The Princess and the Pea (Fairy Tale Adventures Book 1)

by A. G. Marshall

  The storm chilled the summer evening. The raindrops were icy. Lina shivered and huddled closer to the gate.

  8

  Alaric examined the princesses at the table across the room. They blurred into a single mass of blue silk gowns and diamond jewelry. Thank goodness he sat with the kings tonight.

  It was tradition for the girls to dress in exactly the same outfits. It was supposed to put the focus on the princesses rather than the wealth of their countries. The end result was a bit creepy in Alaric’s opinion. The seamstresses had been complaining about making so many identical gowns for months, but he hadn’t stopped to consider what that would look like in person.

  The princesses chatted with each other, sparing only the occasional glance in his direction. He tried to pick out the girls from Santelle and Eldria, but it was no good. Princess Carina and Princess Merinda looked just like the rest. Hair color was the only thing that separated one girl from another. Why hadn’t he memorized their hair colors? He scanned the table. Blond. Various shades of brown. Raven black.

  Bright red.

  That would be Princess Fiora. He could have guessed that without the parchments. Her father, the King of Kell, had an enormous beard the same color.

  Too bad Kell wasn’t his first choice. Fiora was the only girl who stood out from the group. He would have to study the parchments again tonight if he wanted to have a chance of finding a true princess in that crowd.

  Alaric stared back into his soup. He wasn’t hungry. His stomach churned as the stress of the day caught up with him. If he ate another bite, he might throw up. The princesses giggled, adding to his nausea. He needed to get out of there. Needed fresh air. Needed an excuse to leave.

  A guard slipped into the room and stood awkwardly in the corner. He whispered to the head footman. The footman whispered to a waiter. The waiter picked a pitcher of water and approached their table. He walked toward the king, but Alaric gulped the contents of his water glass and lifted it. The waiter came over to fill it.

  “Is there a problem?” Alaric whispered.

  “A young lady at the gate.”

  “The gates are closed for the evening. Tell her to go away.”

  “Yes, Your Highness. They tried, but she refuses to leave. She’s raving about being a goat and insists on seeing the council. The guard said normally he would let her stay there and yell, but he thought you might want to take care of it since we have so many guests.”

  “And they can’t open the gates after dark without a royal order.”

  The waiter nodded. King Noam gestured to Alaric from the head of the table. Alaric stood and whispered to him.

  “Trouble at the gate. I can take care of it.”

  “And leave our guests?”

  Everyone at the table stared at him. Alaric smiled back at them. A table full of kings. Their daughters across the room. Everyone waiting to see who he chose. Yes, he needed to leave.

  “Please, let me take care of it. I’m sure it will only take a few moments. I don’t want to disturb our guests.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  Queen Marta leaned forward to join their whispered conversation.

  “A girl at the gate is claiming to be a goat.”

  Surprise flickered across the queen’s face.

  “A goat?”

  “I know. She must be mad. Enjoy your dinner. I'll see to it.”

  Alaric bowed to the kings and gestured to the guard in the corner. He heard his father speak as he left the room.

  “I’ve entrusted my son with many duties as he gets older. Such a responsible lad. If you’ll be gracious enough to excuse him-”

  Alaric ran down the hallway as soon as the dining room door closed. The guard rushed after him.

  “Your Highness, I am so sorry to interrupt.”

  “No, I’m glad you did. Is she really causing that much of a ruckus?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid so. She screamed for a while. Then she kicked the gate. We tried to ignore her, but she just won’t go away.”

  Alaric strode into the gate keeper’s room. The three guards on duty sighed in relief when they saw him. He slid open the window and peered into the darkness. He could just make out the girl’s huddled shape. She lifted her head when she heard the window open.

  “The gate is closed,” Alaric said. “Go home and come back in the morning.”

  She stood.

  “I will not. I demand to speak to the Council of Kings. I am a goat.”

