Chapter nine: A helping hand

It only took a few minutes for Glinda and Huckleberry Pie to explain her why she was here and what had happened to her.

-So, I've been kidnapped by an eccentric princess who adopted me as her daughter and renamed me Evy, Strawberry Shortcake finally said.

-Exactly.

-How did you learn that? You were in Ev when… it happened?

-Not me. But a Berrykin was. He settled in Oz last week and told us everything.

-What's his name? Strawberry curiously asked. "I want to thank him."

-Of course! Huckleberry Pie laughed. "We saved you thanks to him!"

-And you also have to apologize to the young Berrykin you slapped yesterday, Glinda added.

Strawberry Shortcake clouded over.

-Yes. You're right, Glinda.

-The Berrykins don't use to be resentful. If you tell her you are sincerely sorry, she will trust you and forgive you, Glinda said to comfort her friend. "Let's go now. We've got a visit to do in the Berrykins' Village!"

When the tiny Berrykins saw their princess in their Village, they immediately stopped all that they were doing to great her, giggling and wriggling. But they became more serious and more anxious when they saw she was accompanied by Strawberry Shortcake, the ex-princess Evy. This vision saddened Strawberry Shortcake, and she been more saddened to see the Berrykin she had humiliated moving away.

-Little Berrykin? Glinda called. "Come here, please."

The Berrykin obeyed, but it was obvious she was only doing it because she was under duress.

-Little one, Strawberry Shortcake started clumsily. "I'm… I'm sorry for yesterday. I wasn't myself… Glinda could explain you that… I didn't want to… be so odious. It wasn't my fault, hmm, yes it was, but… can you forgive me?"

-I can! The Berrykin cried joyfully. As Glinda had predicted it, she had no more grieve agaist Strawberry Shortcake.

-I'm berry happy to hear you say that, Strawberry said. "But, unfortunately, I can't stay with you. I have to see another Berrykin."

-Which one? Which one? They all asked.

-The newcomer, Glinda explained. "We want to thank him. He helped us a lot."

-He doesn't deserve it, a bold Berrykin grumped.

-Why? Strawberry asked, surprised.

-He's not berry nice. He never talks. He never laughs. He never joins us. He stays locked all day long in his house.

-Maybe he's just terribly shy, Strawberry said. "You know, it's not so easy to be an out-of-towner…

-He's not shy! The Berrykin protested. "He really seems to… scorn us. When we call him, he just looks at us with disdain and he follows his route"

-Well, we'll see if he's really scornful, Ginda said to an intrigued Strawberry Shortcake.

The mysterious Berrykin lived well away from the other houses. Its inhabitant didn't look surprise to see his princess and a guest. In fact, the only emotion he expressed was boredom.

-Good morning. Tell me what you want from me.

-Good morning, Glinda said. "We went to thank you officially. Thanks to your wise advices, we saved our friend Strawberry Shortcake, right here."

Strawberry Shortcake curtsied.

-And we want to give you a reward in exchange of your help, Glinda added. "What would you like?"

-I want no reward, the Berrykin moaned.

-Hmm…okay, if you say so, Glinda answered, surprised.

-Did you spend a lot of time in Ev? Strawberry Shortcake asked politely, to engage him in conversation.

-Yes, I did.

-What do you know about Ev?

-It neighbors Oz. Its regent is Princess Langwidere, the only survivor of Ev's Royal Family.

-What happened to them? Strawberry asked, even if she felt like if she had already heard this story before. In fact, she hadn't forgotten Princess Langwidere had been her adoptive mother for one week, so she felt concerned by this.

-The Ev's king, Evoldo, wanted a long life. So…

-He sold his whole family to the Nome King in exchange of being almost immortal, Strawberry muttered.

The Berrykin gave her a dirty look.

-That's right. Can I finish the story? Realising what he has done, Evoldo committed suicide and Langwidere began Ev's regent. You can talk now.

-You mean… The royal family is still prisoner of the Nome King? Strawberry cried.

-Yes. But it's not your fault.

-We must save them! Strawberry decided.

-Strawberry Shortcake, Glinda started, "The Nome King is really powerful. He's got an army and magic powers. We shouldn't…

-We shouldn't let this poor family stay forever in a cell, Strawberry Shortcake said angrily. "And if you don't want to come with me, I'll save them all alone. I had already defeated a naughty witch and an awful police officer; I don't need your help after all."

-The Nome King is more dangerous than a witch and an officer gathered! Glinda cried. "If you want to meet the Nome King, I'll follow you, but it's pure madness."

Strawberry Shortcake hugged her.

-Thank you Glinda! I knew I could rely on you. Let's save the royal family!

-Hold your horses! We have to go back to the castle first. We have other things to resolve before. Well, thank you for your help and your cooperation, Glinda said to the Berrykin. "We're leaving you now. But, if you would allow me to give you a friendly advice, try to mix with the other Berrykins. They would like to know you better, and you could share your knowledge and your wisdom with them."

After a last goodbye, Strawberry Shortcake and Glinda left the Berrykin. Of course, he wasn't interested in meeting the other Berrykins, he found them immature and too noisy; otherwise he hated the gardening, and it was their main occupation. But this visit had been all the same useful.

-Strawberry Shortcake, you're still terribly curious, aren't you, my dear?

To be continued…