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The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle Quotes P2
Part 2~
Part 2: Uncovering the Plot
Part 2: Uncovering the Plot
“Listen up, Mount High-Hair,” Gustav barked. “Say what you want about me, but lay off the rest of the team. I’ve been through a lot of stuff with these people. Nobody can tell me that Fancy Dancer and Lady Slick-Pants aren’t heroes. Captain Gloom-Cape over there, too. And even Shrimp Charming has his moments.”Gustav~ ♥ Truly a rare talent of his. XD; Briar and Gustav also have a strange chemistry with each other, huh. He certainly wouldn't cut her any slack! But I feel Liam deals with her better.
Briar leaned back in her chair. “I admire your ability to insult your friends while you defend them. It’s a rare talent.” (p. 122)
“Excuse me, Ruffian,” Ella interjected. “You always wear that cape, right? Because Frederic was insisting that villains never wear capes.”XDDDDDD Ooooh man. Yeah, I was going, "But isn't a cape with a hood a cloak?" At least, that's how I've been translating it for Legend of Sun Knight. XDDDD;;; I will never stop being amused by people being specific about their articles of clothing.
“I’m not a villain,” Ruffian whined. “Bounty hunting is a legitimate profession. And anyway, I’m wearing a cowl.”
“Aha!” said Frederic, sitting back and folding his arms in a very satisfied manner. “Thank you, Mr. Ruffian.”
“I thought it was a cloak,” Briar said.
“No. Cloaks are just long capes,” Frederic said. (p. 124)
“Nine months ago, Deeb Rauber founded his own kingdom,” Ruffian said. “After the five of you vanquished that nameless old witch—”Awww, the poor witch. At least, Frederic remembers your name!!!! (Gustav's nicknames!!! I should have noted them all down... Though my favorite of his for Frederic is still Tassels)
“Um, actually, she did have a name,” Frederic interjected.
“Pipe down, Professor Textbook,” Gustav said. “Let’s hear what the talking hood has to say.” (p. 127)
“Seriously?” Gustav sputtered, slamming his hand on the table in frustration. “Every time we mess up, it has to become global news?”Duncan, you indeed have your own kingdom. XD;;; But I guess... if he becomes king, he'd want to rename his kingdom? XD;
Frederic flopped onto the table, burying his face in his arms.
Duncan didn’t seem bothered by the idea that they’d once again been humiliated in song. “If I had my own kingdom,” he said, “I would call it Pantsylvania.”
“You have your own kingdom,” Ella pointed out. (p. 128)
“You really are clueless, aren’t you?” Briar interjected. “No one will sing of your victory— no one can know about your victory. This is a secret mission.”Oh Gustav... XD;;
Gustav kicked the table. “Never mind, I’m out,” he grumbled.
“But, Gustav,” Ella said. “You might still get the chance to punch someone.”
“All right, I’m back in.” (p. 129)
He was easily able to refill the ranks of his bandit army and went on a brazen crime spree across the Thirteen Kingdoms. (p. 132)POV switch to the villains, but that's not my point. Thirteen Kingdoms? XDDDDD
“I fear, sir, that I do,” replied a tall bandit who stood apart from the others, both literally and figuratively. It wasn’t just that Vero didn’t care to take part in the raucous carousing of his fellow bandits; he also carried himself in a way that was completely different from any of the other men. He dressed in black, as did all Rauber’s men, but unlike the rest, Vero had style. His puffy-sleeved shirt and embroidered vest were the kinds of clothing you’d more commonly see on a nobleman than a thief. His pencil-thin mustache was impeccably trimmed, and his dark brown hair was tied back in a long, sleek ponytail. At his side was a slim, pointed rapier— a far more precise and graceful weapon than the thick broadswords favored by most bandits. And Vero knew how to use that blade; he was without doubt the most accomplished swordsman in Rauber’s army and possibly one of the best in the world. The only thing he enjoyed more than dueling was relieving rich people of their money. (p. 134)Description of Vero. I found him pretty cool!
Deeb Rauber decided not to rob Lord Rundark. It wasn’t that he was afraid of the Warlord— he was awestruck by him. Rundark was not just the coolest world leader Deeb had ever met; he was the first adult Deeb had ever looked up to.Somewhat mutually beneficial relationship between the villains. :3
Even more interestingly, Lord Rundark decided not to kill Deeb Rauber. At least not yet. He was fascinated by the boy. Or more accurately, he was fascinated by the way this sloppy, obnoxious, immature eleven-year old managed to command the respect and devotion of an entire army. The bandits adored their king— and Rundark couldn’t figure out why. (p. 144)
“You’ve never been to Dar,” Rundark replied. In reality, though, the scenery had nothing to do with Rauberia’s appeal. It was the tiny kingdom’s location that excited the Warlord. Rauberia was situated smack in the middle of the map, with so many wealthy kingdoms— Harmonia, Sylvaria, Sturmhagen, Avondell, and Erinthia, among them— just a day’s march away. (p. 146)Truly, Rauberia in the wastelands is right smack in between all the kingdoms!