  She sounded exhausted, but much calmer than Alaric had expected. He couldn’t see much of her through the window. Just green eyes glaring. Alaric glared back.

  “The Council is eating and cannot be disturbed. They will not hear citizen requests until the end of the week.”

  She pounded her fist against the gate with a surprising amount of force. Alaric jumped.

  “They’re in danger,” she said. “Goblins. Wraiths. I don’t know. But something is threatening them.”

  Alaric sighed. She really was mad, speaking of fairy tale creatures as a threat.

  “The castle is well guarded. I assure you the Council is safe. Please go home.”

  “I will not. I will sit here all night. And all day. And the next until you let me see the Council!”

  Alaric pulled his head back from the opening. Water ran down his neck and soaked his tunic.

  “Open the gate,” he said. “We’ll have to detain her. Who knows what trouble she’ll rile up in the city?”

  “Is that a royal order, Sire?”

  The guard’s hand rested on the latch.

  “You’ve checked the perimeter? She’s alone?”

  The guard nodded.

  “No one else on the streets now.”

  “Then yes, that’s a royal order. Open the gate.”

  The force of the storm blew the gate open as soon as the guard unfastened the latch. Rain and wind poured into the room. Light gave Alaric his first glance of the girl as she hurried inside.

  He stared at her face. Recognition struck him.

  “It’s you! You were in the archives today.”

  Her green eyes glittered. A smile lit her face.

  “Yes. You’re the one who wrote a play about Evangelina Shadow-Storm.”

  A guard scoffed.

  “You wrote a play about Evangelina Shadow-Storm?”

  Alaric glared at him.

  “Of course not. That would be a ridiculous waste of time.”

  “Yeah, can you imagine?” the guard said.

  The girl’s face fell. Her shoulders shook. Compassion stabbed at Alaric’s heart. She was obviously unwell. Mentally unstable. He stepped towards her but stopped when she flinched.

  She looked terrible. Strands of hair plastered her face. Streaks of dirt covered her arms. How did she still have dirt on her after being out in the downpour?

  Her dress was a faded purple. He hadn’t seen it earlier. Her smock had covered it.

  It might have been stylish when it was new, but the long sleeves were tattered now. One was torn completely off. The fabric had holes that looked as if the rain itself had torn them. Her skirt clung to her legs like a pair of goat herder’s leggings after they had chased a goat through a thorn patch. Bits of leather on her feet had been shoes once, but they were a far cry from that now.

  The guards worked together to push the gate against the wind. It slammed shut, bringing a sudden calm to the room. The girl took a shuddering breath.

  “I need to see the Council of Kings. My name is-”

  “That isn’t possible,” Alaric said. “But we can provide you with shelter for the night. If you’ll go with Temus, he’ll take care of you.”

  She put her hands on her hips.

  “He’ll lock me up, you mean. I’m not mad. The Council is in danger. Look.”

  She held her ring up to her hand and whispered, “Check for danger.”

  The gem flashed white, and the light changed to a faint pink before fading away.

  The guards
gasped. Alaric leaned closer to examine the ring. It was silver forged into an intricate design he couldn’t quite make out in the dim light of the guard’s room. The gem glittered with the unmistakable brilliance of a white diamond.

  Magic. Alaric shivered. He hadn’t come face to face with magic since Cassandra’s banishment. No good came of magic. He couldn’t let this girl anywhere near the council.

  “Where did you get that ring?” he demanded. “Who are you?”

  The girl brushed her hair away from her face. She seemed surprised by his reaction. She pulled her hand back and buried it in the sopping folds of her skirt.

  “What’s your name?” he said. “We mean you no harm. We’ll find you a safe place to stay, but you can’t stay in front of the gate.”

  “Evangelina Shadow-Storm. The Council.”

  She swayed, and Alaric grabbed her shoulder to steady her. Beneath her drenched dress, her skin was icy. She shivered.

  “Fetch a blanket and a change of clothes,” Alaric said. “She can stay with the kitchen staff tonight. Have a guard stationed in case she tries to use more magic. We’ll find a place for her tomorrow.”

