The Bravest Princess

  “I’ll do anything if it will find Marissa. What do you want me to do? Help you locate all the secret passages so we can spy through peepholes? I know of two passages behind the walls, but I’m sure there are more.”

  Annie shook her head. “Nothing like that. I just want you to introduce me to the noblewomen in the castle. I think Marissa is probably here posing as someone we wouldn’t ordinarily suspect. She might even have taken the place of someone you know, so I need to meet all of them.” When Snow White looked baffled, Annie said, “Magic doesn’t work around me, remember? If I touch her, the magic she’s using to disguise herself will disappear, and we’ll see what she really looks like.”

  “Oh, I’m sure that’s a very good idea,” said Snow White. “It’s just that it sounds really tiresome. I thought you had something exciting in mind.”

  Annie bit her lip, holding back what she really wanted to say. Why was Snow White taking her plan so casually? Not exciting enough! Annie was there to help her, not entertain her! “Sorry, it’s the best I can do,” she finally said. “Will you help me?”

  Snow White stood and straightened her gown. “We’ll start right now. Let’s see who we run into first. I suppose it’s a good thing so many people left the castle when Marissa was in control. There are far fewer people here now than when I was a little girl.”

  They had scarcely started down the corridor when Snow White called, “Lady Polette! I’d like you to meet someone.”

  A noblewoman who had been walking in the other direction stopped and turned around. “Yes, Your Highness?” she said, looking surprised.

  “This is my friend Princess Annabelle of Treecrest. I don’t believe you’ve met.”

  Lady Polette curtsied, saying, “No, Your Highness. I don’t believe we have.”

  Annie couldn’t think of any reason to touch her, until she noticed that the woman was wearing gaudy jewelry. “What an interesting ring,” she said. “May I see it?”

  Lady Polette looked flustered, as if she thought Annie wanted the ring for herself. When the noblewoman began to pull it from her finger, Annie said, “Oh, no. You don’t have to take it off,” and reached for her hand. Annie touched her long enough to admire the ring and wait for any magic the woman had to fade away. Without the magic that made her attractive, Lady Polette had a long, narrow face that reminded Annie of a horse, but she didn’t look anything like Snow White’s stepmother.

  “It was lovely meeting you,” Annie said, releasing the noblewoman’s hand.

  Lady Polette curtsied again as Annie and Snow White walked away. “We’re going to have to think of a reason for me to touch them,” said Annie. “Maybe I could hand them something.”

  “You could give them a handkerchief if they have a runny nose,” suggested Snow White.

  Annie laughed and shook her head. “I don’t have that many handkerchiefs, and I doubt very many noblewomen will have runny noses.”

  “I know!” said Snow White. “We’ll get one of the gardeners to pick some flowers for us. You can hand each lady a single blossom!”

  “That would work,” said Annie.

  “We’ll go to the garden now. You can bump into women on the way!”

  “That will make a good first impression!” Annie said, laughing again.

  They met three more noblewomen on the way to the garden, and Annie managed to bump into each one. After meeting them, Annie made a point of memorizing their names so she could tick them off her list.

  The steward had also made up a list of all the women who worked in the castle. Annie was about to call to a maid, but the girl scurried away when she saw the two princesses. “I need to talk to all the women,” said Annie, “including the servants.”

  “That’s not going to be easy,” said Snow White. “They’ve been awfully skittish since my stepmother escaped.”

  “I’m sure I’ll think of something,” Annie said, though she wasn’t sure at all.

  The head gardener ran to meet them when they entered the garden. Annie admired the roses while Snow White told the man to pick all the flowers that would fit in a basket and bring the basket to Princess Annabelle after the meeting with the princes. As soon as he was dismissed, the man ran about, giving orders to his helpers.

  “It must be close to noon,” Snow White said, glancing at the position of the sun. “We should go to the meeting now. I’ll help you more later if I have time.”

  “This is going to take forever,” said Annie. “I can use all the help I can get!”

  The princesses made their way to the king’s audience chamber, where the princes were already waiting. Snow White stayed with Annie until King Archibald came in, then went to sit beside him.

  “I’ve decided how I will choose the prince that I will marry,” Snow White announced. “There will be trials, but not of the usual sort. No one will be sent on a quest. Instead, each of you must determine how you will prove your worth to me. The trials will start in the morning. In the first trial, you will have to express how you feel about me in a creative way. It is up to you to decide how you will do this.”

  “What?” said Digby. “We have to decide what we’re going to do? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

  Nasheen looked indignant. “This is quite irregular. Princes never have to think for themselves in situations like this.”

  “I’m not sure what to do,” called Milo. “Tell us what you want.”

  “I already told you enough,” said Snow White. “The rest is up to you.” The king leaned toward her and whispered something in her ear. Snow White nodded and stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you tomorrow. You will have until tomorrow’s supper to complete your task.”

  When Snow White and her father left the room, the princes turned to Annie. “You must know what she wants,” said Emilio. “Can’t you give us some ideas?”

  Annie shook her head. “It’s Snow White’s contest. It was up to her to tell you what she thought you needed to know. Good day, gentlemen, and good luck!”

