The ladies of Harrowsmith, Princess Charlotte, Princess Evie, and Lady Emma woke up South of Daddoo. They were so tired from flying with the cloud folk the day before that they had stopped, climbed down from Panana, got out their soft blankets and lit a little campfire. All three of them were asleep before they could sing any campfire songs. When they woke up the fire had gone out and the air was cold. The horses and unicorn were nuzzling the girls’ hair.
“Curls! Stop, Curls! How did you find me?”, Princess Evie said.
Lady Emma was having the same troubles with Puppet. It seemed that their horse and unicorn had come looking for them when they didn’t make it home to their castle the night before. The princesses were happy to see Curls because Curls had in her saddle the rest of their food from their trip. They lit the fire again, pulled out the saddle bag with the food in it, and, as the sun slowly came over the hills, they nibbled on the last of their bread and dried fruit and drank hot chocolate with little marshmallows in it.
When the ladies finished their breakfast and began packing up their things to be on their way they heard barking in the distance. By the time they were mounting their horses and unicorn, over the hill came Jib, Charlotte’s happy puppy dog, followed by King Daddy and a hoard of mounted soldiers. They were all fully dressed for battle wearing helmets and armour and holding large shields and spears. Their horses were wearing cloth armour too! Beautiful colours representing the Kingdom and all its villages. As they drew closer King Daddy stopped, stuck his spear in the grown and took off his helmet.
“Ladies, you had me worried!”, said King Daddy, “I assumed your mission was a success since the dark cloud is gone, but not having heard from you I thought you might have been hurt. We were on our way to the cloud folk to ask for you when we saw the smoke from your fire and thought we’d investigate. I am glad to see you are all alright.”
“Sorry Daddy. We were just so tired from the battle.” said Princess Evie.
“It’s alright now, let us be on our way.” said King Daddy.
“Where?” asked Princess Charlotte.
“To the castle,” said King Daddy, “we prepare for war!”
All the guards cheered and followed King Daddy as he put his helmet back on, turned Clip north and charged off. Princess Evie, Princess Charlotte and Lady Emma all followed. They loved riding fast.
When they arrived at the castle the princesses noticed there was twice as many guards as usual. Also, the water surrounding the castle in the moat was moving faster than usual, the drawbridge was up, the wind was swirling around the castle walls and gusting towards the flames of the torches, blowing flames into the sky towards the Secret Forest. Nanny came rushing out of the castle followed by Grandpa.
“Good heavens! My angels! Are you alright! You scared me! I thought you were hurt!” Nanny gushed.
“We’re fine, Nanny!” the princesses said together, somewhat embarrassed at the notion that they couldn’t take care of themselves.
The princesses got down and told Nanny and Queen Mommy all about the journey they made the day before, the stairway up the side of the mountain, the woods filled with mean pixies, the floating flowers, the cloud fold, Raven, their leader, the glass vials filled with magic wind, growing wings and the big battle they had witnessed before the destruction of the dark could.
“My! Well! I don’t blame you for not making it all the way home last night after a day like that!” said Grandpa.
Princess Evie pulled the wool bag that Raven had given her from her pocket and handed it to Queen Mommy.
“Thank you.”, Queen Mommy said as she tucked it away in her pocket.
“What is it?” asked Princess Evie.
“It is a gift.” said Queen Mommy. “For trusting them with the lantern so they could destroy the dark cloud.”
“Come!” commanded King Daddy to all of the people in the courtyard. Everyone who knew they should follow did, including Princess Charlotte and Princess Evie.
King Daddy and Queen Mommy sat in their thrones. Princess Evie and Princess Charlotte stood around them in a circle with Lady Emma, Lord Mike and Logan, and the captains of the guards, Dame Becky and Sir Jacob. Everyone was dressed in armour and ready to fight. The doors at the end of King Daddy and Queen Mommy’s great hall swung open and in walked King Christopher and Queen Samantha of Bi’Vrin. The stood tall and walked proudly into the circle. Everyone lowered their heads with respect.
“It seems you have lost something, Brother.” King Daddy said to King Christopher.
“The thief, Daniel McEvil, has stolen something of great power.” King Christopher started. “A black cloak was given to me by King Andrew many years ago and I allowed it to be stolen by this mad man. Daniel McEvil has taken the cloak and used it to create an army of ice monsters and snow dragons in the secret forest. He means to attack the castle.”
