“Hey!” Jonah shouts. “Belly has something to say! Give her a chance!”
“What’s your idea, Belly?” I ask.
“We MUST get the boat back to the castle,” Belly says. “That way, we can get on shore and make a plan to take back our kingdom.”
Lawrence rolls his eyes. “But how can we row back to the castle?” he asks. “We don’t have oars!”
“Someone needs to swim and pull the boat in,” Jonah points out.
“That someone would get eaten in half a minute,” I say.
“I guess you’re not going to let it be me, then?” Jonah asks.
“Of course not,” I say, pulling him close to me.
The nearby alligator opens his giant mouth to show us his huge, sharp white teeth. I shiver and give Jonah a squeeze.
“There has to be a way,” Belly says. “If we put our heads together, we’ll figure it out. Brainstorm, everyone! Throw out ideas!”
Everyone thinks. Everyone is getting rained on. Everyone is glancing at the alligator teeth and trembling.
It’s not that easy to think right now! Wendy isn’t wrong about that.
Still, I rack my brain. Very hard.
I stare at the alligator. The big greenish-brown alligator with the gold spot between his eyes and the enormous white teeth. He’s right beside the boat! We could practically touch him!
Wait. A. Minute.
I either have a really good idea. Or a really bad one.
“What if …” I begin, then shake my head. It’s too crazy.
“What?” Belly asks.
“It’s kind of risky,” I say. “It might not work.”
“No idea is a dumb idea,” Belly says. “Let’s hear it!”
“Okay,” I say. “Let’s make the alligator useful.”
Everyone stares at me.
“How?” Belly asks.
She’s not looking at me like she thinks I’m nuts for even suggesting such a thing. She’s waiting for my response, giving me a chance to share my thoughts. I appreciate that.
“We need the alligator to swim to the castle for us. And pull us along.”
“Yes,” Belly says. “That totally makes sense. So we need to anchor the boat to the gator. But with what? Any chance there is some rope in the boat? Everyone look under your feet.”
We all check. Nothing.
“No rope,” Lawrence murmurs. “But, oh! I have a long belt! All the male ministers do!”
The men nod, gesturing to the sashes they’re all wearing around their waists.
“Fantastic!” Belly says. “Okay. So we’ll make a loop out of one of the sashes and ring it around the gator. And we’ll hold on to the other end of the belt while the gator swims us ashore.”
“Great!” I exclaim. “Except, why will he be swimming us ashore? He doesn’t strike me as particularly helpful.”
“A snack,” Belly says. “We’re going to throw a snack ashore.”
“And by a snack, do you mean one of us?” Lawrence asks.
Belly grimaces. “I’m hoping someone has some other type of snack on them? Anyone?”
“I still have two M&M’s,” Jonah says.
“I think they might be a little small,” I say. “But good thinking. Anyone else?”
“Oh,” Wendy says. “I took an extra turkey sandwich.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out something wrapped in tinfoil. “In case I got hungry. Okay, fine, I took two extra sandwiches. I need to keep up my strength. I covered them in ketchup, though. I’m a big fan of ketchup.”
“I totally get that,” Jonah says.
“Fantastic!” I exclaim.
“Okay, so first I will loop a sash around the alligator,” Belly says. “As soon as I give you the word, Wendy, throw the sandwich all the way to shore.” She pauses and blinks. “Wait. The shore is gone! There’s so much rain it washed away the shore near the castle!”
Crumbs.
“But the moat is so high, it can almost reach the drawbridge,” Belly continues determinedly. “Can you throw it to the drawbridge?” she asks Wendy.
“Yes!” Wendy says. “I have great aim!”
Lawrence takes off his sash and hands it to Belly, who makes some sort of fancy loop out of one end of the sash. Then she leans over the boat and very, very carefully shimmies the sash around the gator’s neck-head, barely touching him. We’re all very, very quiet.
Once the loop is right between the gator’s legs and his arms, Belly manages to tighten the knot. And tightens it again.
The alligator snaps his teeth but Belly is done, and safe!
