Selenya
16 years, 11 months & 14 days ago
14th Dec 2007 12:27 Krystal has traveled to the island of Selenya and discovered a lost secret. She was simply going to visit her friend in Malaysia when she stumbled across something more exciting???another dimension.
She was standing on the side of the cruise boat looking out at the beautiful blue water. ???People say I???m crazy,??? Krystal said to herself. ???They say there is no such thing as fairies.??? She had been trying to prove to every one that fairies were real. Her reason? She saw one once when she was young and she will never forget it. Krystal was on her way to where her friend lives in Malaysia. She was tired from the very long voyage, so she headed up to her room and laid on the couch to watch the telly. She fell asleep and when she awoke she went up on deck for a walk, little did she know what was going to happen. When Krystal got outside she heard thunder and saw lightning and felt the boat starting to rock. The teenager held on to the rail, but when the boat listed she lost her balance and slid to the other side. ???Help somebody, please help!!??? Krystal cried, but her words were swept away by the powerful wind. She felt herself falling through the air. Then there was blackness.
?????? ?????? ??????
???You???ve killed her you stupid mermaids! I bet you were jealous of her so you drowned her!???
???Did not!??? She heard. Krystal opened her eyes and saw elves, a gnome, a tiny horse, unicorns, water sprites, fairies, and mermaids. A mermaid with a green tail said, ???I told ya??? so,??? and shook her red head, ???Stupid elves, always jumping to conclusions. We???re the ones who saved her from drowning.??? Then she crossed her arms in a huff.
Another mermaid with a red tail and blonde hair said, ???Come on Ripple, we???re going to miss Pearl as she messes up her ???Save the eels??? speech.???
???Hold on Aqua,??? said Ripple, then she turned to Krystal and said, ???Don???t listen to the elves. They don???t know what they are talking about.???
???Hey!!!??? exclaimed some of the elves.
A tiny horse walked-up to Krystal and said, ???Welcome to Selenya!???
???What!?!???? she cried. ???Okay, I???m just going to wake up from this dream because you???um???things are starting to freak me out.???
Just then a small fairy with purple wings came up to her and said, ???My name is Zennia. What is your name????
???Krystal,??? she confusingly replied.
???Come. Meet our Queen,??? said a unicorn.
???Get on my back,??? said a second unicorn with green ribbons and bells in its mane. So Krytsal climbed on the unicorn???s soft white back. The animal smelled of sweet honeysuckle and roses.
Must have been eating them, she thought.
???By the way, my name is Clover??? said the unicorn she was riding. Finally, they got to the palace. It was so beautiful it was almost like a dream. By the gates of the palace there was a adorable tiny bear with wings. As they got to the gate, the unicorn said, ???We have a visitor for Queen Soraya.???
???Okay,??? said the bear looking at her cautiously. As they entered through the gate a beautiful lady with a shinning gold crown atop her head was walking in the courtyard. She approached them and said, ???Why, hello,??? said Queen Soraya. ???What are you, a kind of overgrown elf???? she asked.
???No, I???m a human, Your Majesty,??? Krystal replied.
???Oh my,??? the Queen gasped then she smiled.
???What???? Krystal asked still confused.
Then the Queen replied, ???This may come as a shock to you but, if I???m not mistaken you are to be the next ruler of Selenya.???
???Huh?? Oh???um Excuse me?!???? said Krystal.
???Let me tell you the story,??? she began. ???Two generations ago before he died at war, my grandfather, King Sorum, said, ???Three generations into the future there will be a new manner of ruler, a human being.??? So I assume that???s you, but I don???t know how you got here. You must have stumbled upon a portal,??? she said.
???But I can???t rule! Sorry, but I just can???t! I have to get back to the cruise ship or they may start looking for me and when they do they may find this Realm and who knows what they???ll do!??? Krystal exclaimed.
???She hates us that???s why she???s going away,??? sobbed an elf.
???No, no, no! That is not it???I guess the mermaids were right, the elves always do jump to conclusions,??? she said to the Queen.
???Don???t listen to the mermaids,??? said another elf, ???they don???t know what they???re talking about.??? Then everyone laughed, except for the elves.
?????? ?????? ??????
Krystal was sitting on the warm, beach sand as she heard someone calling her name. The Queen was walking towards her with a beautiful box. She opened the box and handed Krystal a necklace with a crystal on it. ???This is how you will get back and forth between here and the human world,??? said the Queen.
???Thank you, I???ll come back as soon as I can,??? Krystal promised as she stood up ready to go.
After she returned to the cruise boat, she visited her friend in Malaysia, had a wonderful time and then went home. This trip was the first of many magnificent adventures Krystal would take to Selenya.
?????? ?????? ??????
Selenya
Chapter One
???Why don???t you believe me?!??? yelled Krystal at her parents.
???Sweetheart, I want to believe you but, those things are not real,??? her Mum said slowly.
???Yes! They are!??? yelled Krystal even louder. ???I???ve seen them! Dad has seen them too. He would have believed me!???
???You can???t see fairies if they aren???t real!??? yelled her Mum.
???You could have killed Zen-,??? Krystal stopped. My mum just killed a fairy and it could have been Zennia, she thought. Zennia was a fairy she had met a month ago on her first trip to Selenya. ???FAIRIES ARE REAL!!??? Krystal said again, and then raced to her room. She was screaming inside her head. When she reached her room she slammed the door so hard that it rattled the pictures on her wall. She grabbed a light jacket thinking it might be cold in Selenya. She was wearing the light blue dress with a silk bow around her waist. ???Maybe my friends in Selenya will understand and believe me,??? she said.
