The Mysterious, Mournful Maiden Read online

  Princess Power 4

  The Mysterious, Mournful Maiden

  By Suzanne Williams

  Illustrated by Chuck Gonzales

  To Sophie Mei Greene,

  a very special princess

  Contents

  1. Princess Elena

  2. Lost Item

  3. Princess Preparations

  4. Together Again

  5. The Dream Returns

  6. The Search

  7. Seals

  8. Into the Cave

  9. Back to Sea

  10. In the Castle

  11. The Feuding Fishermen

  About the Author and Illustrator

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  1

  Princess Elena

  EARLY IN THE EVENING, JUST AS THE SUN WAS setting, Princess Elena went for a walk along the shore. She loved the feel of her bare toes on the warm sand, and the cries of the seagulls made for pleasant company.

  A castle by the seaside was a lovely place to live, only sometimes it was also lonely—especially when her father was busy with the affairs of their tiny island. If Elena’s mother were still alive, she would have helped to run the kingdom, and King Philip wouldn’t have had to work so hard. But, unfortunately, Queen Helen had died eight long years ago, when Elena was only three.

  Before long, she passed a group of fishermen reeling in a heavy net. They nodded at her, but whether they recognized her as the king’s daughter, she couldn’t tell. Shy by nature, she dressed simply so as not to draw attention to herself. Often people were surprised to discover she was King Philip’s daughter. She tried not to let that bother her, but sometimes it made her feel invisible.

  Glancing toward the horizon, Elena admired the glowing purple sunset. Her friend Princess Fatima had a pair of filmy pantaloons the exact same shade. Fatima was beautiful with her dark skin, long black hair, and almond-shaped eyes. Elena felt mousy by comparison, especially with her frizzy brown hair. No matter how much Elena brushed it, her hair wouldn’t lie flat.

  If only she had inherited her mother’s smooth, silky hair, or had blond waves like her friend Princess Lysandra. That would have been nice too. Sometimes Elena even thought of cutting her hair short, like Princess Tansy, the youngest of her three friends. But cutting her hair would probably only make it bush out all the more. Then she’d wind up looking like a dandelion puff!

  Elena wished her friends didn’t live so far away. She would love to see them more often. After all, it had been a month since they’d last visited one another at Princess Tansy’s castle. Yet sometimes Elena wondered why the other three princesses even included her in their group. They were so much more outgoing and courageous than she.

  A flash of brilliant color caught Elena’s eye. The sun glinted off an object lying near the water. Elena hurried over to find a comb that was half buried in the sand. She picked it up. No ordinary comb, this one shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. Elena had never seen anything like it.

  Looking closely, she noticed a few long emerald strands of hair caught in its teeth. What an odd color, she thought. Still, whomever the comb belonged to would surely be sorry to have lost such a beautiful treasure. Slipping the comb into her pocket, Elena turned around, then started back up the beach toward home.

  That night, after she’d changed for bed, Elena carefully washed and dried the gorgeous comb. Unable to resist, she ran it through her frizzy hair. Instead of becoming caught in her tangles, the way other combs did, this one glided effortlessly, like a knife slicing through butter.

  Elena ran the comb through her hair several more times, then glanced in the mirror. She was amazed to see that her frizzy locks appeared much softer and looser than usual. They also had a glossy sheen to them, which looked almost golden.

  Smiling at her reflection, Elena patted her hair. The girl in the mirror looked…well, pretty. Elena kissed the comb and laid it carefully on top of her dresser. Then she walked down the hall to say good night to her father.

  “Come in,” King Philip said when she knocked. Elena pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped into his room. Her father sat at his desk, official papers spread out before him. Though his eyes looked tired, he managed a smile. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately,” he apologized. “I wanted to eat dinner with you tonight, but I had to settle a dispute between two shop owners, and then…”

  “It’s okay, Father,” said Elena, stooping to hug him. “I understand. I only wish there was some way I could help.”

  King Philip hugged her back. “Let’s not think about work right now. Tell me what you’ve been up to.”

  Elena described her day. Then she stepped away from her father. “Notice anything different?” she asked, tossing her hair.

  Scratching his bald head, King Philip asked, “Is that a new nightgown you’re wearing?”

  “No,” said Elena, glancing down at her peach-colored nightie. Her father had given it to her last Christmas, but that wasn’t the kind of detail he’d remember. “It’s my hair!” she exclaimed. “Doesn’t it look different to you?”

  “I’m not sure. Did you cut it?”

  Elena shook her head no. Then she described the beautiful rainbow-colored comb she’d found on the beach. “I used it tonight,” she said. “Don’t you think my hair looks smoother than usual? Prettier, maybe?”

  “You always look pretty to me,” said her father.

  Elena smiled. She supposed he’d say that no matter how her hair looked. “Can you have breakfast with me tomorrow?” she asked.

  “I can, and I will,” he said. “And that’s a promise.”

  “Good,” said Elena. Whenever her father made a promise, he kept it, no matter how busy he was. She kissed him good night, then returned to her room.