“How did you know how to do that?” I ask her.
“I was a Girl Scout,” Belly says.
“Ooh, you have that here, too?” I ask, surprised.
Belly nods and turns to Wendy. “Quick! Throw the sandwich!”
Wendy pitches the sandwich all the way to the drawbridge. It lands!
The alligator lifts his head and sniffs.
“Here we go!” I say.
Except he doesn’t go. He doesn’t move at all.
“Lazy alligator!” Jonah says.
“Now what?” I cry as our boat fills up with even more water. We are running out of time!
The next thing I know, Prince jumps up, his paws on the rim of the boat.
Woof-grr! he barks at the alligator, baring his teeth, which are not as pointy or as big as the alligator’s. Grr-woof!
The alligator stares Prince down, but this time, Prince doesn’t whimper or slink away. Instead, he jumps into the water.
Huh?
“No, Prince, no!” I shriek.
But it’s too late. Prince is swimming toward the drawbridge! And the alligator is chasing him! And we’re being pulled after the alligator!
“It’s working!” Tulip cries.
“Nice doggy paddle,” Wendy says, impressed.
“Hurrah!” Lawrence, Minerva, and the ministers cheer.
Jonah pumps his fist in the air. “Go, Prince, go!”
I am terrified for my dog. But he’s doing it. He’s really doing it. What a brave dog!
Prince squirms up onto the drawbridge and runs toward the castle door.
The gator, pulling us along, steps onto the bridge and drags us up behind him.
“Run, Prince, run!” I yell, my heart thumping.
Prince runs right into the slightly ajar castle door, pushes it wide open, and bolts inside. The alligator follows right behind him, and so do we.
“Ahhhh!” we scream as we’re pulled over the stone steps and into the doorway.
SMASH.
We jolt to a stop. Only the front of the boat made its way through the door.
The alligator is in the Great Hall, snapping his teeth, but since he’s tied to the end of our boat, he can’t get too far.
From inside the boat, the rest of us peer into the Great Hall.
I see that Prince has made his way to safety, all the way at the end of the room. In fact, he’s wagging his tail, looking quite proud of himself.
The alligator is still snapping his teeth. But not at Prince. And not at us.
He has his giant mouth pointed right toward Prince Micha. And only Prince Micha. Snap. Snap. Snap!
Prince Micha cowers in a corner, hugging himself.
“It’s almost as if the alligator remembers that Prince Micha chased away and poisoned his entire family,” Lawrence says drily.
Snap, snap, snap!
“What do we do now?” Minerva asks. “We’re kind of stuck.”
It’s true. The boat is stuck inside the doorway.
“I have a plan,” Belly says.
“Quiet, everyone! Listen to Belly’s plan!” I call out.
She’s really good at planning. And leading.
Beside me in the boat, Jonah beams. He was definitely right about Belly. And I guess I was rooting against her because of what happened with Anisa. At least a litle bit.
“Lawrence,” Belly says, “while I deal with Prince Micha, why d
on’t you go in through the side door and free our general and the soldiers from the dungeon before they drown from the floodwater. And make sure there are no Bug soldiers hiding in the secret passageways!”
“We have secret passageways?” Lawrence asks.
“Of course!” Belly replies.
“I’ll show you where they are!” Jonah cries out.
“Great,” Belly says.
“Be careful,” I tell Jonah.
“I will,” Jonah promises me. He gets out of the boat and leads Lawrence, Minerva, and the three ministers around the side of the castle.
Belly gingerly steps out of the boat and into the castle. “Hello, Prince Micha. It seems like this alligator here really, really wants to say hello to you. Should I let him?”
“No!” the prince cries, still cowering in the corner.
“All I have to do is untie this sash. And you are a goner.”
“Don’t do it!” Prince Micha cries. “Please! Get that alligator away from me!”
“I propose a truce,” Belly says calmly. “If you and your men leave now, and sign a paper promising to never, ever attempt to overtake us again, I will not let this alligator loose on you.”
