"Umm. I don't know. One? Two?" the prince stuttered.
"We have to go immediately!" Zora told him, panicked.
Quickly remembering, he hit himself on the forehead.
"Anna thanks for the feast. We'll be going now!" Zora yelled out as they ran towards the door. The princess, along with the rest of the court, stood up slowly and watched them leave in utter surprise.
Finding his faithful horse in the stables, the couple quickly packed. To reach The Seven Hill Kingdom, they would need to ride day and night.
"We won't make it," Zora said, ridden with panic and guilt.
"Calm down, dear. We got what she needs. She cannot be that unreasonable," Aidan replied.
In the Seven Hill Kingdom, before the agreed upon sunset, the serious king, queen, his brother and his family gathered in the forest. The garden was completely finished. The water murmured sweetly, the colorful flowers gave out their sweet aromas, but no one enjoyed the beautiful sight. The prince's son and daughters cried, hugging their mother tightly.
"Mom!" the boy cried.
"Mommy!" the girls screamed, burying their faces into her long dress.
"My dear children. Please don't cry. Be brave and listen to your father and uncle," the senior princess whispered, trying to keep herself composed. Pressing her wet cheeks onto their soft hair, she kissed them all, like she used to when they were babies.
The king looked away, guilt-ridden. His brother stared at the grass, devastated and mute. He seemed to have aged a decade because of the ordeal. Yet he did nothing.
The fairy creature sat, calm and serious, with her arms and legs crossed. "Let's get this over with!" she ordered, annoyed by the presence of so many people in her small haven. Her senses were so easily irritated, she perceived anything louder than a whisper as a treat.
"Please, can't we wait a little longer? The night hasn't fallen yet," the queen pleaded with the creature.
Viniria glanced up at the already visible full moon. "A deals, is a deal. We said full moon. Nobody specified the time of day."
"But, can't you make an exception? It would be a gallant thing to do. Some would even say noble," Olivia spoke sweetly, clasping her hands.
"No! I'm done waiting! I haven't slept in weeks. The princess betrayed my trust and someone needs to pay," the guardian growled impatient.
The prince took in a deep breath. He addressed her with a trembling voice, "I beg you to change your mind! My wife is not to blame for your ill fortune. What good will this do to anyone if she got punished? Please, think of the children."
"Be quiet!" Viniria barked, turning her head agitated. "No more begging. No more crying! And get those children out of here!"
The queen looked at the king, hopeful. "Can't you do something? You can make the castle somewhere-"
"No! Do not ask again," he snapped, turning his back. Unlike the rest of his family, he just wanted the thing to be over with.
Meanwhile, on a green field, Aidan was rubbing his horse's tense neck. The poor creature was exhausted, panting on the ground.
Zora paced, looking at the sky. "This is no good. We will be late. Oh, my poor sister-in-law. She agreed to take the blame for me."
"Zora... There is nothing I can do. Not even the fastest steed can get us there on time now," the prince pointed at his horse, devastated.
She looked at him and decided. Quickly changing into a wolf, she told her husband, "Climb on."
Not needing to be asked twice, he jumped on her back and the two rode on.
Back at the forest, the powerful fairy held up a hair in one hand and a pebble in the other. "I will give you a choice," she told the unhappy woman. "If you take this pebble and swallow it, you will turn into a living statue. You will be able to see everything and live forever, but you won't be able to speak or move. If you take the hair and do the same, you will be transformed. You will no longer be a human but will be able to move around as you please. Maybe even find a way out of this place," the creature added with a smirk. "So, what do you say?"
Wiping the tears from her face, the devastated woman thought long and hard about her choice. She imagined how it would be to turn into a statue. She stood like that in the center of the green garden, petrified and solemn.
"Hurry up! I don't have all day," Viniria yelled with a cold stare, shattering her illusions.
The princess looked at the tiny hair on her left in disgust. Shaking, she turned her frightened gaze towards the creature and answered, "I choose the hair."
"Wise choice," the forest guardian said serious. "Now, eat it!"
The woman nodded and slowly brought it towards her lips. With a reluctant gulp, the hair went down, turning her into a field mouse.
