The Amber Necklace

by Paula Harrison

  “This is getting heavy.” Scarlett paused, setting the wooden tool box on the ground.

  “I’ll carry it.” Lily gathered it up and the girls hurried on.

  Most of the lemurs were huddled in a group at one side of the clearing. Only three of them were foraging for food in the nearby bushes. The baby lemur’s ears pricked up when he saw the princesses and he squeaked softly.

  Zina undid her amber necklace and laid it on the mossy stone. “What shape will you change it to, Scarlett?”

  “Oh!” Scarlett pulled a face. “I forgot to bring those pictures my cousin sent me showing how to shape the jewels.”

  “Should we go back for them?” asked Lily.

  Scarlett took the box of tools and opened the lid. “Don’t worry – I’ll think of something.”

  “But we need to get the shape just right,” said Zina worriedly. “If we don’t then the magic might not work.”

  “I could make it a pretty shape like a circle or a hexagon.” Scarlett picked up a tiny silver chisel.

  “But isn’t it about finding what suits the jewel best?” Lily frowned.

  “That’s what the letter from Ella said, but how can you tell what suits the jewel?” Scarlett picked up the chisel and hammer and gave them to Zina. “Maybe you should do it – it’s your necklace, after all.”

  Zina took the little silver tools. She tried to hold them the way Scarlett always did and her hands shook a little. Taking a deep breath, she set the chisel against the edge of the amber and lifted the hammer. She knew she was supposed to tap the hammer on the end of the chisel to chip a little off the jewel.

  Suddenly she wasn’t sure about slicing into the jewel. Her grandma had given the necklace to her and she didn’t want to ruin it. If only there was a way to free the magic without cutting the amber. Leaves rustled overhead and the amber jewel began to whisper.

  As the jewel whispered and sparkled, Zina saw something she’d never noticed before. Leaning closer, she ran a finger along the edge of the amber. There was a tiny bump on the bottom of the teardrop that spoiled the smooth shape. Straightaway she set the chisel against the bump and gave one small tap with the hammer.

  The tiny bump broke off. Zina ran her finger along the jewel again. Now the amber was a perfect teardrop shape but it didn’t look any different than before. She waited for a moment but nothing happened.

  “Did it work?” said Lily breathlessly.

  “No, I don’t think so.” Zina held up the jewel to show her friends. “I made its shape smoother but nothing’s changed. Maybe I should try something different. Or maybe the jewel just isn’t magic.” She peered closely at the amber.

  “Let me see.” Scarlett held out her hand but as Zina passed the jewel, it slipped out of her fingers.

  The amber lay winking in the sunlight on the dark-brown earth. A great shaking and rustling grew in the treetops and the jewel murmured louder than ever. Then suddenly a plant growing next to the jewel sprouted wildly and a cluster of buds broke out on each stem. The buds grew larger, before bursting open to reveal beautiful yellow flowers.

  “What was THAT?” gasped Lily.

  Zina gazed at the jewel and a wide smile spread over her face. “I think there IS magic inside this jewel after all!”

  The princesses gathered round the sprouting plant. “Look how much it’s grown!” cried Scarlett. “That jewel must have loads of magic.”

  “Try another plant, Zina,” said Lily excitedly.

  Zina picked up the amber and looked around. Finding a tiny seedling on the ground, she placed the jewel beside it.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Then the seedling grew, its stalk thickening. More stems burst out of the sides and leaves grew all over them. By the time it stopped, it was a bush nearly as tall as the princesses, with thick, woody branches.

  Zina tingled with excitement as she pushed aside the prickly stems to find the jewel. Scrambling up, she held the amber in the palm of her hand. “I think I know what to do. We need to find saplings – baby trees – and they have to be tamarind trees just like the ones the carnival workers cut down.”

  The princesses dashed off in different directions, looking for saplings.

  “I’ve found one!” called Scarlett almost at once.

  Zina ran over to look. “That’s a different kind of tree. The leaves should be rounder and the trunk darker.”

  “Oh!” Scarlett frowned. “How about this one?” She pounced on the next sapling, which stretched up to her knee.

