The following day and as planned Loque Bella and Prince Callum went to the stream to have a picnic; sitting on a blanket and enjoying delicious treats whilst enjoying the lovely day. They spent hours out there and in those hours they talked and got to know more about each other, deepening the bond that came to life the first day they met.
They talked about how different they grew up and discovered that even though they lived two totally different lives they had so much in common. They talked about their lost parents; Loque Bella's mother and Prince Callum's father and shared wonderful memories about them.
Prince Callum shared all the beautiful places he had travelled to and promised to take her to see each one and even took the opportunity to give her a gift he specifically had made for her; a small white box nicely wrapped with a pink ribbon.
"What is this?" Loque Bella asked.
"Open it," Prince Callum said and she removed the ribbon and pulled the lid open and inside was a golden necklace.
"Oh my your highness, is this for me?"
"Yes it is."
"Oh my your highness it's beautiful," she said and pulled the necklace all the way out and hanging on it was a pendant that warmed her heart. "It's . . . It's the moon."
"Yes it is. You said you missed seeing the full moon and so I made one for you." It was a full moon aquamarine pendant that sparkled under the sunlight.
"Oh my goodness it's beautiful. This is nicest thing anyone has ever done to me."
"May I?" he asked.
"Yes please," she said and Prince Callum got the necklace from her and clipped it at the back of her neck.
"There we go."
"How does it look?"
"It looks perfect," Prince Callum said and sitting close to each other they were warmed by the feel of their souls reaching out; like two separated halves desperate to become one.
"Thank you your highness, I love it."
"You're welcome," he said and they just sat there for a good moment looking at each other; finding themselves drawn to so much more they didn't see before.
Days later the wedding came and everyone invited showed up at the church; a few royals from the surrounding kingdoms and a good number of the locals, sitting on the wooden seats waiting for the proceedings to begin. The aisle had a been lined with a long red carpet and rose petals and had golden stands with colourful bouquets on them.
Back at the palace, Loque Bella was in her quarters getting herself done up and ready for her big day with the help of her sisters who were wearing matching baby blue bridesmaid dresses. They did her hair and make-up, slid her dress onto her and put the veiled tiara on her head. She then walked up to the large three part mirror and when she saw how she looked, her face lit up; she was wearing a wedding dress to marry the prince, it was a dream come true and she could not believe that it was happening to her. This was what she had seen in his eyes the first day she met him and now it was actually happening.
"Oh goodness look at you. You look so beautiful," Ida said.
"You are the most beautiful bride in the whole wide world," Miro said.
"And once this wedding is done, you are going to be the most beautiful queen in the whole wide world," Kima said.
"Thank you girls. Thank you for all of this, I look like I just walked right out of a fairytale," Loque Bella said and they chuckled. Her wedding dress had a gold and white corset top and a wide balloon bottom.
"Yes and very soon you are going to be living that fairytale," Miro said.
"Am I dreaming? Because if I am now would be a terrible time to wake up," Loque Bella said and they chuckled. "I really do hope I don't mess this up."
"You are not. You are going to be wonderful at being his wife and even more wonderful at being queen," Ida said.
"You are the sweetest and most kindest person we know, how you put the needs of other's before your own and are always so keen to put a smile on everyone's face, you were made for this. If those are not the qualities of being a good queen then I don't know what are," Kima said.
"That's right. If anyone can succeed at this, it is you," Miro said.
"The faith you have in me girls is admirable. You make me feel like I can do anything in the world," Loque Bella said.
"And you can," Ida said. "You can do anything you set your mind to. And even if things get hard no worries, we're always going to be here for you."
"That's right. Always," Miro said.
"I love you girls," Loque Bella said.
"We love you too," they said and moved in to share a warm hug.
"O.k. that's enough no crying or you're going to ruin your make-up," Ida said.
"Right right sorry. I'm getting married for goodness sake I can't have my make-up smudged," Loque Bella said.
"That's right. And to a prince no less, you have to look perfect," Miro said.
"And you absolutely do," Kima said.
"Thank you," Loque Bella said smiling, fighting to hold her tears back.
"Goodness if mother could see you now, she would've been completely blown away," Ida said.
"And drenched in tears," Miro said.
"Deary she was always crying," Kima said.
"Always crying," Ida said and they chuckled.
"Gosh I can't believe you just brought her up, trying not to cry and smudge my make-up remember," Loque Bella said fanning her face with her hands.
"I'm sorry I just wanted you to know that even though mother is not here she is here, in our hearts and as long as we're still here . . . So is she. And I just know she is so proud of you."
"I didn't even do anything. I just stood there and said yes I would like to marry your son," Loque Bella said and they chuckled.
"Yes but that proposal would not have come to you had you not been the sweet heart you are. Had you not showed him the wonderful person you are that day by the stream. Had you not taken the time to see him not just as a prince but as the person, and for someone in his position that means more than you know. You took the time to hear him and know the real him, even if it was just for a day," Ida said.
"Exactly, which should show you even more how special you are and what you have is for it to only take a day to have you two feeling the way you felt for each other," Kima said and Loque Bella gave out a hearty sigh.
"That was such a special day," she said going back to the very day and how with the greatest of ease he managed to slip into her heart and deem it a place to call home.
"I bet, we couldn't get you to shut up about it," Kima said and they laughed.
