It's been a while since I built my last project. That's why I'm waiting to do it again. I love DIY. Really love it. Mostly because of that feeling of accomplishment when I see a treehouse, a wooden horse toy, a self-sewn dress… Everything I've built from scratch, basically. Deep down though, there's another reason. Usually, boys are the ones using their hands for this kind of thing. I like being the one instead of them. You could say I'm feminist. I don't. I say I'm restoring equality women never had to the world, project by project.
I'm that kind of headstrong, obstinate girl with a fiery temper. My little sister teases me that once I start something, I'll never let it go. Never. Not holding grudges, just determination. I need to be determined. Look ahead, never dwell on bad times. There will be good times ahead. That's my motto. My willpower got tested a few times over the years.
For example, once when my little sister broke her arm. My family, consisting of my dad, little sister and me, doesn't have much money. Dad could barely pay the hospital fees. Poor girl looked so sad, as if it were her fault Dad needed to work overtime.
Another time was during Halloween. My school has this thing where kids have to dress up. Year after year, Dad didn't have enough money or time for me to have a good costume. I ended up going to school not dressed up, but supplied with tape, so I could use the toilet paper to become a mummy. Last year, my little sister came for Halloween too. It was her first year and I could tell she didn't want to be a mummy too. Little Autumn didn't want to be embarrassed with such a shoddy costume. I came up with a plan. I spent days sewing a princess costume for her. Her birthday is on the 28th of October, so I gave it to her as a birthday gift. It cost me hours of sleep and I couldn't finish my homework. It didn't look that good; I'm better with wood, but Autumn absolutely loved it. That year, I used one of the pumpkin skins Dad had leftover to make a sort of helmet for myself. I dressed in orange and called myself a jack-o-lantern.
But enough about me. I'm sure you guys are reading this, thinking, "Why is this girl writing a book, calling it a book, when there's no interesting story? Could Cassie Anderson stop beating around the bush and just get to it?" (Yes, my name is Cassie, short for Cassidy, Anderson. I'm also twelve, in case you're curious)
I guess you could say that my story really began on a wintry February morning. I was taking a walk in the park, when I saw a weird mist in one area of the park. Stupidly, annoyingly, inquisitive me went closer. None of the passers-by seemed to notice it. Strangely, it was all contained in that approximate 4 by 8 meters square. I stretched out a hand. Closer, closer, closer… With a wavering finger, I touched it.
It wasn't immediately that I realized it. The fact that everyone else around me had disappeared. And not just that either. Around me, the park's scenery was starting to dissolve. Soon, I was surrounded by a picturesque valley that looked as if it were straight out of a fairy tale. Around me were some horses and some shacks. Not a single living soul was in sight. A few fluttery things flew over my head. Most didn't see me, but a few did a double take. They stopped. With sickening realization, I realized they were fairies. Like, wings, wand, magic, fairies.
"I am Harmony."
"I am Melody"
"I am Dianthe."
"Um… Okay. I am Cassie, short for Cassidy."
Harmony speaks again.
"What is your business here, princess?"
"Princess?!? I'm sorry, lady, but I'm no princess."
"You are. What's more, I think you're just the right princess for young Prince Roychamson, too." Melody chimes in.
Dianthe nods her approval.
"Come, little princess, we are on our way there. " Harmony grabs hold of my arm and the valley dissolves into the inside of a palace. A king and queen sit on a throne. A boy kneels before them. A girl stands in a corner. The king seems pleased to see the fairies. "Fairies! Thought of an idea for Hector?" He booms. The boy cowers. Harmony curtsies and speaks," King Roychamson, we have indeed. There is a dragon in a cave. The villagers there complain that their crops have been torched by him. Our idea, your majesty, is that Prince Hector rescues this princess," here she points at me," and defeats the dragon to prove himself. If he fails, he shall become a beggar." The boy lets out a terrified squeak. "But… but, that girl is right there! She's not captured by a dragon!" "So she will be captured by the dragon." Harmony says this as though it clears everything up. The king and queen nod along. "Excellent! Hector, son, you will pack supplies now and leave tomorrow at daybreak! As for you, girl, follow Araxie to a room. You shall be given a dress." He frowns at my sweater and jeans. "Okay…"
The girl in the corner walks over and silently leads me to a room. It's about three times bigger than my room at home and furnished with gold. There's a big tapestry on the wall, detailing a prince heroically rescuing a princess. I take a moment to look around. The girl giggles. "What?" I ask, wary of that teasing look on her face. "Nothing. It's just that you're a princess, but act like you've never seen a palace before." I glare at her. "I am NOT a princess." Her pixie-like face is framed by a curtain of wavy, chin-length dark brown hair. It's pinned up by a silver clip. She giggles again. "Suit yourself, but the fairies are always right with this kind of thing. Like my oldest brother. He's always running off with some elf girl, so much so he missed every important family occasion and royal occasion. The fairies were the ones that told Dad that the only solution was to disown him, kick him out and let him survive in the world. So far, it's working out well. Jules hasn't come back since. "
I gape at her. "You just let your dad kick your brother out? That's…that's… just so cruel!"
