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King's Quest fanfiction

Started by dragonprincess, May 10, 2011, 05:58:07 PM

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dragonprincess

I'd like to share with you all some of my KQ fan fiction stories.

Here is a short one about an alternative KQIV:


Rosella in the Caves

Princess Rosella of Daventry crawled through the opening in the mountains that lead to the caves. She was returning from the swamps after gathering the magic fruit that could save her father's life. She stood in the dark cave and took up her lantern. Rosella remembered the chasm in the rocky cave, and she carefully felt her way through the dark and found the chasm. She took the wooden board she had found at the cave entrance behind the waterfall and placed it across the chasm. She managed to cross the chasm safely and recover her board. Rosella moved on through the pitch-black rocky caves of Tamir.

Suddenly she heard a monstrous roar behind her. Oh no! The vicious troll that lived in these caves was after her. She tried to run, but the troll was faster and he caught her. Grabbing her by the waist, he through her across his shoulders and dragged her off to meet her fate in the darkness of the caves.

The troll took her to a cave that was made up to be the troll's home. A fire pit was in the center, with a fire burning in it. The fire allowed Rosella to see more clearly. A roll of furs served as the troll's bed. There was an iron pot for cooking, a wooden club, some rope, and some stone tools.

The dark, hairy troll set Rosella down. "Me catch pretty girl." He said in broken English. "Make pretty girl wife. Wife make me happy." The troll took the rope. "Me tie up girl so she no escape." He bound Rosella's hands behind her back and bound her feet. Then he laid her on the furs and covered her with another fur blanket.

"Me go find food to feed wife." The troll left. Rosella sighed and held back tears as she reviewed her situation in her head. She was the prisoner of this troll. At least he didn't plan to kill her and eat her. She struggled against her bonds. He had tied her tightly, and she couldn't get the knots loose. She wiggled around and tried to reach the stone knife that lay beside the fire. She had to get loose; her father's life depended on it. Though it hurt her wrists, she managed to knock off the fur cover and moved over to the sharp stone tools. She wiggled and hobbled over to the stone knife and managed to get her hands on it. She sawed through her bonds. Once she was free, Rosella gathered up her belongings and quickly left the area.

She walked swiftly through the cave hoping to come back to the grotto with the waterfall where she had first entered these caves. But she took a wrong turn somewhere, and soon came to a ledge, where down below there was a mine.

However, it was not the dwarves' diamond mines or anything similar, but an iron mine run by ugly, human sized creatures with gray skin and bat-like ears. Rosella recognized them from one of her books. "Goblins!" The goblins were digging for iron within the earth, and they were smelting it. Rosella was careful not to let the goblins see her. She needn't worry though; the ledge was too high up for the goblins to notice her.

She left the way she had come, and searched for an exit from the caves. She found a tunnel with a purple light glowing from it, and she decided to follow it.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, the tunnel led to a dragon! The dragon was purple and scaly, and had bat like wings folded at his sides. His four legs ended in sharp talons.
His horns were white.  He had white spikes on his tail. The dragon slept curled up upon a mound of gold and jewels. Rosella was both frightened and intrigued by the dragon. He was deadly but beautiful; thankfully he was sleeping right now. She wanted to leave, but another part of her wanted to stare at this grand creature longer. Then she remembered that loathsome three headed dragon that invaded Daventry and held its population in terror, the dragon she had been sacrificed to. She decided to leave.

As she was leaving, she stepped on a gold ingot, and it made a crunching noise. The dragon woke up. "How did you get into the caves?" He said.

Rosella trembled, ready to run. "I....I....I..." she could only stutter.

"Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you." The purple dragon said gently. "It is very rare to see a human in here."

"My name is Princess Rosella, from the kingdom of Daventry. I'm on a mission to save my father by bringing him the magic fruit that grows in Tamir. I have the fruit, only now I have to get back to Daventry. To do that I must conquer the evil fairy Lolotte and recover the magic talisman that she stole from the good fairy Genesta. I came into these caves through the waterfall." Rosella explained. 

"That's more like it. I'm an amethyst dragon named Alloran. I've lived in the mountains of Tamir for many years. I know Genesta, and I will be glad to help you recover her talisman. I know of a secret entrance into Lolotte's castle." The purple dragon said.

"You will help me? That's great! We must hurry though. I don't know what Lolotte is like, but if I have a dragon to help me defeating her cannot be all that hard." Rosella said.

Alloran rose and turned to face his pile of treasure. He opened his mouth and spit out white flames on the mound of treasure. The flames danced for a while, then turned into three-foot tall sprites with spears. "They will guard my treasure while I am gone. Those goblins are nasty little thieves." 

Alloran lead her back to the mountain caves. He created a floating ball of white fire to see by. Between that and Rosella's lantern, they had sufficient light.

Rosella saw a dark figure ahead of them, and heard a growl. It was the troll. He had realized she had escaped, and was coming after her. Hopefully the dragon would protect her.

"Wife has left me. Me bring back wife." The troll grumbled when he saw them.
"I don't think so." Rosella said. "I am not your wife. I have made friends with this dragon here. I have no intentions of marrying a troll. I must leave these caves and return home with the fruit as soon as possible."

The troll began to whine. "Brutus all alone! No wife! Nobody to care for Brutus!"

Rosella sighed. In spite of herself she felt sorry for the troll. He was not really bad, just big and dumb, and lonely.

"Look, I am a princess from a far away land. I am on an important quest to save my father's life by bringing him the magic fruit that grows in Tamir. I only have twenty-four hours to do this, so I must hurry. Right now, I must leave these caves and find some way into the evil fairy Lolotte's castle."

"Brutus want to go with you." The troll said. 

"I don't think that's a good idea." Rosella disagreed.

"Rosella, the troll's strength might be useful. Let's bring Brutus along. Besides, we will waste time if we argue with him all day." Alloran said.

"You're right. OK, Brutus, you can come along."

"Yay! Brutus going on adventure!"

Alloran lead Rosella and the troll to down a tunnel that came to a dead end. He tapped the rock wall at the end with a claw, and it fell away to reveal a secret passageway.
The adventurers entered the secret passage.

The secret passageway was made of stone bricks and was lit by torches in the wall. It slanted steadily upwards. Rosella noticed a brick that seemed to bulge out more than the others. She pried the brick loose and found a niche behind it. There was a potion bottle in the niche. She took the potion and read the label. It said, "Witch evaporation potion." The passage turned a corner and ended at a stone door with gargoyles carved at the sides. Rosella examined the gargoyle statues with curiosity. She found a red stone in the eye of one, and it came loose. She took the stone with her.

