Pumpkin Patch Princess

CHAPTER FOUR: Sneaks and Goodbyes

The following week, I took an afternoon off to accompany Geoff and his family to the station, where he would embark on a twelve-hour journey to the kingdom of Citria.

We had been apart a lot in our long friendship, but this time felt different . . . more final, somehow. After all, we were done with school. If things went well and Geoff decided to stay up in Citria, what would stop him? What would keep me from losing my best friend?

Geoff burst into laughter when he answered the door and saw my face. "I'm just going to knight school, not a witch's bramble trap. Don't look so depressed."

"I'm excited for you. Really, I am," I insisted.

He slung an arm around my neck. "Look, don't be jealous. I'll send you a postcard, okay?"

"Geoffrey, stop gloating. It's not polite," his mother said, poking her head out of the kitchen door. She was beautiful, with her son's sandy hair and eyes, and she was also very big, being part ogress. "Morning, Noelle. Want a scone?"

I craned my neck to look at her. "No thanks, Mrs. Oakdale, I had a late breakfast."

Geoff's dad bustled down the hallway with a suitcase. "Hi there! Come to help us see Sir Geoffrey off?" He ruffled his son's hair affectionately.

"Dad!" my friend protested, trying to smooth it back down.

"Oh, there won't be a princess alive who won't fall for my boy," Mr. Oakdale boasted. "What do you think, Noelle?"

"Sure, Mr. O. Whatever you say," I answered, grinning.

When all of Geoff's belongings had been lugged out to the cart, his parents climbed in front and he and I got in back with the luggage. Mr. Oakdale clucked to Fat Chester and we began rolling down the road at a leisurely pace.

"So, do you think you're ready for knight school?" I asked.

Geoff beamed. "I've been practicing the sword every minute. Of course, I don't have an actual one yet. I've been using the axe Dad chops wood with."

"And giving me heart palpitations every time," his father added.

"First week, we're just going to start on the soft stuff," Geoff rambled on. "You know, sitting in a classroom, looking at books, boring stuff like that. We have to learn about the rules of chivalry and maybe a bit of history."

"I think it sounds cool," I told him.

"Nah, the cool part is when we get to joust. Well, first we have to learn how to ride horses and all that, but then we get to hold mock tournaments and try to kill each other."

"This is really very soothing for me to hear, Geoffrey," Mrs. Oakdale said in a wry voice.

"Oh, don't worry, Mom. We won't actually die or anything," he assured her. "That part will happen when we get to the dragons."

She turned and rolled her eyes at me. "I feel so much better now."

"Dragons are all over the place, you know, Noelle." No one needed a geography lesson from Geoff, least of all me, but he jabbered on about the famous black mountains of Citria, which was known for its jewel mines. The endless leagues of caves beneath its peaks were just chock full of fire-breathing lizards to be battled, from the way he told it. "It's going to be the most fantastic experience of my life!"

"You know, you're actually going to have to work," his mother pointed out. "Protecting the royal family and all. It's not a party."

"Who says work can't be fun?" Geoff retorted. As soon as his parents began discussing something else, he elbowed me and lowered his voice. "Have you heard anything from C.A.F.E. yet?"