by E. D. Baker
"I wouldn't dare," said Eadric. "With all the magic that's been floating around here today, there's no telling what might happen."
"Speaking of magic, we'd better go see what happened to my aunt. That look on her face—it was almost like someone had cast a spell on her! And she was going toward those flowers ..."
Leading Brighty by the reins, Eadric followed me through the meadow to the riverbank. Everything looked so much smaller than it had when we were frogs that I felt as though we'd entered a different world. The weeds that had shaded us from the heat of the sun now brushed against our ankles. I almost missed the clump of tall grass, for now it rose no higher than my knees. It was disconcerting to see the world so radically changed, and I know it bothered Eadric as much as it did me, because I caught him rubbing his eyes and staring at what we would once have considered an enormous butterfly, but now it seemed only average.
I heard voices talking as we neared the willow. I even thought I heard Grassina's laugh. After persuading Eadric to tie his horse's reins to a convenient branch, I hiked up the hem of my gown and clambered awkwardly over the uneven ground in search of my aunt Grassina. Still following the voices, we passed the den, and there, just beyond a jumble of rocks that jutted into the river, I found her with the otter curled at her feet. She glanced up at the sound of our approach, and I was stunned. Her smile was filled with so much joy that even her eyes sparkled with it.
"He wasn't a frog at all!" she said, taking the otter's paw in her hand. "That's why I couldn't find him. I kissed all those frogs for nothing! My mother turned him into an otter! Emma, Eadric, I'd like you to meet Haywood, my betrothed!"
Haywood tore his gaze from Grassina and looked up at me. "So you're Grassina's niece! The family resemblance is extraordinary! And you must be her beau, Eadric! Grassina has been Telling me about you both."
"I'm not her beau, exactly," Eadric said, turning to look at me.
"I saw Haywood in the farseeing ball," said Grassina, "and I had a feeling that it was him. I felt the way I do when someone comes to the door and I know who it is before I open it. Then when I saw him up close ... The spell changed his shape, but it couldn't change who he was inside."
"If it was that easy, why didn't you know it was us when we came to your door?" Eadric said, looking indignant. "You made Emma tell you the whole story and then you said you still weren't sure it was her!"
"Because my heart told me that it was Emma at the door, but my head said that she couldn't possibly be a frog. She wore the bracelet, so I didn't think it was possible. But I know to trust my heart now and my heart says that this is the same darling Haywood whom my mother sent away."
"I am a bit older, though, I'm afraid," the otter said, patting her hand with his other paw.
"Not so old, Haywood. No older than I."
The otter gazed into my aunt's eyes. "My darling Grassina, I wish we could go back to the way things were. That's all I've wanted for these many years. Do you think it's still possible?"
"Oh, Haywood," said Grassina, "I would like that more than anything in the world!"
"Kiss her," said Eadric, "and see what happens!" He grinned and turned to look at me. Seeing the surprised expression on my face, he added, "Well, it worked for us, didn't it?"
"Not at first! Aunt Grassina, you aren't wearing any charm reversal jewelry, are you? No bracelets or necklaces or anything like that?"
"No, Emma, I'm not...."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Eadric asked, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as if he couldn't possibly hold still.
"Nothing," Grassina said, and bent down till her mouth was only inches from Haywood's. Her hair fell forward to hide their faces, but they both had dreamy looks in their eyes when they finally drew apart. We waited for a while, watching Haywood for any sign of change. As time dragged on and we realized that nothing was going to happen, Haywood's face fell and Grassina let out a heartfelt sigh.
"I didn't really expect it to work," said Haywood, "but I was hoping ..."
Only a few weeks before, I probably would have thought it bizarre to see my aunt and an otter looking at each other with such adoration, but living as a frog had made me much more sympathetic.
"I know what we can do!" I said, too excited to keep quiet any longer. Everyone turned to look at me, but I plowed on, convinced that I was right. "Haywood, do you remember what my grandmother said you had to do to break the spell?"
