Medley of Fairy Tales and Fables Read online

  “Impressive,” Knoah said. You’ll have to teach me sometime. HIs gaze moved to the chair that Veera had been sitting in but to his surprise, it was empty.

  With panic in his voice he yelled, “Where’s Veera? Where’d she go? She was right here and now she’s gone.”

  Scanning the edge of the forest where the light from the dying fire reached. Knoah couldn’t see any trace of Veera or where she’d gone. He quickly turned to look in the other direction and almost bumped into her. Her face was smudged with dirt and she looked exhausted and in need of a shower, but she was still breathtakingly beautiful. In that moment, all he wanted to do was hold her so he could assure himself of her safety.

  He took a step toward her and they stared at each other. Knoah wished he knew what she was thinking. Reaching a hand up to push a piece of hair off her forehead he asked, “Are you hurt?”

  She continued staring at him and said, “No. Are you?”

  Instead of answering he asked another of his own. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Veera glanced at Riggs who was suddenly busy staring out into the darkness. She looked back at Knoah and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do. I thought I was saving you from a prison sentence. I thought you would try to come see me at school and when you didn’t, I made plans to go to Canada. When I finally made the trip there, I saw you with someone else and you looked happy.” She looked so sad as she said the word happy that Knoah cringed inside.

  “I wasn’t happy. I was trying to move on.” Knoah was frustrated now. If she had only spoke to him instead of running away he could have explained it to her.

  “I didn’t know, I’m sorry,” Veera said. And she did look sorry too. Knoah reached down and grabbed her hand. I’ve missed you so much V. I didn’t even realize how much I still miss you until I came back here.

  Veera stared back at him, searching his eyes. He wished she would say something. He had just laid his heart out in the open for everyone to see and there was no taking it back now. He waited there, in his vulnerability, as she continued to stare into his eyes.

  Instead of saying anything, she brought both her arms up and locked them around him in a hug. It felt wonderful! He immediately locked his arms around her and picked her up. He had no idea if this was just a sympathy hug or if she was telling him she still missed him, but either way, it was glorious to be this close to her. He felt like anything was possible in that moment.

  Chapter 9

  I t was nearing evening as Knoah made it back to his small Canadian town. He drove his truck to the piece of property where his future lodge was supposed to be built. It turned out that Thomas St. Pierre was the buyer who had bought the property out from under him. Although he denied ever having any knowledge of Knoah’s plans to purchase the property and build a lodge there, Knoah was sure Thomas had deliberately tried to sabotage his plans. But it didn’t matter anymore. When Knoah had safely returned Veera from the mountain, Thomas gave him the property and his blessing to marry his daughter. And Knoah graciously accepted both.

  His phone chirped in his pocket and he pulled it out to read:

  Just boarding the plane. Can’t wait to see you. Hope you’re as excited as I am to build the first ever hunting lodge - slash - law office!! ♥ ♥ ♥ - V

  Jenna Madsen

  Jenna lives in the tiniest town you’ve never heard of, right in the heart of Utah, with her husband and four young boys. She is very passionate about books and is currently working on writing one of her own.

  The Iron Cage

  By Allison Brown

  For Abby – May she always have the courage to persevere.

  Chapter 1

  P rincess Katheryne leaned her elbows against the balcony rail and gazed out across the crowded ballroom. Flickering candlelight glittered from chandeliers that hung from the vaulted ceiling. Royally dressed couples danced below her to the genteel music of the orchestra. Princesses and noble ladies, princes and gentlemen sought each other’s attention and battled over who would dance with whom.

  Her eyes sought only one man. She hoped he sought her, too. Perhaps he had forgotten the dance they had shared one year ago at the same annual ball of the kingdom of Rayrin, but she had not. His arms had held her close with the comfort of one who had known her forever, though they had just met. They had shared one dance, but his eyes had lingered on her the entire night, even when far prettier princesses clung to his arms.

  Every day since that dance, she had thought of him. His deep green eyes resembled emerald pools in her dreams and the scent of sandalwood and rose that had wafted from him teased her every breath.

  She glanced once more across the ballroom while she twisted her mother’s necklace between her fingers, but could not see his auburn head. She sighed. Perhaps he had married over the year and forgotten all about her.

  “Did I hear a sigh slip from your beauteous lips, dear Katheryne?”

  Katheryne spun around in her heeled slippers so quickly that she nearly lost her balance. A strong hand grasped her elbow to steady her. She looked up into a pair of handsome green eyes surrounded by faint freckles.

  “Alexandir.” She could no more than breathe his name.

  White teeth appeared between his perfect lips and a dimple dotted each cheek as he smiled at her. “You are lovelier than I remember.”

  She seemed to have forgotten how to speak. “I…er…you too.” She blushed. “I mean, you look…handsomer…uh…more hand-some than…” It was better to stop before she made a greater fool of herself.

  He chortled. “If I remember properly, you had the same trouble with your speech when we met last year, though you figured out how to talk before the dance ended.”

  The smell of sandalwood and rose nearly made her swoon. “Uh-huh.”

  He took the hand that still fiddled with her necklace and brought it to his lips. “That is a beautiful necklace. You wore it last year.”

