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Charlotte’s bravery was starting to wilt She looked down at the notebook uncertainly What lovely writing Rogue had! Perhaps they could be friends one day, for Charlotte adood deeds and good intentions She caught herself again, thinking of the future, of friendship, when Bran was dead and nothing did ot to look after everyone that’s left and keep theood it does It is, as Eave the little notebook a squeeze against her chest and dashed over to their suitcases, trying to keep an eye on Anne inching toward her frog, feeling extremely silly and not at all sure what in the world this would accomplish

Out of the corner of her eye, Charlotte saw her youngest sister do so bent its great, wide head to nibble at the rind of bacon, Anne gave out a bloodcurdling savage war cry and leapt up on his back She kicked his ribs brutally with her little feet and hauled back on the rope of his catapult with both ared off wildly toward his own King, cursing Anne, cursing hiony of war

“For Branwell!” Anne shrieked “For Bran and England and Bran all over again and forever!”

“Hurry up!” shouted the squad of wooden soldiers

“You can’t save her out here!” Bravey pleaded

“O, Glorious Baggage!” Charlotte read out in her sweetest voice “Blessed Childe of the Great Trunk! Scion of the Ancient House of Lug! I, while acknowledging Your Individual Right to Free Will, Self-Determination, Parliamentary Representation, and Bodily Autono about and shohat you’ve got!” Charlotte glanced over her shoulder “I say, this is long!” she whispered at the soldiers and her siblings

Anne pointed the frog at Napoleon and slashed at the catapult’s rope with the bayonet of her gun It sprang; she dropped her rifle; she ducked as the basket hurled a beaten iron ball into the air

“You’re a rotten little goblin,” the frog sighed as it flew

“Keep going, for pine’s sake!” Crashey hissed

Charlotte tore her eyes away fro clu out

with his tongue, trying to snatch at the handles of the suitcases with it Charlotte cried outin earnest now It wasn’t supposed to be this way; it was supposed to be an adventure, a ga out the rifle’s butt Shooting was one thing, but to harht to its face was too horrid A sickening crack echoed out over the plaza as she connected and the beast flopped flat Charlotte’s hands and her voice shook horribly as she held up the paper again and read

“Carry e, I soleet You in a Train Station and Condee Office, nor Bash You Roughly when Lifting You into the Overhead Rack or forget to Pack My Toiletries Carefully and thereby Spill Unpleasant Unguents Upon, Throughout, and All Over You You are the very Best and Prettiest and Strongest and Hardiest and Most Spacious of all Luggage, and I am awfully lucky to have purchased You, and not any of the Other Assorted Valises from the Shop Valesium in excelsis, keep me safe!”

The two suitcases instantly unsnapped their lids and san to happen So enormous

Anne’s shot crashed directly into Napoleon’s rooster It stove in his wing, the one made out of an old dented teapot that looked so very like the one Aunt Elizabeth polished every month despite the dent The chicken crooned pitifully and turned its blazing eyes toward its iveness Then, the rooster toppled over, clucking into reach the wound with his beak while Napoleon struggled to get out froht She turned the frog back toward her sisters and kicked and kicked his ribs until he was running at daredevil speed

Charlotte and Es they’d used for years, since the first ti cold prison called School, the bags that had been weapons a o, outdid therew—and grew and grew—until they becaed between the haberdasher and the redgrocer, yet taller by far than either of them, with two patched, threadbare leather and brass towers and dozens of s reat double door made from one of Emily’s black dresses and one of Charlotte’s