Chapter Two
As she held the crystal on her charm necklace Krystal said, ???Selenya!??? and then felt a strong wind blowing all around her. When she opened her eyes she noticed that she was now in the Selenya forest. Along side of her there was a little stream and she could smell the fresh scent of flowers. She could hear birds chirping and she knew she was in Selenya.
All of a sudden she heard two women arguing. Krystal recognized one of the loud voices. It was Queen Soraya, the Queen of Selenya! Krystal did not know the other voice. She walked on the rocks in the stream to cross over it then heard, ???KRYSTAL!!!??? in her ear.
???Ah!!??? Splash! A little fairy had been so happy to see Krystal that she flew to her side then yelled in her ear which startled Krystal casing her to fall into the stream.
???Oh! So sorry Krystal! So sorry!??? exclaimed the fairy.
???Zennia! It???s okay. I???m glad to see you!??? said Krystal. The arguing near the castle had ceased. Krystal saw movement far in the woods that looked like a lady in a black cloak. Krystal opened her mouth to say, ???Hello,??? but Zennia pushed on Krystal???s lips and put her index finger on her own mouth. In a poof of black smoke the lady was gone. ???Who was that???? asked Krystal.
???That,??? said the fairy ???is Jolda. She is Queen Soraya???s cousin. Jolda has been jealous of her cousin Soraya for many springs. She is jealous because Soraya is queen and a very beautiful one at that.???
???Oh,??? said Krystal. How did you get to me so fast????
???The sundew trees told me that you had arrived. They are trees that still have the morning dew on them. Their dew bounces off the leaves and travels to a person in need so that I can follow them.
???That is amazing!??? said Krystal.
???Oh, Krystal, you???ll have ice-body or fire-head if you don???t get dry! Come follow me!???
This must be the words for a cold or a fever, thought Krystal. She followed the fairy to a big cave where she could hear humming. The sound was not a singing hum, but a buzzing hum. ???What???s that noise???? asked Krystal.
???That???s the wind blower,??? said Zennia. ???Anything that flies uses it because it trains their wings to go through strong winds.???
Krystal was always fascinated at the inventions in Selenya. She could hardly hear herself think though, because the blowers were very near.
Chapter Three
???Now don???t scream,??? said the elf managing the blowers.
???Why???? Krystal questioned.
???Because it echoes in the cave and the sound pierces my ears oh so negatively. Once a young unicorn was surprised at how high she floated and neighed very loudly. I thought I would go deaf!??? yelled the elf. Krystal tried to hide her giggle. ???Okay now when you want to get down, wave your arms and legs.???
???Like a jumping jack, added Zennia.
???Don???t forget the fairy powder,??? said the elf, ???so she doesn???t come down too hard.???
???Oh yeah!??? said the fairy. She flew over Krystal???s head and clapped her hands. Silver fairy powder flew all over the girl. Krystal could feel thrills of excitement that made her just want to move and dance! ???I feel so exhilarated!??? exclaimed Krystal.
???Oh yes! That???s what fairy powder does!??? said Zennia.
???Okay, ready???? asked the elf.
???Of course!??? she exclaimed.
???Alright!??? the elf said as he pushed on the wind makers. Krystal was starting to float in the air.
Krystal began doing flips and somersaults throughout the atmosphere. She could feel her wet clothes drying, but to her surprise the wind wasn???t cold. It was actually quite warm. She thought to herself, this must be what a bird feels like. She waved her arms and legs indicating that she wanted to get down. When the elf turned off the wind-makers, Krystal found that her clothes were dry and warm. ???That was so much fun!??? exclaimed Krystal.
???Not when the winged creatures are doing it. They have to really work because they are so heavy,??? said the elf.
Krystal thanked the elf and then she asked if they could go to see Queen Soraya.
???Ummm???.Sure!??? said Zennia. They started walking through the woods towards the Queen???s castle.
Chapter Four
It was a long walk to the Palace, but Krystal didn???t notice. She was too busy looking at all the magnificent plants, trees and flowers. She faintly heard the stream in the distance.
???Oh!??? exclaimed Krystal. ???The stream goes right under the palace!???
???Oh yes, Queen Soraya loves to have the stream water in part of her palace. She has a replica of the forest there where the stream goes through. Isn???t that amazing???? finished the fairy.
???But why does she have a forest? Can???t she just go outside???? questioned Krystal.
???Oh yes!??? exclaimed the fairy. ???But this is a place where orphan elves, fairies, unicorns and any kind of being or animal can rest or live in times of trouble.???
???Why can???t they live out here in the actual forest???? asked Krystal.
???The young ones could go onto Jolda???s island. They will never be seen again. So to fix the problem the Queen built the inside forest to meet their needs. They think they are outside because it is so big and looks and smells like the real forest.???
???That???s considerate of Queen Soraya,??? said Krystal.
???Here we are!??? said the fairy happily looking up at the magnificent glowing silver doors of Queen Soraya???s palace.
???If you don???t have an invite from the Queen then leave!??? said a grumpy sounding voice. Krystal whirled to her left and saw a tiny bear with green shimmering wings.