  “Princess! Oh, you poor darling!”

  Queen Marta burst into the room with the force of a herd of goats. She pushed Alaric aside and wrapped her arms around the stranger.

  “You know this girl?” Alaric said.

  The girl looked as shocked as Alaric. Her eyes widened as Queen Marta squeezed her.

  “Isn’t it obvious? She’s a princess here for the test! Look at her ring! That’s a royal crest in the design.”

  She held up the girl’s hand and flashed the ring around the room too quickly for any of them to really see it.

  “Marta, that ring is magic. She’s dangerous.”

  Marta ignored him.

  “Poor thing! What happened to your traveling companions, darling?”

  “I- The Council-”

  “Yes, you’ve made it in time for the Council,” Queen Marta said. “We’ve just started. You haven’t missed a day. Someone fetch food for her! She can have dinner in her room. She needs to rest.”

  Marta wrapped the girl’s arm over her shoulder and led her through a hallway towards the main castle. Alaric followed them.

  “Marta, there’s been a mistake. I saw this girl earlier today at the archives. She isn’t a princess.”

  “Of course she is.”

  “She was raving about goblins and being a goat. Her ring-”

  “She’s traveled a long way and been caught in a rainstorm. That’s bound to confuse such a delicate creature.”

  “All the princesses are here. We aren’t expecting anyone else.”

  “Aren’t we? Then why is there an extra room prepared?”

  Queen Marta pushed open a doorway in the guest hallway of the castle. The room had clearly been readied for company. A fire roared in the fireplace. Fresh linens covered the bed. Gowns for the Princess Test hung in the wardrobe.

  “But-” Alaric stammered. “But she’s mad.”

  “No, she’s exhausted. Look at her.”

  Alaric looked. The girl’s eyes drooped, and she slumped against Queen Marta as if she lacked the strength to stand on her own. She might have been asleep on her feet.

  “She obviously traveled a long way,” Queen Marta said. “Let’s put her by the fire so she can dry off.”

  She pushed the girl towards Alaric. He caught her, lifted her into his arms, and set her in a chair in front of the fireplace. She sank into it, limp as silk.

  “She’ll need food,” Queen Marta said. “And servants to help her ready for bed. She’s in no shape to join the Council for dinner.”

  Alaric had to agree. He studied the girl’s face. She had curled into the enormous chair and fallen asleep. She looked peaceful now.

  “On second thought perhaps we should let her sleep,” Marta said. “But have food ready in case she wakes.

  “What country is she from?” Alaric asked. “Who would be stupid enough to send their princess alone? Who is wealthy enough to have an enchanted ring?”

  Queen Marta shook her head.

  “You know the rules of the Princess Test. You can’t know the girls’ home countries.”

  “Marta-”

  “No, you had your chance. I offered to help you earlier today. I specifically remember you telling me you preferred to play by the rules.”

  “Yes, but-”

  “Besides, you’re only considering big countries. Santelle and Eldria if I remember correctly. Those delegations and their princesses have already arrived. No, it’s best if you put her out of your head.”

  Alaric glanced at his stepmother.

  “Are you matchmaking?”

  “What? Me? Alaric, I’m a sensible goat herder, not a gossiping courtier. Do you really think I would stoop to matchmaking?”

  “Hmm.”

  “Come on, you should get back to dinner. I’ll go to the kitchen and find food for her in case she wakes.”

  The dinner. That was the last place Alaric wanted to be.

  “No, you should go. Father will want you by his side. I’ll get the food. Besides, I’m drenched. I can’t go back to dinner like this.”

  “Very well. If that’s what you want. Take good care of her.”

  Queen Marta left before Alaric could say another word. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the bedraggled princess sleeping in the chair. She sighed and curled into a small ball. Her face contorted into a frown. She shivered and covered her face with her hands. The diamond flashed in the firelight.

