The Awfully Angry Ogre Read Free Page A

have better table manners, eating more slowly than usual and asking for things instead of lunging across the table.
    Elena and Jonah, who were sitting across from each other, got into a discussion about poetry and art. At the other end of the table, James chattered away with Fatima. Even shy Matthew, seated beside Lysandra, became quite talkative during the meal.
    After dinner King Albert and Queen Charlotte excused themselves to talk with a group of villagers who were upset about the latest ogre rumors. Tansy’s brothers left too—except for Jonah and Matthew, who stayed to clear the dishes from the table. The other princesses must have been surprised that there weren’t any servants to do the job, but they jumped up to help too. Tansy’s face went warm. “We can do this by ourselves. You can go relax.”
    â€œNonsense,” said Fatima. “It’ll be fun.”
    â€œMatthew and I can stack and carry the plates,” said Lysandra.
    â€œAnd I’ll help Jonah with the drinking glasses,” added Elena.
    Tansy filled the sink with soap and water, and they all took turns scrubbing and rinsing the dishes. They slopped most of the water on themselves but had a great time.
    Later that night, the princesses wearily climbed the stairs to Tansy’s room to get ready for bed. Lysandra brushed her wavy blond hair. “Your brothers are much nicer than I thought they’d be,” she told Tansy. “I think Matthew’s really sweet.”
    Elena pulled her nightgown over her head. “Jonah’s going to let me watch him paint sometime.”
    Tansy grinned. “I hope you like getting upearly, then.” She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, polishing her wooden flute with a rag. The flute was magical, and Tansy carried it with her everywhere. Whenever she played it, the thoughts of anyone near could be heard as if spoken aloud. Her flute often helped her uncover the mischief her brothers were up to. But so far their behavior had been better than she’d expected. Even Cole and Ethan hadn’t been too awful, in spite of the scare they’d given the girls earlier that day.
    Tansy was also glad that her friends didn’t seem to care that the castle was in bad shape. They’d even thought clearing the table and doing the dishes was fun !
    Fatima kicked off her sandals and hopped onto Tansy’s bed. “James said he and Edward are going on a hunting trip tomorrow.”
    â€œOh?” said Tansy. She wasn’t very surprised. Her two oldest brothers often huntedfor deer and rabbit.
    â€œHe said they might be gone a couple of days. Then he added something else kind of odd.” She paused, as if remembering. “He said, ‘This time we’ll be hunting for really big game.’”
    Tansy stopped polishing her flute, suddenly alert. “Did he say what he meant by that?”
    Fatima shrugged. “I asked him if he meant elephants, but I was joking, of course. I know there aren’t any elephants around here. Anyway, James just smiled and said, ‘Much bigger game than that.’ You don’t suppose he was talking about that ogre, do you?”
    Tansy hugged herself worriedly. It was exactly what she thought.

4
Gone Hunting
    â€œY OUR BROTHERS WOULDN’T REALLY GO AFTER an ogre, would they?” asked Elena. Her hazel eyes shone with concern.
    Tansy bit her lip. “They want to go after it. But my father forbids them.”
    â€œYou don’t think they’d go anyway, do you?” Fatima asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Tansy. “I hope not, but who can tell with those two?”
    â€œI bet James was just talking big,” said Lysandra. “Boys do that, you know.”
    Lysandra was probably right, thought Tansy. But even so, she found it hard not to worry.
    The next morning, when the girls went downstairs for breakfast, Queen Charlotte and Matthew were already eating. Matthew blushed