Page 8 of Enchanted in Time
“Lichtenberg Castle?” Hannah frowned and scanned the invitation. Sure enough. There it was.
The dilapidated old building was in the middle of a wooded area, about three miles from the city where they lived. The ruin stood on a hill in the middle of a wide valley and was accessible by way of an old stone bridge. The crumbling castle was in such an idyllic spot that many had lamented its condition and wondered why the owner or municipality had allowed the structure to become so overgrown and run-down. What a lovely setting it would make for a family outing or festival!
“Read it, Mommy, read it!”
Hannah cleared her throat.
“His Majesty King Gustav Ludwig Friedrich von Lichtenberg
hereby announces
that a ball shall be held this Saturday.
All marriageable ladies of the kingdom are invited.
Following the assembly of the entourage and introduction of the same,
His Majesty Prince Maximilian Heinrich Ludwig von Lichtenberg
shall choose a lady from amongst those present to be his wife.”
Emi was jumping up and down beside Hannah. “Mommy, Mommy, how exciting! You’re going to marry a prince!”
Hannah was about to burst out laughing when Marco’s hearty laughter filled the little room. “Mom’s not a princess. She’s way too old.”
“Well, listen to you!” Hannah playfully pinched his cheek.
“Who knows how old the prince is,” Frieda pointed out. “If the invitation is addressed to your mother, there’s a chance she could be his future bride.”
Hannah laughed and looked at her elderly neighbor in disbelief. She couldn’t possibly believe that this was a real invitation to a ball where a prince would be in search of his future wife!
Right at that moment, she had a realization. “Someone’s playing a practical joke. Yesterday at the baby shower, I said to Lena and her friends that there had to be a Prince Charming waiting for me somewhere. I’m sure this was their idea!”
“But the coat of arms, Mommy,” Leon insisted. “It’s real!”
“I’m not an expert on heraldry, sweetheart, but I don’t think it’s real.”
“Let’s google it!” Marco leapt off the couch and ran over to the small corner desk with the computer. He booted it up, which took some time, and then started hammering away at the keys.
“What dress are you going to wear, Mommy?” Emi wanted to know.
Hannah caressed her little girl’s head. “Sweetheart, someone’s pulling my leg here. I’m not going to any ball.”
“Mrs. Meyer, it’s the king’s express order!” admonished Frieda, her index finger in the air.
“But we don’t have a king for a ruler. We live in a democracy. Therefore, no king can order me to go to a ball—especially since this whole invitation and ball have got to be some stupid joke.”
“I don’t think so,” Leon said earnestly.
“I don’t either, my little angel,” Frieda agreed, smiling at him.
“I found the page. Bring me the letter,” Marco yelled from the desk, and his two little siblings came bounding over with the invitation. “This is the page about Lichtenberg Castle. There’s nothing here about a royal family or a King Gustav and Prince Maximilian.”
“If a royal family had lived where the castle ruins are now, we would have known about it,” Hannah said, her brow furrowed. “But there wasn’t a single lesson in school about a king from this area, and even my parents never said anything about a king or a prince who lived at Lichtenberg Castle. We know nothing about this castle.”
“I’ll read you what it says here.” Marco leaned a little closer to the screen:
“The ruins of Lichtenberg Castle fascinate young and old alike. What we have here are the ruined remains, presumably of a former castle, now overgrown with ivy and thorny vines.
