The River Maid Read Online Free Page A

through the ranks. I started off as nothing more than a simple soldier. The rich cannot depend on money to buy their way to positions of power anymore. Now, they have to earn it.”
    Christian agreed with the principle; that he should be judged by his actions instead of his social position. But, he wasn’t foolish enough to believe that the other German princes who had declared for Napoleon cared about that. They supported Napoleon because it benefited them.
    “You should come with me to Paris,” Ducasse said. “I could introduce you at court.”
    “ That’s very generous of you,” Christian replied, knowing his mother would never allow it.
    “ Or get you a position in the army if you prefer.”
    His mother and Gaspard exchanged worried looks.
    “We thank you for the offer, General,” his mother said, smiling at Ducasse above her glass of wine. “But Christian has responsibilities here.”
    The General smiled. “I see.”
    Christian drank down his wine to stop himself replying. The shame of having his mother answer for him burned his cheeks. He could see the derision in the General ’s face.  
    If only the General knew how much he wanted to be out there, fighting. When he was younger, he always assumed he would join the army. He would study at one of the military colleges and then buy his way in. He was the younger son and free to do as he pleased. Then his brother had died and he became the heir and he was no longer free to go off and risk dying in battle.
    He wished he could do as he wanted for once. He wanted to join the army and distinguish himself, to prove his worth and command respect for his actions, not just his title. But that choice and any choice over his life had been taken away from him the minute he had been born a prince of the House of Hesse-Kessel.
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Three
     
    Adrianna floated. She lay on her back in the river, the sky blue and cloudless above her, the current gently carrying her along. Green hills rose either side of her. Somehow, she knew she was on the Rhine, but there were no towns or castles in sight. She was entirely alone. The song drifted softly, carried by the wind and woven into its whisper. She could hear it clearly despite the water blocking her ears. It wrapped around her, filling her with a deep sense of peace. She felt content to drift forever.
    Suddenly, she was pulled under. Water filled her mouth. She struggled desperately to stay afloat, but someone or something pulled her down. Unable to breathe, her body went limp. Down and down she slowly sunk, into the river’s dark depths. She watched the light fade further and further away. With a jolt, she came to rest on the riverbed. She couldn’t move her head, but out of the corner of her eye she could see Jutta lying still next to her, her eyes open and unblinking, her body swollen and misshapen and her skin mottled grey. Suddenly, Jutta turned her head and her white lifeless hand reached out for Adrianna.
    Adrianna opened her eyes and sat up, her heart racing. Relief washed over her as she took in the familiar surroundings of her tiny bedroom. It was just a dream, she told herself, pressing a hand to her chest and taking in slow, deep breaths, as she tried to calm her racing heart. Just a dream. But it had been so vivid. She could still feel water filling her mouth and nose, choking her as she tried to breathe. She lay back down and pulled the blankets up to her chin and tried to go back to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes all she could see was Jutta ’s white hand reaching out for her. 
    In the end, she threw back the covers and climbed out of her narrow bed. She shivered at the chill as her bare feet hit the cold floorboards. She needed to hurry and get downstairs to the fire. In the room below, she could hear her mother moving about, already up. She poured water from the jug on the nightstand into a bowl and splashed water onto her face. Her eyes felt gritty and dry. She felt as if she