Chapter 12 - 13

Chapter 12: Fey

Ruby was once again woken up by the sound of Feather and Leigh running down the staircase. Before Ruby went to get breakfast she got her staff. She held it with both hands and tried her best to get her back to Earth. There was a big flash of yellow light, but Ruby still found herself in her room. Ruby put her staff back and went to have breakfast.

After breakfast Ruby wanted Feather and Leigh to have a day together, so she went out to the gardens. She saw the stable, and decided she wanted a refreshing morning ride. She went into the stable, but she didn’t see Fey anywhere. She went to Gallen, the horse she rode yesterday and patted him. Then she saw Piper and Grace a few stalls away. She pet Piper, and came to Grace.

“So you’re supposed to be like my sister, huh?” Ruby asked as if she could understand her. She patted her soft white coat, and Grace nuzzled her. Ruby smiled. She went back to Gallen, put on his bridle and led him out. She had no idea how to put on a saddle, so she just hopped on him bareback. She petted him, then nudged him with her heels, setting him to a walk. Just when they almost left the stables there was a voice.

“You can’t ride em’ like that my queen,” a voice said. Ruby turned around to see Fey. He came and grabbed Gallen’s bridle and led him back. “If you need help with the horses, you’ll have to ask, your majesty,” Fey joked. Ruby blushed, Fey then helped her off the horse. Then put on the saddle and other accessories. “Might I come on the ride with you, your highness,” Fey asked cautiously.

“Well, I don’t see why not,” Ruby answered. Fey’s green eyes sparked, and ran to fetch a horse. He came back with a dapple gray horse.

“Name’s Sketch. She’s my beloved treasure, in other words, my horse,” Fey smiled, patting Sketch. He set her up and got her ready.

Fey and Ruby trotted towards the small forest behind the palace. There were all sorts of magical looking trees, some purple, blue and pink. “This is where Grace was found. I found her injured, it was the day after Queen Grace had died. Do you know the story?” Fey asked.

“I’d like to hear it from your point of view,” Ruby said. Fey led them to a small creek, where their horses fed on the grass and water.

“Well, there once was a prophecy. Saying a queen from a star called E-arth will come and save our slowly dying star. She would come and remove all the greed. Then one day my brother told me the prophecy was going to be fulfilled, because the queens were here. But there were two, but the maid let them both in. Soon somehow one sister became evil with greed. She created a short but deadly war. My brother died in that war,” Fey started to cry a bit. “But Queen Grace defeated her sister Queen Ruby. But she refused to stay, and was found drowned in a river. The princesses didn’t come back either. Then you came,” he said trying to hold in tears. “You are the queen in the prophecy, aren’t you?” Fey asked. Ruby looked shocked.

“Fey, look I need to tell you something. You have to promise not to tell anyone,” Ruby said, Fey nodded in agreement. “I am not the queen from the prophecy. I am Queen Ruby,” she said, expecting a bad outcome. “I wish only for you to know who I am,” Ruby added staring seriously at Fey.

“B-but, how?” Fey said looking scared. He moved back riding Sketch. Ruby got off her horse.

“I didn’t wish to come here. Now I can not return to E-arth, to my family,”

“I must go, your majesty,” panicked Fey.

“Wait, please don’t. I’ve changed,” Ruby insisted. Fey looked at her, and got off his horse.

“Your majesty, I need to leave, please let me go,” he begged. “You can have all the horses, and all my treasure, please just let me leave,”

“But Fey,” Ruby said, starting to cry. “I thought you’d understand me,”

“My queen, I am only a low ranked stable hand, I do not have an understanding of a queen like you,” Fey said moving back slowly. Ruby felt furious.

“There’s not going to be another stable hand like you,” Ruby insisted. Fey avoided eye contact, he quickly hopped on Sketch, and galloped away leaving Ruby with Gallen. She cried, she regretted everything.

Chapter 13: The Floating Feather

Ruby was lost, she regretted ever having a liking to Fey. She hopped back on Gallen.

“You won’t leave me now would you,” She said to the strong black stallion. Suddenly she saw a light floating to towards her. It changed colours, getting brighter and brighter. Suddenly Feather came bursting through the trees. She saw the floating light and screamed;

“THE FLOATING FEATHER!” The light suddenly transformed into a big bird, it had golden feathers, and a majestic posture. It stared at Feather, she was staring at it amazed. “Hello madam,” Feather said to the bird.

“Why hello, little Feather, am I correct,” the bird said in an adult feminine voice. Ruby stared at  the bird. Then it transformed into a woman, wearing a golden dress cover with feathers. Feather laughed happily. The woman picked her up and swung around with her. Ruby looked closely, she had a familiar face.

“Grace?” Ruby asked. The woman stared at her, she was like an older version of Grace.

“I am not who you speak of,” she replied.

“How do you know Feather?”

“She’s my wish,” Feather answered Ruby’s question. The woman smiled.

“Ruby, darling, I know it’s hard being someone you don’t want to be. I can send you back,” she told Ruby.

“Oh, please do,” Ruby said.

“You will have to do something for me then,” she said.

“Anything, what is it?” Ruby said excited.

“I’d like to see my creator. She has moved stars,” She explained.

“I CAN HELP!!” Feather said excited.

“Here, have this map that leads to her, I can’t leave this Star, I am cursed to stay,” the woman said giving them the map. She then looked at Gallen. With a wave of her hand he turned into a magnificent creature with big black feathered wings, a pegasus to be exact. The woman smiled and vanished.

