Hello, Invisible Friends.  Miss Frizzle the frazzled chicken here.

And I’ve got a scandelous confession.

So after you read Twirl and the announcement of the Puppy Ball Princess and Prince,

And about our newest creative woman, Jen from Curious and Creative Kids,

I’ll tell  you.

On Saturday.

You didn’t think I was going to tell you now, did you?

After all, you have the Gift to read…

For those who don’t know, the Gift is the story of Samantha, a grad student who discovered a strange gift while staying with her friends at her parent’s vacation cabin over winter break.  After traveling to her old friend’s bar to try to determine the origin of the strange necklace she received, she suddenly found herself in the enchanted forests of Ireland being pursued by a secret admirer.  Can her friends and loser boyfriend Jeremy save her before she gets trapped in a real-life fairy tale?  Read on…

To read previous issues of The Gift, look under the Never Ending Stories Tab…

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Shrinking against the wall, Aine and Ashley watched as the Prince Arnan stormed down the bejeweled hallway.  As if out of thin air, black-clad guards with golden hair and pale skin the color of snow filled the dining room.  The scene exploded into shouts and curses.  Soon, half of the guards appeared with Samantha.  She was floating over a marble slab, lying as stiff as a mummy with her arms dangling by her side as Cleo was dragged along behind her.   Behind them, a separate group of guards led Rouge and Jeremy, bound by thin silver chains that looked like spiderwebs.

Rouge’s eyes were fixed on Samantha.  His face was bruised and bloodied and his breaths were ragged.  Jeremy’s face was drawn in a pout.  He looked like a sulky little boy being put in time out rather than a boyfriend pining for his captured girlfriend.

Ashley jerked forward and Aine pulled her back.  “Don’t,” she whispered into Ashley’s ear, crouching on the back of her neck.  “We must wait.  If we get captured, we can help no one.”

Ashley bit her lip and nodded.  Plastering herself against the wall, she held her breath as the guards leading Rouge and Jeremy passed them on the other side of the wall.  As soon as the foots down the hallway had faded to faint echoes, she stood.

“What do we do now?” she repeated, turning her head to look at Aine, who was now perching on her shoulder.

Aine tapped her finger against her chin.  “We won’t get anything out of Samantha,” she mused.  “She’s got the ring and the bracelet on.  Once he puts the third item on her, she’ll be gone for good.  We can’t talk to her now.”

Ashley shuddered.  “Rouge said that when his aunt escaped, she likened the experience to being trapped in a fog.  She said she could see her family trying to talk to her, but couldn’t get to them.  It was like they were a dream.”

“Dream,” Aine repeated chewing her lip.  “Hmmm….”

“I feel so guilty,” Ashley murmured, bowing her head.  “This is all my fault.  If I had never encouraged Sam to track down Rouge about that necklace, we’d still be at her parents cabin.  She wouldn’t be some Elf Bride zombie.  If she actually marries this guy, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Everything happens for a reason,” Aine replied briskly, straightening up.  “Now, the important thing is that we stop this wedding.  In less than two hours.”

“Sure,” Ashley muttered.  “Easy as that.  I suppose we’ll just stroll up to the Prince and say, “How do you do?  Please don’t marry my friend.  Thanks!  We’ll be going now.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Aine drawled, her eyes twinkling.

“What?” Ashley asked, gaping at her.

“Go to the kitchen,” Aine advised, scampering down into Ashley’s small purse.  Her muffled voice from the bag called out, “Tell them you’re to deliever food to the prisioners.  Say you were just hired for the wedding.”

“Aren’t they going to figure out that I’m, you know, not an elf?” Ashley hissed, looking down at the clothes she’d put on to go to Rouge’s bar.  It seemed like a lifetime ago.  “Skinny jeans don’t really scream magical forest,” she reminded Aine.

“The Prince is getting married,” Aine replied dryly.  “They don’t give a damn what you’re wearing.  They simply want to keep their jobs.  And their lives.  Now go!”

Rolling her eyes, Ashley crept towards the kitchen.  She reached the doorway and peeked inside.  The kitchen was buzzing with elves, all clad in black.  Women with their hair twisted in intricate braids held by jeweled silver clips put the finishing touches on the largest wedding cake Ashley had ever seen.  A tall thin elf marched about, barking orders and waving hands laden with glittering gems.

“I know a manager when I see one,” Ashley muttered.  She heard Aine snort from inside her purse.  Taking a deep breath, Ashley strolled into the kitchen.  She slid up to the tall thin elf and smiled.  “Hi.  They told me to come to you about a uniform.”