???Nuzzles!??? scolded Zennia, ???Is that how you talk to the future queen????
???Oh! Oh my! I???m sorry Your Majesty!??? cried Nuzzles. ???Please forgive me!???
???It???s fine???uh???Nuzzles,??? said Krystal. I just need to see the Queen.???
???Yes, hurry Nuzzles,??? urged the fairy. ???She hasn???t heard about Jolda yet!???
???Why didn???t you just tell her???? questioned Nuzzles.
???Because it???s not my place!??? stated Zennia.
The silver doors opened silently. Inside the doors appeared a majestic pavilion with beautiful flowers and exotic plants. Everything was so clean and orderly.
???I feel out of place,??? Krystal thought looking at the mud stains on her dress. She suddenly heard the clicking of shoes coming from down the hall. Then Queen Soraya appeared in a dark royal blue dress and a golden crown atop her head.
???Krystal!??? she cried. ???I am so glad to see you! It???s been so long! What happened???? she asked pointing to her dress.
???Oh! I um???fell in the stream,??? replied Krystal.
???Well, then, we will find you a dress to wear while that one is being washed,??? said the Queen. ???Fallon!??? she called to the maid. ???Please take Princess Krystal to find a dress for her to wear while this one is being washed.???
???Yes, Ma???am,??? replied the maid.
???Thank you,??? Krystal called as Fallon led her upstairs.
???Let???s see,??? Fallon said to herself as she looked through the drawers of a wardrobe in the bedroom. She shut the drawers and walked to the closet and pulled out a dark blue and gold dress. She held it up to Krystal. ???Mmmm???.too big!??? said the maid. Then she pulled out a lavender dress and held it up again to Krystal.
???I think that will fit,??? said Krystal.
???Alright, try that one on and if it doesn???t fit, then feel free to look through the closet. I have to go make some tea,??? the maid said walking quickly out of the room.
Krystal tried it on. ???Perfect,??? she thought. The dress was breathtaking. It had a silver band just above the waist, and the sleeves were snug up to the shoulder then puffed up. The top of it was deep lavender with a lighter shade of lavender draping over her hips. She twirled in the lovely dress.
???Oh, Krystal??? Zennia said as she stepped into the room. ???You look beautiful!???
???Thank you. I feel beautiful!??? replied Krystal.
???Oh!??? Zennia cried. ???I have to go and help with the Fairies??? Festival.??? Then the little fairy flew off before Krystal could ask what the Fairies??? Festival was. Just then there was a knock on the door.
???Come in!??? Krystal called. A plump dwarf woman walked in with a beautiful chestnut colored box.
???This was just made for you, Your Highness,??? the short woman said while bowing.
???Oh, thank you,??? Krystal said as she took the box. It had a golden latch and Krystal gasped at what was inside. It was a beautiful silver tiara. She placed it on her head and looked into the full length mirror. She screamed in horror at what she saw.
Chapter Five
Standing behind Krystal was Jolda! Jolda clapped her hand over Krystal???s mouth as the girl froze still. Then almost on instinct she bit her hand.
???Oh! You brat! Ouch!??? Jolda yelled in pain. Krystal took advantage of Jolda???s retreat. She took one of the blankets off the well made bed and threw it across Jolda so she couldn???t see. Then Krystal ran out of the room and down the stairs yelling for help.
???Jolda???s upstairs!! Help!??? she cried. Two guards ran upstairs just as Queen Soraya came rushing out of another room.
???What is wrong? I heard yelling,??? the Queen asked.
???I was???trying on the dress upstairs and when I looked in the mirror I saw Jolda! She???I don???t know what she would???ve done if I didn???t bite her,??? explained Krystal.
???I don???t know how she could have gotten up there. It is two floors above the ground!??? exclaimed the Queen.
???Your Highness,??? one of the guards said rushing down the stairs. ???Jolda is not in the room, but we found one of these,??? he said handing Queen Soraya a green squishy circle.
???A frog pad!??? the Queen said.
???What are those???? asked Krystal.
The Queen explained, ???They are frog???s fingers that are mixed in a pot with salt and a Vidalia flower so they expand. When you put them on your fingers you can climb up anything. Just like a frog.???
???That is disgusting!??? Krystal exclaimed as she made a face.
???By the way, how did you know what Jolda looked like???? the Queen asked.
???I saw her walking in the woods earlier and Zennia told me who she was.???
???Oh, well. I???m sure you want to hear her story,??? said Queen Soraya.
???Oh yes!??? replied Krystal.
Chapter Six
The Queen began to tell Jolda???s story. ???Well, she???s my cousin,??? the Queen said as they sat down to tea. ???We were duchesses and King Alarian had no children. But he had two nieces. He knew he was dying so since he had no offspring to take the throne, he had to choose between Jolda and I. He chose me because he had seen leadership in me. Even though Jolda had the right since she was the eldest, the King chose me. I became Queen at nineteen years old. Jolda argued with the court saying she was supposed to be Queen. The court said ???No???, which made Jolda mad. She used magic and created a small tornado in the room killing two of the court members and injuring many others. When she realized she had shown her true colors, she ran away to an island two hundred miles south of here. There she took over the creatures and created a huge army in order to show leadership to the court to change their minds. When they said ???No??? again she tried to put a death spell on me that she could only make once. She was about to cast it and I couldn???t move because her henchmen had taken hold of me. Then Storm, a unicorn, and his wife Clover rammed in to Jolda causing her to fire the spell on one of her henchman. He fell down dead. I used that moment to use my powers and banish her and all her people to the southern island.
