Read Online The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gail Carson Levine
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peonies. What was that? Parsley? That wasnât a flower. This was a test! She pulled out the parsley and sneezed.
The bouquet test fooled everyone except the crocodile princess and Lorelei. The best and the worst, Prince Nicholas thought. He was trembling.
Both of them passed the tapestry test. Lorelei spotted the missing thread from twenty feet away. Nicholas wished she could get extra credit.
King Humphrey announced that they would have a light supper and go to bed. The final test or examination, he lied, would be tomorrow, or the day after today.
Lorelei didnât have a moment to talk privately with Nicholas. She could tell he wanted her to be the one to pass the test, but she wanted to hear him say it. She also wanted him to give her a hint about the big test tomorrow.
He wanted to get near her, too. If he could whisper to her for just one second, he could tell her about the pea. But at supper she sat at the other end of the table, next to the king. Nicholas heard him telling her about his collection of unicorn horns or tusks.
The crocodile princess sat between the king and queen. Nicholas hated the way she ate. She seemed to swallow her food without chewing. And she kept looking at him and licking her lips.
Nicholas excused himself from the table. He went out to the garden and picked up a few large rocks. Then he slipped back into the castle and headed for Loreleiâs bedchamber. Heâd put the rocks under the top mattress, where sheâd be sure to feel them.
But he couldnât get in. The Chief Royal Guard stood in front of the door. Nicholas tried to send him on an errand, but the fellow said that the king had told him not to budge for anyone or any person.
So then Nicholas said heâd leave a note for Princess Lorelei. But the Chief Royal Guard said, âBegging your pardon, Your Highness, no notes. I have my orders.â
Nicholas couldnât do anything. By this time tomorrow either heâd be engaged to Lorelei, or Percival would be the future King of Biddle. Or heâd be engaged to the crocodile princess!
Twelve
N icholas couldnât sleep. One second he was full of hope. Sheâd passed all the tests so far! The next second he was in despair. Nobody could feel a pea through all those mattresses. And the crocodile princess had a better chance than Lorelei. After all, the crocodile princess was a real princess, not a blacksmithâs daughter.
But it didnât matter. If Lorelei failed, heâd marry her anyway. And his parents would have fits. And Percival would get the throne. He tossed. He turned. He finally slept, and he dreamed of being eaten by crocodiles and drowned in peas.
When Lorelei entered her room, she wondered why her bed had so many mattresses. Last night it had been an ordinary bed. She shrugged. Maybe they wanted her to have an extra-good nightâs sleep before the big test.
She climbed the ladder and slipped under the sheets. The bed was the softest sheâd ever been in. She stretched and wriggled her toes. Mmm. Lovely!
âS HE WONDERED WHY HER BED HAD SO MANY MATTRESSES .â
The prince was so nice! Even if he werenât a prince, even if he were a blacksmith, sheâd love him. But he was a prince, and that was even better.
She rolled over. She couldnât get comfortable. The sheets felt all right. Satin. Satin was good. The blankets were velvet. Velvet was good.
She closed her eyes.
Something was wrong. Her nose itched and her back ached. She climbed down from the bed and looked at it.
It had to be the mattresses. Maybe there was a pigeon feather in one of them. But which one? There were so many.
Sheâd never fall asleep. Sheâd be up all night. Then she wouldnât be at her best for the big test tomorrow. Maybe she could stretch out in front of the fireplace.
She spread a blanket on the floor and laid another one on top of it. Then she got in between them and closed her eyes. The hours crawled by. The
The bouquet test fooled everyone except the crocodile princess and Lorelei. The best and the worst, Prince Nicholas thought. He was trembling.
Both of them passed the tapestry test. Lorelei spotted the missing thread from twenty feet away. Nicholas wished she could get extra credit.
King Humphrey announced that they would have a light supper and go to bed. The final test or examination, he lied, would be tomorrow, or the day after today.
Lorelei didnât have a moment to talk privately with Nicholas. She could tell he wanted her to be the one to pass the test, but she wanted to hear him say it. She also wanted him to give her a hint about the big test tomorrow.
He wanted to get near her, too. If he could whisper to her for just one second, he could tell her about the pea. But at supper she sat at the other end of the table, next to the king. Nicholas heard him telling her about his collection of unicorn horns or tusks.
The crocodile princess sat between the king and queen. Nicholas hated the way she ate. She seemed to swallow her food without chewing. And she kept looking at him and licking her lips.
Nicholas excused himself from the table. He went out to the garden and picked up a few large rocks. Then he slipped back into the castle and headed for Loreleiâs bedchamber. Heâd put the rocks under the top mattress, where sheâd be sure to feel them.
But he couldnât get in. The Chief Royal Guard stood in front of the door. Nicholas tried to send him on an errand, but the fellow said that the king had told him not to budge for anyone or any person.
So then Nicholas said heâd leave a note for Princess Lorelei. But the Chief Royal Guard said, âBegging your pardon, Your Highness, no notes. I have my orders.â
Nicholas couldnât do anything. By this time tomorrow either heâd be engaged to Lorelei, or Percival would be the future King of Biddle. Or heâd be engaged to the crocodile princess!
Twelve
N icholas couldnât sleep. One second he was full of hope. Sheâd passed all the tests so far! The next second he was in despair. Nobody could feel a pea through all those mattresses. And the crocodile princess had a better chance than Lorelei. After all, the crocodile princess was a real princess, not a blacksmithâs daughter.
But it didnât matter. If Lorelei failed, heâd marry her anyway. And his parents would have fits. And Percival would get the throne. He tossed. He turned. He finally slept, and he dreamed of being eaten by crocodiles and drowned in peas.
When Lorelei entered her room, she wondered why her bed had so many mattresses. Last night it had been an ordinary bed. She shrugged. Maybe they wanted her to have an extra-good nightâs sleep before the big test.
She climbed the ladder and slipped under the sheets. The bed was the softest sheâd ever been in. She stretched and wriggled her toes. Mmm. Lovely!
âS HE WONDERED WHY HER BED HAD SO MANY MATTRESSES .â
The prince was so nice! Even if he werenât a prince, even if he were a blacksmith, sheâd love him. But he was a prince, and that was even better.
She rolled over. She couldnât get comfortable. The sheets felt all right. Satin. Satin was good. The blankets were velvet. Velvet was good.
She closed her eyes.
Something was wrong. Her nose itched and her back ached. She climbed down from the bed and looked at it.
It had to be the mattresses. Maybe there was a pigeon feather in one of them. But which one? There were so many.
Sheâd never fall asleep. Sheâd be up all night. Then she wouldnât be at her best for the big test tomorrow. Maybe she could stretch out in front of the fireplace.
She spread a blanket on the floor and laid another one on top of it. Then she got in between them and closed her eyes. The hours crawled by. The
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