  Alaric pulled a blanket from the bed and draped it over her.

  9

  They were talking about her. Somehow they had the idea she was a princess.

  Lina was too exhausted to care. The relative warmth of the guard room took the edge off the chill and lulled her into a trance. Shadows danced before her eyes, calling her to sleep. Her body walked the hallway on its own. Step after step with the queen supporting her weight. By the time Alaric placed her in the chair, the trance was complete.

  Trance. Lina had never liked that word for her shadow warrior abilities. It made everything sound mystical and out of control. She resented the idea that shadow travel happened passively.

  Lina had spent years honing her natural abilities in the Council’s military academy.

  It took longer than usual to pull her consciousness to the realm of shadows. The dream world, some called it. The dark parallel of the realm of light that only those gifted in shadow magic could reach.

  Lina concentrated on pulling her consciousness from her body into the darkness. The ring focused her energy. There, she was solid now. She hoped they didn’t lock her body up in the realm of light while she slept. Usually she had someone to stand guard over her while she used her shadow magic.

  Well, there was nothing she could do about that now.

  Lina appeared, as she always did, floating in a dark void surrounded by stars. At least, there should have been stars. She counted three faint specks of light on the horizon. Hardly the luminous welcome she was used to. Lina summoned a mirror with a wave of her hand and studied herself.

  She wore her usual shadow travel outfit. A black slim cut dress with a cape that flowed behind her in the currents of the shadow realm. Her arms were bare. The diamond ring twinkled in the mirror. It glowed that strange pink color. Danger. But what sort? Whatever it was, it was not immediate.

  Lina spun, relishing the weightlessness that came with shadow travel. Like being underwater and in the sky at the same time. She adjusted her hair. Her headband had also appeared, but it had no gems on it. Lina frowned. So the magic really had faded. She closed her eyes and held her palm outstretched. The pea emerald appeared in her hand. She fastened it to her headband. There. She had at least one weapon.

  Not that it would be enough if she met a goblin. Lina waved the mirror into the horizon and sank to the ground. Her feet hovered just on the surface like a boat on water. She walked ac
ross the smooth plain. Her cape billowed behind her.

  It felt so empty. The shadow realm was vast, but it had never seemed this desolate. The geography loosely mirrored that of the realm of light, but everything was more flexible. You couldn’t count on things to stay in the same place.

  It was dark without the stars, but Lina didn’t need to see. She was a shadow warrior. She sensed everything that happened in this realm. Lina flung her arms into the air. The land around her rippled as she searched.

  Yes, it really was that empty. She didn’t sense any other shadow warriors. She examined the three stars in the distance. They should be the auras of light wielders, but they were too faint to be anyone with formal training. Certainly too faint to be Luca. Whoever they were, they couldn’t help her. They might not even be aware that their light magic shone into the shadow realm.

  Lina kept looking.

  There. To her left and a little above her head. Something wasn’t quite right. The pink light from Lina’s ring darkened as she walked towards the disturbance. So, there was danger after all. Nothing too big if the ring was any indication. She might be able to take care of it with the pea.

  “Identify yourself,” she said.

  A deep chuckle echoed through the realm. Lina pointed towards the sound and sent a wave of shadow magic at the sound. A warning shot. The laughter stopped.

  “My name is Evangelina Shadow-Storm. I am a shadow warrior of the Council of Kings. A Protector of the Light. Identify yourself.”

  The ground rumbled beneath Lina’s feet.

  “I know who you are, shadow wench.”

  The voice vibrated through her bones and made the ends of her cape flutter.

  Lina breathed through her nose. The air smelled clean. No trace of the stench that accompanied creatures of darkness.

  What was this thing? She focused her energy in her ring and cast a shadow bolt laced with truth magic towards the voice.

  “The truth,” she said. “Who are you and what do you want?”

  The voice floated through the air, thin with the effects of Lina’s spell.

  “I am the goblin warrior Nog. I want to devour you and the light you hold dear.”