Over the next few days, the roads were filled with travelers from Norland. Barefoot, ragged, and sad, they trudged along the winding paths through the hills and along the broad road that ran along the river. Some of them were followed by sheared sheep or shaved dogs or cats that shivered in the chilly evening breezes. But they never stopped for long. "The Barbies are coming!" they murmured. "They will be here soon!" And they kept going, scattering in every direction. King Darrell did not stay long either. He could not bear facing the Barbies once again, and so he joined the dreary procession out of Aldervia. After three or four days, not one of the travelers remained and the town felt eerily quiet and empty.
In the Royal house, Rodney scarcely ever emerged from his office anymore. Even his food had to be passed to him through the door. So it was Samantha that oversaw the fortification of the city and the training of the soldiers. The gates were reinforced with large timbers, the catapults were moved into place along the city walls ... but Samantha had a sick feeling in her stomach that it was not going to be enough. King Darrell had said that the enemy numbered in the thousands, and Emerett was a small city with a small armament. "I wish there was time to send to the Doll Kingdom for reinforcements," she worried to her sister. "But I fear that by the time they arrive, it would all be over, and we can't spare soldiers to make the journey. We need everyone to fight the Barbies."
And sure enough, it was only about four days after King Darrell took his leave that Carrie woke in the night to hear a shrill yell. She could not make out the words, but the sound sent a shiver down her spine. She jumped out of bed and ran to the window. In the distance, she saw the light of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of torches, moving swiftly toward the city. In the darkness, she could not see the people holding them, but again came the shrill cry, and this time, it was answered by yells from the moving invisible mass carrying the torches. There was no doubt about it--the Barbies were here.
There was no more sleep for anyone in the Royal House that night. All night, the eerie cries rang out in the darkness. The townspeople gathered in little bunches on their roofs and at windows. The horses whinnied nervously, and dogs stayed close to their masters with their ears flattened back and their fur standing on end.
As the sun finally glared over the horizon at the nervous city of Emerett, Carrie climbed to the roof and found Samantha with a telescope, surveying the army that surrounded the city. Samantha's expression held a mixture of amusement and horror. "Here," she handed the telescope to Carrie, "just look at these silly creatures, sister."
Carrie looked. "Is that ... furniture?" she said puzzled.
It was furniture. Spread out in the valley around them were a hodge-podge of chairs with frilly cushions, pink beds, ornate wardrobes, and fancy vanity tables with heart-shaped mirrors. Wagons filled with clothes and shoes sat here and there amid the odd collection. And moving between the wagons and among the furnishings were the Barbies, arrayed in fantastically extravagant evening gowns and fierce pointed shoes. Behind them, the Kens were dutifully stacking suitcases and preparing breakfast on pink flowered stoves.
Then Samantha pointed toward the road leading from the Barbie encampment to the city gates. "What is that over there?"
Four people were making their way down the road toward the city. Carrie swung the telescope over to get a better look. One of the people in the group was definitely a Barbie--tall and dressed in a silver miniskirt and knee-high boots. Behind her lagged two Kens, dressed exactly alike and carrying several bundles. The Barbie had a knife in her hand, which she was using from time to time to prod a girl who was walking in front of her to walk faster. Carrie caught her breath. "Samantha, it's Princess Anna, King Darrell's daughter! One of the Barbies is using her for a hostage. They are on their way to the city. They must want to talk to us. We need to get Rodney right away!"
Samantha ran downstairs to Rodney's office and pounded on the door.
"Go away!" said a miserable voice on the other side of the door.
"Rodney, it's Samantha!" Samantha called. "Open the door immediately!"
There was a pause.
"Samantha, dear," said Rodney's voice. "I don't suppose you are bringing my breakfast?"
"There's no time for that, Rodney. The Barbies are sending someone to talk to you. You must come downstairs at once!"
"A piece of toast?" Rodney's inquired, still not opening the door. "With perhaps a smidgen of orange marmalade?"
"Rodney!" Samantha cried. "Open the door!"
There was the reluctant sound of a bolt sliding on the other side of the door and then the door slowly creaked open a few inches. Rodney's woe-begotten eyes peered through the crack. "I simply cannot do it, Sam, dear," he whimpered. "I was never cut out for this sort of thing. Be a good girl and make excuses for me, won't you? I think I may be coming down with something--allergies, perhaps. The rain last week was dreadful for my hayfever, and now all this excitement... "
Samantha was losing patience. She threw herself against the door, pushed it open, and seized Rodney by the sleeve and dragged him out of his office.
