CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

QUEEN APRIL

 Malley and Abby sat with their backs against the monolithic wall. Somehow, they had taken a wrong turn and found themselves lost. A dense forest to the left stood in their way. Suddenly, a massive jagged cliff fell, one hundred feet off to their right.

Alexander took his position near the gaping gorge, staring at the huge monolith in their way. He ran his hand through his hair as he thought about Abby. She was being even more annoying than usual, and he wanted nothing to do with her. If it came to it, he’d protect her, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

The small amount of light coming from the crescent moon would not help in the event of a battle. Malley searched the ground near the thick tree trunks for kindling, but found none. Try as he might, he could not start a fire on the canyon’s slate ground.

Alexander wasn’t afraid of the unknown. It couldn’t be any worse than the rats from the diner or the flesh-eating mice in the castle’s prison. In his solitude, he felt sorry for causing O’Toole’s death. It wasn’t his fault though. He blamed Abby and her stupid King father for that. Abby was to blame for all his near-death experiences. She’s the one who pointed out the diner. He would never have entered if she didn’t enter first.

Just as he was blaming everyone else for his plight, Alexander’s conscience bothered him, and he admitted the truth. I’m to blame. Abby followed me in. I was hungry, and I would have entered the diner, even if a Tyrannosaurus Rex guarded the entrance.

“Come join us, Master Sighs. I don’t like the idea of you sulking on your own,” Malley whispered.

“I’m fine here.”

“Nonsense, you’re far better off here next to us. Misery loves company.”

“What does that mean?” Alexander questioned the leprechaun.

“I have no idea. I saw it on a greeting card.” Malley laughed. “You shouldn’t get too close to the edge. You could fall asleep and roll down the cliff and die, or worse.”

“Nothing is worse than death,” Alexander said as he confirmed he was a safe distance from the edge and his doom.

“Believe me, you can encounter a lot of possibilities that are worse than dying,” Malley continued.

“Yeah, like having a mean, diabolical King for a father,” Abby whispered.

“Get over here, now,” demanded Malley.

“Awe, do I have to?” whined Alexander.

“You better do as the leprechaun asks,” a tiny voice came from the dark void.

Alexander took a few seconds to react. The voice startled him. He was sure Abby and Malley thought the voice was that of O’Toole.

“That wasn’t O’Toole,” he whispered.

Alexander was still three yards from Malley when they appeared.

Thousands of human-like creatures only three inches tall exploded onto the scene. Some of them carried torches made from matchsticks. Others were armed with swords no bigger than toothpicks. They wore brown loincloths and white feathered vests. A somewhat taller creature stepped from the rear to the front. She wore a yellow daffodil on her head and waited patiently for one of the tiny creatures to scurry to her side. The second creature blew into the stem of a violet, producing a weak toot, and then unrolled a large scroll.

“Hear ye, hear ye,” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “By order of Her Majesty Queen April, the supreme ruler of the forest, keeper of the flame of truth, watcher over the light, protector of the mountain under the rock…”

Queen April stopped him with the wave of her hand. “They get the picture, thank you Abel.” She took several steps forward and eyed her intruders through a monocle, slightly larger than she was. “What an odd set of traveling companions,” she said after a long look.

“What…” Malley said.

Abel held his violet horn to his lips and yelled, “Silence.”

“Thank you again, Abel.” The Queen straightened her little Mumu and fluffed her vest. “As I was saying, it isn’t often we have such an array of visitors wander into our forest. Here we have a leprechaun, and a low-level one at that. We also find Her Majesty, daughter of King Boyce.” She curtsied.

Abby blushed slightly.

“Have they harmed you, Princess Abby?” asked the Queen.

Abby shook her head. “No, Your Majesty.”

“No? Odd. It isn’t frequently a princess would associate with creatures from the rainbow. As the rainbows are scarce nowadays, I can only assume this is not a joy venture.” She didn’t wait for an answer. “And the third member, I find most intriguing and peculiar.”

“I’m not peculiar, I’m…”

Abel placed the flower to Alexander’s ankle, but stopped when the Queen waved him off.

“That won’t be necessary, Abel. The boy and I know what is meant.” She tipped her daffodil crown and continued. “I feel you’re leprechaun-kinder, but wish not to be. Is that correct?”

Alexander nodded.

Queen April snapped her fingers, and a dozen creatures leaped to her side. They talked for a brief moment, looking over their shoulders at the group.

After some time, the Queen snapped her fingers again. “We have decided the boy’s fate.”

“My fate?” asked Alexander.

“Your destiny,” Abel said from the queen's side.

“Yes, your future,” the Queen clarified, almost as if she was awestruck. “If these were normal times, the sentence for trespassing would be a swift and fatal blow to the head.” Everyone in her presence watched breathlessly as she continued. “However, these are dire days and becoming more fearsome as the days lengthen.”

Alex let out a sigh of relief.

The Queen continued, fumbling for the right words. “The animals flee their habitat. Birds in the air are scarce. There is fear and unrest in the forest.” She unfastened her crown and her long blonde hair cascaded down her back. She was beautiful and reminded Alexander of a bite-sized Abby. “I have decided I will allow you to explain how you ended up in my kingdom.”

Malley’s mouth became dry. Few leprechauns encountered stone fairies and lived to tell about it. “Thank you, Your Benevolence. We are but poor travelers who lost our way.”

The Queen’s eyes glowed. “Am I to stand here while you insult me with lies?” She looked at Malley. “I’ll give you one last chance. Tell the truth, or I will unleash my wrath.”

Alexander stepped forward, careful not to step on the tiny royalty. “I was sitting at home minding my business when he…” Alexander pointed his finger at Malley, “and another annoying leprechaun showed up at my house with tales of adventures.”

“Please continue,” Queen April implored.

“They convinced me to go with them after they promised me it would be dangerous and we’d locate the missing unicorns.” He took a breath before continuing. “I’ve been almost destroyed by rats, attacked by spirits and giant pond squirrels, and am the youngest person ever on the King’s Most Wanted list.”

“It sounds like they kept the promise of danger.” Queen April smiled. “How is it you ended up here?”

“Everything was going just fine until they added her.” Alexander pointed to Abby with his thumb. “She’s an annoying girl, and boring. It’s her fault that my great adventure is miserable. To top it off, her dad arrested us. I escaped, that’s how we got here. Malley was right, we got lost. Sorry.”

The queen smiled and whispered. “I don’t blame you. Abby is beautiful. However, don’t confuse like for love. You’re far too young to waste your time with love.”

Now is Alexander’s turn to blush. Shocked and somewhat embarrassed, he bit his lip and looked back. “I know, that’s why I hate her,” he said, backing away.

The Queen motioned for her advisors to join her again. They argued for over an hour until she snapped her fingers.

“We have decided your fate once again. What you face is much worse than anything kind of punishment than I can think of. I know where your destiny lies. Morgan’s lair is just beyond the trees. Tread with care, for certain death awaits. You’re free to leave my kingdom, and free to return should you survive.” She stopped and whispered in Alexander’s ear. “Your secret is safe with me.”