Princess Siedrele and the Dark Woods

Chapter One

Siedrele awoke with a start and surveyed her surroundings. Where am I, she thought? Nothing looked familiar, the sky was the same cornflower blue as home but there were strange scary trees with twisted branches that hung low to the ground. She could see large bare bushes with thorns and dead leaves lay on the ground all around her. Everywhere she looked things appeared dead. Where was the tall swaying green grass meadow she called home? There was no tinkling sound of water from the stream, no meadowlark songs, worst there were no flowers!

Siedrele had never been afraid in her life, but suddenly she was very much afraid. She got up and brushed the dead leaves and dirt from her new mulberry colored skirt. “Oh, how wrinkled I am!” she exclaimed. “Mother will not be happy”. Siedrele stood and stretched her fragile wings, good she thought, nothing broken at least. When she stretched out her tiny arms Siedrele felt a sharp pain shoot up from her elbow. “Ouch!” she yelped. When Siedrele turned her arm over she could see a nasty red scrape just below her elbow covered in dried blood. Her hand went to her head and there was a knot the size of a walnut on her tiny forehead. “Dear me, what has happened?” “You fell, silly thing!” said a high pitched squeaky voice from behind her. Siedrele turned quickly to see some sort of furry animal she didn’t recognize. The creature looked something like a squirrel.

“Who are you?’” Siedrele demanded. “Who are you, I might ask? After all, this is my home you’ve gone and crashed into.” squeaked the animal. Siedrele looked at him carefully, it was a little larger than her, covered in soft brown fur, with a long fluffy tail. She couldn’t help but notice the tiny sharp claws and the protruding front teeth. Would it eat her she thought? No, the eyes were kind, soft and brown, but sad looking. Siedrele realized that she had hurt the poor creature’s feelings.

“I am Siedrele Durelle, Princess of Arianna Dell. My mother is Queen Babelle, and my father is King Janus, together they rule all of the FaeMeadow lands.” she proclaimed proudly. “Tut, tut, not only does a mosquito crash into my house,but it thinks itself a royal mosquito!” spouted the little creature. “I am called Chippin, and this is my home. I would like an apology please your royal whatever-ness.” Siedrele apologized and begged the animal to tell her what had happened, as for some reason, she could not remember how she got there. “Well, at least come in and wash up and have some refreshment.” said Chippin.

Siedrele followed the creature around the side of the massive moss covered tree trunk. There was a door cleverly hidden, just large enough for the little creature to go through if he ducked his head slightly. Siedrele had no problem walking straight and proud through the door, although she was careful to tuck her wings in tight, just in case. Inside was warm and cozy, a small fire of some sort burned in the corner, there was a rough round wooden table in the middle of the room set with tea for one. On the wall to her right there was a pile of dirt with a plant and broken pot sticking out. Lying on the floor next to it was a small shelf.

“See, just look at what you did!” pouted Chippin. “That was my prize begalia I was to enter into the fair this week! Now look at it, there’s nothing left, nothing!” “I’m sorry, but how did I do that?” Siedrele asked, she had never been in here before. “When you crashed into my window the shelf fell!” Chippin exclaimed. Was this royal mosquito mad he thought? Siedrele looked up and indeed there was a small window in the wall. “I don’t remember seeing a window outside.’ Siedrele said. “The window is designed so I can look out, but no one on the outside can see the window.” Chippin explained. “How very clever! Father would love to know about this!” Siedrele said happily. Then she thought, oh my, they must be worried terribly. “You said sir that you would tell me how I got here.” Siedrele demanded once again.

So, as Siedrele washed her arm with warm water from a basin that Chippin brought from another room, he started to explain. “Well,” began Chippin, “I was sitting here at my table enjoying a nice afternoon cup of acorn tea. Suddenly, there was this enormous boom! The whole house shook, the shelf came crashing down. Oh and my prize begalia hit the floor before you could say snickety snook!” At his point Chippin got up from the table and went over to touch his little broken plant gingerly. Siedrele saw a tear drop from his kind little brown eyes. How sad she thought, and it was entirely my fault! Chippin turned and wiped the tear away and continued, “I went outside and there you were! I thought you were dead but the other creature started snorting at me and flapping it’s great wings”.