Everyone gasped in shock. The fairy snickered, with her wood-like toes eagerly scrunched to crush something small. "My advice would be that you leave us alone. You would not want to see what happens next," she told the panic-stricken family.
"No!" the children cried, looking for the mouse. The terrified animal climbed up her daughter's dress, hiding. Usually terrified of rodents, the girl screamed, feeling the pitter-patter of the mouse's tiny feet.
"Give her back!" Viniria roared as her vine hair rose from the ground like a malicious octopus.
"Stop!" the queen yelled, protecting the girl with her body. The king raised his sword. "Men! Attack!" The soldiers, stationed around the forest, took notice and obliged his command.
Viniria sneered, seeing the men and their sharp weapons. "So be it," the creature said scowling. Raising her hands in the air, she made the trees move. Their roots climber from the ground with their branches extending towards the humans, ready to attack.
"I'm here!" Zora barked, running. Everyone turned their head, confused by the strange sound. "It's me Zora. Please stop fighting! I'm here!" another shout was heard, coming closer and closer. The senior prince let out a sigh of relief.
Looking in the direction of the voice, everyone was surprised to see a large white wolf, leaping from the bushes. Prince Aidan was on the creature's back, calm and serious.
Stopping, the white wolf looked at everyone, exhausted. "Good fairy, we found it!" she gasped, catching her breath.
The creature looked at her, somewhat baffled. "Where were you all this time? And how dare you come here now? I should have turned you into stone like I originally planned!"
Aidan quickly got off the wolf's back, presenting the harp to the fairy creature. "Your harp. Oh, creature of the woods," he said with a polite, yet cold tone.
The fairy stood there, almost lost for words. She slowly extended her arm, taking the beautifully made instrument.
"So you are back? You didn't trick me?" she uttered, observing it in disbelief.
"Why would I do that?" Zora said, with her large body aching from fatigue. "We had a deal, did we not?"
While Viniria was busy inspecting the item, Zora changed into her human form, surprising everyone even more.
"Forgive our tardiness, but it took us a while to get her," Aidan said. Turning to his brothers, he added, "You would not believe the adventures we had."
"Good fairy, I have so much to tell you. The bat queen Baticia sends her regards. She wishes that you come and visit her," Zora said.
Viniria curved the side of her mouth, not overly pleased. "You didn't make any promises, did you?" she asked.
"Um, no," the gorgeous princess shook her head. "So, my dear Viniria. If you wish? Would you kindly make yourself comfortable? I am ready to play you a lullaby," the princess said wholeheartedly.
"Thank goodness," the forest creature said, glancing at the other humans. The royal family observed Zora with disdain. The queen held the children close, watching the young princess with a side glance. The mouse was calm for now, held by one of her own children. The king was frowning, with his hand still on his sword. There was no doubt in the creature's mind that they will try to attack the girl as soon as she is gone.
"Wait!" Viniria, said. "You are late. That means that our agreement is no longer valid," she stated with her nose raised.
"Huh?" Zora uttered stunned.
"But," the fairy creature continued. "If you promise to come over each night at midnight, and play a small tune for me. I will return the other princess to her previous form and leave your family in peace."
The family gasped, relieved. The mouse did the same.
"Does that mean?" Zora jumped up, covering her mouth. "Oh, thank you. Of course, I promise."
"Then it is settled," the fairy commented. The entire royal family cheered, smiling and hugging each other.
Viniria carefully approached the little girl holding the terrified mouse. She smiled warmly, took it into her hand and instructed it to open its mouth. Her fingers turned into thin vines which quickly got the hair out, making the tiny creature grow. The senior princess was instantly changed into her former self. Thrilled, she first hugged her children. Her husband ran towards her, overjoyed. Zora smiled, happy for them.
"Thank you," prince Markus said, moving his family away. In fact, everyone was glad they could move a few steps away from what they perceived as a deranged magical creature. The fairy-like guardian watched the young woman in silence. Now free from her sour expression, her face radiated with unearthly beauty.
"On more thing, princess," she told Zora.
The young princess looked up, listening intently. "Yes."
"How would you like to be a queen?" Viniria said softly.