The Elves of Trelis

Prince Francis

Joshua was sitting on Gustavo's branch, feeding little squirrels and thinking about Phadia. What kind of dress would she wear? Would she even wear one? Did she even own one? She was just so wild that he couldn't imagine her wearing one. He suddenly realised that she seemed to be taking a long time to choose.

Joshua stopped what he was doing. "I'll go find out where she is," he said to himself as he jumped down from the branch.

He started towards Phadia's tree until he saw something familiar. Something annoyingly familiar.

"Good afternoon, Joshua," Sesame said with a grimace.

Joshua could see he was angry but he didn't care. "I don't have time for you, Carlo," he barked, "just tell me if you've seen Phadia and let me alone."

Carlo just ignored him. "The Dance is going to be fun, isn't it," he grumbled, "especially since Phadia's going with you."

"So, you have seen her! Where is she?"

"Why are you going with her anyway?" Carlo whined, "I've spent ages working up the courage to talk to her, and now–"

"Where is she?" Joshua demanded.

Carlo had officially lost his patience. He waved his hand and let magic escape his fingers. Joshua's feet grew the length of breadsticks. They were so heavy he couldn't lift them up.

Carlo huffed for the last time and fled.

"Oh no, how am I going to find her like this," Joshua groaned. He sat down with a thump and looked at his enormous toes.

When he looked up again, he saw an annoyingly familiar face.

"Go away, Carlo!" He shouted.

"Joshua, it's me, Tarli."

"Oh, sorry Tarli." Then letting out a big sigh he added. "How am I going to fix this? Why does he have to be so mean?"

"My brother always has to have his way somehow. He's just jealous, don't worry about it." Tarli shook his head. "And don't worry about your feet either. Carlo's spells don't last that long."

"Thank goodness. Where is Phadia? Have you seen her?"

"Yes. I saw her this morning she looked like she was going home. But she might not still be there."

"If she's not inside I'll ask Geneviève where she went. Thanks, Tarli."

"No problem."

"Hey!" Joshua looked down at his feet, they were shrinking back to normal size. "Yes! Now I can find her."

As Joshua got up to run, he heard Tarli call out something familiar. "Beware of Cynthia!"

"Oh, shut up you idiot," Joshua called back.

*** ***

It was late in the afternoon now and Phadia's spirit lifted when she saw the river Shannai in sight. They were halfway there.

"It's too late to cross the river now. We'll do it first thing tomorrow," she said.

"How exactly do we get across?" Yasmin asked looking nervously at the enormous amount of water.

"You mean you've never done it?"

"I've never been in or on water. I prefer to stay in the trees with the dryads."

"Well, then you've never met Prince Francis. I feel sorry for you."

"Prince Francis?"

Phadia sighed and started making ready for sleep. She shook a pile of the soft leaves off the trees around her and spread them out to make a bed. "Prince Francis is simply wonderful. He's an angel. He's the handsomest boy in Trelis. And the most generous. Every day he drags his beautiful green boat out onto the water and when the dryads ask for a ride, he lets them go on for free. I've been on the water countless times and it gets better every time.

"I remember once the merrow swam all the way up from the ocean and splashed us with their tails and they told us about the sea. Francis taught me how to swim too and I dived for about a minute and I saw a kelpie near the bottom. It was so pretty – but I knew better than to get close. The water sprites are there all the time and they can control the water and make rainbows appear. And sometimes Empress Destiny comes. And she rides with us. And you know what? Each time I see Francis and her together they look more and more alike. Like mother and son. The dryads think so too. That's why we call him Prince Francis because he looks exactly like Destiny. Like a Prince."

At this point Yasmin had not only made her own bed but she was almost asleep.

Phadia hung her bow on a tree branch and drifted off to sleep. The little imp had been listening to Phadia about Francis too and as he lay between the two young elves, he dreamed of an angelic Prince sailing on a green boat on an endless sea filled with playful mermaids.

And Phadia dreamed she was dancing with the Prince at the Dance. He was dressed in a splendid shade of green like his boat and water sprites were hovering all around them.

Yasmin dreamed she was drowning in the river but the Prince reached his hand out to save her. When he pulled her out of the water, she wasn't even wet. Things sort of work that way in dreams.

When you're dreaming, even just a daydream, it may seem like everything else around you disappeared. But everything in the world that is real and dangerous could be right behind you and you will never know until you wake up.

On dark nights in Trelis, unwanted guests come creeping in the middle of the night. Their feet are small, their hands are quick and they snatch anything that glows. Because they're goblins and that's what goblins do. So, while Phadia was sleeping, several greedy goblin hands snatched Phadia's golden bow and vanished into the night.