Applesap

**Applesap** is a goldsmith and resident of the Red Mountains. He is Marigold's husband.

## Biography

### The Ruby Princess Runs Away

Applesap is the goldsmith honored with the task of forging the ruby princess's crown for her coronation. He and his wife Marigold travel from their home in the Red Mountains to the Jewel Palace for the coronation, but they are attacked by Darklings -the evil followers of Lord Bleak- along the way. The crown is stolen and Applesap's leg is injured in the struggle. His wife helps him hobble towards the palace for help, but they soon come across a dragon named Hapgood, a young girl known as Roxanne, and a small red bird called Twitter. Roxanne is alarmed at the gash on Applesap's leg and immediately tears a strip of cotton off her petticoat to use as a bandage. As Roxanne tends to his wound, Marigold explains that they've been robbed. Roxanne tries to console them as she tends to Applesap's wound, certain that he can make another crown just as fine as the first one, but the little gnome insists that he cannot go to the palace empty-handed and disappoint the princess. Twitter mentions that he needn't worry because the ruby princess has run away, but Marigold shakes her head and informs them that she and Applesap saw the princess crossing the meadow in a glass coach. Roxanne is shocked and declares the princess they saw is an imposter. Although she demands that they go to the palace immediately, her companions merely stare at her, wondering how Roxanne could know such a thing. She hastily explains that she is a very good friend of the princess, who told her that she feels like she doesn't know how to rule the Red Mountains and so decided to run away. A bemused Applesap and Marigold say that they only ask that their princess listen to their problems and is willing to help solve them, which surprises Roxanne because that sounds easy, like being a friend. Hapgood offers to fly them all to the palace so they can prevent the false princess from being crowned, but there really isn't room for all three of them on his back. Applesap offers to stay behind, claiming that his leg feels much better since Roxanne tended to it, but she refuses to allow the injured gnome to walk all the way to the palace and insists that Marigold should stay with her husband. Reluctantly, they agree to leave Roxanne on the ground. Twitter stays with Roxanne as the little gnomes clamber onto Hapgood's back, holding on tight as he takes off. Before they fly away, Hapgood suggests that Roxanne use the shortcut through the Mysterious Forest.

Once they land at the palace, Applesap and Marigold try their best to delay the ceremony, but no one listens to them. When Roxanne and Twitter finally arrive, the gnomes report that Hapgood had gone to look for them and the coronation is still going on. A determined Roxanne marches straight into the throne room and successfully exposes the false princess as Rudgrin, the daughter of Lord Bleak. But before the crown is placed on the real Roxanne's head, she halts the ceremony once again and asks for the gnomes who made her crown to be by her side. An embarrassed Applesap and Marigold approach the throne from the very back of the hall and happily watch as Hapgood delicately crowns Roxanne, who promises to be not just the ruler of the Red Mountains, but also a friend to her people.

## Quotes

* "All we ask is that our princess have a keen ear and a kind heart."