The Lost Locket

More, yet more.....

"But it's getting dark," Brumby said. "If you don't mind, we need to get going. We'll travel as long as there is the sun in the sky."

"You won't want to travel any longer than that," I agreed.

"Why's that?" demanded Damien, glaring at me from his spot, sitting on a log by my house. "I'd say that we could conquer anything we wanted to out here. My father and I are more than capable, and we don't need a girl to lead us where we need to go. For goodness sakes, we're the ones with the map! And you obviously don't know anything about the Lost Locket."

"I don't even know that that is," I snorted.

"Exactly," glared Damien.

"But she might know without even knowing," pointed out Brumby. "Come on, Damien--I think we should let her prove yourself." He glanced over at me. "Would you like to journey with us?"

"Exactly where?" I queried suspiciously.

"To find the Lost Locket," He answered.

"Which is...?" I prodded.

Brumby sighed. "Please, sit down." I didn't really have a choice since he pushed me down so that I was sitting on the log next to Damien. Ugh, I hated that kid. "Okay," started Brumby. "The Lost Locket. Are you ready for a long story?"

"Yeah," I snorted. "You see me rushing around to do anything else?"

Brumby glared and then closed his eyes, starting to speak. "Once upon a time, there was a locket. It was the most beautiful and valuable piece of jewelry on earth, with the encasing made of the rarest of rare silvers, even more rare and valuable and gold, which was said to have been carved on the outside by the ancient faeries. Though that made the locket the most priceless thing ever as it was, set in the locket's front was the most rare jewel of all--the Sprite's Sapphire, a deep midnight blue with streaks of lighter blue and flecked with white, resembling the starry night skies that sprites love so well.
     "The locket had been entrusted to the wise and just ruler of the United Kingdoms of Magic, King William. The King kept it safe, and it was only brought out on one day of the year--the New Year, when it would shine and reflect the sky's starry glories for all of the world to see.
    "But one day, something happened."

"I guessed that much." I couldn't help the smile that slipped onto my face as I said it. Brumby glared at me.

"Look," he cried, "do you want me to tell you the story, or not?!"

"Yes," I answered. "Sorry."

"Ahem." He glared at me and then continued. "And one day, there was a disturbance in the air. A vortex of clouds appeared above the normally beautifully and majestic castle. And for one single minute the whole kingdom was dark. When the darkness lifted, the locket had disappeared, along with the king's newly born daughter, Arawyn."

"Arawyn?" I asked in surprise. "Like my name? Does that mean that...?"

"Of course not!" cried Brumby. "Lots of people named their daughters after the name of the Lost Princess."

"So, wait." I held up my hands. "There was a Lost Locket and a Lost Princess?"

"Can you please just listen?" begged Brumby.

I nodded. "Okay. Sorry."

"So, anyway..." Brumby sighed. "The king and his kingdom searched high and low for the missing locket and princess, but neither could be found. It's been long since decided that they've disappeared forever, probably taken by a wizard."

"So if they've disappeared forever, why do you want to go and look for it?" I questioned in confusion. "Wouldn't you just be wasting your time?"

"My dear Arawyn," smiled Brumby. "We wouldn't. Because we found this."

He handed me a scroll. I frowned at him and opened it up. It was full of strange characters that I wasn't particularly familiar with. But the weird thing? I could read it. I could all of it. My lips moved as my mind read them aloud to me. I couldn't believe that I could read it. Me. Arawyn Summersprite. The girl who had been living by herself in the forest for like five years. How on earth could I read this? Could Brumby and Damien read this? They must be able. Surely.

"...and there's a mysterious locket..." I whispered to myself.

"You can read it?" asked Brumby in surprise. "Even Damien can't read it. It's a special form of language called Royal. Only the most educated people can read it."

"Yes," I answered. "And I can say it. Listen--saralu alla fen calen ma. That means 'A mysterious blue locket.'" I whipped my head around towards Brumby. "How can I read this?"

To read the rest the beginning parts of the story, click the label "Arawyn Summersprite."