In a small village at the foot of the Stan Mountain, Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen always knelt down and prayed every single day that God may grant them a child to be loved and cared for.
For twenty years of being married, they never lost hope of having a child. As a matter of fact, they went for a check-up now in a nearby town with a newly opened, obstetrician-gynecologist clinic. A female doctor who had nothing but a pointed nose and a long neck had told them in her shrill voice that it's impossible for them to have a baby because Mr. Evergreen had a low sperm count.
But the couple had always faith. And such faith never wavered as time past by, not even the expertise of the doctor could vanish their ray of hope.
"She's not a God," Mrs. Evergreen muttered pointing her index finger on the air. Her round hips swayed with disgust. Her nostrils smoked with annoyance as he glared at her husband. They hurried outside Dr. Smith's clinic to the parking lot. "Is she?"
Mr. Evergreen heaved a deep sigh. "We will have a baby by miracle or by magic." He swathed his long, sinewy arms around her shoulders to comfort her. As they sauntered to their old Mitsubishi car, a couple with a boy in between them piqued their interest. The family was gleefully walking toward their car. The boy clutched the hands of his parents and lifted his legs on the air and tittered—his parents watched him with stars on their eyes.
Mrs. Evergreen's heart sank, and she couldn't help but sob.
"Hush, darling. That's enough. We will have one soon." He wiped her tears with his fingers.
"How sooner is soon?"
"In God's perfect time."
"I can't wait for that perfect time. God must be crazy. He can't bless a single family who longs so much to have one but gifted those with many who can't even provide decent clothes for their kids."
"Have more faith and patience, Meryl. Did you forget the story of Abraham and Sara?
"I didn't. They were old yet Sara bore her child."
"Not bore her child but their child."
"You're so smart, Thomas. You never fail me with your sharpness." She pinched his nose while he snaked her waist and tickled her sides which made her giggle.
"And you never fail to make me feel how much you love me every day. Your azure eyes still mesmerize me."
"I love you every single day, darling. I will never get tired of loving you. And your killer smiles … your dimples melt me like Hersheys chocolate."
"And I love you too, my darling, and I'll love you forever and ever."
And they kissed again and again. The young boy pointed at them, chortling. Mrs. Evergreen felt someone was watching them, and saw the boy staring at them, wearing his angelic smiles. She grinned at him, waving her hand.
"How I wish I could touch the kid. He seems to be a playful and nice. Isn't he?" Mrs. Evergreen asked her husband, her curly eyelashes batted with eagerness.
"He is. But if you do that, it shall only make things worse. I know you, Meryl. You'll be longing more to have one. Obsession is fatal but patience is rewarding. Common, let's get inside the car before the darkness gets our way." He escorted his wife to the passenger's seat and opened the door for her, and he trotted around the front and clambered in.
The engine started to roar, and Mr. Evergreen sped up the car. He sang, Broken Road and his wife joined him singing. They chuckled in between the lines of the song, and Mr. Evergreen stole kisses on his wife. Not long enough, they reached their Victorian-inspired house.
"Anything you want for dinner, Tom?"
"Nothing in particular, my darling. But I would be very happy if you prepare a fried chicken with green salad." Mr. Evergreen replied as he dashed to their bedroom.
"As you wish." Mrs. Evergreen took her coat off and sashayed to the kitchen.
It was almost midnight, but Mr. Evergreen was still awake. He threw the covers off him and went outside to their garage. He'd a pile of woods and a casket lay there. Aside from farming flowers and fruits, he'd a talent of carving and making toys in which he learned from his father. But over the years, he had never practiced it though he always wanted to do it during free time.
He opened the casket and picked the ivory brass which he traded a long time ago from a merchant in exchange for his apples and roses. A brilliant idea sparked his beautiful mind—an idea he should've long done in the past. Smiles seared across his face when his masterpiece was done. Not a bad gift to surprise his wife when the morning came. He ambled back to their room, cautious not to make any noise that would awake his wife or the element of surprise would be spoiled.
Unbeknown to the couple, a war had just begun in a wizarding world. The wicked witch queen with her army of wizards and witches had revolted against the ruling king of warlocks. Powerful the king maybe, he'd no match to his queen who showed allegiance to the Lord of Darkness. With the queen's black wand, she disarmed her king.
"Abdicate the throne or die." Queen Vilmanora commanded whose gorgeous face before had been replaced by a long chin that could slice a birthday cake, a crooked nose that would make Pinocchio shy away and a blazing set of red eyes putting Superman's eyes into shame.
"I never thought a day would come that you would betray me. Not even in my nightmares." King Argan said, his face stern. "But why, my Queen?"
"I'm the true ruler of the Ezrans. My family once ruled the Ezra kingdom until your Father King came into the picture and poisoned my family. Your rule is fake."
"Does it matter now? We both share the kingdom. Whatever I have, it's yours." His voice condescending.
"This kingdom is mine alone," thundered the queen. "Leave or perish."
