Hazel K.

The Hidden Wings

Written and Illustrated by Hazel Kinnersley

Dedicated to my mom and dad for great moral support

and immense tech help

Maple Leaf Writing Project

Brattleboro, VT

Copyright 2014

Somewhere in England 1500's

Prologue

Once upon a time an angel fell from heaven. It plummeted from heaven and struck the ground with an earth-shattering crash. It landed in the middle of a great wood and even with all its scrapes and bruises, its severed wings, it lived.

Chapter I

7 years later…

Seraphina was at her washstand. She looked at her reflection in the water. She saw her blueberry eyes, peach lips, freckles sprinkled over the bridge of her nose, and chocolatey brown hair. Wow, I must be really hungry she thought to herself and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

“Good morning Aunt Delilah.“

“Your breakfast’s on the table.” Aunt Delilah replied.

Seraphina’s parents were poor and didn’t have enough money to raise her so she lived in an orphanage until Aunt Delilah came and adopted Seraphina. Seraphina never felt as if she belonged anywhere except with her best friend Angela. Seraphina sat down at the wooden table and hurriedly ate her breakfast. ”I’m going out to collect truffles.” she called heading out the door.

As Seraphina drew closer to town square she heard people talking. She didn’t go towards them, instead she turned onto a dirt path, woven basket in hand.

The road led to the forest. Seraphina collected truffles for the King so she could use his library. Seraphina was one of the only people in her village who was able to read. As she stepped into the forest she looked up at the green canopy. The beams of sunlight streamed through the leaves and onto her face. When she looked away she searched the forest floor until she found a patch of truffles at the base of an oak tree. Saraphina filled her basket but when she turned toward home she found she didn’t recognize her surroundings. This was strange, for Seraphina never got lost. She didn’t panic. I’ll sort this out in the morning, she thought, but now I need to find shelter. For what had begun as a drizzle was now a downpour. Soaking and tired, Seraphina stumbled to the base of a tree. Suddenly Seraphina heard voices.“ Not now” said one voice.

“ What’s going on? “ said another. Normally Seraphina would have questioned the voices but she now figured she was simply going mad. Sleep was the only thing on her mind. She laid her head down, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

❁❁❁

Seraphina’s eyes fluttered open. The sweet trill of a lute filled the air. She followed the music until she found herself in a small clearing.

Seraphina noticed the trees getting taller and the rocks and plants larger. It looked as if the world were growing or she were shrinking. When she reached the source of the music she was the size of a mouse. At the entrance to the clearing sat a boy playing a wooden lute. He looked up and saw her. Seraphina suddenly noticed the insect-like wings shooting out of his back.

Chapter II

The wings were were transparent, strangely tinted green, when they moved they shimmered with silver sparkles. Entranced, Seraphina drew closer.

“Welcome to the land of the feys,” the boy said.

Suddenly the clearing filled with light, fairies poured out of every nook and cranny and began their normal duties.

After the light faded the boy continued to speak.

“I am Linden, ambassador of the Fairy Council. We brought you here because there is destruction and murder afoot and you are the only one who can stop it. Do not trust anyone.”

Then everything started to fade: the fairies, the music. Seraphina was standing by the tree she had slept under the night before, back to her normal size.

Seraphina stood there in shock, overwhelmed with what had just happened. She was just at the fairy circle! And now they wanted her to stop some evil force bent on death and destruction! Linden’s face and features flashed through her mind. His pale hair and skin, timeless beauty and his ageless and wise expression.

Seraphina rushed out of the woods, down the dirt path, straight home. Seraphina burst through the door.

“ Seraphina where have you been?! “ Aunt Delilah scolded.

“ I was in the woods looking for truffles when I got lost and had to stay there for the night.” Seraphina said. Not wanting to tell Aunt Delilah about the fairies.

“ I’m going to see Angela today, “ Seraphina said. Angela always made her feel better.

Chapter III

Seraphina and Angela were in the library. Angela was adopted by one of the cooks in the King’s castle so she had access to his library.

“ ...Then everything faded away and I was back by the tree, “ Seraphina finished, staring breathlessly at Angela.

Angela looked thoughtful, but not surprised. “ Maybe you shouldn’t stop this force, I mean you don’t even know if it’s real. How do you know you can trust them?”

“ Come on Angela, they’re fairies, we’ve trusted them for years. “’

Suddenly, as Seraphina was pulling a book about fairy history off the shelf the entire book case revolved revealing a secret door.