Alloran opened the door first and entered the castle. He was in a tower bedroom, with a four-poster bed covered by a green and blue quilt, and wooden dresser against the back wall. A homely young man sat in a chair reading a book. He was a hunchback and had green skin. The young man heard the sound of the door opening and saw the dragon entering his room. He dropped his book and jumped up from the chair.

"Don't scream or call for the guards, or I'll roast you into a pile of cinders." The amethyst dragon warned him. "As a matter of fact, don't do anything."

Rosella emerged from the tunnel, and then came Brutus. She looked at the tower bedroom with curiosity, then at the hunchback.

"Who are you? What do you want?" The green hunchback asked.
"We are merely here to take back what has been stolen. Now who are you? And where is Lolotte?" Alloran demanded.

"I'm Edgar, Lolotte's son. I don't know where my mother is at the moment." He said.

"Well, we'll find her. For now we have a problem getting past the guards. And with keeping this Edgar silent till we accomplish our mission."

"Wait, don't hurt him, Alloran." Rosella said. "I don't think he's a bad guy."

Edgar looked at Rosella and seemed stunned by her beauty. How did this lovely girl end up in the company of a dragon and a troll?

"My lady, I wouldn't do anything that would bring harm to you." He said to her. Rosella smiled softly.

"I could cast a spell that would put him to sleep for a few hours, then we could go find Lolotte." Alloran said.

"You'll find Lolotte we're she usually is, in the throne room. But she has her goons around her." Edgar said suddenly.

"Huh? Why would you tell us that?" Rosella asked, puzzled that he would betray his own mother.

"Because she is evil. She stole Genesta's talisman, and I know that Genesta will die if her talisman is not returned. She has been cruel to the people of Tamir. Somehow I feel that I am not her true son." Edgar said.

"Thank you Edgar. I don't think we need to cast a sleep spell on him, we can trust him." Rosella said.

Alloran looked doubtful. "Alright. I will take your word on it. Let's go to the throne room."

The party left the tower and crept downstairs. They encountered one bat-winged henchman at the foot of the stairs, but Brutus knocked him out. They stopped in the dining room at the doorway to the throne room. Rosella peeked into the throne room and saw the evil green skinned fairy sitting on her throne. Pale, bat-winged goons surrounded her.

Lolotte pointed a gnarled finger with a sharp nail at one of her goons. "I want to capture that unicorn that roams the meadows. Also I must have that magic hen that lays the golden eggs. But most important of all, I must have Pandora's box! Pandora's box contains the most powerful evil force in the world. With that demonic power I will be unstoppable!"
One of the goons wrote down a list of the three items she wanted.

"What do we do?" Rosella whispered to her companions.

"I could fly in there and blast Lolotte with my fire. But she could blast me with her own magic, and then I would also have to battle the goons." Alloran said.

"Me break goons' neck!" Brutus said.

"Bad idea, Brutus. Lolotte would zap you first."

"Rosella do you carry any items with you that could destroy Lolotte?"
Alloran asked.

Rosella brought out the items she found in the passageway. " I found this potion and this red stone in the secret passage."

"This potion will destroy Lolotte if you pour it on her." Alloran said.
"I think I've seen a stone like this before. It will protect you from evil magic. Carry it with you and Lolotte will not be able to zap you."

"Here's the plan. Brutus and I will go in and distract the guards. Then you will sneak up behind Lolotte and pour the potion on her. Once she is dead the guards will not be a problem. Then we will get the talisman and Tamir will be saved." Said Alloran.

Rosella nodded her head in agreement.

Alloran roared and ran out into the throne room. He shot fire bolts at Lolotte and at the goons. Lolotte screamed curses and zapped the dragon with her magic, but he dodged her. Then Brutus ran in and started fighting the goons. The goons were a poor match for hi strength. While they were distracted by the fighting, Rosella snuck in and crept up behind Lolotte, who stood behind her throne.

As she was about to open the lid of the potion, the wicked fairy turned around and saw her. She seized her by the arm. "So you're trying to destroy me, are you girl? Well you and your monstrous friends will suffer for this! The fairy's eyes glowed blood red and she shot a lightning bolt at Rosella. Rosella closed her eyes, expecting this to be the end, but the red stone protected her from the fairy's magic. With her free hand she opened the lid of the bottle and threw its contents over Lolotte.

"Ahh...nooooooo.... not witch evaporation potion!" Lolotte screamed. She shrieked in pain and sizzled. Steam rose from her black robe and her high gray hair. The witch melted and shriveled up till she was just a skeleton in black rags, then evaporated into a pile of green dust. Alloran and Brutus subdued the goons.

Rosella took the magic talisman from the pile of dust. They had won the battle. The remaining henchmen fled in fright. Rosella decided to go back to Edgar's bedroom and talk to him. She needed to thank him for helping them. Alloran and Brutus followed her.

Edgar was not in his bedroom. Rosella wondered where he could have gone. She bumped into him in the hallway. He was carrying four roses, one white, one red, one pink, and one yellow. "I wondered where you could have gone. I'm sorry but your mother is dead. I used a witch evaporation potion on her. I have to give Genesta's talisman back to her and return to Daventry with this magic fruit for my father. I wanted to thank you for helping us."

Edgar handed her the roses. A gold ribbon tied them together. "These are for you. I..." he started to blush. Rosella took the roses and smelled them. "Thank you Edgar. You're very sweet. I must go now." She left the castle.

Outside there was an empty stable next to the castle. The castle was on a mountainside,
with a rocky path leading down to Tamir's forest. There was a rocky space in front of the castle.

"I will fly you to Genesta's island. Brutus can you find your way back to the caves on your own?" Alloran said.

"Brutus will be fine." The troll said.

Rosella mounted the purple dragon. They flew over the mountain, across Tamir, and across the ocean. They landed on the beach of Genesta's island. Rosella entered Genesta's beautiful ivory palace. She walked up the stairs and came to Genesta's bedroom. The fairy lady lay pale and still upon her seashell bed, with her tiny fairies hovering over her protectively. Her pet snow leopard lay in a corner nearby.

Rosella handed the talisman to Genesta. As soon as the magic charm touched her hand, some spark returned to the fairy. She put it around her neck, and her green eyes regained the sparkle, and the color returned to her cheeks.

"I feel much better. You have saved my life Rosella! And you have saved Tamir from the persecution of Lolotte. Let's go outside, I want to feel the sunshine on my face." Genesta waved her magic wand, and they were outside on the beach of the island, near the gardens. Alloran waited for them on the beach.

"Alloran the amethyst dragon, it's been a long time since I last saw you." Genesta said.
"Have you helped princess Rosella on her quest?"
"Yes, Genesta, I have. Now it seems it is time for the princess to go home."

"Yes, but first let's give Rosella back her royal robes." Genesta waved her wand, and Rosella's red peasant dress changed into her white princess dress.

