The Mysterious, Mournful Maiden

by Suzanne Williams

  “I know you do,” said her father.

  “Was my mother brave?” Elena asked.

  “Oh, very,” King Philip answered. “She was probably the bravest person I’ve ever known. Why, once in the middle of a horrible thunderstorm, she climbed a tree to rescue a cat that was stuck at the top. The branches were thrashing back and forth in the wind, but that didn’t stop her.”

  “Did she love cats a lot?”

  King Philip smiled. “She did. But she loved you more. That cat was your pet, and you were so frightened when you found her in the tree that your mother was determined to rescue her for you. I only learned later what she had done, or I would have stopped her. It was a very dangerous thing to do.”

  Elena felt warm all over, having this proof of her mother’s love. If only she were as brave!

  4

  Together Again

  AFTER BREAKFAST ELENA CHECKED TO MAKE sure everything was ready for her guests. She went over the menus with the Royal Chef one more time and asked the Royal Maid to bring extra robes and slippers to her room in case any of her friends forgot to pack them. Then she smoothed the sheets on the beds yet again.

  Too excited to sit down and read, Elena looked around her room for something else to do. Spying the rainbow-colored comb on top of her dresser, she picked it up. With long, flowing strokes, tangles gave way and her hair became soft and loose. Elena wondered what her mother would think if she could see her now. Would she like how Elena looked? And, more importantly, would her mother be proud of the person she’d become?

  Elena was watching from her window when she spotted Fatima’s flying carpet in the sky. At first it was only a tiny dot over the sea, but gradually it grew larger, till Elena was able to make out the three princesses seated on top. She ran outside and waved to her friends. They waved excitedly back.

  The carpet swooped toward the castle, but it was going too fast. “Whoa!” shouted Fatima, trying to slow it down. It jerked to a halt only inches from Elena and sent all three princesses tumbling over the sides.

  “Bats and bullfrogs,” muttered Fatima. Jumping up, she brushed the dirt from her pantaloons, then grinned sheepishly. “Not my best landing, was it? Everyone okay?”

  Lysandra and Tansy scrambled to their feet. “Fine,” they replied. But when Elena hugged Tansy, she could see her friend had scraped an elbow in the fall.

  “Hold on a second,” Elena said. Pulling a small blue bottle from the pocket of her gown, she poured out a few drops of creamy lotion. Then she rubbed the lotion over Tansy’s elbow. The scrape healed instantly.

  “Thanks!” said Tansy.

  Elena smiled. “You’re welcome.” Her magical healing lotion might not be as exciting as Fatima’s flying carpet, but it certainly came in handy at times.

  Lysandra cocked her head. “You look different, Elena. Did you do something new with your hair?”

  “Just combed it, that’s all.” Elena couldn’t wait to show her friends the rainbow-colored treasure.

  Fatima rolled up her carpet and strapped it onto her back. “It must be fun to live on an island,” she said.

  “It is,” said Elena. “I like it a lot.”

  Lysandra peered down the hill to the sea. “And what a great view!”

  “The castle’s nice too,” said Tansy, squinting up at the red-tiled roof.

  Fatima’s stomach growled loudly. “Excuse me,” she said.

  Elena laughed. “You must be hungry after your journey. Let’s go inside. Lunch will be waiting for us.” She led the princesses into the castle and through the Great Hall.

  “Is that your mother?” Lysandra asked, pointing to the portrait over the fireplace.

  “Yes,” said Elena. “I was three when she died.”

  “She’s very pretty,” said Fatima.

  Tansy looked from the portrait to Elena and back again. “You look like her,” she said.

  Elena blushed. “Thank you.”

  The princesses continued to the Dining Hall, where King Philip was supposed to join them for lunch. But as they sat down to eat, a servant delivered a note on a silver tray. Elena opened the note. Her heart fell as she silently read it:

  My dearest Elena,

  I’m afraid my royal duties will keep me from welcoming your guests at lunch today. I’m so sorry. Please give them my apologies. b I promise to see you all at dinner. Have a good time.

  Your loving father,

  King Philip

  Elena looked up from the note, her eyes meeting Tansy’s.