  “It was my mother’s.” A moment’s sadness swept over her, but she brushed it away.

  He searched her face. “May I have this dance?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He chuckled again and drew her body to his, then spun her about the balcony. Her pale blue gown billowed behind her.

  She felt again at home in his arms. “I have thought of you often over the past year, and wondered if perhaps you thought of me.”

  “You never left my mind and tormented my every dream. It was rather troublesome, actually.”

  She pinched his arm where her hand rested. “How you jest!”

  “I do not. I saw your golden hair on every woman who crossed my path, and they all had your sparkling gray eyes. I yearned to dance with you, yet I could not, for you never told me more than your name. I searched, but had no way to find you. That is troublesome and tormenting.”

  He had searched for her. The very thought made her heart flutter. It didn’t seem possible for a man to make her feel so wonderful.

  “Have you been well this past year?” His whisper tickled her ear.

  “Yes. And you?”

  He nodded. “I feared you might live in one of the kingdoms that was taken over in the war Lord Geffrei is fighting with his evil sorcery.”

  She stopped dancing. “Lord Geffrei? I haven’t even heard of such a man.”

  “Consider yourself lucky.” Alexandir brushed at a strand of her hair that had blown out of place while they danced. “He seeks to conquer the smaller kingdoms. He will then be strong enough to contend with the larger ones, such as my father’s.”

  He glanced around the ballroom, then back at her. “Come with me. I will tell you all that has transpired.”

  She took his outstretched hand and let him guide her around dancing couples to the outer balcony that overlooked the palace gardens that bloomed in the splendor of the summer evening. The orchestra’s music faded behind them.

  He pointed away from the orange sunset. “Lord Geffrei has taken control of the kingdoms of Gwarien and Aroria to the ea
st of here, and the kingdom of Piethen which is nearer here. He has been silent for several months and we wait to see where he will attack next.”

  Katheryne shivered and stepped nearer to Alexandir, who slipped his arm around her waist. “I live to the west of here and have heard of no such trouble.” She looked to the fiery sunset.

  “Perhaps your king has and word has not yet reached your tender ears.”

  “I imagine he would have—” She paused. Her father, the king of Ibedia, wouldn’t trouble her over matters of war unless he feared for her safety. He had seemed a bit troubled of late and now that she thought on it, he had increased the number of guards around the castle. She had also noticed more military leaders visiting with him. “Perhaps he does know.”

  “Every kingdom is on alert.” Alexandir turned her and pointed to the south. “My kingdom is quite far that way. We have used our own sorcerers to put up defenses to protect us.”

  “I thought you said your kingdom is one of the larger ones that could defeat Lord Geffrei.”

  He rubbed his freshly shaved chin. “It is, but my father does not wish to go on the offense. He would prefer war only to defend his people.”

  She didn’t know how her father’s army compared in size to the wicked army or what protections he might have put into place. “I do not believe we have any sorcerers. What have they done to protect you?”

  A giggling couple stepped out onto the balcony. Alexandir glanced at them, then ushered her to a staircase that led to the garden. They descended the stone steps, then followed the garden’s meandering path.

  “They have placed a glass crag, a forest of piercing thorns, and a great lake between our kingdom and any other.”

  Katheryne gasped. “How is anyone to pass through all that? How are you to even return home?”

  “It is not so difficult. I know a bit of sorcery of my ow—” His words were cut off by a great explosion somewhere inside the palace.

  They whirled around and Alexandir pulled her behind him. She peaked over his shoulder and watched fire and smoke billow from the ballroom windows. Screams rent the air. She saw dancers flee from every door. Then another explosion rocked the earth. The tallest tower shuddered. A grinding and groaning sound filled the once peaceful evening. She ducked back behind Alexandir as the great tower wobbled, then crashed to the ground.

  Chapter 2

  R un!” Alexandir tugged on Katheryne’s hand.

  Icy dread filled her heart. She ran with him, but couldn’t keep up in her dress shoes. An uneven patch of ground grabbed the heel of her slipper and twisted it. With a soft cry she fell into the dirt. Little pebbles stung her palms and her ankle throbbed. Alexandir scrambled back to her, threw her shoes from her feet, and hoisted her up again.

  Screams and battle cries chased them into the forest that surrounded the palace. Katheryne limped along in her stockings and with a tender ankle. They ran into the dim solitude, then Alexandir stopped her. She sucked in hungry gulps of air and held the stitch in her side.

  “What…was that?” she panted.

  “Geffrei.” Alexandir wiped his hand across his sweaty forehead. “I suppose we know where he is now. He must have planned to attack the night of the annual ball in hopes of destroying the royal children of several kingdoms.”

  Another explosion came from the direction of the palace, though it was muffled by the thick trees of the forest.

  “How is your ankle?” Alexandir asked. “Can you continue to travel on it?”

  She shifted her weight to that ankle. It ached and wobbled, but held her. “I will be fine. You do not believe they will pursue us, do you?”

  As if in answer, she heard the sound of several men entering the forest. Their footsteps thundered toward them while they crashed and whacked their way through trees and brush.

