The Tale of the Cook's Assistant's Curse

For the SHINE girls, who happen to be the most beautiful girls I know.

The Tale of the Cook’s Assistant’s Curse

The small woman darted anxiously through the trees, her ragged dress caught on brambles and branches as she ducked and dove to escape the sight of the hunting party.  The un-slightly fur cloak she wore to disguise her size was beginning to make her sweat and it’s weight was starting to drag her down. I must hide! She thought frantically.
         A nearby tree answered the call, hollowing out as if by fey magic. It was the perfect hiding place and the woman flew to it. Just in time, it seemed. The baying of the hounds that had been pursuing her, stopped. The woman allowed herself a sigh of relief. However, her joy was short lived. The hounds were baying once more. They had found her. She huddled deep into her cloak and tried to frighten the great dogs away. White teeth bared ferociously and the woman pressed her back against the tree once more. “Ho, hounds! What have you found?” called a masculine voice.
         Two things occurred at this instant. The woman was quite pleasantly surprised to find her pursuers were not the ones she feared and a plan began to form in her mind. A young man’s face appeared in the woman’s line of vision and stared at her with a surprised look in his green eyes. “It is a woman.” He mused aloud.
         Suddenly remembering his manners, he held out his hand. “The dogs won’t hurt you, milady.”
         The woman took the proffered hand gratefully and stood, hoping her disguise would hold. It did, for upon viewing her from top to bottom, the young man gave a wince of distaste. Still, he was a gentleman. “Are you hurt, milady?” he asked graciously.
         “No sir.” The woman replied, keeping her dry, chapped lips firmly locked in a frown.
         “Pray, what is your name?”
         “Allerleiruah.” The woman replied swiftly.
         “What are you doing so deep in the forest?” the man questioned.
         “I am on a journey and I’m afraid I’ve gotten lost. The hunting dogs frightened me.” Allerleiruah supplied, inwardly praising herself on her ability to sound like a defenseless waif.
         “Well then, you must come with me. I am advisor to the king of a nearby castle. I’m sure we could find you work at the castle.”
         “Thank you.”
         
         And thus is happened that Allerleiruah came to live at the castle of King Thaerys. The advisor, Lord Fynn, gave her a position in the kitchen, helping the old cook prepare the meals.

         Now, all who looked on Allerleiruah, found her to be very ugly, almost animal-like. Her manners were atrocious, she was covered from head to toe in mud, soot, and fleas, and her garments were shapeless rags that stuck out at odd angles and made her form seem lumpy and large. Some speculated that she might have lovely golden hair, but it was so caked with dirt and fleas, that even pulled back in a braid it was hard to imagine anything more than a dirty, straw-like yellow/brown color. Servants complained about her lack of cleanliness and some began rumors and other sorts of terrible tales about her lineage, but Allerleiruah didn’t mind. In fact, the rumors thrilled her. The more they told her how ugly she was, the uglier Allerleiruah became. She filled her mind with thoughts of being utterly repulsive and that was how everyone perceived her.
         Allerleiruah worked hard in the kitchens. She was careful in her preparation of the food so none of her dirt and parasites would get into it. The cook was surprised at this, but made no mention. For two years Allerleiruah worked in peaceful anonymity, content with working and being hated.
         One morning news came to the kitchens of a huge feast to be held for a visiting kingdom. There was a princess among the guests who was reportedly interested in wedding King Thaerys. The kitchens were in a tizzy as cooks came from around the province to assist in the preparations. Allerleiruah was kicked out of the kitchens to work in the barns with the pigs and chickens. For the first time in her exile, Allerleiruah found herself wishing that for once she could be presentable and attend the feast, if only to see the finery. “No.” she scolded herself. “I have seen too much of that. It would be exactly the same as what I left. Nothing more, nothing less.”
         “Child?” called a voice from the shadows.
         Allerleiruah jumped and desperately hoped she hadn’t been heard. “Yes?” she called warily.
         But it was just the old cook whom Allerleiruah worked for. “The cleaning of the barn is done, why do you not hide atop the stairs and watch the finery?”
         Allerleiruah paused for a moment. She felt her heart leap at the thought, but quickly forced herself to remember her ugliness. It always came first. I must stay ugly. I cannot show myself, not even to watch the feast.
         The cook’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “I have a dress you might wear. And I can ask a few of the servants to draw a bath.”
         The thought of a bath and a dress was too much. Allerleiruah gave in. “But no one can help me. I want to be alone.” She warned the cook.
         “Of course.” The cook agreed, thinking that perhaps Allerleiruah was insecure about her horrible features.
         