???Wow, they must have been very brave to interfere with Jolda!???
Krystal exclaimed.
???Well just before I banished her she put a curse on Clover and Storm. But she said the wrong words. I think the curse that she meant to say was that their child would die at birth. But the only problem with Ecstacy is that she can???t turn into a unicorn and she will die soon.???
???But weren???t her parents unicorns???? Krystal asked.
???Not real unicorns??? replied the Queen. ???You see they are really merhorses. Merhorses can dry their scales, turn into unicorns for the spring, and go to collect food. If they stay until summer, they will die and evaporate into dust. The unicorns and merhorses are cousins. But Ecstacy can???t turn into a unicorn because of the curse. She is very miserable because other merhorses taunt her and she feels like she doesn???t belong.
???I know how that feels??? said Krystal.
???Trouble with your family???? asked Queen Soraya.
???You have no idea!??? said Krystal.
???Well maybe you could talk to her. She would probably like to talk with someone who is going through a similar position,??? replied the Queen.
???Okay,??? said Krystal.
???I???ll send for a guard and some horses to Seaweed Springs to see Ecstasy,??? the Queen said.
???Horses!??? exclaimed Krystal,???I???ve never ridden a horse before! But I have seen some horse shows.???
???Are you comfortable ridding one???? asked the Queen.
???Oh, yes. It looks like fun!??? exclaimed Krystal. I hope. Krystal thought.
Krystal finished her tea and they went to the stables where Arden, the Queen???s most trusted guard was saddling the horses up. ???Now put your left foot in the stirrup and push yourself up so both your legs are on the left side of the horse, Arden told her.
???She won???t bite??? will she???? Krystal asked cautiously.
???Who? Stardust? Of course not! She wouldn???t hurt anyone!??? Arden said.
???Alright??? said Krystal as she pushed herself up on the horse. ???That was easy!??? she exclaimed.
???Good job! Next stop, Seaweed springs!??? said Arden.
Chapter Seven
???So,??? said Krystal after they had been riding for a while, ???Have you ever met Ecstacy????
???No, but I have heard of her and about her story??? she sounds miserable.???
???Yeah??????..I guess we all have our sad stories ???.right???? said Krystal.
???Yeah???My mother died when she gave birth to me. Then when Jolda came she took my father as a prisoner during the war. I was thirteen. Then our family friends took me as their son,??? said Arden
???Oh, Arden, I???m sorry,??? said Krystal with deep sadness. ???My father died of cancer about 2 years ago. It???s hard. He was the only one who really understood me. He believed me when I said I had seen fairies because he had seen them when he was younger too.??? Krystal saw Arden wipe his eyes. ???Are you alright???? she asked.
???Oh, yes, you must think I???m not very brave if I should be crying.
???Oh I don???t think that. Some of the bravest men cry. That is what makes them brave, because they have the courage to let themselves cry??? Krystal said. Arden smiled.
???Oh that is a beautiful waterfall!??? Krystal said trying to change the subject.
???That is the entrance to the spring??? said Arden.
???I don???t see any entrance??? said Krystal.
???It is behind the waterfall??? replied Arden.
???Let???s go!??? said Krystal hopping off her horse.
Chapter Eight
They approached the pool of water that the waterfall emptied into and Arden said, ???We have to cross these rocks to get to the waterfall. I???ll cross first.???
Be careful Krystal said in her mind. Arden stepped on the first rock. It looked pretty easy until the fourth rock. That is when Arden slipped.
???ARDEN!??? Krystal cried.
???I???m fine it is just reeeeeeally slippery there,??? he said as he put one foot on the next rock. His foot slipped right off. He tried it again. This time he got his grip and crossed over to the next rock.
Krystal stepped on the first rock and thought, ???No problem!??? She was doing great until the fifth one when she put both feet on it and slipped. ???AHHHH!!!!??? she screamed. Arden caught her by the arm.
???Not so easy is it???? he asked tauntingly. ???The next ones are even harder and you probably can???t make it in that dress and in those shoes.???
???So how am I going to get to the waterfall???? Krystal asked.
???I???m going to have to carry you,??? said Arden.
???It can???t be that hard!??? replied Krystal.
???It is!??? he replied, ???I don???t want you to fall and hurt yourself, so come here. We only have six more stones and I am not going to drop you.??? After a moment to think Krystal decided she could trust Arden.
???Alright,??? she said with a sigh. She put her arm around his neck and he lifted her up.
???Hold on!??? he said as he stepped on to the first rock. He then went to the next and the next until he had made it to the big flat rock in front of the waterfall. ???Now we have to jump through the water,??? Arden said as he gently set Krystal down. ???You don???t mind getting a little wet do you???? he asked.
???No, but why didn???t we just swim to the waterfall???? Krystal asked.
???Because the cave underneath the water sucks you into its dark hole and the seaweed eats you slowly,??? he said.
???Really???? Krystal asked.
???Yes!??? said Arden.
???Why didn???t you tell me that before I crossed the rocks?!??? Krystal demanded.
???Because I knew you wouldn???t cross??? said Arden.
???So basically you just lied to the Princess???? said Krystal.