  Annie hurried from the room, unhappy that Snow White had left her there without warning to face the princes by herself. She could understand why they were confused; even she had expected her friend to give the suitors at least some sort of example. But there was nothing she could do about it now.

  The head gardener was waiting when she entered the corridor, ready with a basket full of flowers. She smiled and thanked him, then glanced down at the basket with dismay. Without Snow White to help, she had no idea how she was ever going to find all these women. She supposed that she’d have to find Snow White first.

  Although Annie knew where her friend’s chamber was located, the way was confusing and it took her a while to find it. When no one answered Annie’s knock, she finally admitted that she’d have to do without Snow White’s help. Annoyed, Annie began to approach the women by herself. It was awkward without Snow White there to introduce her, especially when Annie had to ask the women their names. She would have to cross them off her list back in her room.

  Annie spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through the castle, handing out flowers to the ladies of the court. Each time she met one, she noted what happened when she touched the lady’s hand. Every once in a while she’d return to her room to check off names and see how many she had left. The number was dwindling, but she didn’t feel she was getting anywhere.

  The shadows were growing long when she handed out the last blossom in the basket. She was wondering how much the ladies of the court appreciated the small gift when Lady Chantry dropped the flower as she walked away. “Did she do that on purpose because she doesn’t want it, or was that an accident?” Annie murmured to herself. She was trying to decide if she should call out to the noblewoman when a courtier scooped the flower off the floor and dashed after Lady Chantry. As he handed the flower back to the lady, Annie had an idea. She knew exactly what the honesty test would be, but it wasn’t going to involve flowers.

  Annie went to supper that night planning to a
sk her friend where she’d been, but neither Snow White nor the king was there. Tired and in a foul mood, Annie knew that she wouldn’t make very good company, so she asked to have some food brought to her chamber. She was about to leave when Maitland spotted her.

  “I need to talk to you,” he said, cornering her outside the hall. “You have to give me some idea of what she wants. I already can’t sleep for thinking of her. I was a fool for talking about her to my friends when I first met her. Now I need to show her how much she means to me. Please, Annie, what does she want from us?”

  “I really can’t say …,” Annie began.

  “I’m not asking you to tell me what to do, just what she meant when she said that we have to express how we feel about her.”

  Annie sighed, knowing that she wasn’t going to get away without telling him something. “I’ll tell you this much, but you have to tell the other princes as well. Think of what you know about Snow White and what you think might please her. Think about your own talents and create something she would like that would mean something to her. I really can’t tell you more than that. Now, good night, Maitland. I wish you well in whatever you decide to do.”

  Chapter 11

  Liam met Annie in the corridor outside her room the next morning. “I missed you at supper last night,” he said.

  “I’m sorry,” said Annie. “But I just couldn’t face the princes again. I don’t have any better idea what to tell them now than I did last night. I can’t believe Snow White didn’t tell them more. And she was supposed to help me with something, but she never showed up. Don’t you think that when you’re helping someone, she should do what she can to help you help her?”

  “Uh …,” said Liam.

  “I mean,” continued Annie, “I wasn’t wandering around the castle with a basket of flowers for fun! I am sorry that I didn’t send word to you that I wouldn’t be at supper, though.”

  “That’s all right, but I must admit, without you to talk to, supper was tedious. If the princes weren’t boasting about how great their creations are going to be, they were worried that they aren’t doing what Snow White wants. When I stopped by the small dining room this morning, they were still talking about what they were going to do. I didn’t think you wanted to hear it, so I picked this up in the kitchen,” he said, handing her a soft folded cloth.

  “You were right,” Annie said, smiling up at him. “Thank you for thinking of this!” She unfolded the cloth, revealing oatcakes plump with currants. “This is perfect. I was wondering how I was going to get through the morning without breakfast.”

  “I understand that there’s a well with exceptionally tasty water near the north gate.” Liam smiled and hooked her arm through his. “I thought we could walk while we eat and quench our thirst at the well. There are guards on the walls, and I’ve come armed, so the crows shouldn’t bother us,” he said, patting the sword at his side.

  “That sounds like a marvelous plan,” said Annie. “I’d enjoy seeing something other than the inside of this castle.”

  “I know a shortcut,” Liam told her as he led her to a stairwell she hadn’t seen before. “I make a point of exploring every castle we visit whenever possible. You never know when being able to find your way around the less public places might come in handy.”

  “Like when we want to avoid lovesick princes?” said Annie as they started down the stairs.

  “Precisely,” said Liam. “Or when we want to leave in a hurry, or find something the owners don’t want us to find.”

  “Or invade it someday,” said Annie.

  “Uh-huh, or listen in on secrets.”

  “Or learn where everything is so you won’t get lost when you sleepwalk and wake to find yourself in a strange corridor?”

  “I hadn’t thought of that one!” said Liam. “Although I might have if I actually walked in my sleep. Ah, here we are. I believe that’s the door we want straight ahead.”

  It was a beautiful day when they stepped outside. Annie tilted her head to let the sunshine warm her face. Castles were usually chilly inside, and it was nice to feel warm for a change. She glanced down when she heard Dog bark, “Hello! What are you doing here?”