“What other creature? Whatever are you talking about, I saw no other creature.” Siedrele exclaimed. “Of course not, it didn’t appear hurt so I moved it to the rear of the house and tied it up. I thought you might need it if you weren’t dead, after all you were riding on it.” Siedrele jumped up knocking over the tea pot and spilling tea all over the tablecloth. Ariella!! How could she forget her trusted horse, her best friend in the world! The room seemed to be spinning and she fell back onto the wooden bench.

“Please! Please, sit still you silly mosquito!” Chippin yelled, “Are you trying to wreck my whole house!” “I must have hit my head harder than I thought, I’m sorry”, Siedrele said watching as the poor creature cleaned up the spilt tea. “Is Ariella alright? I can’t believe I forgot about her, she must be awfully upset.” Siedrele sighed. “The creature is fine,” Chippin assured her, “One wing looked a little bent, but by the way it reared at me, I am sure it’s ok.” “Ariella wouldn’t hurt you, she was just protecting me. It is her duty and she is my best friend” Siedrele said.

Siedrele then told Chippin that in Arianna Dell all the royals had winged horses. The horses were hand picked and given to them at birth by the Royal Equine Dutchess Laundra, who just happened to be Siedrele’s cousin once removed, on her father’s side. The horses had been trained to protect and serve their young masters, and to guide them to adulthood. Ariella was the finest that Winged Wonders Ranch produced, as well should be, for her mistress would be the Princess Siedrele, heir to all the FaeMeadow lands. Ariella was fast as lightening, a deep glossy burgundy with amazing gossamer wings and silver hooves. Ariella had a long glorious lavender mane and tail that Siedrele kept brushed as soft as the clouds themselves. Seeing the look on Chippin’s face as he eyed her own set of iridescent wings sparkling in the firelight, she explained, “Yes, I have wings too, but royals are to be protected until they are ready to rule their part of the FaeMeadow lands. If we used our wings for everyday flying soon they would not be suited for the rich halls of the palace.” “I didn’t say anything Miss High and Mighty”, Chippin snickered.

“That’s not nice!Take it back!” Siedrele cried, “It isn’t my fault I was born a royal! I know the ordinary fairies make fun of me. They call me Siedrele the Special! Siedrele the Lazy! They laugh and whisper among themselves when I pass by.” Suddenly Siedrele burst out into tears, making her head ache all the more. “Now, now,” Chippin soothed, “I didn’t mean anything. Lie down over here and rest you poor thing, you will feel better soon.”

All the talk about Ariella and her home had made Siedrele tired and sad, so she did as Chippin suggested. He led her to a smaller room, just as cozy as the first. It had the same curious little fire in the corner, but in the center was a wonderful soft bed. Siedrele climbed into the bed and as she was drifting off to sleep wondered how you could have a fire inside a tree. Especially in a place that was so dead and dry outside, I must remember to ask about the fire she thought as she slipped into a peaceful sleep.

Chippin stared at the poor fairy snuggled in his bed. So, he thought, this is what a fairy looks like! Of course he had heard of them but no one he knew had ever actually seen one! She was really quite beautiful now that she wasn’t wrecking his house. Her long flowing thistle colored hair lay softly around her pixie face. Her body was thin but not ugly, more sleek and smooth, Chippin was sure it was probably softer than his own fur. She wore a shiny satin like gown that hung in layers around her body, and it was the same mulberry color as the little slippers on her tiny feet. The wings on her back were now folded snugly against her body so delicate he thought they would surely wrinkle while she slept. Chippin knew she was the most beautiful and delicate thing he had ever seen. It wouldn’t do for her to stay here in the woods, it wasn’t safe. He must find a way to help her back to wherever she came from, but he had no idea how.

Siedrele awoke easier this time as she remembered the furry creature called Chippin. As she sat up carefully she realized he must have bandaged her arm while she was sleeping. Siedrele stood up slowly but surprisingly her head didn’t hurt anymore. She looked around the room as she sat in front of the little fire that was starting to grow dim. The ceiling was quite high and she could fly up to the top she thought that is if she wanted to. The room was almost completely round and the walls looked soft and mossy green. Still it was nothing like the palace she lived in, with its high intricately laced vine walls, the rose petal carpets, the downy beds, the jonquil fountains. Her world was so much different than this dead and decaying land where Chippin lived. She had to see Ariella at once and find out how she came to be here in the first place.