???I didn???t lie?????????I just didn???t tell you something that you didn???t ask about.??? said Arden. Krystal rolled her eyes.
???When I say, ???Now,??? we jump. Okay???? said Arden.
???Okay,??? said Krystal.
???Now!??? yelled Arden.
Krystal plunged through the pounding waters into a dark pebbly passage. Her feet slipped on the stony floor and she fell on her back. She then spun around and slid across the floor tripping Arden. He started to slide across the floor with Krystal. ???AHHHHHH!!!!??? their screams echoed through out the cave. They finally stopped sliding and saw they had traveled at least ten feet. ???Arden, are you okay???? Krystal asked. Arden got up and burst into uncontrollable laughs. ???Oh yes, watching the Princess making a fool of herself is sooo amusing!??? said Krystal sarcastically. After about a minute or so Arden got control of himself then led Krystal down the dark rocky hallway.
???We are almos-??? Arden didn???t get to finish his sentence because right in front of them outside the passage was the most beautiful pool of light blue water Krystal had ever seen. She just stared in amazement. ???Beautiful isn???t it???? Arden said.
???It???s breath-taking!??? exclaimed Krystal.
???I???ll call a mermaid to assist you in finding Ecstacy,??? Arden said.
???Thank you??? replied Krystal. Arden took out a wooden flute and started to play an unusual tune. It was neither happy, nor sad. It was not very fast and not very slow. It was truly a beautiful tune.
After Arden finished playing, a dark head slowly emerged from the water. A mermaid! thought Krystal. The mermaid???s jet black hair flowed around her like a blanket down to her waist. Her tail was a light blue with silver at the top around her waist. She had a white starfish necklace held up by small shells. Krystal thought she was beautiful.
???My name is Aria. I heard your call. What is it that you need???? the mermaid asked slowly and gently.
???Princess Krystal has come to see Ecstacy, the merhorse,??? said Arden.
???Your Highness,??? the mermaid bowed. ???In order to see Ecstacy you will need to be able to swim without breathing.???
???She means that you will have to turn into a mermaid yourself,??? said Arden.
???How do I do that???? asked Krystal feeling excited.
???Come with me,??? said the mermaid.
???In to the water???? asked Krystal.
???Yes??? the mermaid replied. Krystal took off the lavender dress and underneath it was a white under dress.
???Your Highness!!??? exclaimed Arden, covering his eyes and turning the opposite way.
???Arden, it is just a dress!??? said Krystal trying to hide her giggle.
???Umm, Princess I must be going now. Have fun!??? said Arden walking quickly toward the dark hallway that had brought them there. Krystal gradually walked into the water. To her surprise it wasn???t cold. It was a perfect temperature. Krystal had gone up to her neck when the mermaid spoke again.
???Can you can hold your breath long enough to swim around in a few circles???? Aria asked.
???Yes, I think,??? said Krystal.
???Good. Stay right here. I will be right back,??? the mermaid said as she dove into the water with a flip of her tail. After a few minutes she came back to the surface with a string of sea shells.
???Put this around your ankles,??? Arai said.
After Krystal had put the shells around her ankles she asked, ???Now what????
???Now we will go under the water and you will swim around me three times while I say the spell,??? the mermaid instructed.
???Is that how I???m going turn into a mermaid???? asked Krystal.
???Yes, but if you stop the spell won???t work,??? informed the mermaid.
???Okay, let???s go,??? said Krystal with a deep breath before she dove into the water. She opened her eyes, but the water didn???t sting them. She could see just like she could on land.
???Now swim around??? the mermaid said. Her voice sounded the same as on land. By the time Krystal had started on the third circle she started running out of breath. Aria had closed her eyes to say the spell. Krystal was swimming as fast as she could to finish the circle. Then she was able to breathe again. Krystal looked at her feet and realized they were gone and were replaced by a shining, green tail. The spell was done.
???I have always wanted to be a mermaid!??? said Krystal.
???But I???m afraid you don???t have a lot of time,??? the mermaid said.
???How long do I have???? asked Krystal.
???You have until sunset. But you have to be out of the water by sunset or you will remain a mermaid forever,??? said Aria.
Its early morning???. I think I???ll have enough time. That would be horrible if I remained a mermaid forever she thought with a chill.
???Ecstacy lives a good distance away from here, maybe a mile or two. Do you think you can swim that far? Or do you need a seahorse???? The mermaid asked.
???Oh no, I could swim there!??? said Krystal. ???I???d love to try out my new tail!??? she added.
???Alright, but you???ll be sorry when you are all tired out from trying to catch up with me!??? Aria said with a playful smile as she torpedoed through the water.
???Oh really!??? Krystal yelled sarcastically as she sped after Aria. Wow she???s fast! thought Krystal. She finally was neck and neck with Aria. They looked at each other and smiled. Then Krystal put out her tongue. Aria stared at her with a surprised look on her face then Krystal shot in front of her. It is really beautiful down here, thought Krystal. Right then Aria caught up with her. Krystal was starting to get tired so she slowed down until she didn???t have any more energy to race. She stopped and sat on a rock to catch her breath. Aria looked back and saw Krystal. ???You are really fast,??? Krystal said to Aria.
???Well I have had a tail for my whole life. I think I have the advantage!??? Aria said with a laugh.
