Friday Fodder – Magic

“Listen up subjects!” Stacy announced to the toys scattered around the floor. “Today is the day I am officially crowned, Warrior Princess!” She dug up an old sword from her wardrobe. 

“Come with me, Sir Cuddles,” She grabbed her loyal bear. His loosely stitched arm was only attached by a couple of stubborn threads – a brave battle wound that came from a fierce war with her cousin’s toys in the washing machine. Up the stairs they trekked, reaching the forbidden land of Attica to find a crown worthy of a Warrior Princess.

A thick layer of dust quickly transformed into a cloud with one powerful blow, unfortunately also leaving a curse of sneezing. Stacy and Sir Cuddles hunted in and out of boxes to no avail. She was about to redirect her search when a unique chest caught Stacy’s gaze.

“Sir Cuddles! It’s a witches’ chest! There must be magic inside.” She gave a giddy smile while struggling to open the ancient-looking lid. There was a golden lock on the front, shining with jewels that she had never actually seen before with her two eyes.

“Drats! The witches have cursed this chest with a lock, but that won’t stand in the way of the Great Warrior Princess!” Stacy reached the key that hung on a beautiful golden chain around her neck.

“Maybe mummy’s enchanted key will break the spell and open the locked chest,” she told Sir Cuddles while slipping the chain over her head. “Mummy told me it was a gift from a Fairy Queen. She gave it to me before the sickness took her so I could always find my way back to her.”

The key clicked the lock open and the heavy lid raised. Inside, sparkling treasures beckoned the young peering eyes. Glimmering jewels and golden accessories sparkled, but it was a crown made of vibrant flowers that made Stacy squeal.

“This is it, Sir Cuddles! The crown worthy of a Warrior Princess!” She placed the crown of flowers upon her head, ignoring the rest of the treasures inside the chest, and locked the chest again – because it was quite fun to lock and unlock. It wasn’t roller-coster fun, but it was still fun to do.

The magical flower-crowned Warrior Princess made her way down the stairs with Sir Cuddles in one hand and her cardboard sword in the other. On her way to the garden, she spotted her sister at the kitchen table, yelling into a strange contraption she called a phone.

“Good day, beautiful Sister! What brings you troubles this day?” Her Sister peered her eye over the phone and snorted.

“What are you wearing, and why are you talking so weird?”

“This is the Warrior Princess way of life!” Her sister shot her a look, but she had no idea what it meant; therefore, it was not important. “I am on an adventure to the garden.”

“Alright. Make sure you wear a jacket. It’s windy outside.” Her sister mumbled as she went back to her phone. Stacy’s mummy used to say that every time she went outside, even if it wasn’t windy, and now it was her sister who said it instead.

The Warrior Princess left the house, skipping down the path, and it wasn’t even that windy. She twirled around three times, allowing her ruffled Princess dress to shimmer in the sunlight.

The garden was Stacy’s favourite place to go. Mummy would tell her stories of how she planted each fruit tree and watered them with magic water blessed by the mermaid in the lake next to the house. They never did see the mermaid in person, but Stacy knew the mermaid was there.

Mummy would sing to the flowers and vegetables to help them grow up to be happy plants. Happy flowers looked better and happy vegetables tasted better. Together they would make lovely bouquets for the neighbours and the tastiest, most colourful salads. Mummy taught Stacy all she needed to know about tending to the garden, so that is what she did every single day.

“A Warrior Princess never misses a spot!” she exclaimed, watering the plants with the Mermaid water. There were lots of wonderful things in the garden, and the most significant thing was a ring of painted rocks that surrounded a patch of soil containing a single tree seed. That is where Stacy directed most of her attention; it was the very last thing her mummy planted, so it was the most important seed of all. Stacy sang to it every morning and every night, kissing each rock that surrounded the seed. She knew her love would help the tree grow.

“It is a Warrior Princess’s duty to protect the garden!” She chanted as she welcomed the ladybugs and chased away the rabbits trying to steal the cabbages. She would protect her mummy’s legacy with her very life.

Stacy sat near the painted rocks and ran her fingers over the designs she painted with mummy and sister.

“I miss you so much, mummy.” Hot tears spilled over her eyelids and ran down her cheeks. Mummy taught her that it’s okay to cry when sad feelings come up. “Oh, I wish I could hug you again.”

Just then, the soil parted and a little sapling sprouted forth. Mummy’s magical tree!

The Warrior Princess had been granted her wish. She dropped her sword and Sir Cuddles and bent down to kiss the sapling.  Mummy’s spirit was now in the tree and, as it grew to size, she did indeed get to hug her again, often.