by E. D. Baker
Annie took a deep breath as the basket hit the ground. Horace helped her over the side, and she grabbed hold of the rope before the basket started moving. When she was a few feet off the ground, Annie closed her eyes, but the basket swayed and bumped into the wall when she wasn’t expecting it, jarring her so that her teeth clacked together. She was so frightened that she couldn’t have spoken if she’d wanted to, but she opened her eyes and kept them open so that she was prepared for the next bump and could brace herself.
The acrid stench of burning hair billowed in a cloud of smoke around her. Apparently Horace had started the fire. A few more tugs on the rope and she was higher than the smoke and was breathing fresh air again.
Finally, she reached the window, and Liam was waiting there to help her over the ledge. Pulling her into the room, he held her in his arms until she stopped shaking.
“I don’t know any other princess who would do what you just did,” he whispered into her ear. “You’re the bravest girl I know.”
“I was terrified,” she told him.
“And yet you did it, which shows just how brave you are. No one is being brave when they do things that don’t frighten them.”
“Maybe,” said Annie. “But I really don’t look forward to getting in that basket again. Let’s do what we came to do and get out of here.” Annie turned to look around the circular room. “I’d forgotten just how much I hate this place.”
Hand in hand, they walked around the tower room while Annie told Liam what it had been like when she had been there. “Everything was covered with long blond hair, and when I say long, I mean yards and yards. Well, you saw the pile of hair down below. Just imagine it strewn all over everything. The girl who used to live here left dirty clothes and stale food everywhere, too. The bedclothes were so disgusting that I had to sleep on the floor right over here. And I tied the braid to this table before climbing out the window. I must admit, Father’s men did a good job getting this place ready for Granny Bentbone. It looks as if they cleaned everything. They put fresh bedding on the bed and even got the bird droppings off the floor under these rafters.”
“I understand they completely restocked the larder,” said Liam. “She’ll live in greater comfort than she would have in the dungeon.”
“No one will hear her,” Annie said, glancing out the closest window. “And she won’t be able to get down on her own.”
“What about her magic?” asked Liam. “Didn’t you say she could do something other than call children to her?”
“Yes, but she told me that it isn’t very reliable. I doubt that she’d be able to use it to escape.”
Liam nodded as he surveyed the room. “I think this will do very well. I know I suggested it, but I wasn’t sure it would really work until now.”
“If you’ve seen enough, can we go? I’d like to get down from the tower and feel the solid ground beneath my feet again.”
“You go first this time,” said Liam. “I’ll wait until the men bring up Granny Bentbone so I can help them take the pulley down.”
Annie bit her lip as she glanced out the window to the ground below. I can do this, she thought. I climbed down on a rope made of hair last time. The basket has to be better than that.
She tried to look brave as Liam helped her climb into the basket, and he kissed her before letting her go. Gripping the rope so hard with both hands that her knuckles were white, she faced the stone wall and tried not to think about how far she was from the ground. Annie groaned softly each time the basket dropped lower.
She was nearly a third of the way down when something hit the basket from the side, making her lose her balance. Staggering, she clung to the rope and fought to stay on her feet. At first she thought that the basket had bumped something on the wall, but then Liam cried out and she looked back to see a crow swooping toward her.
“Go away!” she screamed when she saw that the crow was flying straight at the basket. It flew so close that she felt the brush of its wings on her arm as she tried to fend it off. She wasn’t quick enough, however, and the crow hit the basket, making it twirl on the end of the rope. That little bit of contact had one effect, however; Annie’s touch had removed whatever magic had been controlling the crow and it flew off, squawking.
“Get away from her!” Liam shouted from above as the other crow circled closer. “Hold on, Annie. We’ll let you down faster.”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” she groaned as the basket continued to turn.
Horace shouted, and Annie looked down. The first crow had returned, and both birds were flying toward her now, cawing so loudly that they sounded more like some ancient beast than a pair of crows.
There was a rumble below as the carriage rounded the tower. One of the birds landed on the basket’s rim and tried to peck Annie. She beat at it with one hand while holding on to the rope with the other, but the crow’s weight and movement tipped the basket to a perilous angle, nearly dumping Annie out, and the bird fell off, squawking. Annie clung to the rope with both hands, trying to use her own weight to right the basket as it twirled and banged against the tower, but the second crow had flown higher than the first, pecking at the rope. The rope jerked and shuddered so badly that Annie was certain the whole thing was about to fall.
“Hold on, Annie!” Liam shouted.
The basket dropped four feet with a sickening lurch as the men hurried to lower her. Annie glanced over her shoulder and saw the crows coming toward her again.
An arrow whistled past her, hitting one of the crows. It tumbled over and over as it fell to the ground. The other bird screeched and flew off.
The basket dropped again, and again, and it wasn’t long before it settled on the ground. Captain Sterling helped Annie out, but she was holding on to the rope so tightly that he had to pry her fingers loose. He supported her as she staggered a few steps away from the tower. When she couldn’t walk any farther, she said, “I need to sit down,” and then her legs collapsed beneath her. When she realized that the captain was hovering over her, she patted his hand and gave him a weak smile. “I’ll be fine. Go do what you need to do so we can leave this place as quickly as possible.”
