Read The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Faerie Tale Collection) Online

Authors: Jenni James

Tags: #Fairy Tales, #Twelve Dancine Princesses

The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Faerie Tale Collection) (3 page)

BOOK: The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Faerie Tale Collection)
12.19Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

With his treasures held securely in his knapsack, Aleck made his way a few miles down the lane to the small cottage. He knocked twice upon the door and then ducked his head as he walked into the tiny front room.

The fire was busily crackling while the kettle set upon the hearth heated up nicely.

“Hello, Aleck, dear!” His mother rushed from around the table and brushed her flour-covered hands upon her apron before crushing him to her chest.

“Good morning.” He chuckled and pulled back to place a kiss upon her cheek. “And how are you?”

“I am well.”

Her eyes had lost so much of their youth and sparkle these past months that he worried he would never see her again as she once was. Today, however, those gray eyes seemed to be perked up a bit—not wholly, but enough to make him wonder. “I can tell already that you have news. So out with it.”

“No.” She swatted at him. “I cannot yet. And you will not get it out of me, either.”

“What? Now I am very intrigued. What is this that you are hiding from me?”

“It is nothing that
she
is hiding,” Rebecca said as she came into the room and kissed his cheek. “It is my news to tell, and so Mother has promised to allow me the right to speak about it first.”

Just then, the kettle began to hiss.

“Let us sit and have tea, and then we can talk,” his mother said as she removed the kettle from the hearth.

Rebecca laced her arm through his and led him to the table. “Yes, let us do so before the little ones wake up and demand whatever treats you have brought them this time.”

“Fair enough,” Aleck said as he removed the knapsack and set it upon a wooden chair at the table. “Though, I have not only brought gifts for the children, but I have some daffodil bulbs from the castle for you, Mother.”

“Do you?” She looked up from pouring the water into the teapot and smiled. “However did you manage it?”

“They were getting rid of a bunch of them, so I saved some. I will be sure to plant them in the ground before I leave today. Then you do not have to worry over your hands getting dirty, as mine rarely are clean anyway.”

“Ha!” She rolled her eyes at Rebecca as he pulled out a chair and sat. “Spoken like a true man. For only a man would believe us womenfolk never get our hands dirty.”

“I dare you to live one of our days, Aleck, just one.” Rebecca sat down next to him.

He grinned. It was an old joke of theirs. He pretended to treat them as royalty, and they were quick to remind him how foolish he was. His gaze settled upon Rebecca’s golden hair, tied back in a bun. Her lively green eyes and quick smile reminded him so much of their mother—they looked nearly identical at times, or at least they had before Pa died. They were too brave, both of them, shouldering so much of the world on their own. How could he not think of them as royalty? Indeed, he had never known such fine examples of women in his life.

“And what has you staring at me with such a look upon your face?” Rebecca asked.

“You. I am curious about your news, of course. Are you going to tell me, or keep me cooling my heels all morning in anticipation?”

Mother laughed and passed a cup of tea to him. “Hush, you. As if you know how to wait for anything.”

“’Tis true. I do not. Which reminds me.” He looked over at his sister. “Begin at once, or I will not let you see what I brought for you.”

Rebecca chuckled as she took the offered cup from her mother. “Oh, good heavens! Now he is reduced to bribery.”

“I simply do not like to be kept in suspense.”

“Oh, very well.” She took a sip of tea and then leaned forward a bit. “Do you remember Hattie?”

“Hattie?” he asked, confused. “Oh. Is she the old herb woman who used to chase us out of her mint garden when we were young?”

“Yes! The very one.”

“Wait. What is this?” Mother asked. “What mischief did you two get into with poor Hattie?”

“’Tis nothing, Mother.” Rebecca waved her hand. “Besides, it was ages ago.”

His mother raised her eyebrows and looked at them both.

“We used to eat the peppermint herbs she grew, nothing more.” Aleck took another sip.

“Aleck! Rebecca!”

“And the strawberries, too.” He winked at his sister.

“What? Her prized strawberries?”

“And the peaches and raspberries and blackberries and—”

“Aleck, just tell Mother everything!”

“Enough!” Mother sat down upon the chair in a huff. “It is a wonder Rebecca has any news at all to share, with such scapegrace children as it would seem I have raised.”

Aleck chuckled. “It was all Rebecca’s fault. I am sure of it.”