Seraphina gasped, Angela’s eyes widened and she started twirling her red hair ( a nervous habit ) which was odd for thrill-seeking, adventurous Angela.

“ I’m not sure we should go in there,” Angela advised cautiously .

But Seraphina was already opening the door.

Seraphina gasped, looking around.

The room was small and circular. In the center of the room was a poison recipe and a cauldron filled with strange bubbling liquid, the poison.

After looking around the room Seraphina said, “ We have to tell somebody, whoever is doing this will try to hurt someone. “

“ No! “ Angela said “ I mean, the person who is doing all this might lash out and do something dangerous, “ she added quickly.

Seraphina nodded. “ I guess you’re right.”

❁❁❁

As Seraphina headed down the road home she wondered who was behind the room. It had to be someone who had access to the royal library. Truthfully, Seraphina thought the secret room behind the bookcase was cliche, it was in most books she read. Maybe the poison maker had read them too.

Seraphina got home, ate her supper, dressed for bed, but when night came she couldn’t sleep. Thinking about what had happened in the library, a realization hit her, but to be sure she needed to talk to the fairies.

Not waiting till morning she slipped into her shoes, and, so not to disturb Aunt Delilah, tip-toed down stairs.

Once out of the house Seraphina ran into the woods. As she ran she felt herself shrinking. Finally, she reached the fairies circle. Linden was sitting there.

“ What is it? “

“ I think Angela might be the one behind everything, but I don’t know for sure. “

“ Angela Ever ? “ Linden asked.

“ Yes. “

“ Than it is true, “ Linden answered without hesitation. She is an angel that fell from heaven many years ago. “

“ But aren’t angels supposed to be good? “ Seraphina asked.

“ They are but that is why she is here, because she didn’t see the good in the world like the other angels, she only saw the evil and hate. We thought we could show her the right way through life so we took her in, but only a few months later we discovered her plan. She wished to find the secret to our magic to heal her wings and fly back to heaven. So we cast her out and never heard of her again...until now. “

Tears spilled from Seraphina’s eyes.

“ She was the only one I could trust, “ Seraphina cried between sobs.

“ It will be alright. “

“ But Angela would never want to hurt anyone.”

“ She was sent away from heaven because she is evil. But now you have some more urgent problems, like Angela ‘s poison, that is why I’m giving you this.” he said handing her a glass vial with a clear liquid inside. “ It’s the antidote,” he explained helping her up. “ You’ll know when to use it. “

❁❁❁

Seraphina’s eyes fluttered open. She was in her bed at home.

“ What happened? “ Seraphina mumbled.

She then saw the glass via in her hand. She stared at the vial for a few moments then suddenly everything came rushing back to her. She jumped out of bed and she bounded downstairs, she could hear Aunt Delilah mumbling to herself.

“ What happened? “ Seraphina asked.

“ The Cyrians have poisoned the princess! “

The Cyrians were the neighboring kingdom, as sly as foxes and as ruthless and deadly as wolves. They had been feuding with Seraphina’s country for years.

“ How do you know it was the Cyrians? “ Seraphina inquired.

“ It was made of a poisonous plant that only grows in the outskirts of Cyra . “

As soon as she heard “poisoned” she knew what she had to do.

“I must see Angela, “ Seraphina said. “ I’ll be back soon. “ Then she raced out the door.

Chapter IV

Seraphina knew she had to use the antidote on the princess, but how was she supposed to get to the princess unnoticed?

She would have to think of something quickly.

Seraphina ran through the kitchen doors and immediately ran into Angela!

“ Hey, Seraphina, “ Angela greeted her kindly.

“ Hi, “ Seraphina said stiffly.

“ Are you here with the truffle delivery? “ Angela asked, not hearing the hurt in Seraphina’s voice.

Thinking quickly Seraphina answered. “No, I have a gift for the princess, and I wish to deliver it to her myself. “

“ Ok, “ Angela agreed uncertainly. “ You know where her room is.”

Seraphina did know, it was just before the library. When she reached the doors she found two guards, as still as statues.

“ I bring a gift for the princess. “ Seraphina mumbled meekly.

One of the guards looked down at her for a moment then gave a gruff nod and opened the door.

❁❁❁

The princess was about the age of Seraphina,14, lying sick in bed. Auburn hair matted with sweat, complexion grey and pasty, eyes glassy and far away.

Seraphina walked to the princess’s bedside.

“ I’m here to help you, “ Seraphina whispered and poured the antidote into the princess’s mouth.

