Good Knight

Storming the Castle

It didn't take much longer for Prince Misereoux to make disguises for each of them. One by one they put them on as they were finished. The Fable Keeper prepared the book that led to Prince Grendelmere's castle. Misereoux was the last to put on his disguise. Then they gathered around The Fable Keeper, who held the book.

"Just one more thing I'm still unsure of before we go," Prince Misereoux insisted. "What is our excuse for Penelope?"

"It's take your child to work day. Everyone else missed the memo," The Fable Keeper replied. They all nodded in agreement. She opened the book and dropped it to the floor then looked across at Penelope.

"Are you ready?" she asked. The little girl was very scared going into the world of Nightmares, but it was well-worth it since her Teddy Bear was being held hostage by them. She nodded fiercely.

"Then let's go get Sir Theodore," The Fable Keeper encouraged them. They all joined hands and jumped into the book, leading them to the outside of Prince Grendelmere's castle. At first they were a little shocked to see guards at the entrance, but then remembered that they all too, looked like Nightmares and not who they actually were. They marched in effortlessly.

Once inside they huddled again to discuss the next part of the plan. It was exciting to Penelope that they had made it this far. She was eager to get even farther and find her Teddy Bear at last.

"Sir Theodore could be anywhere. We should split up in pairs to be safe and to have a better chance of finding him sooner," The Fable Keeper explained.

"Peppermint and I will stick together," Misereoux said. It was clear he was excited to have her back curse-free.

"Very well, I'll take Penelope," The Fable Keeper added. She took Penelope by the hand.

"I'll join you," Sir Puck insisted. He stepped over to them.

"Perfect," The Fable Keeper agreed. "That leaves Sir Tuffy and Lady Rosie and Sir Nunight and Sir Zippy. Sir Puck, Penelope and I will check the towers."

"We'll take the dungeon," Sir Zippy volunteered. He and Sir Nunight took off in that direction.

"We'll check the throne room in case Grenelmere is keeping an especially close eye on Sir Theodore," Princess Peppermint explained.

"I don't think that's a good idea. What if he discovers us?" Prince Misereoux said.

"Then no better time for you to stand up to your brother," Peppermint suggested. Prince Misereoux took her suggestion into consideration.

"We'll check the throne room," he said. They turned and headed in the direction of the throne room.

"Be careful!" Penelope called after them. Lady Rosie and Sir Tuffy were left. The Fable Keeper thought for a moment, wondering where else Prince Grendelmere could possibly keep a valuable prisoner.

"Lady Rosie, Sir Tuffy, check all the chambers. Guest chambers, unoccupied royal chambers, even Prince Grendelmere's chambers. For all we know he might be spoiling Sir Theodore for a price," she explained. The two knights nodded and took off to begin their search.

"Which way to the towers?" Sir Puck asked The Fable Keeper. She would be the only one of their group to know.

"This way," she said and Sir Puck and Penelope followed her toward the back of the castle. They soon stepped out into a back courtyard, but before the three of them could step completely outside The Fable Keeper gasped and stopped her two companions.

When Sir Puck and Penelope looked up at the tower they could see an enormous creature wrapped around it. Penelope recognized it as a common character from her storybooks. It was a dragon. And it wasn't just any dragon. When she looked closer, she realized it was a three-headed dragon.