Escaping the Prince (Bedlam in Brandydook Book 1)

by Lorraine O'Byrne

He hoped and prayed that his plan would work. Norris shifted his weight allowing more space for the dragonfly to move. With one of his talons the falcon poked the bottom half of Chico’s body testing it for substance and then shook his head, unable to make up his mind. Alfred on the other hand was keen to get started. He’d even begun to salivate and was losing patience.

  ‘I don’t care. I say we just go for either half.’ Alfred reached for the dragonfly.

  Chico couldn’t bear to look. It could go either way.

  ‘I’ll take the bottom half,’ said Norris.

  ‘Agreed,’ said Alfred.

  ‘No, maybe the top half is better.’

  ‘Will you make up your mind?’ Alfred screeched.

  ‘Don’t rush me,’ Norris shrieked.

  ‘Rush you!’ Alfred grabbed the bird by the neck. ‘You’ve been staring at the flipping thing for ages. How much longer do you want?’

  ‘Get off me, you maniac.’ Norris looked down at his feet. ‘Hey, where did he go?’

  ‘Now look what you’ve done,’ bellowed Alfred poking him in the face.

  ‘Me! This is all your fault—’

  Chapter 16

  PRINCE MORGAN

  Morgan rose the next morning in a fit of sneezing and his eyes were watery. Dodger’s bed was lumpy and full of rabbit hairs. He accepted the offer of black berries for breakfast and then said his goodbyes, anxious to leave. Professor Bobtail pointed him to a shortcut and accompanied the pixie back through the burrow and out into the open before he wished him well.

  ‘Beware of Bernard. God speed, young prince.’

  The prince felt a lump in his throat at having to leave the warmth and comfort of the burrow and the kindness of his new friends. Shoulders back, and chest out, he took off in the direction of the park situated on the right hand side of the wood, confident that he would reach Buttercup before nightfall.

  Tall stalks of grass and brambles hemmed him in like a forest on every direction. Some got tangled in his cloak, holding him back. Twice he stumbled in swampy ground and he narrowly missed a puddle. There seemed to be no end to the green forest. Crows and magpies circled overhead. Some landed close by, scratching the dirt for worms and maggots. Morgan felt cold and hungry. He’d eaten the last of the lettuce, but on he went, parting the stalks. His legs grew tired with every step he took.

  Then the skies opened with a heavy downpour. Morgan hated the rain. He ran for cover, didn’t see the puddle ahead and fell straight in. He was more miserable than before. Drenched. He was shaking the rain out of his cloak when all of a sudden the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. The prince turned around slowly and looked up. One of the birds had spotted him from six feet away. Wings out like a bat, the crow rapidly made its way over, one gigantic hop at a time. The others perked their heads up in interest and began to follow to see who would catch the little worm first.

  ‘Oh this is not good,’ Morgan said out loud.

  The crow flew over the pixie’s head, then suddenly it dived. Its orange eyes were glued to its quarry, and its claws were out ready to grab its prey. Morgan sped like lightning, parting the grass as he went, jumping and stumbling over but he could still feel the bird gaining on him.

  Something emerged from the grass. It came running up and bumped into the back of him. Morgan fell helplessly on to its body as it carried him through the sea of grass. His rescuer was a ladybird beetle, red with black dots. The prince slid from side to side with nothing but hard shell to grab on to until they reached the end of the clearing and he fell off. Morgan shot up from the ground in fright, tumbled, then got up again just in time to avoid being squished by a ball.

  Chapter 17

  Panting hard, the young prince darted behind an electricity pole. He waited to catch his breath, then peered out at his surroundings. He stared mystified at the huge buildings, humans and vehicles around him. His heart refused to slow down and his knees kept knocking.

  ‘What kind of place is this?’

  The houses were identical, side by side in a row. Humans of all different shapes and sizes walked past him, spouting gibberish. To the right a number of kids jumped over a rope and on the left three boys hit a ball back and forth with a stick. A girl holding her father’s hand walked by, licking an ice cream. Some of the ice cream slopped to the ground. Morgan jumped back to avoid being hit but not before the girl spotted him.

  Her eyes widened. She started to jump up and down like a maniac, pulling her father’s hand. ‘There’s another one, Daddy! Come quick.’

