A Fairy Tale. Several Actually.
'The way home can only be found among fairy tales' The balding, red skirted midget said.
Eric threw his hands in the air and started ranting something about sending them on false trails for the better part of a year before notifying them that the possibility of getting home was actually 'in their dreams'. Done of course in the usual round about way.
'The person who finds 'Happily ever after' will end the story in their ideals' he continued, 'unless an opposing force is in the vicinity.'
He turned to his students. The young ones were sprawled over the sand dunes making a conscious effort to stay alert while the DM gave them their next set of instructions.
'Venger wishes for an ending to all this, and you. Remember there is a reality among dreams'
Eric was the only one with enough energy to argue. He was starting to actually appreciate this bunch he'd been thrown into the realm with, he kept feeling this tinge of guilt when he whined at them lately.
The arrival of someone that really deserved his complaining and carrying on was too good to miss.
Hank didn't have much of an idea what the DM was going on about, so decided to risk a simple question.
'Which way do we go?'
The DM opened his mouth but was interrupted by Diana's staff in front of his nose.
'Uh-uh, just point' she said. The little man closed his mouth and raised his arm in the direction of the setting suns.
Five kids picked up their weapons and headed off without a second glance, the little unicorn trotting along behind. The sixth one was still raving about little so-and-so's.
They seemed to have caught on to the 'disappear when backs were turned' trick, Dungeon Master thought. He watched as the cavalier turned to point an accusing finger to where he'd been a second before. Except that one.
The boy yelled something at the sky, obviously directed at the DM, then started tramping after the others.
The young ones had managed to find their way out of the desert and were now making their way across a field of grass that had a number of large rock protrusions scattered across it.
According to Presto, they were actually part of a formation that could probably be seen from the sky.
Attempts to provide some way of viewing it though, had been unsuccessful to say the least.
There were now a vast amount of insects bombarding them from all directions.
Suddenly a bolt of blue light stabbed the ground directly in front of Hank, causing him to fall back onto the others. The grass was a soft landing, but Sheila had the bad luck to fall on a rectangular object wedged in the ground.
She pulled it from beneath her rubbing her back.
She was about to throw it away when Venger stopped throwing bolts of light in random directions and pointed at her.
'Give me that book' he yelled, his voice reverberating around them.
Sheila quickly tucked it beneath her arm as Hank helped her up and they ran after the Diana who'd taken shelter behind one of the huge rocks.
Venger blew the nearest boulder apart in anger revealing a cowering Eric who then ran yammering to hide behind the next one.
He was too busy looking behind him to see Sheila, Hank and Diana, and ran straight into them causing Sheila to lose hold of the book.
It landed on the ground Spine first, knocking off the clumps of dirt that held the pages together.
As if in slow motion the pages separated and the book fell open, the sun brightened making them all squint. When Sheila opened her eyes….
She was lying in front of a huge fireplace that had gone out some time during the night. She looked down at her sooty dress and sighed. Somehow it just never seemed to stay clean.
She got up and looked out the door. Damn, the family would be up soon, and wanting their breakfast. She hurried out to feed the pigs.
Why on earth did his parents want to force him into marriage? He was perfectly capable of finding a suitable bride himself.
He looked at himself in the huge gilt mirror.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, the ideal prince charming.
He wished he wasn't.
Especially the prince part.
He looked at his sheets; there were enough of them to provide the entire castle with bedding.
He looked out the window.
Time to do some adventuring.
Sheila wished her brother were here.
Her Stepmother had sent him away as her tax pay a couple of months ago.
She missed him terribly; he'd always made her feel better about their bad situation. The way he dragged his little white pony around the place as if life couldn't be better. Happily joining in her pretend games of playing princess and living happily ever after.
She was beginning to wonder why her stepmother and sisters weren't up when she realised it was Saturday and she had an extra hour of time to herself.
Carefully she made her way upstairs and into her attic room. She lifted the lid of her dowry box and changed into the lovely gown her real mother had left her.
She decided to pretend.
Sheila was walking along the path a fair way from the manor imagining she was a courtier going to fetch her brother, when a horse came galloping full pelt across the grass straight at her, she was too scared to move.
The black stallion pulled up right in front of her, rearing up and losing its rider in the process.
She just stood there.
The man hauled himself up and turned to make sure the girl was ok, he wouldn't be able to stand it if he'd harmed her.
He stopped.