The otter shook his head. "I'm sure she told me, but it's been so long. Something about dragon's breath and the lining of some seashell"
"Drat!" I said. "I knew we'd find a use for that vial! But that's all right, because the spell can still be undone by the witch who cast it in the first place. All you have to do is go see Grandmother."
"What makes you think she would do it?" asked Haywood. "She probably won't like me any better now than she did before."
"She'll do it, you'll see! You'll just have to explain things to her the right way. Every time we visit her, she complains that she has only one grandchild—me. But if she changed Haywood back and you two got married ..."
"Then she could have more grandchildren!" exclaimed Eadric. "Unless you're too old ..."
"Eadric! Please!" said Grassina, blushing a deep shade of pink, a color I'd never seen on my aunt.
"I think Emma's idea is wonderful!" Haywood declared. "And after Grassina and I are married, I'll return to my studies. Perhaps we can open a practice together, just as we'd planned!"
From the way Grassina and Haywood looked at each other, I knew that Eadric and I were in the way. But there was something I had to do before we left.
"Here," I said, removing the bracelet and handing it to Grassina. "Although it's a lovely bracelet, I don't think I'd ever be comfortable wearing it again."
"I don't blame you," my aunt said, taking her eyes off Haywood only long enough to drop the bracelet into the pouch attached to her gown.
"And if I were to kiss someone now ..."
"Hmm? Oh, you wouldn't turn into anything."
"Good!" I said. "Then it's finally over! I just have one other question. Why can Eadric and I still talk to animals even though we're human again?"
"Because you've been animals yourselves. Since you're a witch, Emma, you'll keep the ability, although Eadric may lose it if he doesn't practice often. Is there anything else?" Grassina asked, flicking her eyes in my direction. I knew her well enough to take the hint.
"Not a thing! Come on, Eadric. Let's go!"
Although I would have liked to have left gracefully, Eadric and I were both so stiff that we had to help each other up the hill. When we reached the top, I saw an ancient oak whose graying bark bore a small carved heart surrounding the words Grassina & Haywood forever. It made me realize that Haywood had probably missed Grassina as much as she had missed him.
Now that I knew the truth about Haywood, things that I hadn't noticed before seemed obvious. Passing his den on our way to fetch Bright Country, I saw a patch of dry grass by the opening that looked remarkably like a doormat. A collection of roughly assembled twigs resembled a crude bench. Lavender, rosemary, and thyme grew in neat little rows on the side of the hill like a miniature herb garden. Haywood may have been turned into an otter, but he had gone to a lot of trouble to make his den into a vaguely human home.
After collecting Bright Country, we made our way back along the riverbank, too sore to move much faster than a slow shuffle. We hadn't gone far before Eadric and I stopped to stretch our aching muscles. "And what about us?" Eadric asked, trying to work the stiffness out of his shoulders.
"Well, now that that's settled, I can get started on all the other things I have to do."
"Such as?"
"Such as this," I said. Eadric's eyes grew wide when I slid my arms behind his neck and kissed him. It wasn't a quick kiss like the first one that had turned me into a frog, or the lip-crushing kind that was intended to turn us back, but a long, slow kiss that was soft and gentle and very
sweet.
"Wow!" said Eadric, his eyes as big as fruit tarts. Somehow, his arms had found their way around me while we kissed, and it was a very pleasant feeling indeed.
"Oh, my!" I agreed, having enjoyed it as much as he had.
"And now what?" he asked, grinning boyishly.
"And now ... Now I have to have the moat cleaned out."
"And marry that jerk, Prince Jorge?"
"Of course not! I'll just tell my mother that I won't marry him. If she insists, I'll inform her that I can't wait to tell his parents all about my adventures as a frog. My mother would never live that one down. And if he's lucky, maybe Jorge'll find the perfect woman for him, one who wears the same size shoes he does."
"His feet are kind of small. It might take him a while to find her."
"I'm sure he'll manage. People like him always do."
"You know, I've been thinking. You could tell your mother that you met someone else you'd rather marry."
