Princess Between Worlds

  “Penelope, why don’t you help our guests to their place at the table?” said her mother. “I’m just about to call your brothers to supper, and the wee ones would be safer if they were already seated.”

  Annie looked up as the girl climbed down from her chair to loom over them. Before she knew what was happening, Annie was cupped in the Penelope’s hand, whooshing through the air to a huge wooden plate on the table. The girl set her on the plate, plunking Liam beside her a moment later.

  “Well, that was different!” Liam said, sounding slightly out of breath.

  “At least she was gentle,” Annie whispered to him as Penelope took her place at the table again. Her plate was beside the one where Annie and Liam were sitting, although the space between them was wider than a jousting field.

  Annie was startled when Mona began to ring a bell. The sound was as loud as if Annie had been inside it, hanging on to the clapper. Her head was throbbing when the bell stopped ringing. A minute later, the two boys and their father stomped into the kitchen and took their places at the table.

  “Good! I see our guests are here,” said Hugo in his normal voice.

  Annie winced and covered her ears.

  “Oh, sorry,” Hugo whispered when he saw her. “Remember, everyone, soft voices. Our guests can’t handle loud noises.”

  “Why?” asked Penelope, peering down at Annie and Liam.

  “Because they’re small and fragile,” Clifton said from where he sat on the other side of his sister. He ruffled her hair and she laughed, a light, joyous sound that Annie would have thought delightful if it hadn’t been so loud.

  “Supper looks delicious!” Hugo told Mona, beaming down the length of the table at her. “Pass your plates, everyone! Let’s eat before supper gets cold. Uh, you two might want to get off before I serve your dinner.”

  The entire family watched as Liam helped Annie down from the plate, and stepped aside as Hugo reached for it. They couldn’t see what was in the bowls or what he put on the plate until he set it back on the table with a thud that nearly knocked them off their feet. Annie was peering over the edge, wondering how they were supposed to reach the food, when Penelope picked them up and set them back on the plate.

  “Eat your supper!” she ordered them, remembering to keep her voice down.

  Annie glanced at Liam. They had no utensils and doubted that the giants had any the right size for them anyway. “I guess we have to use our hands.”

  Liam shrugged. “It’s no worse than when we camp out,” he said. “I wonder what kind of fish that is.”

  Annie stood up to see what was on the plate. The big slab of something white covered in garlic and onions had to be the fish. Sliced carrots as big around as a barrel lid rested beside a huge mound of mashed turnips. On the far side of the plate, a puddle of something soft and squishy could have been some kind of pudding. Although the servings might be small by a giant’s standards, there was far too much food for two “wee ones.”

  As the giants began to eat, Annie and Liam stepped closer to the food. Annie tasted a sliver of fish so big that she had to use both hands to hold it. After the first bite, she had to admit that it was delicious. She was very careful as she ate her food, tearing off small pieces of fish or tiny chunks of carrots, but Liam was more forthright in the way he ate. After tasting the fish and carrots, he moved on to the turnips, eating a sizable hole in the mound before Annie had tried any. When she looked at him again, he was eating pudding, digging his hands into it and scooping it out by the fistful.

  “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to play with your food?” Annie said with a laugh.

  “This is really good!” said Liam. “There are bits of fruit in it that I’ve never tasted before.”

  Annie smiled even as she shook her head. He had pudding smeared up to his elbows, but he really did seem to like it. She was about to taste the pudding herself, when Penelope said to Annie and Liam, “How come you’re so little?”

  Annie glanced at Liam to see if he was going to answer, but he was engrossed in the mashed turnips again and didn’t seem to have noticed that Penelope was talking to them. “All humans are little like us. It’s just the way we’re made,” Annie finally told her.

  “Will you get any bigger?”

  “This is probably about as big as we’ll get. We might grow a little more, but we’ll never be as big as you.”

  “How can you walk on such little feet? Don’t you fall over a lot? I know I would if my feet were as little as yours.”

