The Rat Prince (20 page)
Authors: Bridget Hodder
“Kneel, both of you,” Lord Brimfield said in a deep and carrying tone. “And be granted the crown of the kingdom.”
Ashiira halted him a moment, and called Lord Hamp forward. “A crown is required also for the queen,” she said. From a shower of light, a beautiful sapphire circlet glimmered into being before the astonished councillor. He reached up to pluck it from the air somewhat gingerly, as if afraid it might burn him.
Then together, Char and I each dropped down on one knee, and with ancient and sacred words, Lord Hamp and Lord Brimfield bestowed the throne of Angland upon us. I felt the weight of the crown settle gently upon my head.
Lord Hamp said, in throbbing tones, “Arise, King Charming and Queen Rose.”
I felt Char's hand clasp mine.
The peopleâmy people, and Char'sâcheered again.
Â
You would think my treasured queen and I had been vouchsafed everything we could ever have dreamed of. But there was something else.
“Great goddess,” I said to Ashiira, “my thanks to you shall be undying. Yet I have one more boon to ask.”
Kindness streamed from her face in a faint halo. “Dear King Charming, I know what you would ask of me, yet I must not give it.”
She moved toward my newly wedded wife, and as she did so, she transformed completely from the imposing figure of divinity she had assumed for the coronation back to the laughing goddess I had first seen at Lancastyr Manor. “Queen Rose, the affliction of your father, Lord Lancastyr, is not a spell or a curse, but a malady of old age, a natural process with which it would be wrong for me to tamper. And it will worsen as the years pass. However, I can grant you the assurance that in the recesses of his mind lies his spiritâa spirit that will always love you.”
I swallowed hard on the lump in my throat.
“Thank you, Ashiira,” Rose said. I could tell it was the only thing she could manage to say without losing her composure.
Being human, it seemed, could sometimes mean feeling sorrow in the midst of ecstasy. I had much to learn in the years ahead, and my love would help me do it.
“There is one more gift I can give,” Ashiira said. “King Charming and Queen Rose, you need not take up your responsibilities without a loving bulwark against your cares. For behold Lady Apricot and her attendants, whom I have brought from afar to live in the castle with you. They will share your joys and tribulations in the years to come.”
My heart leapt. I caught sight of a tall, dignified female figure with an elegant sweep of pure white hair and a silver gown, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere but was making stately progress across the ballroom, flanked by two women of grace and gravity.
“Rose!” I cried. “Come meet my mother!”
I ran forward and embraced Lady Apricot, then held her at arm's length, surveying the pleasing aspect of her human shape. There was no reservation or doubt in my mother's expression; it was close to rapture. She did the human thing, kissing me on both cheeks as if she had done so many times before. Her scent was the sweet mother-scent I had always known, tinged with comforting apricot.
A king does not shed tears in public. I stepped back.
“You chose this path?” I demanded of her. “You wish to remain here with me, er, as you are? And Lady Lambchop and Lady Pudding, too?”
“We chose this fate together.” She gave a regal dip of her head. Then her voice dropped to a whisper. “And just as your Cinderella named you Charming instead of Char, I'm afraid you must call my handmaidens Lady Lila and Lady Petra from now on. The goddess said the Anglanders wouldn't understand otherwise.”
I could not get over it. She was as sleek a human as she had been a rat. And she had given up everything she'd ever known to take on this new adventure with me.
“Did you think I would pass up the experience of someday holding my grandbabies?” she said, smiling. “Besides, my son, these humans turned out to be much, much smarter than I thought they were. They know how to appreciate quality when they see it. My son, king of Angland! Well, I can't say I'm surprised.”
First, I presented her to my queen. They were rather formal together, though I could tell Rose was thrilled at this new development.
They have a long, long time to get to know each other,
I thought.
I then brought my mother forward and introduced her to our new family and friends, including Tumtry (who was quite taken with her, so much so that he seemed to perk up amazingly) and his proud, smiling ministers. I watched as Lady Apricot promised little Jessamyn a lapdog and plenty of bread and honeyâand the same for her sister, Eustacia (when we could manage to find her). This pleased Jessamyn beyond reckoning.
