“Hurry, Deliah! Just a few more feet!” Ostephen urged.
Deliah looked back at the army of Dark Ones and then plunged into the water, relieved to know that this was their only weakness. She stood waist deep, catching her breath, her heart slowly making its way back into her chest. Ostephen’s glow being the only light, she looked at him and saw the terror etched across his kind, tiny face. She stretched out her hand, and he sat in her palm, trembling. The comforting sound of seashells began to rise and echo around them. As the merpeople began to emerge one by one and as the darkness faded away, Deliah released a huge sigh. She was safe; she was secure and completely protected. Gorgeous emerald green tails splashed against the surface of the water only to disappear and resurface moments later.
Ostephen’s trembling subsided, but he knew he wouldn’t feel better until he saw his best friend, Rosella. He informed Deliah that he needed to see his beloved friend, and he asked her to come along with him to the forest of pines a mile away. Deliah was in awe of the merpeople and encouraged him to go visit with Rosella while she lingered in the safety of the merpeople awhile longer.
“Don’t worry. I’ll find you as soon as I’m done,” she promised. Ostephen knew no danger could find her there, so he left to see Rosella.
As Deliah waded to shore, she saw a mermaid perched high atop a rock, a landmark among the crystal clear waters. Deliah was drawn in by her serene singing voice and moved closer. This mermaid was unlike anything she’d ever seen. Her long, strawberry red-colored hair was set against ivory skin, and her neck was draped in pearls and shells of various shapes and colors. The mermaid’s eyes were like looking glass, luring Deliah in only to mirror her own reflection. The mermaid’s song calmed and captivated every sea creature within miles. It was so peaceful that Deliah couldn’t help but drift off into a dream.
Lying on the shore, Deliah closed her eyes and relaxed. Instantly clouds formed, and she imagined how it would feel to jump from one to another—big, soft, billowy cushions to always catch her fall. The mermaid’s song drifted in and out of her dream like an orchestra of angels. The clouds formed different shapes and faces until Deliah thought she saw one that looked oddly familiar….
Papa? she wondered.
Her father’s voice filled her head: I can only hope I’ve passed on to you the wisdom I’ve learned from my years of untruths. Learn from my life, but live your own, for you have the power to see the unknown.
Before she could say anything, the clouds parted, and her father vanished like a puff of smoke. Deliah slowly opened her eyes, wondering if that had been just a dream or if she had, in fact, heard Papa’s voice. Her heart swelled, and her body tingled with a renewed strength; she could still feel his presence and decided that the encounter was no dream but was very real.
Deliah looked for the mermaid, but the rock was empty; she had left her perch. Splash! Deliah felt a few drops of water land on her face as the mermaid rose out of the water only a few feet before her and tossed Deliah a strand of sea green pearls.
In her serene voice, the mermaid softly whispered, “You are never alone, never lost—just on the journey. The bridge you must cross. Use the pearls; they are your own. They will enhance your power to see the unknown.”
Then the mermaid gracefully glided back underwater, leaving Deliah to gather her thoughts and contemplate the afternoon’s events. As she took a moment to look out at the still, green water, Deliah wrapped the beautiful strand of pearls around her wrist several times to make a bracelet. The pearls were so smooth and round. As she touched them, she saw a vision of a large bridge, but it didn’t look very safe. She began to question the message, but the bridge, the bridge kept echoing in her ears.
I have to find Ostephen and see if he knows of a bridge, she resolved.
Before leaving, she silently thanked the merkingdom for their help before she set off toward the forest of pines to find Ostephen.
• • •
“Ostephen!” Rosella shouted joyously.
She was sitting on the branch of the oak tree she called home and was sewing something so large that it was draped over the entire branch. She quickly set her sewing aside, flew down, and gave him a big, warm hug; he relaxed in the safety and comfort she always provided. They had been close friends for years, and Rosella was the only one in whom Ostephen had found comfort after Kristoff was taken. She always seemed to know just what to say or do to make him feel better. Rosella had short brown pixie hair and dressed simply. She was considered plain by most.
