Butterfingers Read online

  Her maid laughed. "I'm not joking," said Bella. "Now – no telling, Joan. I'll see you in a while. You've no idea where I am."

  "Right you are," said Joan cheerfully. Bella turned her horse round, but as she did so, she gave Ned a wink and another wide smile.

  Ned stood and watched her riding off. His heart had given a big leap in his chest and he felt as if he would grin for ever.

  "Cack-cack-cack," came the scornful laugh of a magpie. "Nothing for you but work and dreams."

  But Ned didn't care. He leaned against Dilly's warm flank and smiled up at her.

  "She's very lovely, dear," said Dilly, "but not for the likes of you."

  "What?" snapped Tuff jumping up and down on his little legs. "What? Wouldn't even look at you, that one! Wouldn't even give you the time of day, let alone speak to you. You remember your station, me boy!"

  "She did speak to me," said Ned. "She said she liked violets. And she said thank you."

  "Here we go," said Tuff. "The boy's dreamy again. Well, wake up sharp, Ned, lad, for I spy an angry Squelch marching through the door, and he's coming this way!"

  THE GOLDEN BALL

  AFTER THAT, NED CLIMBED THE ELM MORE OFTEN AND WATCHED THE PRINCESS PLAYING HAPPILY IN HER GARDEN, BUT SHE NEVER SAW HIM. The sun moved slowly across the courtyard. The martins flashed in and out of their nests under the eaves. Their chicks flew the nest and chanced the sky, often clinging to the walls of the outhouses with their tiny feet before dropping and then finding their wings again. The greedy magpies, on the lookout for baby birds, were shooed away by Ned and Tuff, and all seemed well.

  "Sometimes life is very peaceful, isn't it, Dilly?" said Ned, enjoying the sunshine on his face. "But when I'm a man, I'll be a knight; then I'll have adventures."

  "Yes, dear," said Dilly. "Time enough for that."

  The seeds of the dandelion clocks drifted across and time seemed to pass slowly. Then one day the palace came alive, with running servants, a fanfare of trumpets and hundreds of doves let loose in the bright sky. The magpies, watching from the roof, almost fell off in surprise. It was Princess Bella's birthday.

  Ned watched from his corner in the stable yard and sighed as the princess came out into the sunshine. She was dressed in a long, heavy velvet gown, and she was making a determined effort to walk in a lady-like way. She held up the hem of her dress and stepped forward to meet her father.

  Now the king came out into the main courtyard, followed by courtiers and pageboys. Beckoning to a small boy, he told him to take a present to the Princess Bella. Ned was impressed by the page's velvet breeches and fine buckled shoes. He absent-mindedly rubbed one of his old shoes against the back of his leg as he watched. He frowned up at the magpies as they hopped across the tiles to get a better view.

  But before he could do anything, the page came forward bearing a red cushion on which was placed a beautiful ball, bright and shining, made of the finest meshed gold, yet light and fine to throw. It flashed in the sunlight.

  "Oh!" exclaimed the princess. "It's just what I wanted! How did you know, Father? A perfect size for a game of catch." She rushed forward to take the ball, yanking up the skirt of her dress in her haste. The king raised his eyes to the sky.

  Picking up the ball, Bella threw it high into the air, twirled, and caught it again with one hand behind her back. The crowd cheered.

  Then down flew the magpies, one, two, three, looking excited. They eyed the bright golden ball and fluttered as close as they dared, but nobody seemed to notice them, except Ned.

  While everyone else was looking at the princess, he ran out and flapped his cleaning leather at them furiously, finally shooing them off.

  Early the next morning, before he was sent on his errands, Ned climbed his favourite tree again. He sat on a tall branch, feeling the gentle wind in the leaves, watching the birds fly past and seeing people starting to stir below. The day was beginning. He had a few moments before he was summoned.

  He loved the early morning, when the sky was fresh and clear. But today he saw a dark cloud to the west, sitting heavily over the horizon. A strange wind blew through the garden and rustled the leaves of his tree.

  He heard the little click of the gate to the secret garden and, to his very great delight, saw the princess come in. She walked down a path lined with lavender, and as she brushed against it, Ned smelled its sweet scent.