"There is another young man who deserves a reward for his heroism." Genesta said with a twinkle in her eye. She waved her wand and Edgar appeared. "You have a beautiful soul, Edgar. You should look like what you are." And then Edgar's form changes with Genesta's fairy magic. Edgar is changed into a more human like form, a handsome young man, strait and tall with brown hair and blue eyes and smooth tan skin.

Rosella gasps. This handsome hunk is Edgar? Edgar kneels down before her. "Rosella, I know I have known you for only a short time. But from what I have seen, you are brave and determined, and kind. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my whole life. I love you. Will you marry me?"

Rosella thought about it for a while. She thought about it some more. "I'm sorry Edgar, I cannot marry you. I must go home immediately. My father is dying."
Edgar hung his head in sadness at her refusal.

"Perhaps we will meet again one day." Rosella said to cheer him up.

"Well, Rosella, you have the magic fruit. Good bye we will miss you. Tamir will never forget you." Genesta said.

"Goodbye Genesta. Goodbye, Edgar and Alloran. Thank you all so much for helping me in my adventure. Now I must return to Daventry." Said Princess Rosella.

"Farewell!" Genesta waved her wand and Rosella disappeared from the island and was back in the throne room of her home in castle Daventry. She looked around. Everything seemed just as she left it. She entered through the magic mirror, same way she left.
She found her father's adventurer's hat lying on the floor, forgotten. She picked it up.

Rosella walked into King Graham's bedroom. King Graham of Daventry lay in bed, motionless. His wife, Queen Valanice was by his side, stricken with grief, as was Rosella's newfound brother, Prince Alexander. Rosella gave her father the magic fruit and urged him to take a bite. He did so weakly. After Graham swallowed the piece of fruit he sat up in bed, looking much better. His eyes were bright and his face had regained its color.

"How do you feel now father?" Rosella asked him excitedly.

"Never felt better in my life." He responded. "What is in this fruit?"

"It's magic!" Rosella told her family all about her adventures in Tamir. And thus ends another King's Quest.
 


(Posted on: May 10, 2011, 07:29:20 PM)


Here's another story:


THE SECRET HEROINE OF DAVENTRY

Many people have heard the story of the brave Sir Graham and how he became king of Daventry, and how he later rescued the fair damsel Valanice and made her his queen.  But few have heard the tale of the good and brave maid who saved Valanice's life, and tried to rescue her lost child.

   In Kolyma, three years after Valanice was born, another baby girl was born to proud parents. Sadly, the girl's parents died when she was a very young child and her grandmother, a kind old lady named Anya, who owned an antique shop, raised her. The girl's name was Morena, and she was a carefree, spirited child with a taste for adventure. Morena's grandmother taught her well, the girl learned to read and write and do arithmetic.

   Morena had many friends in Kolyma. The first friend she made was Amaranth, a young white witch who was also a poor urchin. Amaranth introduced her to Valanice and Genevieve. Even though they were older than her, they were great friends. She also knew a girl named Veronica, whose father was a woodsman. Besides the girls, there were some boys in the small village that were Morena's friends.

   Morena's granny was friends with Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother, and Morena got along with Little Red Riding Hood, who's real name was Scarlet, and babysat her some times.  Every Sunday she went to church with her granny at the Monastery of the Blessed Wilbury. Father Wilbury baptized Morena.  Morena also knew a good little fairy named Florinda.

   However, things were not always pleasant in Kolyma. The evil witch Hagatha was always out to catch new victims. The cannibal witch's teeth had rotted with age, so she could only eat either the very old or the very young. Besides Hagatha, the vampire Count Dracula prowled around at night looking for prey whose blood he could drink. An old enchanter also roamed the woods looking for victims to turn into frogs.  A stealing dwarf would occasionally jump and rob travelers, but he was more of a nuisance than a danger.
   
Morena's love of adventuring got her into trouble sometimes. She had a fine adventure when she was ten years old.  It started on a balmy spring day when she was out picking flowers in the meadow with Little Red Riding Hood. The two of them laughed and talked as always.

   "Hey Red, have you been to the beach lately?" Morena asked her.
"No. Why?" Red replied.

   "Well, I heard a rumor that there's a mermaid that likes to sunbathe on the rocks there." Morena told her.

   "A mermaid? Really? Oh, that would be so neat if I could see a real live mermaid!"

   "Why don't you go with me to the beach and we can see if we can find her?" Morena suggested.

   "Right now?" Red paused. "I don't think so. I'm getting hungry, and it's time for lunch. I'm going to my grandma's house; we're having lemonade and cupcakes with our chicken salad. Want to come?"

   "No, I'm going to the beach to look for a mermaid. Bye Red."
Little Red Riding Hood waved goodbye to her and left. Morena walked to the shore.


   On the sandy beach she found a couch-shaped rock in the blue water, and sure enough, a mermaid lay on the rock. Morena stared at the beautiful mermaid with clear skin, long blond hair and a sparkling green tail in awe. She was a plain girl herself, with freckles, brown hair, brown eyes, a long nose and a thin body. She would never be that beautiful. 

   Morena swam up to the rock and talked to the mermaid. The mermaid did not respond, but only looked at her strangely. Perhaps mermaids cannot speak, or maybe they speak a different language from humans.

   Morena offered her bouquet of wild flowers to the mermaid, who took it gratefully. In return, the mermaid gave her a large black pearl. Excited with her treasure, Morena could hardly wait to show it to her granny. She ran home.

   As she left the beach she passed by the cave where Hagatha lived. Morena saw the hideous green-skinned witch emerging from her cave. Quickly she ran out of there and through the woods to her own home. 

   Suddenly she was knocked to the ground, the wind blown out of her. The dwarf thief had caught her. He took the black pearl from her hand and ran off with it.

   Morena was furious. Now she had nothing to show her granny! Since the day was getting late, she went home empty handed, but she swore that she would recover her pearl tomorrow.


   The next day, she left her house early in the morning and went to the tree where the dwarf lived. A door had been built into the hollowed out tree trunk. The door lead to an underground passageway that lead to the room where the dwarf lived.  Morena climbed down the ladder and walked into the dwarf's chamber. Unfortunately, the dwarf was home!  She tried to run, but he caught her. The dwarf tied up Morena with rope and put her in a corner.

   "Hey, I know you, you're the old lady's granddaughter, the one who owns the antique shop. I'll bet she has some valuable items in the antique shop. I wonder what she'll give to have you back." The dwarf said. He decided to hold Morena for ransom, so that the old lady would give him some treasures from her store. The dwarf sat down at a table and struggled to write a ransom note. He didn't seem to be able to read or write. 