The princess’s eyes snapped to attention, her hair regained its luster, and the roses returned to her cheeks. She turned to Seraphina and smiled. “ Thank you. “

Seraphina was just about to leave when the princess spoke to her.

“ Wait don’t go. I’m coming with you. I want to help stop whoever poisoned me from hurting anyone else. “

Seeing that the princess would not budge from her plan Seraphina agreed grudgingly.

“ We’re going to see some friends of mine. They’ll know how to help us. “

For Seraphina suspected Angela had more than poison up her sleeve.

Chapter V

They had decided to go through the window so as not to be followed.

“ Let’s go, your Highness, “ Seraphina said.

“ Please, call me Cassandra. “

On the way Seraphina explained everything.

“ So we’re going to see the fey right now! “ Cassandra cried excitedly.

Seraphina nodded. “ Yes, but we have to be quiet or we’ll scare them off. “ This was a lie but Seraphina wanted Cassandra to be quiet ( she had been talking the entire way there). Seraphina could already feel them shrinking, and Cassandra quieted.

When they reached the fairies’ circle the clearing was dancing with fairy lights. One fairy flew towards the girls.

“ I am Linden and the fairies are pleased to meet you, “ Linden said to Cassandra.

Cassandra’s mouth hung open in awe.

“ I see you are in need of help. You need to show the court exactly what Angela is plotting and that she is the one plotting it.”

“ But how are we going to do that? “ Seraphina interrupted.

“ Ah, that is where we come in, you will need a spell. The spell will require a volunteer. “

“ I’ll do it, “ Cassandra piped up wanting to have some way to help in this quest.

“ You suck up the sounds around you, like someone’s conversation, “ Linden continued.

“ I get it, “ Seraphina said interrupting again. “ Angela used a secret room in the library because it’s in all the books we’ve read so she’ll start monologuing when we arrive because that’s what all the villains do. “

“ Remember Cassandra, once we enchant you, when you open your mouth you will start sucking in words, and once your mouth closes you will stop. But the next time you open your mouth the words you sucked in will then spill out. “

Cassandra nodded.

All the fairies who had been dancing floated towards them forming a vortex of light around Cassandra. Cassandra could feel the heat of the light pulsing against her skin. They’re doing the spell. She realised. The fairies were singing, their hands outstretched, shooting silver and gold sparks. Cassandra could feel herself glowing, it was a glorious feeling!

Seraphina was staring at Cassandra in awe of the spell’s beauty.

Chapter VI

Seraphina and Cassandra walked through the castle courtyard.

“ Your Highness, you are well, “ The guard said, bewildered. Cassandra gave a polite nod, for it was the only thing she could do, and continued into the castle, Seraphina in tow. Seraphina wondered how they were going to find Angela when suddenly they were pulled out of the hallway and into a dark room. She heard a bang and saw Cassandra slumped on the floor. Then everything went black. Seraphina’s eyes blinked open, she saw Cassandra next to her then she realized that her feet weren’t touching the ground. They were tied together with a rope dangling from the ceiling of the library, under them was a giant pot of boiling oil.

“Hem! “ Angela cleared her throat. Seraphina gestured Cassandra to open her mouth, here comes the monologuing she thought to herself.

“ You see as soon as I pull this lever you will both plunge into this pot of oil and die, “ Angela began. Seraphina had just noticed the pulley system attached to the rope that was holding them. Angela continued. “ But I will do that later, you see I was going to poison Cassandra so the King would attack the Cyrians and lose, due to our lack of resources. But that obviously didn’t work because you’re alive, “ Angela said, gesturing to Cassandra. ‘’So, I thought I would use your secret weapon against them." Cassandra’s eyes widened." Only the royal families know about it and only this one has it. "Angela pulled something out of her skirts that looked like a metal tube with a bent handle." They call it...a rifle. So once I shoot the Cyrian Queen they will think it was the Roscov royal family and a war will start. “

"But why?" Seraphina asked, quietly slipping a knife out of her sleeve that she carried with her to help her harvest truffles, she held it behind her back.

“ You know about the fairies and how they banished me, well, once the Cyrians attack they’ll destroy the forest too. “ Then Angela pulled the lever and ran out the door.

❁❁❁

Seraphina cut the rope. She grabbed Cassandra’s hand, and just managed to pull herself and Cassandra away from the oil and onto the floor.

“ We need to show people what Angela’s plotting and they need to be royal, we wouldn’t want to expose the secret weapon, “ Seraphina said Cassandra ran over to a table where some of Angela’s papers were, and began furiously writing on the back. When Cassandra finished this is what the paper said.