  Morgan stared up at the round face peering down at him. His body was numb from shock. He had no time to run. The monstrous hand closed over him, picked him up and dropped him into his breast pocket where he was instantly plunged into darkness. Panic set in. This can’t be happening. How can I save the kingdom now?

  He felt sick. He bowed his head. ‘Oh, Father and Mother, I’ve failed you.’

  A door opened, then another and he was being plucked out of the deep pocket and thrown on to the palm of the small human he had seen earlier.

  ‘This should make you happy. Come along and I’ll introstuce you.’

  In the sitting room her mother was talking. ‘You know, that’s the second doll she’s found in just two days—’

  Wendy shot up the stairs to her bedroom, the prince dangling in a fist behind her back. ‘No point hiding I can still see you,’ she gurgled to the other pixie in the jar.

  Buttercup’s hair stood on end but she stayed where she was.

  ‘Look what I’ve got.’ Wendy unscrewed the lid of the jar and brought it over to the table. The pixie looked up. Now what is she playing at? Her mouth dropped open at what the little monster had placed into the jar.

  Morgan stared at Buttercup in shock. Buttercup, here, he couldn’t believe it.

  Wendy replaced the lid and clapped her hands in glee. ‘Two fairies. Tomorrow after school we’ll play mamas and papas. I gotta have my bath now.’

  She blew the pixies a kiss and chuckled—‘Bye. Don’t go anywhere.’ Face smeared in ice cream, Wendy skipped across the room to the bathroom, plaits swinging side to side while she sang, ‘I got another fairy. I got another one—’

  ‘Your Highness,’ Buttercup stammered in shock, jumping to her feet. ‘How did – ?’

  ‘We’ve been searching everywhere for you. How could you be so selfish?’ he bellowed. ‘Buttercup Hickleberry, I could wring your neck.’ He shook her hard by the shoulders. ‘What were you thinking?’

  ‘Don’t yell at me! I didn’t ask you to come here.’

  Morgan could have cut her in two with his icy glare. ‘If it wasn’t for you we wouldn’t be in this mess.’

  Buttercup glanced at the prince. There were holes along the elbows of his wet velvet coat and leaves, nettles and dirt clung to his pants.

  ‘How did you find me?’ she asked in a small voice.

  ‘Pot luck,’ he snapped. He began pacing up and down the small space.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Buttercup whispered. ‘I was going to come back – really I was—’

  The prince held up his hand. ‘Don’t want to hear it. Do you have the stone?’

  Buttercup stared at him. ‘What stone?’

  ‘The pendant my mother gave you. Tell me you still have it.’

  ‘You mean this?’ She showed him the pendant around her neck.

  Morgan reached out and snapped it off.

  ‘Ow. What did you do that for? Give it back.’

  Morgan leaned in close, his face just inches away from Buttercup. ‘While you’ve been off on your little merry adventure Brandydook Kingdom has been slowly dying.’

  Buttercup’s face drained of colour. She sagged to the bottom of the jar. ‘But that’s impossible—how could that happen?’

  Morgan shrugged and said, ‘Nobody seems to know, the only way Brandydook can be destroyed, is if someone removes plants or flowers from the kingdom, but every pixie knows that, so it has to be something else.’

 
Every pixie except me thought Buttercup in despair, oh why didn’t I pay attention in pixie class?! While all the other pixies were learning how to safeguard the kingdom she was off gallivanting, enjoying her freedom with not a care in the world.

  ‘Mother Brandydook will get to the bottom of it,’ said the prince, ‘and then whoever is responsible will be severely punished, I assure you.’

  Buttercup stared at him in shock. Her hands shook and her knees refused to stop knocking together. She was the one who removed roses from the kingdom. Brandydook could be lost forever and it was all her fault. Buttercup didn’t know what to say. Her face went white. She felt sick and could only stare dumbfounded at the prince. She knew deep down she should own up about stealing the roses and accept the consequences but she couldn’t admit it because she was terrified of what might happen to her .

  ‘W…what do you want my pendant for?’ she asked in a croaky voice.

  ‘The pendant my mother gave you contains magical seeds, once planted, they will bring nature back to the kingdom once again.’