Captain Sterling hurried off, shouting at his men to bring the witch. Annie turned to the tower and saw Liam climbing down the rope hand over hand, pausing now and then to cast anxious glances in her direction. She looked up when someone stopped beside her.
“That guard shouldn’t have shot that crow,” said Granny Bentbone. “Now she’ll be furious.”
“Who?” asked Annie.
“The witch who sent the crows, of course. Just because magic can’t touch you doesn’t mean that she can’t harm you. Her crows are proof of that. There’s always a way around obstacles—even a spell that defies magic.” Granny Bentbone craned her neck to gaze at the top of the tower. “It’s too bad the crows weren’t more effective. Ah, well. I’m sure she’ll have better luck next time.”
“That’s an awful thing to say!”
“Why? I was fine until you showed up at my cottage. And every time I think you’re gone, you show up like a bad penny. I’d be thankful to any witch who got rid of an interfering busybody like you, and this is just the witch to do it. You may not be afraid of me, but you should be very afraid of her.”
“Come along, witch,” said Horace. “It’s time you saw your new home.”
“At least I’ll have a room with a view,” Granny Bentbone said with a chuckle as the guard led her away.
When Annie glanced at the tower again, she saw that Liam had already reached the ground and was headed toward her. “Are you all right, my love?” he asked, scooping her into his arms.
“I’m fine,” said Annie. “Although I don’t think you’ll ever get me in a basket again.”
“I hope you never need to,” Liam said as he turned to watch the basket rise. “What did Granny Bentbone say?”
“Just that she hopes the witch who sent the crows has better luck next time,” said Annie.
“I know, but at least we won’t have to worry about what Granny Bentbone might be up to anymore,” Annie said.
Liam scratched his head and sighed. “I hope that’s true. I’m going to ask my father to have his men keep an eye on this tower just in case.”
“It’s funny, but now that the crows have done their worst, I’m not really afraid of them. I think I’ll ride with you now,” said Annie.
“If you’re sure,” said Liam. When she nodded, he gave her another kiss and left to see what still needed to be done.
After the guards hoisted the old woman up to the window, Liam supervised the dismantling of the pulley and helped the men load the basket and rope into the carriage. Annie untied her mare while Liam and the guards combed the area for anything that could be used to reach the tower window. Although the crows were gone, Annie couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her and was relieved when they finally started for Casaway, the home of the royal family of Dorinocco.
Chapter 6
They approached Liam’s family castle from the east as the sun was setting. Perched atop a hill, the white-stone structure rich with soaring arches and lofty turrets looked too insubstantial to be real. Behind it, the pink-and-orange streaks that colored the evening sky only added to the dreamlike quality.
“It’s beautiful,” said Annie. “How does it feel to be home again?”
“This never really felt like home, at least not the way you mean it,” Liam told her. “This is where I lived with my father, who loved me, and my mother, who didn’t. I was happier in the forests and fields than in the castle. I feel more at home when I’m with you, regardless of where we are, than I ever did here.”
“But your father has made you his heir. Someday you’ll be king of Dorinocco, and this castle will be yours.”
“And then it will feel like home because you’ll be my queen and live here with me.”
Annie could see herself living here with Liam and having a family of their own someday. The thought of it made her feel warm inside, and she smiled, prompting Liam to smile back.
Captain Sterling had ridden ahead, but he returned now, spurring his horse to join Liam and Annie. “Your Highness, the guards are raising the drawbridge. I’ve called to them, but no one is responding.”
“I’ll deal with this,” said Liam.
Annie urged her horse to keep pace with his, and they arrived at the end of the road together. At the base of the hill, a wide ravine separated the castle from the ground around it. The only way across the ravine was over the drawbridge, which had already been raised halfway.
“Hello, the gate!” Liam called, raising his voice. “Prince Liam orders you to lower the drawbridge.”
“Wait!” shouted a voice from the other side of the drawbridge as the rattling of the chains grew silent. “I could have sworn I heard someone calling to us.”
“You’re imagining things again, Godfrey! Keep going with that winch. The kitchen is serving rabbit stew for supper, and I can almost taste it.”
“You know my hearing is better than yours, Thurmont! I tell you, I heard a voice. I’m sure it’s not just in my head this time. And it’s leftover venison, not rabbit stew.”
“Listen, you knuckleheads!” shouted Captain Sterling. “Your prince is waiting for you to lower the drawbridge, and you’re talking about filling your bellies! Get this drawbridge down now or I’ll personally see that you don’t eat supper for a week!”
“We’re not letting you in until we know that you are who you say you are. Hold on just a minute.” A lone figure emerged from the tower that housed the drawbridge and shuffled across the parapet. It was dusk now, and the remaining light was so dim that Annie couldn’t see anything but a dark shape.
“I can’t make out a bloomin’ thing!” shouted Thurmont. “What’s the password for today?”
Another figure joined the first to peer down at the riders. “Even the prince wouldn’t know today’s password, you fool!” said Godfrey. “We change it every day, and he’s been gone for weeks.” In a louder voice, he called, “Tell us something only the prince would know!”
