meet Attila as apparently he has heard so much of her beauty and her charm.”

She paused then continued impressively,

“As he will eventually reign in Dedregen when his father dies, I was sensible enough to invite him here. After all it will be an excellent marriage for Attila.”

“There is no hurry,” replied the King firmly. “As I have no son I want my people, when I die, to accept her as the Queen.”

There was a pause and then Queen Margit said,

“You are not going to die, dearest Sigismund, for many, many years. So I think Attila would be far happier married than having to cope with all the difficulties and problems that you find so tiring.

“But you know, my dearest, I will help you in every way I can. You must tell the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet to consult me, which they refuse to do at the moment.”

Attila drew in her breath as she knew now exactly what her stepmother was trying to do.

Her father, when they had been alone, had told her that as he had no son, she would have to take his place.

It would not be unusual for Valdina to be ruled by a Queen.

Fifty years ago there had been a very distinguished female ancestor, who had not only reigned superbly over the country but had fought endless battles against Moravia and won.

Attila understood exactly what her father wanted from her.

She had recognised early on why she had been given such an extensive education, which was certainly unusual where women were concerned.

Her father and mother had insisted on Attila being taught by tutors in all the main subjects, including mathematics and Latin. She knew that she had received the same education as a privileged boy by the time she left the schoolroom and was grateful for it.

Her father had married again because he was lonely and he missed her mother almost unbearably.

Attila sadly realised that from the very moment her stepmother had arrived at the Palace she was jealous of her new stepdaughter.

Queen Margit was, in reality, a pushy woman who wanted to lord it over everyone she met – most especially over her stepdaughter.

Attila had suspected all along that what she really wanted was to become the Ruler of Valdina if the King, who was far older than she was, should die.

She was therefore contriving to be rid of Attila to leave the path clear for herself. Everyone knew that if she married a reigning Prince, there would be no question of her reigning over Valdina.

She had by now been living with her stepmother for more than three years and realised that she was tenacious and determined in every particular to get her own way.

Attila also recognised that if Prince Otto proposed, the Queen would do everything in her power to force her into accepting him.

It did not surprise her that her father did not seem to know all the unsavoury stories about Prince Otto.

The King was never interested in gossip and when the Palace women started whispering amongst themselves, he always retired to his own room, as he had no wish to be bored by them.

However, it would have been impossible for her not to hear the gossip and she was well aware that Prince Otto was considered a very unpleasant character.

There was even secret gossip about him, which was considered too improper for her young ears.

‘What am I to do?' Attila asked herself frantically.

Then she heard the Queen say,

“I am going to leave you now, dearest Sigismund, because you must rest. Do not worry because I can assure you I have Attila's future very much at heart. Dedregen is a most attractive country and rather larger than ours.”

She must have risen to her feet as she was speaking for now Attila could hear her footsteps on the stone floor.

Softly so that her stepmother would not see her, she opened another door and slipped into a small side room as her stepmother passed and continued on down the passage.

She waited until she was out of sight and then she went into her father's room.

She walked to the bed, bent down and kissed him.

“How are you feeling, Papa?” she asked him. “I do hope you are well enough to eat these wild strawberries I have brought for you. I know you like them better than the ones that grow in the garden.”

“Strawberries!” exclaimed the King. “That means summer is here and we must enjoy every minute of it.”

“I think we deserve it after that very hard winter,” Attila agreed.

She sat down beside the bed.

“I have a distinct feeling, Papa,” she began softly, “that Stepmama has been talking to you about my being married. I have no wish to marry anyone and I am very happy here with you.”

“Which is just where I want you to be, my darling. At the same time your stepmother is insistent that you look round at the eligible young men and she seems to have one particularly in mind – ”

“I think that you must be referring to Prince Otto of Dredregen and I can tell you now, dear Papa, he has a very unpleasant reputation. I know Mama would not approve of him coming here to the Palace, let alone wishing to marry me!”

She spoke so vehemently that the King reached out and patted her hand.

“Now, now, my dearest. We know nothing at all about this young man. He may be very desirable and your stepmother feels quite rightly that you should have a home of your own.”

“I cannot see anything right about it,” she asserted, “and there is no real reason for me to hurry into marriage.”

“No, no of course not,” agreed the King. “At the same time I married your darling mother the day before her eighteenth birthday. It was undoubtedly the best and most wonderful thing that could possibly have ever happened to me.”

There was anguish in her father's voice, which was what Attila always heard when he spoke about her mother.

“Mama knew you were so happy, because she told me you both fell in love the moment you met one another.”

The King nodded.

“That is so very true. When I first saw your mother, I thought I was meeting an angel from Heaven and that is exactly what she was when she married me.”

“Mama told me how handsome and charming you were. So you will understand, Papa, that I want to fall in love in the same way and not be pushed off on some Prince who in Stepmama's eyes is of great dynastic importance.”