  “Our feet are the right size for our bodies. We don’t fall over any more than you do.”

  “Where do you come from?”

  Although the other giants hadn’t seemed to be interested in the conversation before this, talking among themselves and eating loudly, they all grew quiet now. “I come from a kingdom called Treecrest. Liam is from Dorinocco. Do you know where either of those kingdoms are located?” she said, turning to Hugo.

  Hugo shook his head. Apparently he had been listening. “I’ve never heard of them. We used to live in Upper Montevista and have friends who live in Greater Greensward. And we passed through Soggy Molvinia, remember, Mona?”

  “I remember that, I just don’t remember hearing of any place named Treecrest or Dorinocco.”

  “And we’ve never heard of the kingdoms you mentioned,” said Liam, who must have been listening as well.

  Annie shot him a quick glance. They may not have heard of any Montevista or Molvinia, but they had heard of Greater Greensward, and what they’d heard hadn’t been good. Apparently the giants weren’t going to be able to help them, either.

  It was getting dark by the time they finished eating, and it occurred to Annie that they had nowhere to spend the night. “I suppose we could sleep on the beach,” she told Liam.

  “I don’t know how safe that would be,” he said. “We don’t know what kind of wild animals live on this island.”

  “You could sleep here,” said Penelope. “Couldn’t they, Mama? They could sleep in Lulu’s bed. She wouldn’t mind.”

  “That’s a good idea,” her mother replied. “Why don’t you show it to them and see what they think?”

  “Lulu’s bed is next to mine,” Penelope said as she got down from her chair. “Come on. I’ll show you.”

  Who is Lulu? Annie wondered, but before she could ask, Penelope had picked her up again. “Oof!” said Annie. She wished the child weren’t so eager to carry her around. In her excitement, Penelope wasn’t as gentle as she’d been before, and Annie was finding it hard to breathe. She pushed on the girl’s fingers, trying to get more space, but it didn’t make any difference. Gasping for air, Annie didn’t notice that they were in a different room until Penelope set her on the floor.

  “Will you be my friend?” asked Penelope.

  Annie drew in a deep breath, despite her now sore ribs. “I’d be happy to be your friend,” she replied, and coughed from the effort, making her ribs hurt more.

  “Good! Then you can stay here forever and I’ll take good care of you. See, this is Lulu’s bed. Lulu, time to get up!”

  A bed the right size for a human sat on the floor beside an enormous bed that was obviously Penelope’s. Annie was horrified when the child pulled back the covers on the little bed and picked up a person who seemed to be as rigid as a board.

  “My brother made Lulu for me when I was little,” said Penelope. “She can sleep in my bed with me from now on and you can sleep in this bed.”

  Lulu is a doll, Annie realized. And Penelope wanted Annie to take her place! “Uh, Penelope,” Annie began. “Liam and I are going to be here only a day or two. We can’t stay here forever!”

  “Oh! I forgot Liam! Here, you get in bed and I’ll go get him,” Penelope said, picking Annie up and setting her on the bed. “Lie down and I’ll cover you up.”

  “I don’t think . . . ,” Annie began, but she choked on her next words when Penelope pushed her down with one massive finger and pulled the covers over her.
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  “I’ll be right back,” said the girl, leaving Annie to rub her chest where the girl had poked her.

  Annie lay there, listening to the giant child walk away. She was about to sit up when she heard Penelope returning. After waiting for the girl to set Liam on the bed, she watched her tuck him under the covers.

  “I have to get ready for bed now,” said Penelope. “I’ll check on you when I get in my bed.”

  Annie waited while the girl left the room and she was alone with Liam before speaking. “Penelope’s treating us like dolls,” she told him. “This is a doll’s bed. She said that we can use it forever.”

  “Apparently you’re her favorite doll. She told me that she would throw me in the ocean if I wasn’t nice to you,” said Liam.

  Annie shuddered. “We can’t stay here! We have to leave tonight.”

  “We will as soon as she goes to sleep,” agreed Liam. “It’s too bad. I would have liked to spend another day on the beach with you.”

