Princess Stephanie Finally Returns to the Higher World

For some time, Jane had been asking Carletta to visit the house again and watch her dance because with the help of her highly talented friend, Stella Harlington, she had been going from strength to strength in the challenging skills of ballet and simply had to show Carletta her progress. 

Carletta finally agreed to see Jane but not at the house since she was too concerned that her enemies might find out where Jane lived and exploit her. 

Instead, Jane would have to get a bus to another location in the city and Carletta would meet her there and take her to a friend’s apartment. 

Jane set off, very excited. She had her dancing gear in her bag and knew Carletta was going to be deeply impressed with her.

But she noticed that the woman who had followed her onto the bus had a strange presence about her which was making her feel very uneasy.

Eventually, Jane couldn’t resist looking round at her. The woman was sitting in the seat behind her and looked at Jane who raised one eyebrow. “What?” 

The woman leaned over, close to her face and said, “Jane, your stepsister is a fairy and an extremely important one. It is time for her to return to where she belongs. But she will be able to visit you in the future.”

Jane blinked innocently back at her. “Are you sure? Carletta said she wasn’t a fairy when I asked her. We were reading about fairies one day and I just sensed that she was one herself but when I asked her, she denied it and made me feel silly.”

The woman locked eyes with her and said, “well she is one. If she does not return and reign when her time comes, the Higher World will begin to lose its power and may fall under the sway of the Unpeaceful Ones. If that happens the fairies may become extinct and never return to Earth again. It is vital that she returns.”

Jane gasped. “Oh no! We must take her back then! What’s your name?”

“I am Saltina.”

“And are you a fairy too?”

She nodded slowly. Jane thought for a moment, then said, “alright but I want to show her my ballet first though if you don’t mind. I think it will take about twenty-five minutes. Then you can go back with her to the fairies and I’ll say goodbye and wait for her to visit me.”

“Listen child, it is actually you who will have to be the one to send her back to us and you must do it without any delay, using this.” Saltina then handed her the specially made injection containing the power to transport the missing fairy’s life essence back to the Higher World. It had a dark green liquid in it that sparkled when the sun reflected off it.

Jane looked afraid, but slowly took it and slipped it into her bag. She then said, “well I’m sorry but I am showing her my ballet skills first. Then I’ll give her the dose when she comes to cuddle me after seeing me dance.”

“Okay young one. If you must do it that way. As soon as you administer the dosage to her, be sure to report back to me immediately. I will be waiting outside Sanderson’s Soap Shop.”

“Okay,” said Jane.

Saltina then promptly stood up and got off the bus at the next stop.

Jane got off a few stops further on.

Carletta observed her from a distance and when she decided it was safe, came out to meet her. A gunman was also watching from a distance.

“Well hello my little pearl! And how are you today?” she said to Jane.

Jane coughed, a little uneasy. “Hi.”

Carletta came up and gave her a warm hug. She searched her briefly to make sure she wasn’t carrying anything suspicious that someone might have given to her. She soon found the injection and took it. “Tut, tut! Who gave you this Jane? Quickly now. Look at me and tell me who they are and what they look like.”

“A fairy in a red dress with lovely wavy hair called Saltina on the bus. Oops. I’m pretty sure you weren’t supposed to notice it and take it off me. I was supposed to use it on you because your secret is out now and I know you are the missing fairy princess! You are Princess Stephanie! The one who needs to go home soon, but here’s the plan. You can watch me dance first and then I’ll use that on you afterwards, okay?”

“Humm, I see. Okay, well let’s go anyway. We’ll see about all that. Is the fairy following us?”

“No, she’s waiting by Sanderson’s Soap Shop.”

“Okay love. Come on then.”

As they left, Carletta texted her gunman.

‘New target. Woman in red outside Sanderson’s Soap Shop. Confront and capture. If she resists, stun her. If she attempts to run or contact the Police, shoot her. But not fatally. Information is key. We need to know who she’s working for.’

There was a speedy reply. ‘On it boss.’

But Jane was a smart and determined girl and as Carletta was texting her gunman, she thrust a nimble arm into her Carletta’s pocket and retrieved the needle with a great rush of excitement. But Carletta who was always alert to any form of attack, grabbed her wrist and squeezed it until Jane screamed.

“Drop it Jane!”

“Ow!! No! You must go back to the fairies!” Jane then tried to switch the injection to her other hand but again, she was stopped. Carletta then took it with her other hand. “How dare you, Jane!!”

But Jane had been taught to leap fairly high and impressively by Stella and threw herself at Carletta who gasped in shock as Jane’s arms wrapped around her neck. It was the weight and sudden impact of Jane’s body jamming against her that accidently caused Carletta to pierce herself below her right shoulder with the needle.

There was an “uh!” sound from Carletta. She then stood still for a moment and hugged Jane tightly and kissed her cheek. She then murmured, “oh, sweety, what have you done to me?! Just make sure you get home safe.” She then collapsed on the street.