“Oh, hey!” Duncan blurted out. “Wasn’t there a Sir Bertram the Dainty story where he made a bladejaw eel soufflé?”Oooo, nice connection, and I love that Sir Bertram stories are still being brought up. It wouldn't be Frederic and Duncan if they suddenly lost interest in the stories! And ahhhhhh, Frederic's mother! ;____;
“Yes,” Frederic said. “The Battle for the Baron’s Brunch. Bladejaw eels are an incredibly rare delicacy. They’re rare because the eels usually eat you before you can eat them.”
“And they’re only found in some very faraway country, right?” Duncan said, trying to remember the story. “Dorf?”
“Dar,” Frederic corrected. “It’s that horrible, scary land from all those terrifying old bedtime stories.” It’s also where my mother died, he thought. (p. 153)
Have you ever been so worried about something that it got stuck in your head and prevented you from thinking of pretty much anything else? Perhaps you’re dreading the thought of eating an olive loaf sandwich your mother packed you for lunch, and when the teacher asks you for the square root of nine, the only answer you can come up with is Olive loaf. What’s the longest river in the world? Olive loaf. How does the water cycle work? Olive loaf. That’s how Liam was feeling at that moment in the War Room, only he wasn’t thinking about olive loaf.I'm sorry Liam, but I laughed. He truly just can't get it out of his mind.
Each time Liam thought about how they could steal the Sword of Erinthia, his brain responded with Hire actors to pretend they’re criminals. (p. 155)
Frederic’s grin vanished. “Sorry— trampled by trolls; leave an impression— I assumed you were joking,” he said. “You actually plan to use a troll?”So many things going on here!!!! First, Liam's plan is really out there. Only Frederic seems to notice this. He initially finds it funny until he realizes that Liam is dead serious. Liam is still hung over about how his dad had hired actors way back when to fake Liam's heroic act. He can't get over it just yet (and he's left the poor actors in prison!! Liam, that's cowardly of you...), but no one seems to find anything off about him. Only Frederic seems to feel that Liam's plans are a little strange. (Though I bet Frederic doesn't know that Gustav is now on very friendly terms with the trolls, hahaha, so Liam's plan isn't quite that farfetched). I bet Liam didn't think they'd actually be able to find a troll to use in their plan. He was just saying whatever came to mind!
Liam paused. Hire an actor, his brain told him. “No,” he said aloud, rather angrily. When people looked at him strangely, he quickly corrected himself. “I mean, yes. If Rauber’s men know he’s afraid of trolls, we need to use a troll to get their attention.”
“Leave that bit to me,” Gustav said. “I can get us a troll, no problem.”
“Great,” Liam said.
Frederic eyed him skeptically. They’d befriended trolls before, but only because they were desperate. Trolls were violently unpredictable creatures— not the types of allies Liam typically hinged a plan around. “And once we’re past the wall?” Frederic asked. “How do we cross the moat?” (p. 158)
“You’re perfect!” Liam exclaimed. “I mean, you’re perfectly correct.” He hoped he wasn’t blushing too noticeably. “Your gnome friend will easily fit down the Snake Hole.”jkl;sdfja;s Liam, being totally unsubtle about his adoration of Ella! Ahhhhh, Frederic. Keep questioning Liam. This plan is truly full of holes, and Liam is on shaky ground! He doesn't know what he's doing, but your questions will help make the plan a whole lot better! jkdfl;as; Liam finally loses it at the end... It was truly at the top of his mind, hiring someone to pretend he's a criminal. But haha, they end up incorporating it into their plan. I guess it worked out.
“If he agrees to do it,” Frederic added sharply. “You realize there are a whole lot of assumptions in this plan, right? Have you considered the many ways it could go wrong?” Or are you just showing off for Ella? he thought.
Liam clenched his jaw. He locked eyes with Frederic and said, “The plan will work. Stop questioning it.”
“But what about the fact that we’ll be on the roof when the vault is several stories belowground?” Frederic asked.
“I will be down on the dungeon level with the vault, waiting for it to open,” Liam answered in a semigrowl.
“And how in the world do you expect to get into the Bandit King’s dungeon?” Frederic asked.
“Hire someone to pretend he’s a criminal!” Liam slapped his hand over his mouth, but it was too late— the words had already escaped his lips. That’s it, he thought. Now they’re all going to know that I’ve lost it.
But instead, he heard nothing but wild enthusiasm. (p. 159)
“A minute ago you asked me for my trust, Liam. Don’t I deserve the same from you?” Frederic asked. “I risked my life for you, trying to save you from marrying Briar.”Alright, I have to admit that I'm a huge Frederic fan. XD;; He's really grown! Even when Liam doesn't trust him and Ella tells him he doesn't have to do this, Frederic is still taking action. He also has a sarcastic streak in him! XD; But Liam took him for his word...
