A Crazy Day with Cobras (3 page)

“Cool fort,” said Jack.

“Yeah, and look—elephants,” said Annie. “I love elephants!”

Leading away from the fort were two streets. One was filled with oxen pulling carts and people riding horses and elephants. Veiled women sat in carriages on the elephants’ backs.

“Yeah, and there’s a bazaar like the one we saw in Baghdad,” said Jack. He pointed to the other street, which was lined with tents and stalls.

“So where do you think we find an emerald stone in the shape of a rose?” said Annie.

Jack picked up their research book and opened to the first page. He read aloud:

“Yikes,” said Annie. She and Jack looked at pictures of a Bengal tiger and a king cobra. The growling tiger had a huge head and enormous teeth. The cobra had speckled yellow bands around its long body. Its open jaws revealed two deadly fangs.

“Don’t worry,” said Jack with a shiver. “We definitely didn’t land in the wilderness.” He turned the pages until he found a drawing of the red fort. “Yes! Here’s exactly where we landed.” He read:

“So the Great Mogul lives right here!” said Annie. “How lucky is that?”

She and Jack looked at the fort again. “I guess those guys must be imperial guards,” Jack said. He pointed to men in white coats and leggings guarding the drawbridge. Some carried spears; others had bows and arrows.

“Right. But who do you think
those
guys are?” Annie asked, pointing. Two carts pulled by pairs of
white oxen had stopped at the entrance to the bridge. Eight men were climbing out of the carts. They wore outfits like Jack’s and Annie’s—puffy pants, short jackets, and wide hats. Two of the guards greeted them with deep bows.

“They’re dressed like us,” said Jack. “So I guess they must be ambassadors, too.”

“If they’re visiting the Great Mogul, we should join them!” said Annie.

“Hold on,” said Jack. He opened his bag. As he put their book inside, he noticed that everything that had been in his backpack was still there: his story from school, the note about the emerald rose, and the blue bottle with the potion to make them small. “Okay, we’ve got everything,” he said.

“Come on, before we miss our chance!” Annie called, starting down the rope ladder.

“Wait!” said Jack. He put his bag over his shoulder and hurried after Annie. By the time he stepped off the ladder, Annie was already heading toward the drawbridge of the fort.

“Annie, hold on! We have to talk about something important!” said Jack. He didn’t want her to say anything crazy to the guards or the ambassadors.

“What?” said Annie, waiting for him.

“If they’re real ambassadors, we shouldn’t get too close to them,” Jack said. “They’ll figure out we’re fakes.”

“Oh. Good point,” said Annie.

“So let’s wait until they start across the bridge,” said Jack. “Then we’ll run to the gate and tell the guards that we’re supposed to be with them. And don’t forget, if anyone asks, you’re my brother. Oh, you should stick your braids under your hat.”

“Right,” said Annie. She tucked her pigtails under her hat. “How’s that?”

“Fine, I guess,” said Jack. He was still worried about the fact that he and Annie looked too young. “We have to try to act like ambassadors. So stand up straight and speak in a low voice.”

“Okay, don’t worry,” said Annie.

“And we should hold up our chins,” said Jack. “Try to look taller.”

“Okay, okay. Oh, look, they’re leaving,” said Annie. “Let’s go!”

The ambassadors had climbed back into their oxcarts. As the carts started across the moat, Jack and Annie walked quickly toward the bridge.

The first guard held up his spear. “Who are you?” he asked. He had a long purple scar on his cheek and silver rings in his ears.

“We are ambassadors,” Jack said in a deep voice. “We are with the gentlemen who just crossed the bridge.”

The guard gave Jack and Annie a sharp look. “You are with the ambassadors from Europe?” he said.

“Yes”—Jack stood straighter—“but we’re from Frog Creek.”

“I imagine you are thinking that we look very young,” Annie said in a low voice. “Well, it is true,
we
are
young. But we are very learned.”

“I see,” said the guard.

“And imaginative and creative,” Annie added.

Oh, brother
, thought Jack.

“I see,” said the guard again. He looked at Jack’s bag. “And is that where you carry your treasure? Your gifts for the Great Mogul?”

“Um … well …,” said Jack.

“What gifts do ambassadors from Europe usually give Great Moguls?” Annie asked.

“The gifts sent by the kings and queens of Europe are always rare and beautiful,” said the guard.

“Such as …?” said Annie.

“Silver swords, golden goblets, treasure chests filled with jewels and coins,” said the guard, “or perhaps … the fastest horses from Arabia.”

Forget it
, thought Jack.

But Annie smiled. “I see,” she said. “Well, I am pleased to tell you that
we
have brought a gift far greater than
any
of those things.”

“V
ery good!” the guard said. “The Great Mogul eagerly awaits your arrival—and your treasure!”

