Dragon Dreams (6 page)

“…run.”

Oops!

Naturally, right then, Princess Moriah and Princess Jordan walk by. Moriah giggles and says, “Hi, Emma. I think you need a fairy godmother more than a pet dragon.”

“Or maybe a team of fairy godmothers,” says Jordan.

Sigh.

Chapter 8

On
my way to class, I pause to look out of one of the Academy towers. I’d like to do a dragon loop de loop in the sky! I bet it would feel amazing to see the hills and forests rushing by and to hear the whoosh of dragon wings.

Since I’m almost late for class, Rapunzel and I don’t have time to talk. So, while we’re working on our journals, I write her a note.

When I try to pass Rapunzel the note, she turns around and her hair knocks it onto the floor. (Poor Rapunzel! Her short haircut
didn’t last. Long hair runs in the family—and her hair grows fast.)

Poor
me
! Moriah sees the note before Rapunzel can get to it. She snickers. My face gets hot. Worse yet, our teacher Lady Mary picks it up. Oh no!

She smiles at me and says, “Dragons are fascinating creatures, Emma, but this isn’t the time to discuss their merits as pets.”

Now everyone, not just Moriah, knows I am the most un-princess-y princess in the world!

Rapunzel mouths “I’m sorry.”

Luckily, Lady Mary starts talking about our upcoming field trip to the Dragon Caverns, and when we get out of class, everyone is talking about the field trip and not my note.

“I’m kind of scared of the dragons,” says Alex.

“I know,” says Laura. “And my father says the gnomes who live in the caverns are
really
unfriendly.”

“I bet they don’t want us to visit,” says Moriah.

“I’ve never met a gnome,” I say. “I wonder what they’re like.”

“Well, I’m excited to go to the caverns,” says Rapunzel. I’m glad she says so, because after the note incident, I don’t really want to admit that I’m super-excited about the field trip.

During Library, we have choice time. Alex reads stories about famous fairies who granted princesses’ wishes. Jordan looks at magazines with the newest ball-gown fashions.

The Academy librarian helps me find the section on dragons. Then Rapunzel helps me cart some big books about dragons over to a corner.

Thump
. Dust flies up. I guess no one has looked at these books in a while.

I use my library card to check some out.

Back at my house, Rapunzel and I decide to walk around the castle to see if we can come up with ways to make my parents think that getting a pet dragon is
their
idea. We redo my room with a dragon theme. But when my mother comes in, she says, “I love
the new decorations, girls! Maybe you can help me decorate for the upcoming ball.” Ugh. That definitely didn’t go as planned.

Next, we brush our hair in front of my bedroom mirror because Rapunzel thinks this might help us come up with better ideas. (It always works for her.) We decide to bake dragon cookies and serve them for tea with my grandmother. That way, dragons will be on her mind when she talks with my parents about my birthday.

“Oh, lovely!” my grandmother says.

Rapunzel crosses her fingers at me.

“These fairy cookies are so pretty and so delicious,” Grandmother continues. I sigh.

“I think my grandmother misplaced her glasses again,” I whisper.

Oh well.

My father is my last resort. After Rapunzel leaves, I go into the study, where he is watching the royal news.

On TV, a reporter named Esther Rubinoff is talking about some problems with the environment. She mentions that the royal forests aren’t as thick and green as they once were and the farmlands aren’t growing as many fruits and vegetables anymore. Worst of all, some of the dragons seem to be losing
their sparkle and ability to breathe fire—a sign that they are probably sick. This makes me so sad. Someone needs to help them.

That’s it! I know how to show my parents I’m responsible enough to have a dragon. I’m going to investigate and figure out what the problem is! I run up to my room and start looking through the dragon books I checked out. Tomorrow I can go back to the library at school to do some more research, and I’ll definitely need to put together a dragon kit to bring on the field trip. Luckily, my aunt Rachel promised to take Rapunzel and me to the Elves, Minstrels, and Fairies Bazaar in the afternoon. It will be the perfect place to find what I need.

Chapter 9

As
soon as I get to school, I tell Rapunzel about my plan. I’m so excited that the day flies by. When we get to the bazaar, I head straight for Magical Creatures Pet and Supply. Rapunzel ducks into a salon that promises, even if it can’t make you
fairest of them all
, it can tame your unmanageable hair. I figure it will take them a little while to tame Rapunzel’s hair, so I’ll have plenty
of time to collect everything I need for my dragon kit.