After the magnificent feast the farm princess held, talks of the third challenge arose. The princesses now had to bring the king something more precious than diamonds. The servants talked and wondered what would be brought to the king. He still had breakfast with all the princesses but no one had brought up the third challenge.
In fact, it seemed like there was no process to be had on that challenge. The bold princess stayed around the palace looking at the star stone that was so close to shining as it had before. When she was not doing that, she was working with others and helping around the kingdom. While the dainty princess stopped having council meetings with her councilors and just began to play the piano in her free time. The farm princess still helped in the gardens, with the King and when he worked on other kingdom matters. She faithfully stood by the growing golden apple tree and took care of it.
It was in the garden by the golden tree, a month after the feast, that the bold and dainty princess found the farm princess.
“Farm girl,” The bold called her. “Why did you come to for the King’s hand? Was it to get money and power for your people?”
“Or to earn honor and glory for your people and kingdom?” The dainty princess added.
The farm princess chuckled as she stood. “No, I only wanted to meet him. To understand what everyone said about him. Then I saw him. He is unlike anything I could expect or know.” She said wistfully and then looked down at her dirt-covered hands. “I come from a king where are hands are dirty, and we all have scars from working and living. The golden apple was all I could give him.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “But still, I did not come to take from his hand. I came to put what I could in it. I came to see him.” She smiled at the other two princesses. “And you two, why did you come?”
“To seek more power for my kingdom.” The bold princess declared. “And prove my worth as a strong woman, a true royal that could make her own kingdom. I sought the king knowing that his hand in marriage, his ability to grant wishes, would be a powerful addition to my strong kingdom.” She puffed her chest out as she should.
“But what about his kingdom?” At the farm princess’s question, the bold princess deflated.
“It has a different strength. A beautiful strength, that comes not from being one and only, but being one in all. I have not been in all before, just the one.” The bold princess let out a small huff of air as the farm princess hugged her. The bold princess chuckled but hugged her back, enjoying the moment of not just being one.
When they separated, they looked at the dainty princess. The dainty princess sighed. “I came to earn honor and glory for my kingdom as one should. It was what I was raised and expected to do.”
“But did you want the king?” The farm princess asked gently. The dainty princess took a deep, watery breath.
“I, I had not considered it. I did not even consider what he would want or need. I expected that I was what he would want and need. That I could fulfill every challenge, and follow every order put before me as I always have.”
“That sounds boring.” The bold princess stated. The dainty princess laughed as the farm princess admonished the bold one.
“It most certainly can be, but it is also comfortable. It is what I know.” She said quietly. “I am growing quite tired of what I know.”
“Well, here is my energy from breaking the ground of what I do not know.” The farm princess smiled as she put her still slightly dirty hand out to the dainty princess. The dainty princess glanced from the hand to the princess’s face. Then she took it with a smile.
“Thank you.” The dainty princess said. Then both of them were swept into a hug by the bold princess.
“I am glad I came.” The other two princesses agreed and returned the hug. They laughed as they separated noting how the farm princess’s hands had left marks on them. The bold princess stared at the mark and brought up the third challenge. “Have you two thought about the king’s third challenge?” The dainty princess shook her head as the farm princess huffed.
“I have asked the king and he brought up apples.”
“He does love your apples and this garden.” The bold princess said slowly.
“I suppose?” The farm girl huffed again. “I know that he likes spending time here, just like I do. He has said he enjoys seeing them grow.” Their golden one already sprouting a tiny golden apple. “When asked about what is precious to him, he said that the value of the apples is not always known when planted, given, or even bruised. But their worth of time does not change because of perceived value. It is decided that they are worth the time when the seed is planted.” The farm princess plucked the small golden apple.
“And that is what he told you about the third challenge?” The farm princess nodded and the bold princess smiled. The farm princess was still too lost in thought to notice.
“But what if things are just worth your time simply because they are? They exist and deserve care and love as something with life and a use should be. As the king said, I do not know if every apple is going to be good on a tree, but that does not mean I do not plant or care for the tree. I care for it despite its value or the value of each apple. I find a use for every apple because there is a use. Even rotten apples are good for fertilizer or kindling.”
“So would you say the tree and each apple are precious to you?” The dainty princess asked softly.
“Of course they are.” The farm princess stated and she looked back at them. “But are they precious to him? More precious than diamonds? How will I know that?”
“Well,” The dainty princess and the bold princess shared a smile. “Maybe together we can help make an apple of value he cannot refuse.”
