Long time friends, Anneliese and Erika find themselves thrown into the world of magic by accident. Everything they've ever known is quickly turned on its head as the girls navigate their new life in Magiana. When the ancient relic Crystalias goes missing, it's up to them to capture the culprit and bring back Crystalias before the new moon arrives.
Magiana — mah (as in magic) jee - ahna. A realm filled to the brim with magical creatures and beings, mostly cut off from the non-magical realm.
Author's Note: Is this the best written story of the century? No, but I finished most of part one this past Saturday night. Since this takes place in the BCU (Barbie Cinematic Universe) there's a lot of places Anneliese and Erika are going to visit. I have so many ideas and notes swirling around and I apologize if this is too fast paced or their reactions aren't too realistic. Anyways, tell me what you think and enjoy!
xo, hanasinspring
Parthenia's Shores
—
Magiana's shores were soaked in a beautiful blue, its people moving about the docks in tandem. Everything in Magiana worked in tandem. Perhaps it was the offset of magic that ran through its land that led to its almost musical rhythm or perhaps that was the way of its people. Lively chatter shot through the docks and bubbled up from beneath the water.
Mermaids. They giggled and swam freely, careful not to get in the way of ships and their cargo. The merpeople were not seabound to their homes. In fact, nobody batted an eye as they twirled and twisted through the air, graceful as a ballet dancer.
Fairies flew among the clouds, dipping close to the sea to meet their aquatic friends. Children standing on the edge of the docks waved and cheered at the show, while others showed off their magic for a spare coin.
There were many fantastical beings in Magiana—mermaids, fairies, wizards, enchantresses, shapeshifters.
"Wolfie, come back!"
"Serafina! Serafina!"
Anneliese and Erika had not quite realized they were far, far away from home, their focus solely on their cats scampering about. They did not notice this until Wolfie and Serafina sat barking (and mewling) at a foreign food stand. It was there that they caught sight of the mermaids twirling in air alongside the gliding fairies.
Anneliese stared.
Erika blinked three times.
"Where are we?" Anneliese asked, drinking in every detail.
"This is weird. Like weird-weird. I mean, mermaids? Fairies? We have to be dreaming, Anneliese."
Her friend tucked in a tuft of blond hair behind her ear. "Is it possible to have the exact same dream as another person at the same time?"
Erika shrugged her arms, her eyes landing on a merman with hazel eyes and messy brown hair. He didn't look away, instead he smiled and did a flip. She raised an eyebrow.
"There's no way this is real." Erika shook her head, scooping up Wolfie in the process.
Anneliese did the same, calmed by Serafina's incessant purring. "I thought magic was an old wives' tale."
"Well, as you can see, it isn't, my dear," a soft, husky voice said from behind the two girls. An owl, larger than both Anneliese and Erika, stood tall, her emerald green eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Welcome to Magiana. May your visit be pleasant." Without so much as another word, the owl took flight.
"I thought owls only flew around at night." Anneliese watched the owl go, transfixed by her soft, brown feathering.
"We see mermaids and fairies and your first question is about the talking owl?" Erika joked.
"She said this place was called Magiana, right?"
"A bit on the nose, don't you think?"
Anneliese laughed. "But you have to admit it's wonderful." She set Serafina down, making her way toward the docks. Erika followed suit.
Erika glanced at the water, wondering where the merman with the hazel eyes had gone before she shrugged. She pulled her blue cloak closely around her as she was not yet used to the sea air on such a nice, but chilly day. The kingdom's warmth stuck with her even now.
"Shouldn't we get back, Anneliese?"
"It wouldn't hurt to explore a bit."
"You are a sheltered princess."
Anneliese's pink lips turned up in a smile. "And it's not like we'll get a second chance."
"True. Lead the way, your highness." Erika curtisied. "But I think," she started, twirling around in her dress, "we should trade these in for something a little more practical. Or we could buy a map."
"I'm not quite sure if our money works here, but it's worth a try."
The two set off toward the vendors, Wolfie and Serafina in tow. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched.
—
Donning new outfits and walkable shoes, Anneliese and Erika went about Magiana in search of a map.
