Ch2-Hail, Your Majesty!

CHAPTER TWO Hail, Your Majesty!

The tree house was dark with shadows. Yip! Jack clutched Oki. He and the puppy both shivered in the damp, chilly air. "Hey, our clothes didn't change," said Annie. She and Jack were still wearing their jeans, T-shirts and sneakers. "Right…," said Jack. "Maybe the person who invited us didn't know how to magically change our clothes," said Annie. "Who is that person?" said Jack. He looked out the window with Annie and Oki. "And where did we land, exactly?" The tree house was in a forest of ancient-looking oak trees with gnarled roots and sprawling branches. The shadowy woodland was eerily quiet. No birds sang. No squirrels scurried over the ground. "Are we sure this is Camelot?" asked Jack. "I wish we had a book to give us information." "Let's go down and get information firsthand," said Annie.

"Okay," said Jack. He picked up Oki and put him inside his backpack. Then he pulled on the pack and followed Annie down the rope ladder to the forest floor. "So…which way?" Jack asked, looking around at the thick, towering oaks. Here and there, a shaft of sunlight shot through the treetops. Oki sniffed the air and barked excitedly. "He wants to lead us somewhere," said Annie. "Okay, but let's put him on the leash this time," said Jack, Annie lifted the puppy and the leash out of his pack. But before she could fasten the leash to Oki's collar, the puppy jumped from her arms and dashed off. "Oki! Come back!" said Jack, "Stop!" cried Annie. "Oh, brother, not again!" said Jack, breaking into a run. "Oki!" "Oki, stop!" Annie yelled. Racing through the woods, Jack and Annie chased Oki around one huge tree and then another. They chased him through pools of light and shade, and over fallen leaves, twigs, and acorns, until the

puppy dashed from the dappled dark into a bright wheat field. "Gotcha!" Annie said, grabbing Oki. "You've got to stick with us, buddy," said Jack as Annie attached the leash to the puppy's collar. "Where are we now?" said Annie. Tall yellow stalks of wheat blocked the view of the land beyond the field. All Jack could see was a faraway mountain range. "I don't know. Let's keep going," said Jack. With Oki pulling on his leash, Jack and Annie began pushing their way through the wheat. Morning sunlight shimmered on the tasseled stalks as they swayed in the wind. "Oh, wow, look over there!" said Annie, pointing. Beyond the wheat, red flags waved from cone-shaped towers. Dragons decorated the flags. "King Arthur's castle!" "Yes!" said Jack. He and Annie and Oki pushed through the stalks until they came to an open field where cut grass was piled into haystacks. "Yay!" said Annie. "Let's go, Oki!" The puppy pulled on his leash, and they all started running

across the field toward the outer wall of the castle. When they drew close, a trumpet sounded. A guard appeared between two turrets. The guard aimed a crossbow at them. "Annie, stop!" Jack yelled. Oki barked wildly. Annie scooped him into her arms. "We come in peace!" she called to the guard. "We have an invitation!" Jack shouted. The guard scowled and kept his crossbow aimed directly at them. "Jack! Annie!" someone called. A golden-haired woman in a green cape was hurrying through the gate in the outer wall. As she ran toward Jack and Annie, the guard slowly lowered his weapon.

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