  Zina shook her head. “Keep looking. I’m sure we’ll find some.”

  The girls raced this way and that, calling to each other through the trees. At last they found two tamarind saplings. They dug them up as best they could, using the little silver chisels in the tool box. Carrying them carefully back to the clearing, they set them down on the earth.

  “Now we can make them grow!” Scarlett shook back her curls.

  “We should probably plant them first,” said Zina.

  “I’ll get a garden spade,” said Lily. “I saw one in the courtyard when we were decorating the float.”

  While Lily ran to fetch the spade, Zina and Scarlett searched for more saplings. They found eight altogether, although one had a split, which made its main branch droop quite badly.

  The lemurs watched quietly while the girls set out the saplings around the clearing. Lily came back with the spade and they dug a hole for each baby tamarind tree and planted them carefully, pushing the soil around the tree roots. At last they stood back and looked at the ring of tiny trees they had made.

  “Time for plant power!” said Scarlett, wiping earth off her nose.

  “Go on, Zina!” Lily smiled widely. “I think this is going to be amazing.”

  Zina felt her heart fluttering as she took the amber jewel and laid it on the earth beside the first sapling. The little tree sprang upwards, its stem thickening. More and more branches sprouted from the main trunk, and masses of leaves unfurled along each one. The ground below them trembled a little.

  “That must be the roots growing in the earth,” whispered Lily in wonder.

  The tree went on growing until it towered over them. Its leaves whispered in the wind and the amber jewel murmured back.

  “That was AWESOME!” cried Scarlett.

  Zina beamed. “Look at the lemurs.”

  The tribe of lemurs had pricked up their ears. Their eyes brightened.

  “Do the next tree, Zina!” said Scarlett, bouncing on the spot.

  Zina placed the amber jewel beside one sapling after another. She took her time with each one, making sure the little trees had finished sprouting before she moved on. At last she came to the tree with the drooping branch. She bit her lip. She didn’t want the tree to grow with a huge split in the middle.

  She pressed the amber against the split and held the drooping branch up straight. Slowly, the tear mended and the branch was whole again. Then she placed the amber on the ground and let the last sapling grow. Together the trees swayed in the breeze, their branches like arms reaching up to touch the sky.

  The lemurs bounded forward, chattering excitedly. They scampered up the tree trunks and swung from the branches. They jumped from one tree to the next, as if they were playing lemur tag.

  “We did it!” Zina gazed round at the beautiful ring of tamarind trees. “We gave the lemurs back their home.”

  “Not just the lemurs – look.” Lily pointed to a bright-green gecko running up a tree trunk and a blue coua fluttering down to settle on a branch.

  Just then the mother lemur bounded over carrying her baby. She stopped in front of the princesses and the baby darted off her back. Zina crouched down and the little animal sprang up her arm on to her shoulder. Curling his tail around Zina’s neck, the baby lemur licked her cheek before scampering away again.

  “I think he was saying thank you!” said Scarlett, smiling.

  “I wish we had lemurs in my kingdom,” said Lily.

  Zina smiled and
touched her cheek where the baby lemur’s soft fur had brushed against her skin. Then she fastened the amber necklace around her neck. The golden jewel shone in the speckled light drifting through the freshly grown leaves. “My grandma was right. This jewel really does hold the heart of the forest.”

  The next morning Zina jumped out of bed and drew the curtains to let the bright sunshine pour into her room. Today was the day of the carnival and there was so much to do!

  Rushing out into the corridor, she knocked on her friends’ bedroom doors. “Wake up! It’s carnival day.”

  Lily opened her door, her eyes half open. “Hmm what did you say? I was just having a very strange dream about trees…”

  “It was probably all true!” laughed Zina.

  “I’ve been awake for ages!” said Scarlett, flinging open her door. “I’ve been down to the kitchen and Cook made me boiled eggs and toast because I was so hungry.”

  The princesses rushed downstairs and chopped up some fruit for the lemurs’ breakfast. They left the pieces of mango, banana and orange on the palace wall before hurrying inside for their own breakfast, where Scarlett managed to have second helpings!

