Princess Ellery & the Botanist

Once upon a time in the land of Atheria, there was a princess Nea and a princess Lulu and they went on the most amazing adventures. The princesses found themselves at the Dwarf Mining Camp with a villager boy named Asher & their new friend Darius and a bunch of industrious dwarfs. After using the white crystal to heal the missing birds they decided to head back to Asher’s village of Timberbrook outside of Moorenvale, then begin their journey back to Sparland.

Only when they got back to Asher’s village there was a very special visitor waiting for them. In fact it was an old friend of Lulu’s - Princess Ellery of Morrenvale. She had beautiful long hair and wore a gorgeous yet rugged green dress. 

“Princess Lulu!” she exclaimed, when she saw the party.

“Ellery!” Lulu called back as the two embraced. 

“I heard that you and your friends were close by helping the animals and I had to come find you. My kingdom needs your help! None of our fruits and vegetables are growing and, in fact, some of our flowers are dying - or worse - not growing at all.”

To that everyone perked up a little.

“First water, then birds, now the flowers!” exclaimed Princess Nea. 

“We have someone here who knows a lot about plants here in our village - a botanist.” Asher mentioned, “Maybe she can help.”

So they all walked across the village and to the botanist’s cottage and knocked on her door. 

[Knock, knock, knock.]

“Why hello” she said. Then noticed she was in the presence of royalty and gave a slight bow. “What an honor, my ladies, to have such guests.” 

The botanist was an older woman who carried herself with much poise and with a very bright smile. Her eyes glowed at the sight of guests and warmly invited them all in. Even Darius and Rose she welcomed in, although they had to be extra careful around the furniture. Before any of them could explain the situation, the botanist spoke up. 

“It’s about the birds and the plants, isn’t it?”

The princesses all shook their heads. 

“So it’s happening. The orb has been broken.” 

“The orb?” Asked princess Nea. 

“Yes, the magic orb - it’s the only way to contain the crystals and maintain balance in Atheria. At least, the only way I know how.”

“The crystals?” asked Princess Ellery, putting one hand on her chest.

“How do you know about this - the crystals and the orb?” Princess Lulu ask the botanist.

“That, my ladies, is a long story. Maybe for another time,” she smiled. “The birds and the plants, these are only the beginning. We must find the crystals before it’s too late -”

“-and return them to the temples.” Nea finished.

“Exactly.”

“Will you help us?” Asked Ellery. “My kingdom could use your help. Help us understand and see if there’s anything we can do to help keep our people healthy and safe.”

“Oh dear, my adventuring days are over. I am an old woman and have lived this story before, decades ago. But I will advise you. To heal your plants you will need a Terrainian Crystal one of two that fell from the sky when that orb broke - either brown or green.” She paused for a second at the mention of the green crystal. “But the crystals don’t work unless you have it’s Keeper as well - someone who can harness it’s power for good, otherwise it won’t heal Atheria, it will unravel it.” 

And with that she looked over at Darius. 

“Like this noble young man. The one who can harness the white crystal.” 

“How did you ...”

“Your friends the lion and the hawk have many old friends in Atheria. And they have visited many of them with a plan to save Atheria.”

They then noticed in the window behind the botanist, there stood a hawk, not just any hawk - Ryla. 

“Yes, you have done a great work, especially you Darius & Rose.” Ryla squawked, “But you all must head back to Moorenvale quickly before we lose our chance.”

“But we don’t have a Terrainian Crystal.” said Nea.

“Oh, but you do.” Ryla said, pointing one wing towards Princess Ellery.

“You mean this?” Ellery took a deep breath and pulled off her necklace, revealing a brown crystal. “This is one of the crystals? One of my farmers noticed the shattering and found it in his field.” 

“Yes, yes,” Squawked Ryla, “It is. Now you must go. Hurry.”

“But I can’t make this one glow.” Said Darius holding the crystal.

“Be patient, young ones. Head back to the Dwarf Mining Camp and find the triplets. They will help you find the Keeper. Now you must hurry. Before the wall is finished.” And with that Ryla disappeared back out the window.  

Asher and the botanist were kind enough to give them some food for their trip and then saw them off, on their way back to the Dwarf Mining Camp. As they traveled, the princesses in the carriage and Darius with Rose, Nea &  Lulu filled Ellery in on their own adventures with the crystals. As they did Ellery had lots of questions. 

