Rescue Princesses #5: The Snow Jewel (5 page)

Minky meowed at them unhappily and tried to edge along the branch.

“Stay still, Minky!” said Freya urgently.

But Minky didn’t understand. She scratched at the branch with her claws. Every movement made the tree sway and the split grow a little wider. Below, the river ice waited.

“Stay really still, Minky, or you’ll make it worse,” called Freya. “Oh, I wish we could do something about this awful ice.”
She leaned forward and the blue ribbon around her neck fell free of her coat and dangled down.

Jaminta stared at the beautiful snow-quartz jewel that hung on the end of the ribbon. “What was it you said before about your jewel, Freya?”

Freya glanced down. “Oh, you mean the snow quartz that my mom left for me?”

“Yes, you said there was a note from your mom about it,” said Jaminta.

“There’s no time for all that jewel stuff,” interrupted Lulu. “We need a way to get the kitten down!”

“But it might be important,” said Jaminta, with a frown. “We’ve used jewels to help us with rescues before.”

“Please don’t start arguing,” pleaded Clarabel. “Let’s just think about Minky.”

Freya put one hand on the tree trunk. “I think I should try to climb up,” she
said, with a tremble in her voice. “I’m smaller than you, Lulu, so maybe I won’t shake the tree so much.”

Lulu nodded. “You are a bit smaller than me, and Minky won’t be so frightened if it’s you.”

“Be careful!” said Clarabel. “The whole tree will be slippery because of all the snow.”

Freya smiled weakly and lifted her foot up onto the lowest branch. The tree wobbled a little, but she found the next foothold and continued. Minky peered down, her whiskers quivering.

Freya reached for the next branch and the next. Her arms began to ache. This was even harder than she’d expected it to be.

She paused for a second, resting her cheek against the rough tree trunk.

Snap!
The sound made her gasp. She tilted backward to look at Minky’s branch. It was still there! She sighed with relief and looked down at the other princesses.

“You’re doing great! Keep going!” called Clarabel.

But Freya didn’t hear Clarabel’s words. Her heart was thumping as she looked at the ground. It was so far away! How would she ever get down again?

She shut her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She shouldn’t look down anymore. It was just making her nervous.

She opened her eyes and stretched out for the next branch, but as she tried to pull herself up she felt something tugging on her neck. The blue ribbon that held her snow jewel was caught on a twig. As she moved, the ribbon broke and the snow quartz fell.

“Oh, no! My necklace fell off!” she called down to the others, remembering not to look at the ground.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find it!” called Emily.

Freya wasn’t sure how they were going to spot a white jewel in the middle of all that snow. But she had to concentrate on reaching Minky. She was just about to continue climbing when Lulu shouted.

At the same moment, the branch Freya was standing on snapped. She slipped and tumbled down, just managing to catch ahold of a lower branch to save herself. The tree shook and Minky meowed pitifully.

“Freya! Are you OK?” Clarabel helped her climb off the bottom branch and onto the ground again.

Freya stood in the snow, her legs trembling. “I guess that branch wasn’t
very strong!” she said shakily. “Thanks for helping me, Clarabel.”

She looked over at the others. Why were they staring at a patch of snow?

“Freya, come and look at this!” Lulu motioned her over. “See what your jewel is doing.”

Freya moved closer. There was a gap in the snow and her jewel lay right in the middle. As she watched, the snow around the quartz melted, making the hole wider and deeper. Grass showed through at the bottom.

“What’s happening?” Freya picked up the snow quartz. It felt warm in her hand.

“Freya, do you have the letter your mother left you?” asked Jaminta urgently.

Freya held up the snow jewel, which caught the sunlight and gleamed. “Yes. I always keep it in my pocket.”

“Can I see it?” asked Jaminta.

Freya nodded and fumbled in her pants pocket. She brought out a piece of paper, crinkled with age, and unfolded it.

“‘It will protect you from ice and snow,’” murmured Clarabel. “What does that mean?”

“I’ve never really been sure,” said Freya.

“It melted
this
snow,” said Emily excitedly. “So maybe it can melt
all
ice and snow!”

Jaminta nodded. “I think this jewel is extremely magical.”

“But how will that help us save Minky?” wondered Clarabel.

Freya frowned, then her face brightened. “What about that boat? If the jewel melts the ice then we can take it out on the river. That way we can get closer to Minky!” She pointed at the little rowboat that lay a few yards away on the riverbank.

“Great idea!” said Lulu. “Try touching the river ice with the snow jewel. Let’s see if it works.”

The branch creaked, and Minky gave a long and mournful yowl.

“We’d better hurry!” said Clarabel. “I don’t think Minky’s branch will hold much longer.”

Freya crouched down on the edge of the bank and held the snow jewel above
the river. Gently, she lowered the rough-shaped quartz until it brushed against the ice. The jewel filled with a fierce brightness, whiter than any snow.

The princesses held their breath.

Little by little, the ice turned to water. A small blue puddle formed all around the place where the snow jewel touched the river. It grew bigger and bigger as the ice melted into nothing.

