The Warrior Princess of Pennyroyal Academy

by M. A. Larson

  “Princess Vorabend had therefore been expunged. I worked very closely with your father on assigning her a new identity. He was such a wonderful man. He wanted to ensure that the life we gave her was a good one, even if he would never be a part of it. In fact, it was he who chose her new name. He asked us to call her Princess Middlemiss.”

  Evie gasped. Her hands went to her mouth. Princess Middlemiss was the one she’d been reading about since she first cracked a book, the one whose stories had inspired her since she’d discovered them back in her first year. That Princess Middlemiss . . . was her mother.

  “He chose the name because he saw her as someone stuck between two lives, between the Vora he had known before the portrait and the Vora she might one day be again. He was a hopeful man, your father, and I think part of him hoped he might someday make her his Vora again. Middlemiss was, to him, a temporary condition. So, with that business sorted, the only thing left to do was assign her a kingdom. We needed a real kingdom, one that wouldn’t arouse suspicion, but one that also couldn’t be easily found. Beatrice herself came up with the idea to assign her as the Princess of Saudade.”

  Another dizzying wave passed through Evie’s brain. The Princess of Saudade. The woman in the portrait. Neither of them were Evie; they were her mother.

  “Saudade is a long-dead water kingdom. Little of it remains except the ruins of a castle and some local villagers. It is quite remote, and they were only too happy to have their own princess. We thought she could live out her days happily near the sea, never to be bothered by a witch again. But then . . .” She looked at Evie with a knowing smile. “Things changed.

  “Our hope was for her to live quietly, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. The witches began to spread across the land and her training was still in her bones, even if the rest of her had been stripped away. She refused to let the witches near the coastal kingdoms. In fact, she became one of our most reliable princesses. At first it made me terribly nervous how she attracted so much attention. She even became quite famous after she led a counterattack on one of the kingdoms up there. But the more she proved herself, and the more she built her own name and identity, the safer she became. The witches would never have expected us to disguise someone they were looking for as a highly visible princess of the north. So . . . life went on, and Vora truly did become Middlemiss.

  “Countess Hardcastle, meanwhile, had taken not only your sister but also the portrait. From what my sources have told me, she wanted to sell it to the cruelest, most hard-hearted person in all the land. What better way to get revenge on someone who had cheated her, I suppose.”

  “King Hossenbuhr,” said Evie.

  “Precisely. She sold the portrait to King Hossenbuhr with the explicit order that he must never look at it, for it had been cursed. He proved to be the perfect accomplice to her crime, however unwitting. Hossenbuhr was driven solely by the desire to amass wealth and treasure. He didn’t need to see the portrait; he only needed to possess it. By placing it with someone of such extraordinary greed, the witch had ensured that no one would ever find Vorabend again. What she hadn’t counted on, of course, was a young boy’s curiosity. Until Forbes snuck into that room and looked at the portrait, not a single human eye had ever seen it.”

  “Then she came up with her plan to make my father fall in love with her.”

  “Indeed. She created the Countess Hardcastle disguise and did what witches have become only too adept at doing. She tricked her way into your family and became your stepmother. When we were introduced, she came across as a perfectly acceptable candidate to be King Callahan’s second wife. Over time, they became our greatest benefactors, though for entirely different reasons. The King was forever grateful for our help in protecting his wife. The Countess, however, was hoping to create a smooth surface here for her daughter to glide across. She wanted Malora to become a princess as seamlessly as possible. That witch, Countess Hardcastle, has been troubling your family since before you were born.”

  “Not anymore.”

  “Indeed.”

  “Is it really over?” asked Evie, after everything had sunk in.

  “It is,” said Rapunzel. “You have performed in an exemplary manner, Cadet. I can say with great certainty that both your father and your mother would be immeasurably proud.”

  Evie’s mind was swirling. She could scarcely understand everything she had just been told. “Your Majesty,” she said. “Could I ask one more thing?”

  “Of course.”

  “We were due to have Princess Middlemiss’s royal wedding here in a few months. Does that mean she’ll become a queen?”

  “Quite so,” said Rapunzel with a smile. “Which means, of course, that as of this autumn, you shall be the Princess of Saudade.”

  • • •

  Everyone had gathered beneath the old oak tree behind Pennyroyal Castle. Despite the devastation, it remained standing tall. Green shoots had already started to appear on its boughs. Soon, they would form branches and then leaves and then acorns would drop and it would all start again.

  Evie was there with Maggie and Basil, of course, but none of them could find Demetra. When they saw that Christa and Camilla weren’t there, either, they realized that the whole family must have gone off somewhere together. The rest of the crowd was composed of the heroes of the siege of Pennyroyal Academy. There were princess and knight cadets, staff and administrators, parents and siblings, as well as the Princesses of the Shield who had ridden from all across the land with Cinderella. Even the fairies were there, slowly regaining their strength. All had gathered in front of Corporal Liverwort, who was standing above them on a broken piece of wall.

  “Everyone here?” she snarled. The crowd mumbled. “The Queen wants to say a few things, so pipe down.”

