Snow

"I'd do anything for you," he said, and knelt down, placed one hand on the Prince's thigh. His hand didn't shake at all. "Anything."

"Good," the Prince said, and spread his legs. "Come here."

Chapter Three

David drifted. He was alone now and the rooms he'd shared with his nurse, rooms that had seemed cozy when he was young and cramped when he was older became cavernous, full of space he knew he could never fill. He went through her things; folded her shawl for the last time, ironed her sheets and made the bed she'd never sleep in again. He folded her tobacco pouch and put it with her pipe, took her shoes and put them where she liked them, pointing out towards the door. There was nothing else left of her except a coin with a woman's smiling face stamped on it that he found tucked into the pocket of her favorite coat. He touched the coin, traced the woman's smile and knew it as his own. He put it back in the coat.

He slept a lot, curled up on the bed he'd had his whole life, watching the small window glazed with ice and listening to snow fall. He went down to the kitchens at night and took food; tea and bread and ale and apples, ate them alone and watched the bread heels turn blue and green, the apple cores brown and melt into mush. One day a servant came and cleaned the room, directed a bent old washwoman to strip David's bed and then David, had a tub brought and said, "There's soap and towels on the table."

"Thank you," David said, and his voice came out sounding cracked and hoarse. He wondered how long it had been since he'd spoken.

"Thank your brother and sister," the servant said. "They've asked me to look after you."

"Please tell them thank you," David said. "Tell them I'm grateful and that they're too good to me, too kind, too--"

"Yes," the servant said abruptly. "I'll tell them." He looked at David. His eyes were cloudy, filmed white like snow. "They're always happy to hear from those who appreciate their kindness."

He thought his brother and sister would come see him then but they didn't. The servant did though, came almost every day. Most of the time he said nothing but occasionally he told David things. The snow was very bad now, worse than anyone could remember. The King had sickened, withdrawn to his rooms. "He is fading," the servant said. "Cries out for his dead wives.

Mostly the first one. Sometimes he asks for his children."

"Does he ask for me?" David said, unable to keep hope from his voice. The servant paused, then put down the tray he was holding.

"No," he said.

***

The Prince and Princess ate dinner together every night. They ate in their own gilded dining room, late at night and all alone. They asked that all the food be served before they arrived.

Neither of them liked waiting.

"Tonight is the night," the Princess said when they met in the hallway. Her face was aglow, her eyes shining dark and eager.

"I thought so too," the Prince answered. His eyes shone brightly, dancing with an eagerness that matched hers. "Our guest--"

"will be here soon."

They smiled at each other and walked hand in hand into the room.

***

Joseph knew what was going to happen as soon as he opened the door. Normally a servant from the Prince or Princess came, rapped once on the door and told him curtly when to arrive at the palace and what entrance to use, but tonight a pair of guards were waiting for him, their faces too perfectly blank to mean anything but that what he'd been doing had been discovered. He'd known it was forbidden but couldn't help it. They were both so beautiful. But woodsmen did not sleep with Princes. They did not sleep with Princesses. He had. He had and knew that if he could he would again. Wanting burned inside him and he saw no need to hide it. It had gained him something greater than he'd ever dreamed of desiring.

He went to what he knew would be his death, walking with his head held high. He walked into the castle flanked by silent soldiers and thought of golden skin and golden hair and wide knowing eyes. He thought of arms holding him, urging him on, sweet voices crying his name. He looked at the soldiers. They'd never know anything like what he'd had, what he'd found. They'd never do anything like what he'd done. He walked into a golden room and thought it was worth it.

Death didn't come. Instead they were waiting for him, just the two of them surrounded by crystal bowls full of food and crystal glasses full of wine.

"I thought--" he stammered out, surprised by seeing the two of them together, by not being greeted with an axe slicing through his neck.

"Shhh---" the Prince and Princess said at the same time.

"You said you loved me," the Princess continued, and smiled a tender-eyed smile. She ate a bite of meat, mouth opening into a perfect round O, a flash of her tongue before her lips closed.

"You said you'd do anything," the Prince said, and smiled a tender-eyed smile. He drank a sip of wine, mouth opening into a perfect round O, a flash of his tongue before his lips closed.