“Why would I fuss over myself when I can spend that time helping others?” she would say.
When she did find time for herself, she was always cooking, reading, or sewing; she loved the creature comforts.
Ostephen asked her what on earth she was sewing, and she replied that it was a cloak for Deliah.
“Everyone is talking about her and the prophecy. I figured I would make her a nice gift for your journey. Besides it gets cold in the forest at night. I sewed in a couple pockets especially for you,” she declared. She smiled, slightly blushing at Ostephen.
They flew up and sat together while she continued sewing, and he filled her in on their encounter with the Dark Ones. Rosella listened intently as she always did when he spoke, but upon hearing of his dangerous encounter, she flitted closer beside him and began checking his wings and his head, making sure he wasn’t hurt. He enjoyed the attention, and the mood lightened as they began to recall old stories of Kristoff, Ostephen, and her playing. Finally, Rosella finished sewing the last of the gold lining on to the cloak.
Remembering Ostephen’s directions, Deliah approached the oak tree and saw the two friends laughing while lounging on a branch.
“Hi!” Deliah shouted.
Ostephen took Rosella’s hand and they flew down to greet her.
“Deliah! This is my beloved friend Rosella. Rosella, this is my new and dear friend Deliah,” Ostephen said as he introduced them.
“Thank you for taking care of Ostephen. I do worry about him,” Rosella confessed.
Rosella looked at Ostephen with an undisguised longing, then her cheeks began to glow when she realized that Deliah had noticed, and she turned away. Deliah was taken with Rosella’s simple beauty and knew they would become good friends.
“It’s so very nice to meet you,” Deliah replied, smiling.
“Rosella made you this.”
Ostephen snapped his fingers, and Deliah suddenly felt her shoulders covered by a velveteen cloak. Startled, she ran her hands over the deep purple softness and the gold lining. She noticed it had several big pockets outside and secret pockets inside and thought it was positively grand. She pulled the soft velvet tighter around her tiny shoulders, appreciative of the instant warmth it provided.
“I like to sew, and I figured you could use the extra warmth. It’ll keep you dry, too!” Rosella said humbly.
“It’s wonderful! Thank you! You are so kind,” Deliah said and smiled. “I’ve been wondering how it can be that a fairy— something so pure—can be turned to evil in the first place?” she asked them.
“It happens in a moment, dear Deliah,” Ostephen said. “It is a choice in that moment of weakness when they give into temptation and release their power to the Dark Ones to get something they want more.” He reached for a blackberry and took a big bite, chewing quickly so that he could finish answering her question. “By the time they even realize what happened, it’s too late. This is why we must stop them before they turn too many and our kingdom is gone forever.” Ostephen shuddered at the thought, and his blue eyes welled up with tears. “They took Kristoff, my brother. I must get him back! I must!”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find Kristoff. I promise.”
When Deliah filled him in on the mermaid’s message and her vision, Ostephen grabbed a twig and started to work out the directions to the nearest bridge in the dirt.
“So,” he said, pointing the twig at a curvy line, “we must head east. Your vision was right. The
bridge is old, but it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. If we can’t cross it, we’ll just ask for Edwin.”
“Edwin?” Deliah echoed curiously.
“You’ll see…,” he said over his shoulder as they waved goodbye to Rosella and set off.
• • •
Hours later, they came upon a very long, unkempt, and unsafe bridge.
“There are huge chunks of it missing!” Deliah cried in dismay. “What was the mermaid thinking? I can’t cross this!”
She looked at the unwelcoming water below the bridge. The rocky ravine provided nothing to climb on or grab hold of. The only way to get across appeared to be the bridge. Deliah was so worried and tense that she almost cried.
“Ostephen, what are we going to do?”
All of a sudden, she heard chirping and turned around to see what had to be sixty or more swallows and meadowlark excitedly hopping from limb to limb in the trees. One of the small, beautiful birds fluttered directly in front of her, and to her astonishment, it began to speak.
