I'm SO sorry this took so long, dear readers. I nearly forgot about this story entirely, but I'm finally getting back to it. Hope this chapter was worth the wait.
Featured songs:
1. "Second Star to the Right"
2. "All is Found" from Frozen 2
3. "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!"
It was a beautiful starry night in a land called Coruscant. All was quiet as the night grew darker, and the moon rose, the stars sparkling in the night.
The second star to the right
Shines in the night for you
To tell you that the dreams you plan
Really can come true
The second star to the right
Shines with a light so rare
And if it's Never Land you need
It's light will lead you there
Twinkle, twinkle little star
So we'll know where you are
Gleaming in the skies above
Lead us to the land we dream of
And when our journey is through
Each time we say "Goodnight"
We'll thank the little star that shines
The second from the right
Some believed that the second star to the right was the light to a place of great dreams coming true, but only to those who were brave enough to reach deep down and know their deepest, truest heart's desire.
All this has happened before, and it will all happen again, but this time, it happened in Coruscant. It happened on a quiet street in Horrun Kal. A corner house where this story begins is the home of the Windu family. And the dream fairy chose this particular house because there were people here who believed in her.
There was Mrs. Windu.
A lovely woman named Brenda Windu, a loving mother and wife, was getting herself ready this night for a grand party she and her husband Mace were attending.
"Mace, dear. Hurry up. We don't want to be late for the party, you know." Brenda said.
Mrs. Windu believed that the dream fairy was the spirit of youth and hope, but Mr. Windu…
"Brenda, unless I find my cufflinks, we don't go to the party." Mace said. "And if we don't go to the party, I can never show my face in the office again. And if I never can show my- Ouch!"
Mace held his head as he bumped it on an open drawer.
Mace… well, he was a practical man, a real stickler for rules and expectations. The boys however, Kade and Rhett….believed the dream fairy was real, and made her the hero in all their nursery games.
"Blast you, Dream Fairy!" said eleven-year-old Rhett, the middle child and Brenda's nephew. He was playing with his three-year-old cousin Kade.
"Take that! Give up, Captain Hondo? Give up?" Kade teased.
The two boys were playing pirates with their toy swords, Kade pretending to be the Dream Fairy, seeing as the only girl kid they had was busy.
"Never! I'll teach you to cut off my hand!" Rhett retaliated, imitating a pirate voice.
"The Dream Fairy didn't cut off Hondo's hand. She made him sleep walk into the ocean." said a thirteen-year-old girl, Kade's big sister and Rhett's other cousin.
"Oh, yeah. Thank you, Myra." Rhett said.
Myranda, more commonly called Myra, the oldest, not only believed, she was the supreme authority on the dream fairy and all her adventures. At the moment, Myra stepped out as she met a pink horse in the hall.
"Oh, Strawberry, must we always take that awful tonic?" Myra groaned.
"Strawberry, the nursemaid, being a horse, had trouble keeping her opinions to herself, but viewed the whole affair with a certain tolerance. Though she had to agree, she didn't like the tonic either.
"Take that!" Kade exclaimed.
"Insolent, child! I'll slash you to ribbons!" Rhett shot back.
"And I'll cut you to pieces."
"Be careful you two. It's all good fun until someone loses an eye."
"Ouch! Kade, be careful, that was my foot!" cried Rhett.
"Sorry." Kade said.
"See what I mean?" Strawberry said, getting the beds ready.
"You'll never leave this ship alive!" Rhett raised his toy sword again.
"Oh, yes, I will." Kade said.
And the two boys were jumping on the bed as Strawberry picked up the toys that were on the floor and placed them in the box and stacked up the blocks.
The boys kept roughhousing as Strawberry prepared the tonic, but at one point, the kids distracted her and made her spill tonic on her hoof.
"Agh! Boys, now look what you've done! I just had my hooves polished, and made the beds." Strawberry sighed. Even though horses were strong and had a lot of energy, kids were one heck of a match for her. The pegasus tried licking the tonic, but spat it right out when it tasted like socks. No wonder the kids hated this stuff. It was worse than cough syrup.
And then Kade pretended to stab Rhett, defeating the pirate.
"Curses! You got me!" Rhett feigned pain.
Just then, Mace came in.
"Boys, boys, less noise, please." Mace said, only to knock over the block castle Strawberry stacked.
"Aww! Mace!" Strawberry whined. "Now I gotta build all over."
"Oh, hello, Uncle." Rhett said.
"You old bilge rat." Kade said to Rhett.