  That night Elena had a very strange dream. She saw the face of a lovely maiden with flowing emerald hair swimming in a dark, starless sky. “Please,” the young woman begged. “Won’t you give me back my comb?” The maiden’s dark eyes were so full of sorrow, Elena thought her own heart would break. She awoke with a start. Just who was this mysterious, mournful maiden?

  2

  Lost Item

  ELENA LONGED TO KEEP THE BEAUTIFUL COMB for herself. But regardless of whether or not the green-haired maiden existed, she decided she must try to find the comb’s rightful owner. After breakfast with her father, she hand lettered a dozen signs and sent a messenger to post them around the kingdom. The signs read:

  LOST ITEM FOUND ON BEACH.

  SEE PRINCESS ELENA TO IDENTIFY AND CLAIM.

  By afternoon there was a long line of people waiting to see her in the Great Hall. A young man was the first to approach. “Good afternoon, Princess,” he said boldly. “I’ve come to claim what you found on the beach.”

  “You may if it’s yours,” Elena replied. “Did you lose something there?”

  He smiled. “I might have. You didn’t find a bag of gold, perhaps? Or a treasure chest filled with jewels?”

  Elena shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

  “Oh, well,” the young man said good-naturedly. “I suppose it was a lot to hope for.”

  “Maybe so,” Elena agreed.

  After the young man left, a small boy stepped up to see Elena. He stared at her with huge, round eyes.

  “Did you lose something?” she asked him kindly.

  The boy nodded but was too tongue-tied to speak.

  “Can you tell me what it was?” Elena prompted.

  The boy nodded again. Then he opened his mouth wide and pointed to an empty space between his teeth.

  “I think I understand,” said Elena. “You lost your two
front teeth, right?”

  “Yeth,” lisped the boy. “Pleath give them back.”

  Elena shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t find any teeth.”

  The boy looked puzzled. He pointed to her crown. “Aren’t you the toof fairy? Mommy thez the toof fairy ith a prinzeth.”

  “That may be true,” said Elena, hiding a smile. “But I’m afraid I’m not her.”

  “Oh,” said the boy sadly.

  “Cheer up,” Elena called as he turned to leave. “You’ll grow new teeth pretty soon!”

  It was early evening before Elena had spoken with everyone in line. Most people had lost simple things, like knives and hair ribbons, but one young woman claimed to have lost a glass slipper. “I’ve read that story, too,” Elena said gently.

  Not one person mentioned losing a comb, and none of the women who came to the castle had green hair—though one had a streak of bright blue hair and a ring through her nose.

  Standing in front of her mirror that night, Elena admired her soft, flowing hair. She couldn’t help feeling relieved that no one had come forward to claim the comb. Perhaps the maiden with green hair didn’t exist, Elena thought. Maybe her dream was only the result of a guilty conscience—or the rich custard with cream she’d eaten before bedtime.

  After placing the comb on her dresser, she snuggled under her bedcovers to read her favorite book of poetry.

  As her candle began to burn low, Elena yawned. She hadn’t realized how late it was. Setting down her book, she blew out the flame. When she fell asleep, Elena dreamed of the maiden again. Only this time the young woman appeared ill. Her face was ghostly white, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her beautiful emerald hair looked limp. “Won’t you give me back my comb?” the maiden pleaded, just as before. Tears trickled down her pale cheeks. “I’ll die if I don’t get my comb back. Without it, I can’t get home.”

  King Philip ate breakfast with Elena again the next morning. Between bites of scrambled egg and a poppy seed popover, Elena told him all about the green-haired maiden of her dreams—and how no one had come forth to claim the beautiful comb. “Do you think the maiden is real?” Elena asked him. “And if so, how can I find her?”

  King Philip set down his fork. “I believe most dreams show us things we’ve been thinking of or worrying about. You’ve always been sensitive, and you’ve got a keen imagination, so…”

  “So you don’t think she’s real?” asked Elena.

  Her father nodded. “If you like the comb, I don’t see why you shouldn’t keep it. After all, you tried to find the person who lost it.”

  “But maybe she doesn’t live in our kingdom,” said Elena. “Maybe she lives far away.”

  King Philip’s brow furrowed. “I worry about you spending so much time alone,” he said after a while. “If only your mother had lived—”

  “I’m okay on my own.” Elena frowned. Did her father think she’d invented the green-haired maiden for a companion? It was true she’d been feeling lonelier than usual lately, but she didn’t think that had affected her dreams.

  “I wish I wasn’t always so busy,” King Philip continued. “I wonder if you’d like to invite your friends to visit for a few days. It would be good for you to have company.”

  “Really?” Elena’s eyes brightened. “That would be terrific!” Suddenly it didn’t matter if her father thought she’d been imagining things. She would get to see her friends! And maybe, just maybe, they’d be able to help her solve the mystery of the green-haired maiden.

  3

  Princess Preparations

  AS SOON AS BREAKFAST WAS OVER, KING Philip left to attend to royal business. Elena ran down the hall to the castle’s Crystal Ball Room. The crystal ball sat on a beautiful ebony table. Elena slid into a chair and stared into the ball. When she asked it to, the ball showed her the Crystal Ball Rooms in all three of her friends’ homes.