“Beyond the horizon lies the truth. Come dawn you will seek it. Seek the truth, Deliah, and you will never be lost. Scan the horizon for signs. Fear is an illusion, dear child, remember this. Remember that you create your future. Choose trust; choose love. Edwin will help bear the weight of your travels. He will also serve as protection.”
Deliah turned as she heard hooves coming from behind her.
“A unicorn!” she said under her breath in awe and disbelief. She had always loved unicorns, but, like fairies, she had believed they were only mythical.
Edwin was magnificent! His pure white coat reminded her of the first snowfall in winter. He had a shining rose crest on his forehead. He knelt down, and she ran her hand over his soft, silky coat. His horn gave off a soft glow like a rainbow-colored candle. Deliah was in a meditative state just looking at him. In fact, just being in Edwin’s presence gave her great comfort and warmth. He neighed and tousled his gorgeous mane of white silk hair, and he told Deliah to hop on. She climbed on top of the unicorn. Feeling on top the world, Deliah leaned forward, hugging Edwin.
“Come on, Ostephen! Let’s get your brother back!” she hollered as Ostephen settled into one of the pockets of her cloak.
Peering out, Ostephen nodded with determination. Under his breath, he mumbled, “I’m coming for you, Kristoff. I’m coming for you.”
Edwin neighed excitedly, and with that, they took off, leaving just a faint glowing trail of color, the clacking of hooves, and the sixty-plus chirping birds behind them.
Deliah wasn’t sure how they crossed the bridge, but Edwin had asked them to close their eyes and concentrate on reaching the other side. His horn became very bright; rainbow colors glowed, sparkled, and filled the air. As quickly as she had closed her eyes, they were safely across the bridge and on the other side. Ostephen took a moment to pray for her, Kristoff, and the entire journey ahead. Then he puffed out his little blue chest with a fake air of confidence and flew out of Deliah’s pocket ready to meet the next obstacle.
Looking back across the expansive bridge, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. They were stepping farther and farther away from home, but she knew there was no turning back; she wanted to help the fairies—she just had to. Edwin disappeared as quickly as he had come, but Ostephen assured Deliah that they hadn’t seen the last of him.
They began walking through the forest when they heard an awful noise not far in the distance. Ostephen plugged his ears, and the two of them moved cautiously forward to see what was causing the horrible racket. As they got closer, they could hear machinery and could make out large shadowy figures with saws strewn about the forest. Still hidden in the trees, Deliah moved slightly closer and noticed several large, creepy creatures that looked somewhat like wolves but larger and meaner. Whatever they were, they were intimidating and looked very scary. Deliah quickly moved back and was startled to hear a low wail, a sad tormented cry. A horrible crashing thud made her jump, and peeking through a bunch of thick branches, she saw a perfect pine tree fall to the ground.
“Kahorgis, loyal followers of the Dark Ones,” Ostephen whispered in hushed tones.
The Kahorgis were guffawing proudly as they cut down trees all over the forest. She felt so bad about the trees that she started to cry and was about to run out and make the Kahorgis stop, but Ostephen grabbed her.
“No, Deliah! We are no match for them! There’s nothing we can do right now; it’s too late for this forest.”
His shoulders sank, and his ears shuddered at the sound of the crying trees. They watched in horror as several Kahorgis grabbed torches and set the felled pine on fire. They could hear the tree screaming in horror.
“Why? Why can’t they see them? Why can’t they hear them crying like I can?” Deliah asked, wiping her eyes.
Ostephen grabbed Deliah as they escaped the horrid scene. They knew they would never forget what they saw. She ran and ran until her legs went numb, and she fell to the ground with a thud. She was breathing hard, desperately trying to calm her nerves when she felt something envelop her body in a very secure and comforting hug. She instantly felt relief and calm. She didn’t care who or what was hugging her; she was safe—something she hadn’t felt for awhile. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up and saw that she was in the steady arms of an elm tree. She was so thankful to be safe that she turned around and smiled, and without a second thought, she wrapped her little arms as far as she could around its trunk and hugged it back. Two big eyes slowly blinked from beneath the bark. Among all the green leaves, she made out the well-camouflaged face of Green Man. It had been so long since she had received such a healing touch, it reminded her of Papa and how he used to pick her up and twirl her around before giving her a big hug every time he saw her.