"Wh..what?" Mace looked away from the drawer and at the kids. "Now, see here, Kade."
"Oh, not you, Uncle. You see, he's the dream fairy." Rhett explained.
"And Rhett's Captain Hondo." Kade added.
But, Mace was more interested in finding his cufflinks than childish stories.
"Yes, yes, of course." Mace said. "Have either of you seen my-"
But then he bumped into Strawberry and knocked her into the blocks she was stacking.
"Oh, Strawberry, for goodness sake!" Mace groaned. "Where are those cufflinks?"
Strawberry sighed again as Mace left.
"It's times like this looking after the kids doesn't seem like such a chore. For now, maybe I best find another place to stack."
"Cufflinks, Uncle?" asked Rhett.
"Yes, the gold ones your aunt got me for our wedding anniversary." Mace looked underneath something on a dresser.
Rhett started to think he and Kade would be in trouble soon.
"Kade, the buried treasure. Where is it?" he asked his little cousin.
"I don't know." Kade shrugged.
"The map then. Where's the treasure map?"
"It got lost."
Inconveniently, Mace looked underneath some blankets to find.
"What the-?" Mace exclaimed, pulling out a white shirt that had markings drawn all over the back. "My good shirt!"
"Hurray! You found it!" Kade said.
"Yes, I have." Mace said, getting his good shirt on with a sigh. "Now I need to find a jacket to- don't paw me, Kade!"
That was when Brenda came in looking for her husband.
"Mace, honey, we must hurry or we'll be…"
"Brenda, look!" Mace showed his wife what their son did to the back of his shirt.
Brenda took a look and was surprised at this.
"Why, Mace…"
"It's only chalk, Daddy." Kade said.
"Kade." Brenda scolded.
"It's not his fault. It's in the story." Rhett said. "And Myra says-"
"Myra? Story?" Mace facepalmed. "I should have know. Myranda! Myranda!"
"Yes, Daddy?" Myra said, walking in with a little tray of sippy cups with water.
"Would you kindly ex-"
But before Mace could finish his sentence, Myra caught a glimpse of Brenda's party dress.
"Oh, Mom! You look so amazing!"
"Myra…." Mace said, getting no attention.
"Why, thank you, Myra. Just my old gown made over, but it did turn out rather nicely…"
"Brenda, if you don't mind." Mace said more firmly, pointing to the back of his shirt.
This time, Myra noticed.
"Why, Daddy, what have you done to your shirt?"
"What have I…? Oh!" Mace was getting really annoyed now.
Brenda used a towel to wipe the chalk off her husband's shirt.
"Now, Mace, really. It comes right off." Brenda said calmly.
"That's no excuse. Myra, haven't I warned you?" Mace said firmly. "Stuffing the boys' heads with a lot of silly stories."
"But they aren't silly stories, Daddy." Myra said.
"I say they are!" Mace exclaimed.
As you can see, Mace didn't exactly like the idea of Myra spreading these imaginative stories into the children's heads. Childhood is supposed to be a time of innocence, fun, and letting curiosity lead to all kinds of great learning experiences. Except, grownups often say they are out of touch with reality and are simply delusional.
"All these ridiculous tales. Captain Sparrow! Dream Pixies!"
"Dream Fairy, Daddy." Myra corrected.
"Whatever! It's nonsense!"
But the kids tried to reason with their father that he simply didn't understand, these stories were fun, and they made the kids happy, but Mace wasn't having any of it.
"Well, let me tell you, this ridiculous…"
"Now, Mace…" said Brenda, getting her husband's tie on.
"'Now Mace?'" Mace repeated. "Now Mace! Well, 'Now, Mace' will have his say!"
"Please, Dear."
"Brenda, our daughter's growing up. It's about time she had a room of her own!"
"Daddy!" Myra gasped.
"What?" Rhett gasped.
"No!" Kade cried.
"You can't be serious!" Strawberry said.
Now, in most cases, young girls would be ecstatic to have their own room after spending years sharing a room with a bunch of rowdy boys, but here in these parts, once you had your own room, it meant you were grown up, as in, no time for games, no time for fun, no beloved childhood fun stuff! With Myra out of the nursery, her brother and cousin wouldn't have her to play with them or tell them stories anymore because she would be too busy learning to be a lady, never being allowed to dream or just be a kid anymore.
"I mean it!" Mace put his foot down. "Myranda Windu, this is your last night in the nursery. And that's my last word on the matter."
But as he was about to leave in a fit of frustration, he bumped right into Strawberry and tripped over her tail, sending her flying into the blocks and then crashing into the wall, and Mace landing in the toys.
