The Princess with Wings

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. Now they found themselves at the Dwarf Mining Camp helping Princess Ellery figure out how to heal her plants. They had just learned that three dwarf brothers were actually the Keepers of the brown Terranain Crystal and now needed to head back to Moorenvale to heal the plants. 

“Are you three ready for an adventure?” Princess Nea asked the dwarfs.

The three dwarfs looked up to the dwarf chief Ruby, who nodded at the three. “Your adventure is just beginning,” she said, “but you three are needed now for something greater - to save Atheria.”

The three dwarfs looked at each other and swallowed hard. 

And the party, including Darius, his bear Rose and Princess Ellery started their travels back to Moorenvale.

Not long into their journey the clouds started to roll in, covering the sun. And the winds began to pick up, with a heavy whooshing sound. [Whooosh!] Now this sound wasn’t just the normal sound that wind makes, it was the sound of many, many flying beings flapping their wings in the air. And Princess Nea & Lulu were familiar with this sound. It was the sound of Princess Aria of New Halowisp and her royal company. 

“Princess Nea of Sparland” Princess Aria said, making her way to the ground, for she was a winmaid from Skyrabia the Sky Kingdom, slowly lowering herself from the sky with her wings. [Just like a mermaid is from the sea and has a different lower body to swim, a winmaid is from the sky and with a different back with wings growing from it. There were also other differences between the three but that isn’t important to explain at this time. Oh, and for that matter, winmaids and winmen referred to land walkers as lanmaids and lanmen.]

“Princess Aria!” Princess Nea said, giving her a hug. What brings you down to the ground?”

“It’s my brother, Clef. He’s gone missing.”

“How long since he’s been gone?”

“Since the shattering of the rainbow.” Said Aria.

“We could really use your help and Prince William’s. I’m sure Prince William would know where he might have gone.”

“Well, William is on a bit of an adventure of his own. And actually we are too. We have to escort Princess Ellery back to Moorenvale. Her plants are dying.”

“You two don’t need to worry about me!” Princess Ellery said, “I’ve got these three brave dwarfs and -” she looked over to Darius, “This knight and his bear!” 

Darius blushed and sat up straighter on Rose.

“Well, that settles it then,” decided Princess Aria. “Princess Nea and Princess Lulu, you will escort me back to The Glass Castle to find my brother and your friends here will escort Princess Ellery back to Moorenvale and heal her land.”

Darius and the three dwarfs now all stood at attention and nodded to the very assertive winmaid princess.

Nea and Lulu were then given two winhorses (which were horses with wings) to ride up to New Halowisp. The company immediately began flapping their wings and took to the sky. The two princesses waved good bye to Ellery, the dwarfs, Darius and Rose as they slowly ascended into the clouds.

As they flew they noticed that not only had the clouds become more dense then normal, but the winds were picking up as well and nearly blew them off their horses. In fact, even Princess Aria and her company were struggling to stay on course. 

The Glass Castle - where Princess Aria lived - appeared as though it was made of all glass, however it was a special crystal substance that was only available in Skyrabia. It sparkled in the sun, which was now visible above the clouds. 

“Do you have any idea where he could’ve gone?” Asked Princess Nea, walking into the castle.

“He kept talking about the old legends. The ones about Rock Warriors and colorless ogres and trolls. He left the library a mess before he left. I thought it was Valley who made the mess at first.” And almost on cue, her small winged dog came running out to see her, licking her face when she picked him up.

“Do you know what he might have been looking for in the library?” Lulu asked.

“Oh yes, that was easy. He was looking for our parents old journals, from the great battle, and was working on a star map.”

Princess Nea and Lulu looked around the library with Aria and her windog, Valley. Lulu was the first to notice that next to the desk, there stood a heavy globe that outlined the Sky Kingdom and on this globe someone had made markings with a pen and the ink was fresh. 

“I think he’s headed to this lake.” Said Lulu, pointing to a big green “X” at the end of a bunch of markings. 

“What is this then?” Asked Aria, pointing to a large circle that was the origin of all the small marketings.

“It looks like most of these markings fall over areas beyond Skyrabia, to the Land of Atheria below.”

“All except this green one.” Said Lulu. 

“Well, let’s start there!” Said Aria. “That’s Lake Celestrium.”

The three adventurers made their way to the lake, over hills of big fluffy clouds and around bends and curves. When they made it to Lake Celestrium, they were astounded by it’s beauty and how it sparkled in the afternoon sun. But what lay on the far end of the lake astounded them even more. For, although there was plenty of plant life growing around the lake, there was an extremely large tree on the far side with sprawling branches over the lake and wide limbs out to either side. 

When they got closer there were a handful of kids splashing around the lake and swinging from the tree into the refreshing water. 

“Why hello, fair winchildren.” Spoke Aria.

“Good day to you, Princess Aria of New Halowisp.” The children responded. Upon seeing Valley they started petting her. 

“Do you come here often?”

“Why yes, almost every day. We live beyond that cloud over there.” They said pointing further in the opposite direction to the cloud city of Volterra.

“And have you by chance seen Prince Clef?” 

“A few days ago,” they responded. “He was with someone looking for a shooting star. It was before this tree grew here but they didn’t stay long, a talking bird came and then they quickly left.” 

“You say this tree has only been here recently?”

“Yeah, it’s magic.”

“Ruff” Barked Valley.

“A magic tree.” Thought Lulu. She started looking closely at the tree while Valley sniffed around the cloud dirt. She’d never seen anything like it before. 

“Yes, it’s definitely larger then all the others and wasn’t here last time I visited.” Noticed Princess Aria. “Thank you, kind winchildren.”

The three princesses then began investigating the tree for it was odd that this tree was able to grow so big so quickly.

“I have an idea!” Princess Lulu said noticing that Valley had stopped at a specific spot near the tree, “but we’re going to need a shovel.”

Princess Aria offered to fly quickly back to the the Glass Castle and found a couple of shovels that the girls could use.

And the three princesses started digging around the tree. While they dug, Lulu shared her theory.

“I think Prince Clef was mapping the shattering. I think he actually saw the origin of the shattering and was figuring out where all the crystals went.”

“And the lines on the globe were the different pieces!” Nea said, remembering the colors.

“Meaning he saw that one had landed close to Lake Celestrium.”

“Exactly.”

“But I don’t think he found it, I think this tree is a sign of it’s magic.” 

“It would make sense if it was a Terrainian Crystal.”

“First rock warriors and now magic crystals!”

Almost on cue, Princess Aria’s shovel made a sharp “clink” sound.

When the girls sifted through the cloud dirt, Valley got extremely excited, wagging her tail and barking as more of the fresh cloud soil was exposed. They all saw it - at the same time - the green Terrainian Crystal resting there among the cloud dirt. 

“We found it!” exclaimed Princess Nea. “Nice work, everyone!”

“But we still haven’t found Clef.” Princess Aria said.

“Prince Clef?” said Prince Paul walking up to the party, accompanied by O’Lah.

“Prince Paul!” exclaimed Princess Nea & Princess Lulu. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re trying to find the Cloud Ruins and were hoping Princess Aria could help us! Prince Clef gave us these winhorses and sent us this way.”

“Then you’ve seen him?” Aria asked.

“Yes but we need some rest, we’ve had quite a journey. Might we explain over dinner, your highness?”

They all headed back to the Glass Castle to learn where Prince Clef might be and how they might find the Cloud Ruins and help Prince Paul of Cedar Landing & O’Lah of Ubbin. 

The end.