  At first the rooms looked empty. All Elena could see were vases of flowers and crackling flames in the fireplaces that decorated Crystal Ball Rooms everywhere. But then she saw a flash of movement in her friend Tansy’s castle. The ball zoomed in on a freckled face.

  Elena felt herself blush. It was Jonah, one of Tansy’s six brothers—and, in Elena’s opinion, the cutest.

  “Hi, Jonah,” Elena said. “Is Tansy up?”

  A lopsided grin spread across Jonah’s face. “Depends on what you mean. If you’re talking about where she’s at, she’s definitely ‘up.’ But whether she’s awake or not, I couldn’t say.”

  Elena laughed. Tansy’s bedroom was at the top of a very tall tower.

  “Want me to go knock on her door?” Jonah asked.

  “Thanks for offering. Would you mind?”

  “Not at all. Might take me a little while, though.”

  Elena knew the stone steps that wound to Tansy’s room were quite a climb. “I’ll wait,” she said. “Thank you.”

  Jonah vanished from the ball. As Elena waited for Tansy to appear, she checked on the other two Crystal Ball Rooms again. Lysandra’s face floated into view, framed by her beautiful blond waves.

  “Hi,” Lysandra said. “I was just going to look in on my sister and brother-in-law. What are you up to?”

  “I’m waiting for Jonah to fetch Tansy, but I wanted to talk to you and Fatima, too. My father says I can invite you all to visit for a few days.”

  “Fantastic!” said Lysandra. “I’d love to come!”

  The girls chatted till Tansy appeared. Then Elena repeated her invitation. “You’re a life-saver,” Tansy said. “I really need to get away for a while. Cole and Ethan are driving me crazy. Last night they mixed hot pepper in my milk. I took a big gulp, and it set my throat on fire.”

  “That’s horrible!” exclaimed Lysandra.

  “Poor you,” Elena said sympathetically. Cole and Ethan were Tansy’s youngest brothers. They had tried to scare the princesses during their last visit—and their plan had worked, too.

  The three princesses chatted awhile longer. “If Fatima’s able to come, I bet she’ll take us to your place,” Lysandra said. Fatima had a flying carpet, and the princesses often traveled on it together.

  “She’s got to come!” said Tansy. “We wouldn’t have as much fun without her.”

  Elena knew what she meant. They all looked up to Fatima. Not just because she was the oldest of the four girls and had a flying carpet, but because she was so bold. “I’ll leave her a message,” Elena said. “If all goes well, I’ll see you in a few days.”

  “My fingers are crossed,” said Tansy.

  “Same here,” said Lysandra.

  The princesses all said their good-byes. Before leaving the room, Elena scribbled a note inviting Fatima to visit. She propped her note next to the crystal ball, where Fatima would be sure to see it whenever she looked for messages.

  On her way back to her room, Elena passed through the Great Hall. She paused to study her mother’s portrait, which hung above the fireplace. Elena was surprised to see how much more strongly she resembled her mother now that the comb had tamed her frizzy hair. She wondered if they were alike in other ways, too. Not for the first time, Elena wished she could remember her mother better.

  When Elena checked the Crystal Ball Room later that day, she found a note from Fatima waiting for her. She leaned close to the ball to read it. The note said:

  Hi, Elena,

  You bet I’ll come! I’ll pick up Lysandra and Tansy along the way. We should arrive Thursday before lunch. See you soon!

  Lots of love,

  Fatima

  Elena beamed. Her friends would be arriving in just two days!

  Not wanting to bother her too-busy father, Elena took care of all the arrangements for her friends’ visit herself. She went over the menus with the Royal Chef, choosing dishes she thought the other princesses would enjoy.

  Elena also ordered extra beds for her room so her friends could sleep there too. The Royal Housekeeper let her select the linens. Elena chose lave
nder satin sheets, then helped the Royal Maid make up each bed.

  For the next two nights Elena slept soundly, with no more dreams about the green-haired maiden. It seemed her father must be right: the maiden wasn’t real.

  Before breakfast on Thursday morning, Elena climbed down to the beach to collect seashells and driftwood. She used them to make a pretty table arrangement.

  “That looks nice,” King Philip commented as he sat down to eat with her. It was the first meal they’d had together in two days.

  “I want everything to be perfect for my friends’ visit,” Elena said. “I want them to like it here.”

  “I’m sure they will,” said her father. Smiling, he pointed to her table arrangement. “Your mother was good at this kind of thing too. The castle was filled with guests when she was alive. She loved having visitors and worked hard to make everything go smoothly while they were here.”

  Elena wished they had guests more often, but she knew why they didn’t. Her father was always so busy. Yet she could help; she’d enjoyed making the arrangements for her friends’ visit. At any rate, it pleased her to know she and her mother had more in common than their looks. “Tell me more about my mother,” Elena said.

  “What do you want to know?” King Philip asked.

  “Well, what was she like?”

  King Philip stared up at the chandelier, as if the answer could be found there. “She was beautiful,” he said at last, “and kind. Your mother liked people, and people liked her.”

  She must not have been shy then, thought Elena. “Did Mother like poetry?”

  “Yes, I think she may have. I know she spent a lot of time reading, anyway.”

  “I love to read too,” said Elena.