The Two Princesses of Bamarre

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The Two Princesses of Bamarre is a 2001 book by Ella Enchanted author Gail Carson Levine. It is a fantasy adventure book with a hint of romance. The story circles around the lives of two sisters who are very close, but as different as night and day. Addie, the younger and fearful sister, is frightened by the most trivial things like spiders to more expected things like monsters. Meryl, the older sister, is bold and full of bravado and acts as Addie's protector.

[edit] Plot summary

The story starts with the mention of the disease, the Gray Death, a deathly viral disease that took the princesses' mother while Addie was still young. The Gray Death's most recent victim is Princess Addie's chambermaid, Trina. Desperate to help her ailing maid, she tries to convince Trina to keep her energy and hopes of recovery up by staying and visiting her daily. This triggers the encounter of another character, a kind sorcerer by the name of Rhys (see Rhys character history). He soon enchants Addie with his kindness and wins her friendship, leading to an infatuation on Addie's part.

Over the next four years, (Addie is now 16 and Meryl, 17), Addie and Rhys keep a small friendship, chatting when they run into each other, but never seeking the other out. One day Rhys comes to find Addie and Meryl to present a sword to Meryl, for her dreams of becoming a knight, and a ball of fabric for Addie's embroidery, which she is very skillful at. This leads to a moment of affection as Addie in gratitude strokes his cheek for a split second after their eyes meet for the first time.

In gratitude, the two sisters and their governess, Bella agree to give Rhys presents in return in three days. This leads to the discovery on the evening when they have agreed to meet Rhys, that Meryl had contracted the Gray Death earlier in the day. Rhys is the first to notice and tries to warn Addie of it, but she is blinded by fright and ends up insulting him. When she reaches her sister's chamber minutes later she realizes that he spoke true.

After a week of seeing her sister suffer yet still trying to protect her, Addie decides the only way for Meryl to survive is for Addie to find the cure herself. She deems it best to inform Rhys of her quest before the others, and in doing so, receives three helpful gifts. A cloak of near invisibility, a tablecloth providing endless food supply, and a series of non-magical, but still helpful maps.

This meeting prompts another intimate moment with Rhys as he tells her that he will worry about her as she leaves and ending when she tells him not to worry and kisses him on the cheek. He also tells her that if he can leave the citadel (a place where all sorcerers are meeting) he will search for her. As a result of informing her sister (who informs Bella, their governess, and Milton the nurse elf) she receives seven-league boots, a spy glass (both belonging to her mother), an herbal remedy and her sister's sword.

Her adventure starts and she encounters many a monster including ogres, gryphons, spectres, and a dragon named Vollys. Vollys takes her captive and brings her to her cave after another brief encounter with Rhys, in which their relationship takes another step forward as she allows him to call her just Addie, rather than Princess Addie.

While in captivity she realizes her sister has entered the second stage of the Gray Death and has only twelve days to live. She also realizes her deep affection for Rhys and that she really does love him. She finally gets the cure from Vollys and escapes to find Rhys looking for her. She informs him of the cure. He flies her to the castle to get Meryl, who only has till dawn to live.

They soon realize that their only hope is to get the help of a town of legendarily known cowards. After wasting precious time they finally start back on their mission only to have another interruption. Rhys declares his love for Addie, and promises to ask for her hand in marriage if they survive the night.

With Addie accepting, they set out once again. As soon as they reach the valley, a battle breaks out and they must fight for their lives as they try to get Meryl to the cure. Half-way through the battle Addie loses consciousness only to wake up in a fairy castle. She soon realizes that her sister is now a fairy and that Rhys is recovering from his injuries.

After things are sorted out and both Addie and Rhys are fully recovered, they marry in the Fairies Great Hall with Drault, the legendary hero turned fairy, performing the ceremony. Drault also falls in love with Meryl, or presumably, from the last chapters.

The two sisters part ways; Addie and Rhys, now married, return to Bamarre Castle, and Meryl and Drault, who are now romantically involved with each other, go to fight the land's monsters for the rest of eternity. The sisters promise to never forget each other and to visit often. Meryl also promises to become the godmother of Rhys and Addie's future children.

[edit] Rhys

Being a sorcerer, Rhys has no family as sorcerers are born when lightning strikes marble. He has no parents and no siblings. It is not known where Rhys was born, but it is speculated that he was born in Bamarre as he has had many experiences there and he is serving the five mandatory years of service to Bamarre's king, King Lionel who is also father of both Princess Addie and Princess Meryl. Also, the sorcerers' citadel which he reports to is situated in southwestern Bamarre.

It is clear that Rhys differs from many sorcerers as he clearly has affection for human beings and as he marries Addie at the end of the book.