Prince Micha grimaces. Eventually, he says, “Fine. But only if you promise to help lead some alligators back into our swamplands. Not this one, obviously! Friendlier ones. My people hate me for chasing the alligators out. They’re constantly itching from all their bug bites.”
“You’ll sign a treaty?” Belly asks, raising an eyebrow.
He hangs his head. “Yes. Whatever you want.”
“Also, you’ll have to admit that our mattresses are VERY comfortable,” Belly adds quickly. “Publicly. We can take a picture of you pretending to sleep on one, and use it as an advertisement.”
“Just use my good side.” He sighs. “We want you to open a Bog mattress store in Bug, too. If that could be arranged.”
Belly smiles. “That can be arranged. Princess Abby, do you agree to these terms?”
“I totally do,” I say. I step out of the boat and pat her on the shoulder.
Just then, the freed Bog army comes storming in, with Lawrence, Minerva, Jonah, Prince, and all the court members behind them. Yay!
“The secret passageways are clear,” Jonah says, and I give him a high five.
Belly fills Lawrence in on what was discussed with Micha.
“Well done, Belly!” Lawrence says. “Princess Abby and Prince Micha, follow me to my office!”
Snap, snap, snap goes the alligator. Prince Micha runs ahead of me down the hall.
Ten minutes later, the treaty is signed and stamped. When Prince Micha, Lawrence, and I return to the Great Hall, the alligator and rowboat are gone.
“Where’s the gator?” I ask, worried he got loose in the castle.
Prince Micha trembles.
Minerva smiles. “He’s back in the water. We used a combination of teamwork and turkey sandwiches.”
“That’s great,” I say, relieved.
“The gator preferred the sandwiches with extra ketchup,” Wendy says.
“Who wouldn’t?” asks Jonah.
“The Bug soldiers helped us carry the boat out,” Belly whispers to me. “They’re pleased about our treaty. With their lousy mattresses and all their bug bites, they haven’t had a good night’s sleep in years! They’re exhausted.”
“Ha,” I laugh.
“And it’s time for all our Bug guests,” Lawrence says firmly, glancing at Prince Micha, “to go home. And stay home.”
The prince rolls his eyes. “Fine. Good-bye, Bog.” He looks at me. “Good-bye, Pea Princess.”
I put my hands on my hips. “I’d rather be a Pea Princess than a Jerk Prince.”
“Humph,” Prince Micha says. He stomps through the doorway and onto the drawbridge. His soldiers follow behind. They secretly wave to us as they march out.
At least it’s stopped raining. The floodwaters should go down by morning.
I close the door behind them. Deep breath. It’s over.
Then I turn to Belly. “Three cheers for Belly!” I say. “We couldn’t have done this without your smart planning.”
“Yes!” Jonah chimes in. “Three cheers!”
“Hip, hip, hurray!” everyone calls out.
Belly blushes.
Lawrence walks up to Belly and nods at her. “Belly, I’ve never been so impressed with anyone in my life. Your calm, poise, intelligence, bravery, kindness, and quick thinking in the face of danger saved all our lives.”
He’s right. She really did save the day.
“I nominate Belly to be princess of Bog,” Lawrence says. “Our true leader.”
“I second the nomination!” one of the court members says.
“I third it!”
“All in favor say, ‘Aye!’”
Jonah is the first to shout, “Aye!”
Everyone in the room says, “Aye.” Including Wendy and Tulip.
Belly gasps. “I … I … I would be honored.”
I ruffle my brother’s hair. “You called it from the beginning,” I tell him.
“I did,” he says proudly.
“I should really listen to you more often,” I say.
“You really should. At least half the time,” he says with a laugh.
“I was wrong to only want a figurehead princess,” Lawrence says, looking at Belly. “We need someone just like you to lead Bog. I will be honored to serve as your advisor if you decide to keep me on the court.”
“As long as you cut down your hours,” Minerva says. “By a lot.”
“Okay, okay,” he says.
“Of course, Lawrence,” Belly says. She turns to Wendy. “And I would like you to be head of security.”
“Awesome,” Wendy says, karate chopping the air.