“And that worked out really well, didn’t it?” Liam muttered.
“Ahem! I’m in the room,” Briar said.
“Fine,” Liam said grudgingly. “But, Frederic, you have to be ready to hold your own in there. I can’t babysit you.”
“I haven’t needed a babysitter since I was sixteen,” Frederic said defiantly.
“You don’t have to do this, Frederic,” Ella said, laying her hand on his arm.
“I know,” Frederic sighed. “But I will.”
“I just hope you guys find an inside man you can trust,” Ella said.
“Oh, don’t worry. We’ll probably just go to the Stumpy Boarhound and interview random thugs and hoodlums for the job,” Frederic said sarcastically. Liam’s eyes lit up.
“Yes! That’s what we’ll do,” he said. “The League has fans at that tavern. We’ll be sure to find an eager accomplice.”
“But wait,” Frederic sputtered. “I was only . . .” (p. 162)
“She’s got ‘JJDG’ written all over her journal,” Liam said. “Does anyone know what that could stand for?”Duncan, you are so random... XD;;;
“Jimmy John Digglesford Garbenflarben!” Duncan said.
“Who’s that?” Liam asked hopefully.
“I don’t know,” Duncan said. “But if he exists, his initials would be J.J.D.G. We should check him out.” (p. 167)
“Look, Mr. Frank,” Frederic said, stepping into the dwarf’s path to stop him. “We’re here on a matter of utmost urgency. I had hoped that, in order to help us save the world, we could count on the courage and honor of the dwarves.”XDDDD!!! (Frederic~ ♥)
“Dwarves,” Frank barked out of habit. He was so used to correcting everybody’s pronunciation of the word that it took him a second to realize it had not been necessary in this case. He eyed Frederic with a mix of skepticism and awe. “Hey, you said it right.”
“Of course I did,” Frederic replied. “I know how important proper grammar is to you and your people.” (p. 171)
“I’m sorry, Mr. Troll,” he said with some difficulty. “I didn’t realize you were just conducting a class.” He turned to Gustav and added, “Why does it feel like we spend half of our adventures apologizing?”Pffft, that's because you are spending half of your adventures apologizing. Hehe, Gustav~ ♥
“Speak for yourself. I don’t apologize for anything,” said Gustav. He punched Liam in the shoulder. “See, I’m not sorry for that.” (p 176)
“We hoped to offer you some employment,” Liam said. “My team and I are about to embark on a very important, though possibly quite dangerous, quest. In order for us to succeed, there will be certain—”Yeah, Liam, make things simple. XD; But I bet Frederic would say even more than Liam. XD;;
“Squirmy Man talk too much,” Mr. Troll said. “Angry Man explain.”
“You wanna break into Bandit Boy’s castle with us?” Gustav asked.
Mr. Troll stood up. “Troll just need get Troll’s things.” He looked around, picked up another pinecone, and said, “Troll ready. Let’s go.” (p. 177)
“Ella!” the gnome cried out cheerily. “It’s so great to see you! I love visitors!”This is me, all the time, forgetting people's names. Makes for awkward second meetings. Or you know, third or fourth meetings... /o\ By then, it's even more awkward to let someone know that you actually never remembered their name. /o\
“It’s great to see you, too. . . .” Ella realized she had no memory of the gnome’s name. “. . . pal.”
“Oh, Ella,” Briar said with feigned sweetness. “Why don’t you introduce me to your friend?”
“I love introductions!” the gnome trumpeted.
Ella shot Briar a dirty look, then smiled at the gnome. “Um, Briar Rose, this is . . . G . . . Gee, it’s just so fantastic to see you again, friend! Who cares about these formalities, right?” (p. 179)
“The important thing is that we stop the wedding,” Duncan said.Snow joins the crew! :D She is just as random as her husband! They are truly quite a pair. :3
“That was four days ago,” Frederic said. “The important thing now is that we figure out the secret of the Sword of Erinthia. The abbreviation JJDG doesn’t mean anything to you, does it?”
“My favorite sandwich!” Snow said. “Jelly, jelly, dragonfruit, and ginger.” (p. 182)
“So? I’m still older,” Lila said. “Please. I can do this.” She clasped her brother’s hand. “You can’t send me back home to a life of eyebrow tweezings and impossibly tight gowns and not speaking until I’m spoken to. If I end up locked in the Bandit King’s dungeon, it’ll be a step up— believe me.”So getting the gnome to go down the Snake Hole didn't work out. Lila volunteers! She is super brave. :)
Liam was stewing.