  When she reached the lawn in the centre of the garden, she took out her new golden ball.

  Ned knew he shouldn't be spying, but he just loved watching her. Indeed, the whole garden seemed hushed, expectant, as Bella threw up the ball and caught it again. But then, her face turned upwards to catch the ball, she saw the magpies fly overhead.

  "Bother," she said out loud. "I hope they aren't going to spoil my fun. I never get any proper time to practise."

  "Cack-CaCK-Cack, shrieked the largest bird. "Watch out – you're being spied on!"

  They swooped down near Ned, who almost lost his hold on the tree trunk.

  "What? Oh, it's you, the violets boy! Hello!" said Bella. "Here – catch!" She threw her ball up sure and straight, towards him. He ducked and the ball soared over him and down again, while the princess raced round and caught it in one hand.

  "Oooh!" cried Ned. Now he totally lost his balance and toppled out of the elm, falling on the grass with a bump. He sat there, his spiky hair falling over his eyes, and rubbed his elbow. 'Ouch," he said, looking up at the princess's laughing face. "I'm sorry, my lady, really I am. It's just . . . that's my favourite tree."

  "Hmm, skiving no doubt."

  "Oh no, my lady, I—"

  "I didn't mean to laugh at you," said the princess. "But you did look rather funny toppling out of the tree. Did you hurt yourself?" she asked, coming closer.

  Ned leaped to his feet, "No, no, I'm fine, my lady."

  "Good," said Bella. She studied his face, her eyes twinkling, then gave him a big smile, "Well, as you're here you can play ball with me, I normally have to play on my own." She ran into the centre of the lawn, "Here," she yelled cheerfully, "Catch!"

  Ned hurtled towards the ball with his arm outstretched. The ball hit his hand. "Ouch," he said, and dropped it on the grass.

  "Butterfingers," said the princess. But she smiled at him.

  The magpies settled on the bushes and jeered at Ned.

  "Oh come on, never mind them. Pick it up. Throw it to me!" said Bella.

  Ned lobbed it towards her. It flew hopelessly wide, but she launched herself sideways like a goalkeeper, caught it in one hand, rolled over in one easy movement and came up again, laughing.

  Ned gazed at her open-mouthed. "You're amazing," he said.

  "Thank you," she said. "You're not much good at catching or throwing, are you? Never mind, you'll get better with practice. Meanwhile, it's all the better practice for me. This is fun!"

  The magpies flew down from the bushes and hopped nearer, watching the ball greedily with their beady eyes.

  The princess threw the ball up high in the air and caught it again. "Watch me throw this right over that tall fir and catch it on the other side," she called to Ned. She lobbed the ball even higher and started to run round the tree, Ned watched the golden ball as it gleamed and glittered in the sunlight. But before it had a chance to fall, a huge shadow came over them, causing even the magpies to flutter away in alarm.

  A vast dark shape was above them! It had outstretched wings like a swirling black cape. There was a hiss and then a roar! The whole sky seemed blotted out for a moment and the sun dimmed.

  Smoke filled the garden. Then, in a sudden rush of air, the princess was lifted up, caught in a claw, her small feet dangling. Her pale dress shone against the darkness of the outstretched wings. Her eyes were wide, her hands imploring, her lips parted. High, high she went.

  Horrified, Ned stood stock-still, staring. He didn't know what had happened. Something huge and black was soaring upwards with his beautiful princess; they were somehow locked together in a whir
l and a scream!

  A stolen princess, lost in an awful cloud of darkness and smoke!

  Now that darkness seemed to linger in the garden, as if the sky had dimmed. Looking upwards, Ned realized that the cloud he had seen earlier had grown. It was still a way off but it hovered in the blue like a terrible stain. Bella and the dark thing disappeared upwards into this blackening sky.

  The magpies had long since scattered and there was a sense of silent shock. The garden was shaken up; the very leaves seemed startled. As Ned stood up, his eyes filled with tears. Then he ran out of the garden to give the alarm.