  His face clouded over. ‘What is it?’ she asked quickly.

  ‘For all I know, we could be too late.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Buttercup gasped.

  ‘Mother Brandydook said we had until the last flower fell from the royal garden to complete the task – so,’ he shrugged helplessly—‘it could already be too late.’

  ‘I’m so, so sorry, this is all my fault.’ She bowed her head. ‘You must really hate me.’

  He sighed and rubbed his temple. ‘Why did you run away? Tell me the truth. You owe me that much.’

  Buttercup gazed out the glass jar. She fiddled with the buttons of her tunic then turned around and murmured, ‘I was afraid, I didn’t want to lose my independence and I thought that once I was your wife I’d have so many responsibilities I wouldn’t get to be me anymore.’ She glanced up at him. His face was serious. ‘And that if I ever did anything wrong, you would duck me in the palace pond,’ she finished with a shudder.

  Morgan smirked. ‘After the way you’ve behaved, it’s not a bad idea.’ Buttercup’s eyebrows shot up in shock. ‘I’m joking,’ he said. ‘Why didn’t you come to me?’

  ‘You know I couldn’t. Besides, there was no time.’

  ‘Well at least I know it isn’t because you think I’m an insufferable ugly bore.’

  ‘Oh no, Your Highness, I think you’re beautiful.’ Buttercup gasped. She put her hand to her mouth in embarrassment and turned her head away.

  Morgan gave a goofy smile. He went to sit down beside her but lost his balance and fell against the biscuits. The impact knocked the jar over. It rolled for a moment along the table, then toppled over the edge to the floor with a crash.

  Chapter 18

  ‘Are you alright?’

  ‘I think so.’ Buttercup stared at the mess on the floor. Pieces of glass glittered like sparkling jewels from amongst broken biscuits and hundreds of crumbs. A little blood oozed from her leg but she didn’t think it was anything to worry about. ‘Are you?’

  ‘I’m fine,’ he grabbed her hand. ‘Now let’s get out of here before anyone sees us.’

  They ran hand in hand across the room, keeping close to the wall, mouths dry with nerves and both of them on the lookout for humans. They sidestepped dolls, tea sets, board games and a pram turned upside down. Buttercup tripped over the leg of a teddy bear with one ear missing just as the door of the bathroom opened.

  Wendy trotted out with a towel around her hair, holding a rubber duck in one hand. So engrossed was she in talking to her duck, she didn’t see the two little figures standing huddled by the open doorway.

  ‘Come. Follow me,’ Morgan whispered.

  The stairway was long and the steps deep but they eventually made it to the bottom.

  Now all they had to do was escape the house which was going to be the tricky part as every door and window was shut. The living room door opened and gunshots erupted from the television.

  ‘In here,’ shouted Morgan, pulling her behind a potted plant close to the front door. His eyes flared in horror at the big animal that shuffled out.

  Buttercup whimpered, ‘That’s the same brute that carried me in here yesterday. If he finds us, we’re doomed. Then there’s no chance of escape.’

  Bruno ran over to their hiding place. He sniffed the plant and wagged his tail, spun around in circles and barked in excitement. Then, he started to paw at the compost inside the flower pot.

  ‘What’s that dog doing?’ complained Wendy’s mother from the living room. ‘He’s driving me bananas. Don’t know why we bother with him, it’s not like Wendy ever gives him any attention.’

  ‘I’ll let him out,’ sighed her husband. ‘And this time he’s staying out.’

  The door opened. A tall, stick-like figure appeared. ‘Oh Bruno, look at the mess you made. Bad dog.’ He caught the dog by the collar then dragged him over to the door.

  ‘Now’s our chance,’ Morgan whispered. ‘When he opens that door, run!’

  Buttercup nodded. Her heart was in her mouth. Could she really be escaping?

  Chapter 19

  The human opened the door and tossed the dog out on to the porch just at the same time the pixies were making their escape. Bruno barked when he saw them.

  ‘Go away. Shoo!’ Morgan backed away pulling Buttercup behind him.

  ‘Please take me with you,’ begged the dog peering down at them.

  ‘Why would you want to help us? You were the one that brought me to that horrid little human in the first place,’ said Buttercup.

