Sam Snail in the Mystery of Queen Lake Chapter 1: The Throne Room "Princess Olivia, Princess Olivia!" called out the plump knight in a loud voice. The knight was Sir Simon, the protector of the kingdom of Jendow. He made sure that Jendow remained a peaceful place since the death of King Goodrow over twenty years ago. "Where could she be?" he thought to himself. He was dressed in the royal black and gold robes even though he was not royalty. Since the King's sudden death, Sir Simon had worn the royal colors. He was acting as king until the day the Jendow throne would be returned to a member of the royal family. "She should be sitting here in the Throne Room. But is she? No!" he answered his own question. He had looked all over the castle. Under beds, in cupboards, in the ballroom, in the kitchen. He could not find the princess. "How can this be?" said the knight. "I cannot find her anywhere." "Anna!" he called. "Where is the head housekeeper when you need her?" "Anna, Anna!" he called again. There was only one living member of the royal Jendow family left. The young princess Olivia was barely a year old at the time of the King's death. Her mother, the Queen, had strangely disappeared when Olivia was just six months old. Sir Simon had stepped in immediately to oversee the kingdom. He settled scores of conflicts between the villages and battling lords. He hired nurses and teachers to school and train Olivia in the royal ways. He was making sure that the Princess was prepared to become Queen once she became old enough. Sir Simon never tired of his work. He had pledged his loyalty to King Goodrow from the very beginning. He was an honest knight who always kept his word and never broke a promise. Not even to his large black dog and companion, Raven. "Yes?" said Anna, quietly moving behind him. The knight could have jumped a mile. He turned quickly to see the red-headed housekeeper, her apron clean and white. He was embarrassed by his own startled reaction. Anna looked amused. "Yes, Sir Simon? What is it?" "I'm looking for the Princess Olivia," said Sir Simon sternly. "Have you seen her?" "No, I haven't," said Anna, turning so he wouldn't see her grin. "He is getting soft in his old age. He didn't even hear me." she thought to herself. Anna had been head housekeeper at the castle ever since Sir Simon had taken King Goodrow's place. She was his faithful servant and knew more about the knight than anyone. She made sure his suit of armor was always polished and gleaming. She saw to it that his favorite foods were prepared three times a day. She brought him his evening snack of warm milk and cookies at bedtime. She was proud to serve him and she had always admired his quick wit. It was only in the last year that she had noticed he was slowing down a bit. Jendow was at peace and there were no wars. Sir Simon was spending more time walking his dog Raven, sitting by the fire at night and meeting with the ruling lords. In war time or peace time, Anna still kept everything in order. She knew where everything belonged and she made sure that everything and everyone were in there proper place. The castle housed all kinds of workers and heads of the country including the head wizard. It was in that moment she remembered the awful meeting she had had with the Wizard Astor just a month ago. She thought back to the things he had said about the princess Olivia. "He is up to no good," Anna said in a whisper. "Did you say something Anna?" questioned the knight. His face was returning to its normal color. Flushed red cheeks faded to a shade of pink. His warm light brown skin shone once again, framed by a white beard and white curls. "I've been on the sidelines too long," he thought to himself. "A knight always knows if someone is behind him. A knight doesn't jump. A knight is prepared for anything and everything." "I didn't say anything Sir," answered Anna. "What are you mumbling about?" Sir Simon said with a scowl. He was still very angry with himself. "Well, since you've been asking," Anna said in a slow and steady voice, "I've been thinking, Sir Simon." "About what, Anna?" he returned with a measure of kindness. "Well, Sir, if I may be so bold. I don't really think the princess would make a very good queen." With that, Anna turned away, holding her breath awaiting his reaction. "What?!?" said Sir Simon in surprise. She did not look up again but spoke very carefully, "I don't think the Princess Olivia should become queen of the kingdom." His head tilted