As hard as this may be to believe, some people may not like you. These people are called villains. Everyone else will like you.
—THE HERO’S GUIDE TO BEING A HERO
“Okay, people, let’s try it again from the top,” Prince Duncan called out.
He and Snow White had returned to their woodland estate in the forests of Sylvaria shortly after the League of Princes disbanded. And ever since, he’d been working day and night on his guidebook for would-be adventurers. After his exploits with the League, he figured he was the perfect person to write such a manual. Unfortunately, Duncan had a very difficult time remembering why he’d done any of the things he did. To help himself figure out the motives behind his own actions, he started having the local dwarfs act out his past so he could relive it all from a spectator’s point of view. The dwarfs were not happy about this.
“From the top,” Duncan repeated. Clad in his puffy red-and-yellow pantaloons, green felt jacket, and fluffy white neck ruff, he sat on a small chair in his backyard, ready to witness a reenactment of his and Liam’s attempted escape from a heavily guarded bandit camp. He had a quill pen in hand, prepared to take notes. “That means you should start again,” he added.
With heavy sighs, two tired-looking dwarfs plodded out from behind some shrubbery.
“You’re supposed to be running,” Duncan said.
“Imagine it faster,” grumbled Frank, the first dwarf. Sylvarian dwarfs are notoriously cranky by nature, but these particular dwarfs had been dealing with Duncan all day and were in worse moods than usual.
“Can you at least pretend to run? It would help me visualize the scene better,” the prince said. “After all, what you do here today, you do in the name of all hero-dom.”
Flik, the second dwarf, simply pulled down the earflaps of his cap and pretended not to hear.
“All right, then. Carry on,” Duncan said. “Um, enter the Big Bandit!”
A third dwarf, Frak, appeared, dragging slowly behind the first two. He shook his fist halfheartedly at Flik and Frank.
“Don’t forget your line,” Duncan whispered.
“I’ll get you, princes,” Frak said in a flat monotone. Then he paused to pull a beetle out of his beard.
“Oh, no,” Flik recited without emotion. “We’re surrounded.”
Two more dwarfs, Frid and Ferd—playing the entire bandit army—entered on the opposite side, stepping out from behind a birchwood gazebo. Duncan bit his lip in excitement.
“Don’t worry . . . Liam,” Frank said to Flik. “I . . . Prince Duncan . . . have an idea. Throw me at him.”
Flik gave Frank a one-handed shove. Frank shuffled over to Frak, waving his arms limply and mumbling, “Oh, I’m flying through the air.” He stopped and faced Duncan. “Okay, you get all that?” he asked. “We done?”
Duncan leaned back in his seat and scratched his chin. “I still don’t know why I did that,” he said. “Hmmm. ‘Throw me at him.’ Why in the world did that seem like a good idea at the time? We’ll have to try it again. Maybe in reverse this time.”
“Nope. I’m outta here,” Frank said. He and the other dwarfs began to walk away.
“Okay, good idea, Frank,” Duncan said. “We could all use a break. Nice energy, by the way, Frak. And Flik, good line reading, but next time maybe you could sound a little more heroey. Let’s all meet back here in, say, ten minutes? Johnny Peppercorn!” That last bit was Duncan getting distracted by a chipmunk he suddenly decided should be named Johnny Peppercorn. Spontaneously naming random animals was only one of the many odd traits and hobbies that had made Duncan an outcast for most of his life. In fact, until the previous year, there had really been no one other than Snow White whom Duncan could call a friend. But joining the League of Princes changed that. Frederic, Liam, and even Gustav (to an extent) seemed to genuinely care for Duncan. He’d gone from one friend to several in a very short period of time. It was an undeniably positive step for his social life, but it also gave him a false sense of popularity. He believed he was a superstar. And since he never traveled very far outside his own yard, he never ran into any of the Sylvarian citizens who told jokes about him and referred to him as “Prince Dumb-can.”
“I don’t care if it’s going to get Snow White upset—we’ve got to put an end to this,” Flik grumbled to Frank as they walked around a hedge for some privacy. “I’m beginning to lose whatever trace of self-respect I have left.”
“It’s not just these pointless reenactments either,” Frank said. “Everything he does gets on my nerves. I still don’t know why we answer to these stupid names he invented for us.”
“So annoying,” Flik agreed. “Though I suppose it’s an improvement over the old days when Snow White didn’t use names for us at all. She just referred to us by personality traits.”
“Hey, at least Duncan gave you a different name. They both called me Frank!”
“You’ve all got it better than me,” yelled Fork, another dwarf who’d been hiding from Duncan in a nearby wheelbarrow.
“We need to choose our battles wisely,” Flik said. “We can tolerate the name stuff. But this reenactment business needs to stop. Let’s go talk to Snow.”
The dwarfs found Snow White at a picnic table on the other side of the garden, weaving a vest out of sunflower petals. A petite woman, she was practically swimming in a voluminous pink dress adorned with dozens of violet ribbons.