The tall elf turned, her thin face drawing into a frown.   It was all Ashley could do not to stare.  Her skin was so light it was nearly translucent, glowing in the crystal light that shimmered from the ceilings.  With her silver hair drawn into a bun so tight it had pulled her forehead back, her large black eyes fixed on Ashley.  “Who are you?”

Ashley plastered a smile on her face.  “I’m a new girl they hired for the wedding.  They told me to come get food for the prisoners and change into a uniform.”

The woman sniffed, her eyes traveling up and down Ashley.  “You are not one of us.  Your skin is golden and your hair is dark.”

“Actually, I’m visiting my aunt from another land,” Ashley lied, her cheeks starting to ache from holding the smile.  “She fell and hit her hip and you know how it goes.  My worthless uncle took to the drink and my cousin couldn’t do it alone, and since I flunked out of my”–

“Yes, yes,” the tall elf dismissed, her dark eyes flickering to the tottering wedding cake.  It was dangerously leaning to the left.  “Uniforms are in the closet.  The prisoners’ food is on that table.  Come back for the bride’s tea.  My girls are far too busy with this cake and the dinner preparations to act as nursemaids.  I am Sibeal.  Only talk to me if it’s absolutely necessary.  I’m far too busy to trifle with any servants today.”

“Of course,” Ashley murmured.  “As you wish.”  Lowering her head, she ducked into the closet and peeled off her jeans and blouse.  Shoving them into her bag and ignoring Aine’s squeak of discomfort, she pulled on the black uniform.  It felt like she was wearing air.  The black silk caressed her skin, flowing around her limbs but as warm as if she she was wearing wool.  The tunic was voluminous enough so that she could tie her bag around her waist.  Pulling the tunic over it, she hurried back into the kitchen.  She grabbed the tray with a nod from Sibeal.

“They are in the dungeon,” Sibeal called, her eyes locked on two women trying to move the cake slightly to the right.  “Hurry back. The prince wants the bride to eat before the ceremony.”

Ashley nodded, afraid to trust her tongue.  She doubted Sibeal wanted to know what she really thought of the Prince.  Staggering under the weight of the tray, she walked down the crystal hallway.

“Aine, where am I going?” she hissed.

“Go straight down to that large ruby statue, then turn left,” Aine directed.  “You’ll see a big iron doorway.  Go into it.  After a few feet down the tunnel, you’ll find the stairs that lead to the dungeon.”

“How do you know all this?” Ashley muttered, turning left at the ruby statue.  She pulled the iron door open and squeezed through with the tray.  “How can you even see?  You in my purse under my shirt.  Were you a prisoner here?”  Aine stayed silent.  Ashley guffawed.  “You were, weren’t you!  That’s why you know the castle so well.  What’d you do?  Did you escape?”

“When are you going to stop questioning my magical abilities?” Aine snapped.  “Third door on the right.”

Blinking in the dark tunnel, Ashley located the third door.  “Now what?” she asked.

“Knock,” Aine replied.

Muttering under her breath, Ashley shifted the heavy tray to one hand and knocked.

“Who is it?” a voice cried.

“I’m here to deliver food to the new prisoners, sir,” Ashley answered.  The door swung open.  A troll glared out at her.  “Where’s my cut?” he grunted.  “I always get a cut.”

Ashley crumpled her face sympathetically.  “I asked for you, but Sibeal said she was far too busy to worry about the staff’s needs.  You know, with the wedding and all.”

“The bloody prince gets married every other week,” the troll muttered with a scowl.  “And I’m hungry.”

“Tell you what,” Ashley whispered, leaning in.  Her arms were screaming from the weight of the heavy silver and stone platters, but she ignored them.  “Why don’t you go grab something?  I’ll stand guard with the prisoners for a moment.”

“Really?”  The troll beamed.  “Thanks.  I didn’t have any breakfast.  It was my kid’s first bridge scare…”  Revealing large brown teeth as he smiled, he scurried out the doorway into the dank, dark tunnel.  “I’ll be back!” he called.  “One minute!”

As soon as Ashley heard the other door swing open, she rushed down the dungeon to the cells.  They were empty save for the small cell holding Rouge and Jeremy.  They looked more like they had been shoved in a dog kennel, with walls of fine silver mesh and cold marble walls and ceilings.  There were no windows, just a single ruby that hung from the center of the ceiling.  Everything looked slightly stained in the pink light.

“Rouge!” Ashley hissed, lowering the tray in front of the cell.  “It’s me!  Come here!”

“Ashley?”  Rouge cracked open his black eye.  “Is that you?”

To be continued…

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Tomorrow we have a fabulous adventure from the Blond Duck.  Wednesday we have a new Coconut Queen and Thursday, a delightful new recipe.  Friday a new Twirl and Saturday, Critter Confessions from Miss Frizzle!  Stay tuned!