  “Is something the matter?” Tansy asked.

  To hide her disappointment, Elena smiled. “My father sends his apologies. He’s too busy to meet us for lunch, but he’ll see us at dinner.”

  “Parents,” Fatima said with sympathy. “They’re always busy with something.”

  “I’m sure it must be something important,” Tansy added quickly.

  Elena sighed. “It’s all important. I just wish he didn’t have to work so hard.”

  “Well, we’ll see him for dinner, anyway,” Lysandra said brightly.

  The girls dug into their lunch, which consisted of crabmeat and cucumber sandwiches (without the crusts), apple slices, and blackberry pie.

  “That was delicious,” Tansy declared when she’d eaten the last bite. “Would it be bad manners if I licked my plate clean?”

  “Not if we all do it,” said Lysandra, swiping her plate with her tongue.

  The princesses laughed.

  Fatima pushed back her chair. “I’m stuffed,” she said, patting her belly. “Those sandwiches were great.”

  “I’ll tell the chef you liked them,” said Elena. She was pleased that her friends had enjoyed the meal she’d chosen.

  After lunch Elena showed the princesses to her room.

  “Wow, you mean we each get our own bed?” asked Tansy. All four girls had shared Tansy’s bed when they’d visited her last month. Fortunately, her bed was very wide.

  “I want this one!” yelled Fatima, plopping onto the bed closest to the window. Tansy and Lysandra claimed their beds, too.

  “I want to show you something,” said Elena. She picked up the rainbow-colored comb from her dresser and held it high so that it caught the light pouring in through the window. Her friends oohed and ahhed as the comb shimmered.

  Fatima whistled. “That’s one gorgeous comb!”

  “It sure is,” Lysandra said. “Can I hold it?”

  Hesitating for just a second, Elena passed it to her. It was hard to let go of the beautiful comb.

  “Where did you get it?” asked Tansy as she and Fatima crowded in for a closer look.

  Elena told them about discovering the comb on the beach and how she’d tried to find the owner but no one had come to claim it. She didn’t mention the green-haired maiden in her dreams, who Elena had decided wasn’t real after all.

  “Mind if I try it out?” Without waiting for a reply, Lysandra slid the comb through her blond waves. “Fantastic!” she exclaimed. “It doesn’t even tug.”

  Pangs of jealousy stabbed at Elena’s heart. The comb was hers, not Lysandra’s. Lysandra didn’t need it. She already had beautiful hair.

  “Give it back!” Elena yelled.

  Her friends stared at her, looking bewildered. Quickly Lysandra handed her the comb. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

  Elena felt terrible. Why had she been so rude? It wasn’t like her at all. “Please forgive me,” she said. “I don’t know what came over me. Of course you may use it.”

  She was relieved when Lysandra accepted her apology and even asked Elena to comb her hair. Afterward Elena wondered about her strong feelings for the beautiful treasure. Was it possible the comb possessed some kind of magic?

  5

  The Dream Returns

  JUST AS HE’D PROMISED, KING PHILIP JOINED the princesses for dinner that night. “What a pleasure to meet you,” he said when Elena introduced her friends. “I hope you’ll have a wonderful visit here with us.”

  Ev
eryone seemed to enjoy the food Elena had chosen. The Royal Chef had prepared it perfectly. The roast beef was tender and juicy. The creamed potatoes were rich and smooth. And the chocolate mousse was delectable.

  As they ate, King Philip entertained Elena’s friends with tales from his youth. Elena had already heard the story about the time he was chased by a bull while showing off for some princesses, but it still made her laugh.

  After dinner the princesses left the castle for a moonlit walk on the beach. As they strolled, the wind rippled through their clothes and tossed their hair. Fatima inhaled. “I just love the smell of the ocean,” she said.

  Tansy stooped to pick up a shell. “And I could listen to the sound of crashing waves forever.”

  “Do you remember the spot where you found the comb?” Lysandra asked.

  Elena pointed ahead. “It was just past that driftwood log, I think. But closer to the sea.” There were no signs of the comb, of course. Even if it had left marks in the sand, the tides would have swept them away.