“That’s amazing!” said Emily.

“I didn’t know my jewel could do that,” whispered Freya. “It really
is
magic.”

Freya held the sparkling jewel steady against the frozen river. The ice retreated even farther, turning the river a watery blue.

“Let’s get the boat ready!” said Emily.

Emily, Clarabel, Lulu, and Jaminta ran over to the rowboat and lifted it up. They carried it back across the snow, staggering under its bulky weight.

The wind blew against the bare branches of Minky’s tree, and the kitten meowed louder and louder.

Freya jumped up and tucked the snow quartz into her pocket. How much longer would that tree branch hold?

“Let’s get this boat into the water!” Lulu shouted. “Ready, set, go!”

The boat landed in the river with a splash, and Lulu launched herself in after it. Clarabel held on to the side of the boat to let Freya, Emily, and Jaminta climb in. Then she pushed the boat away from the bank as hard as she could.

“Thanks, Clarabel!” called Freya.

Lulu and Jaminta grabbed an oar each from the bottom of the boat and paddled hard. They rowed toward the place where Minky’s branch hung over the freezing cold water.

The kitten peered down at them. Her branch wobbled and she scrabbled to hold on with her tiny claws.

“We need to get closer!” said Emily.

Lulu and Jaminta rowed faster and faster.

“Hold on, Minky,” said Freya. “We’re almost there.”

But Minky had no more strength left in her paws. She slipped and fell. Freya held out her hands and Minky landed softly in her arms just as the rowboat glided underneath the tree.

Freya hugged her tight. “Minky! I’ve got you at last! You feel so cold!”

The kitten’s black-and-white fur was freezing cold from crouching on the snowy branch, and ice crystals hung on the end of her whiskers.

Jaminta and Lulu rowed back toward the riverbank. The ice had melted all the way across, and a whole stretch of river water sparkled in the winter sun.

The boat reached the shore, and Freya handed Minky to Clarabel, who took off
her coat and wrapped the tiny kitten up in it.

“Is she all right?” asked Emily.

Freya bit her lip. “She could get very sick if we don’t warm her up fast enough.” She stroked Minky’s fur, feeling the icy patches on her head and tummy. She rubbed them gently with Clarabel’s coat, but more ice kept forming. The kitten suddenly seemed very small and thin.

“Try the snow jewel again!” said Jaminta eagerly. “It’s supposed to protect against ice and snow. Maybe it will work on Minky.”

So Clarabel held Minky still while Freya touched her fur with the snow quartz. The patches of ice melted away, leaving the kitten’s fur soft and dry beneath.

“Oh, that’s better!” said Freya. “Feel her fur now; she’s as warm as a blanket!”

The princesses crowded around Minky, scratching her ears and her fluffy belly.

“You’re right, she feels beautifully warm and soft now!” cried Lulu.

“Minky, you scared us all!” said Emily, stroking the kitten’s little pink nose.

Minky pricked up her ears and her blue eyes shone.

“Let’s take her back to the castle and sit by the fire,” said Clarabel. “Then we can make sure that she’s completely warmed up.”

The princesses began the long walk past the ice rink and up the hill. They were very tired now and were glad when they reached the castle door. Checking that no one was watching, they hurried upstairs with Minky.

Lulu went in search of Greta, who agreed to light a fire in Freya’s bedroom fireplace.

“I bet you’ve been running around in the cold and doing all kinds of foolish things,” Greta scolded as she got the flames going.

“Minky got stuck in a tree,” said Freya meekly. “We had to help her.”

“Well, you’ve probably caught a cold now,” said Greta, shaking her head. “You’d better have something hot to drink.” Greta hurried away to the kitchen to retrieve some hot chocolate.

Minky yawned widely, showing her tiny white teeth and pink tongue. Then she curled up in Freya’s arms and went to sleep. Her white tummy rose and fell peacefully.

“What a happy end to the day.” Lulu yawned. “I wish it was nighttime. I don’t think I can stay awake through another banquet.”

“I don’t think I can, either!” Jaminta turned to Freya. “What a surprise that your snow quartz turned out to be such a magical jewel!”

Freya smiled and threaded the white stone back onto its blue ribbon. “It’s even more special to me now. My mom must have known I would need its help one day, and she was right!”

Just then, Greta came back with five mugs of hot chocolate, five plates, and a large round cherry cake.

“What a lovely cake!” said Emily. “You’re very nice to us, Greta!”

“Humph! Just don’t tell the cook I gave it to you,” said Greta. “And no more chasing after animals in the snow! Although you
are
sweet girls to worry so much about a little creature.” Greta tickled Minky under the chin.

Freya twisted a blond braid around one finger. “Greta? Have you seen my dad since this morning?”

“Yes, I saw him just now,” replied Greta. “He sent for you, as a matter of fact. You’re to go and see him in the library right now.”

“Do you think he’ll be mad at you, Freya?” asked Clarabel, wide-eyed.

Freya made a face. “Probably! But I have to try and make him understand. The kittens are so important to me. I had to make sure they were safe.” She kissed Minky’s soft black-and-white fur.