  Everyone fell silent in respectful anticipation. Evie and Maggie exchanged a knowing look. Unlike the rest of the people gathered, they’d both seen for themselves that the Queen really was Rapunzel. And then she appeared, pushed in her chair by Rumpledshirtsleeves. There were awed whispers amongst the crowd, and even some gasps. Sir Schönbecker, Commander Muldenhammer, Princess Rampion, Princess Cinderella, Sir Ramsbottom, Princess Copperpot, Lieutenant Volf, Princess Ziegenbart, and all the higher-level instructors had little reaction. But the newest members of staff and recently graduated Princesses of the Shield stared with wide eyes. Queen Rapunzel’s silver hair billowed down from her braid, but even that couldn’t distract from her sparkling crown. Rumpledshirtsleeves helped her stand, then slowly climb up onto the broken wall. Finally, she faced the crowd with a tender smile.

  “Good afternoon,” she said. Her voice sounded a bit stronger than it had earlier. “Pennyroyal Academy has taken a punch, ladies and gentlemen. A mighty punch indeed. Yet Pennyroyal Academy still stands—”

  Crack! A hunk of stone broke off the battlement across the road and crashed to the ground in a billow of dust. The crowd screamed and dove for the ground, then began to laugh when they realized what had just happened. Rapunzel looked over her shoulder, then turned back to the crowd. She, too, was laughing.

  “Most of the Academy still stands!”

  They all laughed again.

  “Now, in recognition of the feats of bravery and heroism shown throughout our long, dark night, I should like to do something rather unorthodox. But if ever there was a time for unorthodoxy, this is it. You see, cadets, I know everything there is to know about each and every one of you. I pay close attention to your files and the words of my staff. The battle we survived last night was more difficult training than one hundred years at the Academy could provide. As such, and knowing what I know about you all, I should like to advance everyone who was here to defend our beloved Academy. If you were preparing to enter your first-class training this fall, you may now consider yourself a fully commissioned Princess of the Shield. When your fairies are feeling up to it, they will administer you
r vows and distribute your assignments.”

  Evie and Maggie stared at each other in shock. Maggie’s hands were shaking. She looked as though she might pass out.

  “Uh, Headmistress?” said Basil, raising his hand.

  “That’s the bloody Queen, you idiot!” snarled Liverwort.

  “Sorry, Madame Queen?”

  “Yes, Cadet, what is it?”

  “I’m sorry, Your Majesty . . . but I’m afraid I can’t accept my commission.”

  “Basil! What are you doing?” said Evie.

  Rapunzel, Rumpledshirtsleeves, and Liverwort all looked at him in astonishment. Then Rapunzel’s face softened.

  “Cadet Basil, isn’t it?”

  “That’s right, Your Majesty. I’ve loved my time here at the Academy. I’ve loved training to be a princess more than I ever could have imagined. And there’s a part of me that really does want to become a Princess of the Shield. But something happened the other day, and I can’t possibly ignore it. You see, I found the Water of Life. It’s the first step toward a cure for those who’ve been turned to stone. I need to be home finding that cure, not off on assignment. I’m very sorry.” He turned to face the crowd. “I’m sorry, everyone. I don’t want to disappoint you. I just need to find a cure for my . . . my sister.” There was a buzz in the crowd. Basil turned to Evie and Maggie with heartbroken eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Did you say sister?” said Maggie in confusion.

  “It’s all right, Bas,” said Evie. Then she turned to Maggie. “I’ll explain later.”

  “Forgive me, Your Majesty. The last thing I want is to seem ungrateful. But the first thing I want is my sister back.”

  Rapunzel gave a slight nod, her smile revealing nothing. “Cadet Basil, am I to understand that you are refusing your commission?”

  “I’m afraid I am, Your Majesty.”

  “Then you leave me no choice. Step forward, young man.”

  Basil made his way onto the wall and stood before her, his spine as straight as a pine, his chest held high.

  “Cadet Basil, it is with . . .” She paused, studying his face. “It is with . . . complete humility. With awe. With pride. And with the full acknowledgment that you possess a surplus of all the things that go into a true princess, that I hereby dismiss you from Pennyroyal Academy.” Her hand rose to her forehead in a salute.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  “Thank you, Basil.” She stepped forward and hugged him.

  One of the girls from a second-class company whispered, “Should we applaud? That seems like a bad thing, right?”

  Basil descended the wall and came through the crowd to join Evie and Maggie. As Rapunzel continued her speech, he stood next to them with red eyes. He looked absolutely destroyed.

  “Are you all right, Bas?” said Evie, holding his hand.

  “I’m not sure,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this day for two and a half years, but now that it’s here . . . it’s a lot sadder than I expected.”

  Maggie gave him a hug. Tears fell down his cheeks. Then Evie hugged him. “I love you, Basil.”

  “I love you, too, Evie.”

  “Now,” continued Rapunzel, “before we retire to the Dining Hall to feast as we have never feasted before, there is one final order of business I should like to address. Corporal, if you please.”

  Liverwort jumped off the back of the wall and disappeared. The crowd murmured with anticipation.

  “What more could there possibly be?” said Basil, wiping his tears on his sleeve.