A man with gray hair, tan skin, and circular glasses waved them over to his vendor. "Hello, ladies! What brings you over here this fine afternoon?" He smiled. "My name is Ferris."
"We need a map," Erika said, shifting uncomfortably.
"Of course! Of course! I have multiple. Just choose one that suits your fancy." When Anneliese's hand hovered over the maps sitting on the table, he quickly added, "You'll each need to give me something in return first."
"Money? I'm not sure our currency works here, then again, it worked once. Maybe it'll work here too." Anneliese patted one of her pockets.
"Foreigners, I see. Coin is coin, nonetheless."
Anneliese took out her pouch.
"I'll take all of it."
"All of it?" Her fingers wrapped around the pouch and moved it away from Ferris. "I don't think so."
Erika stepped in front of her friend. "You're trying to swindle us."
"Me? Ladies, ladies, I am simply a man of the trade."
"One map doesn't cost nearly as much as what's in that pouch. We'll take our business elsewhere." Erika turned on her heels and marched past Ferris' shop.
Anneliese stared at Ferris a moment longer. His greedy tendencies reminded her of Preminger. She shuddered.
"Anneliese?" Erika called out.
"Coming!"
"Wait, wait, wait! I'll cut you a deal." Unfortunately for Ferris, the two were long gone.
—
"Parthenia, that's where we are. Cloud Kingdom goes in the opposite direction. Then there's Fairytopia's Magic Meadow. Mermaidia is close by. The Enchanted Forest and three small kingdoms. Huh."
Anneliese peered over her shoulder. "So, is Magiana a continent? Or is it just a realm?"
"Good question, but we shouldn't go too far. We have to get back home, remember?"
"Of course."
As twilight set in, Anneliese and Erika strolled around, and despite their better wishes to not stay in Magiana too long, they stocked up on supplies.
Erika stopped dead in her tracks. "How did we get here, anyway?"
They looked at each other, then down at Wolfie and Serafina.
"If we don't know how we got here, then how will we get back?" As realization set in, Anneliese sat down on the cold, stone floor. "Something's wrong. Something has to be wrong. I mean, shouldn't we have panicked more when we got here in the first place? One minute we were in the grasslands now we're here and what if we don't go home? Mother must be so worried. And Julian. I can't imagine …"
"Dominick," Erika whispered. "Oh no. We're in trouble, Anneliese, big trouble."
When they tried to retrace their steps all the way back to the grasslands, the only thing the girls found was a crossroads sign with the names 'Fairytopia' and 'Mermaidia' written on it. The girls slumped down and perhaps they would have stayed that way if it weren't for their rumbling stomachs. It would've been a pleasant picnic except it was near dusk and really, they should've found an inn and they had to be careful of what they fed Wolfie and Serafina. Overall, it was a terrible night for the two girls and their cats as they lay wrapped up in their cloaks, taking turns with nightwatch although travelers would not catch sight of them until dawn.
—
Soft morning light painted its way among the horizon while Anneliese sat watching over everyone. Erika woke soon after, sure that she would awaken in her bed, with the option to sleep in. Alas, it was not true.
A tinkling sound followed by beautiful glittering powder swept around Anneliese and Erika. Fairies. Or faeries, sometimes referred to as the fae, they would sound learn came to greet them. They moved about in fluttering steps as the two girls and their cats watched, mesmerized. Serafina was too dignified to try and catch the fae, but Wolfie was not.
A stern look from Erika was enough to stop his mischief. "Wolfie, no," she scolded him.
After the fae left, the girls ate breakfast in silence before setting off toward the docks once more. On their journey they talked of their plans to get back home. It was a heavy morning, despite the beauty of Magiana.
The world looked about as fairy tale-ish as Anneliese could imagine and today was far warmer than yesterday.
"Anneliese?"
"Hm?"
"Do you think any of this is real?"
"It might be. If we haven't woken up yet from a dream, then it might as well be."
"What if," Erika sputtered. "Do you think … do you think …"
Anneliese shook her head. "I don't know, Erika. Maybe."
It was not a long walk back to the docks, much to Anneliese and Erika's pleasure. The docks lulled in and out of sleep. Early mornings were quiet, but once 8 o'clock arrived, the townspeople suddenly came alive, scrambling about and laughing.
