The Bag of Bones by Vivian French Read Free Book Online Page A

them were so alike that even King Frank and Queen Mildred couldn’t always tell them apart; only Marcus’s complete lack of concern about clothes, and a tendency to have his hair sticking up in tufts, distinguished him from Arioso.
    Marcus looked at the clock again. Seventeen minutes gone. Nina-Rose was still staring out the window, and Arry was still drooping. All around the room little groups of princesses were giggling and peeping at the princes over the tops of their fans, and sooner or later he’d be forced into conversation with one or another of them. Something had to be done, or he’d go completely mad.
    “What if Arry went on a quest?” he asked suddenly. “You know — like the knights of old? Caught a dragon for you, or something like that? Would you dance with him then?”
    Arry looked horrified, but Nina-Rose turned around. “I wouldn’t like a dragon,” she said, wrinkling her nose disdainfully. “It would make too much of a mess. All that nasty fire and trampling about.”
    Marcus saw a glimmer of hope. “Not a dragon, then. A mermaid? A griffin?”
    Nina-Rose gave Arry a sideways look, making sure he got the full benefit of her exceedingly long eyelashes. “Would you really go on a quest for me?”
    Aware that Arry was quite likely to say that he would do anything for Nina-Rose just as long as it didn’t involve foolishness and danger, Marcus slapped his twin so hard on the back that Arry coughed instead of answering.
    “Of course he would,” Marcus promised. “He never stops talking about you and how wonderful you are.” This was true. “He’s always saying he can’t wait to prove how much he adores you.” This was not true, but Nina-Rose went a delicate shade of pink and smiled at Arry for the first time since he had arrived.
    “Oh, Arry
darling,
” she breathed. “How amazing of you! As it happens, there
is
something I’d really, really like.” She paused to consider the effect she was having on Arry and noticed an apprehensive look in his eyes. Annoyed, she went on, “That is, if you really
are
brave enough. If you aren’t, I’m sure Prince Albion of Cockenzie Rood would fetch it for me. He promised he’d do
anything
if I’d dance with him. . . .”
    “WHAT?” Arry sat bolt upright and looked almost warlike. Marcus grinned. This was more like it. “What is it you want?”
    Nina-Rose, now enjoying herself hugely, leaned back against the window with a little sigh of pleasure. “Someone told Mother they’d seen a snow-white peacock in Flailing. I’d
love
a feather from a snow-white peacock for my hair. . . .”
    “Consider it yours,” Arry said firmly, then paused. “At least —”
    “At least nothing,” Marcus cut in swiftly, jumping to his feet. “Arry’ll be off on his quest at once — won’t you, Arry?”

    “At once?” Arry looked up at the clock. “But we haven’t finished our visit —”
    “No time to worry about royal etiquette now,” Marcus told him. “I’m sure Nina-Rose will forgive you and give Vincent our apologies for leaving early,” and he bowed to the princess as he pried Arry to his feet.
    Nina-Rose, who had been wondering what else she could ask for, looked disappointed, but she smiled sweetly enough at Arry. “Of course,” she said.
    “And you’ll dance the first dance with me?” Arry called over his shoulder as his brother frog-marched him toward the door.
    “Oh, Arry . . .” Now that he was leaving, Nina-Rose began to feel pangs of remorse. Arry was, after all, incredibly handsome. And rich. And adoring. “I’d absolutely love to dance with you all night long.”
    “Wowsers!” Arry’s smile nearly split his face in two as they left the room. “Did you hear that, Marcus?”
    “I did. Now, come on — we’ve got to get back to Wadingburn so I can get Glee saddled and ready to go.”
    “And you’ll bring me back that peacock feather?” Arry asked anxiously.
    Marcus threw up his hands in frustration.