"Is that a marriage proposal, Prince Eadric?"
"Would you say yes if it were, Princess Emeralda?"
"Maybe, but I don't think I'll get married just yet. I have the potential to be a very good witch, and I think it's about time I began working at it. And even if I do decide to get married later on, being a witch could be very helpful."
My days as a frog had taught me many things, most of which I'd long suspected. The swamp was indeed a magical place where old lives could end and new lives could take the most unexpected turns, where friends and heroes could come in many forms, and where life could be wonderful, even for a clumsy princess.
Eadric reached out to tuck a loose curl behind my ear. "Fine. Just promise you'll never turn me into some loathsome creature if we happen to disagree."
"I promise I won't turn you into anything you don't deserve," I said. "Just don't ever try to stop me from visiting the swamp from time to time."
"Is that all it would take to keep you happy?"
"No, but it's a good start!"
E. D. BAKER.
made her international debut with The Frog Princess, which was a Book Sense Children's Pick and has been optioned for an animated movie. Since then she has written four other books in the series: Dragon's Breath, Once Upon a Curse, No Place for Magic, and The Salamander Spell. A mother of three and grandmother of one, Ms. Baker has had many interesting jobs—teacher, parrot caretaker, member of the Red Cross Disaster Team—but her true love is writing. She lives in Maryland, where she provides a home for three horses, two dogs, three cats, and three goats named Malcolm, Seth, and Ruben.
www.edbakerbooks.com
Don't miss the hilarious prequel to the beloved
Tales of t h e Frog Princess—in which Emma's aunt
Grassina is herself a teen who discovers
magic, adventure, and true love.
Read on for an excerpt from
THE SALAMANDER. SPELL
Prequel to the Tales of the Frog Princess
One
Like everyone else, Grassina knew exactly how important the Green Witch was to Greater Greensward. Not only did the Green Witch have to defend the kingdom from invaders, whether magical or mundane, she also had to ensure that everything was in good working order, like the roads, the moat, and the castle itself. It was a full-time job, made doubly hard when she had royal duties as well.
Grassina's mother, Queen Olivene, had been the Green Witch since before her daughters were born. Although the queen wasn't very old, everyone knew that someday, someone would have to replace her. Since the title usually passed from mother to daughter, the whole kingdom had been watching Grassina's older sister, Chartreuse, for some sign that she had inherited her mother's talent for magic. Unfortunately, that sign had yet to show itself, and everyone was getting tired of waiting, especially thirteen-year-old Grassina.
Grassina set her hand on one of the thistles that grew at the edge of the moat and jerked it back, scowling. It wasn't fair. Chartreuse always got whatever she wanted—a horde of suitors, lessons in magic, a new kitten . . . Grassina, on the other hand, had to make do with her leftovers, just because she was the younger sister. Even her instructor in deportment, Lady Sophronia, had taught Chartreuse first, something the old woman mentioned daily. Whereas Chartreuse had been a prize pupil, Grassina was sadly lacking. Her curtsies were either too deep or not deep enough. Chartreuse's had been exactly right. Grassina's small talk wasn't witty. Chartreuse knew how to captivate everyone in the room. Grassina had yet to master the air of command that Lady Sophronia insisted all princesses must have. Everyone from scullery maids to the greatest noblemen paid attention to Chartreuse. Grassina's ineptness with her lessons didn't bother her at all; although she loved to learn, she didn't think anything Sophronia had to say was important enough to worry about. Chartreuse, of course, had considered her own deportment lessons vital.
Grassina was sure that even if Chartreuse hadn't mastered the art of courtly behavior, she would have been the court favorite. While Grassina hated her carrot-red hair and too many freckles, Chartreuse was always tossing her honey-gold curls and admiring her creamy complexion in a mirror. No matter what Chartreuse did, she always looked good. She even looked pretty when she cried, because it made her blue eyes dewy so that she looked sweet and vulnerable. All crying did to Grassina was turn her face red and splotchy.