   "I can write. If you untie me, I'll write the ransom note for you." Morena offered.
"Hah! I don't think so. You'll try to escape." The dwarf didn't trust her.  The dwarf ended up drawing a crude picture of Morena being held captive by him, and the payment of gold or jewels he desired. 

   Morena struggled against the ropes that held her while the dwarf worked on his note. He had bound her hands behind her back, pinned her arms to her sides and bound her feet. She could not free herself from her bonds.

   When the dwarf went out to deliver the ransom letter, Morena managed to wiggle over to the table and found the dwarf's carving knife. She cut the ropes. Once free, she quickly searched the room and found the black pearl hidden in a trunk. She ran out of the tree house and went home.

   Night had fallen during the hours of her captivity. Morena found her way home to her granny's store in the darkness. Granny met her at the door. "Morena!  Where have you been you naughty girl? I was worried sick about you." Morena told her granny the story and showed her the pearl. Morena went inside, ate supper and went to bed. From then on, she avoided the dwarf's tree.
   
   The months passed since her first adventure with the pearl. Morena spent more time with Philip, a fisherman's son who lived in a house on the beach. Philip wanted to become an adventurer and sail to far away lands. Another male friend was Rupert, the son of a farmer, who wanted to be a knight. It seemed like her friends' dreams of heroism would never come true, they were poor peasants and would probably be stuck in their parent's way of life. Morena spent time with her friends after cleaning her grandmother's store. She was curious about all things, and she asked Amaranth to teach her magic. Amaranth protested at first, knowing that her grandmother would not approve, and that magic was dangerous and difficult to learn. Morena first learned about herbs and then about symbols of protection, Amaranth was reluctant to teach her more than that.  Most of the people of kolyma lived in a village nestled at the foot of the mountains, and they feared magic, because the main practitioners of magic in their country, Hagatha and the old enchanter, were evil.

   While playing with the boys she learned how to fight. Rupert helped her carve a wooden sword. Philip taught her how to swim well and how to catch large fish for supper.
   As the years passed, Valanice and Genevieve grew more beautiful. One summer day they sat by a lake watching the fairy Florinda sprinkle pixie dust on the flowers.

   "I love summer, when it is warm and flowers are in bloom." Morena said.
"So do I." Said Valanice. "There's not much to do during winter. I'm glad we have long summers in Kolyma.

   "Florinda keeps everything lush and green." Genevieve said. "We are lucky to have a kind fairy like her to protect us from Hagatha."

   Florinda overheard them, she giggled and sprinkled pixie dust on them. Genevieve sneezed. Morena dipped a finger in the lake. "You two are so pretty. I wish I could be beautiful when I grow up. I've been changing. Granny says I am no longer a little girl, I will be a maiden soon."

   "And then you'll have to worry about boys, and find a husband." Genevieve said.
Morena blushed. "I don't know about that. I want to have adventures before I settle down and get married."

   "You have plenty of time for adventures." Said Valanice. "Speaking of such, I heard that a prince from a foreign land is coming to Kolyma in search of a bride."

   "Really? Are you sure? You're not joking with us are you?" Genevieve gasped.
Valanice laughed. "Calm down Genny. I'm sure you'll get your chance to meet him. No, I'm not joking, I heard this from my father.

   "Your father is Lord Cedric. He's a noble of Kolyma, next to the prince of Kolyma there's no one higher in rank than he. I think this prince would be interested in you, Val."

   Valanice twirled a lock of auburn hair around her fingers. "I don't know, I'm not ready for that yet. I've met our own prince, and he seems to like me. I don't know if I want to fall in love and get married so soon."



(Posted on: May 10, 2011, 07:33:21 PM)


potion over the hand mirror. It sizzled as it contacted with the glass, and steam rose up from the shiny surface.
   As she was about to finish the spell, her grandmother opened the door and came into the room. "Morena, I need you to- what on earth are you doing?" Morena gasped and dropped the little pot she used to mix potions. Florinda flew out the window.
   
"I was er...I was um....cooking..." she stuttered.
"Cooking? In your room? With a mirror and crystal? That doesn't look like cooking to me. You are trying to do magic, aren't you?"

Morena could no longer lie. "Yes, granny. I was about to cast a spell to contact Valanice. The truth is I have been doing magic for some time now. Amaranth and Florinda taught me. I never use it to hurt anyone, I want to help Valanice and save Kolyma from Hagatha. I was afraid you'd be upset if you found out.
   
"Well of course I'd be upset! Black magic is what killed your mother and father. Hagatha holds the kingdom in terror with her evil power. And now you are using that same power which nearly destroyed you. I know you are young and do not know any better but you must stop at once. These forces are far too dangerous to be messed with. How could you meddle in witchcraft behind my back! The disasters you could cause! What if our home is blown up during one of your experiments? You could release a demon or other such monster from the netherworld during an incantation. Magic is the weapon of the Devil. Give up such foolishness, for my sake. I will speak to Father Wilbury about this. Perhaps he can help you off that crooked path." Anya sobbed and collapsed to her knees when she finished her lecture. Morena ran to her side.
   
"Granny! What's wrong? What have I done? Are you alright?"

"I...I feels so weak and sick. The strain is hard on an old woman's nerves."
Morena helped her to her room. Granny laid down in her bed. Morena ran off the make some tea. She knew simple healing spells, and she made herbal tea. She forgot about the mess in her room. Morena began to cry, fearing that her spell casting had caused her grandmother to suffer a stroke. She tended to her grandmother as best she could.
When grandma was asleep she cleaned up the failed experiment in her room. She had spilled the potion all over the floor. At least the mirror was not broken.
   
The next day she made breakfast and tiptoed into granny's room. She was still asleep. Granny woke up around noon. "I feel much better now, after resting," she said.

"Do you want to talk?" Morena asked.
"Yes. I cannot forget what happened yesterday. You have been practicing magic."

   "Please, granny, magic is not as bad as you think. I only use good magic, and I only want to do good things. I want to stop Hagatha and rescue Valanice. You said that Hagatha killed my parents. I want to punish her for that, and for everything else she has done to hurt the people of Daventry." Said Morena.
   "I am glad you want to help your countrymen, but I have warned you against following the path of vengence. However, you are fourteen now, and old enough to make your own decisions, I cannot stop you. Please promise me that you will never use the dark kind of magic."
   "I promise, I will never turn to evil. I will never be an evil witch like Hagatha."
"I can't say I approve of magic, but you're at that stubborn age when you must find out things for yourself. I wish that you can find some way to save your friend Valanice. You are right, something must be done to stop Hagatha. I'm quite hungry now. Do you have breakfast ready?"
   
"Well, actually now its time for lunch." 

"My goodness, I really slept late!" Morena brought her grandmother a bowl of porridge.
Things were better from them on, she did not have to hide anymore.