"I say, cousin," said Rodney. "Do be careful. This shirt is fine silk. There is no need to lodge such an assault on delicate material. I am coming, of course. My country needs me." He straightened his shoulders mournfully and inched toward the stairs. "I am King of Aldervia," he said. Then he stopped and glanced back at his office. Samantha made a threatening movement toward his sleeve. "King of Aldervia!" he repeated hastily. "And I am going downstairs."
Next chapter: Princess Anna and her Ken
In the Royal house, Rodney scarcely ever emerged from his office anymore. Even his food had to be passed to him through the door. So it was Samantha that oversaw the fortification of the city and the training of the soldiers. The gates were reinforced with large timbers, the catapults were moved into place along the city walls ... but Samantha had a sick feeling in her stomach that it was not going to be enough. King Darrell had said that the enemy numbered in the thousands, and Emerett was a small city with a small armament. "I wish there was time to send to the Doll Kingdom for reinforcements," she worried to her sister. "But I fear that by the time they arrive, it would all be over, and we can't spare soldiers to make the journey. We need everyone to fight the Barbies."
And sure enough, it was only about four days after King Darrell took his leave that Carrie woke in the night to hear a shrill yell. She could not make out the words, but the sound sent a shiver down her spine. She jumped out of bed and ran to the window. In the distance, she saw the light of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of torches, moving swiftly toward the city. In the darkness, she could not see the people holding them, but again came the shrill cry, and this time, it was answered by yells from the moving invisible mass carrying the torches. There was no doubt about it--the Barbies were here.
There was no more sleep for anyone in the Royal House that night. All night, the eerie cries rang out in the darkness. The townspeople gathered in little bunches on their roofs and at windows. The horses whinnied nervously, and dogs stayed close to their masters with their ears flattened back and their fur standing on end.
As the sun finally glared over the horizon at the nervous city of Emerett, Carrie climbed to the roof and found Samantha with a telescope, surveying the army that surrounded the city. Samantha's expression held a mixture of amusement and horror. "Here," she handed the telescope to Carrie, "just look at these silly creatures, sister."
Carrie looked. "Is that ... furniture?" she said puzzled.
It was furniture. Spread out in the valley around them were a hodge-podge of chairs with frilly cushions, pink beds, ornate wardrobes, and fancy vanity tables with heart-shaped mirrors. Wagons filled with clothes and shoes sat here and there amid the odd collection. And moving between the wagons and among the furnishings were the Barbies, arrayed in fantastically extravagant evening gowns and fierce pointed shoes. Behind them, the Kens were dutifully stacking suitcases and preparing breakfast on pink flowered stoves.
Then Samantha pointed toward the road leading from the Barbie encampment to the city gates. "What is that over there?"
Four people were making their way down the road toward the city. Carrie swung the telescope over to get a better look. One of the people in the group was definitely a Barbie--tall and dressed in a silver miniskirt and knee-high boots. Behind her lagged two Kens, dressed exactly alike and carrying several bundles. The Barbie had a knife in her hand, which she was using from time to time to prod a girl who was walking in front of her to walk faster. Carrie caught her breath. "Samantha, it's Princess Anna, King Darrell's daughter! One of the Barbies is using her for a hostage. They are on their way to the city. They must want to talk to us. We need to get Rodney right away!"
Samantha ran downstairs to Rodney's office and pounded on the door.
"Go away!" said a miserable voice on the other side of the door.
"Rodney, it's Samantha!" Samantha called. "Open the door immediately!"
There was a pause.
"Samantha, dear," said Rodney's voice. "I don't suppose you are bringing my breakfast?"
"There's no time for that, Rodney. The Barbies are sending someone to talk to you. You must come downstairs at once!"
"A piece of toast?" Rodney's inquired, still not opening the door. "With perhaps a smidgen of orange marmalade?"
"Rodney!" Samantha cried. "Open the door!"
There was the reluctant sound of a bolt sliding on the other side of the door and then the door slowly creaked open a few inches. Rodney's woe-begotten eyes peered through the crack. "I simply cannot do it, Sam, dear," he whimpered. "I was never cut out for this sort of thing. Be a good girl and make excuses for me, won't you? I think I may be coming down with something--allergies, perhaps. The rain last week was dreadful for my hayfever, and now all this excitement... "
Samantha was losing patience. She threw herself against the door, pushed it open, and seized Rodney by the sleeve and dragged him out of his office.
"I say, cousin," said Rodney. "Do be careful. This shirt is fine silk. There is no need to lodge such an assault on delicate material. I am coming, of course. My country needs me." He straightened his shoulders mournfully and inched toward the stairs. "I am King of Aldervia," he said. Then he stopped and glanced back at his office. Samantha made a threatening movement toward his sleeve. "King of Aldervia!" he repeated hastily. "And I am going downstairs."
Next chapter: Princess Anna and her Ken
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