  “Everyone, please remain calm,” said Rapunzel.

  Liverwort returned, and she was holding the sleeve of a hobbling figure in a tattered black cloak. They made their way up onto the wall together, and that was when the whole crowd began to gasp.

  It was the hag from Evie’s first year at the Academy, the blind witch who had issued that fateful prophecy.

  “Bring the Warrior Princess to me,” she said in a thin, brittle voice.

  Evie gulped, and her insides began to quiver. Everyone turned to look at her. Several people stepped aside to clear a path.

  “Bring the Warrior Princess to me. Her battle is still ahead.”

  “It’s all right,” said Rapunzel. “Come. Come.” She waved Evie forward.

  Slowly, with her heart in her throat, Evie stepped toward the old witch. She could feel the cold air coming off her, could feel her reading the crowd with her black magic. She stepped up onto the wall and went to stand before the witch, whose eyes were fused shut. The witch smacked her lips and moved her head back and forth as though unaware Evie was standing right in front of her.

  “I said bring me the Warrior Princess!” she croaked. “Bring her before me!”

  Evie furrowed her brow. She glanced out at Maggie, who shrugged. “Uh . . . I’m right here,” she whispered to the witch. “I’m right in front of you.”

  The witch jumped, a scowl on her face. “What are you doing there, trying to scare me? Get away, urchin! I want the Warrior Princess!”

  Evie looked back at Rapunzel, who was herself utterly perplexed.

  “Forgive me, ma’am, but . . . I am the Warrior Princess.” Now her own conviction began to falter. “Aren’t I?”

  “No!” yelled the witch. Then, suddenly, her expression changed to one of reverence. She extended a gnarled, bony finger toward the back of the crowd. “She is here! The Warrior Princess approaches!”

  With a great murmuring, the crowd began to part to see whom it was she meant.

  “Hurry up, Mother, it’s already started! We’re missing it!” Demetra took a huge bite of the doughnut in her hand, then, with stuffed cheeks and sugar residue smeared across her face, realized everyone was looking at her. Her mouth was so full, she could barely speak. “Wha?”

  “Bring her before me!” said the witch.

  Evie crept down from the wall, her mind a blur.

  “What’s happening?” said Maggie.

  “It’s Demetra,” said Evie. “Of course! My mother was in the company from twenty years ago, but so was hers! She’s the Warrior Princess!”

  The crowd pulled Demetra forward with happy congratulations. She, however, was utterly baffled. “I’m sorry! We were just so hungry, we couldn’t wait for supper!”

  Before she knew what was happening, she was standing on the wall in front of the witch, struggling to swallow her doughnut. Liverwort stepped forward and slapped the rest of it out of her hand. “Straighten up!”

  “What’s going on?” said Demetra.

  “You, my dear . . .” croaked the witch. “You are the Warrior Princess. And now that the Queen has declared you a Princess of the Shield—”

  “She has?” said Demetra, astonished. Then she turned to look at the Queen. “Blimey, you’re Rapunzel!”

  “Your final battle awaits you, Warrior Princess, and there shall be no excuse for letting fear win. A great victory was secured here today. Calivigne is finished, but there is more to be done.”

  Demetra looked dubiously at the witch, then the crowd. “You don’t really think I’m the Warrior Princess, do you?”

  Everyone began to cheer. Demetra’s mother, as flabbergasted as her daughter, listened to the applause with shock. Camilla began to clap and whistle along with everyone else.

  “I can’t believe it,” said Maggie. “Demetra’s the Warrior Princess.”

  “I knew it,” said Basil, clapping loudly. “I could have told you.”

  Evie stood near the back of the crowd and shouted and applauded and exalted in the victory they’d won, and the victory Demetra had yet to win. It was an afternoon of triumph, and of friendship, and of hope.

  • • •

  “Uh . . . Father? Mother?” Evie shifted from one foot to the other. She looked up at her parents, who were glaring down at her from t
he height of a respectable waterfall with cold dragon faces. Her sister stood behind them, looking skeptically at something to Evie’s right. “This . . .” She took a deep breath. “This is Remington.”

  “Hiya,” he said, raising a hand and giving an easy smile. Then his face fell. “Sorry, I mean, hello there, very good to meet you . . . er . . . what do I call you?” He turned to Evie. “What do I call them?”

  “Remington is king of one of the most influential kingdoms in all the land. And he’s going to help stop the war with the dragons.”

  “He’s also your boyfriend, isn’t he?”

  “Sister!” said Evie, her cheeks already reddening.

  “And how do you propose to stop the war?” said Evie’s father with a grumble.

  “He’s already convinced one king from the Eastern Kingdoms, Father.”

  Remington stepped forward. “Uh, look, uh . . .” He gazed up at them and found their eyes. “I’ve just lost a very important part of my family. As it happens, it’s the same part that Evie has just had restored to her family.” His eyes met her father’s. “I much prefer her experience to mine, to be honest, and I . . . I just don’t want to see any more families dismantled. I’m going to help you because I believe in this with all my heart. The only thing keeping knights and dragons from living in peace is that no one has ever said, ‘Enough.’”