to one side as if to study the woman before him. "Nonsense," Sir Simon replied with a hint of anger. "Of course she will become queen! She will be crowned on her 21st birthday. Now, go back to your work, Anna. I must find the princess." The knight left the room, leaving the frightened housekeeper staring out the window. She shook her head back and forth. "Oh, what 'ave I done!" she said out loud. "I've gotten me self into such a pickle. Poor Princess. Poor Sir Simon. If only they knew what the wizard Astor is a planning." She began to pace back and forth, moving a little faster with each step. "I'm in such a pickle, I am! And how could I help such an nasty one? After all, he's never a bit kind," she said. "He doesn't like my animals. He never even brushes his dirty teeth. It would be a day made in heaven if he ever did change his socks. Peeuew!" "Is something smelly, Anna?" A voice came out of nowhere. It was deep and quiet, a hollow whisper. Anna didn't move for a moment. Maybe she hadn't heard anyone after all. Finally in one swift turn she saw that it was him. He was much taller than her, easily about a foot taller. Long blue jeweled robes draped over his big frame and across his long gray hair. On top of his head perched the tall pointed cap that all the wizards wore. "Oh it's you, is it?" Anna said with concern. "What smells so badly?" asked the Wizard Astor once again. "Nothing! I plum forgot," Anna lied. "Hmph," he replied as he turned towards the center of the room. He moved as if in slow motion towards the giant throne seated against the woven rugs. He began to stroke the golden arm rail as he spoke. "Today is the day." "It is wash day," interrupted Anna. "If you'd like to add your socks, or any of your 'dirties,' I'll make sure they're washed up bright and clean." "Forget about my socks!" said the wizard. "I'm talking about something important!" "Oh clean socks are so very important," she said quickly. "Me Mum always says that cleanliness is next to Godliness." "Enough!" shouted the wizard. "I don't want to hear it!" "Hear what?" asked Anna, her eyes looking up at him in a fixed stare. He spoke very slowly, "Today... is the day... I shall... have the Throne!" "You want to be Queen?" screeched Anna. "No", shouted back the wizard, "I want to be King". "You want to marry the Princess? asked Anna with a confused look. "Of course not", sneered the wizard. Anna turned and mumbled under her breath "Good thing, who'd want to marry the likes of you." The wizard spoke again in a low whisper, "Today is the day... we take the princess... to Queen Lake." His lips curled upward partly hidden by his long gray mustache. "Who's taking the princess to Queen Lake?" asked Anna fearfully. "Why, you are," said the wizard with a laugh. "You mean me?" she said with a nervous giggle. "You must be joking, of course you are." "I assure you I'm not joking," he said with a glare. "But no one ever comes back from Queen Lake!" cried Anna. "Exactly!" sneered the wizard. "How could you ask me to do something so awful? I won't do it," said Anna. "And, I said take her!" said the wizard. "I won't do it," repeated Anna throwing her shoulders back. "TAKE HER!" he shouted as he took two long strides towards the little redheaded housekeeper. Anna shook her head and stamped her feet. "I won't do it!" The wizard moved closer, ever so close, until he was almost touching Anna's nose with his nose. And in a low whispery breath he ordered, "Take her." Anna turned pale. "I'm in such a pickle!" she said to herself. "I'm in such a pickle." She scurried out of the room and the wizard began to laugh. He laughed softly at first, then louder. His long robes flapped against the stone floor as he followed Anna out of the Throne Room and across the courtyard. Neither the wizard nor Anna had noticed there had been an intruder listening in. A small creature below the windowsill had heard every bit of their conversation. "This is awful!" said Sam Snail, slithering out into view. Questions for our readers for Chapter 1 Email your answers and they may be posted in our Kids Want to Know page every other month. What do you think will happen next? What did you like about this chapter? Write a poem, draw a picture, make a play or puppet show of this chapter. Written by: Lesley Smith © 2004 All Rights Reserved. © 2004 "Sammy Snail and Friends". Sammy Snail, all puppet characters of Lesley Smith's Theatre of Life Puppets and logo are trademarks of LAF productions. All rights reserved.