Chapter 6

Back to chapter menu     
Chapter 5       Chapter 7

In the days that followed the sisters’ excursion, the king and queen determined that it was time for Cydippe to focus on selecting a suitor of her own. 

Cydipee had to admit it had been nice to accompany Psyche in some of her work. It wasn’t nearly as boring as she had thought it would be. 

But a princess had duties and responsibilities. She couldn’t just flit around the village helping people. She had to consider the needs of the kingdom as a whole.

And it was finally Cydippe’s turn to get a little attention and a well-deserved rest from Psyche’s popularity and her silly shine.

So, Cydipee excused herself from going out with Psyche with more regularity that Psyche stopped inviting her. 

Cydippe tried not to feel too bad, but she had more important things to do.

Like consider the list of suitors. 

Oh, and what wonderful options they were! 

Dukes and lords from across the land lined up to be considered for the hand of the glorious Princess Cydippe. The Goddess Aphrodite had definitely blessed this middle child. 

Aglaura would soon witness her triumph and would be forced to admit that Cydippe was, indeed, the best. 

But how to determine the one she should marry?

These boring receptions and stuffy occasions her parents had planned did nothing to help Cydippe differentiate one handsome suitor from another. 

She needed to make sure her husband was unquestionably superior from all of the others. 

Cydippe thus conceived the Suitor Games — a competition among suitors in which they would prove their worthiness of her hand in marriage. 

Cydippe felt so clever. It would entertain the kingdom, keep the attention on her, AND help her find the best and brightest who would be way better than Aglaura’s high king. 

Psyche couldn’t understand how competing for Cydippe’s heart would prove a suitor’s worthiness.

Poor Psyche knew nothing of such things.  

For the only man who could conquer Cydippe’s heart was the man who could conquer the challenges that lay ahead. 

Like navigating a labyrinth.

Or solving a riddle.

And anyway. 

It was a good way to weed out the weak ones. 

Needless to say, the kingdom was delighted and fully embraced Cydippe’s idea.

Visitors streamed in to participate. 

Tasks were announced weekly. 

Winners were announced fortnightly. 

The games, riddles, and tasks got bigger and bigger and bigger — and more and more difficult. 

It was all so intoxicating and exhilarating.   

As the Suitor Games grew to greater heights, the entire kingdom was completely consumed by the various possibilities and discussed at length which suitor would suit the princess best. Fed tidbits of gossip from the palace, villagers and gentry pieced together the various candidates and placed their bets. 

Duke So-and-so? No. He only managed to solve two of Cydippe’s puzzles. She would never pick him. 

What about Lord Whats-his-name? Ah, yes. Now there’s a worthy fellow. 

Or Prince Dashing? Most of the ladies preferred him. 

On and on it went. 

Wagers and bets, gossip, and more games. 

After a full year of the Suitor Games, however, it was starting to get a bit ridiculous. 

Sail around the world and bring back the most precious possession found along the way?

That seemed a bit much. 

The contestants might be eliminated at the hands of sirens — or a cyclops. 

Or so tempted by precious possessions, he just wouldn’t come back. 

The king and queen, as much as they loved having yet another reason for people to flock to their kingdom, it was time to put an end to it all. 

Cydippe, a bit disgruntled at the ending of her fun, decided to turn it into a lottery. She wrote her top three candidates on three separate pieces of paper, folded them up, jumbled them into an urn, and picked one. 

Lord Whats-his-name!!

The kingdom was a mixture of cheers and groans. 

There were some big losses that day. 

But big wins too!

The lesson? 

Don’t gamble. 

And just court a suitor like everyone else. 

Back to chapter menu 
Chapter 5       Chapter 7