“You’re Godfrey, son of Meckle, who lives by the old stone bridge!” Liam shouted. “Now lower this drawbridge and let us in!”
“What did he say?” asked Thurmont.
“That he’s the prince. Grab hold of your side, and let’s get this drawbridge lowered. our prince is back!”
“Why couldn’t he have shown up half an hour ago, before we raised the blasted thing?” Thurmont grumbled as he walked back into the tower.
When the top of the drawbridge finally touched the ground, Liam and Annie started across. Two men came running down the stairs from the room above, joining the guards already in the courtyard. They all wore wide grins when they greeted the prince.
“Welcome back, Your Highness!” said Godfrey.
“You’re just in time for supper!” Thurmont added.
Feeling tired and grubby, Annie was happy to find a pretty room ready for her and even happier when servants filled a tub with hot water. After bathing, Annie dressed in clean clothes and followed the stream of courtiers heading for the great hall. When she arrived, Liam was already there, seated on the dais with his father.
“Welcome to Dorinocco!” said King Montague as Annie approached the table. “Sit beside Liam. I’m sure he wouldn’t want it any other way. My son has been telling me about the witch you left in the tower. I’ll be happy to keep an eye on her. Pray tell me, how was your sister’s wedding?”
“It was lovely,” Annie said as she took her seat. “I’m sure Gwendolyn and Beldegard will be very happy.”
“Excellent!” said the king. “At least someone will have a happy marriage. I know I didn’t. Speaking of which, here’s my lovely wife coming to join us.”
Annie turned in her seat as Liam’s mother entered the room. The courtiers, who had been talking and laughing just moments before, grew silent as the queen swept across the floor with armed guards on either side.
“Oh, you’re here,” she said when she saw Liam. “I wondered what special occasion would make your father let me out of the tower. Did you know that he was keeping me locked away like some kind of criminal? Who does that to his wife, I ask you?”
“That’s what you get for trying to take over a friendly kingdom behind my back,” said the king.
“I would have filled our coffers and doubled the size of our kingdom if your idiot son hadn’t gotten in my way,” the queen snarled.
“Good day to you, too, Mother,” said Liam.
The queen turned up her nose and looked away.
“Actually, the king of Helmswood locked his wife in the dungeon,” said Annie. “I don’t think he ever lets her out.”
“And did she try to take over a kingdom as well?” asked the queen.
“Actually, she drugged the king and tried to kill his daughter.”
“How shocking! And did she succeed?” the queen said, casting a sideways glance at Liam.
“No, fortunately,” said Annie.
“Then I don’t understand why her husband treated her so severely. It’s not as though she actually killed someone or I actually took over a kingdom. I really do think both you and the king of Helmswood overreacted, Montague. And what you did to my darling Clarence! I shall never forgive you for that! He was such a good boy and so obedient.”
“To you, perhaps,” said the king. “He was as guilty as you were of trying to steal a neighbor’s kingdom.”
“He was only trying to help Dorinocco! Look at what you’ve done to him. I’ll probably never see my dear boy again. We both deserved better than this!” The queen turned to Annie and said, “If only you had stayed in your parents’ castle as you were supposed to. None of this would have happened if you hadn’t interfered. And as for
you, Liam, if you hadn’t helped her, she might never have found a prince to kiss her sister, and we’d be ruling Treecrest right now! You’re the one I really blame!”
“Of course you do, Mother,” said Liam.
“Enough!” bellowed the king. “From the day Liam was born you’ve been an unnatural mother to him. Nothing was good enough for Clarence, yet you treated Liam with contempt. Guards, you may escort the queen back to her tower.”
“But I haven’t had my supper yet!”
“You may eat in your tower,” said the king. “There’s no need for your presence here to spoil everyone’s meal.”
The queen rose from her seat in a huff and stormed off the dais with a guard on either side. She was leaving the hall when the king shook his head, saying, “I don’t know how I put up with that woman for so many years.”
“What was Mother talking about?” said Liam. “What happened to Clarence?”
“I debated banishing him or locking him in the tower with his mother, but he took the decision out of my hands by running off to sea,” said the king. “No one has heard from him since.”
“I’m sure he’ll be back someday,” Liam said.
“And up to no good, more than likely,” said the king.
Annie was yawning when the king glanced her way. “Although I’d enjoy your company, I believe you need your sleep more than conversation,” said the king. “Do you think you’ll be able to find your room?”
“Yes, thank you,” she told him. “This has been a very trying day.”
Annie’s bed was comfortable, and she fell asleep the moment her head touched the pillow. At dawn a sudden ruckus outside woke her. Sitting up with a start, she couldn’t imagine what was creating such a heart-stopping, deafening noise. A sense of dread made her heart pound as she slipped out from under the covers and padded barefoot to the window. When she saw what was outside, she shivered and took a step back. The biggest flock of crows that she had ever seen was circling one of the towers like a thick black cloud. In moments the already unbearable noise grew so loud that she had to stick her fingers in her ears. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sound stopped and the swarm of crows flew off in one giant mass.