The Princess in the Tower

Once upon a time in a faraway land by the name of Sinthane, there was a mighty monarch. One day he had a proclamation made that no one but himself should practice any magic. Now the royal magician, Vancerile, was very mad. He was wonderfully good at his spells and he knew it.

Because of this he was going to try and enchant the King so he would lose his memory. When the King was helpless as a child, he would ask the Princess Meagan to marry him. If she would not, he would carry her deep into the forest and lock her up in a high tower. He would keep her there until she consented. Then, he would be King! Oh, but now this terrible proclamation! How was he ever going to achieve his mission! Soon the Vancerile's wife, Albuterol, came in to announce supper.

"Why do you look so sad?" she said. "Tomorrow you were to enchant the King."

"Why wife! he cried. Have you not heard the terrible news? I can't!"

"Why not?" Albuterol said angrily. "You know I want to be Queen!" Albuterol was in a rage. "You good for NOTHING man! Just do it NOW!"

There was a long pause, then the magician said, gaining courage; "Oh yes, yes, YES! Then we will introduce poor little Meagan to the kitchen!"

"Quite right." the magician's wife said. Well, what are you waiting for! GET WORKING!"

"Y-yes w-wife!" the magician stuttered. So he went to his room, closed the door, and started the spell.

"I think I'm feeling a little funny," the King said. "Meagan, dear Meagan!"

"Yes father?" the beautiful Princess Meagan stood in the Middle of the grand throne-room.

"Ah, there you are my dear, where is your mother, Princess dear?"

"Mother? Why father don't you remember? She died three years ago." Meagan said.

"Yes, oh yes, the poor woman, hung simply because she stole a bite of bread. The poor woman, she didn't even have decent clothes, just tatters, just tatters," The King murmured.

"Why no father! Mother died of illness." Meagan was frantic. "Father are you all right?" but the King was silent, looking at her in a very foolish way. "FATHER!" "Ga,ga,ga,ga." was all she heard.

Down in the kitchen, the kitchen-maid heard the doorbell ring: DING, DING, DING.

"Go get the door." The cranky cook cried.

"Yes ma'am. I will." The thin kitchen-maid, Rebecca, Hurried to the door.

"I want to see the King." A poor peddler was standing at the door.

"We need no wares today. And besides, your not fit to see the King. I'm his kitchen-maid, and I take care of visitors and arrivals, and I won't let a poor peddler pass." She said.

"Look at your self girl." The maid looked. She was in tatters.

"Follow me." she sighed. They traveled through a shabbily papered hallway, until it made an unexpected turn into a beautiful throne room.

On the throne sat a powerful looking monarch, wearing a blank expression and chanting softly, "Mama, Dada..." he giggled. "...Gagagagagaga bababababgogogogo--"

In the center of the room, stood a beautiful woman, weeping bitterly. She turned as they entered the room.

"Becky! oh Becky! His memory is lost! his memory is lost!

"Ahh, my dear, quite right. Quite right. You see, it is a spell!" Said the peddler, throwing of his torn coat to reveal...
THE MAGICIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rebecca hurried into the servant's quarters. She lay down on her bed, deep in thought. She realized the truth, which she had before been trying to hide. Vancerile was going to marry Meagan. The fact that he had a wife would not stop him from collecting a harem.

"Oh no!" she thought. "Vancerile will try to arrange the wedding as soon as possible!!! "

As she was thinking, her friend, Ann, who was often called kitchen Ann, came in.

"He want'es ye." She panted. "You 'wod betta' hurra' thysel', He got'a awful tempe', that he hav'es."

"HHHHHHHHHH!" she gasped.

"Now you are my servant." Said the magician.

"NO, NO, NO!" screamed Rebecca. "NEVER!"

"I'm very sorry my dear," said the magician. "But, you will just have to live with it."

Now while this was being said, Rebecca had not noticed Meagan was not in the middle of the room anymore. After this was said, however, she noticed it.

"She's gone! The Princess is gone!" she cried.

"Not exactly gone my dear, but over there." Vancerile said, motioning with the scepter.

Rebecca looked, and saw a dreadful sight. In a tiny corner of the room she saw Meagan. She was tied in tight ropes, her short; curly beautiful; brown hair was tied in rags. In her mouth there was an mean looking, evil tasting, gag. Beside her sat the magicians wife, in the dead Queens third-to-best dress. Her ugly brown hair was in a beautiful bun, and she was content.