Before him stood a red haired lady, looking rather startled.
A beautiful young lady.
Looking startled.
Beautiful.
He stared.
Sheila started to get uncomfortable, he was the most handsome man she'd ever seen, and he was staring at her.
His blonde hair, his wide blue eyes, he was so charming, almost as if….
It was the prince!
She quickly dropped face first onto the ground, bowing.
Thinking the lady was fainting Henry rushed forward to catch her, but he didn't quite get there in time.
"Your highness" a muffled voice escaped from the figure on the ground.
Henry rolled his eyes at the address and began helping her off the ground. He really didn't like it when people acted like this.
"My lady" he said, "where are your escorts?"
Sheila froze; he thought she was a courtier. What was she going to do!
She straightened herself. Pretend. She thought. Pretend.
"They are not far off" she started slowly, "They are allowing me a little time by myself, as one of my particularly loyal servants has been removed from my company, I'm considering how to get him back" she said.
In her head she kicked herself, what was she going on about, she was digging herself into horridly big hole.
Concerned, Henry asked for the boys name and circumstances he'd been taken under. He decided no boy of that age should be taken from friends and declared that he'd get him back by the afternoon.
Sheila could only manage a thankyou, and was so stunned she gave her name as Countess Sheila va El Crea, her pretend name, before she could stop herself.
Henry leapt back on his horse, said farewell and galloped off.
It was all she could do to prevent herself from jumping up and down on the spot and yelling herself hoarse in excitement.
She was getting her brother back.
The fact that she'd just lied to a member of the royal family paled in significance. The prince wouldn't remember her; she was too plain. He had plenty of beautiful young ladies to worry about without lending space in his head to her. He'd keep his word then forget her.
She stared in the direction he'd gone for a while wondering what it would be like if he didn't forget her. Then she remembered she was supposed to be back at the manor serving breakfast.
She picked up her skirts and ran.
Sheila stood at the wall beside the door, ready to serve if needed.
Looking at her stepmother, Sheila wondered how such a person could have deceived her father.
She knew his eyesight had been failing him, but it was a great mystery to her how he could truly believe that this woman could be good at heart.
Or a woman for that matter.
Sure, she wore skirts and things, but her skin was a pale grey blue, her voice was just a tad low, and she had barely any chest at all. Sheila hated the humungous red feather she always wore out one side of her head.
It was just weird.
So was her name. She insisted on being called Vengelina.
Her daughters weren't particularly normal either.
One had a tendency to grovel and for some reason wore clothing that covered her entire body. She had an enviable walk though; she could glide as if her feet didn't even touch the ground. Shadeema.
The other daughter was nicer. If uglier. Although she hadn't really had the chance to compare her to her sister, due to the excess clothing.
She often spoke in riddles and Sheila had always been bad at interpreting them. Dilla-Mena she was called, and she was very short. She only came up to Sheila's knee.
All in all, her family situation was rather bad. She couldn't wait until she was able to marry.
Though prospects in that area weren't that great either. The only person who looked about to offer was one of the Kings Knights, and although that would be very good for her situation in life, she really would prefer to find love.
He was a handsome man, but he seemed to think just a bit too much of himself.
A thumping on the stairs made her run from the room. It must be Bobby, her brother Robert.
She was moving so quickly she almost collided with a big golden shield that was blocking the doorway.
It was Sir Eric.
'Watch yourself' he said angrily 'Don't you people ever answer the door' Noticing that it was Sheila he was yelling at his attitude suddenly changed.
"My lady" He bowed. "I have a message from the King, and that midget is running up your driveway"
Sheila was confused for a second.
"How could she be, my stepsister is in the room above?"
Eric gave her a blank look. Then smiled.
"No, I mean the boy" He handed Sheila the invitations. "See you there"
He bowed again and turned and left. Sheila could hear Vengelina and her daughters yelling for her in the above room and was about to go up when the reason she'd run down in the first place burst through the door.
"Sheila!!!" He yelled, waving a huge bunch of flowers and a small box. "The Prince let me go and he invited you to the ball and sent you these." He said trying to catch his breath. Sheila flung her arms around him, her brother was back, she kissed him on the forehead.
"Aww, sis, quit the mushy stuff, there'll be plenty of time for that when the Prince asks you out" Bobby said but returned the hug anyway. "Your going to a ball, like you always wanted to." Sheila barely had time to feel the conflicting emotions she had on this prospect when her elation was broken, along with several pots, by a huge reverberating voice that suddenly echoed down the staircase.
