Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, except the ones I made up,
such as Felicia and the many friends Arianna makes other than the ones she
has already. However, I do own the plot, and any mistakes in it are my own.
Sunchaser snorted at Arianna as she bent down on his back to talk to Samlett. They were going to escort Lori Carmichael back to the Gap, and make sure that she stayed on the other side of the Gap. Finn was going, too, against Arianna's better judgement. Balinor was still recovering from the effects of the Shifter and the Kraken, but it had enough stability that its princess could safely attend to jobs outside of Balinor.
Lori complained, "Why do I have to go back to my father and that boring place you call Glacier River Farm? I'm perfectly happy here!" She bounced around on Tierza's back, making the pretty black Royal Unicorn wince.
Ari smiled at Lori. "I'm sure you are perfectly happy here, but think of how happy your father would be to have his daughter back safe and sound. Also, we need to get Anale and Frank back to Balinor. They are royal servants, and belong in Balinor."
Lincoln barked agreement. So far, the ex-Link was a bit unsettled at his new life, but had no regrets about giving up the job. The new Link was a butterfly, and quite capable of leading people in and out of the Gap. However, the Archivist still missed Gully, and complained about that often (though always out of earshot of Felicia, the butterfly). But, the Archivist these days was complaining less and less about the imagined faults that Felicia had, as he discovered more and more capacities that the pretty butterfly held in her inner soul.
Samlett finished loading supplies on his best cart and waved them off, with an arm around his weeping wife, Runetta. Arianna smiled fondly at Runetta, the woman whom had helped her convince the remaining Lords of Balinor that Arianna was the true Princess of Balinor.
When the group swung off the path leading to Samlett's inn and into the clearing where Lori and Arianna had first descended, Finn glanced worriedly at Arianna. She caught his look and smiled reassuringly. The plan was that the unicorns, including Chase, would stay in Balinor. Lincoln and Finn would stay with them, while Arianna and Lori went through the Gap. The Royal Scepter would stay with Finn, too, but not before it opened the gateway to the Gap.
The Archivist had given up Felicia for the day, rather reluctantly, but even he agreed on the importance of getting Lori through the Gap and Anale and Frank back into Balinor. She now fluttered around Sunchaser, chattering in her rather squeaky voice. Sunchaser looked at her commandingly, and she quieted without another squeak.
Arianna announced, "Now is the time to depart. Finn, don't worry if we are gone for more than one day. That is what the food is for. But if you think we're gone too long, send Linc in after us. Try and make sure that Chase doesn't follow him, too." Sunchaser bowed his mighty neck and snorted, chastised. Arianna continued, "Scepter, will you keep track of the minutes for Finn while we are gone?"
The Scepter's head came alive. It blinked at the Princess, then replied, "Of course, milady, as soon as I open the Gap, I suppose?"
Arianna smiled. "Of course, Scepter."
The Scepter swiveled its head again, and looked at the Gap. Its lapis lazuli eyes glowed, and rose red magic flowed from it. Suddenly the Gap opened. Felicia used her own magic to keep it open, while Arianna gave the Scepter to Lincoln, since Finn would not touch it at any cost. As Lincoln jumped up to receive it from Arianna, a black head poked out from one of the saddlebags on Beecher's back.
"Odie! What are you doing here? I thought you were still at the royal mews?" Finn yelped.
Odie pounced out of the saddlebag and landed on Finn's shoulder.
"I didn't want the Princess to go on an adventure without me! I am the best fighter in Ardit, you know! I have the right to be Her Royal Highness' bodyguard!" said the little black cat, trying to growl fiercely.
Finn bit back a laugh. "Oh, yeah, then why were you in my saddlebag?"
"I didn't know that it was going to be on Beecher's back, or I wouldn't have jumped in here!"
The unicorns chuckled, the edges of their eyes crinkling in amusement.
Arianna said, "That's enough, now. Odie, why don't you stay with Finn, and watch over them. I'm sure the best cat fighter in Ardit would accept the idea of protecting the Royal Captain of the Cavalry and the Royal Scepter."
