The Bravest Princess by E. D. Baker Read Free Book Online Page B

Even when Gwendolyn andBeldegard had been with them, Annie and Liam had often walked by themselves. Annie enjoyed the times they were alone together more than any other—although she did not like that he was keeping things from her.
    Tired from the ride, Annie soon drifted off, but it wasn’t long before a sound woke her. She lay there without moving, listening, but when she didn’t hear anything else, she decided that she was imagining things and once more fell asleep. A short time later, something woke her again, and this time she couldn’t go back to sleep. She was still awake when she heard something hit the tent. For the rest of the night, she dozed off and on, woken many times by small thuds.
    The first songbirds were starting to greet the day when Annie crawled out of her tent, yawning. One glance told her what had kept her from a sound sleep. Acorns littered the ground around her tent, even though the nearest oak tree was at least two hundred feet away and there weren’t any acorns around the other tents.
    â€œOuch!” she cried when something hit her shoulder. She looked up to see a crow flying overhead. An acorn rolled to a stop beside her.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” asked Liam, sticking his head out of his tent.
    â€œThe crows have been pelting my tent with acorns. And that one just hit me with one.” Annie pointed at the crow, which cawed and landed in the tree. “I’m gladwe had the tents to sleep in. I think these crows are trying to torment me.”
    The crow cocked its head to the side as if considering what she’d said.
    â€œThey’re just birds, Annie,” said Liam.
    Annie shook her head. “I think they’re more than that. They’re too smart, for one thing. They followed us all the way here and won’t stop looking at me. Granny Bentbone said that they’re in thrall to an evil witch, but I don’t know why a witch would do this.”
    â€œYou don’t mean to say that you think those are the same crows that we saw by the stream yesterday?” said Liam.
    â€œI don’t know. Crows all look the same to me, but I suppose it’s possible. Granny Bentbone said she can see something in their eyes. They seem normal, as far as I can tell.”
    â€œEvil witch, huh?” Liam said. “We have run into a few.”
    Annie shuddered. “I’d rather not talk about it out here, where they can hear us.”
    â€œYou’re joking, right?”
    â€œNo, I’m not,” Annie declared. “And I’m not being silly, either!”

Chapter 5
    It was midafternoon when they reached the tower where Annie had been kept prisoner. She had climbed down from the tower after braiding the long hair that the previous prisoner had left behind. Now, looking up at the windows from the ground, she wondered how she had ever managed it. The structure was as tall as a castle turret and stood by itself in the middle of a vast forest. Annie was certain that if Liam hadn’t been with her, she would never have found it again.
    The four guards King Halbert had sent ahead to ready the tower for Granny Bentbone reported to Captain Sterling while Annie and Liam studied the windows high above. A few minutes later, the captain approached Liam.
    â€œThe men have a basket rigged up on the other side, Your Highness,” he said. “They plan to use it to haul the witch to the top.”
    â€œDid they restock the tower and clean up all the hair?” asked Annie.
    The captain smiled. “They did indeed. It took two men most of a day to get all the hair out.”
    â€œI’d like to see what they’ve done,” Liam said, turning to Annie. “Would you like to go with me? We can see how the basket works.”
    â€œIt will carry only one person at a time, Your Highness,” said the guard. “But it is perfectly safe. The men have been using it to carry up supplies.”
    Annie, Liam, Captain