"Who's going to a ball!"
Bobby and Sheila turned as a towering figure emerged from the stairwell.
Sheila cleared her throat and held up the letters Eric had delivered.
"We all are, see" Vengelina snatched the envelopes from Sheila's hand and opened them, she threw one in the fire then turned to her daughters.
"Look girls, we've been invited to a ball, how lovely"
"Sheila's going to." Bobby suddenly yelled.
Vengelina turned.
"What are you doing here?"
"The Prince released me" He said defiantly, "And he personally invited Sheila."
"Fool! Do you honestly think I would allow her to go to the ball when there's a chance the Prince may decide to marry one of my daughters?"
"No" He said innocently, then looked at the two girls in the doorway. "But that means she can go right, cause…."
"Rhhhhhhaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggggggg" Vengelina yelled flinging out her hand. For some reason Bobby turned his back to ward off an attack, even though the stepmother was still metres away.
He stood up confused when nothing hit him.
"He's not married yet" she yelled. "Shadeema, throw them in the cellar."
With surprising strength, the mass of cloth forced the two of them down into the little room and bolted the door.
"Let's get ready for the ball" was the last Sheila and Bobby heard for over four hours.
They were sitting huddled amongst the bags of grain and other stored food.
All attempts to get out had failed and they settled for the night.
Sheila was extremely disappointed, but beginning to think it was for the better. The Prince wouldn't marry a commoner, and when he found out that that was what she was, there were a number of awful consequences that would certainly befall her.
Yes, her step mother was actually doing her a favour in locking her up, she had unintentionally thrown a rope into the hole, no, more like a ladder. An easy way out of the situation.
For some reason Bobby kept wishing for his club, he felt it would be highly effective in removing the door, and probably the wall as well. He wasn't quite sure why he was thinking this, as he'd never owned a club. Not as far as he knew anyway.
They were alerted by somebody thumping about in the kitchen.
"Hey" a girls voice said.
"Sorry" came the nervous reply, "It's just a bit dark in here" His voice was wavering, he sounded pretty young.
"What was it that little person said, through darkness, down below?"
"Uh, I don't know, maybe he…. Maybe he was just trying to confuse us."
Bobby got a bit of stick and started thumping on the door.
"Down here!" They both yelled.
A voice on the other side of the door told them to stand back, then an explosion occurred ripping the door off its hinges.
"Of course, he meant the cellar" the girls voice said. All Sheila could make out through the smoke was a dark skinned someone wearing nothing but underwear made of some white fluffy animal.
A coughing boy wearing green robes and holding a pointy hat in one hand, emerged from the smoke.
"It worked" He looked into the hat excitedly and laughed.
"Way to go" Bobby yelled.
The dark skinned girl had her hands on her hips and was assessing the room.
Sheila approached her hesitantly.
"Are you my…. My Fairy Godmother?" She asked.
"I think so," she replied "My names Diana. Are you supposed to be going to a ball?"
"Yes, she is" Bobby piped up. "The prince invited her but our evil stepmother wouldn't let her go."
"Uh….Oh….Bummer…." the boy said nervously.
"Presto, you think you can fix her up?" Diana said.
"Oh….ummm….I'll try, I guess" he stuttered.
Bobby picked up a pumpkin. "Here, you can use this as a carriage."
"It's a bit small….uh….don't you think?"
"Your supposed to make it bigger dummy, that's what you've got magic for." Bobby said.
Sheila interruptedand suggested they take it outside and Diana dragged her upstairs to get changed.
When the girls got back downstairs they found a garden stool tied to the wheelbarrow with Bobby's pet horse Uni in between the handles.
An orange mess sat beside it, obviously the mutilated pumpkin.
Sheila got into her 'carriage' without question.
"You can do it Presto," Diana said.
Uni shook her head at the hat then dug her hooves into the cobblestones in attempt to get away. She was too slow though and Presto aimed it at her.
"I know this one, ahh, bibidy…. bibiddy bobbedy…. ahh, boo!"
The hat glowed. Thankfully nothing too disastrous came of it. Uni's body extended growing beneath the wheelbarrow into a huge white dragon. The wheelbarrow and stool becoming a saddle.
Uni gave a mildly amused look at Presto before spreading her wings and heading for the castle.