  “Come on.” Alexandir ushered her before him.

  Katheryne scrambled forward, but the branches and brambles caught her dress and held her back. She battled on with Alexandir’s hand on her back. He pushed her forward, but it did little against the foes of nature.

  He grabbed the bottom of her dress and tucked it up in his arms. It still caught occasionally, but they were able to hurry again.

  The trampling footsteps drew nearer, then a light flashed around them. An instant of complete silence followed the flash, then the forest exploded around them. Katheryne was thrown to the ground and her body tumbled and rolled until she slammed against the trunk of a thick pine tree.

  For a moment she couldn’t see or hear, then a ringing filled her ears and fuzzy images swam before her eyes. She shook her head to restore her senses, then peered through the underbrush.

  Several pairs of boots trampled the ground in front of her. Another crack of light split the night, then the boots scurried away.

  Katheryne remained where she was and hardly dared to breathe. When the sounds of animals and night crept back into the forest, she pushed herself off the ground. Dirt, leaves, and sticks clung to her hair and dress and she brushed them away.

  “Alexandir?” She whispered his name.

  Silence was her only answer.

  “Alexandir, where are you?”

  An owl hooted above her. She was alone. Alexandir wouldn’t have left her! Perhaps he had been hurt or chased off by their pursuers. Maybe they captured him. She shivered, imagining them returning for her.

  She glanced around and squinted in the darkness. She couldn’t stay there, though she knew not where to go.

  Some unknown creature scurried between her feet and she bit her tongue to hold back her scream. Afraid of her isolation and the mysterious noises around her, she scrambled forward. Pain coursed through her ankle with each step and she guessed her tumble hadn’t helped it heal.

  Soon she was panting. Invisible branches scratched her arms and face, and sticks poked the bottoms of her feet. One stick dropped her to her knees and she felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She sunk to the forest floor, unable to continue on.

  Darkness and fear closed in around her. She wished for Alexandir, her guards, her father—anyone, but no one came to her rescue.

  With a sob, she buried her head in her arms and fell into a fitful sleep.

  Chapter 3

  T he cheerful fluttering and chirping of birds awoke Katheryne the next morning. Light filtered through the lush canopy above her and warmed her stiff body. She stretched and examined her surroundings. Thick forest was all she could see and though light filled the day, when she glanced at the forest roof, she couldn’t tell which direction the sunlight came from.

  She had to get out of the forest and find her way home, though she knew not the way. If she could but find Alexandir. Surely he would sweep her off her feet and carry her to safety, as in her dreams.

  She found a felled tree and sat upon it. She would wait for Alexandir to arrive.

  Time ticked by and Katheryne’s stomach growled. She licked her lips and noticed how thick her tongue had become and how dry her throat felt. A squirrel scurried down a tree and raced across the leaf-strewn ground to where it found some sort of seed and stuffed it in its mouth.

  Over half-an-hour later, her stomach rumbled yet again. Perhaps Alexandir wouldn’t come for her. Perhaps he didn’t love her as he did in her dreams.

  She sighed and stood up. There must be food in the forest that she could eat, like the squirrel had found food. She limped aimlessly about, unaware of the direction of her travel, and found nothing but a few red berries that tasted so foul she had to spit them out.

  By evening, she had grown desperate. Her ankle throbbed and her stomach twisted. Her head swam between reality and a false dreamland from lack of water.

  Something large and solid loomed before her, though she couldn’t decide if she really saw it, or if it was a delusion. She staggered toward whatever it was and saw a rather out-of-place rusted iron cage in the middle of the forest. She furrowed her brow and stepped closer to see if someone was trapped inside.

  “He
llo?” she called, but there was no reply.

  The cage was solid iron apart from a few spots with tiny holes, most likely for airflow. An ornate clasp held its door closed. She pried at the clasp, but could not loosen it. She banged upon the cage, but no one responded. Despair filled her heart and she realized she had actually hoped someone was in there and could give her directions to her home. She hadn’t cared about the person’s welfare, only of her own.

  She crumbled to her knees, leaned her selfish head against the solid iron, and again succumbed to tears. Her necklace rattled against the cage when her tears turned to sobs.

  “Are you well, dear maiden?”

  Katheryne gasped at the disembodied voice. “Wh-who is there? Show yourself!”

  For a moment there was silence and she wondered if she had imagined the man’s voice. Then it came again. “Where have your come from and where do you travel?”

  Katheryne stood and spun in a circle to find the source of the voice, but she was alone. “I-I have come from a ball in Rayrin and seek my father’s kingdom of Ibedia, though I know not the way.”

  She sniffled and waited for the voice to speak again. It did not.

  “Are you still there?” Her voice cracked.

  “I am,” the voice replied from within the empty iron cage. “And I ask again, are you well? What of your tears and your weak ankle?”

  A rumble in the man’s voice stirred a feeling of peace and familiarity, though she could not place it and couldn’t imagine why she would find comfort in a talking iron cage. “I do not believe I am well.” She rested her hand on her forehead. “I am starving, lost, and so parched that I am hallucinating and speaking to an inanimate iron cage.”