The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine Page A

didn’t have to spend hours with him. She could think of an excuse to get away. She wasn’t so smart for nothing.
    â€œDo you like corn too?”
    He’d stopped talking. He was looking at her, waiting. He must have asked her something.
    â€œI’m sorry. What did you say?”
    â€œI said do you like corn too?” Was she hard of hearing? That wouldn’t be good. His own hearing was perfect.
    â€œNot particularly.” Maybe he wouldn’t want to marry her if she didn’t like corn.
    â€œOh.” He shrugged. “I never met anybody who didn’t like it before.”
    â€œSir, I fear I must leave you for a while. The king likes me to use this hour for quiet meditation in my room. I will—”
    â€œCorn might be my favorite—”
    She fled.
    The queen lifted the last gown off its hook. Where was the blue one? Was that it on the floor of the wardrobe? She bent down to see. But it wasn’t the gown. It was a pile of old nightdresses. How could the Royal Chambermaids have left them in such a heap? They could have been there for years. Queen Hermione II started pulling them out. She’d fold them up and shame the wenches with them.
    Something underneath. What—
    â€œAaaaa! Aaaaa! Aaaaa! Help! Treason! Aaaaa! Aaaaa!” Have to get it out of here! “Aaaaa!” Protect Sonora! “Aaaaa!” She grabbed the spindle. “Aaaaa!” Had to run! She ran around the room, not knowing where to go. “Aaaaa!” The shed! She had to get it to the shed! “Aaaaa!” She ran out of the room.
    Sonora heard her mother’s screams and thought, Spiders! She started running. Tarantulas! The screams sounded like they were coming from her own room. She thought, Black widows! I warned Father just last week. I have to reach Mother! I’m the only one who knows what to do if she’s bitten.
    The king sat up in bed. Was someone yelling?
    The prince lifted his head. Someone was screaming. Was there a dragon? He looked up at the sky. He didn’t see a dragon, so one couldn’t be there.

    â€œâ€˜A AAA !’ T HE QUEEN TURNED THE CORNER .
“‘C OMING ! D ON’T WOR —’ S ONORA TURNED THE CORNER .”
    â€œAaaaa!” The queen raced down the north corridor, away from Sonora’s room.
    Sonora raced up the west corridor, toward her room. Let me reach her in time!
    â€œAaaaa!” The queen turned the corner.
    â€œComing! Don’t wor—” Sonora turned the corner.
    The spindle pierced Sonora’s outstretched hand.

Six
    I n the meadow across the moat, Elbert watched his father’s flock of sheep. It was a boring job. The only time it was interesting was when the castle drawbridge was lowered. Then Elbert could watch who was going in and coming out, and he could also see into the castle courtyard.
    The drawbridge was lowered now. A team of oxen was crossing with a wagonload of peaches. Juicy, ripe peaches. Elbert’s mouth watered. Inside the courtyard, a butcher was cutting up a spring lamb. Elbert’s stomach rumbled. He could almost taste it—roast lamb followed by peach pie.
    On the drawbridge, the oxen stopped, and the driver slumped forward.
    Huh? Elbert stared.
    The driver almost fell off his bench. The heads of the oxen drooped. In the courtyard, the butcher stopped cutting. His head lolled to one side.
    Arrows! Had to be arrows! Elbert spun around. No arrows were flying. He spun back. No arrows were sticking out of the wagon driver. None stuck out of the oxen.
    He jumped up. Maybe he could help! Maybe he could get a few peaches and that lamb.
    What was that? Something was growing along the outer rim of the moat. He started running. Whatever it was, it was growing fast—as high as his knee already. But he didn’t have far to go. He ran faster. The hedge was as high as his waist. He’d jump over, grab the wagon driver, and drag him to safety.
    He reached the moat.