“My fault!” She glared at him over the rim of her cup. “As if I had anything to do with it. You led me into more escapades than out of them!”

“Please, stop. Just stop. I cannot bear to hear another word. I fear at this rate I will be apologizing to the whole village soon.”

“Fine. I will behave,” Aleck said, though he was quite proud of himself nonetheless. “What is this news you have to share? Were you going to tell, or were you just teasing me? That is, if there is any news at all. I am not convinced that you have anything to tell me.”

Rebecca laughed. “You are incorrigible.”

“I know.” He waggled his brows at her over his cup as he took another sip. “Now, begin.”

She shook her head and took a sip herself before saying, “I was offered to be Hattie’s assistant. A full-time assistant, since she is too old to do a lot of the potion-grinding and the like. So I shall be learning her healing arts, as well as a bit of magic, methinks.” Rebecca sat back with a smug smile upon her face.

“My! That is news.” He was exceedingly impressed. He knew many a person who would love that opportunity. “Is she to train you in everything, then?”

“Everything.” Rebecca giggled. “And the best part is, all remedies for myself and the family will be free with my training.”

He could not help it. He stood up and pulled her into a tight hug. “This is fantastic! This is wonderful.”

“I know.” She squeezed tighter.

“I am quite eager to see you turn into a hobbling old herb woman one day. This may be the best form of yourself yet!”

“Aleck!” his mother gasped.

CHAPTER FIVE

“WHAT?” ALECK BLINKED AT his mother across the table.

“You are a monster,” she said as she took a sip of tea.

“I know.” He grinned and pulled away from his sister. “You will do well. Hattie is wise to have chosen you,” he said to her.

“Thank you,” Rebecca said as she sat back down. “So what news do you have from the castle? Anything exciting happening with the princesses?”

“It is always the same,” he muttered without thinking as he lowered himself to the chair again. And then all at once, the day before came flooding back into his memory. “No. There is something new. I had nearly forgotten about it.”

“There is?” Rebecca raised an eyebrow, her interest clearly piqued.

His mother looked up expectantly.

He took a swallow of his tea as he allowed his thoughts to form. Should he tell them of what Princess Cascadia had revealed yesterday? Glancing from one eager face to the other, he shrugged. It would all be common knowledge soon enough, what with the proclamation going out in a week or so—shortly the whole kingdom would be abuzz with it. However, it would be best to keep it under wraps for as long as possible. He leaned in. “What I am about to tell you, you can speak of to no one else.”

“Oh, goodness!” exclaimed his mother. “Perhaps you better not say anything, then.”

“What? And miss out on this bit of gossip?” Rebecca waved her hand. “Nonsense. We promise not to utter a word to anyone. Now, out with it.”

Mother did not look happy, but remained silent. She, too, must have been intrigued not to protest again. “Princess Cascadia revealed this to me yesterday.” He quickly lifted a hand to ward off the questions he could see brewing within his sister. “And before you ask how I came to be talking to her, keep silent. She likes to wander in the garden, and she and I have spoken from time to time.”

“Very well.” Rebecca sighed.

“Yesterday, she said that soon a proclamation would go out to all the lands roundabout.”

“Oh! Are they hosting a ball?” Rebecca asked.

“No. Though it does have something to do with dancing, ironically.”

Mother quickly stood up and began to busy herself with preparing another pot of tea. He paused to wait for her. “Go on,” she commanded a bit gruffly.

Something in her actions did not sit well with him. “What is it, Mother?”

“Nothing. Go. Continue. I am listening.”

He glanced at Rebecca, who nodded to carry on. “Well, the princess mentioned there is a mystery taking place every night. Though they have no recollection of it, she believes she and her sisters are under some sort of enchantment, which has them dancing while they sleep.”

Rebecca gasped.

“They dance so much their shoes are worn clean through, many times leaving blisters upon their feet.”

“Blisters, did you say?” Mother asked from the counter.

“Yes. And each morning, the king must purchase a whole new set of slippers.”

“How long has this been going on?” Rebecca’s eyes were huge.

“I am not certain.”

“And they do not know anything? They have no memory at all of dancing until their feet are worn and their slippers ruined?” Rebecca leaned back and shook her head. “No. Sounds like rubbish to me. If their feet were hurting every morning, they must be allowing it to happen. Sounds more like a group of sisters who want to go dancing every night, and then pretend to be enchanted so the king does not become angry.”

