Born to Rule

songbird contest, all will be revealed.”
    “Why must I wait?”
    “The tapestry cannot be completed alone. You will need your friends. But do not take them to the tapestry until after the songbird contest. It is almost as if destiny has put you three princesses together, is it not?”
    With those words the ghost princess vanished. And Alicia herself was no longer standing in the turret in front of the unfinished tapestry, but in her own chamber, barefoot on the cold stone floor, next to her bed. She was not sure how long she had been standing there or how she had returned from the forgotten turret. And she wondered what had happened to Princess Kyranala.
    As the first streaks of dawn light slipped in through the window, she felt something cold and wet beneath her feet. She was standing in a puddle of water. Could the puddle have come from the snowflake coronet? Alicia wondered what was real and what had been a dream.
    She turned to look for the weeb. He was not on her bedpost where she had last seen him and he was not in his cage. The cage was empty! She gave a small cry of dismay. The shutters were still open. Had the golden bird flown away? Why, after all this, had he fled? Was he looking for his mate in the Forest of Chimes? She had to find him! He was at the center of this whole mystery. The bird and the ghost princess—the Forgotten Princess—were linked. Their fate depended on each other and on Alicia and her friends.
    Did she dare go to the Forest of Chimes again? Would Berwynna know where to find the weeb? One thing was for sure—she must ask Kristen and Gundersnap to help. She must tell them this strange story. She must take them to the tapestry, after the songbird contest, as the ghost princess had instructed.

Chapter 18
    UNCASTLED!

    Last night’s winter had turned to spring by the time Gilly brought her breakfast. Alicia ate quickly.
    In the salon Lady Merry greeted her, waving a note from Queen Mum.
    “Good news, Alicia!”
    “What? What?” Kristen and Gundersnap had arrived in time to hear the news.
    “Is she uncastled?” Kristen asked.
    “Indeed she is,” Lady Merry replied.
    Gundersnap and Kristen began cheering wildly.
    “And there is more good news, my dears,” Lady Merry continued with a smile.
    “What’s that?” Alicia asked.
    “Well, I gave the Queen Mum the proposal Princess Gundersnap wrote about our little Myrella and how poorly her turretmates were treating her. She has graciously agreed to let Myrella join you next session!”
    And now a near riot broke out. The princesses were jumping and hugging and throwing pillows into the air.
    “Princesses! Princesses! You’re behaving like savages. Please!” Lady Merry begged. But it was no use. The princesses’ spirits were simply too high.
    Lady Merry von Schleppenspiel sank back into her reinforced rocking chair. “Gilly…Gilly, dear, would you come and loosen my stays. The princesses are hogging all the air. I need to ease my breathing.”
     
    Alicia, no longer castled, was now free to join in all outdoor activities. The first of that day was the Picnic Royale. Gold tablecloths were spread on the grass by the lake, and a croquet field had been set up with silver wickets for the amusement of the campers. During the game Alicia could not find a minute alone with her turretmates to tell them of her lost bird and the story of the ghost princess. And when croquet ended, kite flying began in the meadow.
    After a few minutes, Alicia slipped up to Kristen. “Reel in your kite and follow me.” Kristen was about to protest. “If anyone asks, tell them that my kite got away and you’re helping me look for it.” Then she went over to Gundersnap and told her the same thing.
    Alicia led her friends from the meadow into the Forest of Chimes.
    “What’s this all about?” Kristen asked.
    “My weeb is gone. It flew away last night. And there is more. Much more. Just follow me.”
    There was such mystery surrounding this walk in the forest that Gundersnap and Kristen were afraid even to question Alicia. Finally Alicia decided that they had gone far enough.
    “All right. Now we must just stand here quietly for a few minutes,” Alicia said. She hoped that Berwynna would help find the weeb, but she was not quite sure how she would explain Berwynna to her friends.
    “What’s to explain?” A crotchety voice scraped through the tinkle of the chimes. “Gads! What a whiner you are!”
    Kristen and Gundersnap jumped back in