The Fiery Aftermath

by L. R. Patton

  Arthur is, once more, left alone. There is nothing more to do but lie down and try to sleep. So this is what he does, though there is no sleep waiting for him this night.

  And if he were to look, he might very well see that there is someone else in this cave who does not sleep, someone who has been here all along, watching him, waiting, until the right time for stepping from shadows.

  The End

  Don’t miss out on the next Fairendale adventure!

  Will the dragons join the fight for innocent children? Find out in Book 6: The Mysterious Separation.

  A Short History of the Weeping Woods

  FROM THE JOURNAL OF Dale Enderling

  Explorer

  I discovered The Woods (I have no other name to call them. I am all out of names at this point, and these woods do not particularly distinguish themselves from all the others as I walk through them) on my way south through Fairendale. I must reach warmer lands. The cold is not good for my old bones.

  I have seen many unknown creatures, but they do not disturb my wanderings. In fact, I have not had a good look at any of them, for they are quick to hide themselves as I venture through. I am glad for this, for I have seen many creatures in my other wanderings, and they have been quite frightening. Is it better to see the dangers or for those dangers to remain hidden?

  This remains to be seen, I suppose. I hurry on.

  But I must stop and admire the trees in these woods. They are quite extraordinary, and here are my observations, along with names for the three types of trees I have found to reside here in The Woods.

  Dwarfed Giant Sequecas: These trees are magnificent. There are not many here, and they are not so tall as they were in the land of Rosehaven, but they are the same kind of tree. I know them for their very large trunks, though these in The Woods would only require one or two people to wrap their arms around them, where those in the land of Rosehaven require thirty or more.

  The trunks themselves are rough and brown, a golden sort of brown. The leaves are like fronds of a plant, slightly spiky. They are bright green. Some of them have brown cones, and I suspect there are creatures living in them, but I did not disturb any.

  At their tops, these trees form a sort of cove, presiding over the other trees, which I shall detail below.

  This particular tree is not abundant in The Woods, but merely scattered throughout.

  Aslin tree: Deeper in The Woods are the trees I have named Aslin. They have smooth, white bark and small black notches on them that look as though they have sustained a bit of dragon fire in their day. I suspect there are dragons living very near here. I only hope I do not have to meet them.

  The leaves of the Aslin tree scale a variety of shades, from pale yellow-green to a darker green. They are shaped like tear drops and are veined in remarkable ways, as though an artist painted a jagged masterpiece on a leaf.

  These trees grow very closely together, which thickens the woods and blots out the sun.

  Caphonwood tree: This tree variety is, by far, the most populous in The Wood. The branches and trunks are thick brown and gnarled. Some of them twist up to the sky or out at the sides. Some of them even weave majestically toward the ground. The tops of these trees leave little room for light, their leaves and branches are so abundant.

  Upon careful examination, one could imagine, in the roughened and notched bark of this tree’s trunk, a face. Perhaps I have found some dryads. Or perhaps I am only an old man who grows tired and so finds himself given to fancies, rather than rationality. This is more likely the case.

  As I said, I have seen no animals on my travels, but I can always feel them watching me. I hope they continue watching and do not find me a tasty treat.

  I must sign off. It is time for sleep.

  An addition from author L.R. Patton

  Dale Enderling named these woods “The Woods,” but after the Great Battle, in which King Sebastien stole the throne of Fairendale from the Good King Brendon, these woods became known as the Weeping Woods. This is mostly due to the trees. The trees that Enderling called Caphonwood trees became hereafter weepingwood trees. Their branches still twisted and turned in every which direction, but it is their leaves that have undergone the most significant transformation. They droop toward the ground, like the waters of a fountain.

  It is said that the creatures of the Weeping Woods became much darker and more dangerous after the quest of King Sebastien, though that has not yet been proven as fact. It is also rumored that those who were killed in the Weeping Woods during the Great Battle still haunt it, in one way or another. This, too, has not yet been proven as fact.

  At any rate, it might still be wise to avoid the Weeping Woods, as every child in Fairendale is warned at some point or another.

  Survival Skills of the Fittest

  BY KING WILLIS

  King Superior of Fairendale

  When one is a king, one must protect himself at all costs. That is what my father always told me, and I believe it is exceptional advice.

  A king must rule a land, after all. What is a land without its king?

