The Runaway Princess Read Online Free PDF Page B

the food basket. “You’ll be hungry later, and it adds nicely to your disguise.” Dilly wanted to come along, but she had to get her work done. Cam said he’d accompany Meg.
    â€œWhat about me?” Nort asked plaintively.
    â€œYou’ve got to stay here with the invisible princess,” Cam told him.
    Nort turned woeful. “It’s not much of an adventure.”
    â€œAh, but soon I’ll be sending you and Cam out on night forays,” Meg said, lowering her voice.
    Cam winced, but Nort brightened. “That’s all right, then. What’s the plan, anyway? You said you had a plan.”
    Meg surveyed her co-conspirators. “We’re going to keep those princes from winning the contest.”

4
    MEG AND CAM WANDERED THROUGH THE ENCAMPMENT, joining a crowd of gawkers from the city and courtiers from the castle, as well as vendors hawking berry pastries, souvenir dragon figurines, and good-luck charms conveniently composed of sticks and pebbles. To Meg’s relief, no one gave her a second glance.
    Most of the princes had come out into the sunshine to practice sparring, flashing their swords for the benefit of an admiring populace. One prince had even set up a wooden dragon and was methodically shooting arrows at it. “I don’t think a real dragon would stand still to be made into a porcupine,” Meg told Cam behind her hand.
    She heard a twittering of merchant girls ahead. Beyond them, a tall, handsome prince with wavy blond hair and an arrogant mouth was looking off into the distance.
    â€œIt’s him,” one of the girls said. “Prince Vantor of Rogast!”
    Another girl giggled. “Have you got it?”
    A third girl pulled an embroidered cloth out of her market basket. The other two helped her raise the little banner. Meg and Cam walked past to read the lettering. Prince Vantor the Valiant!!!!! it said in curling letters adorned with forget-me-nots.
    â€œPrince Vantor!” one of the girls squealed hopefully. The prince turned his head, lifting a single aristocratic brow. With a curt nod, he went into the nearest tent, a dark gray one with blue and gold trim. The girls ran off in a chorus of tee-hee-hees.
    Meg rolled her eyes as she slowed with Cam beside the tent to listen.
    â€œAnother gaggle of geese, my lord?” said a rasping voice.
    â€œLet’s hope this princess is more pleasing in manner, Horace,” a deep voice responded.
    â€œThey say she is seventeen and very beautiful,” the first man said.
    â€œThey also say she is forty and resembles a turnip,” the prince told his manservant. “Which would be unfortunate, but nevertheless beside the point.”
    Meg’s face was a study.
    â€œIf I may ask, Your Highness, what is the point?”
    â€œWinning,” the prince replied.
    Meg and Cam moved on.

    A weak-chinned prince was fencing with a large, hairy one while a pleasant-looking royal with rumpled brown hair called out suggestions. A fat prince wrapped in furs despite the heat addressed his servants angrily in an odd clicking tongue. A lanky, bearded prince flipped a knife over and over, watching the others. There were even twin princes, two big smiling brothers who laughed and slapped each other on the back. Meg and Cam walked along behind them.
    â€œDo you think she’s pretty?” asked one twin.
    â€œThey’re always pretty,” the other said.
    â€œBut what if she’s not? What if she’s the only ugly one ever? Maybe she’s under a curse, and that’s why they hid her in the tower.”
    Meg opened her mouth to speak, but Cam jabbed her and she caught herself.
    â€œDorn, they’re always pretty,” said the second twin.
    Prince Dorn spotted Meg and Cam. “You there!”
    â€œYes, sir?” Cam asked. Meg stared down at the ground, trying to disguise her irritation along with her royal visage.
    â€œAre you from town?”
    â€œWe work in the