“And besides,” Lila added, “I can fit in the Snake Hole.” (p. 187)
“Good day, Mr. Ripsnard,” Frederic said with a polite nod. “Ooh, he remembers my name,” the bartender tittered. “I’m honored, I am. Let me get the Founding Table set for you.” He sat them down and gave their table a halfhearted wipe-down with his filthy rag. Ella resisted the urge to snatch the rag away and clean it herself. (p. 193)Frederic, on the other hand, is very good at remembering people's names. XD;;; Ella always has an urge to clean. :3;;
“Captain Gabberman,” Frederic began.Oh man. XDDDD;;; I can imagine it. Frederic must have perfect pronunciation.
“Please, call me Cap’n,” the buccaneer replied.
“Captain,” Frederic said.
“Cap’n,” the pirate repeated.
“Cap . . . tain,” Frederic tried.
“Cap’n.” “Cah.” Long, deep breath. “Puhn.”
“Cap’n.”
“I’m sorry,” said Frederic. “My mouth just doesn’t work that way.” (p. 196)
“This is going to take a while, isn’t it?” Frederic asked.Ella has the right idea. XD;
“No, it’s not,” Ella said. She slammed her palm on the table, causing drops of the murky nonwater to fly from everybody’s mugs. “Most of you guys aren’t even worth our time!” she shouted to the crowd (and both Liam and Frederic sank a few inches deeper into their seats). “So let’s narrow it down: Last man standing gets to talk to us!”
It took three seconds for the tavern to devolve into total chaos. (p. 199)
“Gustav is going to be so sad he missed this,” Ella said.Yeah, Gustav would be sad that he missed such a brawl!!
“What were you thinking?” Liam questioned as he ducked a flying alligator skull.
“That you two were never going to get your act together,” Ella replied, and shoved away a dizzy buccaneer who had staggered her way. “We’re on a tight deadline, right?” (p. 200)
The newcomer was a smaller man who wore glasses and dressed neatly in a vest and slacks. The Boarhound’s front door had barely closed before the unsuspecting man was sucked into the fray, tossed from one thug to another. That guy’s going to die, Liam thought.*whistles* Now, that was some cool fighting. XD
But within seconds, the bespectacled stranger began defending himself— with nothing more than a needle and thread. He bounced about like an acrobat, rapidly winding his thread around his attackers to trip them up and bind them to one another (he also gave a few of them a good poke with his needle). One by one, brawlers began to drop, their hands and feet tied together. Eventually, only the stranger and Two-Clubs were left upright. The smaller man caught both of the barbarian’s tremendous fists together in a loop of thread and yanked on the long string, forcing Two-Clubs to punch himself in the face. The brawl was over. (p. 200)
He lowered his glasses to the tip of his nose and batted his eyelashes. “Why, thank you, Miss Cinderella. Name’s Taylor. I’m a tailor. Folks in town call me Little Taylor, so as to distinguish me from Medium Taylor. He’s also a tailor.”Introduction to Little Taylor~
“Is there a Big Taylor?” Ella asked.
“No,” Little Taylor said. (p. 201)
“All right, I wasn’t exactly honest with you guys,” Taylor said. He began to roll a piece of thread between his fingers. “After Rauber destroyed my life, I taught myself String-Chi, a centuries-old combat technique that originated with the warrior-seamstresses of Kom-Pai. I’ve been using my skills to take down Rauber’s bandits wherever I see them. Yesterday I took down seven with one blow.” (p. 203)String-Chi. STRING-CHI. XDD I love the idea, hahahhaa. (It also sound like string cheese, hahahah)
“As if you’d listen to anything I have to say,” Frederic snapped, trembling with anger. “For days now I’ve been trying to make suggestions, and you shut me down every time I open my mouth. You’re willing to entertain anybody’s crazy ideas except mine. And I know why: It’s because you’re jealous.”DDDDDD: LIAAAAAAAAAAM, now you've gone over the line. ;___; Jealousy mixed with insecurity... Yeah, Liam has it bad this time. Emo time. :')
“Me? Jealous of you?” Liam barked back. “I taught you everything you know. You’d still be cowering in the mud under a gorse bush in Sylvaria if I hadn’t come along and showed you what it meant to be brave. If there’s any hero in you at all, it’s only because I put it there!” (p. 207)
“Liam!” Ella said, aghast. “What is wrong with you?”I love that Ella stands up for Frederic.
“Wrong with me?” Liam asked. “Frederic keeps trying to undermine me. Why can’t he just let me lead?”
“Take a step back and look at yourself, Liam,” Ella said, aggravated. “Frederic hasn’t gotten in your way any more than Duncan or Gustav or I. He was right; you do judge him differently. And it’s because of me, isn’t it?” (p. 207)
They traveled slowly, with Lila pointing out broken branches, flattened grass, and other telltale signs that someone had passed through. These were all skills she’d picked up by watching Ruffian track her brother the previous summer, and the thought that she was now using them against the bounty hunter himself made her beam with pride. (p. 214)Awww, Lila learned a lot about tracking in book 1! XD; And she's putting it to good use.