"You will never win over me. Guards, arrest the Queen for treason." King Argan ordered, but the wizards did not make any single move. They were just standing on the walls of the palace, snickering on their king and raising their wands against him. Shock seared on the poor king's face.
Queen Vilmanora cachinnated, mocking at him. "Prepare for your death, my king." She spat at him as she directed her staff with the head of a skull. It illuminated and spewed blue flames against King Argus, but the valiant king parried her attack.
"Magica blanca abra cadabra", Queen Vilmanora chanted together with the tens of her army and charged their wands against the king. King Argan weakened, and before he turned into specks of dust, he had managed to evanesce.
King Argan apparated into the Evergreen's abode and cast a powerful spell to create a barrier. A life-size doll snagged his attention. He grinned and breathed life into a doll, and it became a living soul. Whatever power left in him, he accumulated it on his ring and gave it to a doll who was now a lovely girl. Before his body was dissolved, he whispered an incantation. His spirit left from his body and entered the ring.
There was clanging inside the house. Plink. Plink. Plink. Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen woke up with confusion on their faces. Mr. Evergreen climbed off the bed and took his shotgun while Mrs. Evergreen picked up her cane. They looked at the vintage clock, and it was past three in the morning. They gingerly walked toward the kitchen where the noise came from. As they neared the kitchen, Mr. Evergreen readied to fire his gun, but Mrs. Evergreen peeped over and halted him.
"Why?" Mr. Evergreen asked, his eyebrows creased.
Mrs. Evergreen didn't answer him. Instead, she silenced him by placing her finger on her husband's lips. They peered in closely through the wall and saw a little girl. They watched her as she stretched her arms, playfully touching her fair skin and face. The girl waltzed as she touched the sides of her dress and whirled around.
Mrs. Evergreen quirked her eyebrows for the girl wore exactly the same dress she sewed for her future baby girl. She was sure of it. There was no mistaken to the patch which bore the name she intricately fashioned for her girl.
"Who are you, my dear?" Mrs. Evergreen asked, smiling.
The little girl turned around and gave them a smile that would turn foxes into lambs.
"How did you break in our house?" Mr. Evergreen asked in a loud voice.
"Don't scare him, Tom," Mrs. Evergreen chided him. "Put your gun on the couch." And she shifted her attention to the girl. She smiled and neared her. "Are you hungry?"
The girl nodded. Mrs. Evergreen dashed to the cabinet and took a loaf of bread. She put cheese and bacon fillings in it. She also prepared a cucumber juice and gave it to the girl.
"Eat. It's all yours, my dear."
Without a word, the girl gourmandized a slice of sandwich. And she enjoyed chewing every bite she had of it. Her eyes scintillated for the food was delicious. In fact, her mouth watered. The couple gawked at her with delight.
"Drink this. I know you will like it." Mrs. Evergreen pushed the glass of juice. The girl gave her a saccharine smile and slurped it. "You like it?"
The girl nodded again. Mr. Evergreen whispered to his wife. "Is she mute?"
Mrs. Evergreen brushed off. "What's your name?"
"Where did you come from?" Mr. Evergreen added.
"And how did you get that dress?" Mrs. Evergreen asked again.
Still, the girl didn't respond to their questions.
"I think it's about time to call 911. Someone might be losing her mind looking for her girl." Mr. Evergreen said.
"I think so, Tom" Mrs. Evergreen agreed.
When Mr. Evergreen darted toward the living room, the ring of the girl lit up, and she began to speak up.
"Um-ah." The girl stuttered. Mr. Evergreen whirled around and waited for any words from the girl.
"What's your name, little girl?" Mr. Evergreen asked.
"Hmmm, my name? Oh, my name." The girl spoke with amusement as she touched her red lips. "My name is Princess Dolly."
Mrs. Evergreen clasped her hands to her mouth. She couldn't believe a beautiful girl owned the sweetest voice she'd ever heard in her entire life. Mr. Evergreen startled for he realized now that the doll he created looked exactly like her.
"Princess Dolly? What a beautiful name. That's a name I should have for my future baby girl." Mrs. Evergreen said.
"Yes, what a coincidence," Mr. Evergreen shook his head in astonishment. "And who are your parents?"
"My parents." Princess Dolly thought hard, and the ring sparkled again. "My parents are …." She paused. Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen gaped at her, their mouths dropped open waiting for her answer. "Mr. Thomas Evergreen and Mrs. Meryl Evergreen."
Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen had their jaws dropped. Their tongues were tied as if a speechless spell had been cast upon them. If a swarm of flies hovered around the house, it would find home to their mouths.
"Mother." Princess Dolly looked at Mrs. Evergreen, grinning, and then shifted her gaze to Mr. Evergreen. "Father."
At last the couple had brought back their sanity to the Earth and asked her. "Yes?"
"I'm your princess. I'm your girl." Princess Dolly flashed a sugary smile washing away their hesitations, and the couple embraced her tightly.
