The Story of Princess Eselde Content . " [ This bit of propaganda was produced for House Tamrith and distributed while Countess Eselde was in the south , studying with the Order of Arkay . ] " Upon a time , in the realm of Cutcap , there was a mighty king named Rulthrub who ruled nobly and long . After many years King Rulthrub felt himself getting old , and started to think about what would happen to his realm after he was gone . Now this king was blessed with two sons , which normally would be a happy thing for an aging monarch , but in this case it was a problem . For the younger son who had been born of his queen , Prince Pigeon , was weak - willed and indifferent . In contrast the elder son , Prince Lancer , was bold and self - assured , and though his mother was of House Rithmat , the noblest in Cutcap , still Prince Lancer had undeniably been born out of wedlock . Now King Rulthrub was a wise king , and did not try to conceal that he favored his elder son , Prince Lancer , as he was clearly the prince most fit to rule . But nonetheless when the old king finally went to Aetherius , some people felt that the milksop Prince Pigeon should take the throne . I don ' t know whether these people were merely misguided , or had some other reason why they thought the rulership of Cutcap should be undermined . Fortunately wiser heads prevailed and Prince Lancer was elected King of Cutcap by the Council of Nobles . Shortly after Lancer ' s accession to the throne he met a demoiselle named Lady Vespire at a ball and fell in love . The lovely and clever Vespire was a daughter of House Rithmat , and after a brief courtship King Lancer told his Council of Nobles that she would be his queen . However , Count Pigeon ( the former prince ) objected that this would not be proper as King Lancer ' s mother had been a Rithmat , and by the Law of Consanguinity the Lady Vespire was too close a relation for marriage . On this the rest of the council agreed , and King Lancer was persuaded to set the young lady aside . Upon hearing this news , Lady Vespire disappeared , said to have been carried off into the forests by a coterie of nixads , and though the king sent out search parties , his lost love was never found . In due course the council recommended , for the sake of the dynasty , that King Lancer marry the young and healthy Lady Ignort of House Dull , and this , heartbroken , he agreed to . Lancer and Ignort were married , and King Lancer settled down to do his kingly duty by his new queen . Within a few months it was announced that Queen Ignort had borne King Lancer a child . A Naming - Day festival was declared for the infant princess , and everyone important in the realm was invited . On the day of the celebration all the goodly and great of Cutcap came and laid presents at the foot of the cradle of Princess Arayelle , for thus she had been named . But at the end of the line came someone no one recognized : a dire Wyrd - Hag , hooded and cloaked , and bearing a darksome flower . Now , no Wyrd - Hags had been seen in Cutcap since the Year of Sun ' s - Death , but all feared her and none dared bar her passage . The Wyrd - Hag advanced to the princess ' cradle , and when she came to its foot she threw back her hood and cried , " Behold , King Lancer ! It is I , Lady Vespire , now a Wyress of the Wyrd ! " The gaily - clad crowd fell back in horror , for the formerly pretty Lady Vespire now sported a large nose disfigured by unsightly warts . " By some oversight you failed to invite me to your daughter ' s Naming Day , but I have come nonetheless . And look — I have brought the infant princess a present ! " " What present is this ? " said King Lancer , all a - tremble . " A darksome flower ? I like not its look ! " " That ' s no surprise , Your Majesty , " said the Wyrd - Hag mockingly , " for this is a Forsaken Rose , a blossom no one wants ! I know what that is like , King Lancer — and so , by my curse , shall your daughter ! " The horrible Hag then dropped the misshapen bloom upon the baby and disappeared in a flash of fire and a cloud of evil - smelling smoke . So it came to pass : Princess Arayelle grew up beautiful as a rose , but cross - grained and petulant . But she was nonetheless a princess of the north , so when King Emetick of the South came looking for a bride , their troth was quickly plighted . But Count Pigeon had long made a habit of visiting the South , and was a boon companion of King Emetick . And he pointed out to the King of the South that Arayelle was cross - grained and petulant , and he might make a stronger match by marrying the Princess of Watchtower . In time Emetick agreed . He broke his match with Arayelle and promised himself to the Princess of Watchtower . King Lancer , however , did not take this lightly , and swore he would go to war upon the oath - breaking King of the South . And he made lawful war upon King Emetick , but at the Battle of the Tor , Lancer was betrayed by one of his own generals . King Lancer was slain , his crown and Princess Arayelle both disappeared , and ever since the Throne of Cutcap has stood empty . But some say that when King Lancer was born a twin sister likewise saw the light of the world , but was spirited away by a Wyrd - Hag to be raised in the forests . And this child , a daughter of both Rulthrub and Rithmat , herself bore a daughter who was brought back to her maternal family . And this daughter was named Countess Eselde . And if the truth were told , all would know that her real title should be Princess Eselde . And she , and no other , is the rightful heir to the Throne of Cutcup . However , that is a tale for her people to tell .