Valanice stood at the rail of the balcony of the crystal tower. She had looked out on the view of the tiny, enchanted island many times during the long year of her imprisonment. The pink sky, blue sand and exotic, huge foliage that took over the island had lost their sense of strangeness to her, now they were an everyday sight. She often sang to herself to on the balcony, or wistfully dreamed about being rescued from the tower by a handsome young man. As the days dragged by, her hope had worn thin, and she became sadder. She leaned against the rail and thought of her mother and father. As she did so, a tear escaped from her blue-green eyes. Valanice closed her eyes and brushed the tear away. She had spent hours crying since she had first been locked up in this tower, and when she saw what delight her grief had given her captor, she vowed not to cry in front of Hagatha again.
   
No birds came to visit her by her window. The only sound was the roaring of the lion that guarded her door. Hagatha came to visit her every other day, bringing bitter water, moldy bread and cold, greasy gruel for her prisoner. The tiny room at the top of the tower she was imprisoned in was mostly bare, save for a small, hard bed, an old, battered dresser with a broken mirror, a rusty trunk and a chamber pot.
   Despair was like a shadow at her back, waiting to shallow her in its monstrous claws and devour the light. Would her hero ever come to save her? Would she be old and haggard when the dashing prince broke into the tower? Was the old witch's evil magic too strong for those who fought on the side of good?
   Not wishing to think about it anymore, Valanice threw herself upon the uncomfortable bed and curled up, giving in to her tears at last. Depression pounded upon her like a storm. It had been a year. How many years was she to endure this?

   Hagatha and her partner in crime, Nimrod the enchanter, were preparing a trap for Morena. Morena needed to go into the forest to gather herbs for her spells. She had a garden behind her store, but there were certain kinds of herbs that only grew in the wild, fertile soil of Kolyma's woods. Today she needed to gather mushrooms. She always wore the magic amulets of protection that she had made, and she had several ointments that warded off dangerous creatures that she rubbed on her skin.
   
Morena found the type of mushroom she was looking for growing underneath a pine tree, and she picked several of them and put them into her basket. As her basket was becoming full she heard a child's voice calling for help. She dropped her basket and ran to the source of the call. 
   
She followed the screams to a thorny thicket in a dark, shadowy part of the forest.
A little boy was caught in the thorny hedge. There was a large snake near his feet.
   Morena cast a paralysis spell on the snake, and the killed it with her sword.
She went to the crying child. "It's alright. I'm here to help you." The little boy looked up. He suddenly grinned nastily and his eyes glowed red.
   
"Too bad for you. You're the one that needs help!" The image of the innocent child changed into the vicious Hagatha. Morena screamed as the thicket came alive and seized her, the thorny vines snaked around her arms and legs, holding her down and digging into her flesh. She struggled to break free from the monstrous plant's bindings.
   
Hagatha cackled insanely as she watched her enemy's helplessness. "Time for a barbecue!" Nimrod appeared. He cast a fireball spell at Morena. Morena's eyes widened as the fire flew towards her, aiming at her heart. It hit her, but the spells of her amulets, combined with the ointment, provided ample protection against the dark magic. Already the vine-shackles on her arms were loosening. She could feel the flow of her power and got ready for a defensive move.

"What went wrong? You bumbling fool! Let me try!" Hagatha threw a lightning bolt at Morena. Morena managed to jumped to the side and the lightning bolt severed her bonds. She broke free and threw a fire ball of her own at Hagatha. Hagatha dodged just in time. "How could you possibly resist my spells?! You will pay for this! I will get you some way!"

Morena knew she had to get away fast to tend to her wounds. The enchanter was advancing upon her. She threw a handful of dust into his face. While he was blinded and sneezing, she cast an energy bolt at Hagatha, and then ran off into the cover of the trees. The thorny vine monster that the evil sorcerers had created had been sickened and weakened by Morena's magic skin lotion. Its tentacles were now limp.

Morena fled through the forest, hiding behind the large trees. She was very fast and the protection spells were strong, she was very grateful that they worked. Her own magic had done nothing but infuriate Hagatha, it seemed to damage her very little. She snatched up her basket of mushrooms from its hiding place behind the bush and went home.

Granny commented on Morena's scratches and the condition of her hair and clothes, and Morena had to tell her the story.

   
   Morena was much more wary from then on. She never went out after dark and she spent more time in the company of friends when she did go out.  Florinda taught her more of magic. Rupert's parents disapproved of his dreams of becoming a knight, and he had more work to do on the family farm. It was the same for Philip. Another year dragged by.
Rumors passed that Prince Stuart was ill, no one had seen him leave his castle in months. He had blocked off the entrance to his mountain castle, so that no visitors could even find the path to the castle.

   As the months dragged by, a strange merchant visited Kolyma. He wore odd, baggy white clothes and a turban on his head. He sold an old brass lamp to Morena's granny. Morena knew the lamp was magical and suspected it contained a genie. She could feel the winds of change blowing. Soon, a hero was coming and they would be delivered from Hagatha!
   One day she went to see Florinda after Granny bought the lamp.
Florinda was excited. The fairy took her to a magic pond in the forest.
"Remember King Graham of Daventry that I told you about? Well, he's been king for over a year now, and he has not found a bride to his liking in his own kingdom. Shouldn't he go on a quest to find a queen?"

"Yes, King Graham could be our perfect hero. But he doesn't even know about Valanice!" Morena answered the fairy.

"Then we must tell him. He has a magic mirror, one of the three treasures he recovered on his quest to become king.  We can contact him by that mirror." Florinda touched the surface of the pond with her wand. Numerous ripples rose from the surface. Then a castle could be seen, Castle Daventry, the home of the king of Daventry. The throne room of the castle was shone, and on a gilded throne sat a man in a red shirt wearing the crown. He looked worried, as if his mind was wandering.

"That's him. King Graham of Daventry." The king stood up and went to the mirror. Morena saw the reflection of the man's face in the water.  He was dark-haired, blue eyed and handsome. His face showed a strong will and a good heart.

"Mirror of Merlin, show me where I can find a good maiden, pure of heart and fair of face, to be my companion and my beloved wife, to sit by my side as queen." Graham implored the mirror.

"He's asking the mirror to show him Valanice!" Florinda was filled with joy. She waved her tiny arms and cast the spell of communication, and used the mirror and pond's magic to show the king what he needed to know. She showed him the land of Kolyma, and the magic door that lead to the enchanted land where Valanice was imprisoned, then she showed him the crystal tower and Valanice herself.

The look on Graham's face was clear, it was love at first sight. He had to rescue Valanice.  King Graham took up his adventurer's hat and prepared for the journey to Kolyma to rescue to lady he had seen in his vision in the mirror. Valanice would be saved at last!