  “I’d like that, too, just not here,” said Annie. “Now I can’t stop worrying that she’s going to pitch you into the water the first time we argue.”

  “Are you two comfy?” Penelope said as she came back in the room. “You should be asleep already. Close your eyes and go to sleep right now!”

  Annie closed her eyes immediately, hoping that Liam had done the same. She lay there, pretending to be asleep, while Penelope climbed into bed. When Mona and Hugo came in to kiss their daughter good night, Annie didn’t budge. Even after they blew out the candle, and the room was dark, she kept her eyes closed and her breathing regular. It worked so well, and she was so tired, that she fell asleep when she fully intended to stay awake.

  Liam must have fallen asleep, too, because when Annie woke a few hours later, he was snoring softly beside her. Scooting closer to him, she whispered, “Liam, wake up!”

  “Huh? What? I wasn’t asleep! I was just resting my eyes,” he said in a normal voice.

  “Shh!” Annie whispered back as she poked him in the side. “Quiet! You don’t want to wake Penelope!”

  “Mmm,” the girl murmured. “What’s wrong? Why are you talking? Go back to sleep.”

  Even though the giant child couldn’t see her, Annie closed her eyes again and pretended to sleep. This time she managed to stay awake. When Penelope’s breathing evened out, Annie nudged Liam and was relieved when he patted her hand without talking. Moving as quietly as they could, they edged off the bed and tiptoed from the room.

  To Annie’s surprise, Hugo was sitting on a bench by the fireplace, gazing into the flames. “Leaving, are you?” he asked when he saw them. “I don’t blame you. Penelope can be a little bossy.”

  “She’s a sweet child, but she’s treating us like dolls,” said Annie. “Please tell her that we had to go.”

  “I will,” Hugo murmured. “She’ll be disappointed, but it can’t be helped. Good luck with your travels. I’m glad we got to meet you. It was a nice diversion. Life here is very pleasant, but it can get a bit boring.”

  “After all the excitement Annie and I have lived through lately, I’m looking forward to a little boring time of my own,” said Liam. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

  “It was my pleasure!” said the giant, smiling in the near darkness.

  CHAPTER 11

  “You said you’d like to spend more time with me on a beach,” Annie said to Liam. “It looks as if you got your wish.”

  “I know,” said Liam. “But we won’t know if we can relax until we find out who or what lives here.”

  The next postcard had been a picture of a beautiful tropical island. It looked a lot like the island where the giants lived, only smaller and with shorter, more windswept trees. Although it was dawn and the sky was just starting to lighten, Annie could see well enough to decide that the white sand beaches looked as inviting as those on the other island. Even so, she wasn’t sure that she and Liam dared go swimming.

  “The first thing we need to do is explore,” Liam announced. “I’m tired of surprises. Let’s see what lies inland before we check the shoreline.”

  They started toward the center of the island, their feet sinking into sand still cool from the night. When they reached the first of the trees, they disturbed a flock of brightly colored birds that flew away squawking, their long tails hanging down behind them. The day was starting to get warm when Annie spotted the glint of sunlight on water. She hurried ahead, hoping to find fresh water that they could drink. To her delight she found a medium-size pond filled with cool, clear water.

  “Do you think we can drink it?” she asked as Liam caught up with her.

  “Don’t run ahead like that!” Liam told her. “How am I supposed to protect you if I don’t go first? Wait a minute while I check the water. I don’t want you drinking anything until I know it’s all right.”

  Liam knelt beside the pond and scooped up a small amount of water. He sniffed it first, then stuck his tongue in for the tiniest taste. The next sip he took was larger. He held it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it.

  “Well?” said Annie. “How is it?”

  “It tastes wonderful, but we really should wait to see if I get sick before . . . Annie, don’t!”

  Annie was on her knees, scooping up water and taking a long, cool sip before Liam could finish his sentence. When she’d finished, she sat back and turned to Liam. “If you’re going to get sick, so am I. Oh my, look at your shirt! What did you do, take a bath in that pudding last night?”

