Chapter Two: A Brave Attempt

"Awaaake, young prince, and saaave your paaarents! Awaaake!"

The willows and birches scrapped their spindly fingers across the castle's panes. They felt disturbance in every breeze that rustled through their leaves. Something was desperately wrong, and they knew that they must warn the prince. "Awaaake young prince!"

"FATHER!"

Adam awoke in the dead of night, his arm outstretched to a parent who was not there. His satin nightgown was saturated in sweat and his pillow smothered in tears. His short, chestnut-blond curls clung desperately to his flushed and sticky face. Adam had spent the last three hours tossing his way through a horrible dream, feeling as though he would have been forever trapped in that nightly vision if an invisible force had not pulled him out. Adam did not know where to go, but he knew that his parents' lives depended on him taking action. The prince was quickly up and dressed in his best traveling clothes, his satchel slung around his shoulder, carrying only the necessities.

Adam was in such a crazed state that he did not consider his steps. As he arrived at the first rung of descending stairs, the troubled boy did not slow down his frenzied pace. Adam tumbled and slid down the thirty steps, bumping his head and appendages multiple times. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Adam was out of breath. Thankfully, the prince had not broken a bone in his body, but his pride quickly took a beating when he looked up and saw a chubby face staring back at him; the young boy had seen the whole ordeal.

"Why you fall down, Pwince Adam?"

The prince slowly stood up and dusted himself off. "No reason, Chip. I was just in a hurry and wasn't looking where I placed my feet."

Timothy, son of Mrs. Agatha Kettlery, was the only one in the entire castle that Adam considered his friend and confidant. The petite, charismatic boy was half Adam's age, but the prince loved him anyways. He had earned the nickname "Chip" from the characteristic gap between his front two teeth; his smile was something that could always brighten Adam's day.

"Why was you in a hu–wee, Adam? You gonna go somepwace?"

Adam suddenly began to regret his rash decision. If this was the type of venture from whence few returned, Adam would have a difficult time saying goodbye to his friend. However, he could not let his parents face certain doom alone. He would never forgive himself if his parents died and he had intentionally forfeited the ability to stop their terrible fate. The young prince knelt down in front of Timothy. "Chip ol' boy," Adam began, tousling his friend's soft hair, "Remember the story you love so much, the one of the gallant knight who left everything behind so that he could rescue someone he loved? Well, I am to live out that story this very night. I believe my parents are in grave danger, and I must be the one to save them. Do you understand?"

Poor Timothy was nearly in tears. "You gonna weave me, Pwince Adam? Momma say your pay–wents ah alwight. Do . . . Do you hafta go?" Little droplets started to roll down the lad's flushed cheeks.

"Yes, Timothy. But we must keep a firm upper lip and be brave. I will be back soon. I will make a deal with you. When I get back, if I hear a good report on how brave you were in my absence, you can have all my horse figurines."That lifted the boy's countenance immediately. With a grin as large as the moon, Timothy Kettlery ran off down the hall, giddily shouting, "Ho–ses, ho–ses, I get ho–ses!" As Adam turned to exit the castle, he sighed within himself, hoping he could return to fulfill his promise.

A dark and daunting forest has the potential to spook anyone, especially when one is alone. As Adam gallantly rode through the Barrier Forest on horseback, he tried to ignore the ghostly trees and indistinct noises. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, taking comfort in the memory of his long lessons in fencing. "If any villain should come upon me in the night, I shall be ready." His horse, Antoinette, did not seem to believe her master's daring words, for she fearfully nickered and shook her darkened mane. The prince leaned forward and smoothed the bristled hair on Antoinette's neck, soothingly reassuring his horse's safety. However, Antoinette still seemed to be panicked, for at the first questionable noise, she bolted.

Outstretched tree limbs, prickly briars, and dangling vines scratched and entangled Adam's body as he rode haphazardly through the forest. "Antoinette! Whoa girl, slow down!" Adam pulled so hard on the leather reigns that they violently snapped in half; the ends lashed back and cut into the prince's flesh, marring his left cheek. Antoinette, finally exhausted from the midnight gallop, slowed to a steady walk. Adam, a cloth pressed firmly against his cheek, surveyed the surrounding area. "My effort to look at a map would be pointless. A good night's rest will clear my head."

Up ahead, the young prince saw a circular clearing, a perfect place to start a fire and sleep under the stars. As soon as Adam reached the perimeter of the clearing, his body froze and his heart was clutched by fear. A howl or two echoed in nearby bushes. "Wolves!" Struggling with all his might to be silent, Adam was able to turn around and start walking in the opposite direction. He stopped when he heard voices. "Mother? Fa-father?" He almost leaped for joy at the recognition of his parent's blessed voices. He turned around once more and ran towards his parents. But he was stopped, for as soon his legs began to move, Adam was pushed down to the ground. The briars threatened to poke his eyes, and the soft ground clung to his bloody cheek. Two paws were firmly pressed into the prince's back, and sticky drool oozed onto the nape of Adam's neck. The wolves howled again, this time sounding much closer. Straining, Adam lifted his head just enough to see a horrendous sight. Tears began to streak his face.

No more than five yards in front of him, the king and queen stood, surrounded by a pack of wolves. King Avery shielded the queen with his arm while he jabbed at the wolves with his sword. The queen stood bravely beside her husband. She was ready to fight their attackers, though she was armed with nothing more than a heavy cooking pot. Despite their fearful surroundings, they stood together, ready to fight and possibly die by each other's side. Love was strong even in the face of death.

Two of the wolves, the biggest and darkest, slowly rose onto their hind legs and miraculously transformed. Scaly flesh replaced matted fur, dirty fingers took the place of sharp claws, and dingy wings unfurled from their backs. Adam gasped in shock and awe. "Fairies," the prince whispered hoarsely.

I cannot transcribe the following conversation between the fairies, for they spoke in their own native tongue. The only important thing you need to know is that, yes, they are Enno and Anno. They had faithfully attended to Queen Jezé's command for sixteen years (the mission would have perhaps ended sooner if the assassins were not as dull as a butter knife). They mercilessly tracked down Prince Avanari. When they found him, they wrote blackmail letters, threatening to expose the king's heritage if he and the queen did not meet with them. Enno and Anno told the king that the people of France would be less than pleased to find out that a dishonored fairy prince was now their ruler; they assured the king that, if he was to meet them and pay a small price, his secret would be safe.

Unfortunately, the "small price" that the fairies requested was the lives of the king and queen. Oh, that is right, I forgot to tell you! Yes, King Avery is the once headstrong, lovesick Prince Avanari. He changed his name when he married the human maiden, Princess Marie. Avery also lost all his fairy qualities when he was banished. He gave up everything: wings, powers, and heritage. The only thing he did not lose was his love for Marie. Unfortunately, Enno and Anno were dutifully obedient and did away with the king and queen, all to Adam's horror. I dare not describe the merciless killing, for death by wolves is far too gory for a book like this. I shall summarize by saying the deaths were truly horrendous, leaving Adam emotionally scarred for a very long time.