“How?” The moment the farm princess asked that the other two princesses giggled and took her hands. They took her to the palace washrooms and began to help her clean herself up. The servants tittered about and decided to help. They picked orchard blossoms from the garden. The farm princess bathed in vanilla oils and afterward, her hair was braided. The small white orchard blossoms were placed in her braided hair by servants and the dainty princess.
“Why are we adding these?” The farm princess asked as she smelled a blossom.
“For you,” answered the dainty princess. “Every part of the tree has value. This is theirs, adding to yours.” The dainty princess told the farm girl to look in the water and when she did she gasped in amazement. “But we are not done yet. We have to look our best when presenting our third item tonight.” The dainty princess took the farm princess to a beauty room.
As the dainty princess helped to apply make-up, the bold princess took the dainty princess’s counselors and they created a dress. An apple-red silk gown overlaid with green santoon fabric. When the two fabrics were cut and sewn together golden leaves with diamond blossoms were embroidered at the bottom of the dress and top of the dress. The farm princess gasped at the sight of the dress.
“What is this for?”
“You.” The bold princess smiled as she presented the dress. “We have to look our best to present the third item, do we not?” Before the farm princess could agree, she was handed the dress and rushed off to change. The bold princess herself went off to change smiling.
That night, the main hall was filled with many. Peasants, servants, nobility, and the king himself on his throne in the throne room. It had been declared earlier in the day that the princesses had each found the third item. Many were excited not only to see what could be more precious than diamonds but also who would be the chosen bride. The horn was blown and the doors were opened.
The princesses came in together, linked arm in arm. The bold princess smiled in her red silk gown. The dainty princess’ soft eyes glowed with her silk green dress on the farm princess’s left side. Still, everyone was blown away by the elegance of the farm princess in the middle. She seemed very different from the barefoot girl that arrived a few months ago. Yet she still had a golden apple in hand. They walked together to the throne of the king. Only when they were in front of him did they unlink their arms and bow.
“Rise dear ones, and present your findings.” The king ordered gently. They did and the bold princess and the dainty princess stepped up first.
“My king,” They both bowed their heads and in unison presented what they brought. “We have brought to you a precious princess and a precious friend.” They gestured to the farm princess who was now as red as an apple.
“There is no diamond that can radiate her beauty,” The bold princess declared.
“And her words will be carried with me more than the diamond jewelry I wear.” The dainty princess spoke.
“This is what we present to you.” They concluded with a bow. The room gasped. The king simply stood from his throne and walked to them.
“And what do you wish for such a precious gift?” The king asked softly looking at the farm princess.
“Only that I can stay as a servant here, sire.” The king looked at the smiling bold princess. “I have found that I liked working with them. It feels good to be strong in all than one.”
“And we accept you, one and all.” The king bowed his head to her and she stepped back into the fold of the servants who cheered. Once their cheers quieted the dainty princess spoke.
“I would like to stay and be a musician here. I want to make more beautiful pieces.”
“If that is what you wish.” The king said with a smile.
“It is.” She said surely. The king bowed his head. Then she walked to the piano and sat where she felt she belonged.
Finally, the king looked at the farm princess alone. “And what, my dear precious princess and friend, have you brought?” The farm girl swallowed before opening the golden apple and picking out a seed. She gave the apple to a child nearby, before going back to the king.
“May I see your hands?” The king put them out for her. For a moment, she let herself admire the strong, gentle, scared hands she had come to know and see as safety. She put the seed in his hands. “I give to you my king, my love, the seed of our tree, the seed of my heart. There is nothing more precious than the time I have spent here with you. Every moment and second, I value and cherish. Good, bad, dirty, clean, through it all, nothing is worth more, than your time.” She looked at the king’s eyes. “The best wish I have ever made is time with you. I want more of that and to see what we grow together.”
“If you wish,” the king cradled not only the seed but the princess’s hands as well. “In return for such a beautifully precious gift, I will give you the kingdom, the title of queen, anything you wish, but also the soil of my love to carry and protect your seed. To give you, us, everything required to grow and flourish. The best wish I have granted is yours. Will you marry me, my golden apple queen?”
“Yes, my strong gentle soil.” They shared a kiss, hands embracing their seed of love. Now while there were cheers and songs of joy for many days to come, as long as a wedding full of apples, I do not know if everyone lived happily ever after. What I do know is that they all grew and flourished.
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord, Shall flourish in the courts of our God. – Psalms 92: 12-13 NKJV
Something Good 