"G'night Sheila, have fun" Bobby yelled.
Prince Henry paced back and forth on the dance floor. Where was she?
She should have been here by now. Did she not want to come?
His father had suddenly told him he was to get married to one of the girls at the ball, and he was to announce it front of everyone tonight.
He desperately wanted it to be Sheila.
This was very confusing, as he'd only met her once. For some reason he felt he'd known her a lot longer.
Eric was also pacing. He was trying to avoid this riddle spouting red-skirted midget that had been following him all night. He was hoping Sheila would save him, and to his utmost delight, she appeared at the entranceway looking only slightly ruffled, her hair blown into a rather effective style and wearing a lovely white dress.
He was about to run to her when he noticed the prince heading her way.
He looked around slightly miffed, which is how he noticed Vengalina with her arm outstretched, pointing in Sheila's direction.
Before he could do anything a white beam escaped from the stepmothers palm exploding right in front of Sheila, startling her into falling over.
Diana, Presto and Bobby appeared in the entrance way just in time to see the action. Presto had forgotten to inform Sheila that she had to be home by midnight, so they'd run all the way to the castle.
Vengalina had gone haywire, blasting every thing in sight with her new found ability.
Presto pulled Bobby behind the nearest pillar and Diana ran towards Sheila who was being helped off the ground by the Prince.
Eric got there before her, holding up his shield against the inaccurate attacks in the off chance that one might hit.
Diana's normal grace was thwarted by a loose flagstone protruding from the ground directly in her path. She tripped, sending the four of them to the ground....
Another set of grass stains appeared on Eric's golden knees as he tried to keep his shield raised whilst falling.
Sheila grabbed the book she'd dropped, shaking her head to clear it. She'd just had the weirdest hallucination.
The four of them scrambled to their feet, a little dazed, and ran towards Presto and Bobby.
Luckily this particular rock seemed immune to the attacks Venger was directing very close to their way. Assured they were safe for at least a little while they gathered around Sheila to look at the book that Venger seemed to want so much.
The title on the cover was obscured so Sheila quickly flipped it open to check the title page.
She flipped too far.
Squinting against the light she could make out the word 'Snow' before....
She found herself on her hands and knees scrubbing a stone floor.
'The way home can only be found among fairy tales' The balding, red skirted midget said.
Eric threw his hands in the air and started ranting something about sending them on false trails for the better part of a year before notifying them that the possibility of getting home was actually 'in their dreams'. Done of course in the usual round about way.
'The person who finds 'Happily ever after' will end the story in their ideals' he continued, 'unless an opposing force is in the vicinity.'
He turned to his students. The young ones were sprawled over the sand dunes making a conscious effort to stay alert while the DM gave them their next set of instructions.
'Venger wishes for an ending to all this, and you. Remember there is a reality among dreams'
Eric was the only one with enough energy to argue. He was starting to actually appreciate this bunch he'd been thrown into the realm with, he kept feeling this tinge of guilt when he whined at them lately.
The arrival of someone that really deserved his complaining and carrying on was too good to miss.
Hank didn't have much of an idea what the DM was going on about, so decided to risk a simple question.
'Which way do we go?'
The DM opened his mouth but was interrupted by Diana's staff in front of his nose.
'Uh-uh, just point' she said. The little man closed his mouth and raised his arm in the direction of the setting suns.
Five kids picked up their weapons and headed off without a second glance, the little unicorn trotting along behind. The sixth one was still raving about little so-and-so's.
They seemed to have caught on to the 'disappear when backs were turned' trick, Dungeon Master thought. He watched as the cavalier turned to point an accusing finger to where he'd been a second before. Except that one.
The boy yelled something at the sky, obviously directed at the DM, then started tramping after the others.
The young ones had managed to find their way out of the desert and were now making their way across a field of grass that had a number of large rock protrusions scattered across it.
According to Presto, they were actually part of a formation that could probably be seen from the sky.
Attempts to provide some way of viewing it though, had been unsuccessful to say the least.
There were now a vast amount of insects bombarding them from all directions.
Suddenly a bolt of blue light stabbed the ground directly in front of Hank, causing him to fall back onto the others. The grass was a soft landing, but Sheila had the bad luck to fall on a rectangular object wedged in the ground.
She pulled it from beneath her rubbing her back.
She was about to throw it away when Venger stopped throwing bolts of light in random directions and pointed at her.
