Born to Rule

Gundersnap asked.
    “Why would anyone steal an unfinished tapestry?” Princess Kristen asked.
    Yes, thought Alicia. Why would anyone steal an unfinished tapestry, unless they did not want the rest of the story to be finished and therefore known? This was a true mystery. Alicia’s mind wandered as she continued stitching.
    When the needlepoint hour had ended, the princesses of the South Turret found themselves together in one of the many winding corridors of the castle. Princess Myrella tagged along with the group shyly. Except for Alicia, everyone was jabbering about how they thought camp was supposed to be fun but so far the most fun part had been the spectacular desserts of the night before.
    “What happened to archery?” asked Kristen.
    “Any pony riding?” asked Gundersnap.
    “And swimming!” Myrella said. “They might think I am just a fraction of a princess in size, but I bet that I can beat any princess in this camp in a swimming race.”
    “You can?” Kristen asked.
    “I think so.”
    “Great. Let’s make a bet.” They paused on the steps to seal their bet with the traditional Royal Princess Oath for competitions. Touching their everyday tiaras, they both recited the words.
“Cross my crown and hope to die
If in this contest I deny
My rightful place as first in sport,
And may the loser grow a wart!”
    It was a nonsensical little ditty. No one had ever died by losing this kind of competition, nor had anyone grown a wart. But it was still fun and considered good sportsmanship to say the pledge.
    “You know,” said Alicia thoughtfully, “this needlepoint thing is not as boring as you all seem to think.”
    “Why not?” asked Kristen.
    “Because it’s a mystery.” The other three princesses’ eyes brightened as Alicia went on. “We could solve it. A tapestry cannot simply disappear into thin air. This is a big castle. It must be here somewhere.”
    “But vhere should vee begin looking?” Princess Gundersnap said.
    “And how?” asked Princess Myrella.
    “And we must keep it a secret,” said Kristen. “We don’t want everyone looking for it.”
    “Yes,” said Alicia. Then she turned to Princess Myrella. “Princess Myrella, you must not breathe a word of this to your turretmates.”
    “Oh, don’t worry. They hardly speak to me,” the small princess said sadly.
    “They don’t? Vhy not?” Gundersnap asked.
    “I don’t know. I’m small, easily overlooked. And they are very snooty, for the most part. They think I come from a swamp. That’s what they call the Marsh Kingdoms. Princess Zelenka asked to see my feet. She said she had heard a rumor that they were webbed. And Princess Millicent is just so boastful because her father invaded the Fresnian Islands.”
    “Acht!” Princess Gundersnap made a scalding sound in the back of her throat. “Those islands are notting. Empress Mummy wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot cannon. No natural resources, bugs all over the place, half an island gets washed away every year. Notting to brag about, believe me.”
    “Who’s your fourth turretmate?”
    Myrella made a terrible face. “She is the worst of all. Princess Morwenna. All she does is pray. She does not permit laughter in her presence. And her favorite saint is Saint Rumwald.”
    “Rumwald!” exclaimed Alicia. “The baby saint?”
    Myrella nodded.
    “That is the saddest saint in Christendom,” Kristen said. “He died when he was just three days old.”
    “So you can see,” Myrella continued, “I wouldn’t exactly be telling these turretmates much. And then they are all Crimsons, and I am a Purple.”
    “How did that happen?” Alicia asked. “I thought turretmates were all members of the same team.”
    “Maybe if you’re one-third a princess, they think you’re not quite Purple or Crimson, just some color in between,” Myrella said sadly.
    “Maybe you could change turrets,” Kristen said.
    “It’s against the rules,” Gundersnap said. “Rule three, section two, article one says, ‘No princess is permitted to request a turret change during a session. A request may be made for the next session, but it is rarely granted.’”
    “You’ve read all the rules?” Alicia asked.
    “And memorized them. Empress Mummy will be quizzing me on them in her letters.”
    “Rules are made to be broken!” Kristen said. “Look, Myrella. You’re little—a one-third princess—but look at the upside. That’s a special circumstance. It means you should be able to