“And, Princess Tulip,” Belly says, “would you consider serving as Bog’s social director? You could organize social engagements and throw parties. It could be fun?”
“I would love that!” Tulip says, grinning. “Can I be in charge of decorating, too? The castle needs a major renovation.”
“Absolutely,” she says.
“Not that I’m knocking the mattresses here, but have you heard of pillow tops?” Tulip asks. “They’re so comfy. I had one at home.”
Home. HOME! I look at my watch. Jonah and I only have three Smithville minutes to get back home before my parents come to wake us up! If we’re not there in time, our parents will FREAK.
“Jonah, we have to get to the portal,” I whisper. I turn to Belly and the rest of the court. “We have to take off. But it was great meeting you all.”
“Thank you for everything, Princess Abby,” Belly says.
“Well, I was never truly a princess,” I say. Then I lean over and whisper to her, “I didn’t feel the pea my first night. I was just scared about sleeping that high up. That’s why I was so uncomfortable.”
She laughs. “You’re a true princess, Bog-style,” she says, and hugs me. “That’s what counts.”
I smile, take off my crown, and place it on Belly’s head.
Uh, Abby?” Jonah says as we race into Tulip’s room.
“Yeah?” I say.
Jonah frowns. “We have a little problem.”
We don’t have time for a problem! Even a little one! “What now?”
“See a ladder anywhere?” he asks.
I look at the stack of mattresses. No ladders.
That IS a problem. Not a little one. A hundred-mattress-high one.
Prince barks.
How can we get to the portal home if we can’t climb up?
Well, Jonah can. Prince probably could. But not me.
We rush back into the hallway. Lawrence and Belly are heading to my old office with a stack of folders. Her work as princess is starting right away. Good. Wendy and Tulip are following behind them, with their own folders.
“Belly!” I call out. “The ladder is missing from Tulip’s room. I know you’re the prin
cess now, but can you possibly find a ladder for us?”
Wendy frowns. “The Bug soldiers took all the ladders to use as extra security in the dungeon. It will take too long to get them now.”
“Just climb up the mattresses, Abby,” Jonah tells me. “You can do it. Follow me!”
We go back in the room, and Belly, Lawrence, Wendy, and Tulip follow us. I watch my brother climb all the way up the mattresses to the very top, with Prince under one arm.
Okay. My turn.
“Go, Abby!” Belly, Tulip, and Wendy cheer in unison.
I take a deep breath. I stare up at the top. I grip on to the second mattress and step onto the side of the first, then try to grab the third mattress’s edge to pull myself up.
I make it to mattress eight, then slide down and land on my butt.
I glance at my watch. It’s 6:58 A.M. at home! I have to do this. Fast.
I stare up at Jonah way on top of the hundred mattresses.
“Okay, there has to be another way for me to get up there,” I say.
“Of course there is,” Wendy says. “Teamwork. Come on, guys. Human ladder!”
They all crouch down, and the next thing I know, Tulip is on top of Belly, who’s on top of Wendy.
“Just climb up and then Jonah can pull you the rest of the way,” Wendy says.
“Aw,” I say as I climb. “You guys are the best.”
I do as they say, and then Jonah helps me up to the very top mattress.
“It worked!” I call down. “Thanks, ladies!”
“What are you doing on the mattress exactly?” Belly asks.
“It’s our portal home,” I explain. “Long story. But we’ll miss you!”
Belly, Tulip, and Wendy wave good-bye. “Safe travels, Pea Princess!” Tulip calls.
That is really a nickname I will not miss.
“I think we have to jump,” Jonah says as he starts to bounce on the mattress. Once. Twice. Three times …
The mattress turns purple and starts to swirl.
Here we go!
“Bye, Bog!” I call out as Jonah, Prince, and I get pulled right inside, like the mattress is made of quicksand.
We land in the basement of our house at 6:59 A.M. — with just one minute left to get upstairs, into our pj’s, and act like we just woke up.
I want to stop and talk to Maryrose in the mirror. But there’s no time now.
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