  Then they added some finishing touches to their lemur float by painting lizards and parrots on to the background. They also made sure the furry toy lemurs were fastened safely on to the model trees.

  Zina’s mum and dad came out to look at the finished float. Queen Tali was dressed ready for the carnival in a yellow silk dress tied with a sash and a golden crown. “Oh, Zina! That looks wonderful,” she cried. “You really have done a fabulous job. Look at those lizards on the background – they look so real!”

  Lily smiled and her cheeks went pink because she’d painted the lizards.

  “Very impressive, girls!” King Tomas nodded, his silver crown gleaming in the sunlight. “And I hear you’ve helped with other parts of the carnival planning too.”

  “Really? I didn’t know about that.” Queen Tali looked confused.

  “Yes, Mr Hazzam told me about some changes to the parade route,” the king continued, and Zina shuffled her feet worriedly. “He told me the girls helped change the route to a much better one.”

  Zina saw he was smiling. “It was all for the lemurs. They really need the tamarind trees so we had to try to protect them.”

  “Then it’s good that the lemurs have you to look out for them.” Queen Tali looked at her watch. “Time to get ready, girls. Make sure you wash that paint off your fingers and don’t forget to brush your hair.”

  Zina climbed on to the lemur float wearing her white dress with embroidery round the hem. The diamonds dotted over her silver tiara sparkled in the sunlight. Scarlett jumped up next, her red dress swirling around her legs. Her dark curls were tied back and an emerald crown rested on her head.

  Lily climbed up last, smoothing down her light-blue dress. She pushed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and checked that her pearl tiara hadn’t slipped over her ears. The girls seated themselves on a box covered with brown and green velvet that had been decorated to look like a fallen tree.

  “Your float is magnificent!” cried Mr Hazzam, who had come to lead them to the parade. “You will be the stars of the carnival.” He took the horses’ reins and led them through the tall palace gates and along the road.

  Soon they joined the other floats, full of people in bright costumes. Musicians played their drums and pipes and everyone in the crowd was dancing and waving. The princesses waved back, smiling at everyone.

  “What brilliant costumes!” Scarlett pointed to a group of dancers dressed as fruit. “Look at that lady with the pineapple headdress!”

  The next group of dancers were dressed as wild animals – lions, giraffes, zebras and more – and their face paint was amazing. Zina gazed admiringly at the smiling golden face of the lion dancer with his yellow mane and fierce whiskers.

  An ocean float rolled past next, painted with shells and brightly coloured fish. On a pretend rock sat ladies dressed as mermaids with tails made from shiny cloth, and starfish necklaces.

  At lunchtime the girls climbed down and Mr Hazzam took them along to the food stalls. They ate wraps filled with peppers and spicy chicken, followed by mango ice cream.

  “Mmm!” Zina took another spoonful of ice cream. “I think this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had.”

  After lunch they joined the parade again, rolling along the route through the forest. People by the side of the path waved and cheered. The trees swayed on either side and suddenly a red and blue parrot flew down to settle on one of their cardboard trees.

  “Look, Lily!” Zina pointed to the bird. “Your painting looks so real that the animals think our float is part of the forest.”

  There was a chattering in the trees and the baby lemur swung down from a branch, landing neatly on the float. He tried nibbling a tissue-paper leaf and then pulled a funny face. The girls laughed. The little lemur sprang on to Zina’s shoulder before leaping back into the trees.

  “This has been amazing!” sighed Lily. “You will let us come back to the carnival next year, won’t you, Zina?”

  “Definitely!” Zina smiled. “It’s much more fun going to the carnival with friends.”

  When the parade was over, the princesses ran out into the rainforest to check on the new trees. They found most of the lemurs playing among the branches. Some were sleeping, their stripy tails curled around their bodies.

  Zina touched the trunk of one of the new trees, amazed at how strong and sturdy it felt. “It looks as if these trees have been here for years. No one would ever believe they were saplings yesterday.”

