Coin of the Realm — Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Rosalind, a princess of Orsem, believes the kingdom values her less than a coin of the realm. Her father the King confirms her belief when he decides to marry her to a prince from a neighboring kingdom, despite the threats of assassination that pour in. Her father doesn't see her value; the assassins do, leaving Rosalind with several dilemmas: Marry? Flee? Or stand and prove herself?

“[Rusch's] short fiction is golden.”
-- John Mark Eberhart
The Kansas City Star