"Now, now, now, my dear," she cooed. "We are just keepin' your pretty little mistress safe.

"We've already explained it to her, now we will explain it to you."

"It's that--" Vancerile started,

"It is this, you can choose." Albuterol cut in. "You may be tied up and we will throw you into the dungeon, (if you choose this the Princess will be led to the same fate) or you may choose to leave this castle and be free; if you will let us lock the Princess in a tower in the form of a dove." Vancerile finished.

"I wish to leave this place!" Rebecca cried, with plan in mind. So she left, not wishing to see her beloved mistress as a dove.

Now Rebecca need not have worried, (about the Princess as a dove) for the magician and his wife were exaggerating when they said she would be turned into a dove. They really were just going to lock her in the tower and feed her on bread and water.

"Oh Vanny," sighed Albuterol. " I almost wish we could change her to a dove."

"Yes Bute, But we made a truce--"

"Yes, yes." Albuterol snapped. She did not like to be reminded.

Then Vancerile turned to Meagan. "Now deary, follow Bute to the tower now; be a good girl."

"Is there any way I can be saved from the tower?" Meagan asked.

"Yes." Vancerile said.

"What is it!?" She asked excitedly.

"Marry me!" He yelled.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Meagan screamed.

"To the tower with her!" cried the magician. Out of space jumped 5 armed men with black masks.

"UHHHHHHHHHH! The masked soldiers!" Meagan gasped.

They grabbed Meagan in an iron grip and carried her away to the tower. When they reached the musty tower-dungeon they hurled her inside and bolted the door.

"She's in there." said Albuterol, who had been watching the seen from a TV screen that was hooked to a camera inside Dark-face's (the leader of the masked soldiers) coat which he wore along with the armor.

Then, Vancerile cast a spell. A spell of night time and stars. A spell of sleep, a spell of growth. It was not a good spell, that spell he cast on the princess Meagan. Meanwhile, Meagan had started to get sleepy.

"For heaven sakes, stop repeating everything you say Rebecca Pea!" gasped Vicki

"She's locked in the tower mama!"

"Who?" said Vicki, much more calmly now.

"It's the princess Meagan." cried Rebecca. "She's locked up in the tower."

"Oh. It must be that terrible old Vancerile."

"It's is mama, it is him."

Then, Mrs. Pea said stoutly, "Well go get your pa's hauling rope. We shall get her out."

"Yes mama." said Rebecca, and she hurried to the barn.

Slowly and silently Rebecca and her mother moved to the tower. When they neared the castle, they saw the woods looming up before them. They entered the woods quietly. It was midnight, and there was no fear of being seen.

They heard a hissing sound. Rebecca gasped. "Oh, It's only a snake" she sighed.

Finally, they saw the dark tower rising high above them. Vicki sharply drew in her breath.

"Hand me the rope." She whispered.

Rebecca gave her mother the old rope her papa had used for hauling potatoes. Vicki tied a loop and threw it up the hook under the window. Rebecca started to climb. Close behind came Vicki.

"I feel like the prince in 'Rapunzel'" whispered Rebecca.

Meanwhile, the masked soldiers were heading back to the castle. Unfortunately for Viki and Rebecca, Dark Face's camera was still on and so was the TV.

"Oh no!" moaned Albuterol,

"What ever is the matter Bute?" asked Vancerile.

"It's that awful Rebecca Pea." said Albuterol. "She and Mrs. Viki Pea are climbing to the tower!"

§

Mrs.Viki Pea heard a rustling in the distance.

"Rebecca!" She screamed in a whisper. "The masked riders, or the cloaked Knights or what ever you call them are coming!"

"The masked soldiers Mama." said Rebecca calmly.

"Why dear-"

"Don't worry Mama, just climb up the rope." said Rebecca.

Viki silently climbed up the rope. In less than a minute, the masked soldiers came into view. Carefully they searched the tower walls. But Rebecca and Viki had climbed the rope into the tower, shushed the princess, and pulled up the rope.

"Nothing here." remarked Dark Face. The soldiers turned around and headed into the woods.

"Phew!" Viki let out her breath. Rebecca ran to the end of the room, (which wasn't very big.) She unlocked a small door which led into a small elevator.

