The Rainbow Opal by Paula Harrison Read Free Book Online

gold and sapphires. Maya paused in the doorway, trying to straighten her heart-shaped tiara on top of her black hair.
    “Here you go, Maya,” said Lottie, helping her. Her own gold and ruby tiara was completely wonky and her red dress had some mud on the sleeves but that didn’t worry her at all!
    The queen was waiting for them. “Girls, you all look lovely!” she said. “I wonder if you’d like to be in the royal photo with Summer?”
    “Oh yes!” said Summer. “
Please
be in the photo! I don’t want to have my picture taken on my own.”
    “I don’t mind!” said Rosalind. “I quite like having my photo taken.”
    “I don’t mind either,” said Maya.
    Lottie grinned. “Does that mean our picture will be on TV? I’ve never been on TV before.”
    The king came in and heard Lottie’s remark. He smiled. “The picture will be shown to the whole kingdom. You’ll be famous throughout the land.”
    “Maybe we should brush your hair a little first,” murmured the queen, using the hairbrush on each princess in turn.
    Summer set Custard down carefully on one of the sofa cushions. He’d fallen asleep again and she didn’t want him disturbed by the clicking of the camera.
    “Is everyone ready?” said Bill Fleck, looking through the camera lens. “Big smiles, everybody!”
    Squawk!
Kanga flew into the room and perched on Summer’s shoulder.
    “Oh dear!” The queen flapped her hands at Kanga. “Shoo, shoo! We can’t have a parrot in a royal photo.”

    “Oh, please, Mum!” cried Summer. “Kanga’s really clean and tidy.”
    “You won’t look smart enough if we let a bird into the picture,” said the queen, and Kanga flapped his wings indignantly.
    “If I may, Your Majesty, the parrot’s feathers make a nice colour contrast,” said Bill earnestly. “I think you will be pleased with the result.”
    “Please, Mum! I don’t want to look smart, I just want to look like me,” Summer pleaded. “I’ll help with the washing-up for weeks!”
    The king’s eyes twinkled. “I think the people of Mirrania will be happy to see that they have an animal-loving princess.”
    The queen sighed. “Oh, all right then.”
    Summer’s heart lifted. She smoothedher dress and straightened her rainbow opal necklace. This was better than she’d ever hoped for – a royal photo with her friends and Kanga!

Chapter Eleven
The Royal Academy for Princesses
    Later that day the four princesses sat on the sofa in the palace drawing room and waited for the royal photo to be shown on TV. The king and queen were sitting in armchairs drinking cups of tea. Kanga hopped up and down on the back of the sofa. Summer was hugging Custard, who had just finished another bottle of milk.
    “I hope my eyes aren’t shut in the picture,” said Maya. “I usually blink when anyone takes my photo.”
    “I can promise you that you all look lovely,” said the queen, smiling fondly. “The king and I checked the picture before we gave it to the TV station, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
    A picture of the four girls and Kanga flashed on to the television screen. In the photo, the princesses had big smiles while Kanga tilted his head and cheekily lifted one wing.
    “There it is!” cried Lottie, leaping up from the sofa.
    The newsreader on the television began to speak. “And now, we’re pleased to show you the royal photo of Princess Summer. The whole kingdom has been eagerly waiting to see this picture since the princess’s tenth birthday. Summer is pictured here with her friends, Princesses Maya, Lottie and Rosalind, and her much-loved parrot Kanga.”
    Kanga gave a loud squawk.
    “We all look great,” said Rosalind, smoothing her hair.
    “I’m so glad I didn’t blink at the wrong moment,” said Maya.
    The newsreader continued. “The king and queen have also announced that Summer will be attending the Royal Academy for Princesses in the Kingdom of Middingland once the new term begins. We’d like to wish Summer the