Odie started at the idea, then she sat back down on Finn's shoulder, trying to show that she was nonchalant.
"Okay. That's a good idea. Though that dog of yours had better stay away from me in danger of getting all clawed up."
Lincoln stared at the cat, and before he could make a cutting remark in turn, Felicia interrupted.
"I can't hold up the entrance much longer, so if Her Royal Highness and. uh.Well, you get my point."
Lori looked disdainfully at the butterfly and sniffed. They dismounted and went followed the butterfly Link through the Gap. The landscape changed as they walked through, but they never stopped. Felicia fluttered on and on before the Princess and Lori, until Lori was gasping and whining for a rest. Arianna was also exhausted, but she took her pains silently. Just as Lori was about to just collapse, Felicia stopped in front of what had been the exit to the other world that Balinor resides next to. She flittered anxiously, for instead of a door, rocks were cascaded over themselves, as if a landslide had taken form. The Princess looked at the butterfly, and remarked rather lightly, "I remember how to open this, but last time I did this, it was with the Royal Scepter. However, I think I can help you open it again. Of course, we'll need your magic."
Felicia looked relieved at this. But at the mention of needing her magic, she suddenly grew suspicious.
"What do you mean, we'll need my magic? And will the usage tire me out?" she squeaked.
Lori snapped, "I'm going to participate, too. Right, Ari?"
Arianna looked at Lori and sighed. "Yes, Lori, that's exactly what I meant. As for tiring you out, I'm not sure. But I don't think so. But if we never try, we'll never get to the other side. Let's go!"
Felicia landed on Arianna's shoulder. Lori put her hand on Arianna's shoulder. They all concentrated, and rose red and purple magic flowed from them to the rocks. After a while, the rocks shifted and cleared away to the left and the right, and the Gap was open again.
Arianna and Lori stepped out from the gloom in the Gap into the bright sunshine of the other world where Arianna had been sent to escape the Shifter. The world where Lori had come from. The world of horses and the Glacier River Farm.
How do you like the first chapter? Please tell me what you think by submitting your reviews. Any questions you have I will answer, and any criticism will be greatly appreciated. ¡Adios!
Sunchaser snorted at Arianna as she bent down on his back to talk to Samlett. They were going to escort Lori Carmichael back to the Gap, and make sure that she stayed on the other side of the Gap. Finn was going, too, against Arianna's better judgement. Balinor was still recovering from the effects of the Shifter and the Kraken, but it had enough stability that its princess could safely attend to jobs outside of Balinor.
Lori complained, "Why do I have to go back to my father and that boring place you call Glacier River Farm? I'm perfectly happy here!" She bounced around on Tierza's back, making the pretty black Royal Unicorn wince.
Ari smiled at Lori. "I'm sure you are perfectly happy here, but think of how happy your father would be to have his daughter back safe and sound. Also, we need to get Anale and Frank back to Balinor. They are royal servants, and belong in Balinor."
Lincoln barked agreement. So far, the ex-Link was a bit unsettled at his new life, but had no regrets about giving up the job. The new Link was a butterfly, and quite capable of leading people in and out of the Gap. However, the Archivist still missed Gully, and complained about that often (though always out of earshot of Felicia, the butterfly). But, the Archivist these days was complaining less and less about the imagined faults that Felicia had, as he discovered more and more capacities that the pretty butterfly held in her inner soul.
Samlett finished loading supplies on his best cart and waved them off, with an arm around his weeping wife, Runetta. Arianna smiled fondly at Runetta, the woman whom had helped her convince the remaining Lords of Balinor that Arianna was the true Princess of Balinor.
When the group swung off the path leading to Samlett's inn and into the clearing where Lori and Arianna had first descended, Finn glanced worriedly at Arianna. She caught his look and smiled reassuringly. The plan was that the unicorns, including Chase, would stay in Balinor. Lincoln and Finn would stay with them, while Arianna and Lori went through the Gap. The Royal Scepter would stay with Finn, too, but not before it opened the gateway to the Gap.