Instead of running to Mace though, everyone ran over to Strawberry.
"Poor, Strawberry." said Brenda. "Are you alright?"
"Poor Strawberry?!" Mace was really angry now. "This is the last straw! Out! Out, I say!"
"No, Daddy, no!" Kade begged with teary eyes, hugging the pony.
"Yes!" Mace grabbed Strawberry by her rein and pulled her out. "There'll be no more horses for nursemaids in this house!"
Brenda picked Kade up and got him to let go of Strawberry, who looked sadly at the kids.
"Goodbye, Strawberry." Kade cried.
"Poor, Strawberry. Oh, yes, Poor Strawberry." Mace grumbled. "But Poor, Daddy? Oh no!"
"Well, they might've had more sympathy if you hadn't been so hard on the kids." Strawberry said while Mace was looking for the key to the stable. "They're only gonna be young once, you know."
"Where is that darn key?" Mace scratched his head.
"Did you even hear a word I said?"
"Not, now, Strawberry. I need to find that key."
"To the stable or being a better father?"
Mace looked at Strawberry and sighed.
"Dash it all, Strawberry. Don't look at me like that. It's nothing personal. It's just that… well, you're not really a nurse at all. You're… well, a horse. And the children aren't foals. They're people. And sooner or later, people have to grow up."
"But do they have to grow up so soon? You can't force a seed to grow into a tree whenever it suits you."
Sadly, Mace, being as stubborn as he was, just found the key and placed Strawberry into the stables.
"But, Mom, I don't want to grow up. Not now." Myra said, sitting in her bed.
"Now, Sweetheart, don't worry about it any more tonight." Brenda smiled, kissing her daughter goodnight. And she tucked her in.
"He called the dream fairy ridiculous." Rhett shook his head, crossing his arms.
Brenda tucked him in next.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it, Rhett. Your uncle was just upset."
Kade, however, hugged his kangaroo, sniffling as he missed Strawberry.
"Poor Strawberry…" Kade cried. "Out there all alone."
"No more tears, Baby." Brenda kissed her son's head. "It's a warm night. She'll be alright."
But Kade sat up with one more thing to say.
"Mommy?"
"What is it, Kade?" Brenda asked.
"I found the buried treasure." Kade said, two gold cufflinks in his hand, having found them under his pillow. And he gave them to his mom.
"Don't judge your father too harshly, children." Brenda said. "After all, he really loves you very much."
It was about time for Brenda and Mace to leave for the party, but Brenda decided she had time for one thing no child was ever truly too old for. A special song to put everyone to sleep.
Where the North wind meets the sea
There's a river full of memory
Sleep, my darling, safe and sound
For in this river, all is found
In her waters, deep and true
Lie the answers and a path for you
Dive down deep into her sound
But not too far or you'll be drowned
Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear
And in her song, all magic flows
But can you brave what you most fear?
Can you face what the river knows?
Where the North wind meets the sea
There's a mother full of memory
Come, my darling, homeward bound
When all is lost, then all is found
And so, all three children were fast asleep.
Mace and Brenda soon left their house as the children were all sleeping, but the wife was worried.
"But, Mace, do you really think the children will be safe without Strawberry?"
"Safe? Of course they'll be safe. Why not?" Mace said.
"I don't know. But Myra has said things about a sheep."
"A sheep?"
"Yes, the dream fairy's sheep."
That got Mace riled up some.
"The dream fairy?! You don't say. Of all the childish nonsense."
"Mace, there might have been someone."
"Please, Brenda. How can we expect the children to grow up and be practical if they waste their time with these dream stories. You're as bad as they are. No wonder Myra gets these idiotic ideas."
"Watch your mouth, Mister!" Brenda warned.
What neither of them knew was that someone was watching them from the roofs above. Someone with hair as black as night, eyes as violet as amethysts, and wings that sparkled like stars. A girl who appeared not older than six. And she wasn't alone. With her was her faithful friend, an adorable lamb who could fly on a trail of pixie dust. Her name was Lammy.
From there, she could see Strawberry fast asleep in the stable outside in the backyard
"Baa!" bleated the little white lamb.
"Shh!' hushed the young fairy.
Her name was Lamenta.
The fairy Lamenta flew over to the window of the Windus' nursery, and she peeked inside. All three children were indeed asleep. All they needed now were some dreams to improve their sleep.
"Okay, Lammy. We're good to go!" Lamenta whispered.