  “Going for a walk,” said Annie. “Would you like to go with us?”

  “Would I!” Dog said, wagging her tail. “I love walks! Where are we going?”

  “To the well by the north gate,” Liam told her.

  “Really! Really!” Dog shouted, so excited that her whole body wiggled. “I love water! Follow me!”

  Annie laughed when Dog ran ahead, disappearing around a corner.

  “Look,” said Liam. “There are carvings on the wall. Is that a dragon?”

  “I think so. And see there! That’s a gargoyle on the roof.”

  “And a crow,” Liam said, frowning.

  Annie raised her hand to shade her eyes from the sun and looked farther down the roof to where a crow sat atop one of the gargoyles. Tilting its head, it eyed Annie before flying off.

  “There are more over there,” said Liam, nodding toward the wall, where a small flock had gathered.

  “If only crows didn’t all look alike. There’s no way to tell if they’re the ones that were following us or not,” Annie said, and took a bite of an oatcake.

  A scullery maid dressed in a cape made from ratty scraps of fur walked past carrying full buckets in either hand. She was humming and looked cheerful until she chanced to see Annie and Liam. Freezing like a deer in firelight, she suddenly bolted, disappearing between two buildings.

  “I didn’t know we were that scary,” Liam said with a frown.

  “I don’t think it’s us. Or at least I hope not,” said Annie. “I think that—”

  There was a cracking sound overhead, and Liam looked up.

  “Annie, look out!” he shouted, knocking her to the side as part of a gargoyle tumbled from the roof and hit the ground right where she had been standing.

  Annie lay sprawled on the hard-packed dirt, her breath knocked out of her. Struggling to sit up, she looked for Liam in the plume of dust that the gargoyle had kicked up when it hit. As the dust settled, Liam was already getting back on his feet. He reached for her hand, and she noticed a streak of blood on his cheek.

  “You’re bleeding!” cried Annie.

  Liam touched his cheek with his other hand even as he pulled her up. “It’s just a scratch.”

  “Ho!” shouted a guard from the top of the wall. “Is anyone hurt?”

  “No,” Liam called back. “Did you see what happened?”

  “I saw the whole thing,” shouted the guard. “There was no one there, then suddenly that gargoyle broke in half and fell. If you hadn’t pushed the girl, she would have been killed.”

  “If no one was there …,” said Annie.

  “It had to be either magic or a crow for it to fall in that precise spot. Perhaps coming outside wasn’t such a good idea,” Liam said, looking up at the roof.

  Dog came trotting over to sniff the gargoyle. When she noticed the oatcakes that Annie had dropped, she devoured them one after another without stopping to breathe in between. When she was finished, she licked her lips and turned to Annie. “Why would someone leave perfectly good food like that lying on the ground?”

  “I just dropped them,” Annie told her.

  “Oh, did you want them?”

  “No!” Annie laughed. “Not after they were covered with dirt.”

  “I don’t understand humans,” said Dog. “Food is food, no matter where you find it. I need some water now. That food made me thirsty. I know! I’ll go to the well by the north gate!”

  As Dog disappeared again, Liam took Annie’s arm and steered her to the door. “I’m sorry I suggested that we come out here!”

  “I’m glad you did,” Annie said as the door closed behind them. “We both needed the fresh air and sunshine, but now I think the air inside might prove to be healthier.”

  “Listen to me!” Liam said, turning her so she faced him. ??
?I don’t want you going outside, not while the witch is still around! You can live without fresh air and sunshine for a while. Stay inside. You’re safer here. Tell me, what do you plan to do now?”

  “I was going to ask the gardener for some more flowers, although I suppose I could send someone to ask him for me. First, I’m going back to my room to clean up. I seem to be wearing a layer of dust.” She patted her arm to show him, and the dust that rose made them both sneeze.

  “Good idea,” said Liam. “I should probably do the same, but first I’m going to talk to Captain Sterling and see what we can do to help King Archibald strengthen his guard. If you want to go anywhere, send for me. I don’t want you walking around here alone and unprotected.”

  They said good-bye at Annie’s door. After giving him a kiss, she watched him walk down the corridor. She was sure a witch had made the gargoyle fall, but which woman could it be? Queen Marissa might well be here, but the crows were probably Terobella’s. After all, it was Terobella who had sent the note to Liam’s mother promising that her crows would help Queen Lenore if she killed Annie. Annie assumed that meant the crows were Terobella’s. But did that mean that she was here as well? Could the two witches be working together? And why would they want to? Was she getting close to finding one of them? Or maybe one of the witches had something in mind and wanted Annie out of the way.

  She was just opening her door when Horace appeared. “Your Highness, is everything all right?”

  “Yes, of course,” she replied. “Why do you ask?”

  “My nephew Niko saw a falling gargoyle come close to hitting you,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t hurt. Your father would never forgive me if something happened to you when I was supposed to be keeping watch.”

  “No need to worry, Horace. I wasn’t injured. So you have family here?”

  “Oh yes,” said Horace. “Niko and his wife, Marta, and her sister Tesia all work in the castle. I’ve been visiting Niko and his wife in the evening when they get off work.”