'Give me that book' he yelled, his voice reverberating around them.
Sheila quickly tucked it beneath her arm as Hank helped her up and they ran after the Diana who'd taken shelter behind one of the huge rocks.
Venger blew the nearest boulder apart in anger revealing a cowering Eric who then ran yammering to hide behind the next one.
He was too busy looking behind him to see Sheila, Hank and Diana, and ran straight into them causing Sheila to lose hold of the book.
It landed on the ground Spine first, knocking off the clumps of dirt that held the pages together.
As if in slow motion the pages separated and the book fell open, the sun brightened making them all squint. When Sheila opened her eyes….
She was lying in front of a huge fireplace that had gone out some time during the night. She looked down at her sooty dress and sighed. Somehow it just never seemed to stay clean.
She got up and looked out the door. Damn, the family would be up soon, and wanting their breakfast. She hurried out to feed the pigs.
Why on earth did his parents want to force him into marriage? He was perfectly capable of finding a suitable bride himself.
He looked at himself in the huge gilt mirror.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, the ideal prince charming.
He wished he wasn't.
Especially the prince part.
He looked at his sheets; there were enough of them to provide the entire castle with bedding.
He looked out the window.
Time to do some adventuring.
Sheila wished her brother were here.
Her Stepmother had sent him away as her tax pay a couple of months ago.
She missed him terribly; he'd always made her feel better about their bad situation. The way he dragged his little white pony around the place as if life couldn't be better. Happily joining in her pretend games of playing princess and living happily ever after.
She was beginning to wonder why her stepmother and sisters weren't up when she realised it was Saturday and she had an extra hour of time to herself.
Carefully she made her way upstairs and into her attic room. She lifted the lid of her dowry box and changed into the lovely gown her real mother had left her.
She decided to pretend.
Sheila was walking along the path a fair way from the manor imagining she was a courtier going to fetch her brother, when a horse came galloping full pelt across the grass straight at her, she was too scared to move.
The black stallion pulled up right in front of her, rearing up and losing its rider in the process.
She just stood there.
The man hauled himself up and turned to make sure the girl was ok, he wouldn't be able to stand it if he'd harmed her.
He stopped.
Before him stood a red haired lady, looking rather startled.
A beautiful young lady.
Looking startled.
Beautiful.
He stared.
Sheila started to get uncomfortable, he was the most handsome man she'd ever seen, and he was staring at her.
His blonde hair, his wide blue eyes, he was so charming, almost as if….
It was the prince!
She quickly dropped face first onto the ground, bowing.
Thinking the lady was fainting Henry rushed forward to catch her, but he didn't quite get there in time.
"Your highness" a muffled voice escaped from the figure on the ground.
Henry rolled his eyes at the address and began helping her off the ground. He really didn't like it when people acted like this.
"My lady" he said, "where are your escorts?"
Sheila froze; he thought she was a courtier. What was she going to do!
She straightened herself. Pretend. She thought. Pretend.
"They are not far off" she started slowly, "They are allowing me a little time by myself, as one of my particularly loyal servants has been removed from my company, I'm considering how to get him back" she said.
In her head she kicked herself, what was she going on about, she was digging herself into horridly big hole.
Concerned, Henry asked for the boys name and circumstances he'd been taken under. He decided no boy of that age should be taken from friends and declared that he'd get him back by the afternoon.
Sheila could only manage a thankyou, and was so stunned she gave her name as Countess Sheila va El Crea, her pretend name, before she could stop herself.
Henry leapt back on his horse, said farewell and galloped off.
It was all she could do to prevent herself from jumping up and down on the spot and yelling herself hoarse in excitement.
She was getting her brother back.
The fact that she'd just lied to a member of the royal family paled in significance. The prince wouldn't remember her; she was too plain. He had plenty of beautiful young ladies to worry about without lending space in his head to her. He'd keep his word then forget her.
She stared in the direction he'd gone for a while wondering what it would be like if he didn't forget her. Then she remembered she was supposed to be back at the manor serving breakfast.
She picked up her skirts and ran.
Sheila stood at the wall beside the door, ready to serve if needed.
Looking at her stepmother, Sheila wondered how such a person could have deceived her father.
She knew his eyesight had been failing him, but it was a great mystery to her how he could truly believe that this woman could be good at heart.
Or a woman for that matter.