The Archivist had given up Felicia for the day, rather reluctantly, but even he agreed on the importance of getting Lori through the Gap and Anale and Frank back into Balinor. She now fluttered around Sunchaser, chattering in her rather squeaky voice. Sunchaser looked at her commandingly, and she quieted without another squeak.
Arianna announced, "Now is the time to depart. Finn, don't worry if we are gone for more than one day. That is what the food is for. But if you think we're gone too long, send Linc in after us. Try and make sure that Chase doesn't follow him, too." Sunchaser bowed his mighty neck and snorted, chastised. Arianna continued, "Scepter, will you keep track of the minutes for Finn while we are gone?"
The Scepter's head came alive. It blinked at the Princess, then replied, "Of course, milady, as soon as I open the Gap, I suppose?"
Arianna smiled. "Of course, Scepter."
The Scepter swiveled its head again, and looked at the Gap. Its lapis lazuli eyes glowed, and rose red magic flowed from it. Suddenly the Gap opened. Felicia used her own magic to keep it open, while Arianna gave the Scepter to Lincoln, since Finn would not touch it at any cost. As Lincoln jumped up to receive it from Arianna, a black head poked out from one of the saddlebags on Beecher's back.
"Odie! What are you doing here? I thought you were still at the royal mews?" Finn yelped.
Odie pounced out of the saddlebag and landed on Finn's shoulder.
"I didn't want the Princess to go on an adventure without me! I am the best fighter in Ardit, you know! I have the right to be Her Royal Highness' bodyguard!" said the little black cat, trying to growl fiercely.
Finn bit back a laugh. "Oh, yeah, then why were you in my saddlebag?"
"I didn't know that it was going to be on Beecher's back, or I wouldn't have jumped in here!"
The unicorns chuckled, the edges of their eyes crinkling in amusement.
Arianna said, "That's enough, now. Odie, why don't you stay with Finn, and watch over them. I'm sure the best cat fighter in Ardit would accept the idea of protecting the Royal Captain of the Cavalry and the Royal Scepter."
Odie started at the idea, then she sat back down on Finn's shoulder, trying to show that she was nonchalant.
"Okay. That's a good idea. Though that dog of yours had better stay away from me in danger of getting all clawed up."
Lincoln stared at the cat, and before he could make a cutting remark in turn, Felicia interrupted.
"I can't hold up the entrance much longer, so if Her Royal Highness and. uh.Well, you get my point."
Lori looked disdainfully at the butterfly and sniffed. They dismounted and went followed the butterfly Link through the Gap. The landscape changed as they walked through, but they never stopped. Felicia fluttered on and on before the Princess and Lori, until Lori was gasping and whining for a rest. Arianna was also exhausted, but she took her pains silently. Just as Lori was about to just collapse, Felicia stopped in front of what had been the exit to the other world that Balinor resides next to. She flittered anxiously, for instead of a door, rocks were cascaded over themselves, as if a landslide had taken form. The Princess looked at the butterfly, and remarked rather lightly, "I remember how to open this, but last time I did this, it was with the Royal Scepter. However, I think I can help you open it again. Of course, we'll need your magic."
Felicia looked relieved at this. But at the mention of needing her magic, she suddenly grew suspicious.
"What do you mean, we'll need my magic? And will the usage tire me out?" she squeaked.
Lori snapped, "I'm going to participate, too. Right, Ari?"
Arianna looked at Lori and sighed. "Yes, Lori, that's exactly what I meant. As for tiring you out, I'm not sure. But I don't think so. But if we never try, we'll never get to the other side. Let's go!"
Felicia landed on Arianna's shoulder. Lori put her hand on Arianna's shoulder. They all concentrated, and rose red and purple magic flowed from them to the rocks. After a while, the rocks shifted and cleared away to the left and the right, and the Gap was open again.
Arianna and Lori stepped out from the gloom in the Gap into the bright sunshine of the other world where Arianna had been sent to escape the Shifter. The world where Lori had come from. The world of horses and the Glacier River Farm.
How do you like the first chapter? Please tell me what you think by submitting your reviews. Any questions you have I will answer, and any criticism will be greatly appreciated. ¡Adios!