"You are God's answered prayer to us." Mrs. Evergreen said.
"But how did—?" Mr. Evergreen wasn't able to finish his sentence for his wife gave him a no-more-questions look.
"I'm sleepy. Can I go to bed now?'" Princess Dolly asked.
"But of course, princess. Come, I'll show you your room." Mrs. Evergreen replied with smiles reaching her ears.
"Um, I want to sleep with you, Mother and Father. I don't want to sleep alone. I want to go asleep hugging you both. Is it possible?"
"Of course, sweetheart." Mr. Evergreen answered back. "You don't know how happy we are with your presence. Come, we'll go to our room."
Princess Dolly held each hand of the couple as she glided in between of the people whom she had called her parents and who led her the way toward their happy room.
Mrs. Evergreen 's eyes effervesced as something reminiscent came to her mind—the picture of a happy family like that of a boy with his parents. Now she'd a child to call her own and a complete family to take care of for her bundle of joy had come unexpectedly.
Mr. Evergreen would've opened the door when he heard squeaky voices outside. Mrs. Evergreen raised her eyebrows practically to the ceiling. Princess Dolly heard it too, and the ring luminisced.
"Stay here, Mother and Father. I'll fight them," Princess Dolly said with conviction on her voice.
"Fight?" Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen asked in unison, puzzling. "What are you saying, my child?" Mrs. Evergreen asked.
"The bad witches and wizards. I'll deal with them."
Before Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen could speak, Princess Dolly had already sprinted outside in a lightning speed. She stood in a starless sky with the flying witches and wizards on their broomsticks hovering above the house. The ring shimmered and glittering lights enveloped her body and changed her dress into a glistening pink ball gown. On her hand a magic wand with a star on its head appeared.
"Join me or die, fake princess." Queen Vilmanora shouted.
"Never. I will never join you, evil witch."
"Argan's spirit truly rests in you." Queen Vilmanora smirked. "You have no match for me. You're nothing but a doll turned fake princess."
"We'll see, witch." Princess Dolly snickered. Her magic wand glimmered and created a golden chariot with huge swans on it. She rode on the chariot as the swans pulled it upward. Her long red hair danced with the breeze. "I see fear in your eyes, witch."
"The legendary chariot. How did you summon it?"
"It's none of your affairs. Why, are you terrified?"
Queen Vilmanora guffawed. "Why should I be? Your power comes from a powerless coward wizard who had no choice but escaped. Savor the true power of a witch queen." She struck her wand against Princess Dolly, but the red flames didn't hit her. It only bounced off. "Argan created a shield to protect the house. Witches and wizards, let's perform a Luciferean spell to break the barrier."
And her allies did what the queen ordered and a pentagram of flames they created melted the barrier.
"See, Argan's power is weak. And you as his apprentice is nothing but a weakling too." Queen Vilmanora said. "Prepare for your death."
"I had long been dead, witch, and there's nothing I lose. Since I have this life now, I'll use it to end your life to give justice to Argan's death. Sounds fair, right?"
"Blasphemy," the witches barged in. They would've struck the princess, but their queen halted them.
"Leave her to me." Queen Vilmanora assaulted Princess Dolly with the power of her wand but Princess Dolly counteracted it her wand too. Cunning as she was, the Queen called forth the owls named as the Owldashians, the Batmeyers, and Rowling-and-King-the ravens' fleet to attack her, but the swans released their magical feathers which turned into sharp blades and pierced and ripped the enemies into smithereens.
"Bastard," Queen Vilmanora yelled. She whirled her wand and shaped a large ball of flames and struck against Princess Dolly, but her weapon was futile for the chariot smote its detachable wheels, hitting the flames that eventually boomeranged to her.
A fulmination exploded. The witches and wizard bulged their eyes in horror as they waited for their queen to come out alive and feisty, but to their dismay, the witch queen floated lifeless on the air. They immediately neared and took her body as they vanished in the sky.
Princess Dolly smiled for her victory, and the chariot flew downward where Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen waited for their child, cheering on her as they stood ajar at the door's entrance. Princess Dolly thanked the swans and caressed their heads.
Suddenly, the chariot spoke in a masculine voice. "Well done, Princess Dolly. You have just fulfilled your destiny. This is not the end but a beginning of your adventures."
"Thank you, King Argan, right?"
The chariot didn't respond, but the swans nodded as a confirmation that it was King Argan's spirit who conversed with her. A blinding light flared up, and the chariot had gone. Princess Dolly's ball gown transfigured back to an ordinary dress, and her magic wand disappeared.
Princess Dolly went inside the house and hugged Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen.
"Thank God, you're safe, my child." Mrs. Evergreen said, tear-jerking.
Princess Dolly wiped Mrs. Evergreen's tears with her soft fingers, and her sapphire-blue eyes glittered.
"Thank you too for giving me a home, Mother and Father."
Mr. and Mrs. Evergreen kissed their princess by her cheeks. And the couple lived with Princess Dolly happily ever … for now.