She shrugs. "Anyway, I'm Araxie and my room is down the hallway. You'll be staying the night, then you'll go with my brother to find that dragon so you'll need to pack. There's a backpack on the table there. If you want one in a different color, or need anything not in the room, come find me." Araxie turns and leaves.
I sit on the bed and think.
How will I get home to Dad and Autumn?
Is this like those books, where when I've completed the mission, I find a way back?
What am I going to do?
I sink into the bed and, before I know it, I'm asleep.
After what seems like an instant to me, there's a knock at the door and a plump, homey looking servant-woman walks in with a tray of piping hot soup, roast meat, treacle pudding and other delicacies. She fusses over me, insisting on braiding my hair, insisting on my packing food, insisting on my changing into a clean dress.
This time, I don't fall asleep as easily as just now. I lie awake. Turning on the light, I empty out everything the woman packed for me and wince. She only packed dresses and food! How am I supposed to survive on this? I take out the dresses and replace them with my sweater and jeans. I keep some of the food and only keep the non-perishables. Scrounging for actually useful supplies turns out to be the real challenge. After a long time, I've finally found a flashlight, a few blankets for a bedroll, a small knife, and a new, dark green backpack. The old one was tiny and hot pink!
The next morning, I've wandered through the hallways. I've packed my bag. I've been bored out of my mind! It's almost a relief when the servant-woman from last night comes to get me. Prince Hector and I will be transported to the nearest elven village, where we'll go on our own. With knocking knees and trembling like a leaf, I'm led to the throne room. Prince Hector is hugged by his mother. His father looks at him critically.
"Son, this is for your own good. If you don't pass this test, the people will never think of you as someone who could be their king."
The king holds out a hand for the prince to shake. He takes it. Then it's Araxie's turn for goodbyes. She gives Prince Hector a hug, squeezing the life out of him. "Don't die. If you do, I'll need to be queen." Then we leave in a very bumpy horse cart. For an hour, we're jostled around on the back of the horse cart, next to crates of fruit. Yes, you heard me right. An HOUR. What's more, the elven village wasn't exactly pleasant either. There, Prince Hector insisted on stopping to smell ALL the flowers. To pet EVERY animal we saw. To pick up WHATEVER useless junk was on the road. And by useless, I mean leaves that "looked pretty", rotting flowers that "still smell pretty okay", and more that I will not even BOTHER to bore you with. Then it got worse. We were crossing a bridge over a river when a crowd of elves surrounded us from both sides. They didn't exactly look as if they were going to give us a free ride to the dragon. An older elf with especially gnarled ears walks out of the crowd and over to us.
"You!" He snarls at Prince Hector, who shrinks back in fear. Honestly, he'd struggle to open even a jar of pickles!
"You, boy, are the reason why we elves get less and less resources. Your pathetic father won't give us poverty a penny, yet he asks the fairies how you can be salvaged." The old elf stalks closer to Hector, positively growling. Sensing trouble, I contemplate possible means of escape.
"And you! Another princess caught up in King Albert's plans to help his son." He sneers at me. "Worry not, little princess, when I've got Prince Hector kidnapped, the pixie king will surely pay the ransom to let you go too. And if not…" he licks his lips hungrily, "I'm sure many men will pay for you as a slave. Elves, attack them!"
I latch onto the prince's hand and yank him over the bridge railing and into the water. He shrieks at the cold. Ugh. Worse than Autumn's bully, Julee.
We scramble onto dry land and I pull Hector (I won't bother with the "Prince" anymore) away from the mob of elves. We - or rather, me dragging Hector along - sprint through the village, ducking into alleys here, weaving through crowds of bemused elves there. Finally, I spot what I'm looking for. An abandoned horse cart, two horses already attached to it. Perfect. In one sleek move, I vault into it. Hector stumbles in after me, wheezing.
"Come on…" I search for the reins. The elves are almost onto us when I give up and just kick the horse in the you-know-where. In a frenzy, it gallops away, leaving those elves behind in our wake.
A tiny gasp sounds behind me. I turn around slowly. Hector's still gasping for breath. Under an old tarp is a little girl about Araxie's age, Autumn's age. Her ears are pointed, brown eyes wide. Her hair, a nice shade of chocolate brown, is messed up. Dad would say it's a bird's nest. Next to her is a worn purple backpack. It doesn't seem filled with much. Her clothes are tattered, grimy. She looks like she's been on her own for a while.
Most important? Hector and I have accidentally kidnapped her. Oh, you want all of it? The elven village is miles behind us. There's no way to send her back alone. Also, I don't think the elves would welcome Hector and me back with open arms.
I can't believe I've accidentally kidnapped a child.