“’Tis what I thought as well.” Aleck lowered his voice. “Even the king did not believe it was truly happening until just a little bit ago.” He shifted on the chair. “Princess Cascadia had a pure look of fright about her when she told me. I believe her word for word. Something is happening to those girls, and no one knows what.”

“Is that why the king is sending out the proclamation?” Mother asked quietly as she brought the freshly made teapot over and sat down.

“Yes. He needs help and is asking for anyone he can get to solve the mystery for him.”

Rebecca let out a low whistle. “Will there be a reward?”

“Yes. The greatest reward I have ever heard of.” He leaned in. “Whoever can figure out how the girls are dancing and what is happening to them will receive one of the princesses to wed.”

Mother dropped her cup, spilling tea all over the table.

Rebecca quickly jumped to fetch a towel to mop up the mess.

“Mother, are you well?” Aleck asked.

She took the cloth from Rebecca and began to wipe at the tea. “Promise me you will not try to solve the mystery,” she said, her gaze avoiding his.

“Why? For I have already promised Princess Cascadia I would. But it—”

Her eyes snapped to his. “No. You did not.”

“I did.”

She searched his gaze a moment and then closed her eyes. “You mean the princess asked you to try to solve the mystery?”

“Yes.”

“She asked you because she is hoping you will decipher it.”

“Yes. But even though I promised I would, I was going to tell her I changed my mind today and I cannot do it.”

Mother nodded as she placed her elbows on the table and her face in her hands. The tea-soaked towel hung limply from her fingers.

“Mother, what is it?” he asked.

“You are in love with her, are you not?” she mumbled into her hands.

“Quite possibly,” he answered truthfully.

He thought he heard her utter a small moan before sitting up right again. “Very well,” she said. “Very well. Then you must do so. You must go to that castle and solve the riddle prior to any of the other men.”

“It is too risky, and I could lose my place as a gardener if I was not able to perform my duties. Staying up all night trying to solve this, I would not be fit to be seen, let alone work.”

Rebecca clutched his hand. “But you must, Aleck. If she has asked you to do so, you must try.”

“If I lose work as the gardener, what happens to us?” He shook his head. “No. Even if we had the money to spare, there is no guarantee I would be able to sort through the mystery before anyone else. It would be madness to attempt it.”

Rebecca released his hand and sat up, a mischievous smile making its way across her lips. “But what if we can guarantee you are the only one who cracks the mystery?”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Yes, Rebecca, that look on your face quite frightens me,” Mother said.

“It frightens me too.” Aleck chuckled. “It was just the sort of look she had when we were little, before we would get up to no good.”

Rebecca folded her arms. “I start working for Hattie tomorrow.”

“Go on,” he said.

“The only way to break an enchantment is with an enchantment. Everyone knows that. So, if I were to find a way—through Hattie’s expertise, of course—to allow you to have an advantage over the other men who attempt this thing, then I believe you may actually stand a chance to solve it and win the hand of the princess.”

Could she be right? It was almost worth trying, if he had a bit of his own magic on his side. “You are brilliant.” Aleck laughed.

“No. I think the word you meant was genius, for I have always been just that.”

Mother pushed up from the table in a rush, collecting all of their cups as she did so. “Time to get those children out of bed—and you off to the castle. It is ten to seven as it is.”

He glanced at the old clock upon the mantle. “Good gracious, it is.” Quickly he stood up and gave his sister a kiss on the cheek, and then his mother. “I will have to come back and plant the bulbs later today, then.”

His mother shooed him away. “Never you mind. I can plant them just the same as anybody. Now go, and win the heart of your princess.” She bit her lip and glanced away from him.

“What is it?” he whispered.

“’Tis nothing.” She pushed him to the door. “Now go. I will give the children their treats as well. Go.”

“Yes. And I will let you know soon what Hattie says,” called Rebecca.

There was nothing else for it. He had to get to the castle; there was no time to lose. With another quick kiss on his mother’s cheek, he ran down the steps and up the lane. His heart pounded as he attempted to balance the odd feeling of dread and excitement looming within him.

BOOK: The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Faerie Tale Collection)
12.19Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Ride the Star Winds by A. Bertram Chandler
Smoke & Mirrors by Charlie Cochet
New World, New Love by Rosalind Laker
Wild Lavender by Belinda Alexandra
SoundsofLove by Marilyn Kelly
Pastime by Robert B. Parker
End Times by Anna Schumacher