  “And the lemurs are so happy,” added Scarlett.

  “And there’s plenty of fruit for them to eat,” said Lily, clutching her hair as one of the fruit dropped close to her head.

  Zina smiled and linked arms with her friends. “No one will ever know how the lemurs’ home was saved except us! I’ll always be so proud that we’re the Rescue Princesses.”

  Princess Lulu grasped the lowest branch of the tree with both hands and swung herself backwards and forwards. After a few swings, she stretched high enough to curl her legs right round the branch above.

  Her wavy black hair swayed as she climbed. She wore a short yellow dress dotted with tiny golden beads. It was her tree-climbing dress and it was now extremely dusty. On her left hand she wore a ring with a gleaming yellow topaz, her favourite jewel.

  Halfway up the tree, there was a long straight branch, almost as straight and smooth as the beam in her gym. She loved practising in the gym, but being out here with the sun blazing down and the breeze on her face was even better.

  On her left stood the palace of Undala with its courtyard and fountain, and on her right was the outer wall, with the golden grasslands beyond. In the distance, an elephant lifted its trunk at the waterhole, getting its early morning drink.

  Lulu smiled and turned back to the branch in front of her. She wanted to see if she could do a cartwheel along it. She stood tall and gazed straight ahead, excitement fizzing inside her. Then, pointing one foot, she raised an arm high above her head, ready to cartwheel.

  “Atchoo!” The ear-splitting sneeze came from below, making Lulu jump. She wobbled and nearly fell off the branch. Grabbing hold of the tree trunk, she peered down at the ground.

  Prince Olaf stood under the tree, his spiky blond head looking up at her. Lulu sighed. Olaf was visiting the Kingdom of Undala with his parents, the King and Queen of Finia, and ever since arriving he’d been following her around. He’d seemed so nice when she’d met him before at royal balls and banquets. But now she thought he was a know-it-all!

  Olaf sneezed again. “Sorry!” he said. “I was just watching. I love learning acrobatics and circus skills. I was practising them in your gym yesterday. Maybe I can teach some to you?”

  Lulu swung down from the branch and landed on the ground in front of him, hands on her hips. “You were practising in my gym?”

  “That’s
right.” Olaf grinned, not noticing Lulu’s frown. “And I think I’m getting really good at walking the beam.”

  “Really?” Lulu folded her arms. “How many times did you fall off, then?”

  “Oh, a few times.” Olaf didn’t look even the tiniest bit embarrassed. “Would you like me to show you how to do it? I can always hold your hand if you’re nervous.”

  Lulu’s eyes flashed. Olaf was the most annoying, puffed-up prince she’d ever met! “No thanks!” she snapped. “I can turn hundreds of cartwheels on my beam and I certainly don’t need anyone to hold my hand!” She was about to add that she would show him just how good she was, but the low clang of the breakfast gong interrupted her.

  Lulu rushed inside with Olaf trailing behind her. She was going out to the grasslands with Walter the ranger this morning and she didn’t want to be late. She bounded into the palace hallway, with its shelves of beautiful animal carvings. A huge painting of a lion standing at the foot of a mountain hung next to the doorway. Inside the Great Hall, the maids were setting out the breakfast plates. Lulu hurried in and found a seat at the long wooden table.

  “Good morning, Lulu. Good morning, Olaf,” said Lulu’s mum, Queen Shani, with a warm smile. “Have either of you seen Lady Malika?”

  Lulu shook her head and helped herself to the warm buttered rolls.

  “No, I haven’t, Your Majesty,” replied Prince Olaf, with a sweeping bow. “But I’ll go and look for her if you like.”

  Lady Malika was the queen’s sister who lived on the other side of Undala. It was a long way away, so she didn’t visit them very often. She owned a big circus in the city, which Lulu had visited once when she was little. Like the Finians, Lady Malika had come to stay at the palace for a few weeks.

  “Thank you, Prince Olaf. But there’s no need. I just wondered where she was as I noticed that her room was empty,” said Queen Shani. “Perhaps she had something important to do this morning, so she left the palace early.”