Some time ago there was a little princess by the name of Danika. She lived in a castle in a far off country. The castle was very big and had many towers. Her father, the king loved her very much. Her mother loved her also but was away to visit her sick old mother in another country and would not be back for many months.
In the castle lived the advisor to the king by the name of Val Moore. The little princess didn’t like him because he always told her to get out of his way whenever they met in the halls but when her father was there he was very polite.
One day the king told everyone that he was going to go on a trip to the next kingdom and that it would be a few days before he would return. Danika became afraid knowing that she will be alone with Val Moore. She begged her father to take her with but he said that he would not have the time to watch her on this dangerous trip.
So after her father left Danika stayed in her room and always hid from Val Moore whenever he would show up. One night, as Danika slept, someone crept into her room. There was a struggle as this person dragged Danika from her bed and took her to the tower and there locked her in the highest room. When the sun came up and Danika was able to see she looked out of the tower window at the courtyard below.
There she saw Val Moore riding out the main gate. She was sure that she would never see her parents again. The days went by and Danika was getting tired of being locked up. On the fourth day there was a click and the door swung open. Standing there in the open door was the biggest man Danika had ever seen. He was dressed all in black and had a sword in his hand.
“Come with me.” He said. “And don’t make a sound or I’ll cut you with my sword.”
Danika got off her bed and walked to the door slowly. “Hurry up!!” said the man and Danika moved a little faster.
As they made their way down the tower steps Danika heard a noise that got louder and louder. Coming around the last turn in the stairwell Danika saw what all the noise was. There in the great hall were at least twenty men with swords and bows and arrows all yelling at each other. The big man pushed Danika down on the floor at the foot of another man. Danika recognized him. He was duke Brisbane who lived on her father's land. The duke never got along with her father.
“What shall we do with you little one?” the duke snarled at Danika. “Shall we hold you for ransom or kill you now before your parents get home?”
Danika was so scared she closed her eyes and tried to pretend that she wasn’t there. The duke turned to the other men in the hall and said, “What do you say? Should we keep this little princess or get rid of her now?” “Keep her, keep her.” Came the reply. “So be it, we will keep her until we can get her father to give up his throne to me.”
Danika opened her eyes and started to cry. “Take her back to the tower. No wait, take her to the dungeon.” And so the little princess was lead to the dungeon and put in a dark, dirty, cell. The men gave her food and water but never opened the door for two more days. Then on the third day there was a noise in the hall outside her cell. Danika stood up and started to be afraid of what might happen next. The door lock clicked and the door slowly opened. As it swung wider and wider a man stood there in the shadows. Danika could make out the keys in one hand and in the other a long sword. She was very freighted.
As the man stepped into the room Danika recognized him. Val Moore stood there a moment, his eyes not working in the dim light of the cell. When he was able to see he stepped in and walked toward Danika. Her hand went up to her head to protect herself and then she heard Val Moore say, “Your Highness.” And then something she never expected to see happened. Val Moore knelt down in front of her and bowed his head. “Please your highness, come with me quickly.”
Danika at first was stunned but then walked to the door and stepped out. When they made their way to the top stair, Danika saw the guard lying there and knew that Val Moore was there to help her. When they reached the main floor Val Moore said, “Keep quiet and follow me.” Val Moore led her to a small door in the wall of the castle and pushed it open. On the other side were two horses. Val Moore hoisted the little princess up on one and got on the other himself.
As the two horses rode away in silence, an alarm was set off deep in the castle. The guards had found the little princesses cell door open and spread the alarm. It was a little late and the princess was glad to be free from those terrible men in her home.
By the time the sun came up the two riders were miles from the castle and on a road that the princess never had been on. She knew that Val Moore had rescued her from the castle but she still wasn’t sure why. He was always mean to her. Riding over a small hill, Danika thought that she was seeing things. There ahead about twenty yards was her father the king.
“Father!” She cried. And jumped down from the horse and ran to him. “Father, father.” She hugged him and the king turned to Val Moore and said, “Thank you my old and trusted friend.” “Your majesty.” Val Moore said with a bow of his head.
“Call out the men.” Said the king. And with that a trumpeter blew some notes on his horn and from the forest all around them came many men dressed in armor and all with swords drawn. The leaders of the troops came forward and knelt before the king. “Take your men and clean out those invaders who took over my castle.”
As the king and Danika looked on the men rode off to reclaim the castle for their king. From behind the king and Danika came the sound of a coach. Over the closest hill it came and when the driver saw the king he stopped the coach. When the door opened out stepped Danika's mother, the queen. “Danika,” said the queen, “What is going on your highness?” And the queen bowed. “Mother!!” cried Danika and she ran to her and her mother grabbed her and gave her a kiss.
Val Moore came up to the king and queen and bowed. “Your majesty.”
Danika thought, this man is not so bad after all and walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
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