“Dunky?” Snow called as she looked around anxiously. “Where are you, Dunky?”Snow's nickname for Duncan. XD;;;
“I am sorry, miss, but your donkey will have to wait,” Vero said. “Please reverse the direction of your vehicle. We will be starting back to the castle immediately.” (p. 216)
“Hey, look what we found! This rock totally looks like Frank!” Duncan appeared from behind a large boulder, holding up an oddly shaped stone. Mr. Troll was by his side.First, the rock that looks like Frank. XD;; It becomes yet another running joke. XDDDD Aaaaaand, the bandits, being so alarmed about trolls because of how they were done in by them in book 1. I really love how things connect. XD
Vero’s attention snapped to the newcomers. “Troll!” he shouted, a dire look on his face. “Troll! Troll!” He reached for a horn on his belt to call for reinforcements. (p. 222)
“Repelling trolls from Rauberia takes top priority: This you said yourself, sir,” Vero argued. “When the troll appeared, I focused my attention on the beast. It was only then that the intruders were able to flee.” (p. 230)Vero got in trouble (Rundark wanted to make an example of him) but Vero talked his way out of it. Because trolls are top priority. XD
Duncan pulled out his flute. “Yes,” he said in what he hoped was a sinister voice. “Prepare to hear the worst concerto ever composed for a wind instrument.”Never take Duncan for his word, Gustav. XD; You just might have different interpretations. XD; But maaaaybe Duncan's playing will be just that bad? In this book, we get Duncan and Gustav in the same scene more as well as Liam and Frederic. But my favorite combo from book 1 was Gustav and Frederic. :3
Gustav turned to Duncan and threw his hands up. “Seriously? That’s what you meant when you said you had a weapon?” (p. 234)
As soon as Gustav was free, he and Mr. Troll wrapped the unconscious bounty hunter in the net, and Duncan secured it with fifty-seven different types of knots.Hehe~
“One thing you learn from living with Snow White,” Duncan said, “is how to tie a whole bunch of bows.” (p. 235)
Gustav, Duncan, and Mr. Troll stood in a small circle.Go, B Team! :DDDDD
“Gentlemen,” Gustav said. “Everyone may think of us as the B Team, but we did nice work here today.” He and Mr. Troll exchanged high fives. Duncan attempted one as well but only succeeded in slapping Gustav across the face.
“I’m just going to pretend that didn’t happen,” Gustav said. “Go, B Team!” (p. 235)
“There’s one bit of the plan I’m a little unclear on,” Briar said. “Your friends in the circus crates— how exactly will they make it up five stories to the roof without being seen?”Liam, you're not going to get over it until you actually free those poor actors!!!!! And face what happened in the past! ;___;
Liam didn’t answer right away because he didn’t know. He closed his eyes, pictured the situation, and hoped a solution would come to him. All he got was: Hire an actor to pretend he’s a bad guy.
“Still?!” he griped aloud. (p. 239)
“I suppose I must,” she grumped. She let out an exaggerated sigh as she stood up and walked over to the others, making sure Liam knew she was still steamed at him.Awwww, Gustav~ ♥ I adore his friendship with Frederic a ton. Am also loving that Ella still feels indignant over what happened with Frederic. Because seriously, not cool, Liam!
“It doesn’t feel right doing this without Tassels,” Gustav said.
“Look, people,” Liam said, annoyed. “Frederic chose to leave. We can’t put the entire mission on hold. And if any of you are mad at me for moving on without him, get over it. There are more important things at stake here than any of our personal feelings.” (p. 241)
“What are you doing here?” Briar sneered.Sending Snow as a lookout? Not a very good idea. XD;
“Nothing sneaky,” Snow said.
“Where are Liam and the others?”
“Down in the gym, taking lessons in hand-in-hand combat. Or maybe it was hand-to-hand combat. I hope not, because hand-in-hand sounds much sweeter.” (p. 243)
Briar started to chuckle but soon realized he was serious. “Catapults?”*holds face with hands* This is going to go sooooo well. *imagines everyone going splaaat*
“Yes, that’s right,” Liam said haltingly. “We’re going to use your army’s catapults to launch Ella, Gustav, and Lila over the wall and onto Rauber’s roof.”
“Without dying?” Briar asked.
“Mm-hmm,” Liam said, nodding. “They’re going to use, um, glider wings. To land safely.” (p. 246)
“We’re not really going to this ball tonight, are we?” Lila asked.Oh hey, the letters do match. XD
“We can’t miss it!” Liam said. “The dance might be the next step in Briar’s plan: June Junior Debutantes’ Gala? JJDG.” The others nodded in understanding. (p. 248)
“I can’t believe we’re going to a ball,” Ella moaned as she was whisked away. “Where are you when I need you, Frederic?” (p. 249)Awww. First, Gustav misses the brawl at the Stumpy Boarhound, and now Frederic is missing the ball! They need to switch places. XD;;;
“You two,” Ella said to Duncan and Snow. “Go ahead and dance. Act as normal as possible but watch for my signal. If you see me raise my hand like this, that means I need you to cause a distraction.”Snow and Duncan.... XD;;;;
Crash! A plate of crab rolls hit the floor.
