Page 13 of The Broken Mirror
Riff smiles and looks around at Filomena and her friends. “I haven’t thanked you enough for saving me, by the way. I thought my only escape might have to follow Rapunzel’s approach. But growing out my hair to the length of hers would’ve taken years!” he jokes.
Princess Jeanne starts telling Alistair and Gretel all about the redecorating she’s done in the castle over the last year, and Filomena looks around the dining room. The Merry Men and Women are all gossiping, chatting, eating, drinking, and living up to their moniker.
Hold on. The Merry Men? As inRobin Hood and his Merry Men? Aren’t they onhisside? She leans over to Jack. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but if Robin Hood is a bad guy who steals for his own good in this world, then wouldn’t his Merry Men also be in cahootswith him?”
Before Jack can comment, Riff chimes in from Filomena’s other side. “Oh no, these Merry Men are excellentblokes! They fought in my battalion during the war. Jack, you remember, right?”
Jack nods, leaving Filomena perplexed—not for the first time.
Filomena would be first to admit that Robin’s group of scrawny teenagers were far from jovial. His men being merry is not the only lie perpetuated in the mortal world, however. As noted by Princess Jeanne when she introduced them, these are her Merry Menand Women.
“Trust me,” Riff says, noticing Filomena’s hesitance, “I’d never fraternize with anyone who works with Robin Hood. He’s stolen far too much from this neck of the woods. And now he wants to put that pretender, ‘King’ Richard, on the throne! That would be a disaster for this kingdom. Everyone knows the rightful heir is Princess Jeanne.”
While Riff is speaking, Filomena notices Little Jeanne’s expression shift, as if something’s not quite right. Then it shifts back into a neutral smile.She’s been very quiet this evening,Filomena notes.
Having heard her name across the table, Princess Jeanne merges her redecorating conversation with Riff’s. “You know what ballroom I wouldloveto see? The Queen of Hearts’ in Wonderland! I can’t believe I didn’t get invited to Prince Charlie’s and Cinderella’s ball,” she pouts. “I mean, I know it ended up being ruined by ogres, but still.”
There’s been so much going on that Filomena has hardly thought back to that occasion, when Cinderella was revealedto be an ogre… Something clicks in the back of her mind. There were so many people in attendance from across all the kingdoms, so many fairy-tale characters she’d only ever read about. She remembers being starstruck by Lord Peter and Lady Wendy of Neverland and who else…?
“Robin Hood!” she exclaims suddenly. Everyone jumps, thinking she’s just spotted him. “No, no, not here—he was at Cinderella’s ball! He was a guest!”
“You don’t think… It can’t mean…,” Gretel says.
Filomena finishes the thought on everyone’s mind: “He must be working with the ogres.”
CHAPTERSIXTHETHREEDANCINGPRINCESSES
Everyone’s quiet for a moment, even the Merry Men and Women. A realization washes over them: If Robin Hood is working with the ogres, then this just became way more serious than getting back Alistair’s cooking supplies and Gretel’s scissors. It means the ogres want King Richard on the throne and are aiming to keep Princess Jeanne’s crown far, far away from her head. Filomena sighs. It always comes down to the ogres, doesn’t it?
Princess Jeanne breaks the silence. “No!” she despairs. “It can’t be true! I mean, I suspected as much, but I can’t believe it. Robin’s a thief, but he’s not… he’s notevil.”
Riff tries to comfort her. “He’s not the boy you knew anymore,” he tells her. “I’m sorry.”
“How do you know?” Little Jeanne asks scornfully. “You don’t even know him! He’s not really like that!”
Filomena raises her eyebrow at Little Jeanne’s passionate defense of Robin Hood.
“We grew up with him,” her sister explains. “He was one of us. The three of us were something of a gang.”
It doesn’t matter that Robin Hood was a childhood friend. If he’s working with the ogres, then they know what they have to do. Gretel, Alistair, Jack, and Filomena look at one another, communicating silently. Their journey to Snow Country will have to be delayed for now, with the hope that Zera can hold out just a while longer.
“We really can’t leave until we help Princess Jeanne get her crown back,” says Filomena, looking at her friends.
“I’ll send a messenger to Snow Country,” Jack agrees.
“Yeah, looks like we’ll have to deal with that slimeball,” says Alistair.
“Gladly.” Gretel nods. “I really need my cleansing cream back. When I use regular soap, I always break out!”
“Oh, grand!” Princess Jeanne claps. “My own private brigade!”
“We’re not exactly workingforyou,” Alistair jokes, “but we are working in your interest.”
Princess Jeanne ignores this comment. “Okay, okay, enough of this dour mood! Nothing else we can do about all this tonight. Let’s enjoy the evening, shall we?”
As Princess Jeanne says this, empty plates and bowls start levitating and float toward the kitchen door.
Filomena watches in awe. “How on earth?”