“Good day, boys,” she said cheerily. She was one of the only people alive who seemed to be able to make her eyes twinkle at will. “Having fun?”
“No, we’re not,” Frank said. “We need you to talk to Duncan for us. Tell him to stop making us perform these ridiculous scenes for him.”
Snow shook her head (and then readjusted the wreath of daisies that sat atop her black hair). “As long as Duncan is working on his book, he’s not tempted to wander off—and that’s a good thing,” Snow said. “My husband hasn’t gotten lost in ten whole months—a new record, by the way—and if you fellows stop acting out his memories for him, he’s likely to traipse off into the woods and try to make some bears do it.”
“But he’s been so insufferable ever since he started thinking he’s a hero,” Frank said. “You can’t tell me it doesn’t annoy you, too.”
“Oh, pishposh,” Snow said. “Duncan’s just got more self-confidence now, and I like that.”
“It’s Duncan’s fault we lost our dragon!” Flik griped.
Just then a call rang out from the front garden gates. “Make way for the royal family of Sylvaria!”
Snow burst from her seat and darted over to where Duncan still sat pondering his past. “Dunky, your family is here,” she said.
Duncan stood up and grimaced. “Oh, no. Not them. Not here. They’ll embarrass me in front of the dwarfs,” he whimpered.
Snow put her hands on Duncan’s shoulders and looked him in the eye. “They’re your parents and your sisters,” she said. “Be nice.”
Duncan slumped. “But I’m popular now,” he said. “And they’re so . . . not.”
You see, Queen Apricotta (named after her mother’s favorite fruit) and King King (whose parents liked to keep things simple) were shunned by the very people whom they supposedly ruled. And Duncan’s teenage sisters—twins Mavis and Marvella—were no better off. Those two girls turned weirdness into an art form (dancing to imaginary music, walking pet crickets on leashes, constantly sniffing each other’s hair). Of course, Duncan was just as unpopular as the rest of his family, but he didn’t realize that, which is why, for the past several months, he’d turned down every one of their invitations to come visit the castle. But he couldn’t avoid his family forever.
“First of all, who cares what the dwarfs think?” Snow said. “And secondly, you don’t know for sure that your family is going to do anything embarrassing.”
“Oh, Duncan!” King King called out. “Where are you? I want you to taste this pea I found under my bed.”
The king—who had announced the family’s arrival himself because no servants were willing to travel with them—strode into the yard wearing his favorite pillow-top crown and long, zebra-striped robe. A blue jay zoomed by and snatched a tiny green pea from between the king’s thumb and forefinger. “Oh, well,” King King said.
He opened his arms and beckoned for a hug. Snow nudged Duncan toward him.
“Hello, Dad,” Duncan said as his father wrapped him in a tight embrace.
“Son,” King King said happily. “You’ve grown. Or perhaps I’ve shrunk.”
Queen Apricotta stepped in alongside her husband. She wore her red hair in long pigtails that flopped against her silver gown as she walked. “Hello, hello! It’s nice to see you, Snow,” she said. “Ooh, that rhymed! That was fun. I should say hello to you more often.”
“Good afternoon, Your Highnesses,” Snow said with a curtsy. “And you, too, Mavis. Marvella.”
The stoop-shouldered, inky-haired twins stood behind their mother, both wearing feathered shirts and homemade wings strapped to their backs. Their noses were painted yellow. “We’re owls,” the girls said in unison.
“Fantastic,” Snow said, because that was the best thing she could think to say at the moment. “Would anyone like some tea?”
“Tea!” the king shouted as he finally released Duncan from the hug.
“Tea!” the queen echoed.
“S!” yelled Mavis.
“Q!” yelled Marvella.
“Okay,” said Snow.
“P, X!” added Marvella, who assumed that the game had now changed to calling out two letters at a time.
“D, A!” said Mavis.
“B, K!” said the king.
Duncan leaned over to Snow and whispered, “This could go on for a while.”
“Ooh, the dwarfs are here,” Queen Apricotta noted with delight. “They’re fun.”
“Dwarves,” Frank corrected.
King King crouched down in front of Frak. “Show me how you fellows do birdcalls. You do such wonderful birdcalls.”
“He’s squatting,” Frak complained to no one in particular.
“I can do a crow song. Want to hear?” the king said. He stood up and puffed out his chest. “Ka-caw! Ka-caw!”
“I learned a song about dwarfs,” the queen announced.
“Dwarves,” said Frank.
“I think it goes like this,” Apricotta continued. “Dwarfs, dwarfs, dwarfs, dwarfs! Dwarfs, dwarfs, dwarfs, dwarfs!”
The twins started pulling feathers from each other’s costumes and blowing them at Frid and Ferd.
Duncan whispered to Snow again, “I can’t tell if this is going well or not.”
Flik walked over to Frank and pointed to the garden gate. There was another person standing out there.
“I’ll handle it,” Frank said, and eagerly darted away from the chaos.
