3 Golden Apples and a Princess

When, she wondered moodily, and by what means, had the precedent been established that Princesses, such as herself, could be bought and sold by means of golden apples?  It bothered her very much indeed that there was such a way to put a specifc value on her – and, not only that, but to compare her value to that of another princess.  The first time she had been purchased, by a kingdom severely lacking in princesses, it had been for one golden apple.  She had been a pint-sized princess then, quite young, and had thought the golden apple pretty – when she realized that she could not keep it, but instead it was going to live where she had been, while she went somewhere else, she had thrown a tantrum.  That was, she reflected, the first time she had realized that she was a princess.

Over the intervening years, she had been bought and sold a few times, for various numbers and parts of golden apples.  Most recently, she had been Princess-by-purchase in a kingdom that already had several princesses, but had wanted to “deepen the bench,” so to speak.  It needed a variety of princesses for formal occasions, and she had fit nicely into the put-in-an-appearance-at-the-ball niche.  Now, however, one of the local princesses was old enough to do that duty herself, and so word had been put about that there was an experienced princess available, for a reasonable price. 

And three golden apples was, really, a not unhandsome offer.  Moreover, they were quite good golden apples.  Still, she had heard that a princess two kingdoms over had gone for more than five golden apples; and she was not satisfied with it.  The new place, where she was going, had need of a princess to handle the happily-ever-after story with one of their princes.  This would be her first time in that role, and she was, she admitted grudgingly, looking forward to experiencing it.  Nevertheless.  Only 3 golden apples.

A knock sounded at her door.  “Madam Princess, Your Once and Future Highness, it is time.”  Sighing, she arose, throwing her long travel cloak about her shoulders.