"Look over here!" she said excitedly.

"A belivator, nelitator-"

"Elevator Mama." said Rebecca quietly.

"What ever you call it." said Viki.

Princess Meagan came over to see what was the commotion. The three climbed into the elevator and went the long journey down the tower. When they reached the ground they silently stepped out and started toward the Pea's house to get Rebecca's three older brothers.

Then they went too the house of a powerful sorcerer and begged him to grant them a favor.

"If you will undo a spell that has been cast upon my poor, dear father, I shall make you the palace magician, or sorcerer, which ever you like," spoke the princess.

The sorcerer agreed and he started to undo the spell.

§

At the palace, the king was starting to look around him.

"Where on earth am I?" he mumbled. He walked over to the door. The door had a tiny window with little horizontal bars. "AH, HA!" said the king. "I know where I am. I am in my own prison cell." Knowing everything about this cell he walked over to the farthest wall and fetched an iron key. Going over to the door again he unlocked the door.

§

When the sorcerer had begun to take off the spell, Rebecca's brothers walked to the palace. Calub, the oldest who was twenty was walking side by side with his youngest brother, Benjamin who was nine. The middle brother, Jay, who was fifteen was walking behind. When they got there they found the king trying to defend himself with a curtain of steel. On the other side of the room Vancerile was running towards the king and threatening blows. Vancerile's bag of magic tools was on a table. Benjamin ran and grabbed the magic bag while Calub held the magician fast. Jay was running to him with rope. Jay gave it to Calub and Calub bound Vancerile tightly.

Benjamin ran out the door with the magic bag. Running to the greenhouse he grabbed a spade and quickly buried the bag. Then he ran back to the palace and led the king out into the garden and sat talking with him. Jay was running to bring Calub still another rope. With this Calub bound Albuterol, who was being held strongly by Calub. Then Calub ran away and came back dragging Vancerile. He signaled to Jay to grab Albuterol and follow him. They went to the dungeons and through Albuterol and Vancerile in separate cells.

"Here you go Vanny, here is the nice workshop 'ya always dreamed of!" laughed Calub, while Jay was teasing Albuterol:

"Hey Bute, here is the nice kitchen you always dreamed of!"

When the two were in their cells, Calub said:

"Why don't we take a look around the dungeons and see what it is like?"

"Sure!" agreed Jay. When they had walked a while, they heard a hoarse moaning sound.

"Help! Help! will somebody help me? They walked farther and came to a beat-up cell. They opened the door and saw a beautiful woman; as beautiful as the princess herself; sitting on the floor weeping.

"Why your royal majesty!" cried Jay.

It was the queen! They helped her out and went back to the throne room, where; Benjamin had helped the king onto his throne, scepter in hand, With Rebecca and Meagan seated on stools on one side, and Viki Pea on the other side of the great throne.

The queen ran and embraced the king and Meagan and then smiled at Viki politely. Then, noticing Rebecca she looked at her in a strange way. Rebecca too, exchanged that look. Then the queen went to her medium sized throne beside the king. Meagan went to her small throne on the other side of the king. Now there was just one more throne beside the princess's throne. It was just the same size, and a twin to the princess's. Then the king cleared his throat.

"I would like to make a speech." he said. "Long ago, one half year after my sweet Meagan was born, my wonderful wife, Victoria," he said pointing to the queen, "Gave birth to another child. She was lovely and sweet, just like Meagan. Her hair was short and wavy black, But now it is long and beautiful. "The night after she was born, a man came to me in a dream and told me that I must take her to a poor woman's house and leave her. "Then she might save me someday. I did just that, and now I would like to have her back. "

Rebecca asked, "Would you like me to find her, sir?"

"You have already found her in many ways." answered the king.

"My child may stand. Rebecca, will you please come here?" asked the king. Rebecca walked into the king's presence.

"You, are my child. " he said.

Glancing over at Viki, Rebecca saw her nod. So Rebecca was crowned with a band of gold, identical to Meagan's, and given her wardrobe of finery. Changing into her second best dress she revealed her greatest secret. She was beautiful! She sat down on the empty throne.

"And now," said the king turning to miss Viki Pea. "You will no longer live in a thatched cottage, but in a wonderful castle in a valley not so faraway from my castle.

So Rebecca was taken into her own family and they all lived happily ever after.

The End