Smimf, the messenger, was waiting at the entrance to the yard. Frank eyed him suspiciously.
“Excuse me, sir,” Smimf said. “I’m looking for Prince Duncan.”
“He’s busy,” Frank said. “What do you want?”
“I have a message here for Prince Duncan.” He held up the note.
“Give it here,” Frank said.
“I have strict orders that the message is only to be delivered to Prince Duncan.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s me,” Frank said. “I’m Prince Duncan.”
“Then here you are, sir, Your Highness, sir.” Smimf handed over the note.
Frank’s eyes lit up as he read Frederic’s letter. “Hey, kid, wait here,” he said, and he started back into the yard.
“Yes, sir, Your Highness, sir,” the messenger said. “And my name is Smimf.”
Frank stopped. “Duncan gave you that name, didn’t he?”
“I thought you were Duncan, sir, Your Highness, sir,” Smimf said with a tinge of horror.
“Nah, but I’m gonna go get him.” Frank dashed off.
Smimf swallowed hard. My second job ever, and I’ve already muffed it up, he thought.
Frank returned several minutes later with Duncan and Flik.
“What’s this all about, Frank?” Duncan asked as the dwarfs pulled him to the gate.
“Read this,” Frank said. He shoved the note into Duncan’s hands.
“Sorry, sir, Your Highness, sir,” Smimf said. “I thought the other gentleman was you.”
“Really?” Duncan asked, looking up. “But I’m famous.”
“Just read,” Frank urged.
Duncan finished reading the letter. “Does this mean what I think it means?” he asked.
“Knowing you, probably not,” Frank said. “It means one of your Prince Charming buddies got kidnapped. And you need to go help rescue him.”
“That’s sort of almost what I thought it meant,” Duncan said, feeling rather happy with himself.
“So, go,” Frank said. He handed Duncan a small sack. “I’m sure this bag has whatever you’ll need.”
“Well, I’m not certain how to get to Avondell,” Duncan said. “Although I’m sure I can figure it out.”
“Oh, no,” said Flik. “We don’t want you getting lost and circling back here.”
“That’s why you’re gonna go with this kid here.” Frank pointed to Smimf.
“Oh, um, yes, sir, Your Highness, sir,” the messenger said. “The name’s Smimf. I can lead you there. But I’m pretty fast. I hope you can keep up.”
Flik dashed off to the stable and came back leading a dappled brown-and-white horse.
“Ah, Papa Scoots Jr.!” Duncan said. “He’s a speedy steed. I’m sure he can keep up with your horse, Mr. Smimf.”
“It’s just Smimf, sir, Your Highness, sir. And I don’t use a horse.”
“No horse?” Duncan questioned as Flik and Frank hoisted him up onto Papa Scoots Jr. “Walking will take forever, though.”
“Not for me, sir, Your Highness, sir,” Smimf said. “I’ve got these special boots. Seven-league boots, they’re called.”
“Seven leagues! We princes only have one,” Duncan said. “Do the members of all seven leagues get to wear such snazzy boots?”
“A league is a measure of distance, sir, Your Highness, sir. Three miles. The boots let me take very long steps. But I can go slower so you can follow me.”
“That is so neat,” Duncan said. “And please, tell me about the rest of your ensemble. I’d never considered wearing short-pants with a scarf and hat, but I admit it’s quite fetching.”
“Oh, well, the boots make me run really fast,” Smimf answered, “which makes my legs get hot, so I wear the shorts. But when I move with that kind of speed, the wind makes my upper half rather cold. So I wear the woolens. It all works out quite well when I’m running. Though it can get uncomfortable when I’m standing still. Like now.” He pulled off his hat and rung out a bit of his dripping, sweaty hair.
“You two can chat about fashion on the way,” Frank said impatiently. “You’re wasting time. Leave now.”
“Yeah, before Snow White sees,” added Flik.
Duncan winced. “Ooh, Snow. I’d better talk to her about this before I go.”
“There’s no time; your friend is in danger,” Frank said. “We’ll talk to Snow for you. Don’t worry.”
“You sure?” Duncan asked. “But what if—”
“This is hero business, remember?” Frank said. “The world needs you. Or something like that. She’ll understand. Now go.”
“Well, you are right about my hero responsibilities,” Duncan said. “But—”
“Go!” Frank barked.
“All right,” Duncan said. “Lead the way, Mr. Smimf.”
Smimf took one step and seemed to vanish into thin air.
“Huh? I didn’t even see which direction he went,” Duncan said, stunned.
Smimf reappeared. “Sorry, sir, Your Highness, sir. I’ve got to remember to keep it slower. Let’s try again.” He ran off at a startling speed, but Duncan was at least able to see him this time.
“Onward, Papa Scoots Jr.!” Duncan shouted, and rode off after the messenger.
Frank rubbed his hands together. He’d gotten rid of Duncan. And the royal family had Snow in such a tizzy that it would probably be hours before she realized her husband was missing. Frank and Flik did something very rare for Sylvarian dwarfs: They smiled.