Wiping a drop of blood from her pricked finger, she sat back on her heels, waiting impatiently for her sister to finish her lesson. Grassina had been kneeling beside the moat for so long that her legs were getting numb. That morning she'd overheard her mother telling Chartreuse where they would meet for their daily magic lesson, giving Grassina just enough time to look for a hiding place. The pile of stone blocks left over from repairing the tower was only a few yards from the edge of the moat, close enough to listen in on the conversation. It hid her if she stayed put, but wasn't big enough to conceal her if she moved more than a foot in either direction. Grassina shifted her weight ever so carefully, trying not to make a sound. Leaving before the lesson ended was out of the question since she wasn't supposed to be there in the first place and her mother was bound to see her if she stood up.
A medium-sized fish chased a school of minnows just below the smooth surface of the moat. Queen Olivene sighed and shook her head, turning to her older daughter. "You need to sound more confident when you recite a spell, Chartreuse. Listen closely. I'll do it again so you can hear what I mean. It's very simple, really. Just trace the letters in the water with your finger and say,
Bubbles small and bubbles Large,
Put yourselves within my charge.
On the water, write my name.
' Round it set a lovely frame.
Bubbles formed, gathering on the surface of the water until the name Olivene became legible and a circle of bubbles surrounded the word. The queen's name floated in place until a curious gray-green fish rose to the surface and tried to bite one of the larger bubbles. The bubble burst with a loud POP, scaring the fish away. Grassina giggled, then clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. Chartreuse turned around and glanced in her direction, wearing a haughty look of disdain, which might have been more intimidating if Grassina hadn't caught her practicing that very same expression in a mirror that morning.
Knowing that there was no use hiding any longer, Grassina sighed and stood up. Queen Olivene frowned at her younger daughter. "Did you skip your lesson in deportment again? I'm sure Lady Sophronia is looking everywhere for you."
"I finished my lesson," said Grassina, her legs prickling as she shifted from one foot to the other.
"You're always poking your nose into things that don't concern you," said Chartreuse. "It isn't as if you're going to get any magic. For two hundred years the firstborn daughter in our family has been the Green Witch. As the eldest..."
"I can't help it if I'm curious," said Grassina. "I love watching you do magic, Mother."
"It's your sister's turn now," said Olivene, and she turned back to Ch
artreuse. "I want you to try it again, but this time you have to show me that you believe in what you're doing."
"That's just it," said Chartreuse. "How can I believe it will work when it never has before?"
"It will in due time," said Olivene. "My grandmother didn't come into her magic until she was seventeen."
"So you've told me," muttered Chartreuse, her lips pursing into a pout. Dipping her finger in the water, Chartreuse wrote her name while repeating the spell in a more commanding tone. When nothing happened, she sighed and turned to her mother. "Tell me again what Father said about your magic when you first met."
A slow smile lit Olivene's face. "He told me that even without my magic, I was the most fascinating woman he'd ever met, but with my magic I was irresistible. I don't know how many times he said that he was honored that my parents had chosen him."
Chartreuse sighed. "That's so sweet. When I get married, it will be to a man who feels that way about me. He's going to love me to distraction and put me above everything else. He'll bring me gifts and take me to tournaments and write poems about my beauty just like Father did for you."
"That was a long time ago and we were both young," said Olivene. "Most husbands aren't so attentive."
"Mine will be," said Chartreuse. "I'm going to marry for love. Maybe Torrance or Limelyn. They're both very handsome."
For the last few months, one prince after another had come to visit from various kingdoms, hoping to win Chartreuse's hand in marriage. She had enjoyed all the attention and had been delighted when some of her more serious suitors decided to remain at the castle until she made up her mind.
"A handsome face isn't all you should be looking for," said Olivene.
"I know that. They have other good qualities, too. Torrance writes songs about me. He has the most wonderful singing voice, and his eyes . . . Have you noticed what a lovely shade of blue they are? Some of my friends fancy themselves in love with him. I think I might be, too. He says he'll have another song for me tonight."
