Once upon a time...
The dragon saw the Dark Fairy disappear into the shadows, and her wrathful roar shook the very foundations of the castle. Tucking the Princess safely against her chest the Dragon Knight seized the Roc and burst up through the roof, and out into the midnight sky above. And now beak and talons was pitted against talons and teeth, and the scalding jets of white-hot flame, and from the terrible bird dark feathers were torn and set aflame. And with each piece of darkness plucked from her the Queen regained some sanity, until she recalled again her name, and her child's name.
And in a final act of sacrifice the Queen flew straight into the fire of the dragon, and all her plumage was set ablaze. Crying her pain and despair she fled from the land, vowing never to return save in a moment of greatest need - and from that day she was known as the Sparkbird, and honored each year at the darkest of nights.
With the passing of the Dark Fairy the curse was lifted, and all the sleepers awakened to find the Princess hale and restored to fullest health. The Knight remained a dragon for the rest of their days and flew off to never be seen again, but it is said that her children sometimes return to forge bonds of friendship and loyalty with the people of the kingdom.
And so the kingdom was saved, and the Princess lived happily ever after.
Lying still on the floor of the Atheneum, the book began to glow. As if touched by an otherworldly wind the pages fluttered from the first page to the last, falling open to show a beautifully illustrated picture of the sparkbird and the dragon battling over the castle, while the Dark Fairy wreathed in shadows spread arms wide into the sky.
In a starburst of light, the two who had been trapped were returned to their world. Outside the window, the storm had broken, and a faint glimmer of moonlight light cast the rain in a silver sheen.
Overwhelmed, Maea pushed herself up to sit, dragging strands of hair from her face. Her hands shook gently, and the mute look she turned to Hadama was filled with all they had experienced.
And in a final act of sacrifice the Queen flew straight into the fire of the dragon, and all her plumage was set ablaze. Crying her pain and despair she fled from the land, vowing never to return save in a moment of greatest need - and from that day she was known as the Sparkbird, and honored each year at the darkest of nights.
With the passing of the Dark Fairy the curse was lifted, and all the sleepers awakened to find the Princess hale and restored to fullest health. The Knight remained a dragon for the rest of their days and flew off to never be seen again, but it is said that her children sometimes return to forge bonds of friendship and loyalty with the people of the kingdom.
And so the kingdom was saved, and the Princess lived happily ever after.
Lying still on the floor of the Atheneum, the book began to glow. As if touched by an otherworldly wind the pages fluttered from the first page to the last, falling open to show a beautifully illustrated picture of the sparkbird and the dragon battling over the castle, while the Dark Fairy wreathed in shadows spread arms wide into the sky.
In a starburst of light, the two who had been trapped were returned to their world. Outside the window, the storm had broken, and a faint glimmer of moonlight light cast the rain in a silver sheen.
Overwhelmed, Maea pushed herself up to sit, dragging strands of hair from her face. Her hands shook gently, and the mute look she turned to Hadama was filled with all they had experienced.
The End
