Diary of a 6th Grade Spy - Book 1 - Zero to Hero

by Katrina Kahler

  Chapter 7 - The Princess’ Diary...

  I wake very early. I feel we are on the edge of a cliff and about to discover some very important evidence that will bring us closer to solving the disappearance of Gazania. I am sure her diary holds the key to some important clues into the reason why she disappeared without a trace. As soon as I get to school I look for Abs. She will be in my English class today but Abs is playing her role as an undercover cop very seriously. She ignores me completely and even when I try to give her a little wave she turns away as if she hasn’t seen me. How annoying! I will have to wait for her to arrive at my house this afternoon with the diary. Then we can look at the diary notes and add clues to our storyboard. I hope she is going to be impressed with what I have found out and added to the investigation.

  The school day seems to drag by and we don’t have library lessons so I go home early. I have my own key to let myself in and I get ready for Abs to arrive. I tidy the room, get a cool drink and a few of my Mom’s special homemade biscuits. These should be just the right goodies to keep us focused for the afternoon. Mom knows Abs is coming over to continue with our ‘project’.

  As soon as the doorbell rings I jump to my feet and run downstairs to let Abigail into the house. Her eyes are sparkling with anticipation and excitement. I know she can’t wait to share the contents of the diary with me. I am keen to show her the updated storyboard and the interesting facts I have learnt about Death’s Head Hawk moths - the criminals of the insect world.

  “Oh Abs, I’ve discovered some very important information, I can’t wait to fill you in!” I exclaimed, unable to contain my excitement.

  Without wasting any time I tell Abs about the moths and the bees and the whole entomology story Uncle Bert told me about. “The insects and Mrs Sorrel are grouped together! What their real link is we are not sure of yet. It’s the diary I am anxious to hear about!” I say, talking so fast that the words blurr together.

  “I know you want to hear about Gazania’s diary,” says Abs slowly. “I have had a quick peep, but reading someone else’s diary is actually not something we should do. It is a very personal part of a person.”

  I nod knowingly, but can’t really see the significance of this, must be a girl thing!

  Abs looks at me with a very serious face, “If we read the diary, you MUST promise that you will keep every word in confidence.”

  Abs is sure Gazania would approve as it will help the case, but a diary is a very private piece of property. She is clutching the diary to her chest, almost embracing it. I feel that if I don’t agree I will never be able to learn what is in the Princess’ diary and it could be the most important piece of evidence we have in our possession.

  “Yes Abs, of course, I will not say a word about anything in the diary. I understand it is a very personal and sensitive possession that belongs to Princess Gazania. I am sure we will be able to return it to her soon,” I reply. I hope that I sound sincere...when what I feel like saying is, “Open up the diary and TELL ME WHAT IT SAYS!”

  Abs is satisfied and we sit together on the end of the bed to look at Princess Gazania’s diary. It has an information page at the beginning and then a very interesting family tree that she has filled in.

  Gazania has put her grandparent’s names at the top of the family tree followed by her father King Costus Woodsonii and his younger brother Rumex Acetosa. They are the two sons of King Rhizome the Second. Then the family tree divides into Gazania’s family, she is the only daughter of her father King Costus and her mother Queen Rosemary. Then on the other side of the family tree is Rumex (Uncle Ru) in brackets and his wife Bella Donna.

  “Bella Donna is such a beautiful name, but it is so sad that she has no children,” says Abs. Girls are so sensitive sometimes.

  “That’s the family tree,” says Abs. “We have only met the King, well actually you met him. We have not met anyone else in the royal family.”

  I agree with Abs, that is true and this is the most important family of the land. “Abs, Lupa told me briefly about the family and the fact that Uncle Ru was jealous of his brother so Uncle Ru and his wife moved to another castle. Lupa didn’t go into the nitty gritty, but I know they live in the castle on the dark-side of Gardinia. I’ve seen it form a distance, it is surrounded by tall trees and seems to be totally in a shadow.” Even talking about the dark side left me feeling anxious and a little scared.

  “Let’s put these names on our storyboard,” says Abs. “We can see if they fit in anywhere in our themes and if they provide clues to the disappearance of Gazania.”

  Both of us return to the diary and we both look carefully into what Gazania has written to see if there is anything that directly relates to the case. There are a lot of personal comments about loneliness and being an only child but the entries that catch our eyes are the ones about the herb garden and the gnomes.

  Princess Gazania is very involved with the gnomes and in particular the young gnome who is assisting her with her experiments. Together they are making healing potions for the woodland creatures. The gnome’s name is Basil. She talks highly of him and praises him for his ‘tireless work to help the small woodland animals.’ The Princess goes every day to the animal hospital and to the laboratory to see how the different medicines are coming along. She makes sure every experiment is recorded and that the right animals get treated. Basil is beside her all the way and has a natural ability to choose the right herbs to combine for the right medicine.

  Every day the Princess has an entry in her diary that is filled with encouragement for the new center. She is excited because it is going to help so many creatures. Her entries in the diary are full of joy and she is clearly thrilled with the work Basil is doing.

  Then suddenly the tone of the diary entries changes. There is interference from her aunt Bella Donna and Gazania’s last entry says...

  ‘I need to put a stop to Bella Donna’s visits to the greenhouse. I fear her intentions are not honorable. She is trying spy on our work and take ideas from our new experiments.’