Lammy went over to each child's bed, and quietly bleated her cute bleating into each child's ear, and after she did, Lamenta waved a magic wand and said the magic words, "Of desires and wishes in heart so deep, awaken the dream in peaceful sleep."
And when Lamenta cast her spell, each of the children began to see a special dream in his or her mind.
Kade had a dream that he was riding Strawberry through the savanna, playing with lots of different animals, his favorite being the kangaroo as it hopped and jumped all around, the baby joeys so cute as they rode in their mothers' pouches.
Rhett was dreaming of being… a superhero! He dreamed of being super strong, super fast, and indestructible, and he used those powers to help people who were in trouble.
Myra, however, her dream was different than Lamenta had seen in some other girls. Most girls whose dreams Lamenta unlocked, they usually dreamed of being princesses, models, or sliding on rainbows with unicorns. But Myra, she was dreaming of being on a stage in front of millions of people, playing music on a guitar, singing her heart out, and when she finished, she got a standing ovation.
All these dreams, they were truly wonderful and unique to each child. But while Lamenta was enjoying the granting of dreams, Lammy was too curious for her own good, and when she jumped up onto a table, where she spotted a carrot Kade left there, and knocked something over…
Myra woke up!
"Huh?" Myra rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes and looked around to gasp when she saw… "Dream Fairy! The dream fairy's here. I knew you were real."
Myra couldn't believe it, even when she turned on the lights to see the fairy better.
"You're even prettier… and bigger than I imagined. I thought fairies were supposed to be… well, tiny. I figured the sheep we've been hearing had to be yours. How else would you make sure kids stay asleep? What I don't know is how she escaped Strawberry so many times. She really isn't vicious. She's a wonderful nurse. But Daddy says…"
"That you're really talkative?"
"Yes, I'm very… Hmm?" Myra looked at Lamenta.
"Go on, girl. Speak your mind."
"My name's Myra. Short for Myranda Karissa Windu."
"Myra's enough. Most call me the Dream Fairy, but I'm actually named Lamenta."
And Lamenta played a little violin she had, which had Lammy hopping and dancing around.
"How did your sheep even get in here before? By herself?" Myra said.
"Oh, Lammy has a habit of wandering. She loves to meet kids. She always loves when they pet her, and she loves to come here to hear the stories. And I do too."
"Well, they're all about you." Myra said.
"Of course. That's why I like them. I tell 'em to the Lost Kids."
"The Lost Kids… Oh, I remember." Myra said. "They're your clan."
"Yup."
"I'm so glad you came back tonight. I might never have seen you."
"Why?"
"Because I have to grow up tomorrow."
"Grow up?!"
"Tonight's my last night in the nursery."
"But that means no more stories…or dreams!"
"It's true." Myra started to cry.
"No! I won't have it. Come with me!" Lamenta took Myra's hand and started to guide her to the window.
"But… but where are we going?"
"To Never Land."
"Never Land?"
"Yeah. You'll never grow up there. And all dreams come true there."
"Oh, Lamenta. That would be so wonderful." Myra said, but then she thought of something. "What would Mom and Dad say?"
"Mom and Dad?"
"You don't know what a mom and dad are?"
Lamenta shook her head.
"Well, a mother is someone who loves and cares for you, tells you stories, and sings you lullabies."
"Good! You can be our mother. Come on."
"Wait. Let me see now. I have to pack. Oh, and I should leave a note when I'll be back, I couldn't stay too long. And then I'll have to… Oh but Never Land. I could just kiss you now."
And she picked up the young girl and gave her a kiss on her cheek, like she did with the adorable brother of hers that was Kade.
Lamenta actually found it pretty sweet.
Lammy started bleating and bouncing around, wanting to play, and then she started running around the nursery, bouncing on the beds and waking up the boys.
Kade was first to wake up and see Lammy and then the Dream Fairy.
"Rhett, Rhett, wake up! She's here!" Kade cheered, getting out of bed.
"Huh?" Rhett stretched himself awake with a yawn, and he gasped when he saw the fairy for himself.
Myra grabbed Lammy before she could make a bigger mess.
"What's gotten into her?" Myra said.
"That's Lammy for you. After she places the kids we visit into a deeper sleep, she just wants to play."
"Hello, Dream Fairy. I'm Kade." said the youngest boy.
"And I'm Rhett. How do you do?"
"Hello." Lamenta curtsied.
"A sheep." Kade gasped, seeing the lamb in Myra's arms.
He pet the lamb's wool and liked how soft she felt.
"She feels like a cloud." Kade sighed.
