Page 12 of Apples Dipped in Gold

It wasn’t until I heard my eldest brother’s name thatI looked up, catching his cold stare before he turned his attention to the prince, angling his head so that he appeared curious.

“Tell me, Prince,” said Jackal. “What do you want in a wife?”

The prince hesitated. “I suppose I have not given it much thought.”

“How can you want my sister to wife if you don’t even know what you want?”

“Because I can see her,” replied the prince.

“So this is about fucking,” said Michal. “If that is the case, there is the barn.”

“Are you suggesting I am dishonorable?”

“No, Prince, but you are a man,” said Michal.

“A man, perhaps, but I would never dishonor a woman in such a way, especially one I intend to marry. Now, I will ask for your blessing a final time. Allow me your sister’s hand in marriage, and you will be rewarded handsomely.”

There was silence.

“Handsomely, you say?” asked Jackal. “What have you to offer in exchange for our dear, dear sister?”

“I will bring you three treasures from my father’s vault. A golden ring, a singing lark, and an enchanted rose.”

“What use would we, three starving hunters, have for a ring, a bird, and a rose?”

“Then I shall bring you gold and silver,” Henry said. “And everything else I have named shall go to your sister.”

“Bring us gold and silver,” said Jackal. “And you can have our sister as a wife.”

“Do I have your word?”

“You have my word,” said Jackal. “We shall wait foryour arrival at sunrise—and not a moment past or our agreement is forfeit.”

The prince turned to me, and my eyes widened.

“I will think of nothing but you until we are reunited at dawn.”

He glanced at my brothers before he secured his hat, mounted his horse, and rode off, feather bouncing as he went.

“Do you think he’ll be back?” asked Hans.

Michal scoffed. “Not a chance. He will return to his golden castle on his golden hill and forget she ever existed.”

It was something I did not doubt.

Jackal shoved past Michal and Hans as he came for me. I stumbled back and fell to the ground at his approach.

“What do you think you are doing?” he snarled, looming over me with hate-filled eyes.

“N-nothing,” I said. “I didn’t do anything!”

He grabbed me by my hair and dragged me to my feet, but I had grown so used to the feeling, I didn’t even cry out. I just followed as he pulled.

“Did you seduce him?” he demanded.

“No! I would never!”

I didn’t know how.