  The Princess continues...

  ‘Bella Donna is a forceful woman and I worry about the way she looks at poor Basil. He is afraid of her and when she visits he tries to hide under the nearest plant pot. His hiding space is always a give-away as his shivering makes the pot rattle.’

  The entry for that day ends with...

  ‘Uncle Ru and Bella Donna have set themselves apart from the family. They have their own castle and I know my father suspects they have changed and are involved in some dark and suspicious activities. The grey wolves have become their servants and the shadows over their part of Gardinia do not encourage the growth of healthy happy plants.’

  Finally Gazania says...

  ‘I am afraid and must speak to my father about more protection for me and the gnomes of the herb garden. Perhaps he will consider a permanent white wolf guard at the gate.’

  “That’s the last entry,” says Abs. We both look at each other and then slowly go to the storyboard to add the new names and any comments.

  I put all the Gardinia people in one place. Together we look carefully at their names and who they are.

  Suddenly, I have a brainwave!

  “Abs, what if there is a theme amongst the people from Gardinia, like the insects are linked in a way. Maybe the people have a link that could help us understand more about Gardinia.”

  Abs and I continue to stare at the storyboard and suddenly Abs says with a gasp, “Everyone in Gardinia is named after a plant. The gnomes are all named after herbs, Gazania is a flower, and her mother is a flowering herb. The original King was called Rhizome, a kind of root. I think if we research all their names we may find there is some hidden clue we have missed.”

  Abs points to the storyboard. “Let’s take their names and see if we can find a connection.”

  I agree with her, it is worth a try. We have two new names to add. Uncle Rumex and his wife Bella Donna.

  They must be key f
igures in this mystery. What do their names mean and how do they fit into the plant world? “Abs, I think we will have to visit the library tomorrow,” I say.

  “Look what I happen to have!” says Abs with such a smirk on her face.

  She pulls a gigantic Botany book out of her bag. ‘1001 Plants and Their Names’ is the title.

  “You are so clever Abigail! Let’s look at the suspect’s names and see if we can find a link to the crime committed in Gardinia a week ago.”

  Abs pulls out this thick book, “Let’s start with B she says, Bella Donna,” she says. I am ready to write up information for the storyboard.

  “Bella Donna,” Abs reads with a gasp, “is another name for the deadly poisonous plant called The Deadly Night Shade.”

  Surely there is a connection between Bella Donna and the purple flower that was in the greenhouse. I see Abs is keen to continue so I keep that thought on hold and listen to the research of the next name.

  Abs continues, “King Costus Woodsonii is the name of a ginger plant and the ginger plant grows from a tuber or rhizome.”

  That makes him the son of King Rhizome the Second. That is an easy one and nothing sinister there.

  “The gnomes are all named after herbs and I don’t think they are capable of anything wicked. What is the last name on the storyboard?”

  “Uncle Ru, Rumex Acetosa is his full name,” Abs says out loud as she searches through the book. She goes through the book alphabetically until she reaches R for Rumex. I see her freeze and she turns pale. She is in a state of shock.

  “Oh Sam, you are not going to believe this! Rumex is the botanical name for Sorrel!”

  I look at Abs and am speechless, she breaks the silence by saying,“Do you think Miss Sorrel and Uncle Ru are the same person?”

  “Yes Abs, I do. I am sure of it. This can’t be a co-incidence.”

  “Even though Uncle Ru is a man and Miss Sorrel is a woman?” asks Abs with a tremble in her voice.

  I nod my head and try to put my thoughts together. “Let’s face it Abs, she’s weird! She has a hairy chin, a big Adam’s apple and a very deep voice. She doesn’t really like children. She calls me SPROG making fun of my name! And she has more time for a rather ugly caterpillar than the children in the library. Oh and what about that weird tattoo on the back of her neck?”

  “Abs, I think that Uncle Ru and Miss Sorrel are one and the same person and Uncle Ru is up to NO good. I think he is a magician and with his magical powers he has deceived us into thinking he is a woman. He is a master of disguises. Actually, a bit like the Death’s Head Hawk moth. He has entered our world and tricked us into thinking he is a female librarian.”

  Abigail and I stare at each other as this piece of evidence sinks in. What are we going to do now?

  I tell Abs, “We should keep this very quiet while we carry on with our investigation and get more pieces of the puzzle put together. I am sure Uncle Bert will agree that we cannot blow our cover before we know where Princess Gazania is.”

  “Sam,” says Abs in a very serious voice. “We need to go back to Gardinia and speak to the gnomes. They were Gazania’s closest friends and I think it is possible that one of the gnomes may be too afraid to speak up.”

  I nod my head in agreement. We will have to plan our next visit to Gardinia soon. We have to make some smart moves if we are going to outwit Uncle Ru or Miss Sorrel whatever we decide to call him/her.

  “We must arrange a meeting with the gnomes before anyone else is in danger!”

  Abigail nods her head in agreement and we decide that tomorrow afternoon during library study time, we will prepare to go back to Gardinia. Abs gets up to leave with the Princess diary under her arm. She’s very possessive of the diary, our best evidence so far. I want to tell her it should stay here with the storyboard. However, I see she has pulled the diary in close to her heart and so I let her take it away with her. She will probably put it under her pillow. It’s a girl thing - I remind myself, as I show Abs out and say goodbye.