dark blue dress with short blonde hair. But this girl was arguing with the boy standing next to her, pointing her finger straight at him and scowling. Lottie raised her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn’t realized it would be so tricky finding princesses that seemed just right.
Just at that moment, Queen Sofia clapped her hands. “Your Royal Highnesses! Welcome to Peronia, and here’s to a wonderful Dance Festival. Now we’ll finish the opening ceremony with our first dance!”
Lottie’s eyes sparkled. A dance! What would it be?
“Let’s perform the Bobbing Dance,”continued the queen. “Please form two straight lines.”
Lottie stifled a groan. The Bobbing Dance was the one that her mom had made her practice before they left home. It was a long dance set to dull, slow music. All you did was bob up and down and curtsy to the other dancers. It made her yawn every time she practiced it. Why couldn’t they choose something more exciting?
The kings, queens, princes, and princesses arranged themselves into two long lines facing each other. Lottie stood at one end, near an open door that led out into a garden. Through the doorway, she could see green lawns and large flower beds full of tulips. She gazed out at them longingly.
A woman started to play a tune on the piano. The royal dancers began to bobup and down, and Lottie reluctantly did the same. But the hall was small for so many dancers. Two kings bumped into each other. Then the princess in the yellow dress stepped on Queen Sofia’s toe, making her hop around holding on to her foot. The music stopped for a moment.
“Spread out please, Your Majesties! We don’t want anyone to get hurt,” called the woman at the piano. “Is everyone ready for the final part of the dance?”
Lottie ended up moving next to the garden door as everyone tried to spread out. She could see more and more of the garden now. Beyond the tulips was a long row of fountains, and beyond that was a field with a sandy-colored horse. Maybe it was the same one she’d seen when they arrived. She looked closer. The horse stood next to the fence, staringat the palace, as if it wanted to gallop across the garden and dance with them.
Lottie giggled at the thought of the horse joining in. She wished she could run over and pet it.
She turned around to look at the dancing kings and queens. Maybe she could? No one had spotted that she was standing right by the door. If she sneaked out before the music stopped, then no one would notice her leaving. But she would have to be quick!
Her heart began to thump. She shot one last look at the dancing royals, and then dived through the open doorway. The bright sunlight was dazzling, and her crimson dress billowed out around her legs as she ran. She passed the flower beds, where patches of red and gold tulips swayed in the breeze. She passed the row of carved fountains, where arching jets ofwater scattered spray over her head. The music from the hall faded behind her.
She stopped at the fence and tried to catch her breath. But the horse wasn’t there anymore. It was trotting away across the field.
“Come back!” called Lottie, but the horse tossed its mane and continued trotting.
Lottie ran beside the fence until she got to a gate. The horse slowed down as it reached a long brick building with a low roof. Lottie counted seven more horses inside, their heads looking out over their stable doors. Opening the gate, she walked across the rough grass toward the building. She smiled as she walked inside. It was dark in here and it smelled of hay. It reminded her of the stables at home.
The sandy-colored horse stopped and turned back to nuzzle her shoulder.
“You’re very friendly! What’s your name?” asked Lottie softly, stroking the animal’s nose.
“She’s called Honey,” said a voice from the shadows. “And you shouldn’t be here.”
Lottie spun around to see a boy leaning on the end of a broom and frowning at her. She recognized him as the
Just at that moment, Queen Sofia clapped her hands. “Your Royal Highnesses! Welcome to Peronia, and here’s to a wonderful Dance Festival. Now we’ll finish the opening ceremony with our first dance!”
Lottie’s eyes sparkled. A dance! What would it be?
“Let’s perform the Bobbing Dance,”continued the queen. “Please form two straight lines.”
Lottie stifled a groan. The Bobbing Dance was the one that her mom had made her practice before they left home. It was a long dance set to dull, slow music. All you did was bob up and down and curtsy to the other dancers. It made her yawn every time she practiced it. Why couldn’t they choose something more exciting?
The kings, queens, princes, and princesses arranged themselves into two long lines facing each other. Lottie stood at one end, near an open door that led out into a garden. Through the doorway, she could see green lawns and large flower beds full of tulips. She gazed out at them longingly.
A woman started to play a tune on the piano. The royal dancers began to bobup and down, and Lottie reluctantly did the same. But the hall was small for so many dancers. Two kings bumped into each other. Then the princess in the yellow dress stepped on Queen Sofia’s toe, making her hop around holding on to her foot. The music stopped for a moment.
“Spread out please, Your Majesties! We don’t want anyone to get hurt,” called the woman at the piano. “Is everyone ready for the final part of the dance?”
Lottie ended up moving next to the garden door as everyone tried to spread out. She could see more and more of the garden now. Beyond the tulips was a long row of fountains, and beyond that was a field with a sandy-colored horse. Maybe it was the same one she’d seen when they arrived. She looked closer. The horse stood next to the fence, staringat the palace, as if it wanted to gallop across the garden and dance with them.
Lottie giggled at the thought of the horse joining in. She wished she could run over and pet it.
She turned around to look at the dancing kings and queens. Maybe she could? No one had spotted that she was standing right by the door. If she sneaked out before the music stopped, then no one would notice her leaving. But she would have to be quick!
Her heart began to thump. She shot one last look at the dancing royals, and then dived through the open doorway. The bright sunlight was dazzling, and her crimson dress billowed out around her legs as she ran. She passed the flower beds, where patches of red and gold tulips swayed in the breeze. She passed the row of carved fountains, where arching jets ofwater scattered spray over her head. The music from the hall faded behind her.
She stopped at the fence and tried to catch her breath. But the horse wasn’t there anymore. It was trotting away across the field.
“Come back!” called Lottie, but the horse tossed its mane and continued trotting.
Lottie ran beside the fence until she got to a gate. The horse slowed down as it reached a long brick building with a low roof. Lottie counted seven more horses inside, their heads looking out over their stable doors. Opening the gate, she walked across the rough grass toward the building. She smiled as she walked inside. It was dark in here and it smelled of hay. It reminded her of the stables at home.
The sandy-colored horse stopped and turned back to nuzzle her shoulder.
“You’re very friendly! What’s your name?” asked Lottie softly, stroking the animal’s nose.
“She’s called Honey,” said a voice from the shadows. “And you shouldn’t be here.”
Lottie spun around to see a boy leaning on the end of a broom and frowning at her. She recognized him as the
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