The Princess and the Labyrinth

By Rachel Tonks Hill

Inspired by the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, The Princess and the Labyrinth takes a classic Greek myth and asks the important question; yes, but what if it was gay?

 

Ariane has never been very good at being a princess. She much prefers catching frogs in muddy trousers than attending etiquette lessons in fancy petticoats. And she certainly wants nothing to do with any of the princes she's supposed to marry someday, much to her parents' chagrin.

 

When Ariane is cursed to become a bull-headed monster and hidden at the centre of a labyrinth, her father promises a great reward for anyone who can bring his daughter back.

 

Thea understands Princess Ariane's lack of interest in skirts, polite conversation and boys, only her parents don't mind so much. Recognising a kindred spirit, Thea takes it upon herself to rescue Princess Ariane and break her curse. Together, they might just get the happy ending they've always wanted.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel Tonks Hill
• Release date: Apr 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201210984

Rachel Tonks Hill

Rachel Tonks Hill always wanted to be either a doctor or writer when she grew up. Her first novel, On the Rise, was released in 2016, having been written alongside her doctoral thesis. While having a novel out fulfills the “writer” part of her dream, she hopes this doesn’t mean she has to grow up. Rachel lives in Nottingham with her partner and insufficient dogs.

Book preview

The Princess and the Labyrinth

Along time ago, in a land far away, where all such stories take place, a daughter was born to the King and Queen of the land. And they named the Princess Ariane.

Ariane was a rambunctious child, always climbing the palace walls and scraping her knees and refusing to wear dresses. Her parents, the King and Queen, did not worry too much, knowing that as she grew older she would give up these things and learn how to be a proper princess. But the older Ariane grew, the more she disdained the trappings of a princess, and the more the nobles’ sons avoided her, for fear of losing another wrestling match to a girl.

Would that you had been born a son, the Queen lamented to her daughter.

But Ariane was not a son, not even in spirit. She stuck her tongue out at her mother and tore her petticoats, so she could escape her etiquette lessons at a run.

Someone will have her, the King reassured his wife. We’ll find the perfect match for our daughter and she and her husband will be very happy indeed, he promised.

But when Ariane came of age, she refused to meet with any of her suitors. She did not want to marry any of the princes from nearby countries. Nor did she wish to marry any of the nobles’ sons she had boxed the ears of in her youth. Ariane did not want any man, thank you very much, and told her parents as much.

But you are a princess! her father spluttered through his moustache. You must marry a young man of noble stock and provide him with heirs. That’s just the way things are done.

A pox on the way things are done, Ariane said, and ran off to tumble in the dust with the castle’s hunting dogs.

Perhaps my sister will know what to do with her, the Queen said, patting her husband’s arm.

And so the Queen went to see her sister, who was a strange woman, and had herself never married. Instead, she