"I heard the shores would freeze over soon. Those poor merpeople."
"I heard the fairies and the fae were preparing for The Big Frost."
"It's best to go to one of the three kingdoms during this time of year. Even the Enchanted Forest is better than here."
"There's quite a lot of knowledge hidden there, I hear."
"Anneliese," Erika whispered, grabbing her friend's arm, "the Enchanted Forest, that's it!"
"Of course." Anneliese patted around for the map before finding it. "Aha! Here it is. How far away in the Enchanted Forest from here?"
"It's located in one of the three kingdoms, see?" Erika pointed her finger toward the southernmost part of the map.
"Then that's where we'll go."
Just as Anneliese spoke those words, a blast of arctic air poured forth.
"Let's hurry before the weather gets worse."
"Uh, Erika?"
"Yeah?" Erika's turned to her friend.
"We need a ship to cross over." Anneliese's eyebrows scrunched up in worry. "And you heard them. Winter is coming."
"We could always stow away," Erika said, an impish smile on her face.
"Erika!"
"I'm joking, I'm joking. We'll find a way, Anneliese, I promise."
Anneliese's shoulders sank as she looked around. The citizens of Magiana seemed happy enough and living here in Magiana wouldn't be such a terrible time, and she hated herself for thinking such a thing. Her friends and family must be worried sick.
"We'll make it across just fine. You wanted adventure in your life, right, Anneliese?"
A wary smile found its way onto her face. "Yes."
"Then let's go and ask one of the sailors if we can hitch a ride over to the three kingdoms."
There weren't many sailors willing to cross the sea before The Big Frost, and Anneliese and Erika were at their wits end, scurrying around, asking left and right if they could 'please board your ship. We promise to pay you good money for the voyage.'
It worked.
Eventually.
"I am Captain Candy and I can assure you have a safe voyage across our seas," the man stated, his brown skin glistening and the feather on his turban moving about in the wind.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Erika nearly wrapped arms around the man before remembering herself and gathering her composure. "Ahem. I'm Erika and this is my friend Anneliese. We're not from around here."
"Friends? I thought you were sisters."
"We get that a lot," Anneliese said.
"You two remind me of one my good friends, her name is—"
At the sound of a blowing horn, all three of them (plus Wolfie and Serafina) turned their attention toward one of the more majestic ships.
"Captain Candy, we are nine minutes late! Nine!" A dour old man stood firm and walked briskly toward said man.
"Major Mint, I'm certain we'll arrive—"
"On time! Pah! That's what you always say."
Captain Candy sighed and signaled for the girls and their pets to board his ship.
"This is my ship, is it not?" Captain Candy countered. "You are nothing but a nuisance."
"The insolence of this generation! Why, I would never have talked to my elders in such a way." With that, Major Mint marched away rather stiffly. It was not a march like how one would walk, but an actual march that made Anneliese and Erika giggle.
"Don't mind him. He's just a grouch."
The ship set sail six minutes later, to the dismay of Major Mint. He went about the deck fretting about this and that, not paying much mind to the passengers aboard the ship.
Anneliese went below the dock because as much as she would love to sit and watch the sea's calm waters, but body was still tired from the night watch. Serafina followed her closely, her tail swishing back and forth before leaping onto the bed with Anneliese's things.
"It's far from glamorous, Serafina, but it does beat the mines, doesn't it?"
It didn't take long for Anneliese to fall into slumber with Serafina curled up next to her.
—
"How much?"
"Huh?" Captain Candy turned to look at Erika, puzzled.
"For the voyage, I mean."
"Oh, that. 50 coins."
"That's it?"
"What? You want to pay more?"
Erika lifted her hands in protest. "No, no, I'm just surprised. Usually there's a catch for things such as this."
Captain Candy put a hand to his chin. "You girls seemed desperate. Kindness goes a long way."
"I see."
Erika mulled over Captain Candy's words as she began eating an early lunch.
"Parthenia, huh?" She took a bite out of her sandwich. Genuine kindness was not common to Erika, especially after working at Madame Carp's, but those days were behind her now. Far behind her.