   




(Posted on: May 10, 2011, 07:37:43 PM)


"You're fifteen, you're old enough for romance." Genevieve said.
Morena's attention wandered as they talked about boys. She looked at her reflection in the water. She was certaintly no beauty. She was skinny and plain, with mousy brown hair and brown eyes. Her nose was too long and she had acne. She wondered if the boys would like her even though she was not pretty. She secretly had a crush on Rupert, but she didn't want her friends to know that.

    Just then, a familiar voice hailed then. It was Veronica. "Morena, your granny wants you to come inside and help her clean the shop." Morena sighed. "I have to leave now. I must go help my granny. I'll see you later." She told her friends.

   At the antique store, Morena's granny was unpacking some crates of new merchandise.  On the counter stood a gilded cage with a live nightingale in it.

   "I sent Veronica to fetch you. I need some help getting these new antiques ready for sale. I've swept and dusted the store already."

   Morena walked over to the birdcage. "Where did this nightingale come from?"
"I bought him today from a traveling merchant, which is where I got most of this stuff. Isn't he adorable? That merchant sold a lot of caged songbirds, and I felt sorry for the poor little things. This one has the sweetest song. I think he needs some tender loving care. You can help me take care of him. I thought we needed a pet around here. Now, start polishing the silver. I am lucky to have gotten these antiques for such a great deal. The nobles of Kolyma will be happy to have some good china and silver for their table."

   Morena started polishing the silver kettles and platters. There were so many pretty things in her grandmother's store. Besides the silverware and china, there were jewelry and fine clothes, clocks, furniture, musical instruments, swords, and statues. The prices for the items in Granny's store were reasonable, and she had business from even the most impoverished of Kolyma's citizens.

   A few days later, Morena and her grandmother went to Scarlett's house to have tea with Scarlett and her grandmother.

   "What a lovely home you have, Margaret. I love what you've done with this place." Said Granny to the other grandmother.

   "Thank you Anya. So nice of you to come and visit me. I've made tea and some cakes and bread for you."

   " Your cakes are so delicious. I brought the spices you asked for from my store."
Margaret, Little Red Riding Hood's grandma, set the table for tea. Morena and Red helped her. They sat down and Anya poured them tea. Morena's granny had such a lovely name. 

   "Did you hear about this prince who is coming to Kolyma? I heard he is our own prince's cousin." Said Margaret. 

   "Everyone that comes in my shop has been talking about this royal visitor. Rumor is it that he is searching for a bride." Anya said.

   "I'm afraid that vile creature Hagatha may have it in for the maidens who this prince courts. She'll be so jealous of any girl that he lays eyes on. She hates pretty young girls, more so for the beauty that she lost." Margaret said.

   "But Hagatha was never beautiful, was she? How could she ever have been pretty?" Morena was puzzled.

   "Hagatha may have always been evil, but she was not always ugly. In her youth, she was a beautiful young sorceress. But she was cruel, and she played with men like toys, broke many hearts. She also was cruel to animals, and she even caught a fairy one time and pulled her wings off. That fairy was Florinda's sister. Because of her evil deeds, the fairies cursed her to become as ugly on the outside as she was on the inside. Since then, her skin turned green, her ears became pointed and long and her eyes red. Now that she is old, she is even more hideous." Anya shuddered as she talked about the witch. "Let's not discuss such unpleasant things any further."

   Morena and Red looked at each other in amazement, to have learned that Hagatha had once been as comely as their friends. They all agreed that she deserved to be cursed with ugliness.

   The months passed as Kolyma waited for the prince's arrival. A royal ship was spotted along the coast. Prince Charles van Thorpe of  Manhaven arrived at the village of Kolyma. The villagers greeted him with joy. Many of the maidens were waiting for him at the docks, and offered him bouquets of flowers.

   "People of Kolyma, I am very happy to be here, and am delighted with your warm hospitality." Said Prince Charles. "I have come to visit my cousin, the ruler of this fine land.  I am also on a quest to find a bride." At this many, of the damsels giggled and swooned.  "My cousin will be holding a ball to night at which all of the people of Kolyma are invited. I wish you all would attend and have a good time." At this, the prince walked down the path that lead to his cousin's castle, followed by some guards and servants.

   The ball was magnificent. The common folk and nobles mixed freely with each other, and everyone had a good time. Prince Charles met many fair damsels, but he was particularly smitten with Genevieve. Genevieve was sixteen, and her golden hair, sparkling blue eyes and charming smile captured the prince's heart. Throughout the prince's stay, they fell in love with each other as they spent more time with each other. When the prince left a week later, he took Genevieve with him as his bride.
   Morena sighed as she watched the ship depart from Kolyma. She would miss her friend, and she was a bit jealous of her.

   "I'm sure Genevieve will be very happy with Prince Charles. Now she will be a princess." Valanice said as they stood on the shore.


(Posted on: May 10, 2011, 07:42:08 PM)


I'm sorry I messed up here, I put in part of the story ahead of time, the part I just posted above this goes before the part I posted above that. Genevieve gets married.

(Posted on: May 10, 2011, 07:43:45 PM)


In a few months, Valanice would have her sixteenth birthday. Morena was looking forward to the party.


   The old witch Hagatha was watching the recent events of Kolyma with growing jealousy and anger. How dare those pretty girls steal away the available young men? In her youth she had turned all of the boy's heads. Now she was repulsive to look at, all because of that wretched fairy's curse. Hagatha vowed that she would make the people of Kolyma pay for their happiness.  
   
Morena and her granny had grown very fond of their pet nightingale. They fed him bread crumbs and berries and gave him fresh water. The bird liked the attention he got and sang sweetly for them. One night, Morena woke up by a crashing sound. She got out of bed and went to see what was wrong. At the back door she heard the cackling of the wicked old hag. The nightingale was gone! Hagatha had broken into their house and stolen the bird.  Anya cried when she realized that her pet nightingale was gone.

   Morena's heart lightened after the loss of her pet when it came time for Valanice's birthday party. She wore her best pink dress to the party. Her granny came with her, and it seemed like the whole village celebrated the young lady's sixteenth birthday. Rupert and Philip were there, so was Veronica, Red and Amaranth. The party was held in the garden of Valanice's house. Colorful streamers and flowers decorated the place. Valanice's parents, Lord Cedric and Lady Cognice, had prepared a wonderful feast for the guests. A musician played a lute.

   Morena had been very careful when selecting a gift for Valanice. She gave her an exquisite glass unicorn. Little Red Riding Hood gave her an embroidered handbag, Veroinca's present was a carved wooden jewelry box her father had made, Amaranth gave her an herbal love potion, Rupert brought her a small silver dagger, and Philip's gift was a comb made of whalebone. Her parents gave her a magic bronze amulet, a hand mirror, a bottle of perfume, a silk sash and some hairpins.  

