Free The Rainbow Opal by Paula Harrison Page B

shown to the whole kingdom and hung in the Royal Picture Gallery.”
    Summer sighed. “Yes, I know! But—”
    “So you have to look absolutely perfect,” her mum broke in. “I’ve prepared some things that will help.” She bustled over to a wooden chest and pulled the lid open.
    Summer’s mouth dropped open as her mum took out a red robe with a white furry lining and a chunky gold crown. “Do you really want me to wear those?”
    The queen smiled. “You’ll look wonderful! But first of all you need to pop upstairs and put this on.” She took down a dress that had been hanging on the back of the door. It had orange and lime-green stripes all over it, even across the sleeves. Worst of all, it had lacy frills around the huge skirt.
    Summer stared at it in horror. She couldn’t imagine wearing anything yuckier. “But I won’t be able to walk in that! And I won’t look like
me
any more!”
    “Don’t be silly!” said her mum, handing her the dress. “Of course you’ll still look like you. Go and put it on, please.”
    Summer took the dress and trailed out of the room. She passed her dad in thehallway and the king’s eyebrows rose when he saw the frilly dress.
    “Are you getting ready for the photo?” he asked.
    Summer nodded. “Mum wants the picture taken right now.”
    “I see.” The king frowned a little. “I think I’ll go and see what your mum has in mind.”
    Summer dragged herself up the stairs to her bedroom. She changed into the awful dress and looked at herself in the mirror. The thought of the whole kingdom seeing her like this made her stomach turn over. The top of the dress was too tight and the skirt tangled around her ankles. The frills were horribly itchy, scratching her legs in a really annoying way.
    She had much nicer dresses, which were short and easy to run and climb in. Why couldn’t she wear one of those?
    To cheer herself up, she got out the small green jewellery box which had her favourite opal necklace inside. At least she would put on one thing that she liked!
    But before she could get out the necklace, there was a knock at the door. Summer swallowed. That would be her mum wanting her to hurry up.
    The door opened and Lottie bounded in. “We’ve come to find you! Your mum said you were changing into something special for the … oh!” She stopped short as she noticed Summer’s dress and then snorted with laughter.
    “I know! It’s horrible, isn’t it?” said Summer. “I look like a frilly fruit salad.”
    “It
does
look a bit like a fruit,” Lottie said, chuckling. “I think it’s all the green and orange.”
    Rosalind and Maya followed Lottie inside and they all stared at Summer’s dress.

    “That is
really
disgusting!” said Rosalind.
    “Did you tell your mum that you don’t like it?” asked Maya.
    “I tried to,” said Summer gloomily.
    Just then, the Queen of Mirrania came in. “Oh, you look lovely, Summer! That dress really suits you!” She paused. “But I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. Mr Fleck’s discovered that his camera broke on the journey and he needs to get it mended. So he can’t take your photo till tomorrow. What a shame!”
    Summer smiled. “Oh, that’s OK! I don’t mind!” She quickly pulled off the frilly dress, tossed it on to the bed and put her other clothes back on again.
    The queen frowned. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you pleased with the dressI gave you?”
    “Well, um …” Summer hesitated. “It’s just that I’d like to wear something more like this.” She pointed at the simple red outfit she was wearing.
    “Oh no,
that
would never do! You don’t look royal enough. This photo is much too important for ordinary clothes.” Her mum picked up the orange-and-green dress and hung it carefully inside Summer’s wardrobe, smiling as she smoothed the frills. “I’ll put this in here ready for tomorrow.”
    When her mum left, Summer sat down on her bed and sighed.
    “We’ll help you wear what you want in the