  As such, a king must, at all costs, be preserved. This means that when people storm the castle, a king must be first into the protection space. This means that when armies march against the land, the king must be the most diligently protected. This means that if dragons attack the land, the king must be well hidden and well protected, in order to preserve the dignity and the existence of the land.

  If you should ever find yourself a king (not the king of Fairendale, of course. You will not have this throne. Of that you can be certain), here are my own survival skills of the fittest.

  1. Command the people to do as you say.

  This is how you get to be the fittest, you see? Everyone will be afraid of defying you because you are the one in charge. You are the one with the power to order their execution. So you must assert yourself as the person in charge, at all times, including in the midst of battle.

  2. If you find your castle under siege, run.

  You may not be able to run as fast as I can, but you must at least try. You will have to run because there is no telling what crazed people will do to their king. Power is intoxicating to the common man. Everyone wants to be a king. Everyone will want what you have, and you must flee from them or they will take from you what you have worked so hard to gain.

  3. If you cannot escape by running, look out for yourself first.

  You are, as we have already established, the most important person in the castle. The only reason Queen Clarion made it to the hiding hole in the throne room before I did is because she was nearer to it and our son urged her to climb inside it. She, of course, slipped inside gracefully, as she does everything. I thought I might slip in gracefully as well, but, well, you know what happened. Someone did not make a wide enough hiding hole.

  4. Learn how to wriggle.

  This is, alas, what did me in. I never properly learned how to wriggle. I am confident that I could have slid down that hiding hole if I had only learned the proper technique for wriggling. Make sure your education is not as incompetent as mine. I will make sure to teach my son how to wriggle...if the village people will ever return him.

  5. If all else fails, properly defend yourself.

  I never did learn how to defend myself. I never learned how to wield a sword properly or how to fist fight or how to ride a horse. It is imperative that every future king learns these important aspects of royal living.

  6. Be a king.

  If you are a king, you are assured survival. You are the fittest. You are the highest of the land. No one dares mess with you when you are a king, unless, of course, your village people go a little mad, as mine have done.

  With proper education, proper practice, and proper strategic thinking, you, too, can become one of the fittest, as long as it is far outside the land of Fairendale.

  This land is mine.

  A One-Sided Conversation with a Parent in Fairendale

  BY YOUR NAR
RATOR

  Storyteller

  My child, I must tell you one thing about this land that is more important than any other: Do not venture inside the Weeping Woods when it is dark.

  In fact, do not venture inside them at all.

  Because fairies exist in the woods. These fairies will carry you off to a land where you will never see me again. They are not the beautiful creatures you have likely heard about in happier stories. They are a hungrier sort who feed off the fear of the children they take to Never Land in order to continue their existence.

  Never Land? It is a dark and lonely place.

  Yes, they live in the cones of the trees inside the Weeping Woods, and if you wake them, there is no way out.

  No, my child, unfortunately there is not always a way out.

  And if you think the fairies are bad, well, you should see some of the other creatures in this wood.

  What do these other creatures look like? Why, we do not even have the words to describe them.

  How do you survive in the Weeping Woods? You do not.

  So do not ever go inside them. Are we clear?

  Good. Now please eat your dinner before it grows cold.

  The Royal Family of Fairendale

  King Willis: The current king of Fairendale. Has a deep love for sweet rolls, and it shows in his, well, wideness.

  Queen Clarion: The current queen of Fairendale. Is underestimated by her husband, but we shall see just how powerful she is soon enough.

  Prince Virgil: Son of King Willis and Queen Clarion, best friend of Theo. Prefers rye bread with melted butter to sweet rolls, depending on the day.

  King Sebastien: Deceased king of Fairendale, exception to the line of boys who tried to steal thrones and were, upon failing at their quest, forever banished to sail the Violet Sea. Was killed by a blackbird.

  The Villagers of Fairendale

  Arthur: Village furniture maker and magic instructor to girls who possess the gift of magic. Is a bit reckless but always manages to come out on the other side—though one is not always assured it will be so.

  Maude: Arthur’s wife. Bakes spectacular pumpkin sugar cookies. Prefers caution to reckless abandon.

  Hazel: Daughter of Arthur and Maude, twin of Theo. Cares for the village sheep and can even, amazingly, understand them.