Deliah sat wrapped in the arms of the elm, talking to Green Man for what seemed like hours, letting him absorb all her worries and fears. At times she felt guilty about unloading on one of nature’s beautiful creations, but Green Man assured her that he was delighted to help and that it did not harm him in any way. Deliah shook her head, remembering the horrible sounds of crying trees.
“Why couldn’t they hear them? Why couldn’t they see their faces?” she asked.
“Dear Deliah, not all lights shine as bright as yours, I’m afraid.”
“To think they could just cut them down like that, hurt them, and watch them die! Trees are just as alive as any other creature,are they not?” Deliah asked.
Green Man nodded his head in affirmation, sending a shower of leaves to the ground.
“Yes, they are very much alive. Every flower, every blade of grass is as alive as you and I. The thing you must focus on, Deliah, is that those trees did not die completely in vain. Although their life and beauty were cut short, they serve as a lesson that we can only hope others will one day learn. That we are all one; there is no one thing more worthy or alive than another. We are all family, all light, all love.”
Feeling more relaxed, Deliah wiped away the last of her tears and hugged Green Man again. He smiled, knowing she was a true friend of the forest.
Raising her hand to her heart, she thanked Green Man for everything.
As he slowly closed his bark–covered eyes, he whispered, “The Silver Star. You must find the Silver Star.”
Chapter 5
When you’re in touch with nature
All shall become clear.
We promise you’ll find nothing but love and truth here.
Come back and visit; we’ll share with you.
Until then, we’ll frolic as fairies are wont to do.
Deliah and Ostephen were meandering their way through the forest when they saw a flowery fairy flying in their direction.
“Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo!” she was calling and waving excitedly in their direction.
“Mayweather, hello!” they greeted her warmly.
“Ah, I thought I saw you two. I was just helping a friend nearby with some of her roses. Poor things got sprayed by
human pesticide and nearly died! She’s been trying to give the human signs for months, but they don’t seem to be getting it. Why she even hid their can of the awful chemicals, and they just bought a new one! Imagine that!” She shook her head in total disbelief. “Well, word is your heading for the Silver Star. You’ll get there faster if you pass through Froglany. If it’s all right with you, I thought you might let this old fairy tag along for some fun?”
“We’d love to have you join us,” they both said in unison. As they marched onward, Deliah wasn’t scared anymore; she was just plain determined. She began walking heavily and slamming her feet into the ground as though it were a Kahorgi, her worst enemy. She took another forceful step when she heard a weeping sound. “Did you hear that?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah. That’s just Weepin’ Willy,” they replied nonchalantly. “You get used to him after awhile.”
They pointed toward a Caragana willow tree, and Deliah realized she was stomping on one of his roots.
“Oh, dear! I’m terribly sorry,” Deliah blurted apologetically.
“Oh, it’s not you. Don’t wo…worry,” he said in between sobs. Deliah looked to the fairies, confused, but they just shrugged.
“They call him Weepin’ Willy because all he ever does is weep,” Ostephen explained.
The weeping Caragana reached out a branch to greet Deliah and with eyes full of sympathy, she looked into Weepin’ Willy’s wet, tired eyes.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked earnestly.
“No,” he said in a wobbly voice, “I just c…can’t stop cr…crying‥ ”
“Watch out, me dear,” Mayweather pointed down, warning Deliah of stepping in a nearby puddle of Willy’s tears. Deliah stepped back, slightly unsure of what to do. She just couldn’t leave him; he was so sad!
“Go on n…now,” Weepin’ Willy said. “Don’t you wo… worry about me. I’ll be fine. We all appreciate what y…you’re doing for the k…kingdom.”
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