What treasure?
thought Jack.
What is Annie talking about?

“You may pass through the gate,” said the guard. “Follow the other ambassadors to the Hall of Public Audience, where the Great Mogul appears each morning before his court nobles.”

“Thanks!” said Annie. She pulled Jack along toward the drawbridge.

“And do not worry,” the guard called after
them. “The Great Mogul will not mind your youth. His grandfather became emperor when he was thirteen.”

“Super! Thanks!” Annie called back.

“Hey, what were you talking about back there?” Jack whispered as he and Annie started across the bridge. “We didn’t bring any treasure for the Great Mogul! We didn’t bring anything!”

“Yes, we did,” said Annie.

“What? Tell me what,” said Jack.

“Your story,” said Annie. “It’s in your bag, right?”

“You’ve got to be kidding!” said Jack. “That’s not treasure!”

“Yes, it is! Think about it! You printed your story in fancy curly type from the computer, right?” said Annie. “I did my drawings with sparkle pens. There were no computers or sparkle pens four hundred years ago! The Great Mogul has never seen writing and artwork like that. Our ordinary stuff would be
treasure
in his time!”

“I—I don’t know.…” Jack didn’t know what to think. He just shook his head.

“It would be! Trust me,” said Annie. “And hurry! We don’t want to lose the other ambassadors!” She ran to the entrance of the Red Fort.

Jack followed her. They passed through a gateway that opened onto a stone road. The road led to a large square. At the opposite side of the square was a long, low building with columns and arches.

“There they are,” said Annie. She pointed to the ambassadors’ oxcarts rolling toward the building.

“That must be the Hall of Public Audience,” said Jack.

Jack and Annie walked quickly toward the building. The air felt as if it were coming from a hot furnace. By the time they arrived at the hall, Jack felt faint from the heat.

The ambassadors from Europe had already gone inside. Fierce-looking guards stood at all the entrances. Daggers and curved swords hung from their belts.

Annie walked up to one of the burly guards. “Excuse me,” she said in a low voice, “but we are ambassadors from Frog Creek, and we are supposed to be with those other ambassadors.”

To Jack’s surprise, the guard asked no questions. He nodded and gestured for them to follow him.

Annie and Jack followed the guard into the shadowy hall. The air inside was much cooler. It smelled of roses and mint. Hidden musicians played soft music.

The burly guard escorted Jack and Annie past the audience of court nobles. All the men had beards or mustaches and wore beautiful coats of many colors and patterns—bright orange, purple, turquoise, green striped, and pale pink with flowers.

Next to the nobles, the eight ambassadors from Europe stood along a silver railing. They were lined up in pairs. The burly guard ushered Jack and Annie to the end of the line.

Everyone in the hall was facing a high platform with wide steps. The platform was made of
sparkling diamonds, emeralds, and pearls. Gold columns supported a golden canopy above the platform. Statues of two jeweled peacocks with rubies in their beaks were perched above the canopy. Over the golden canopy was another canopy of rich cloth.

Tall, thin candlesticks held flickering candles, and servants sprayed rose-scented water into the air. As Annie looked around at everything, Jack slipped their book out of his bag. He huddled over it and read to himself.

Oh, man!
thought Jack. He shoved the book back into his bag and turned to Annie. “Don’t speak!” he whispered. “And we have to bow the proper way!”

“Don’t worry, we learned how to bow in the palace in Vienna,” Annie said.

“No, this is different!” whispered Jack. “When I messed up
there
, people just laughed.
Here
, they kill you!”

“Oh. Well, don’t forget we’ve got our potion from Kathleen,” Annie whispered. “If worse comes
to worst, we can make ourselves small and escape.”

“Forget it,” Jack whispered. “I don’t want to be a tiny little person! The guards will just chase us down and squash us like bugs!”

Annie laughed.

“This isn’t funny,” said Jack. “Let’s go back outside and make another plan. We don’t know what we’re doing here.”

“Yes, we do,” Annie said. “We’re going to give your story to the Great Mogul, and then we’re going to ask him for an emerald rose. Simple.”

“No, no!” said Jack. “I told you we can’t say a word to him! Not a word! Come on, we have to leave while we’re still alive.”

Annie sighed. “Okay, fine,” she said.

But as Jack and Annie turned to go, trumpet blasts shattered the air. The trumpet sounds were followed by deafening drumrolls.

Shah Jahãn, the Great Mogul of India, stepped through a door at the back of the hall.

J
ack and Annie froze. The hall was completely still and silent. The Great Mogul climbed the steps to the Peacock Throne. He wore an orange turban and a silver coat trimmed with diamonds and pearls. He wore ropes of jewels around his neck and sparkling rings on his fingers.