Feather hopped onto the back of Gallen, and together they  followed the map to the mysterious creator. They needed to go to another Star called Everdeenas, the most far away star from Solarist in the galaxy. It was also one of the biggest. Ruby guided Gallen, pulling the reins on either side. They followed the map: Straight right, left, backwards… As they weren’t prepared for their journey, they brought nothing but Gallen.

“Ruby!!! I’m thirsty!!!” Feather moaned

“It’s okay, Feather. Don’t worry. I’ll get you some food,” Ruby reassured. Feather moaned.

“Please, Ruby. I’m dying to have something to drink!” Feather pleaded.

“Fine,” Ruby said. She landed Gallen onto a Star with no residents. She looked around for food as Feather hugged her tight. She saw an apple hanging high up in a tree. No ordinary apple, a large, golden apple. She let Gallen fly up there, and she reached to pick it. It was like it was glued onto the tree. Ruby pulled hard, but nonetheless, it wouldn’t let go. She kept pulling and finally she was able to pick it off the tree. Feather took a big bite to satisfy her. She offered some to Ruby, who also took a bite. Gallen nudged Ruby, trying to say he wanted some too. Ruby laughed and dropped it on the ground so Gallen could bite into the apple.

They then set off again, following the map to Everdeenas, the main star of Galaxy Unoptima. This time they travelled north. Ruby sat with Feather on the back of Gallen, and together they flew up, up and into the sky…

Going past shooting stars, nebulae and floating rocks, a wonderful sight. Gallen flew extremely fast and finally landed in a mysterious looking planet. They had a look around when all of  a sudden, they saw a bearded lady waving her arms at them in the distance. Gallen seemed to have seen her before, so he neighed at her and galloped straight toward her. At last Feather, Ruby and Gallen caught up to the bearded lady.

“Finally, I thought you would never come,” she said inviting the two in. Ruby tied Gallen up to a fence post outside and joined them inside. Her house was filled with paper, and copies of the many famous book she had written, including her star famous book, The Floating Feather. This was the book Feather had issued from the Library of Solarist. Feather lunged her way to try and grab it, but Ghana just laughed and blocked her away, as this was her most special book. Ruby sat down to inform Ghana;

“There is a woman who wants to find you, you are her creator,” Ruby stated

“Tell her, no thanks. Unless it’s… my lord! Who was it?” Ghana started thinking.

“Madam wants you to go uncurse her,” Feather explained. The famous author looked at her.

“Of course, Madam, she escaped from my story book to start her own life,” the author laughed. “Poor madam, she ran off thinking she could be a queen. But instead the maids of Solarist looked down on her, and cursed her. Might I say queen Ruby, you must be careful with the Lady, she manipulates people, you as well Feather,”

“How do you know our names,” Feather asked, curious.

“I read the future,” Ghana replied. “I have my lovely girl, Rosavell waiting outside, so let’s go,” she said and led them outside. Feather and Ruby seated themselves on Gallen in a comfortable position. Then Ghana came with a beautiful pegasus, she was hazel brown with long smooth hair. “This is Rosavell,” Ghana introduced, Rosavell stayed silent. Gallen walked towards her, and nudged her.

“Pegasus love,” Feather joked. Ghana hopped on Rosavell, and they were set to go back to Solarist.

Hours went past, and finally Rosavell landed them all safely in a familiar planet, with familiar surroundings. Feather ran to her big brother, who knelt down to hug her. But the lady known as “Lady” or “Madam” was nowhere to be seen.

“Whoops, almost forgot,” Ghana pulled out a small pouch type thing and opened it up. Out came the so called “Madam” and she danced around and around.

“Oh my, you came! I’m ever so sorry I escaped your storybook, please take back, I promise I will never do it again,” Lady confessed. Ghana laughed.

“Don’t you have a wish to grant first?” Ghana asked.

“I can’t, I’m sorry Queen Ruby. I tried pulling out one of my feathers for you, but it just wouldn’t budge. But I’ll make sure the next floating feather will go to you,” she promised. Ruby sighed, she felt betrayed in a way.

“Leigh and I are here. We can stay with you,” Feather insisted holding Ruby’s hand.

“Now my dear queen, don’t look so disappointed. Lady is going to repay you,” Ghana said. Lady nodded in agreement.

“You can name me,” she suggested. Ruby looked up, and thought for awhile.

“You’re still going to take me back to E-arth, right?,” Ruby asked. Madam nodded. “Well I would like to name you, Fae,”

“But isn’t Fae the stablehand?” Feather asked, questioned.

“Fae sounds gentle, and Fey sounds more loud,” Ruby explained.

“Wow, okay you are very specific,” Ghana teased. Then Ghana opened her story book, and Fae hopped right in. She turned into a beautiful illustration. Feather was in awe.

“How about you can have this sketchbook of mine,” Ghana said looking at Feather’s expression, she handed her an old leather book. Feather took it and gently opened it, and gasped. All of Ghana’s illustrations were practiced in that book. So many wonderful art techniques! Feather jumped up and down excitedly. Ghana smiled, and tucked her storybook in her pouch. Hopped onto beautiful Rosavell, and was about to leave, when suddenly Gallen gave the mare one last nudge of affection. They were of flying at speed of light, they disappeared into the starry sky.