         So, against her better judgment, Allerleiruah accepted the simple blue dress and the tub of fresh, clean water. She washed herself and as she bathed she began thinking of beauty and the wonderful things of life. Memories of when her mother lived and when her father was not…was not the way he had become. As if by magic the little bit of water washed away years of dirt and mud. Fleas vanished and Allerleiruah’s hair became the color of silver spun gold. She quickly dressed in the blue dress the cook had let her borrow and silent as a mouse, she stole along the back hallways to the main staircase. Peeking around the edge, Allerleiruah saw the lords and ladies in their grand costumes, the glorious banners in a rainbow of colors, the sweet tunes of the minstrels, and then her eyes found King Thaerys. Her heart paused as she took in his regal visage, long raven black hair, and good-natured eyes. She forced her eyes away with a sigh. “I can never meet him. I must remain hidden.” She reminded herself sadly.
         “My lady!’ called a voice from behind.
         Allerleiruah spun around to find Lord Fynn smiling down at her. “My lady, are you lost?”
         “No…I…” Allerleiruah faltered.
         “Allow me to escort you back to the feast, Lady--?” He looked questioningly at her.
         “Aaa--Leira. Lady Leira.”  She managed.
         Lord Fynn wrapped her arm in his and led her down the stairs and into the great hall.
         Through the windows the sun streamed in and caught Allerleiruah’s hair making it glow. Even her simple dress was transformed in the eyes of the nobles. She was a vision of beauty, but inwardly Allerleiruah’s heart quaked. She forced her mind to happier things, however, and her beauty began to grow more. I am at the royal feast! I can finally be myself again, I must not allow my thoughts to falter!
         “Your majesty, allow me to present to you, Lady Leira.” Lord Fynn was saying.
         Allerleiruah was jolted out of her thoughts. She was standing before King Thaerys! Fear suddenly assailed her and her hair grew a bit darker. “Y-yo—your majesty.” She mumbled.
         “Welcome Lady Leira.”
         “Thank you.” She said and had enough of her wits about her to curtsy.
         The king was staring at her now with a strange intensity in his eyes that Allerleiruah panic. She felt her beauty lessening again and with a whispered excuse she tore out of the great hall as if hounds of hell were at her heels.
         Great choking sobs welled up inside her as she sprinted back to the room where she had changed. Quickly she threw back on her old clothes and rubbed mud and dirt into her hair and arms. The fleas returned and once more she was Allerleiruah, ugly kitchen maid. She sobbed most of the night.
         The feast lasted a week, but Allerleiruah held no fantasies of watching or attending. She remained out in the barn, doing her work with sadness written clearly in her eyes. The last day of the feast dawned bright. It was to be a glorious day. Although the visiting princess would not view it as such. King Thaerys mysteriously rejected her offer of marriage. Rumors had it that the princess had already left and only the courtiers would be attending the last day of the feast.
         Allerleiruah was once again out in the barn, wearily slopping the pigs. Her dire thoughts made it easy to appear ugly for indeed the entire week there was no one in all the kingdoms who was as ugly was Allerleiruah. But the cook took pity on the girl it seemed, for that day, she met Allerleiruah in the barn. “Did you enjoy the feast?” she asked.
         Allerleiruah nodded mutely.
         “I suppose you saw Lady Leira there. Rumors say that the king will marry no one but Lady Leira. Oddly enough, she has not attended the events since that first day. No one has seen or heard of her.”
         “Perhaps she is imagined.” Allerleiruah replied gruffly.
         “Maybe.” The cook mused. “Or maybe she is a faerie.”
         Allerleiruah only sighed.
         “Perhaps you should go and see if you can find her.” The cook suggested.
         “Me? Why do you think I would find her?”
         “Maybe you are lucky? But I cannot help but see your sadness this past week. Maybe it would do you some good to watch the feast again today?”
         “No.” Allerleiruah replied. “The feast would bring me no joy.”
         But the cook pleaded and cajoled until at last Allerleiruah gave in. Once more, a bath was drawn and a very fine dress of white with pale threads of silver was laid out. Once more Allerleiruah bathed. She tried to think of pleasant thoughts, but they escaped her. She was only mostly clean by the time the water was too dirty to use. Sullenly she pulled on the dress. Being back in proper clothes lifted Allerleiruah’s mood. As did the sudden thought of seeing King Thaerys again. The remaining dirt vanished and Allerleiruah hurried to the great hall. “Lady Leira! It is a pleasure to see you!” greeted Lord Fynn. “The king has been inquiring about you.”
