Chapter 3

Chapter 3 "Can we leave Beeten Wheeten now?" Lucas asked as the three friends sat in the forest that evening. "This village hasn't been lucky for us. Dribble's pop-up grilled cheese shop was no success, and—" "That wasn't my fault," Dribble interrupted. "I know," Lucas agreed. "And it wasn't my fault I got dropped by a lousy juggler."

Princess Pulverizer understood what Lucas was saying. But she wasn't ready to give up on finding a good deed to do in Beeten Wheeten. Every town had its problems, and she was determined to find the trouble here. Still, it wasn't going to be easy getting her friends to stay. "I'm sorry, buddy," Dribble said. "I shouldn't have let you be bullied into going onstage." The dragon held a sandwich close to his mouth and let out a small flame. "Here," he told Lucas. "It's your favorite. Goat cheese and raspberry jam." "Thanks," Lucas said, taking a big bite. "Delicious, too!" he added. Just then, Princess Pulverizer heard people talking. "Hey, anybody smell grilled cheese?" "Yeah, I do. And it's making me hungry."

The voices were coming from someone at the edge of the woods, hidden from the princess and her pals by a grove of thick trees. But their words were clear as day. Dribble made a face. "As long as they don't know the grilled cheese sandwiches are made by a dragon, they want them just fine." That was it! Princess Pulverizer knew exactly how to get her friends to stay— at least for a day or two while she looked for a good deed to do. "Dribble, you've just given me a great idea!" she declared. "Three more cheddar and tomato on rye, Dribble," Princess Pulverizer said as she ran back into the forest the next afternoon. "Those are a huge hit." "You have to wait," Lucas told her. "He's busy making my jalape.o pepper cheese nachos."

"I can't believe how many customers we have," Princess Pulverizer said. "This was a great idea," Lucas complimented her. "One of my best," Princess Pulverizer agreed proudly. "Boastful much?" Dribble asked her. "Don't complain," said the princess. "You're selling a lot of grilled cheese. Who cares if the customers don't know it's a dragon that's making them?"

"I do," Dribble said. "You can't be a famous chef if no one knows you're a chef." "We will tell them—eventually," Princess Pulverizer assured him. "But for now, this is a good way to sell your sandwiches. It's the first step toward making you famous." "I guess you're right." Dribble still sounded disappointed. "Of course I'm right," Princess Pulverizer said. "You stay hidden behind the trees and cook. Lucas and I go into that field and serve. Everybody wins." Princess Pulverizer bit her lip. She'd said too much. She didn't want Lucas or Dribble to ask her how she would be winning. After all, she didn't want to tell them that she was selfishly searching for an evildoer among the customers. Because selfishness wasn't knightly. But hard work was. And waitressing was definitely hard. Her feet were killing her.

To make matters worse, Princess Pulverizer had been serving sandwiches for hours and so far no one had shown the slightest sign of cruelty. Or evil. Or danger. There wasn't even anyone being impolite. The princess had never heard so many people say please, thank you, or excuse me in her life. Dribble breathed a tiny flame onto the edges of a pile of cheese-covered corn chips. "These nachos are done," he told Lucas. "Take them to your customers." As Lucas carried out the dish of nachos, Dribble began grilling three sandwiches at the same time. "Impressive," Princess Pulverizer complimented him.