Jane sighed. “Bye for now sister. Please forgive me and make sure you visit me again!” She continued hugging her for a while before going to find Saltina. She was in a dim, narrow street and Carletta’s body which was lying there, had not yet been discovered by anyone.

The gunman, Gordan, approached Sanderson’s Soap Shop where he saw the figure in red. “Oi, over here please. And no funny business.”

Saltina looked at him and said, “excuse me?”

“Get over here now,” he demanded.

“No thank you.”

As he continued to approach, she sensed danger and began whispering into a little black box with air holes in it that was hanging around her neck. She opened the box, releasing a toxic butterfly that she had taken as a precaution from the Higher World Province of Crimson Butterflyvale. It fluttered high into the air before descending on the back of his neck and biting him. It was bigger than ordinary butterflies that we find here on Earth.

Feeling dizzy, he slumped away, groaning and muttering curses.

Jane met up with Saltina but by the time they got back to where Carletta had fallen, her body had been placed in an ambulance and removed.

After showering Jane with gratitude and admiration, Saltina slipped away and mysteriously disappeared.

Jane went about the streets for a while, talking in a loud voice. “Remember to come back to me Stephanie! Stephanie! Don’t be long!”

A young woman from the apartment they were going to enter before, heard her and came outside. “What happened? Where is she?”

“Well, do you believe in fairies?”

“No. Why?”

“Oh, never mind then. But she’s not around here anymore. She’s with them, the fairies.”

“You must be her stepsister, right? It’s okay, I’m not going to harm you. I’m Kel. Well, that’s what she calls me. Keltolkia is the full name. But my real name is Agnes… Agnes Bennett.”

Jane stared back at her. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, do you know what your sister does?”

“Yes. She’s a waitress. She works at the Duck & Waffle.”

Kel then said, “Right. Well, I may see you another time love.” She was afraid to spend any more time talking to Stephanie’s sister in case she got into trouble. She had also just realised that Jane was unaware that Stephanie was a gang leader.

Jane noticed her walk up to a litter bin and put some screwed up paper in it before returning again to the apartment.

Led on by curiosity, Jane poked around until she found the piece of paper. She took it home and opened it up.

The paper contained what seemed to be tear stains and a poem about Stephanie.

It wasn’t clear to Jane that it was an outlet for the misery in Kel’s heart over the fate that had befallen her of being pressured to join the Safer Streets gang where she was originally named Snow White and later forced to kill a man who tried to defend her by attacking Stephanie.

Kel now felt stuck in the gang while being trained up in brutal fashion as Stephanie’s right-hand and her most competent though tormented and reluctant assassin.

Heartless Stephanie of the Underworld

A tall, shady woman took me away

She turned me from tame and sweet to vicious that day

When that awful price she made me pay

Though I protested, wishing not to stay

My freedom and innocence to hell she hurled

Now here I am in a corner curled

I used to be free; I danced and twirled

But ah, that was before my victim’s cries I heard

I’ve killed and killed – my conscience now blurred

Oh, heartless Stephanie of the underworld

Jane experienced a strange mixture of emotions. There were clearly deeper and darker mysteries surrounding that stepsister of hers whom she had just sent that day into the bright and unknown realms of the Higher World.

The Fairies within the proximity of Alphiabrook’s Palace sensed the arrival of Princess Stephanie Goldmaracynthia Bell as her life essence assumed a Temp-body from the air molecules.

The Princess would eventually need to be punished and purified before being trained in the way of the fairies. She would need to repair as far as possible, all the evil she had done on Earth.

But they would have to proceed with great caution so as not to be affected by her powerful and corrupt energy. They decided that they should start by sending one of the youngest fairies they could find to enter the room of the wayward princess and assess the danger and relay the details of her current condition.

Young fairies are far more immune to dark influences and are more disarming and far less challenging to strangers.

After some deliberation, they eventually asked a seven-year-old fairy named Alphina Dove-Heart if she would be willing to be the first one to make contact with the fallen fairy, Princess Stephanie.

Alphina gravely nodded and said to the Queen, “yes your Majesty. Send me.” She was then directed by the Queen’s top Advisor, Vanessa of Alphiabrook towards the passageway that would lead into the room of the confused, angry and agitated Princess.

Alphina entered Stephanie’s room slowly and quietly. There she was, sitting up in the bed looking around confused and annoyed.

Stephanie then suddenly noticed Alphina standing in the doorway. For a moment they were both silent, carefully and cautiously observing each other.

Alphina was the first to speak. “Welcome home my Lady. At…”

“What?!”

“At… At last you are home.”

“Yeah, come here little girl. Come on. Who in the haunting hell are you? Hu?”

But the young fairy was careful not to engage too much and continued silently observing and analysing the Dark Fairy Princess.