  “There weren’t any spoons!” he replied, glancing down at himself. He patted his chest where the fabric was stiff and still sticky. “I must admit, this is disgusting, and very uncomfortable.”

  “Take that shirt off and let me rinse it out for you,” Annie told him. “I don’t have any soap, but rinsing it should make it a little more wearable.”

  Liam grumbled as he slipped off his shirt. Taking the postcards from his pocket, he set them on the ground and handed the shirt to Annie. While she scrubbed the shirt under water, Liam rinsed off his arms and upper body. They were leaning over the water, intent on their tasks, when they heard voices coming through the trees. Two elderly women wearing strange loose gowns made of red, yellow, and orange fabric stopped at the edge of the trees to stare at them. While the short, plump woman had a kindly look about her, the stick-thin woman wore a sour expression on her long face, crinkling her narrow nose as if she saw something repulsive.

  “Well, I’ll be! What have we here?” said the shorter woman.

  “They’re the two intruders come to steal our treasure, Norelle,” said the other. “I guess that old geezer was right after all.”

  Annie stood up and handed Liam’s shirt back to him while saying, “Please pardon us. We aren’t thieves, nor did we mean to intrude. We can leave now if you don’t want us here.”

  “Leave? Who said anything about leaving?” snapped the taller woman. “Come with us so you can meet the rest of the ladies.”

  Annie bent down to brush a leaf from her foot, moving so the two women couldn’t see her pick up the postcards. When she stood, she kept her hand behind her and tucked the cards into one of her pockets, hoping no one had noticed.

  “Come along!” ordered the taller woman, and walked away without waiting for Annie and Liam to follow.

  Norelle gave Annie an encouraging smile before scurrying off after her friend.

  “I guess we found the people who live here,” Liam said as they started to follow. “That woman said we should meet the ladies. Do you suppose they’re all women?”

  “We’ll know soon enough,” said Annie. “I see some buildings up ahead.”

  Liam grunted as they stepped out of the trees onto the beach. It was on the opposite side of the island from where they’d arrived and looked very different, with a cluster of huts and a large fire pit edged with driftwood. “This island is smaller than I thought,” he muttered.

  “The old wizard was right,” the taller woman shouted.
“They’re here!”

  “Thank you, Rugene. We can see that,” said a woman with long white hair, her voice surprisingly husky. “Now we have to decide what we’re going to do about it.”

  “I think we should do what he said,” declared another woman. Her gray hair looked as if it had never been brushed and her gown was grimy and torn. Annie noticed that the others gave her wary looks and kept their distance from her.

  “I’m not doing anything that nincompoop said!” said Rugene. “He didn’t ask us, he ordered us to tie them up and toss them in the ocean, as if he has any right to tell us what to do! I may not be using my magic much lately, but I still have more magic in my little toe than he has in his big, bald head!”

  “They’re witches!” Annie whispered in Liam’s ear.

  “And Rotan has been here,” Liam whispered back. “May I say something?” he asked the witches.

  “NO!” they all shouted at once.

  “This is up to us, not you,” Rugene told him. “So keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for you!”

  “I think we should vote like we usually do,” said Norelle. “I vote we give them breakfast and send them on their way.”

  “Give them breakfast! Next you’ll be inviting them to move in!” cried the witch with the wild hair.

  “They look a bit thin, Hennah, that’s all,” said Norelle.

  “I’m not so sure about breakfast, but I didn’t sleep well last night and I don’t feel up to drowning anyone today,” the witch with long white hair announced. “And that old wizard was so rude. I agree with Norelle. I think we should send them away.”

  A witch with sad-looking eyes wrung her hands, saying, “Cadmilla is right. No breakfast, and send them away. They may be thieves, but that doesn’t mean they deserve to drown. No one has stolen anything from us yet. And we’ve all stolen something in the past, some more than others, but nobody tried to drown us.”