         “Has he?” Allerleiruah asked, unable to staunch the hope that was filling her heart and tone.
         “Indeed.” The advisor replied as he took her arm and led her to the king.
         All rational thought ceased in Allerleiruah’s mind. All thoughts of her exile and previous life vanished in the sight of King Thaerys. “Lady Leira! I have wondered about your whereabouts! We have missed you during the feast.”
         “You are very kind, your majesty. I have been ill these past days.”
         “I do hope you are well enough for a dance.” He asked with a smile.
         Allerleiruah nodded and the King swept her off into the music.
         For three glorious hours, Allerleiruah forgot all about her job as a kitchen maid, her reasons for exile, and everything but staying near the King forever. All too soon, the feast ended. Allerleiruah made to leave, but King Thaerys stopped her. “Wait…La—Leira. Please tell me you will not leave with your company tomorrow.”
         “I cannot.” Allerleiruah admitted, realizing suddenly that when the guests left there would be no way she could be both Lady Leira and Allerleiruah the Kitchen Maid. “Then marry me.” He whispered, slipping a gold ring onto her finger. “Marry me and never leave again.”
         Shocked, Allerleiruah pulled away from him and ran away. She returned to her old things, but did not put them on. Her beauty was fading with her tears and she gazed sadly upon the golden ring. She could never give up her disguise. She would be found and returned to her home…returned to the evil that resided there. Slowly, Allerleiruah dressed again, but she left the gold ring on. Not even terrible thoughts could make her as ugly as normal for the ring and the thoughts it invoked were much too strong for any despair. Allerleiruah was now a fairly ordinary-looking woman. The servants noticed and Allerleiruah claimed it was that she had begun bathing regularly. They did not see the ring for what it was however, for due to the sadness it still carried, it looked to be just a rusted piece of metal on Allerleiruah’s finger. Days passed into months and one day the cook asked Allerleiruah to help serve the evening meal to the king. Dreading the meeting, Allerleiruah worked slowly. When she finally finished his soup, the other servants had already served the king the rest of his meal so Allerleiruah was forced to go alone. As she walked she stirred the soup, quite suddenly her ring slipped off her ring and into the soup. “Ah, servant! There you are.” The king called.
         Allerleiruah had no time to fish the ring from the soup. Fearfully she handed him the bowl. The king took a spoonful and out came the ring. He stared at it with a surprised look in his eyes, recognizing it immediately. “Servant, how did this ring come to be in my soup?” he asked quietly, after a moment.
         “I do not know.” Allerleiruah replied, trying to remain expressionless.
         “Do you indeed?”
         “Yes, your highness. I did not know it was there.”
         “What is your name, servant?” King Thaerys asked.
         “Allerleiruah, your majesty. I work in the kitchens.”
         “And you did not see anyone with a ring on in the kitchens, did you?”
         “None sire.”
         “Come forward.” The king beckoned.
         Slowly Allerleiruah approached. Hope and fear mixed in her heart. Hope was stronger, however and her beauty was returning. The king bade her to hold out her hand and she did. Carefully King Thaerys slid the ring on Allerleiruah’s finger and all ugliness vanished. Even in rags Allerleiruah was more beautiful than any other woman in any of the kingdoms, in all the world. “Lady Leira.” Thaerys breathed.
         “Yes, your majesty.” She admitted. “I have been working as a servant in your kitchens ever since I escaped from my father who is king in the north.”
         “How was it that you hid yourself?” Thaerys asked in awe, still clutching her hand.
         “I was forced to think of myself as the ugliest creature in the world, my despair is my curse, it hides all beauty.”
         “Then you will be beautiful for the rest of your days for as long as I am by your side, you will never despair again.”
         King Thaerys wed Allerleiruah—who revealed that her true name was Analia and she had once been princess of another kingdom under the rule of her terrible father the king…who mysterious died the week before Allerleiruah was to be married—and never again was she ugly for there was never any reason to despair.