  ‘I know,’ Bruno sniffed, ‘guess I thought she might learn to love me if I brought her something new. But she can be so mean and I don’t want to stay here anymore.’

  ‘How are you going to help us then?’ Morgan demanded.

  ‘Climb on my back. I will take you wherever you need to go.’

  ‘Sure you won’t eat us?’ asked Buttercup.

  ‘Promise,’ replied Bruno. ‘Now hurry, we don’t have much time.’

  Morgan and Buttercup glanced at one another. ‘There are dangerous things in this land,’ said Morgan, ‘I suppose it wouldn’t help to give it a try.’

  Buttercup nodded. The dog sat on his haunches to make it easier for them to climb aboard, then off they went back through the sea of green once again. Half way through their travels the dog stopped, lifted up his leg to scratch behind his ear and then ran on again. The second time was to make a pee. They travelled all night until they reached the edge of the river. Bruno finally came to a complete stop, tongue out and panting, he guzzled some water then lay down, his head on his paws.

  ‘This is as far as I go. I’m bushed.’

  Morgan and Buttercup slipped off his back. They stretched and yawned.

  ‘Thank you. We’re not far now,’ said Morgan.

  ‘Will you go back?’ asked Buttercup.

  Bruno shook his head. ‘I’ll find another family. My cousin’s master is kind, he lives on the other side of the river. Maybe he would like another companion.’

  ‘How will you get there?’ asked Morgan. ‘The water looks awfully deep.’

  ‘There is another way around it, I think. I’m not sure if I can remember it, though.’

  ‘Thank you so much,’ said Buttercup stroking his nose, ‘you have been so kind.’

  ‘Good luck, my friends!’ Bruno shouted as he ambled off through a path in the bushes heading in the opposite direction.

  Buttercup shivered. Her brow felt hot and she could barely stand, but she didn’t want to make a fuss so she said nothing. Morgan had gone off to fetch some berries. While he was away she reflected on everything he said. Did he still want to marry her? Did she?

  The bushes rustled. A twig snapped. She looked up and smiled. Morgan’s arms were laden with cherries and nuts of every description, enough to make her mouth water. Using a large sycamore leaf as a plate he tossed the cherries and nuts into the centre and placed it on the ground for the
m to eat. Buttercup tucked in and together they ate every last morsel.

  ‘I never said thank you for coming to find me,’ she murmured shyly. ‘I’m really glad you did.’

  ‘Yeah me too. But we’re not home and dry yet.’ Morgan frowned at her. ‘What happened to your wing?’

  ‘Bent it when I tumbled from the shell. I didn’t realise that I wouldn’t have been able to fly anyway.’

  ‘That can be straightened. Ask Pixie Pickle he’s got a knack for fixing things. Even broken wings.’

  ‘Thank you, I will. Don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t fly.’

  ‘You know,’ Morgan remarked after a while, ‘as pixies go, you are one brave cookie.’ He took a bite out of his last berry.

  Buttercup cast her eyes down in shame. ‘No, I’m not brave. Look at everything’s that happened.’

  ‘Put it down to an amazing experience. Next adventure will be better.’

  ‘Do you think so? She shook her head. ‘What am I saying? No more for me. I’ve seen quite enough.’

  Morgan stared at her surprise. ‘Giving up already?’

  Buttercup’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘But I thought you couldn’t leave Brandydook, ever.’

  ‘That’s been the law for as long as I can remember.’ He looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, ‘but maybe it’s time for a change.’

  ‘You would do that?’ Buttercup gasped.

  ‘Why not?’

  Chapter 20

  This wasn’t the selfish prince she remembered when she was young. He was different, kinder somehow, but before she could think any further on this unexpected transformation, Buttercup’s head began to spin, and she felt really hot.

  ‘Come, we must get back,’ he said getting up.

  She started to rise but fell against him. ‘Buttercup, what is it?’ He felt her brow. ‘You’re burning up.’

  Suddenly he noticed the cut on her leg. She must have hurt herself on the glass when the jar fell. It looked nasty and was probably the reason why she was sick. Morgan searched around for anything that would get them across river fast and down Brandydook stream but it was too dangerous. Plus, there was a waterfall at the other end. How were they going to cross that?