   Valanice had never looked lovelier. She wore a sea green silk dress trimmed in lavender. She wore flowers in her long, wavy auburn hair. She smiled happily at her party.    

   However, the happiness was short-lived. As Valanice was blowing out the candles on her cake, a cloud of smoke appeared in front of her. Hagatha had showed up to ruin the party.

   "I've had more than enough of you people having your happy little get-togethers while I suffer in misery in my cave. You will all pay for forgetting how powerful I am. This maiden and her beauty has brought you much joy, now I will take her and bring you suffering!" the crone seized Valanice by the arm. "She belongs to me now! I will lock her up where the world will never see her beauty again."

   "No, let me go!" Valanice cried out. Hagatha slapped her across the face. "Be silent, wench!  You will pay for flaunting your beauty. You will wither away without the light of day, and all your loves ones will suffer from your absence. I will not tolerate pretty young things like you any more!" With diabolical laughter, Hagatha disappeared with her.

   Cedric and Cognice cried and tried to stop the witch, but to no avail. Everyone screamed and gasped at the tragic turn of events.

   "Amaranth, where could Hagatha possibly have taken her? We must save Valanice!" Morena said. The two young white witches set off to find Valanice. Amaranth and Morena came to the mountains, where a deep, wide chasm had ripped across the land.

   "Where did this chasm come from? I've never seen it here before." Asked Morena.

   "Hagatha must have created it." Amaranth replied. "I will try to find a way to cross it and rescue Valanice. Go get help from Father Wilbury and the other villagers."

   Morena ran back to Valanice's house, where Father Wilbury had attended the party. She found the priest praying in a secluded spot.
   
"Father Wilbury, we need your help. Amaranth may have found where Hagatha took Valanice."
   
"I am sorry, child, but I am not a man of action. I may be match for Hagatha spiritually, but physically it would be suicide to fight her. Don't worry though, the Lord will look after Lady Valanice in her time of trouble." Morena then tried to rouse Valanice's parents.
   
"It's hopelss my dear. If that creature could just waltz in here and steal our daughter, how could we ever hope to stand up against her? We have no idea where she has taken Valanice!" Cedric and Cognice sobbed in each other's arms.  

The old witch Hagatha was watching the recent events of Kolyma with growing jealousy and anger. How dare those pretty girls steal away the available young men? In her youth she had turned all of the boy's heads. Now she was repulsive to look at, all because of that wretched fairy's curse. Hagatha vowed that she would make the people of Kolyma pay for their happiness.  
   
Morena and her granny had grown very fond of their pet nightingale. They fed him bread crumbs and berries and gave him fresh water. The bird liked the attention he got and sang sweetly for them. One night, Morena woke up by a crashing sound. She got out of bed and went to see what was wrong. At the back door she heard the cackling of the wicked old hag. The nightingale was gone! Hagatha had broken into their house and stolen the bird.  Anya cried when she realized that her pet nightingale was gone.

   Morena's heart lightened after the loss of her pet when it came time for Valanice's birthday party. She wore her best pink dress to the party. Her granny came with her, and it seemed like the whole village celebrated the young lady's sixteenth birthday. Rupert and Philip were there, so was Veronica, Red and Amaranth. The party was held in the garden of Valanice's house. Colorful streamers and flowers decorated the place. Valanice's parents, Lord Cedric and Lady Cognice, had prepared a wonderful feast for the guests. A musician played a lute.

   Morena had been very careful when selecting a gift for Valanice. She gave her an exquisite glass unicorn. Little Red Riding Hood gave her an embroidered handbag, Veroinca's present was a carved wooden jewelry box her father had made, Amaranth gave her an herbal love potion, Rupert brought her a small silver dagger, and Philip's gift was a comb made of whalebone. Her parents gave her a magic bronze amulet, a hand mirror, a bottle of perfume, a silk sash and some hairpins.  

   Valanice had never looked lovelier. She wore a sea green silk dress trimmed in lavender. She wore flowers in her long, wavy auburn hair. She smiled happily at her party.    

   However, the happiness was short-lived. As Valanice was blowing out the candles on her cake, a cloud of smoke appeared in front of her. Hagatha had showed up to ruin the party.

   "I've had more than enough of you people having your happy little get-togethers while I suffer in misery in my cave. You will all pay for forgetting how powerful I am. This maiden and her beauty has brought you much joy, now I will take her and bring you suffering!" the crone seized Valanice by the arm. "She belongs to me now! I will lock her up where the world will never see her beauty again."

   "No, let me go!" Valanice cried out. Hagatha slapped her across the face. "Be silent, wench!  You will pay for flaunting your beauty. You will wither away without the light of day, and all your loves ones will suffer from your absence. I will not tolerate pretty young things like you any more!" With diabolical laughter, Hagatha disappeared with her.

   Cedric and Cognice cried and tried to stop the witch, but to no avail. Everyone screamed and gasped at the tragic turn of events.

   "Amaranth, where could Hagatha possibly have taken her? We must save Valanice!" Morena said. The two young white witches set off to find Valanice. Amaranth and Morena came to the mountains, where a deep, wide chasm had ripped across the land.

   "Where did this chasm come from? I've never seen it here before." Asked Morena.

   "Hagatha must have created it." Amaranth replied. "I will try to find a way to cross it and rescue Valanice. Go get help from Father Wilbury and the other villagers."

   Morena ran back to Valanice's house, where Father Wilbury had attended the party. She found the priest praying in a secluded spot.
   
"Father Wilbury, we need your help. Amaranth may have found where Hagatha took Valanice."
   
"I am sorry, child, but I am not a man of action. I may be match for Hagatha spiritually, but physically it would be suicide to fight her. Don't worry though, the Lord will look after Lady Valanice in her time of trouble." Morena then tried to rouse Valanice's parents.
   
"It's hopelss my dear. If that creature could just waltz in here and steal our daughter, how could we ever hope to stand up against her? We have no idea where she has taken Valanice!" Cedric and Cognice sobbed in each other's arms.  

Morena could not find Rupert or Philip anywhere. With a heavy heart, she went home and collapsed in her granny's arms. "What are we going to do?" Morena sobbed.

"I fear that Hagatha plans to ruin Kolyma and leave the people broken." Morena said. "Hagatha destroys anyone who is good and happy, because she is miserable and cannot stand for anyone to be happy. She was the one that brought about the death of your parents, and would have killed you too when you were a wee babe had not the monks and fairies protected you." Said her granny.
"What?! You mean Hagatha killed my parents? Why have you never told me this before?"