Minutes later Loque Bella and her sister bridesmaids were ready to leave for the church. Covered with the veil falling over her face, she was helped into her white and flower decorated wedding carriage by her sisters and together they rode down the road to the church; with the village people, men, women and even children, standing in the sides of the road waving to the carriage and throwing petals into the air and Loque Bella inside the closed carriage waving back at them. A moment later they arrived at the church and Loque Bella's sisters helped her out of the carriage and up the steps of the church where father was standing nicely put together in a brown suit waiting for her. He saw her and his eyes immediately began to water. "My love," father said. "Hello father," Loque Bella said and they shared a warm hug. "Oh my goodness, it's like looking at an angel. My love, you look so beautiful." "Thank you father." "You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen," he said looking
The fayagan breathed out a black flames to the people and seeing the flames coming straight for them they ducked and the flames passed above them. It breathed on and the heat of the flames caused them to scream even louder as the walls, the ceiling and the double door caught fire and the windows burst; scattering the broken pieces into the streets and immediately startling the people that were waiting outside to see the married couple. Inside, the people had their heads down as just then the fayagan stopped breathing fire and looked down at Loque Bella; also on the floor and with her head low. It then gave out another spine chilling squeal and grabbed Loque Bella. It held her firm in its huge clawed hand that almost completely covered her and then leaped off the floor and flew out, flapping its massive wings and creating winds that raised the dust and debris of the broken wall off the floor and into the air, blinding their sight as the fagayan flew off further into the distance. "Loqu
Back in Hampshen, Prince Callum, Queen Roselyn, Mr. Braun and his daughters were in the queen's throne room talking about what just happened. Queen Roselyn was sitting on her throne with Prince Callum standing next to her and Mr. Braun and his daughters were standing before them. The throne room had two thrones all the way at the end of the large room; a throne for him and a bigger one for her, portraits on the walls of the queen and prince as well as the many kings and queens that had ruled Hampshen in the previous years, decorative pillars holding up ornaments and a red carpet that ran from the double door all the way to the two thrones that were sitting on a slightly elevated platform. "What is going on Mr. Braun?" Prince Callum asked. "What just happened?" Mr. Braun looked to his daughters and them at him and then back at the prince with his heart the heaviest it had ever been; whatever it was that had him looking like that it wasn't good. "Loque Bella is very special," Mr. Br
"I must protect her from the night, what does that mean?" Mr. Braun asked. "Fayagans. The fayagans of Monteg. Ever since they sensed that I was carrying the moon essence inside of me they have been coming after me. They fly the night searching for me and have burnt down so many villages just to get me but I have been escaping. This time I escaped barely but I had to keep moving, for her. I had to survive for her. And when she comes to be you must protect her from them," Hralda said. "They must not get their hands on her." "What are fayagans?" Kima asked. "They are vicious large winged creatures that are after her power. They want her because of her power." "What is she?" Miro asked. "She's a moon essence. A healing spirit that gets its power from the full moon. And they want that power. They will do anything and kill anyone to get it, you must protect her from them. Please. If they get their hands on her they will kill her." "Do not wo
Back in Hampshen Prince Callum was in the dining hall getting his weapons ready for the journey ahead. He sharpened and shined his long sword, the arrow heads for his bow and knives.Mr. Braun walking down the hallway stopped in front of the double door that led into the dinning hall and walked in as the prince carried on."I know I should have said something to you but it was our family secret and in order to keep her safe we had to keep it. I'm so sorry your highness," Mr. Braun said."Mr. Braun please, there is no reason for you to apologize. You did what you needed to do to protect her and your family and I respect you for that," Prince Callum answered."But I didn't protect her. The fayagan came and took her, I failed.""You did not fail Mr. Braun. She is still alive and we will get her back. No one has failed at anything.""What if they have already . . . ," Mr. Braun said but was interrupted."Nothing. They have done nothing to
Without saying anything, Princess Rada walked out of the room pulling the key out of the key hole and locked it from the outside. She then secured the key in her dress pocket and for a good while just stood there with more of a wondered look on her face than she had before. Could she have gotten the wrong person? Not possible, she could sense the essence on her. It had to be her but afraid of the night, that didn't make any sense at all. She then walked off and went back down the stairs and made her way to the dining hall. Her mother, Queen Gwen who looked just like an older version of her but had short black hair, was sitting at one end of the large ten chaired table and Princess Rada joined her, sitting at the other end. The table was empty and only had two plates on it; one in front of Queen Gwen and the other in front of the chair at the other end, both with a large piece of steak on it and a side of mushrooms. On the side of the plate was a glass of wine and on the othe
After dinner, Queen Gwen and Princess Rada went up to the room in which Loque Bella was in and they found her just sitting on the bed."Hello moon essence," Queen Gwen said."Stop calling me that. I am not a moon essence," Loque Bella said. "What is this moon essence you keep refering to me as anyway?" she then asked."It is what you are.""What is it?""No need to get agitated, you will know soon enough," Queen Gwen said. "Quickly tie her up," she then said to Princess Rada who was standing behind her with a rope in her hand."Tie me up, no," Loque Bella said standing up."Just relax," Princess Rada said as she walked towards her."You want to tie me up and you want me to relax, no. I refuse you to do that.""Refuse us, darling you are in no position to refuse anything," Queen Gwen said. "You our captive, we saw what happens to you not you.""Calm down we're not going to hurt you," Princess Rada said."At
Loque Bella was still out in the darkness; still screaming and still her normal self."She's not transforming mother!" Princess Rada shouted."Give it time!" Queen Gwen shouted and just then something happened. Loque Bella began to glow with a turqouise light and feeling something come to life inside of her she immediately stopped screaming; opening her eyes and removing her hands from her ears.She looked at her hands and she could see right through them; her whole body too, her entire being was not just glowing a gentle turqouise light but was transparent, her hair also and when she stood up, looking at herself with her jaw completely dropped, something else happened. From behind her butterfly-like wings spread out; big and wide, also glowing and transparent and looking at her in her moon essence form, Queen Gwen and Princess Rada were blown away; eyes widened and with their mouths agape. They could not believe that they were actually looking at her. They had