"Nonsense! It's my own daughter! I know what she looks like!"
The crystal ball glowed bright, and then suddenly the girl with brown curls disappeared from it. But the ball kept glowing. And glowing. And glowing. The King and Teller couldn't take their hands away from their eyes.
The crystal ball broke and shattered into a million pieces.
A dark and rich voice came out of nowhere and spoke. "She will save."
On cue, the million pieces of the crystal ball rose up and formed a ball again. It stopped glowing and made it seem like absolutely nothing had happened.
"W-w-what does this mean?" The King asked, terrified.
"Your kingdom is about to fall in pieces. That’s what the crystal ball breaking meant. Your daughter will come, and she will save your kingdom.” And with that, Teller disappeared.
Chapter One
I blinked, the bright sun in my eyes. My arm swung to the alarm clock on my bedside table. 7:50, it read. All of a sudden I was more awake. 7:50!!! I WAS LATE FOR SCHOOL!
I leaped out of bed and tore open my closet. Oh, the choices the choices. There was no time for that now. I grabbed some clothes that looked good together and put them on, my hands a blur. I brushed my brown wavy hair and used a clip to pull my bangs backward. I looked at myself at the mirror, and rushed downstairs.
"Mom!" I called. "I'm late! I have to go - bye love you!"
"Wait - Emellie, there's something I need to te-" My mom started. But by then it was too late. I had already put on my coat and mittens and gone outside.
I sprinted all the way to the stop sign where Alexa, Jazz and I met. There they were, about to go. Probably tired of waiting for me. "Hey! Wait!" I called, my black Sorel boots banging on the paved sidewalk.
They turned. When Alexa and Jazz saw me, they waved. "Hi Em!" Jazz greeted with a smile on her face. "We were just about to go. Where were you?"
"Hey Jazz. Hey Alexa," I panted. "Apparently my alarm clock needs new batteries, because I didn't hear its annoying beep today."
"Em, it's fine. I was just a bit surprised when Jazz showed up before you," Alexa teased.
Jazz, as fashion queen of Elkwood Elementary, was always "fashionably late."
Jazz playfully punched Alexa on the arm. "Come on, Lex. I'm not that bad."
I laughed. "Sure you aren't. So, remind me, just how many times have you been late this year?"
Jazz thought for a second. "Only ten! Oh wait... Fifteen. Never mind, twenty."
"And school only started a month ago," Alexa shook her head in a what are we going to do with you way. Alexa, as brain of the grade, was always punctual and on time.
"Well, Alexa dear, being late once in a while could be healthy, you know?" Jazz teased her.
"Guys, seriously? We should talk about something else," I suggested.
They looked at me, surprised. "Like what?"
I grinned knowingly. "Oh, just, something simple, like, maybe our school starts in 3 minutes and we're still at the stop sign meeting place?"
"Oh. My. Gosh!" They screamed, and started sprinting down the sidewalk.
I sighed. My two best friends could be so ditzy at times. I started running also. I was fast, and caught up to them in a few seconds. Then passed them in another few seconds.
"Bye guys! See you there!" I called.
They made some good-natured faces at me, and then continued running.
I relaxed, feeling the wind on my face and in my hair. Running was my thing. Alexa and Jazz always encouraged me to join the track team, but it never seemed worth it to me. I liked to run, alone and for leisure time.
I found my way into school with one minute to spare. Alexa and Jazz should be able to make it, I thought.
Sure enough, just as the bell rang, Alexa and Jazz came in the school yard, faces red and taking fast, short breaths. I grabbed them by their arms and dragged them into the doorway of the school.
And so the school day began.
As I walked home from school after Jazz and Alexa had gone, I found something in front of my doorstep. A little piece of paper with fancy cursive words.
I reached down and picked it up.
Emellie? My name was Emellie. Could it be addressed to me?
After a moment's hesitation, I opened the folded paper.
A place you've never known about,
The Unicorn that you possess
Will come alive when you say
I am Emellie, the Princess.
Confused, I tucked it in my pocket. What did it mean? I decided that it was nothing but a joke, but I would ask my mom about it.
"Mom! I'm home!" I went into the living room and found my mom reading a letter.
I dropped my backpack and plopped down on the couch beside her. "Whatcha reading?
She started, as if just noticing me. She seemed flustered.
"Mom? Is something wrong?" My body had an alarm for whenever my mom was upset. When you grow up alone with your mom, that's what happens.
My dad died when I was still little. I have no idea of him in my head. I've seen pictures of him, but I could never recall him talking to me, or rocking baby me in his arms. I really did wish that I could remember. When Father's Day comes, I feel so alone. Everyone is planning what to do for their dads while I have nothing to say, just sitting there wishing I still had a dad.
My mom turned around, smiling. But the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Nothing is wrong, Emellie. Just thinking about your dad.
"Oh. I miss him also, mom." I reached out and gave her a hug.
She wrapped her arms around me and patted my back in a soothing rhythm. "I know you do, honey. I know you do."
I snuggled in my mom's arms for a few minutes. After many hours in the kitchen, she smelled like a combination of delicious foods mixed with her Violets perfume. I breathed it all in.
My mom pulled away from me first. "Emellie, I've got to go make dinner, okay? I think you'll enjoy what I have planned for you tonight."
When she left, I went upstairs to my room. I immediately dropped down on my bed. I loved it, it was so relaxing. I looked at my alarm clock. There was something beside it. A unicorn ceramic figure. It was white with glitter over it, and the horn was a light baby blue with touches of a bright hot pink.
I touched it gently, and then picked it up. Huh. I didn't remember buying it before. Where had it come from?
Suddenly, I remembered something. The note! I took it out of my pocket and reread the part about the Unicorn.
The Unicorn that you possess
Will come alive when you say
I am Emellie, the Princess.