  There was nothing, then, in the secret

  garden, but the shaking bushes and

  the bruised flowers. And a bright

  golden ball, which rolled

  THE SHADOW-CLOUD

  NED SPREAD THE ALARM ABOUT THE PALACE AND SOON PEOPLE WERE RUNNING PAST HIM, YELLING FOR THE KNIGHTS. All was confusion and fear. What terrible monster had stolen the princess? Ned went over and over in his head the moment when the princess had been lifted upwards before his very eyes. Oh, why hadn't he caught hold of her and saved her? Why had he just stared, doing nothing until it was too late?

  He stood helpless while all the court seethed and fretted around him, A wind rustled around the stable yard, lifting a blade of straw. Ned watched it move across the courtyard and stir the trees beyond. He raised his eyes to the sky and saw, to his horror, the dark cloud spreading, bringing with it a long trail of mist. It was still some way off, but it hung threateningly in the sky.

  In the distance the green fields and the yellow corn changed colour as the cloud moved over them and the dogs started to howl. Ned suddenly felt fearful and scuttled back to the stables, tripping as he went and upsetting the buckets and hay forks in a clatter.

  Tuff came running out to meet him. "Quick, lad! Something's happening!"

  Into the courtyard came the Kings men, preceded by two trumpeters, who stood side by side and gave long blasts from their trumpets. Then the knights lined up, followed by the lords and ladies of the court, the kitchen staff, the stable master and the grooms – all stood outside to listen to the king's pronouncement.

  Finally the king appeared before them.

  "In the light of the terrible disaster that has befallen us, I ask my knights to go forth, rescue our beloved Princess Bella and save our kingdom!"

  The people standing around murmured to each other. Tuff pressed himself against Ned's legs.

  "And to lead this quest, we look to our champion knight, Sir Pevner." The tall knight came forward and knelt down. "Find the monster and destroy him," the king went on. "Restore the Princess Bella to us – send word quickly to let me know she is safe. If all is well, send one of the doves."

  Sir Pevner stood and bowed his head.

  The king started for the palace, then turned back to add quietly, "But if all is ill, send a hawk. Let us pray you have only need of a dove."

  As soon as the king and all the lords and ladies and heralds and footmen had returned to the palace, Ned heard Squelch yelling his orders, and soon the boy was rushing to prepare the horses. How he wished he was getting ready to ride out himself. Sir Cuthbert was trying to get everyone in order. "Come along, come along! Get in line. Heads up, helmets straight! Out of the way, stupid boy!"

  "Get that boy out of the way, Squelch," yelled Sir Belwyn, as Ned dodged in front of him. "I won't have that boy around these horses. He's too clumsy. Back to the stables, boy, and quick!"

  Ned did as he was told, and watched the proud knights from a distance. Their heavy swords clanked by their sides and their banners flew and their drummers drummed and their bright shields flashed.

  At the head of the procession was Sir Pevner. His long dark hair flowed from under his shiny helmet and he carried a silver shield embossed with a red lion – the king's emblem. His white charger tossed its proud head up and down while it waited. Sir Pevner's eyes gazed ahead and in his hand he held a long silver sword, also engraved with a lion.

  The champion knight pointed his sword ahead – the sign for all to move forward. The horses' hooves clattered on the stones; thin grey dogs ran by their side. The pale sunlight glinted on the knights' armour and they left the palace walls with a clatter and a blast of trumpets. Not one knight faltered or looked back.

  "Didn't Sir Pevner look brave, Tuff? What a huge sword. He'll be bound to find the princess and kill the monster, won't he?" said Ned.

  "Let's hope so, lad," muttered Tuff as he sat at Ned's side watching them go. "This is a pretty-pickle."

  Ned stood leaning on his broom. "How empty it is in the stables now," he said.

  "A bit of peace and quiet," said the little brown and white dog, "without all them show-off chargers, tossing their heads, demanding the best of everything. Still, they've got a hard task ahead of them, no doubt."

  "Waste of time! Waste of time!" cackled the magpies circling above.

  "They might as well send you, Butterfingers," one called, "for all the use it'd be."

  They laughed. "Waste of time," they called as they flew off.