  Theo: Son of Arthur and Maude, twin of Hazel. Finishes his chores early so he can sit in on magic lessons.

  Mercy: Daughter of Cora, best friend of Hazel. Prefers spectacular acts of magic to “boring” ones.

  Cora: Mother of Mercy, widow, shape shifter. A woman who moves.

  Garron: The town gardener. Talks to plants as though they can hear him. Has three sons: 12-year-old twins and a 13-year-old.

  Bertie: The town baker. Enjoys showing off his air-kneading skills for the children.

  Staff of Fairendale Castle

  Garth: Page for King Willis, the oldest of twelve children. Sometimes calls King Willis “Your Wideness.”

  Cook: One of the few shape shifters in the land. Shape shifts into a bear. Is highly annoyed by her assistant, Calvin.

  Calvin: An orphan who began working as Cook’s assistant instead of traveling to live with distant relatives in Ashvale—and so did not perish in the Fire Mountain that claimed the entire population of Ashvale many years ago. Tasked with feeding the prisoners in the dungeons beneath the dungeons.

  Sir Greyson: Captain of the king’s guard. Receives medicine, which keeps his mother alive, in exchange for his service to the king. Carries a magical sword that cannot be lifted by any but him.

  Sir Merrick: Second in command to Sir Greyson.

  Important Prophets

  ALEEN: A prophetess who is one hundred forty-two years old, from the kingdom of White Wind. Wears ebony skin and what appears to be a collection of snakes for hair (though it is not).

  Yerin: A prophet who is one hundred forty-two years old, from the wild woodland between Lincastle and Eastermoor. Has white hair that makes the dark of the dungeons where he is imprisoned a bit less dark.

  Dragons of Morad

  Zorag: King of the dragons of Morad. Lost his parents in the Great Battle, when King Sebastien stole the throne from the Good King Brendon. Would like nothing more than peace.

  Blindell: Zorag’s cousin, raised as the dragon king’s son. Lost his parents in the Great Battle, when King Sebastien stole the throne from the Good King Brendon. Would like nothing more than revenge.

  Larus: One of the elder dragons of Morad, male. Counselor to Zorag.

  Malera: One of the elder dragons of Morad, female. Counselor to Zorag.

  The lost 12-year-old children of Fairendale

  Ursula

  Chester

  Charles

  Thumbelina (known as Lina among the children)

  Minnie

  Jasper

  Frederick

  Ruby

  Martin

  Oscar

  Homer

  Anna

  Aurora

  Rose

  Edgar

  Harriet (known as Hattie among the children)

  Isabel (known as Izzy among the children)

  Ralph

  Dorothy

  Julian

  Tom Thumb

  Philip

  About the Author

  WHILE L.R. HAS NEVER been constantly pursued by an obsessed king, she knows what it is like to be faced with something that appears, on first glance, to be hopeless. She knows what it is like to choose to try anyway. For, you see, someone wise once told her, when she was but a girl, that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is knowing you are beat and doing it anyway. Courage is feeling your fear, allowing it to tremble in your very bones, and resolving to try anyway. Courage becomes our greatest victory.

  L.R. is the queen of her castle in San Antonio, TX. She lives with her king and her six princes, in a home where the inhabitants are always encouraged and invited to try and try and try again, and, if it still doesn’t work, always try one more time.

  www.lrpatton.com

  A Note From L.R.

  I HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED reading this book from the annals of Fairendale’s history. The world of Fairendale has been a lovely world to create, and I’ve had fun sketching maps, re-reading fairy tales and thinking, endlessly, about characters and their plights—because a series like this one takes lots and lots of time and hard work. But because it’s always been my dream to create a fantasy world and share it with my readers, I knew it was something I had to do. (So, you see, dreams really do come true.)

  If you have any questions about Fairendale or simply want to send me a note to tell me who your favorite character is or what kinds of extras you’d like to see me release in the future (a Creatures of the Violet Sea is coming soon!), email me at lr@lrpatton.com. I always enjoy hearing from my young readers.

  Please consider leaving (or ask your parent to leave) a review of this book wherever you bought it. Reviews help get books into the hands of potential new readers, which is incredibly important for authors like me. And don’t forget to pick up your free bonus materials when you stop by my web site! (www.lrpatton.com)

  Thank you so much for supporting my work.

  In love,

  L.R.