The Frog Princess Novel Book 1 (Completed)

Chapter 18, Last Chapter

When I woke, my head felt woozy; nothing would come into focus. Gradually my vision sharpened, but everything looked different. The colors seemed duller and there were fewer of them. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the funny feeling in my ears, not liking the way the sounds were muffled. Glancing down, I saw that my clothes looked just the way they had on the day I had turned into a frog. My blue gown and kirtle were only slightly soiled, but no more than they had been when I kissed Eadric. My soft leather shoes were still damp, the mud on them fresh.

I heard a sound and turned to see Eadric struggling to sit up beside me. He was wearing a warm traveling cloak over his clothes, and his boots were splattered with muck. His tousled brown curls framed a strong jaw, laughing eyes, and a nose as prominent as my own. He was slightly pudgy and rather short. I thought that he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen.

Eadric looked at me and grinned. "We did it!" he said, laughing out loud.

"Finally!" I agreed. I had been convinced so often over the last few days that I was about to die that I felt giddy with relief now that I was a human again.

"You look beautiful, Emma."

"You do, too."

"But aren't you tired of wearing those wings?" He reached behind me and tugged something loose from the back of my dress. The dragonfly wings lay in his hand, limp and broken.

"Oh," I breathed, taking the wings from him. "I'll cherish them forever."

"Those old things!" said Eadric. "Why would you want to keep them?"

"Eadric, how can you say that? They made me look like a beautiful swamp fairy!"

When I tried to stand, my movements were stiff and awkward. I took a step and tripped over my own feet, landing in Eadric's arms. He held me with my head cradled on his shoulder so that I was looking up into his eyes.

"I was hoping I could get another kiss," he said, his eyes laughing.

"You never give up, do you? Well, I'm sorry! I'm not kissing anybody until I get this back to my aunt Grassina!" I raised my arm and jingled my bracelet next to his ear. "I don't want to—"

"—take any chances," Eadric finished for me.

"We'd better be careful or we're going to end up finishing each other's sentences like Clifford and Louise."

"Who?" Eadric asked.

"Never mind. I'll tell you all about it when we have the time."

Something snorted, sounding like the chuffing of an ancient dragon. Startled, Eadric and I looked up. A white horse with a silver mane lay on its side, trying to roll to its feet. Saddled for riding, it wore the trappings of royalty.

"Eadric! Why did you run away?" whinnied the horse.

"Brighty?" said Ea

dric, shading his eyes against the sun. "Is that you?"

"Who's Brighty?" I asked.

"My horse, Bright Country! I left him tied to a tree while I hunted for the meadwort and that's when I ran into Mudine. I was so worried about you, boy!"

With a lunge and a flurry of hooves, Brighty rolled to his feet and stood with his legs wobbling beneath him. "Dang, I'm sore!" he grumbled. He snorted again and looked toward Eadric, who dumped me on the ground and climbed painfully to his feet.

"Hey!" I said, struggling to sit up. "Why did you do that?"

"I've got to go. It's Brighty!"

I looked at his horse again. There was something about... "That's where the dog was standing when we kissed!" I said. "The big white dog that was chasing you!"

"You don't suppose that Mudine cast a spell on Brighty, too?"

"I guess it's possible! Then the reason the dog was chasing us ..."

Eadric stumbled toward his horse. "Brighty! I always knew you were a good and faithful beast! You wanted to be with me, even when I was a frog!" With a happy sigh, Eadric flung his arms around the horse's neck and hugged him. Brighty leaned into his owner, making the prince stagger back.

The horse snorted, his breath ruffling Eadric's hair. "I've been looking for you everywhere! I saw that woman turn you into a frog; then she came after me. I was a dog, Eadric! You can't imagine what it was like. I had this urge to sniff everything! And some things were really disgusting and I didn't want to eat them, but I couldn't help myself. I'm so glad I found you. I knew if I did, everything would be all right. Don't ever leave me like that again!"