As Siedrele came into the front room she called for her host but there was no answer. She did notice that the mess she had made of the begalia was now gone and the little shelf was back on the wall under the window. Chippin must be out checking on Ariella she thought. Siedrele hurried out the front door and around the backside of the mossy tree, there was her dear, dear friend and mentor.. Ariella saw her tiny mistress approaching and let out a long happy whinny and kicked up her hooves. “So happy to see you Miss Sie!” Ariella neighed. “And I am very delighted to see you my friend!” Siedrele cried as she buried her face in the luxurious mane. “Oh! Ariella! Your beautiful mane and just look at your tail! You are in great need of a brushing!” Siedrele exclaimed while picking out dead leaves and twigs from the horse’s great tail. “Duchess Laundra would be very disappointed with me if she could see you now.”

“Neigh, at this moment you should be more worried about what your Mother will say little Miss Sie”, the horse said. “Come now” Ariella whinnied, “Get on and let’s be gone from this desolate land.” “Do you know where we are? Siedrele asked. “Neigh, but I can find my way home again, so let’s be gone.” Ariella commanded. “I can’t remember what happened last night Ariella, please tell me.” Siedrele begged. “It doesn’t matter now little one, let us just be gone from here”, whispered the horse. Ariella had been trying to understand how it was that they were in this dreadful place all afternoon. Something didn’t seem right and she didn’t want her mistress to worry. “Please Ariella! I must know please please tell me!” begged Siedrele. “Alright Miss Sie, if I must”, sighed the reluctant horse.

Ariella was a proud horse, who came from a long line of the best winged horses in all of FaeMeadow Lands. But she hung her head as she began to tell her mistress the details of their not so smooth landing. “Miss Sie, please forgive me for it was entirely my fault. We were on our way to visit your father’s camp in Wayfaringdon, where he is leading the replanting of the Far North FaeMeadow. There was a sudden gust of wind from out of nowhere and we were caught in the currents. No matter how hard I tried to fight it, the current pulled harder. Then from behind came a great black bird, larger than anything I have ever seen in all my years! The bird crashed right into us, and that’s how my wing became bent.” Ariella paused to display her damaged wing to her mistress. Ariella continued, “The bird hit us so hard that you fell from my back, down into the tangled mass of dead trees. It was as if that was exactly what the bird wanted because it disappeared at that moment. I circled around and tried to see where you went, terrified and ashamed I could not protect my mistress.”

Siedrele hugged the horse’s neck tightly and said “Oh, my dear Ariella it wasn’t your fault.” “Yes, little Miss it was, it is my sworn duty to protect you from all dangers” Ariella said sadly. “Luckily you weren’t hurt badly; it took me awhile to make my way through those tangled old trees. You were unconscious when I finally found you and then this horrid little creature came along yelling about broken pots and booming noises. I was about to stomp him into the ground!” Ariella snorted. “Poor Chippin!” Siedrele squealed, “He must have been terrified!” “Well he promised to care for you and offered me a place to rest, so I let him be,” said the horse. “I wonder where Chippin is”, said Siedrele, it will be dark soon.” “Exactly why we should be gone from here Little Miss Sie” snorted Ariella.

At that moment Chippin came around the side of the mossy tree, his paws full of some sort of grassy straw. “You can’t very well go anywhere this late,” he replied. “It will be very dark soon and the Dark Woods are full of theives, vagabonds and mysterious creatures that roam the night”. “Please,” he continued, “Be my guests for the night and we can get an early start in the morning.” “We?” snorted Ariella. “What do you mean?” “Why the three of us of course,” Chippin said smugly. “You two are strangers here and have no idea how to find your way out of the Dark Woods.” Chippin laid the pile carefully within reach of the great winged horse, but not too close as he was still terrified of being stomped. So Ariella reluctantly agreed to stay the night and ate the dinner Chippin had brought her. Siedrele and Chippin went back inside the mossy tree to plan tomorrow’s departure.