“It’s true,” said Sir Jacob, “I saw it with my own eyes. The attack could come at any time.”
“Princess Charlotte,” King Daddy said, “You will lead a hoard of horsemen against the snow dragons.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Princess Charlotte said, standing tall.
“Princess Evie,” King Daddy continued, “Evacuate the village of Charvlyn into the castle walls. Then ride to the village of Daddoo and see that all the people are lead safely to Abbeyvale. Go now.”
“Of course.” Princess Evie said, as she turned and ran from the Hall.
As princess Evie ran from the Great Hall to the armoury she was thinking that she was going to miss the whole battle! It wasn’t fair that Queen Mommy and Princess Charlotte got to go and fight while all she got to do was help get people to safety! When she entered the armoury her armour and helmet were ready for her. She strapped on her helmet, pulled her chain mail over her body and put the Kingdom’s colours over top. She picked up a circular shield, strapped her bubble wand to her back, slid her magic wand into her pocket and she ran out the door. When she went into the barn Curls was also ready to go. She mounted Curls and said to herself. “I have to get this done quickly and then I can come back and help!” On her way out of the barn she yelled “Open the gate!” and she and ten guards raced over the draw bridge to Charvlyn. Curls horn was glowing. Princess Evie wondered what was happening as she rode to the centre of the village.
“Attention citizens of Charvlyn!” Princess Evie bellowed, “By order of the King you are to leave the village and take refuge behind the walls of the castle! Go now!”
The villagers all scurried here and there, grabbing food and clothes and blankets to carry over the drawbridge into the protection of the castle walls. Princess Evie commanded the guards, “Let’s go!” and they all galloped hard towards Daddoo.
Princess Evie was in such a rush. The harder she rode Curls the brighter her Unicorn’s horn became. They were riding really fast. They were at the village of Daddoo in a few minutes!
“How did you do that Princess?” one of the guards asked.
Princess Evie looked around and realized that the trip should have taken all morning and it only took a couple of minutes. Princess Evie looked at Curls and smiled. Her horn was still glowing.
“Curls power must be traveling. Her horn was glowing the whole time we were riding.” said Princess Evie.
“Well it is good for us, and the villagers!” said the guard as they rode to the centre of Daddoo.
“Attention citizens of Daddoo!” Princess Evie bellowed, “By order of the King you are to leave the village and take refuge behind the walls of the town of Abbeyvale! We will escort you but you must come now! Take only what you can carry.”
The villagers of Daddoo did the same thing that the villagers of Charvlyn did. They gathered food, clothes, blankets and began walking to the town of Abbeyvale.
“This will take forever!” Evie complained to herself as she rode beside the walking townspeople.
Curls horn was glowing brightly once more and in only a couple of minutes the people of Daddoo were safe behind the walls of Abbeyvale.
“This is fantastic!” Evie said to the guards. “We ride with all speed to the castle!”
Curls horn glowed brightly as they rode and they were back in the courtyard of the castle before mid-morning. When Princess Evie returned to the Great Hall King Daddy asked “Is there a problem, Princess Evie? I thought I asked you to conduct the evacuation?”
“It’s all done!” Princess Evie responded proudly.
“Very good, then.” King Daddy said. “You can ride with your mother, Queen Mommy’s side. She will be riding with Lord Mike and the Rain Maker, your Great Aunt Beth.
“You all have your assignments.” King Daddy said, standing up, “Make it happen.”
Everyone in the room bowed and filed out immediately except for King Daddy, Queen Mommy, King Chris, and Queen Sam.
“What are we to do?” asked Queen Samantha.
“Stay safe behind our walls.” King Daddy said, extending his hands to them both.
Queen Samantha and King Chris shook Daddy’s hand. King Daddy said, “You’ll have your Kingdom back in no time!” then left with Queen Mommy.
In the courtyard everyone was ready, mounted, and waiting for King Daddy to lead the way. King Daddy and Queen Mommy mounted their horses. Queen Mommy pointed her hand and the gate and a giant gust of wind blew the doors open and the drawbridge down. “Let’s ride!” she yelled!