Sure, she wore skirts and things, but her skin was a pale grey blue, her voice was just a tad low, and she had barely any chest at all. Sheila hated the humungous red feather she always wore out one side of her head.
It was just weird.
So was her name. She insisted on being called Vengelina.
Her daughters weren't particularly normal either.
One had a tendency to grovel and for some reason wore clothing that covered her entire body. She had an enviable walk though; she could glide as if her feet didn't even touch the ground. Shadeema.
The other daughter was nicer. If uglier. Although she hadn't really had the chance to compare her to her sister, due to the excess clothing.
She often spoke in riddles and Sheila had always been bad at interpreting them. Dilla-Mena she was called, and she was very short. She only came up to Sheila's knee.
All in all, her family situation was rather bad. She couldn't wait until she was able to marry.
Though prospects in that area weren't that great either. The only person who looked about to offer was one of the Kings Knights, and although that would be very good for her situation in life, she really would prefer to find love.
He was a handsome man, but he seemed to think just a bit too much of himself.
A thumping on the stairs made her run from the room. It must be Bobby, her brother Robert.
She was moving so quickly she almost collided with a big golden shield that was blocking the doorway.
It was Sir Eric.
'Watch yourself' he said angrily 'Don't you people ever answer the door' Noticing that it was Sheila he was yelling at his attitude suddenly changed.
"My lady" He bowed. "I have a message from the King, and that midget is running up your driveway"
Sheila was confused for a second.
"How could she be, my stepsister is in the room above?"
Eric gave her a blank look. Then smiled.
"No, I mean the boy" He handed Sheila the invitations. "See you there"
He bowed again and turned and left. Sheila could hear Vengelina and her daughters yelling for her in the above room and was about to go up when the reason she'd run down in the first place burst through the door.
"Sheila!!!" He yelled, waving a huge bunch of flowers and a small box. "The Prince let me go and he invited you to the ball and sent you these." He said trying to catch his breath. Sheila flung her arms around him, her brother was back, she kissed him on the forehead.
"Aww, sis, quit the mushy stuff, there'll be plenty of time for that when the Prince asks you out" Bobby said but returned the hug anyway. "Your going to a ball, like you always wanted to." Sheila barely had time to feel the conflicting emotions she had on this prospect when her elation was broken, along with several pots, by a huge reverberating voice that suddenly echoed down the staircase.
"Who's going to a ball!"
Bobby and Sheila turned as a towering figure emerged from the stairwell.
Sheila cleared her throat and held up the letters Eric had delivered.
"We all are, see" Vengelina snatched the envelopes from Sheila's hand and opened them, she threw one in the fire then turned to her daughters.
"Look girls, we've been invited to a ball, how lovely"
"Sheila's going to." Bobby suddenly yelled.
Vengelina turned.
"What are you doing here?"
"The Prince released me" He said defiantly, "And he personally invited Sheila."
"Fool! Do you honestly think I would allow her to go to the ball when there's a chance the Prince may decide to marry one of my daughters?"
"No" He said innocently, then looked at the two girls in the doorway. "But that means she can go right, cause…."
"Rhhhhhhaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggggggg" Vengelina yelled flinging out her hand. For some reason Bobby turned his back to ward off an attack, even though the stepmother was still metres away.
He stood up confused when nothing hit him.
"He's not married yet" she yelled. "Shadeema, throw them in the cellar."
With surprising strength, the mass of cloth forced the two of them down into the little room and bolted the door.
"Let's get ready for the ball" was the last Sheila and Bobby heard for over four hours.
They were sitting huddled amongst the bags of grain and other stored food.
All attempts to get out had failed and they settled for the night.
Sheila was extremely disappointed, but beginning to think it was for the better. The Prince wouldn't marry a commoner, and when he found out that that was what she was, there were a number of awful consequences that would certainly befall her.
Yes, her step mother was actually doing her a favour in locking her up, she had unintentionally thrown a rope into the hole, no, more like a ladder. An easy way out of the situation.
For some reason Bobby kept wishing for his club, he felt it would be highly effective in removing the door, and probably the wall as well. He wasn't quite sure why he was thinking this, as he'd never owned a club. Not as far as he knew anyway.
They were alerted by somebody thumping about in the kitchen.
"Hey" a girls voice said.
"Sorry" came the nervous reply, "It's just a bit dark in here" His voice was wavering, he sounded pretty young.
"What was it that little person said, through darkness, down below?"