There was silence for a moment then the King said,

“I have not told you, Attila, because I did not want to upset you, but the doctors who examined me two days ago are very worried about my condition.”

“Oh no, Papa! What is wrong? I thought you were just tired.”

“If I am to be truthful,” he replied, “I have to face the fact that I will not live for very long. I have a disease, my dearest, for which there is no known cure. Although I may live for several years, it will not be longer than that.”

“
Papa
!”

Atilla gave a loud cry of horror as she bent forward to put her arms around her father's neck.

“Oh, Papa, how could this happen to you?”

“I am afraid it happens to a large number of people and the doctors are not as clever as they pretend to be.”

“But surely there must be somewhere we can go? Perhaps Germany or Spain?”

The King shook his head.

“The doctors say it would be quite useless and the journey would only make me worse.”

There were tears in Attila's eyes as she pleaded,

“I cannot lose you too, Papa. When I lost Mama I thought it was the end of the world, but if I lose you too – ”

Her voice broke and she could not say any more.

The King pulled her close to him.

“I know what you are feeling, my precious, and I am only so grateful that your mother is not here, because it would upset her so much.”

Attila was fighting hard against tears and could not speak as her father continued,

“I always wanted you to reign in my place when I died, but I think you will be too young. Therefore perhaps it would be for the best, as your stepmother suggests, if you make a life for yourself somewhere else.”

He gave a deep sigh.

“Being a Ruler brings a great number of problems and difficulties with it, which I feel would be too much for a woman. Therefore, my darling daughter, please consider what your stepmother has proposed.”

As the King finished speaking, he closed his eyes.

Although he did not say so, Attila was aware he did not wish to discuss the matter further.

She kissed her father before walking to the window wiping away her tears.

She stood staring at the garden bathed in sunshine.

With the spring flowers in bloom and the trees in blossom it looked very lovely.

‘How is it possible,' Attila asked herself, ‘with so much loveliness around me that there should be the pain and horror of what my dear Papa has told me?'

How could she let him go?

Her whole life was centred on him, even though life had never been the same since her mother died.

She stood at the window for some minutes and then she became aware that her father had fallen asleep.

Very softly she tip-toed from the room, leaving the strawberries she had brought him beside his bed.

Outside Attila saw one of the
aides-de-camp
.

He was a gentleman she had never much cared for, as she believed he sucked up to her stepmother, flattering her and paying her fulsome compliments.

Attila was certain in her heart that he did not really mean them.

He had observed Attila emerging from the King's bedroom and now bowing subserviently, he said,

“I was looking for Your Royal Highness.”

“Why?”

“Her Majesty the Queen has asked me to find you as she wishes you to join her in the blue drawing room.”

Attila felt no desire to talk with her stepmother and yet she knew it would be rude if she refused to do what the
aide-de-camp
requested.

She therefore slowly descended the stairs.

The blue drawing room was only used by the Royal family when they were not entertaining. The many grand State rooms in the middle of the Palace were too large and overpowering to be comfortable when they were alone.

Queen Margit was sitting at her writing table near the window and when Attila entered the room, she looked up and rose to her feet.

“Oh, there you are, Attila. They have been a long time in finding you. Where have you been?”

“I was with Papa.”

She saw her stepmother purse her lips together as if she was annoyed.

Then she sat down on the sofa.

“I want to talk to you.”

“What about?” enquired Attila. “I was just going to the stables.”

“The horses can wait. I want to talk to you about yourself.”

Attila sensed she knew what was coming.

“I think that is a very dull subject! I want to talk about Papa. I am extremely upset at learning that he is not well.”

To her surprise her stepmother gave what sounded like a laugh, a very artificial one at that.

“You must not believe all your father tells you. He has it in his head that he will not get better. The doctors tell me it is just part of his imagination. After all he is still a young man and I think it extremely unlikely that there is anything seriously wrong with him.”

Attila stared at her stepmother in astonishment.

After what her father had told her it was impossible to believe that she was telling the truth.

“What I am now determined is that as your father is a little distressed at the moment, he will not be made worse by anyone upsetting him.”

She paused a moment before continuing,

“If there is any likelihood of him not getting better, I am sure he would be most worried about your future. To be quite frank, Attila, I think it would be best for you to marry and have a family of your own.”

There was silence for a moment then Attila replied,

“If Papa is seriously ill as he believes, he would, I know, want me to rule over Valdina as Queen Dorottya did so successfully.”

The Queen gave the scornful laugh.

“You really think that you could be as successful as Queen Dorottya? My dear child you do flatter yourself! Your great-great-grandmother was an exception to every rule. It is a great mistake, I assure you, for women to try to rule a country
–
they are seldom successful.”