  Ned sighed. He wished he could go with the knights to rescue the princess and save the kingdom. But he was just a stable lad and odd-job boy. What could he do?

  "Best get to work, Ned dear," said Dilly, coming out to join them.

  "How can you think about work, Dilly, when the princess has been stolen by a monster? I must help find her!"

  "Don't be stupid, boy," yapped Tuff. "We're not members of the court. Rescuing and fighting – we can't do that. Things like that have to be left to knights. You listen to me, boy There's nothing a lad like you can do."

  TREASURE

  NED COULDN'T STOP WORRYING. He couldn't help but think of the princess: her big grin; her clever tricks with the ball; the way she spoke to him; a little sharp, yes, he had to admit that, but also – Ned suddenly smiled at the memory – it was also rather . . . friendly.

  Then one day, as he stood leaning against the wall, thinking of Bella, he saw, soaring over the courtyard and into a palace window, one of the knights hawks!

  This brought deep anxiety throughout the kingdom. The hawk was a sign that the knightswere in trouble, perhaps all dead. A sense of hopelessness lay in the hearts of all the people. And in the distance the dark cloud was a constant reminder that all was not well. The king sat silent on his throne. He refused the food the servants brought him; he refused to talk to the lords and ladies. Yet, in the mornings, he would rise and walk to the secret garden where Bella had played with her ball. He would stand at the gate and look in.

  The king was not the only one who did this.

  Ned had spent his life in secret ways. He was used to creeping past sleeping stable masters, avoiding the cooks in the kitchen, sticking to the corners of the busy yards for fear of getting in the way, or being told to run here and there, do this, do that.

  Now, in the same secret way, Ned climbed his elm tree to look at the princess's garden. He saw the king leave and walk heavily back to his throne room. Suddenly Ned decided to climb down into the garden. Edging his skinny body along an overhanging branch, he dropped to the ground, feeling scared, but somehow thrilled.

  He looked about him and suddenly spied a tiny sparkle of light.

  Under a low bush, among the withering flowers, Ned saw Bella's golden ball! It must have rolled under the hedge.

  He crossed the lawn and picked up the ball, feeling in his hand the smooth roundness that the Princess Bella must have felt before she was taken. The last hand to touch it had been hers. Now it lay in Ned's. The gold caught what little light there was, and before Ned had a chance to hide the ball, five magpies hurtled down, chattering and squawking.

  They circled around Ned, their wings flapping close, their sharp beaks and fierce claws jabbing dangerously.

  "Leave me alone!" he cried.

  "Cack-cack-cack! Treasure! Gold!"

  The magpies gathered into a close group and suddenly swooped, their beaks l
ike arrows, straight down towards the boy!

  Shielding his face with his arm, Ned put the ball in his pocket and ran as fast as he could towards the tree. He climbed up and jumped down on the other side. For once he didn't trip over as he ran and he didn't drop the ball.

  The magpies circled the air above him. "You'll be sorry! You'll be sorry!" they squawked.

  Ned leaned against the door inside the stable, listening to the cackling voices as the magpies gave up and flew away. He slowly took the golden ball from his pocket and looked at it. What had the magpies said? Treasure. Ned looked up at the sky and saw, far to the west, the strange dark cloud. A glimmer of an idea came into his mind. He put the ball firmly in his pocket.

  Ned slipped past the grooms and some quarrelling stableboys to Dilly's stall. As usual, Tuff was sitting in the straw beside her.

  "Where've you been?" he snapped. "Mooning around as usual?"

  Dilly moved over and nuzzled Ned's neck with her soft nose.

  "What would you say, my Dilly," he whispered, "if I told you I was to go and look for the princess?"

  The pony looked at him in alarm. "What, go out there with that strange sky and all? Don't be silly, Ned dear. Searching for princesses isn't for the likes of you."

  "I must go and help her," said Ned in an urgent voice. "Suppose the monster—"

  "Don't start supposing, dear boy. Doesn't do any good, you know. Why, all those brave knights – maybe they're still all right. They could still find her and save her."

  "Hmmph," said Tuff. "Where are they then? And why did they send that hawk?"