Hundreds of horses with riders ready to fight poured out over the drawbridge. They formed long lines and started riding towards Nanny’s frozen Secret Forest.
Princess Evie took out her telescope and looked through it. On the giant ice wall she saw the thief, Daniel McEvil! He looked bigger and scarier than before. Princess Evie looked harder and she could see he was wearing the black cloak and casting magic spells.
Princess Charlotte started yelling! “Snow dragons! Snow dragons! Follow me!” Princess Charlotte drew her sword and charged off with a host of mounted guards.
Princess Evie looked harder through her telescope and could see the trees shaking and the ice falling off of them. Then she saw the ice monsters. They were slowly standing up. They were twice as tall as the trees. How were we ever going to stop them Princess Evie thought.
The ice monsters stepped over the wall and Daniel McEvil and started lumbering towards them. All the guards around King Daddy turned to run but King Daddy charged forward. He held up his spear and slammed his spear into the ground. The ground shook. It sounded like thunder. After a few moments dirt giants rose from the ground and tackled the ice monsters to the ground. Lord Mike’s gloves burned bright with fire as he flung balls of fire at the ice monsters. They were starting to melt. Sir Jacob drew his long silver sword. Electricity coursed up the blade. He held it high towards the sky and bolts of lightning struck the ice monsters shattering them into a million billion pieces.
Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte had the snow dragons on the run. Every dragon in the land recognized Panana’s purple hair and the sword Charlotte carried. They quivered with fear at the site of Princess Charlotte alone and now they were beside themselves as Princess Charlotte rode at the head of Dame Becky and a hundred guards on horses. They ran every which way but Charlotte’s line of horses corralled them back into the Secret Forest.
Before King Daddy, Lord Mike and Sir Jacob were done with the ice monsters snow dragons were heading towards them too. The rain maker, Elizabeth used her magic to make the water of the river come crashing over its banks and sweep some of the snow dragons away. Queen Mommy made wind twisters with her magic and sent snow dragons sailing back into the secret forest, landing with a thump. Princess Evie made sure that any dragons that got close to King Daddy, Sir Jacob or Lord Mike were carried away in one of her magic bubbles and put to sleep with a spell from her magic wand.
The plains south of the secret forest were a chaotic mess for most of the day. When all the ice monsters were gone and the snow dragons had ran back into the Secret Forest King Daddy and all his guards, the Princesses, Lords, and Knights all rode towards the great wall. Sir Jacob used the essence of lightning in his sword to blast a hole in the wall around the secret forest and they all went inside.
The princesses and the entire army charged through the Secret Forest looking for snow dragons that hadn’t run away yet and Daniel McEvil. Princess Evie and Princess Charlotte finally caught him, exhausted, trying to escape through the caves where he had pushed Evie. When Daniel McEvil heard the horses coming he tried to hide in a tree. He tried to fire an arrow at Princess Evie, but, with a flip of her magic wand turned the bow into a slithery snake. Daniel McEvil dropped the snake immediately and fell from the tree. King Daddy’s guards showed up and jumped on him. They arrested Daniel McEvil, took him back to the castle and locked him in a tower. King Daddy said that the Witch, Melanie, can bring him whatever he needs, but he can never leave. King Chris got his cape back and he and Queen Sam returned safely to Bi’Vrin.
After the guards had left with Daniel McEvil, Lord Mike raised his gloves to the sky. His gloves, once again, burned bright with heat and light and Lord Mike let loose a giant fireball into the sky. It was so hot it felt like a sunny day in the middle of summer. The ice and snow began to melt quickly. Water was everywhere in big puddles and pools. The fireball burned so brightly that in less than an hour the secret forest had melted and the snow dragons were gone. All the guards had gone home with King Daddy, Lord Mike, Dame Backy, Lady Emma and Sir Jacob to enjoy a party and parade in their honour.
That didn’t sound like any fun at all to Princess Evie or Princess Charlotte. The princesses were so hot and tired they decided they just wanted to relax and take a swim in a pool that had formed near Nanny’s cottage. It may have been autumn but it certainly didn’t feel like it. When Nanny and Grandpa came back to their cottage they made the princesses spaghetti. That night they slept well in their beds at Nanny’s cottage and were happy the secret forest was safe and sound.
Brains to Byzantium 