“No, I don’t need a distraction now,” Ella said. “I was just showing you what the signal would be.” (p. 252)
“Oh, you were invited, too?” Ella said with very little enthusiasm.I really loved how much Ella thought about Frederic here! <3333 (Though maybe she's just missing his expertise in dancing because this ball is his forte)
“Of course,” Taylor said. “So, hey, I just asked the orchestra leader to play a sweet tango. What say you and Little Taylor show these rich folks what we’ve got?”
Ella closed her eyes. Frederic, where are you? (p. 253)
Rapunzel was exhausted. But such is life when your tears have the mystical power to heal. The sun was going down, and Rapunzel was looking forward to a quiet evening at home with a book and a bowl of turnip soup. But alas, it was not to be. She knew she was in for some overtime as soon as she saw a headdress-wearing show horse trot out of the woods with a man draped across its back.Rapunzel makes her appearance!!! :DDDDD Pfffft, Frederic... were you sleeping on your horse? Who rides a horse, draped across its back... XD;;;
Holding up the hem of her plain white dress, Rapunzel ran to the horse to check on the sickly-looking man. As soon as she got close enough to see his dusty brown hair and pale cheeks, she recognized him.
“Frederic!” (p. 254)
“I got scared seeing you slumped over the way you were,” she said.XDD;;;
“Sorry,” he said, slightly embarrassed. “I was just, um, really tired. And I found a way to sleep on the horse.” (p. 255)
“It’s very nice to see you, too,” he replied. And Rapunzel threw her arms around him.I've felt like we've been getting hints about these two. :3;;; It would also be quite interesting.
The hug took Frederic by surprise. And at first he let his hands hover tentatively above her shoulders, afraid to fully embrace the embrace. Ella’s hugs always had a bit of roughness to them— they made him feel safe and protected, but tended to hurt just a bit. Rapunzel’s hug, on the contrary, was warm and soft. It made him feel safe in a completely different way. He let his hands come down to rest on her back. (p. 255)
“That’s an incredible story,” she said when Frederic was done. “And you are so courageous for attempting such a quest. But I’m still not sure how I could help. . . . Why are you smiling like that?”<33333
“I don’t hear people calling me courageous very often,” he said. “But anyway, I’m afraid someone could get hurt in the process of this mission. So I would feel much better knowing we had a healer standing by. Just in case.” (p. 257)
“You’ve got to loosen up, Cindy,” Taylor said. “Let Little Taylor show you how it’s done.”I don't think subtlety is in Gustav's dictionary. XD;;
“Do not call me Cindy,” Ella said. She dropped Taylor’s sweaty hand from hers and wiped her palm on the side of her gown. That’s when she noticed Gustav, standing by a window, waving his arms wildly to get her attention. She shook her head. Subtlety, Gustav, she thought. She gave him a quick wave back to let him know she’d seen him— and unwittingly signaled Duncan to overturn a punch bowl. (p. 261)
“I’m not even going to ask,” Ella said. She had to talk to Liam. She strode straight to the center of the dance floor and raised her hand high over her head. This time Duncan and Snow hip-checked an old, monocle-wearing baron into a table full of salted phoenix tongues. (p. 262)The monocle-wearing baron is at the ball too! XDDD;;;
“Jealous, Lady Twig-Arms?” Gustav shot back.These two make quite an odd pair. XD; They banter so well!
“Me? Jealous of a man shaped like an upside-down triangle?” Briar smirked. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Gustav said. “Flattering yourself is what you do best.” (p. 264)
“Found it!” Lila said, almost too loudly. “Look! JJDG!”Getting closer to the bottom of the mystery! :3
She’d just turned to a story titled “The Orange Jade,” beside which Briar had jotted the four mysterious letters. The tale revolved around Prince Dorun, Liam’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather (give or take a few “greats”). (p. 267)
“The Gray Phantom is here?!” Duncan screamed. Violins screeched and oboes fizzled as the orchestra’s music abruptly cut off— only to be replaced by shrieks of fear. “Wait,” Duncan continued. “Who’s the Gray Phantom?”The monocle-wearing baron. XDDDD
Before anyone could explain, the royal ballroom turned into total bedlam. The formerly dignified guests shoved past one another as they scrambled and clawed their way to the exits. A white-haired earl belly flopped into the onion dip, and a beauty-marked duchess skidded on her bottom through a puddle of cocktail sauce. Spit valves spilled and xylophone sticks flew through the air as band members fled. The monocle-wearing baron leaned over to his wife and said, “This is not as good as the wedding.” Then somebody pushed him into a bowl of pudding. (p. 271)
“Taylor,” Liam asked, “could anyone have stolen the Gray Phantom mask you made?”Ahahaha. Aww, are you trying to keep him safe, Ella? :3;; Or are you afraid Frederic wouldn't be able to handle it...