"Uh, I don't know, maybe he…. Maybe he was just trying to confuse us."
Bobby got a bit of stick and started thumping on the door.
"Down here!" They both yelled.
A voice on the other side of the door told them to stand back, then an explosion occurred ripping the door off its hinges.
"Of course, he meant the cellar" the girls voice said. All Sheila could make out through the smoke was a dark skinned someone wearing nothing but underwear made of some white fluffy animal.
A coughing boy wearing green robes and holding a pointy hat in one hand, emerged from the smoke.
"It worked" He looked into the hat excitedly and laughed.
"Way to go" Bobby yelled.
The dark skinned girl had her hands on her hips and was assessing the room.
Sheila approached her hesitantly.
"Are you my…. My Fairy Godmother?" She asked.
"I think so," she replied "My names Diana. Are you supposed to be going to a ball?"
"Yes, she is" Bobby piped up. "The prince invited her but our evil stepmother wouldn't let her go."
"Uh….Oh….Bummer…." the boy said nervously.
"Presto, you think you can fix her up?" Diana said.
"Oh….ummm….I'll try, I guess" he stuttered.
Bobby picked up a pumpkin. "Here, you can use this as a carriage."
"It's a bit small….uh….don't you think?"
"Your supposed to make it bigger dummy, that's what you've got magic for." Bobby said.
Sheila interruptedand suggested they take it outside and Diana dragged her upstairs to get changed.
When the girls got back downstairs they found a garden stool tied to the wheelbarrow with Bobby's pet horse Uni in between the handles.
An orange mess sat beside it, obviously the mutilated pumpkin.
Sheila got into her 'carriage' without question.
"You can do it Presto," Diana said.
Uni shook her head at the hat then dug her hooves into the cobblestones in attempt to get away. She was too slow though and Presto aimed it at her.
"I know this one, ahh, bibidy…. bibiddy bobbedy…. ahh, boo!"
The hat glowed. Thankfully nothing too disastrous came of it. Uni's body extended growing beneath the wheelbarrow into a huge white dragon. The wheelbarrow and stool becoming a saddle.
Uni gave a mildly amused look at Presto before spreading her wings and heading for the castle.
"G'night Sheila, have fun" Bobby yelled.
Prince Henry paced back and forth on the dance floor. Where was she?
She should have been here by now. Did she not want to come?
His father had suddenly told him he was to get married to one of the girls at the ball, and he was to announce it front of everyone tonight.
He desperately wanted it to be Sheila.
This was very confusing, as he'd only met her once. For some reason he felt he'd known her a lot longer.
Eric was also pacing. He was trying to avoid this riddle spouting red-skirted midget that had been following him all night. He was hoping Sheila would save him, and to his utmost delight, she appeared at the entranceway looking only slightly ruffled, her hair blown into a rather effective style and wearing a lovely white dress.
He was about to run to her when he noticed the prince heading her way.
He looked around slightly miffed, which is how he noticed Vengalina with her arm outstretched, pointing in Sheila's direction.
Before he could do anything a white beam escaped from the stepmothers palm exploding right in front of Sheila, startling her into falling over.
Diana, Presto and Bobby appeared in the entrance way just in time to see the action. Presto had forgotten to inform Sheila that she had to be home by midnight, so they'd run all the way to the castle.
Vengalina had gone haywire, blasting every thing in sight with her new found ability.
Presto pulled Bobby behind the nearest pillar and Diana ran towards Sheila who was being helped off the ground by the Prince.
Eric got there before her, holding up his shield against the inaccurate attacks in the off chance that one might hit.
Diana's normal grace was thwarted by a loose flagstone protruding from the ground directly in her path. She tripped, sending the four of them to the ground....
Another set of grass stains appeared on Eric's golden knees as he tried to keep his shield raised whilst falling.
Sheila grabbed the book she'd dropped, shaking her head to clear it. She'd just had the weirdest hallucination.
The four of them scrambled to their feet, a little dazed, and ran towards Presto and Bobby.
Luckily this particular rock seemed immune to the attacks Venger was directing very close to their way. Assured they were safe for at least a little while they gathered around Sheila to look at the book that Venger seemed to want so much.
The title on the cover was obscured so Sheila quickly flipped it open to check the title page.
She flipped too far.
Squinting against the light she could make out the word 'Snow' before....
She found herself on her hands and knees scrubbing a stone floor.
