The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine

Sonora met him in the courtyard as he stepped down from his carriage. Probably he was handsome, but he was so tall she could hardly see his face, because it was too far away. He had dark hair and broad shoulders. She couldn’t tell what color his eyes were. She’d have to wait to see them when he sat down.
    She curtsied.
    He bowed. He thought, I guess she’s pretty. She’s puny though. The fairies didn’t make her Tall.
    They had no chance to talk because they had to hurry to a banquet in the prince’s honor. Sonora sat at one end of the banquet table with her mother. Prince Melvin XX sat with her father at the other end.
    The prince ate, chewing very slowly. Sonora watched his mouth. He ate more slowly than anyone she had ever seen before. While he ate, he talked to the king. The prince spoke so slowly that King Humphrey II forgot the beginning of each sentence by the time Prince Melvin XX got to the end. Prince Melvin XX told the king about every second of his journey to Biddle. He explained how he had decided on each item he had brought from Kulornia. He said what he had been doing when his father had agreed to the marriage.
    King Humphrey II wished there weren’t so many courses. Another half hour of this and he’d faint.
    The meal finally ended. King Humphrey II stood up quickly. “Sonora, sweet, show your guest the garden.” Get him out of here!
    Sonora curtsied and led the prince away. Queen Hermione II headed for her daughter’s bedchamber to see what Sonora needed for her trousseau. The king decided to take a nap.
    Prince Melvin XX held the door to the garden open for Sonora. “My father says you’re smart,” he said slowly. “And I believe him. He always tells the truth. If he were a liar, I wouldn’t believe him.”
    â€œThat’s reasonable.” Sonora tried to smile, but she couldn’t. I can’t smile because I’m sad, she thought. If I were happy, I would be able to. Aaa! I’m thinking the way he talks. “Our roses are over here.”
    â€œI see them. The red ones are very red.” He went on. “I’m glad you’re smart. When I’m king, you can write my proclamations. I’ll tell you what to say.”
    â€œIf you tell me what to say, why—”
    â€œThinking gets in the way. People can be too smart. I’m a Man of Action. The fairies made me that way. I always know what to do. Father had to write a proclamation the other day . . .”
    Sonora bent over to sniff a peony. Here was another person who would never want to listen to her.
    The king couldn’t fall asleep. His head hurt too much. Compared to the prince, Sonora was a pleasure to listen to. He rolled over onto his stomach.
    In Sonora’s room, Queen Hermione II began to take gowns out of the wardrobe and spread them across Sonora’s bed. The child needed new ones for her trousseau. Five or ten new gowns. The prettiest gown Sonora had was blue, embroidered with seed pearls. Where was it? She turned back to the wardrobe.
    Sonora and Prince Melvin XX stood next to the weeping cherry tree. He was talking as usual. She had stopped listening an hour ago. He was saying very slowly that he didn’t see much use for flowers. Vegetables were different. He saw a use for them. He began to list all the vegetables he could think of.
    Sonora wondered how bad sleep could be. A hundred years of sleep would be shorter than five minutes with the prince. As soon as she got away from him, she’d go to her room and prick herself.
    No! If she did, he’d fall asleep too, and in a hundred years she’d still have to marry him. But then she wouldn’t have a hundred years of sleep to look forward to. So she couldn’t prick herself now. She’d have to wait and do it when he went back to Kulornia to get ready for the wedding.
    â€œI especially like boiled corn in the . . .”
    But meanwhile she