A soft hum escaped her lips as Erika looked out toward the windy shores. Mermaids swam underneath the currents, but they weren't doing any tricks today. Huh. And the fairies were nowhere to be found. She wondered where they were, briefly, as she chewed on a piece of her sandwich. Somehow, despite the ache in her heart, Erika felt the beauty all around her. The glistening shores, the soft pastels of the sky, everything.
Home was beautiful too, but there was something about Magiana she loved dearly. Someone might say it was the magic, but there was something more that Erika could not quite pinpoint.
If they couldn't go back, what would that mean for her and Anneliese? Would they end up in Magiana forever?
Then there was the mystery of how they got here and why.
There were too many unanswered questions in Erika's opinion.
The fae from before twirled around the ship.
"Snow Fae," Captain Candy called out. "Oh, what a day. What a day. This doesn't look too good."
"Snow Fae?" Erika asked.
"Yes, they're technically fairies, but we call them the fae because of how tiny they are. Fairies here are human-sized."
"Interesting."
Despite the Snow Fae, no storms came about on their voyage to the three kingdoms.
Anneliese woke later and once she caught sight of the fae, she went about drawing and recording her findings into her journal.
"We'll be in the three kingdoms in four days' time," Major Mint said. "Late, I tell you. Late, late, late." He pumped into Anneliese. "Pardon me, Clara." He squinted his eyes as he took in Anneliese. "You're not Clara."
"I don't know who you're talking about."
"The resemblance is quite striking though, isn't it, Major Mint?"
"Yes, yes," the old man grumbled. "Very strange indeed. Being on this ship takes me back to when we crossed the Sea of Storms."
"We weren't on a ship, then. And don't you dare wish that kind of luck onto my ship," Captain Candy admonished.
Major Mint rolled his eyes. "Pah! You ruin such good memories."
"I wouldn't call that a good memory."
Erika and Anneliese shared looks before shrugging their shoulders.
They sat about the deck talking and laughing with their new friends. It didn't matter to them whether or not the friend in question was a passenger or part of the ship's crew.
Anneliese's new favorite thing was to wake early in the morning to watch the sun ascend over the horizon. What kind of magic was in Magiana's sunrise and sunset, she didn't know, but a warmth spread all around her when she saw either. She wondered if Erika felt the same.
Theirs was a safe voyage, thankfully.
They arrived at the shores of the three kingdoms in the afternoon.
Anneliese and Erika waved goodbye to their new friends, their pets near their feet while they hoisted their bags over their shoulders.
"We're here." Anneliese breathed in the clean air. "Finally. All that we need to do now is find the Enchanted Forest."
"But where do we start?" Erika asked, staring at the townspeople.
Their stomachs grumbled simultaneously.
"I'm hungry for something sweet, what about you, Erika?"
"I'm up for anything."
The southernmost kingdom was by far the warmest of the kingdoms, but Anneliese and Erika did not know any of that. It was funny, while there was magic within the kingdoms, it was not nearly as overt as Parthenia or Fairytopia or even Mermaidia. Anneliese and Erika noticed right away.
"We should go looking for the Enchanted Forest later," Anneliese suggested. "We should familiarize ourselves with everything here, eat, stock up on supplies, get rest."
"You make a good point." She twirled around. "You did mention eating something sweet."
The two girls linked arms with each other.
—
When they caught sight of the nearest bakery, Anneliese and Erika were practically salivating at the mouth. While the cats whined in protest, the girls promised them they would feed them soon. Pastries and cats didn't exactly go hand and hand.
The baker was a lanky, but kind old man with his graying black hair pulled into a ponytail. Anneliese liked him immediately.
"Anything you want, girls?"
"A dozen sugar cookies for me," Erika stated as she brought out her own pouch full of coins.
The man shook his head and laughed. "Of course. And you?" he asked, looking at Anneliese.
"Danish cheese, if you don't mind."
While the girls waited for their food, angry shouts filled the air, causing Anneliese to huddle closer to Erika.
"What do you think it is?" she whispered.
"I don't know."
The shouts grew louder and louder and soon enough, Anneliese and Erika were peering through the windows of the bakery to see a crowd forming.
Anneliese and Erika did not yet know it, but they were about to embark on an epic quest across Magiana.