Princess in Disguise by E. D. Baker

a corner, with a table and chairs opposite and more chairs beside the fireplace. Annie recognized the cushions on the chairs as being like those she’d seen in Mother Hubbard’s cottage. PEACE, HARMONY, HAPPINESS were written on three of the cushions and Annie could hear the faint magic that enforced the words.
    â€œMy mother gave me those pillows when I got married,” said Rose Red. “They work, too. Yardley and I never have arguments when we’re in the cottage. I never was serious about Beldegard, you know,” said Rose Red as she set a mug in front of Annie. “Well, maybe I was for about fifteen minutes, but I didn’t really think it would work out, him being a prince and all. I knew for sure when I saw him with your sister, the most beautiful princess in all the kingdoms. No, I’ve known for a while that the one I wanted to marry was Yardley. As soon as you turned him back into a human and he came home, he proposed to me. Mother made all the arrangements and we were married within a week. I can honestly say that I’ve never been happier.”
    â€œI’m happy for you,” said Annie.
    â€œThat all happened right before your father locked away my mother’s cousin,” Rose Red told her. “Don’t worry, no hard feelings. I never liked that side of the family anyway. When I was little I thought that Granny Bentbone was creepy. I wasn’t surprised to hear that she ate children. Once, she told me that if I didn’t behave she was going to turn me into a sausage. I believed her. My mother said that Granny Bentbone was joking, but it still gave me nightmares for weeks. Her daughter, Terobella, was even worse. She used to torture small animals for fun. I remember one time she was about to try some awful spell on me when my mother showed up. I made sure I was never alone withher after that. My mother said that her son was nicer, but he always went along with whatever his mother did, so I thought he was just as bad. When I heard that you turned Terobella into slime, I was sorry you hadn’t turned him, too.”
    â€œI didn’t really turn anyone into anything. She did it to herself.”
    â€œYou know what I mean,” said Rose Red.
    â€œTell me something,” Annie said while Rose Red sipped her tea. “Your mother has some magic, and so does her cousin Granny Bentbone, but do you or your sister have any?”
    Rose Red nodded. “A little, but not anything like Terobella. We can do some simple magic, like light fires and make water boil. Oh, and I can do illusions, although Snow White can’t.”
    â€œWhat kind of illusions?” asked Annie.
    â€œNothing fancy,” Rose Red replied. She glanced at the doorway and gestured. Suddenly a large gray wolf stood there, snarling. A moment later, the wolf was gone.
    â€œVery good!” said Annie. If she hadn’t heard the melody of the magic behind the illusion, she might have thought the wolf was real. “That must come in handy, being out here, just the two of you. I bet you could even scare off a bear with your illusions.”
    â€œOh, I have,” Rose Red said with a smile. “Tell me, why are you and Liam here? Looking for another dwarf?”
    â€œA fairy, actually. We’re hoping someone in Harper’s Village might be able to tell us where we can find her.”
    â€œIs everything all right?” asked Rose Red.
    Annie shook her head and was just about to speak when the door opened and Yardley came in with Liam close behind. “I hear people in the woods coming this way,” Yardley told his wife. “Liam said that some men shot arrows at him and Annie. It’s possible that these are the same people come to finish the job.”
    â€œYou turned Yardley back into a human, but he still has exceptional hearing,” his wife explained to Annie. “If he heard people, they’re out there and will be here soon. You should leave