Taylor shook his head. “Impossible.” He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gray cloth mask, onto which only half of the Phantom’s elaborate demon pattern had been embroidered. “I haven’t even finished it yet.”
Liam looked at the others. “That means it was the real Gray Phantom. He must have followed us from Flargstagg.”
“Now I’m kind of glad Frederic isn’t here,” Ella said. (p. 273)
Rapunzel wiped her eye. “You did that on purpose,” she said.Yeah, they don't really know each other all that well yet. But truly, Frederic would never hurt himself on purpose. I can't imagine him doing it. X3;;
“What?” Frederic asked, incredulous. “Me? Break my leg on purpose? You obviously need to get to know me a little better. I avoid pain at all costs. When I’m sewing, I wear thimbles on all ten fingers.”
“So this wasn’t just a way of playing on my emotions? Making me feel guilty if I’m not there to save you when you get hurt again?”
“No, of course not.” Frederic looked hurt by the accusation. “I meant everything I said tonight. I would never be dishonest with you.” (p. 275)
“What about your patients?”kadjf;ad;ja Ahhhhh, a word on play by someone else. I bet Frederic just loves it. :)
“They can wait,” Rapunzel said. “They don’t call them patients for nothing.”
Frederic chuckled. “But seriously, they’ll need you, right?” (p. 280)
After an entire morning of wringing his cape in angst, Liam had worn the edge of the garment down to bare frayed threads. He opened his window to get some fresh air and spotted Gustav leaning out of his own window one room over.At first, I thought Gustav was just exaggerating... But on second thought, I don't doubt that Gustav would actually make a jump for it. XDD
“Ah, you’re going stir-crazy, too, huh?” Gustav said. “I can’t take it anymore. I’m gonna make a jump for it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Gustav,” Liam said. “First of all, the fall would kill you. And even if you managed to climb down safely— well, take a look. There are guards all over the place: dolphin hedge, harpy hedge, guard, crocodile hedge, troll hedge, guard, clam hedge, hedgehog hedge, guard. There’s no way to avoid being seen.” (p. 282)
“Hey, Troll, I’m coming down, too!” Gustav called. He leapt from his window. Mr. Troll caught his Prince Angry Man with a gleeful grin. (p. 284)kjdfl;asdjfkla HIS Prince Angry Man. XD;; Okay, this book doesn't give me Frederic and Gustav, but it does give me Mr. Troll and Gustav. XDDDD
“For someone the size of my living room, you’re very good at sneaking,” Duncan said as the trio crept through the garden, freezing behind Mr. Troll any time a guard passed by.Mr. Troll is adorable. XD
“Oops Man not so bad either,” Mr. Troll replied. (p. 285)
“No, I’m the seventeenth, and for your information—” Gustav was cut off as Duncan flew in through the window and bowled over a set of music stands. The much smaller prince staggered to his feet, holding his head. “Now I know why penguins prefer to walk.” (p. 288)Duncan!!! XD
Reynaldo didn’t need to be asked twice. He immediately jumped into song: “Listen dear hearts to a tale most upsetting, four bumbling Prince Charmings who destroyed a wedding—”Haha, the Princes Charming vs Prince Charmings thread is back too! XD
“Not that song!” Gustav growled.
“And it’s Princes Charming,” Duncan added pointedly. “How many times do I have to remind people of that? (p. 289)
“‘ The Tale of the Jeopardous Jade Djinn Gem’?” Reynaldo asked, his face turning bright red as blood rushed to his head.It does sound like all Js. XDDDDD Thank goodness Duncan was with Gustav, heh.
“The Jepperjajinjam?” Gustav asked quizzically.
“Jeopardous Jade Djinn Gem!” Duncan shouted triumphantly. “We’ve found it, Gustav! JJDG!”
“Hate to break it to you,” Gustav said. “But that would be all Js.”
“No, it’s JJDG,” Duncan insisted.
Gustav mulled it over. “All right, I’ve heard of Gs making a J sound, but not Ds.”
“The D in ‘djinn’ is silent,” Duncan explained.
“Stupid language,” Gustav grumbled. He dropped Reynaldo and ordered, “Sing us the Jeopardy Jewel song!” (p. 290)
“Subtly, Gustav,” Liam said. “I’ve been telling you for days— we needed to do this subtly.”Pffft! Aaaaand it's revealed that Gustav was thinking of the wrong word the entire time. XDDD;;;
“And I did!” Gustav retorted. “Subtly. Everything’s quiet, the bard suspects nothing, and then subtly— BOOM!— we attack.”
