adore music, Talia says.
The king sighs. I used tothree hundred years ago. He glares at Talia once again.
Here. I take it out. Im glad this getup they put me in has pockets and that I thought to
put the iPod in one of them. I wish I had something classical, maybe Gregorian chant. The
closest I have is classic rock, some Beatles songs my sister likes. I find Yesterday. You
put in these earbuds.
In my ears?
Sure. That way, you can listen to music without any- one else hearing it.
The king looks like he still doesnt get it, but he sticks the earbuds in. Now what?
You push that. Here. Ill do it for you. I lean over and push it for him. Obviously, these
people are button- challenged.
Can he hear us? Talia whispers. When I say no, she turns to the queen. Mother, please make
him stop being so cruel. This is not my fault.
The queen shakes her head. Oh, Talia.
Then you are against me, too? I hate this! I wish I could simply run away. She turns to
me. How did you get here? To Euphrasia?
I already told you, I came through the hedge.
No. Before that. How did you get to Europe from . . . Florida? King Louis takes out the earbuds. He sighs. How I long for yesterday.
Which is a line from the Beatles song.
You mean to say, young man, he continues, that in your century, they have found a way to
preserve this mans singing and put it into a minuscule box, all so that one can listen to
music without the bother of having it performed, without having to dress and gather and
dance, that in your timewhich, by unfortunate accident, is now my time as welleach man can
live entirely in his own world?
I nod. Cool, isnt it?
The king hands me back the iPod. The lord across from me looks like he might want to have
a listen, but he doesnt dare ask. I should have been dead three hundred years ago, the
king continues. I should have . . . He glares at Talia again. . . . and I would have, had
you merely kept away from spindles as you were told.
By all the saints! Talia cries. Talia, her mother cautions. Do not swear. I will swear,
Mother. I am done being obedient. Obe-
dience has done me no good. Father may be peevish to me, but I will not stand to see him
being so to our guest. We are very much in Jacks debt. Had he not kissed me He what?! the king roars.
Uh-oh. Did he not know that?
K-kissed me. That is how I happened to awaken. Surely you must You! The king points a trembling finger toward me. You, a commoner, dared to take advantage of my daugh- ters sleeping state to . . .
I didnt know she was a princess, Your Highness . . . Majesty . . . sir! I push my chair
aside. Im sorry. I should get going. I take a few steps backward and stumble into a
servant holding a tray of mushrooms. Id better get out of here before they come up with
the idea ofoh, I dont knowstoning me to death.
No! You will go nowhere. You have defiled my daughter.
I didnt! It was a kiss. A little one.
Yes, you are right, Father, Talia says. He defiled me.
What? I yell. I didnt . . . I barely touched you! I want to scream at her, but I try to
keep in control. Hurling insults would probably get me in more trouble than Im in already.
Tell the truth, you . . . brat! Oops. That slipped out.
She glares at me, then continues. It is true. I am quite sullied. There is nothing for me
to do but marry this young man and go to Florida with him immediately.
Marry you? Ma Impossible! the king declares. Why not? Talia says. All the princes I might
have mar-
ried are long dead. You do not wish me in your presence. The king nods at the guards
behind me, and I feel hands on my arms. This young man is an offender of the most
contemptible kind, a rogue who would take advantage of a young ladysa princessssleeping state to . . . desecrate her. Death is too good for such an
offender.
There it is. Death.
But I didnt . . . I wouldnt touch her if you paid me!
He must be brought to the royal dungeon to await a suitable
The king sighs. I used tothree hundred years ago. He glares at Talia once again.
Here. I take it out. Im glad this getup they put me in has pockets and that I thought to
put the iPod in one of them. I wish I had something classical, maybe Gregorian chant. The
closest I have is classic rock, some Beatles songs my sister likes. I find Yesterday. You
put in these earbuds.
In my ears?
Sure. That way, you can listen to music without any- one else hearing it.
The king looks like he still doesnt get it, but he sticks the earbuds in. Now what?
You push that. Here. Ill do it for you. I lean over and push it for him. Obviously, these
people are button- challenged.
Can he hear us? Talia whispers. When I say no, she turns to the queen. Mother, please make
him stop being so cruel. This is not my fault.
The queen shakes her head. Oh, Talia.
Then you are against me, too? I hate this! I wish I could simply run away. She turns to
me. How did you get here? To Euphrasia?
I already told you, I came through the hedge.
No. Before that. How did you get to Europe from . . . Florida? King Louis takes out the earbuds. He sighs. How I long for yesterday.
Which is a line from the Beatles song.
You mean to say, young man, he continues, that in your century, they have found a way to
preserve this mans singing and put it into a minuscule box, all so that one can listen to
music without the bother of having it performed, without having to dress and gather and
dance, that in your timewhich, by unfortunate accident, is now my time as welleach man can
live entirely in his own world?
I nod. Cool, isnt it?
The king hands me back the iPod. The lord across from me looks like he might want to have
a listen, but he doesnt dare ask. I should have been dead three hundred years ago, the
king continues. I should have . . . He glares at Talia again. . . . and I would have, had
you merely kept away from spindles as you were told.
By all the saints! Talia cries. Talia, her mother cautions. Do not swear. I will swear,
Mother. I am done being obedient. Obe-
dience has done me no good. Father may be peevish to me, but I will not stand to see him
being so to our guest. We are very much in Jacks debt. Had he not kissed me He what?! the king roars.
Uh-oh. Did he not know that?
K-kissed me. That is how I happened to awaken. Surely you must You! The king points a trembling finger toward me. You, a commoner, dared to take advantage of my daugh- ters sleeping state to . . .
I didnt know she was a princess, Your Highness . . . Majesty . . . sir! I push my chair
aside. Im sorry. I should get going. I take a few steps backward and stumble into a
servant holding a tray of mushrooms. Id better get out of here before they come up with
the idea ofoh, I dont knowstoning me to death.
No! You will go nowhere. You have defiled my daughter.
I didnt! It was a kiss. A little one.
Yes, you are right, Father, Talia says. He defiled me.
What? I yell. I didnt . . . I barely touched you! I want to scream at her, but I try to
keep in control. Hurling insults would probably get me in more trouble than Im in already.
Tell the truth, you . . . brat! Oops. That slipped out.
She glares at me, then continues. It is true. I am quite sullied. There is nothing for me
to do but marry this young man and go to Florida with him immediately.
Marry you? Ma Impossible! the king declares. Why not? Talia says. All the princes I might
have mar-
ried are long dead. You do not wish me in your presence. The king nods at the guards
behind me, and I feel hands on my arms. This young man is an offender of the most
contemptible kind, a rogue who would take advantage of a young ladysa princessssleeping state to . . . desecrate her. Death is too good for such an
offender.
There it is. Death.
But I didnt . . . I wouldnt touch her if you paid me!
He must be brought to the royal dungeon to await a suitable
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