Spindle Wood (COMPLETED)

Chapter 2

"His Royal Majesty, King Arthur and his son, the First Prince Oscar of Aristal!"

Oscar hung back, unsure. He looked up at his father, the present weighing heavy in his hands. His father waved him forward with an encouraging smile.

Oscar took a breath and stepped up to the king and queen. "I, um, I've got a present? For the prince?" He asked. The queen smiled at him gently, bowing her head a little.

"Thank you." She said. Oscar nodded slightly and set the present down by the cradle. He managed to take a peek inside, see what all the fuss was about.

It was just a baby. Of course it was just a baby. So what was so special about a baby? Oscar tried not to roll his eyes with too much disappointment and ran over to where Ax was waving.

"Hi! Did you know that fairies are coming to the christening?" Ax asked. Oscar blinked.

"Fairies?"

Ax nodded. "Yeah." Xe said. "Three Good Fairies. I heard the servants talk about it."

Oscar turned the piece of information over in his mind before nodding. "Cool!" He said. "D'you wanna know what I saw on the way here?"

Ax nodded and Oscar grabbed xir hand, pulling xem under a table, completely hidden by the tablecloth.

Just as they disappeared under the sheet of white, a fanfare started.

"The three Good Fairies." The royal crier announced. "The most esteemed Roman, Remus and Virgil of the Forest Council!"

As he cried out their names, they appeared, each dressed in the shimmering finery of the forest and clutching thin, delicate wands. Roman stately, Remus bouncing and Virgil politely withdraw, standing slightly behind the other two. Roman stepped forward slightly and bowed.

"Your Majesties." He said. "We each have decided to bestow a gift on the child. A single wish for life, nothing more, nothing less."

"You decided that." Virgil muttered. "We just agreed."

Roman gave him a very pointed stare before beckoning him and Remus over to the cradle. Upon seeing the tiny prince, Remus let out a sigh of adoration and even Virgil smiled a little.

"Dearest prince, though tiny you may be, my gift to you is bravery." Roman said and, with a wave of his wand, bestowed his gift with a shimmer of red stars.

"Yeah, wow, bravery, that'll help him a lot." Virgil whispered sarcastically. Roman gave him a dead-pan stare.

"What, you can do better?" Roman teased. Virgil rolled his eyes and pushed up his sleeves.

"Yes." He looked down at Prince Patton in the cradle and smiled. "Prince so small, you will not be ruthless, though brave you may be. For I give you the gift of empathy." With a wave of his wand and a flurry of purple sparks, his gift was given too.

Virgil stepped back respectfully, grabbing Roman's hand and pulling him back with him. Remus grinned at them, the rise of his shoulders nervous.

"You're gonna do great, Re." Roman hissed encouragingly. Remus grinned again, green spark flying from his wand as he hit it against his hand.

"Tiny prince," he began quietly to the cradle, "my gift-"

Wind swept through the hall, cutting Remus off and blowing the banners. The cloudless sky outside filled with black storm clouds and thunder crashed from inside the castle. Oscar poked his head out from under the table. He shook his head at another clap of thunder and hid back under the table again.

With a third clap of thunder and a flash of light, a new figure appeared. A cape of cobwebs draped his shoulders, his yellow shirt seeming to be made of ragwort and tucked into brown trousers that ended in black boots, capping just below the knee. Janus brushed his hair out of his face, green scales and icy eyes flashing in the candlelight.

Remus paled and stepped back. Roman curled his free hand into a fist.

"What does he want here?" Roman hissed.

"I didn't miss the party, did I?" Janus asked. He looked around and the three fairies by the cradle caught his eye. A small smirk curled onto his lips as his gaze swept Remus. "Ah, I see not."

*evil witch cackling*
Oooh, I'm excited about this!
Bye,
Blaize