Read Online Born to Rule by Kathryn Lasky - Free Book Online

royalty for granted as so many other princesses did.
    “I think it will be coziest, Your Highness,” Gilly said, “if you take your supper in the turret this evening. Everyone is quite exhausted. No sense having to get dressed for dinner.”
    “That is a good idea, Gilly. Can we wear our nightgowns, night cloaks, and cut slippers?” Alicia asked.
    “Absolutely. Listen to the howl of that wind straight over the plains of Wesselwick. That’s always the coldest wind.”
     
    After their supper, and after Lady Merry had excused herself, the girls played Parcheesi in front of the fire as they sipped cocoa.
    “In Slobodkonia,” Gundersnap was saying, “we play this game using servants for pieces.”
    “What?” exclaimed Kristen.
    “Yes, Empress Mummy had a huge Parcheesi board made from big tiles in the central courtyard of the castle. We have the servants dress as pieces and then direct them where to go.”
    “How appalling,” Alicia said.
    Gundersnap blinked. “You think so?”
    “I most certainly do. Servants should be servants. They are people, not toys.”
    “You are very smart, Alicia.” Gundersnap turned to Kristen. “And you are too. I am glad that I have you as turretmates.”
    “Me too,” Kristen and Alicia both said at once.
    “Let’s make a pact,” Kristen said. “Let’s promise always to be mates in the South Turret through every session.”
    In the South Turret? Alicia wondered. But she did not hesitate. She thrust her hands into the center of the circle and held on to the others’ until there were six hands clasped in what was known as the Royal Hand Pact. This meant they would always be friends and allies and always come to one another’s aid wherever, whenever, and for whatever reason—in love, in war, in sickness, and in health.
    When they withdrew their hands, Alicia looked slowly at her mates. “Princesses, I have a very serious question.”
    “Vot is it, Alicia?” Gundersnap leaned forward.
    “Do you believe that there really is a ghost in the South Turret?”
    “I don’t believe in ghosts,” Gundersnap said. “I can’t see them, so they don’t exist.”
    “Look, if there are ghosts, what’s to be afraid of? It’s not like a great white shark,” Kristen said, touching the shark’s tooth that she wore as a pendant around her neck.
    “How can you wear that around your neck while you sleep, Kristen?” Gundersnap asked.
    “Because I know it’s dead, like a ghost. My harpoon killed it.”
    But hello! You can’t kill a ghost, Alicia thought. That’s the whole point. It’s dead, and it comes back to haunt you for some reason.
    They had only been at Camp Princess for four days, but on two of those nights Alicia had sensed upon awakening that there might have been a presence in her bedchamber while she slept. Tomorrow would be the fifth day of camp. That left nine more days for this first session. Would she feel this spirit each night? she wondered.
    Another thought struck her. Nine more days meant she didn’t have much time to teach her songbird how to sing! That thought was almost as alarming as notions of ghosts. She would have to go to Princess Roseanna, the Mistress of the Aviary and Songbird Counselor, to seek her advice.
     
    Alicia noticed that her songbird seemed the slightest bit happy only when she was reading Love Letters of a Forgotten Princess . If she happened to look up as she read, she could see an almost wistful look in the golden bird’s eyes. Sometimes she thought he might even be on the brink of singing. If only that would happen, Alicia thought, she’d be the happiest camper at Camp Princess.

Chapter 11
    THE PRINCESS PARLOR

    The next morning there was a cold drizzle falling outside the castle, which meant there would be no swimming or archery or falconry. After needlepoint the three princesses decided to go to the Princess Parlor, where the campers often gathered on rainy days to play checkers, practice with their songbirds, drink cocoa, and