"I was afraid to tell you for fear that you would try to take revenge. Your mother, Lorraine, was not very beautiful, but she was very clever and kind, and in this way one your father's heart. Your father was a handsome man, and Hagatha desired him, she was mad with jealousy when he married your mother. She plotted to kill them both and eat you. A year after you will born she invaded your house and killed your mother father. But Lorraine had put a protective charm on your blanket, so Hagatha could not harm you. The fairies knew you were in trouble, so they came to the house and drove Hagatha away." Anya told the story to her granddaughter.

"Hagatha will not get away with her evil deeds! I swear she will pay for murdering my parents and kidnapping Valanice." Morena vowed angrily.

"Now child, you mustn't say such things! Do you think that I have not thought about revenge myself? I have longed for justice for the death of my son and daughter in law, but the truth is she is much too powerful for us to handle."

Morena said nothing more, but she would not give up. She searched for Amaranth the next day, but could not find her anywhere. She then believed that she must have been killed by Hagatha.  Morena went to see Rupert and Philip in the village, and talked to them in a whispered hush about what happened.

"I'm glad you taught me how to use a sword and bow, Rupert." Morena said. "I wish I could become strong enough to defeat Hagatha."

"But Hagatha is a witch. You will need magic if you are to fight her. You can't fight magic with brawn." Rupert replied.

"Then I will become a good sorceress, and I will make her pay for all of the people she has killed." Said Morena.

"I think Hagatha killed Amaranth." Philip said. "Amaranth knew magic, but apparently it wasn't enough. We should wait for a hero to come along and rescue Valanice."

"How long will that take? Where will we find a hero?" Morena asked.
"Heroes come in all walks of life." Rupert told her. "A man who meets a challenge honorably and bravely can become a hero. Heroes are often chosen by destiny. Usually heroes choose their own destiny. I've heard many stories of fair maidens locked in towers, and a hero always comes along to rescue them. Someone will come to rescue Valanice."
   "I hope you're right." Morena said sadly.
A gray cloud had settled over her head, but with it came a fierce fire of determination. She would not let Hagatha win. Morena searched the attic of her granny's antique store, and found some old books on magic. She studied them diligently. Morena's friends noticed that she was growing distant, and spent more and more time alone.

All of Kolyma suffered from the loss of Lady Valanice, and Genevieve and Amaranth were gone also. Lord Cedric and Lady Cognice  were heartbroken, and became ill. They died after months of despair, and Hagatha burned their house down.  Prince Stuart of Kolyma had taken to shutting himself up in his castle with his servants, and ignoring the problems in his kingdom.

Morena's hunger for revenge turned into a thirst for knowledge. Anya appreciated the attention she paid to studying books, but worried that she was not spending enough time with her friends that girls her age should. Morena was careful that her grandmother never found out she was studying magic. She soon mastered all the basic spells in the old worm-eaten tome, and wanted to learn stronger magic. Despite her desire to become a sorceress, she never studied black magic. She was careful not to cross that line. She went to the fairies for more secrets of the arcane arts. Florinda gave her a small scroll of mystical words and symbols, and told her to memorize it and return to her within a week.
She practiced mundane martial skills too. Morena had acquired a bow and arrow, and a sword from the antique shop. She set up a target behind the shop, and practiced her archery every day.

   

(Posted on: May 10, 2011, 07:51:25 PM)


. She soon mastered all the basic spells in the old worm-eaten tome, and wanted to learn stronger magic. Despite her desire to become a sorceress, she never studied black magic. She was careful not to cross that line. She went to the fairies for more secrets of the arcane arts. Florinda gave her a small scroll of mystical words and symbols, and told her to memorize it and return to her within a week.
She practiced mundane martial skills too. Morena had acquired a bow and arrow, and a sword from the antique shop. She set up a target behind the shop, and practiced her archery every day.

   One day as she was shooting her arrows at the wooden target, the old enchanter came by and tried to catch her. The wizened old man raised his hands and started to mumble the incantation. Morena quickly cast a protective spell to ward off the enchantment. The enchanter was enraged when his spell did work. Morena aimed her bow and shot at him. Her first arrow missed, her second arrow hit the skirt of his black robe. Angered further, the old wizard tried a more powerful spell. Morena dodged his spell and hurled an energy ball at him. The enchanter now realized he was no match for her, so he left.

In Hagatha's cave, the enchanter paid the wicked witch a visit. "Ah, Nimrod, my old friend, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?" Hagatha greeted him.
   
"This is not a social call, Hagatha. I have come to discuss business. That homely girl that lives at the antique store, she is becoming quite a problem."
   
Hagatha's red eyes glinted with hatred. "Ah yes, the one that got away. I almost had her as my dinner when she was a baby. What has she done?"
   
The enchanter's face reddened with anger. "I tried to curse her, to change her into a frog like I did with all the other people, but she resisted my spell! She seems to be able to cast magic, and not only did she ward off my spell, she shot her arrows at me and threw an energy ball at me!"

   "Of all the impudence. The Master will not be pleased when he hears of this. You know how much he hates heroes who stand in his way."
   "We must punish this little wench. She shall die for defying us." Nimrod said to his comrade."
   "Yes, I quite agree. If she becomes more powerful, she might try to rescue Valanice."

Morena suspected that Hagatha was plotting to end her life. But she didn't care. Someone had to stand up to her. A year after Valanice was kidnapped, Florinda flew up to her outside of the monastery, in a great hurry.

"Why are you so excited, Florinda?" She asked the fairy.

"I've just heard news of a hero in a foreign land. My friend the fairy Gloriana has told me about a knight who recently became king in the land of Daventry. The old king, King Edward, had no heirs so he sent his best knight on a quest to recover three missing magical treasures. The knight succeeded in his quest and became king after Edward died. His name is Graham." Said Florinda.
   
"But what does this have to do with us?"
"The new king will be looking for a bride soon. He might be the one to rescue Valanice."

"Oh, that's great! I hope he finds out about her soon, and comes to save her. Poor Valanice must suffer terribly, being locked up by that horrible hag. I wish I could find a way to contact her."
   
"Perhaps there is a way. I think Valanice is being held in an enchanted land, one connected to Kolyma by a magic portal. Let's go by the mountains and see what we can find."
   Morena and Florinda went to the place where the chasm separated them from the high mountains. Morena saw that a rickety, old wooden bridge with holes crossed the chasm. It would be dangerous to try to cross it. For Valanice sake, she would try. Gingerly, she put her foot on the bridge. Carefully she stepped across. On the land on the other side, there was a strange blue door. Morena looked at the door and tried to open it. It was locked. She read the inscription, but had no way to find the key. Morena sprinkled some fairy dust on the door. She managed to pick a splinter of wood off of the door.
   
"With this, I can make a magic mirror that will allow us to see where Valanice is. We may even be abl