???So are you going to make Ecstacy normal???? asked Aria with hope.
???No, I???m just visiting her,??? said Krystal, ???I don???t even know how to change her.???
???Well Jolda has a spell book and if anyone can get to it I???m sure they will find a spell to change Ecstacy back. But they better hurry because Ecstacy doesn???t have very long to live.???
???Why doesn???t someone go there and grab the book???? asked Krystal. ???It is only 200 miles away; some one could go there on a boat.???
???Because it is forbidden to go to her island,??? said Aria.
???Is it forbidden for her to come here???? asked Krystal.
???Yes, why do you ask with that look on your face???? asked Aria.
???Because I saw her twice?????? here,??? she answered. ???Once in the woods and once in the palace. She grabbed me but I got away. Why do you think she would want...Me???? asked Krystal.
???Because she knows you are the next ruler and she wants to do away with you!??? said the mermaid with a shudder. ???Do you think you could you could get the book???? ventured Aria.
???Who? Me? No, I could never do that! I???m not that brave!??? said Krystal.
Aria hid her disappointment. They swam on slowly. Neither of them said anything for a while. Krystal just enjoyed the scenery. Everything looked so fresh and alive down here. It wasn???t like England where many days were rainy and gloomy. Krystal didn???t miss home one bit. Home was where Krystal was forced to be perfect and the only one who understood her had died. She would like to stay here forever. But what would happen if she did? Her mom would worry about her. She would think I ran away thought Krystal. Victoria and Sylvia would probably miss me.
???That???s where she lives over there in that patch of seaweed.???
Chapter Nine
The seaweed curved and made a dome. A merhorse with green ribbons in her mane was giving a baby mermaid a ride on her back. The baby was laughing and smiling. The child???s mother was standing nearby. As the two mermaids swam closer the merhorse saw them.
???Aria!??? the merhorse called.
???Hello, Clover!??? Aria called back.
???It is time for your nap, Minia,??? the mother said to the child as she took the baby off Clover???s back. ???Thank you, Clover??? she said.
???Anytime,??? answered Clover. ???So who is your friend???? she asked as her eyes widened. ???Princess? Is that you???? she asked.
???Yes, Clover, it???s me!??? said Krystal. Clover swam toward the Princess as Krystal held out her hands to hug Clover???s neck. ???Queen Soraya told me about Ecstacy. I???m really sorry,??? Krystal said, ???She said I should talk to her.???
???She does need someone to cheer her up. Especially since her time is getting closer,??? Clover said with tears in her eyes. ???She is inside.???
???Thank you,??? said Krystal almost wishing she hadn???t come. What can I do for her? Krystal thought as she stepped through the seaweed. She looked all around her and saw a cabinet, a table, and a long couch, but no merhorse. Krystal went to the back of the seaweed house. She pushed the seaweed aside and there lying on the ground was a merhorse.
Chapter Ten
???Ecstacy!??? Krystal said with uncertainty as she slowly swam toward the horse. The merhorse stood up and stared at Krystal.
???Who are you???? asked Ecstacy.
???My name is Krystal and I- ???
???The Princess?!??? interrupted Ecstacy.
???Yes,??? replied Krystal.
???What are you doing here? Like that???? asked Ecstacy looking at Krystal???s tail.
???I uh... came to see you because the Queen and I thought maybe we should talk,??? said Krystal.
???Talk about what? Me dying? No, thanks I get enough of that. I don???t even want your pity,??? the merhorse said loudly.
???I wasn???t going to give you any pity. I came here to talk because we are alike!??? said Krystal.
???No one is like me. You could never understand me. I have a horrible life.??? Ecstacy said.
???Well, maybe you should go live your life instead of feeling sorry for yourself.??? No one said anything for a while. Krystal started to feel guilty about what she said. ???Listen, I didn???t come here to lecture you. I thought maybe you could talk to some one who kind of knows what you are going through,??? Krystal said.
???How could you know???? said Ecstacy.
???Because I am different too. No one understands me. I hate going to my house because my Mum doesn???t believe me when I say, ???fairies are real???.
No one understands back home. But I feel accepted here. Because here fairies are real,??? explained Krystal.
???I don???t want to die,??? said Ecstacy quietly. Those words broke Krystal???s heart. She wished she could do something.
???I???m really sorry,??? she said as she swam straight out of the seaweed roof. Krystal found a big rock and she sat down to think of what she could do. She didn???t want Ecstacy to die. And then she remembered Jolda???s spell book. If only I could get to it! she thought. Just then a group of merpeople swam toward her.
???You are horrible!!??? the leader yelled at her.
???You can???t even do anything to make her feel better!??? another one yelled.
???What are you talking about?!!??? Krystal said to the furious crowd.
???You were lecturing Ecstacy to deal with her near death! You can???t even give her any sympathy!??? a merman yelled.
???I didn???t intend to hurt her. How did you know I was even talking to Ecstacy???? Krystal said.
???Because I overheard you while I was picking flowers behind Ecstacy???s house!??? said a mermaid.
???You are the Princess! You should do something about it!??? the leader yelled. Krystal swam off away from everyone. After about an hour of swimming, Krystal realized she didn???t know where she was going. She swam toward the surface and popped her head out of the water. She saw the sky had a tint of pink. The sun was setting.
