Read Online The Prince Commands: Being Sundry Adventures of Michael Karl, Sometime Crown Prince & Pretender to the Thrown of Morvania by Andre Norton - Free Book Online Page A

arranging and marketing the blossoms.
    “The old flower market,” said Ericson with a smile. “It has been held here daily for a hundred years or more. Of course it is beautiful now, but later in the year it is one of the most wonderful sights in Morvania. There,” a scarlet rose brushed Michael Karl's cheek and dropped into his lap, “you seem to be making a hit with the ladies.”
    Michael Karl glared fiercely at the laughing girl who had thrown it.
    “Drive on!” he snapped.
    The American laughed, and they were over the bridge and climbing a cobble-paved street. The houses, with every story added to their height, jutted out farther over the pavement, until, as Michael Karl glimpsed in an alley they shot by, they sometimes met over head.
    “This is the perfect setting for the Three Musketeers ,” Ericson pointed toward the beamed and plastered houses. “Can't you picture them roughing it down this street on their way to have it out with the Cardinal's guards?
    “And this is the vegetable market,” he said a moment later as they entered a busy square. Like the flower market it glowed with the scarlet, gold and red of early vegetables.
    “Not much of a show now, but a month from now it will be quite a sight. I wish you could see the animal market but we can't drive through there. When you are able to walk we'll go.”
    They threaded their way out of the vegetable market and up and down the dark streets until Michael Karl was completely bewildered. All at once they came out upon an impressive square dominated by a great Cathedral.
    “The Cathedral Square,” announced the American. “We must see that too,” he pointed to the Cathedral.
    Michael Karl thought privately that he wasn't going to have much time for sight-seeing and he wasn't going to be able to go about too openly. The Prince looked back at the Cathedral; it was pretty impressive, but he'd probably never see it any closer. He didn't foresee, for how could he, the Battle of the Cathedral Steps.
    Out of the Cathedral Square into a proud avenue of stately homes they went. Above every door all the fabled monsters of heraldry winked or blinked, and family coats-of-arms were carved, to be pitted by the sand-filled wind which came roaring up from the Lower Town in winter time.
    “Here we are.” The roadster stopped at last before a house in the middle of the row. As if he had been at watch for their coming, as indeed he had, a roundish little man with close-clipped gray hair appeared like a jack-in-the-box on the door steps and came hastening down to greet them.
    “Dominde, Dominde!” he cried excitedly, rubbing his hands together.
    “Hello, Jan, and how goes things?” asked Ericson stepping out stiffly.
    “Very well, Dominde,” beamed the little man.
    “That is good. And now if you will summon Breck and Kanda, my friend has had an accident and will have to be helped in.”
    “Of course, of course, Dominde.” The little man clucked like a hen and looked at Michael Karl pityingly as he turned back to the house. In no time at all he was back like a fussy, too-plump tug with a couple of six-foot steamers of footmen in tow.
    With the help of Breck and Kanda Michael Karl was brought in and comfortably established before an open fire in the library of the house. Still a little dazed by the magnificence of the footmen's powdered heads and rich livery, and the stateliness of the apartment he found himself in, Michael Karl settled back to see what would happen next.
    Jan popped in, followed by Kanda with a tray. “I thought, Dominde,” he began rather humbly, “that you might require refreshment after your journey.”
    The silent Kanda placed the tray on the desk, and they bowed themselves out together. Ericson lounged over to inspect the tray. “Coffee and—milk. That must be for you, the efficient Jan would never dare bring me milk,” he smiled down at Michael Karl, and Michael Karl grinned back.
    “I suppose you expect me to get all hot and