Frog Meets Girl

Chapter 10--A Day Off

This is a super short chapter, but it just felt like it needed to stand alone. Enjoy. As always, I love feedback--any comments welcome. If you're really feeling the love, don't forget to vote!

            “Why, hello Princess,” he said. It sounded oily to Princess Gabriella. “What a surprise to find you here in this corner of the castle.”

            She straightened her shoulders and tried to make her face passive. “Good morning, Seniore. We are on our way to lunch, so if you will excuse us…”

            His smile did not reach his eyes as he looked from Gabriella to Isabella, then down to Frog. “Yes, very interesting.”

            Gabriella began to step around him when he turned to her suddenly and said, “I don’t suppose you have received any letters from your brother today?”

            She stopped. “No, why?”

            “No reason. None at all.” He bowed slightly, “Enjoy your lunch, Your Highness.” Then he walked off down the hall without another glance in their direction.

            “You know,” began Isabella, “there’s something kinda creepy about that guy.”

            Gabriella thought it might have something to do with his inexplicable ability to know everything, but she didn’t say it out loud. He might overhear her.

            “Well,” said Frog, “that is just fascinating, but not as fascinating as the idea of lunch.”

            After a whole morning of stolen freedom, Gabriella was almost giddy and was totally unwilling to give it up already, so she took them down to the entrance to the kitchens. They were instinctively stealthy, for which Gabriella was grateful. She could have another face-off with Viper if they were found, but if she would rather avoid it altogether if she could. No need to be nasty more often than necessary.

            They hovered just around the corner from the entrances. Gabriella turned to Isabella, “I think it would cause less suspicion if you were the one to go get us some stuff. Then we can take it to some corner of the gardens or something.”

            “Good idea.”

            “Hey,” interrupted Frog, “see if you can get some more roast duck. I love that stuff.”

            He didn’t seem to notice Gabriella’s shudder.

            It seemed to take forever for Isabella to return with a basket of food. Meanwhile, Princess Gabriella had been furtively looking around for anyone who might discover them.

Frog could tell she was a novice at the whole sneaking around thing. He knew from

experience that it was an easy matter to outrun palace people. They were usually either fat, lazy, or doing something else they thought was more important than shooing the prince to his history lessons. He spent the time lazily scratching his back against the decorative woodwork on the wall.

Finally, Isabella emerged from the kitchens carrying a basket that looked pretty heavy. Gabriella could hear the clanking of dishes as she struggled to keep hold of the handle. “Cook got a little carried away when I told her we wanted to picnic. I think she was thinking the usual entourage was coming.”

Gabby reached out, “Here, do you want some help?” She grabbed hold of the handle and they carried the basket between them.

Frog was really tired of the corner with the pond in it, so they settled into a nook among the rose bushes and munched away.

“So,” said Gabriella, her words slightly muffled by her full mouth, “what do you want to do next?” She swallowed, “I chose first. It’s someone else’s turn.”

Frog and Isabella were both shocked. This behavior smacked of actual friendliness. Luckily, Frog collected his wits before the roast duck fell out of his mouth. Gabriella would have become a vegetarian for sure.

“I thought we could wander the gardens a bit,” said Isabella. “You seem to really like that.”

“Maybe for a little bit,” Gabby said. “I don’t want to bore anyone.”

“I saw you out here a lot.,” said Frog, “Is it another one of your hiding places?”

She shrugged. “I guess, but not a very good one. They—I mean my ladies-in-waiting—find me out here all the time.”

“So why do you come here?” asked Isabella.

She shrugged again. “I kind-of like to watch the gardeners.”

Frog thought that was just plain weird, but thankfully he knew better than to say so.

 Isabella was at least a little more articulate. “Huh. That’s something I had never thought of doing.”

There was a short silence while Gabby thought, turning her face toward the sky and biting her lip. “It’s just…. Well, I love how they can start with dirt and water and this miracle happens. One day, life starts poking up through the soil and it becomes a tree or a flower. It’s always something beautiful coming from a simple start.” She turned back to look at Isabella and Frog. “I guess it’s weird, but I like it.”

“I can’t argue with that,” said Frog.

“Sounds fine with me,” said Isabella. “I think we should leave the basket here and come back for it later.”

“Done,” said Gabby. “Let’s get going.”

Although she’d never been allowed to actually get her hands dirty, she had a deep knowledge of plants. It was while he watched Gabby describe the growth of her favorite flowers—the Iris and Rose—Frog thought for the first time that there might be something beautiful radiating from the inside. For the first time, Frog thought that he might enjoy Gabby more than he needed her.

What Gabby hadn’t noticed was that his slimy skin didn’t seem so repulsive any more.