So if I???m facing the setting sun then that means the south is on my left, thought Krystal. She knew what she had to do. I have to hurry or I???ll be a mermaid forever she thought as she headed south as fast as she could. Krystal???s muscles started to ache. When she went up to the surface, she could see the clouds growing darker. She saw a dark lump off in the distance and knew that it must be the island.
Meanwhile back at Ecstacy???s house, Aria was looking for Krystal. She swam everywhere calling her name. ???Krystal!! Krystal!! Where are you!???? Aria yelled.
???Are you looking for the Princess???? asked an elder of the mermaid court.
???Yes I am!??? replied Aria, ???Have you seen her? She has blonde hair and a green tail.???
???Actually I did see a green tailed mermaid pass by here while I was gardening. She seemed like she was in a hurry, too.???
???Do you know which way she went???? Aria asked.
???She went south, I believe??? the elder said.
???Oh no???.she wouldn???t!??? Aria said thinking of Jolda???s island. Aria went to Seaweed Springs. Arden was waiting for Krystal there. When he saw Aria had come without Krystal, he had a surprised look on his face.
???Where is she???? he asked with a worried tone.
???I think she went to Jolda???s island. Jolda will kill her,??? Aria said almost in tears.
???Then we need to get her back.??? Arden said. He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. Just then a red and silver dragon flew over their heads and landed on the ground.
???I???ll search for her on the island while you try to catch up with her in the water,??? Arden said mounting his dragon.
???Arden it???s too dangerous. You need more guards,??? said Aria.
???No, I don???t,??? insisted Arden as he urged his dragon to fly. ???Go!??? he said to Aria as she dove into the water to catch her.
Krystal could see flat rocks ahead that were part of the island. After putting the rest of her energy into those last yards, she dragged her sore body on to the rock to lie down. The waves beat the rock and the wind sprayed the ocean water on the tired Princess. She breathed heavily and looked at the sun as it was slipping away. Suddenly Krystal???s tail began to disappear and her scales were gone by the time the sun had set. She had her feet back. She was wearing the white under dress. After resting for awhile, she finally sat up and jumped down from the rock into the shallow water. It was up to her waist as she walked slowly up to the beach.
???You???halt!!??? said a demanding voice. Krystal whirled to her right. There was a monstrous creature coming toward her with a long scepter in his hand.
Chapter Eleven
The creature looked evil so Krystal did what first came to her mind. Run. So she did, as fast as she could.
???Halt in the name of Queen Jolda!!??? the voice said again. Krystal ignored his demand and pushed herself to run faster. Just then, a powerful blow hit her. She fell to the ground and blacked out. When Krystal woke up, she found that she was lying on hard ground.
???Krystal, so good of you to visit me!??? said a wicked voice. Krystal turned her head. Every muscle in her body was aching.
???Jolda!??? Krystal said angrily.
???Oh, you don???t sound very happy to see me!??? Jolda said.
???You better let me out of here! Or QUEEN Soraya will destroy you!??? Krystal said.
???Oh my plan will make sure that won???t happen!??? said Jolda in a sweetly evil voice.
???What ??? plan???? asked Krystal.
???Well I might as well tell you since you are part of it,??? Jolda said with a wicked smile. ???See you???re the bait, for the bait,??? she said.
???Excuse me???? Krystal said getting angry.
???You???re the bait, for the bait. Meaning that since you are stuck here, Arden is flying over here to find you. And when my men capture him and he doesn???t come back???..Then the Queen herself with come here and that is when my plan will unfold!??? Jolda said with darkness in her voice.
???How do you know Arden is coming here???? asked Krystal.
???I can know anything,??? said Jolda as she waved her hands and a crystal ball appeared between her hands. Arden was flying his red and silver dragon. ???From the looks of it, he is about two or three miles from here,??? said Jolda. ???I hope you enjoy your stay here, because it will be a long one.??? she said as she slammed the dungeon door.
What have I done? Krystal thought. I only came here to prove I was a thoughtful Princess and could become a helpful Queen! How could I be so selfish!
???Princess???? said a tired voice.
???Who said that???? Krystal said to the voice. She heard movement across the rat-infested hall. A figure rose to stand getting support from the rusting bars.
???Are you the mortal future Queen I have heard stories about???? the voice asked.
???Yes, who are you???? Krystal asked.
???My name is Rashaun. Jolda captured me years ago during the war; I haven???t seen my son since then.???
???Is your son???s name Arden???? Krystal asked hopefully.
???Yes, but how did you know that???? he asked curiously.
???He helped me and told me about you. He really misses you,??? she said.
???As do I,??? the weak man said. There was thunder roaring over them. Krystal looked up and saw there was no roof above her cell.
???Great! On top of being in the moldy old cell, I have to get wet!??? Krystal yelled at no one. Just then there were footsteps coming down the hall. There was Jolda again only this time she had Arden with her. Her henchman was dragging him into the room.
???What have you done to him?!??? Krystal exclaimed.
???He is strong so we had to give him a few blows before he would black out.??? Jolda said. ???He may wake up,??? she said with a smile as her henchman drug him into Krystal???s cell.
???Arden! Arden!??? Krystal yelled as she ran to his cold bruised body. ???Arden, you have to wake up!??? she exclaimed as she sat down beside him. She put his head in her lap. ???Arden???? she called quietly hoping that he would respond. ???Arden, please don???t die. You have to wake up! You have to see your father!??? Then the rain came fast and hard. ???It???s all my fault! If I hadn???t been so selfish you wouldn???t have come here!??? Krystal started to cry. Her tears came down like the rain. ???I???m sorry! But please! Please don???t die! You can???t die......I think I love you.??? Krystal confessed. The rain came pounding down on her back.