“Gustav?” Duncan said gently. “I think you were thinking of ‘suddenly.’” (p. 293)
“We need bards,” Redshirt suggested. “Rauber’s got so many of those songs about him. That’s why he’s so infamous. People hear those bard songs, and they either want to join Rauber or flee from him. I’ve been saying for years that Dar should have a bard.”Rundark doesn't agree that they need bards, ahahahah. So, Dar doesn't have a bard, huh? Maybe the princes should move there. =P
Rundark grabbed Redshirt by his red shirt and hurled him out through the fourth-story window. More eel food. (p. 300)
“It can wait, Spike,” Rauber returned. “Did you hear what I said? Cat jugglers!”I'm curious too. XD
“What does that even mean?” Jezek asked with disdain. “Is it men who juggle cats or cats that juggle other stuff?” (p. 302)
“And how do you think your mum would feel if she knew you were so callously denying a friend in need?” Frederic asked.kajdfa;sd REESE'S MOM IS GOING TO BE IN THIS BOOK TOO? XD;; She was only ever mentioned in the first book! Hahahaha. XD
“Hey, you’re just trying to guilt me,” Reese said.
“That’s right, Son, they are,” a thunderous voice boomed from the woods behind them. “Good for you, not falling for it.” (p. 306)
“I was quite a wild one in my youth,” Maude said. “Stomping down villages, wrestling dragons, biting the roofs off palaces. I had more knights and adventurers trying to slay me than I could shake a tree at. I hit the peak of my notoriety after that beanstalk incident.”So she's part of Jack and the Beanstalk. XD;;
“I didn’t know the giant from that story was a woman,” Rapunzel said in awe.
“Well, the bards don’t always nail the details, do they?” Maude replied. “But that’s all in the past, anyway. Once I became a parent, I wanted to settle down and set the right example for my boy.” (p. 308)
“Where do you think you’re going?” she snapped when she caught up to them on the road away from the palace. “Running off on your own? Doing the exact same thing you were so mad at Frederic for?”Liam, noooooo. But yeah. Those catapults... I can only imagine all of them going "splat."
Liam stopped. “This is different,” he said. “I’m doing this to prevent the rest of the team from dying.”
“Gee, thanks for your faith in me,” Ella said bitterly.
“Did you see those catapults lined up outside the palace?” he asked. “I’m not letting you or my sister— or even Gustav— get shot out of those things.” (p. 309)
“We’re a team,” Gustav said. “If you go, we all go.”I was going "awwww" over Gustav, and then Duncan and Snow spoke, hahahahahahahaha. This couple, ahhhhhhh.
“People,” Liam said, “this mission is no joke. For it to succeed, it will have to go off like clockwork.”
Snow raised her hand. “I don’t know how a clock works.”
“Neither do I,” Duncan added.
“It’s just an expression,” Liam sighed. “There’s no real clock.”
“Clocks are only make-believe?” Duncan gasped.
“But there’s a big one right there,” Snow said, pointing to the palace clock tower. (p. 311)
A trio of soldiers heaved a heavy boulder up into the basket of the cocked catapult. “Fire!” one shouted as he cut the rope and let the spring-loaded arm of the machine fly upward. Everyone watched, expecting the massive rock to arc toward the attacking giant— but it didn’t. The boulder flew straight up. Far up. Very, very far up. And then it plummeted back down to smash the catapult into splinters and embed itself deep in the earth. Everyone turned and looked at Gustav.PHEW, they're not going to use the catapults anymore. XD;;;
“Well, I would’ve been wearing the glider wings,” he said. He slipped his arms into the straps, and the wings tore in half. “Meh. I still would’ve been fine.” (p. 314)
“Don’t shoot!” Frederic cried. Maude crouched and lowered her hand to the ground to release her passengers. Frederic stepped off first, then took Rapunzel’s hand to help her down from the enormous pinkie. “Time for me to introduce you to everyone,” Frederic said as he saw all his friends running out to them.Frederiiiiiiic, you're back with the crew!!! And you thought up ways to fill in the holes in the plan. I love thinkers. 8D Also, Ella definitely seems happy you're back!
Ella was the first to reach them. She picked Frederic up, swung him around, and planted a big kiss on his lips. Frederic stepped back, somewhat stunned. It was the first time Ella had kissed him since the night they danced at the ball. (p. 315)
“And this,” Frederic continued, gesturing skyward, “is Maude. She’s going to get our team over the Wall of Secrecy.”Mauuuuude. XDDDD Those poor catapults!
At that moment, Liam didn’t care about who had kissed whom; he couldn’t help feeling proud of his friend. “Welcome back, Frederic.”
And then, just to make sure no one changed his or her mind, Maude smashed the remaining catapults. (p. 316)