When they got back to the mining camp, things were not going well. Ruby, the dwarf chief, came out and greeted them, but this time a bit more hastily. 

“I didn’t expect to see you all back so soon. And with a new adventurer.” She bowed before Princess Ellery.

“Forgive our haste, but we’re looking for triplets. Are there any dwarfs here who are triplets?” Ellery asked.

Ruby let out a big hearty laugh - one that only a dwarf could make. “So you’re looking for them are you? Those three goof balls again. Yes, we have a set of triplets here. They seem to find themselves in the middle of everything. But you won’t find them here. Ever since the the lookout tower broke they’ve been trying to fix it. It’s because of that angry ogre.”

“O’Lah?” Lulu thought.

“Follow this path behind the mining camp to the lookout tower. You’ll find your triplets and probably a whole lot more. Try not to be too surprised when you meet them.” She then laughed again and waved the adventurers on. 

They followed the path over to the lookout tower there was a great stir among all the dwarfs and a single ogre in the middle. Dwarfs were arguing with dwarfs and some dwarfs with the ogre and the ogre with everyone. But as carriage pulled up everyone stopped arguing to look at the visitors.

Nea, noticing that their small dwarf friend from the Frost Cave & the Bird Thicket was there asked him to come over and explain what all the arguing was about. 

“Well, my lady, this ogre right here knocked down our lookout tower!” he said while his two brothers stood behind him with their arms crossed.

Hearing this the ogre pushed himself forward and yelled, “It was an accident! And these grumpy dwarfs won’t leave me alone so I can fix it.” 

“What help can you do?” Said the dwarfs, “You’re too big and too clumsy. You’ll just knock everything down again!”

And with that the ogre screamed and started marching towards the three dwarfs, pushing down other dwarfs as he went.

“Halt! Everyone.” Called Nea. “I am Princess Nea of Sparland and this is Princess Lulu and Princess Ellery of Moorenvale. Is this any way to behave among royalty?”

A hush fell among the crowd.

“We must fix the tower, that is for sure.” She continued, “And there is no shortage of bravery and willpower to do so. But we was must work together. Dwarfs, do you know how to fix this?”

“We have some ideas.” Said one of the dwarfs standing behind the small dwarf.

“Princess Lulu,” Nea commanded gracefully, “Will you help these dwarfs with their plans? And you, kind ogre with the glasses.”

The ogre, who wore a pair glasses - which was abnormal for an ogre - now settled down stepped forward to the princess and bowed. “Please, call me Wahl.”

“Very well, Wahl. Where are you from?” 

“Traycod.” 

“Wah’l of Traycod. we will need supplies. Might you, with the help of Darius, bring us the supplies these dwarfs will need to repair the tower?”

“Yes, my lady.”

And with that the dwarfs worked on a way to fix the tower with Princess Lulu while Wahl, with Darius & Rose, went back to the mining camp to get the supplies. 

While everyone was working, Nea and Ellery asked the small dwarf if he knew any dwarfs who were triplets.

“Why in fact I do!” he said with a huge grin. As he said it, something interesting started to happen. The brown crystal around Ellery’s neck started to glow. But not as bright as Paul’s or Darius’s only just a little. 

“Princess Nea & Princess Ellery meet Elifonia & Potifonia my twin brothers!” the small dwarf pointed to two other dwarfs that were a ways away.

“Elifonia! Potifonia! Over here!” he yelled.

“You’re triplets?” Exclaimed Princess Nea. “And what’s your name? Galifonia?”

The small dwarf scowled. “No … Jacob.”

The princesses looked at each other and laughed but only for a minute. The other two dwarfs walked over and, when they did, the brown crystal grew even brighter until it was as bright as the other crystals had been. It was so bright that they all had to cover their eyes. 

“Well, dwarfs. We’re going to need your help. Are you ready to go on an adventure?” 

“I think we’ve found our next Keeper.” Said Lulu.

“Or Keepers.” Said Darius.

“Three? Is that normal?” Asked Ellery.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because this one is cracked.” Nea then pointed out that the crystal was actually cracked in two places yet still held together.

“Odd.” Replied Lulu. 

Since it was late and there was no chance they would make it back to Moorenvale before dark, Ruby invited them and Wahl to stay the night in the Dwarf Mining Camp and to celebrate the fixed lookout tower.

The end.