Feast Fight! Read Online Free PDF Page B

hours.
    I ran outside and bowed to the baron.
    “Good day, Master Cedric!” said Baron Fitztightly. “Kindly fetch your master.”
    “Er – well, I
would
, your lordship,” I said. “But I’m afraid he’s – um – not here.”
    “Not here?” said the baron. “I’m afraid Their Majesties get very upset if their hostisn’t present to greet them.”
    “Their Majesties, your lordship?” I said. “You mean to say—”
    “Yes,” said the baron. “They’re early.”
    I gulped as, over the baron’s shoulder, I saw a whole procession come clattering across the drawbridge. In front rode eight palace guards, while two trumpet-tooting heralds brought up the rear. But it wasn’t the soldiers and heralds that made me gasp. In the centre of the procession was a splendid gold coach drawn by four magnificent white horses. It stopped rightin front of me and one of the coachmen hopped down to open the door. As he did so the heralds blasted out a fanfare and the baron bellowed, “Pray welcome to Their Majesties the king and queen!”

    I watched in awe as the king stepped down from the coach. He turned to help the queen, but she brushed away his hand.
    “Out of my way, Fredbert!” she cried. Then she hitched up her skirts and leaped out of the coach.
    “Better now, Malicia dear?” said the king.
    “
Much
better,” she said. “I needed a jolly good jump after so long in this rotten coach. My bones have been rattled to bits!”
    The king drew himself up to his full height. “Greetings, one and all!” he boomed. Then he saw that it was just me. “Oh. Where’s that old rascal Sir Percy, boy?”
    I bowed and said, “I-I’m not sure, Your Majesty.”

    “What, boy? Not here to welcome his sovereign?” said the queen.
    “Quite so, Your Majesty,” said the baron. “Disgraceful!”
    “Steady on, you two!” said the king. “Don’t terrify the poor lad. After all, it’s not Sir Percy’s fault we left our last host early. I’m sure he’ll be along directly. Why don’t you show us to our chambers, boy?”
    “
Must
we stay here, Fredbert?” said the queen sniffily. “It’s a frightfully small castle.”
    “Don’t fret, my dear,” said the king. “I’m sure Sir Percy has given us the very best rooms, eh, boy?”
    “Y-yes, Your Majesty,” I stammered. “Follow me, Your Majesties.”
    Yikes! In all the palaver I had forgotten to prepare the Royal Suite, which was right next to Sir Percy’s chamber.
    “Slow down, boy!” the queen called after me, as I hurried up the stairs. But I had to get to the room first.
    I reached the Royal Suite and flung open the door. The last king to stay in it was King Ogbert the Odd back in SirPeregrine’s day – and it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since. No way could I let the king and queen set foot inside there.

    I swiftly shut the door and stood in front of it as the royal pair caught me up.
    “Well? Come along, boy,” frowned the queen. “First you hurry and now you keep us waiting. Open the door!”
    I desperately played for time. “Er – perhaps Your Majesties would like to seeSir Percy’s new tapestry first?” I said brightly. “It’s in the Great Hall.”
    “Thundering thrones, boy!” said the king. “You mean you’ve made us dash up here and now you want us to go all the way back
down
?”
    Eek!
This wasn’t going well.
    “Stuff and nonsense,” snapped the queen. “If you won’t open the door, boy, I will.”
    I thought she was going to push past me to open the door of Royal Suite. But instead she opened the door right next to it.
    “Wait, Your Majesty!” I blurted, as she strode haughtily into Sir Percy’s own chamber. “I wouldn’t—”
    “Wouldn’t
what
, boy?” said the king.
    “Er – that chamber, it’s – it’s—”
    “Small and poky,” said the queen. “Yes, boy, I can see that. The bed looks barely big enough for one. And someone’s left a disgusting old rag on it.”
    “S-sorry, Your Majesty,” I