Lammy bleated.
"What's she saying?" Myra said.
"She says she thinks he's a good petter."
"Well, I think she's adorable." Myra said, holding the lamb closer to her face. "Isn't that right?"
Lammy just started to chew Myra's sleeve.
"Come on, everyone. We mustn't dilly dally. Let's go." Lamenta said.
"Where are we going?" Kade asked.
"To Never Land." Myra answered.
"Never Land! Lamenta, the Dream Fairy, is taking us."
"Us?" Lamenta questioned.
"Well, of course. I couldn't go without Kade and Rhett." Myra said.
"Ooh! It would be so cool to cross swords with real buccaneers." Rhett said, pretending to sword fight.
"Yeah, and fight pirates too!" Kade mimicked his cousin, only to fall down.
Lamenta giggled and said, "Well, all right, but you gotta take orders."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Rhett saluted, Kade doing the same.
"But Lamenta, how do we get to Never Land?"
"Fly, of course." Lamenta answered.
"Fly?" Myra asked. "But none of us have wings like you do."
"Yes. But, you don't need wings to fly. All you have to is to… is to…." Lamenta paused. "Huh, that's funny."
"What? Don't you know?"
"It's… It's just that I never thought about it before. Oh! That's it! You think of a wonderful thought."
"Any happy little thought?" said Myra and Rhett.
"Uh-huh." Lamenta nodded.
"Like toys at Life Day?" Myra guessed.
"Jingle bells? Snow?" Rhett named.
"Birthday parties with a big cake!" Kade thought out loud.
"That's the right idea! Watch me now. Here I go!"
Lamenta spread her beautiful wings and started to fly all around the room.
"It's easy as boysenberry pie!"
"She can fly!" Myra gasped.
"She can fly!" Rhett gasped.
"She flew!" Kade said.
Lamenta pirouetted into a beautiful landing on Rhett's bed.
"Now you try."
"Okay. I'll think of a mermaid lagoon… underneath a magic moon." Myra sighed.
"I'll think I'm in a pirate's cave." Rhett said.
"I'll think I'm a hero brave." Kade said cutely.
"Now everybody try." Lamenta got everyone joining hands with her. And they counted. "One, two, three!"
And Lamenta carried them up in the air, and they flew… for five seconds. Luckily, they landed on the bed.
"Uh-oh. That won't do. What happened? All it takes is faith and trust. Oh! And something I forgot. A little dream dust."
"Dream dust?" said the kids.
"Yeah. Dream dust is very powerful. It's what makes Never Land so magical." Lamenta picked up her wand and sprinkled some dust over the kids' heads.
The dust was very sparkly, and it tickled Kade's nose, making the poor boy sneeze.
"Careful. It's tickly stuff too." Lamenta giggled.
And now that the kids were all dusted, they only needed to think of the happiest things.
"It's just like having wings. Let's give it another go!"
This time, the kids thought of even happier things, and soon they found themselves rising off the floor, and all of them could fly! Lamenta then opened the window.
"Alright, everyone! Here we go! Off to Never Land!"
And the kids flew off out the window, following the Dream Fairy. From down below, Strawberry was woken up as she spotted the kids flying through the window. She thought she had to be dreaming, until Kade saw her and shouted, "Come on Strawberry!"
Strawberry took that as her cue to kick down the door and fly with her wings.
Think of a wonderful thought
Any merry little thought
Think of Christmas, think of snow
Think of sleigh bells, off you go
Like reindeer in the sky
You can fly, you can fly, you can fly
Think of the happiest things
It's the same as having wings
Take the path that moonbeams make
If the moon is still awake
You'll see him wink his eye
You can fly, you can fly, you can fly
Up you go with a heigh and ho
To the stars beyond the blue
There's a Neverland waiting for you
Where all your happy dreams come true
Every dream that you dream will come true
The children and Strawberry soon came to land at a big clock in the middle of down.
"There it is, Myra." Lamenta said, pointing out a star. "The second star to the right and straight on till morning."
When there's a smile in your heart
There's no better time to start
Think of all the joy you'll find
When you leave the world behind
And bid your cares goodbye
You can fly, you can fly
You can fly, you can fly, you can fly
When there's a smile in your heart
There's no better time to start
Think of all the joy you'll find
When you leave the world behind
And bid your cares goodbye
You can fly, you can fly
You can fly, you can fly, you can fly
And so, led by the Dream Fairy and her lamb, the kids and the pegasus all flew in the direction of the second star to the right, on their way to Never Land