Rashaun smiled with tears in his eyes. He was just happy to see his son again. Krystal cried silently for almost an hour. She didn???t leave Arden???s side. He moved his legs, and then slowly he opened his eyes.
???Arden???? Krystal said with hope in her voice.
???Krystal???? he said, ???I heard you. I heard your voice calling my name.???
???There is someone here you haven???t seen in a while,??? Krystal said pointing to Rashaun. Arden looked over to see his father smiling at him.
???Father???? Arden asked happily.
???Yes, son it???s me. After five years??????I am so happy to see you!??? Rashaun said with his face beaming.
After a long while, Arden regained some of his strength. Aria was unable to catch up with Krystal, so she returned to Selenya to inform Queen Soraya that Krystal and possibly Arden were on the island.
???We have to find some way to warn Queen Soraya!??? said Krystal.
???But how???? Arden asked. ???Do you think you could squeeze through the bars of the window????
Krystal replied, ???If I could get up there.??? Arden moved closer so she could stand on his shoulders. With some effort she squeezed through the bars and jumped to the ground seven feet below. She ran as far as her legs could carry her to the only entrance onto the island. After several minutes of running through dead trees and thorns, she stopped dead on the edge of a cliff overlooking the beach. What she saw made her blood run cold.
On the beach fifty feet below the cliff Jolda stood facing Queen Soraya. Jolda had cornered the Queen against several large rocks so Soraya was unable to move.
The evil cousin said, ???King Alarian should have chosen me because unlike you I have harnessed the power of the dark arts and I am more powerful than you will ever be. And now, this very day, your kingdom will be destroyed and you and your people will be my slaves.??? She smiled wickedly as she paced across the sand.
Queen Soraya bravely said, ???Don???t destroy the land. You will have nothing.???
???I???ll be Queen!??? Jolda yelled.
???The people will want a Queen who is loyal, fair and kind. Everything you???re not!??? Queen Soraya said fiercely.
???It doesn???t matter because if they rebel, I will kill them!??? Jolda said.
???Don???t punish them. It is me that you want, so take my life, but don???t punish my people.???
Jolda???s face turned from triumph to surprise. She thought for a while and then said, ???Fine.???
Queen Soraya replied, ???But you promise not to hurt my people.???
???I promise,??? Jolda responded as she turned around with a smirk on her face.
Krystal watched as Jolda murmured some words that she could not understand. Then Jolda threw her hands at the Queen. A ball of light flew from the jealous cousin???s hands and hit the Queen. Queen Soraya fell to the ground and her crown rolled off her head into the pounding waves. Krystal collapsed on her knees in disbelief. The Queen is dead and it???s all my fault! she thought still in shock. Just then the red and silver dragon flew to where Krystal was kneeling and landed behind her. The guilt ridden Princess turned around and saw the face of Arden???s dragon.
???I will help you, my Queen,??? the dragon said quietly.
Krystal quickly said, ???I don???t deserve to be Queen.???
The dragon said, ???You deserve to be Queen more than Jolda.??? Krystal saw Arden???s sword on the dragon???s saddle. She grabbed onto the dragon???s saddle and climbed up on his back. And she explained her plan to him.
Jolda was still on the beach gloating about her victory. She was laughing her evil laugh and then yelled to Soraya???s still body, ???Did you really think I would spare your people?!??? She was too preoccupied with her triumph that she did not hear the flapping of the dragon???s wings. Krystal took hold of the sword with her shaking hands and braced herself. Just as she was about to strike, Jolda turned around in time to see the sword plunge through her black heart. Jolda turned to black dust and the wind blew her away into the ocean. The dust sunk to the ocean floor where it settled on the crown she would never wear.
Immediately, the dark clouds surrounding the island retreated and the thorns and trees sprouted flowers and leaves. The sun shone vibrantly across the entire island. Krystal jumped off the back of the brave dragon and ran to the Queen. She knelt down and whispered, ???I???m sorry.??? Tears came to Krystal???s eyes, ???But your story will be told throughout Selenya and everyone will know how you gave your life for your people.???
Chapter Twelve
Krystal walked through the shining silver doors of the castle into her coronation ceremony. As she walked down the dark blue carpet, she looked around her and saw all manner of creatures that were loyal to her. Ecstasy was there, now able to be a unicorn since Krystal had found the spell book and saved her from dying. Her dress was a pearl white and her hair was piled on her head with curls draping behind her. She arrived at the end of the aisle and sat down in the Queen???s throne. The Queen???s most trusted guard, Arden, placed a golden crown upon her head. In the middle of the front of the crown was an open heart with a single crystal dangling from it.
???I present to you Queen Krystal of Selenya,??? Arden declared. The crowd roared with applause and cheers. There were flowers thrown from every direction.
Krystal stood up and told the Queen???s story as she had promised. She saw tears in the eyes of some of the subjects. She then announced, ???I???m sorry I cannot stay here right now as I have a pressing duty back home. I promise I will come back soon, and one day I will stay here forever.???
I will come back to Selenya, because it is my home, Krystal said to herself.
The End
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