Elaina Areida ~Prologue~

It was the crying that made me come to. The screeching, the squealing, the shrieking; the most wonderful sound in the world. I opened my eyes.

"Oh, sweet, she's beautiful." Mandy breathed. She wrapped the infant in pink velvet and handed her to me.

"Beautiful." I echoed. And she was. Huge, sparkling green eyes, rosy red lips, delicate features. My first child...

"What shall you name her, lady?" Mandy chuckled amusingly, knowing I was bound to the "Eleanor" chain. But maybe...

"Mandy," I started, "I like 'Elaina'. Perhaps this once..."

"Elaina." Mandy repeated. She looked thoughtful. "Lovely, sweet." She replied at last, smiling.

"Yes, Elaina Areida. Will it work?" I asked anxiously.

"Will what work, love?"

"The fairy blood...we can still call her 'Ella'..."

"Oh, dearie, it's already flowing through her veins. Two drops, in fact." I felt a rush of excitement.

"Two? Can she..."

"No, sweet, she can't fly, or disappear, or turn Hattie into a pig." I scowled. For the umpteenth time I wondered what fairies were good for. "Come, Ella, the prince must be informed. I'll go call him..." But before she could, Lucinda appeared.

I gasped. Mandy looked furious. "Lucinda!" The fairy smiled dazzlingly.

"I knew you'd be happy to see me, Mandy dear." Then turning to me, "Ah, child! A little one. The first. Always special, you know." She cleared her throat. "I am Lucinda the fairy, and I shall give this infant the most extraordinary, wonderful gift!"

"Oh no you won't!" Mandy stormed. "Not to her! I thought being a squirrel...and obedient...I thought you learned your lesson! I thought there would be no more big magic! Lucinda, you can't be serious!" The fairy raised her chin.

"But Mandy, I am. This is truly a gift to be treasured! I have..."

"You have no intention of making this child's life miserable before she even..."

"Of course I don't! Mandy," She thrust her head up defiantly. "...this is not a present to bring her misery, it is a gift to give her happiness." She smiled again. "To the little Princess Elaina Areida, I give the gift of perfection!" I stared at her.

"Whatever do you mean?" I asked, suspicious.

"I mean exactly what I say, child. The little one will be beautiful, graceful. Her voice will be one to challenge the nightingales'. She shall be polite..."

The gifts didn't seem so bad...yet. The fairy continued: "always honest..."

Constant integrity may be a trifle too much, but nothing terrible. "She shall be assertive. She shall have compassion, intelligence, be kind and loving and gentle and passive, even in her thoughts. And she shall be obedient." I sucked in my breath.

"Lucinda!" Mandy glared at her warningly.

"Alright, Mandy dear, not always obedient." I relaxed a little. "See," Lucinda said, "it isn't so horrible." Mandy didn't seem convinced. She was still scowling and giving Lucinda a look of pure spite. But the fairy didn't notice. "Farewell, and good luck, my child." She vanished. Then I thought of something.

"Mandy, some of the gifts contradict each other. How can she be assertive, then passive and polite at the same time?" Mandy was shaking her head furiously.

"That Lucinda. She's a thickheaded bumpkin if there ever was one." I heard her mutter, dismayed. I sighed.

"Well, Char should know that he now has a daughter. Mandy..."

"Yes, Ella. I'll go get him." She left the room. I was alone. No, not quite.

"Elaina." I whispered into her ear. "I love you, darling."