Gift: Hearth and Bard Short Stories

By M. L. Farb

Konrad planned on never marrying because of his curse, but plans change. He's ready to start his happily ever after, but first he must get through ridiculous royal protocol, a riddle mongering owl, and a wedding suit designed to strangle the groom.

In the midst of wedding preparations, Konrad creates a gift for his bride, one he hopes will restore a part of what she sacrificed to save his life.

GIFT is a novelette that takes place after the events in the novel HEARTLESS HETTE.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M. L. Farb
• Release date: Dec 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215650523

Book preview

1

Autumn sunlight streamed through the royal study windows, illuminating the small gathering—Queen Hette, her consort Konrad, their family, and a few select friends. Book-stuffed cases lined each wall and prevented any sound from escaping to unwanted listening ears. Children tussled on the floor and pummeled each other with pillows while teens whispered secrets kept since the last time they’d gathered for a reunion. Adults visited while ensuring that no child-damage was done to the aging queen’s private collection of books.

Queen Hette sat in a padded chair, her hair more white than brunette under her crown. She watched the others with keen eyes and a bemused mouth. Thirty-five years of ruling had not dulled her mind. She might not have expanded the kingdom’s borders, but she had improved living conditions for countless citizens. The people called her Compassionate Queen Hette. Yet, her analytical mind was the genius behind those improvements—days and months of studying social conditions and creating policies that were dry on paper but were miraculous in action.

Beside her stood her consort, Konrad. He was her match in wit and her balance when it came to seeing truths in unexpected places. Even at seventy-two years old, the former court fool juggled both politics and knives with apparent ease, though in the privacy of his chambers he was the first to admit that he often stumbled. A few strands of red hair shimmered amongst his curls of silver.

Konrad dipped a quill into a full ink pot on Queen Hette’s desk, then tossed the ink pot into the air while he wrote a message on paper, dipping the quill and tossing the jar between words. He finished the final word with a flourish and set the ink pot back in its proper place.

Applause broke from the children.

He grinned and handed the paper to the one visitor who wasn’t known to the others: a young woman of Greek heritage.

The message said: If you sought an evening of peace, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place. But if you will bear with our enthusiastic family, I will deliver the promised story.

The Greek woman laughed. Sir Konrad, I’ve already spent many a quiet evening with Queen Hette, gathering her stories. I am happy to also enjoy the energy of your clan. It wasn’t their fault that the end of my visit fell at the same time as your family reunion.

Opa, said one child, who is the visitor?

Konrad motioned grandly. My dearest family and friends, may I introduce the storyteller, Kamilo.

Storyteller Kamilo? A slender boy of ten looked up from the anatomy book he was reading in the corner. Was she named after the one who taught Aunt Demuth the heart resuscitation technique?

No, Konrad said, then stage-whispered, she is her.

A young woman raised her eyebrow in almost exact imitation of her grandmother, the queen. Opa, you’re telling us a story, again.

Of course I am, said Konrad. A true story. Just as true as other impossibilities I’ve told you. Which brings me to why we’ve gathered this evening. A story, an impossibility, and a truth.

2

This won’t do. Hette’s calm voice cut through the air with a sharper blade than the tailor’s shears through the black silk of my wedding suit.

I started to turn and met the annoyed tsk of the tailor. He would have said plenty if his mouth didn’t bristle with pins, half of which would