And then the moment came when my mother met Rose's father. She put a hand to his bewildered face.
“See here, Barnaby de Lancastyr,” she said in the bracing tone she had used with me when I was younger, “you have allowed everything to get into a most shocking state. I shall fix it, and help take care of you. Stay by my side.”
“Very well, Apricot,” Rose's father said. “I am already at your side. It is most comfortable here.”
With this, Rose gave a cry of joy and flung her arms about my mother. Lady Apricot patted her head and made cooing noises.
Our happiness was now complete, and Ashiira clearly knew it.
In her own whimsical fashion, the goddess did not make a great spectacle of leaving us. In one moment the whole assembly was basking in each other's goodwill, as the awed spectators commenced to talk among themselves of the many omens and wonders they had just seen; and in the next, a tingling melody danced through the air. Ashiira's form had dissolved into a radiant whirlpool of gossamer light. It whirled round and round, growing smaller and brighter, approaching my queen, who faced it without a flinch.
I could tell Rose heard something in the shimmering wind that no one else could. There was a listening look on her face as she brought up her right hand to touch the glimmering sparks.
The music trickled to a stop. The azure light winked out.
And upon the third finger of my love's outstretched hand glowed a ring of rose gold, topped with a sapphire signet.
Â
Â
It is now many years later. The kingdom of Angland is prosperous and at peace. But our story is not over, though my dear queen and I are almost finished telling it.
I warned you from the very beginning: the Cinderella tale everyone seems to have heard is incorrect in almost every particular. Yet perhaps, after learning the truth in these pages, you can understand why she and I have been content to keep it that way until now.
Some of you, my dear readers, are our very own children and grandchildren. Youâour beloved descendantsâshould be aware that your heritage is as strong and noble as it is unusual. If it is your fate to someday pass the test and rule Angland, be sure to bring to the throne not only human qualities, but rat ones as well.
Govern with heartâand know when to use your teeth.
Now the moment has come for me to admit that the highly popular version of Cinderella's tale did at least get one thing exactly right: how the story ended.
Oh.
My queen says she wishes to write the ending herself, so I shall hand over the quill to her, one last time:
â Happily Ever After â
Â
*The lovely Mae Genovese.
*Sloane Matthews, for her sage advice.
*Insightful, generous Maria Bluni, whose faith never wavered.
*My talented, caring author sisters of the WNP.
*Eric Myers and Margaret Fergusonâextraordinary professionals, extraordinary people.
*My wonderful former colleagues and students at the Marblehead Public Schools.
*Friends and family who have helped along the way. Their names are written across my heart.
*Frances Hodgson Burnett, for the inspirational character Melchisedec in
A Little Princess
.
Â
Bridget Hodder
was previously an archeologist and currently works to help families who struggle with autism. The Rat Prince is her debut novel. She lives with her family in New England. You can sign up for email updates
here
.
Â
Thank you for buying this
Farrar, Straus and Giroux ebook.
Â
To receive special offers, bonus content,
and info on new releases and other great reads,
sign up for our newsletters.
Â
Or visit us online at
us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup
Â
For email updates on the author, click
here
.
Â
Contents
Â
Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers
175 Fifth Avenue, New York 10010
Â
Text copyright © 2016 by Bridget Hodder
Â
All rights reserved
First hardcover edition, 2016
eBook edition, August 2016
Â
Â
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Hodder, Bridget.
    The rat prince / Bridget Hodder. â First edition.
        pages cm
    Summary: A new take on the Cinderella story, told from her point of view as well as that of a royal rat turned coachman.
    ISBN 978-0-374-30213-9 (hardback) â ISBN 978-0-374-30214-6 (e-book)
    [1.  Fairy tales.  2.  RatsâFiction.  3.  PrincesâFiction.  4.  StepfamiliesâFiction.]  I.  Title.
    PZ8.H64Rat 2016
    [Fic]âdc23
2015015073
Â
Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945 ext. 5442 or by e-mail at
[email protected]
.
Â
eISBN 9780374302146