  By bedtime the princesses were laughing and joking together as if they’d never been apart. As they were getting ready for bed, Elena untangled everyone’s windblown hair with her beautiful comb.

  “Amazing,” said Fatima, running her fingers through her long, dark hair. “It feels so smooth and silky.”

  Looking in the mirror, Lysandra smiled and admired her blond waves. “Mine seems softer,” she said.

  Tansy sat on her bed, polishing her wooden flute with a rag. She patted her short ginger hair. “Mine seems softer too.” She blew a few notes on her flute. Like Fatima’s flying carpet and Elena’s lotion, the flute was magical. When Tansy played it, everyone’s thoughts became as clear as if spoken aloud. Tansy always took her flute with her. In fact, Elena couldn’t remember ever seeing her without it.

  Lysandra fingered the strap of her purse that never went empty of coins. “If we could find out where the comb came from, I could buy one for each of us,” she said.

  “That’d be great, wouldn’t it?” said Fatima, glancing at Elena.

  Elena nodded. But in truth, she liked the idea that the comb was one of a kind.

  The princesses talked late into the night until finally, one by one, they drifted off to sleep. Again Elena dreamed about the maiden with the flowing green hair. The young woman’s face was thinner than Elena had remembered. Her skin was as pale as moonlight, and her eyes were red rimmed from crying. “Please,” begged the maiden in a shaky voice. “I’m dying. Won’t you give me back my…” But the next word was swallowed up in darkness as the maiden’s face faded away.

  “NO!” cried Elena. “Don’t die! I’ll give it back!”

  Her shouts woke the others. Fatima lit a candle and hurried to Elena’s side. She shook her friend gently. “Wake up.”

  Slowly, her heart pounding, Elena opened her eyes.

  Tansy sat up in bed and yawned. “What’s the matter, Elena? Were you having a nightmare?”

  Elena took several deep breaths to steady herself. “It was a dream,” she explained. “It was one I’ve had before.”

  Throwing off her bedcovers, Lysandra sat on the edge of her bed. She looked at Elena curiously. “Please tell us about it.”

  As Elena described the mysterious green-haired maiden who mourned for her comb, Lysandra’s eyes widened. “I was just dreaming about her too!” she blurted.

  “You’re kidding, right?” asked Fatima.

  Lysandra frowned. “I know it sounds strange, but it’s true.”

  Pushing herself up onto one elbow, Elena stared at Lysandra. “If we both dreamed about her, do you think that means she’s real?”

  “I have a strong feeling that she is,” Lysandra said solemnly. “And we’ve got to find her. We’ve got to give her back her comb…before it’s too late!”

  Elena shivered. She didn’t say what she was thinking—that it might already be too late.

  6

  The Search

  “DO YOU THINK THE MAIDEN COULD LIVE somewhere nearby?” asked Fatima.

  Elena shook her head. “I don’t think so. If she lived nearby, wouldn’t she have seen one of my signs and come to claim her comb? Besides, I’ve never seen anyone around here with green hair.”

  “But if she’s ill, she might be confined to her bed,” Lysandra pointed out. “Then she wouldn’t know about your signs, and you would never have seen her.”

  “So what should we do?” asked Tansy. “Knock on every door in the kingdom and ask if anyone knows a girl with green hair?”

  “That might work,” said Fatima thoughtfully. “But it would also take a long time. And I have a feeling Elena’s right about the maiden living far away. So why don’t we fly over the island? Let’s see if we can spot any houses far from the castle. Those might be the best places to start.”

  “Good idea,” said Elena.

  Tansy and Lysandra nodded in agreement.

  Fatima opened the bedroom window and leaned out. By now it was almost morning; the sky was growing light. “We should be able to see well in about an hour,” she said.

  “Just enough time to dress and eat,” said Elena.

  The princesses changed into their clothes, then went to the Dining Hall for breakfast. Soon a servant appeared with a basket of fresh muffins and pastries, a bowl of boiled eggs, and a tray of cut-up fruit.

  As Elena had expected, her father was already at work. She could hear loud, angry voices coming from the Great Hall, where he often met with people. One fisherman was accusing another of purposefully slashing his nets. Elena wondered why anyone would do that, unless they wanted to keep all the fish for themselves. It seemed like such a selfish thing to do. But then Elena remembered how much she’d wanted to keep the maiden’s comb for herself. She hoped her father was able to sort everything out so the fishermen could be friends.

  Back in her room after breakfast, Elena tucked the beautiful rainbow-colored comb into her pocket. She’d be sad to part with it, but she couldn’t let the green-haired maiden die!

  Soon the princesses were ready to go. Fatima unrolled her flying carpet, and the girls seated themselves on top. “Hang on tight!” Fatima exclaimed. She pulled up the front edge of the carpet, and they sailed through Elena’s open window.

  They flew to the center of the island first, then spiraled outward to search for houses hidden among the trees. Whenever they spotted one, Fatima would land the carpet nearby, and two princesses would hop off to see if anyone living there had green hair.

  After a dozen or more unsuccessful searches, the girls were beginning to lose hope of ever finding the green-haired maiden. Then Lysandra spotted a small cottage hidden in a clump of trees. Fatima landed the carpet, and Elena and Lysandra jumped off to investigate.

  When they knocked on the cottage door, a boy about their age answered. Dressed in a ragged shirt and faded leggings, he was very thin, and his face could have used a good scrubbing. “Hello,” he said, staring at them. “Who are you?”

  Elena was used to the staring by now. These people probably didn’t get many visitors. She politely introduced herself and Lysandra.

  The boy scratched his head. “I didn’t know old King Philip had a daughter,” he said. “Fancy you showing up here! No one usually bothers with us. Me and my sister, we’ve been living here all alone since before I can remember. Our parents died when I was just a baby.”

  Elena wasn’t sure she liked this boy calling her father “old,” and it had been rather embarrassing to find out just how many people didn’t know she existed. But she promised herself that whatever happened in their search for the maiden, she’d make sure she brought these people to her father’s attention. Most of them were so very poor. Surely there was something her father could do to make their lives a little easier.

  “We’re looking for a maiden with green hair,” said Lysandra.

  “Oh, you mean my sister,” the boy said matter-of-factly.

  Elena’s heart beat fast. “Where is she? Will you i
ntroduce us to her?”

  The boy shrugged. “Sure,” he said. “But I don’t know why you’d want to meet her. I’d keep away from her if I were you. She’s always teasing.”

  Elena and Lysandra followed him into the cottage. It was dark inside and reeked of onions and garlic. “Wanda!” bellowed the boy. “There’re two girls here to see you! They say they’re princesses.”

  “Sure they are, Eric!” a voice yelled back. “And I’m Rumpelstiltskin. Tell them to come back tomorrow. I’m too busy spinning straw into gold right now.”

  From around the corner came a large girl wearing a wide brown skirt and a dirty white blouse. Elena’s face fell when she saw that the girl’s hair—which hung in two long braids—was not green at all, but a bright shade of red.

  The girl’s jaw dropped when she saw Elena and Lysandra standing inside the cottage. Both princesses had dressed in simple gowns, but, even so, their dresses must’ve seemed awfully grand to this young woman. Her braids fell forward as she curtsied clumsily. “Your Majesties,” she said in awe.

  “Please,” said Elena. “That’s not necessary. We’re sorry to have troubled you. You see, we’re looking for a maiden with green hair, and your brother said—”

  “Shh,” said Wanda, holding a finger to her lips. She took the princesses aside. “About my brother…he doesn’t see colors so well. Least not red and green. They both look the same to him. So, just to have a little fun, I told him my hair was green.” She looked at them anxiously. “No harm in that, is there? Being there’s just the two of us? You won’t tell him the truth, will you?”

  Lysandra grinned. “It’s a fine joke.”

  Elena nodded in agreement. “We won’t give you away,” she whispered. “But I guess you don’t know anyone who really has green hair?”

  “No,” Wanda replied. “Like I said, there’s only the two of us around here.”

  After saying good-bye, Elena and Fatima rejoined their friends on the carpet. As they sailed over the cottage, they could see Wanda and Eric watching them. All four princesses waved. The boy pointed at Tansy excitedly. “Look, Wanda!” they heard him yell. “That girl’s got green hair too!”