Selecting a Suitable Mentor For Princess Stephanie

(Background info: The fairies are not having much success in reforming the Firstborn of the Queen who was raised on Earth due to being summoned to Earth by witchcraft as an infant and where she became corrupt and led a life of conquest in the underworld as a gang leader. Now they are considering whether to place her under the most strict and powerful mentorship of a renowned and feared fairy who lives on an island in the far north of the United Provinces of the Higher World).

The influence and steady efforts of the fairies on Stephanie and Jane was beginning to show promising results. But where Jane’s progress was more inward, Stephanie’s was more of an outward conformity, going along with her princess routine with less resistance but not with any real inner willingness or acceptance. (Jane who lives in our world, is the young human stepsister of Stephanie).

Jane was on her way to achieving the ability to communicate with the Higher World but so long as Stephanie was going through inner conflict, she was bound to fail in her attempts to speak back to Jane or anyone else in the Lower World.

And this inner resistance to her role as Princess in line for the Throne was not only a source of frustration for the fairies, but also kept Stephanie in a state of loneliness and depression. From this came angry and rebellious outbursts and all kinds of troublesome behaviour.

She was starting to become more bearable when Halworatheen became her friend for a brief time, but this new fairy was only in Alphiabrook because her father was on business there and she then went back to Garlandwood, leaving Stephanie without anyone she really got on well with. She did have three official friends in the Goldshine twins and Debenwa Lowlyheart but she felt that they not only didn’t talk to her enough but were even quite annoyed by how much she wanted to talk to them, especially if it was about the Lower World and wanting to go back there. They kept wanting her to communicate in a more silent fashion but Stephanie just wanted to talk to them as humans do to each other.

One time while she was outside with them, she began speaking again but Ella sighed and said, “just be quiet, my Lady. Please. You are annoying us. You are a fairy and you must learn to communicate the way we do, with much fewer words and through unspoken harmony.” Stephanie said, “oh, this is just stupid,” and abruptly walked away.

Her maid, Veronica Garlandwood, did all in her power to serve the princess efficiently and get her to socialise. She reported to Vanessa that Stephanie wasn’t doing well at the College of Elite Practitioners. If she couldn’t be given a personal mentor, she might never make the kind of progress that was necessary in order for her to fulfil her royal duties.

Vanessa considered taking the matter to the Queen and thought about which mentor might be suitable. She then decided that only the strictest and most powerful mentor, Eva-Claire Yellowblossom, would stand a reasonable chance of bringing Stephanie into conformity. But if that were to fail, what would there be to fall back on? Would Stephanie always be incompetent and out of control?

The matter was one that deserved serious consideration. When the Queen heard about it, she said, “I have thought of approaching Eva-Claire, but because she is so powerful, I still remain hesitant to place Stephanie under her tutorage. Earthly corruption and great fairy power are a difficult combination to justify. Stephanie is corrupt but potentially powerful while Eva-Claire is indeed powerful but has the potential to become corrupt. She who falls from a high estate causes greater destruction than one who strays from a lower rank. If the worst were to happen, where they become a force for evil together, we might all be in great danger.”

“I understand you, Al Chelsyia,” said Vanessa, (Al Chelsyia means ‘Your Majesty’ in Luminenya) “but Eva-Claire has admirable humility and is very loyal to you. And while other fairies find it difficult to use a firm hand with Princess Stephanie, Eva-Claire will have no qualms about it.”

The Queen thought for a moment, then added, “besides being gifted with high capacity for Energy Harnessing, it was because of Eva-Claire’s exceptional mentorship skills that she became so terribly powerful, constantly striving to make other fairies as masterful and perfect as possible, and growing in knowledge as she progressed all the way to becoming the top mentor in the realm. Nearly everyone in the United Provinces knows about that isolated fairy in the north.”

As they spoke, a buzzing sound could be heard. This was then followed by a sudden flash of light that was whitish yellow at the core and became progressively greener toward the edges. The flash came with a mini thunder clap, followed by a funny sound like the twang of a low sounding harp string, and out of a cloud of thick and beautifully scented yellow smoke, Eva-Claire Yellowblossom gently and majestically emerged, smiling radiantly and disarming any fear that may have fallen on the Queen or Vanessa. She would have been too bright for humans to look at but other fairies were just about able to look on her. The guards at once approached the dazzling fairy. She shone like a small sun, making the entire Throne Room glisten brightly in every corner. The guards signalled for her to reduce the intensity of the humming and crackling rays of light. She then allowed some of her brightness to recede back inside her and then got down on one knee, bowing low to the Queen.

But Vanessa spoke reproachfully to her. “How dare you approach the Queen without a prearranged audience.”

But the Queen signalled for Vanessa to be quiet and then addressed her visitor. “My loyal Eva-Claire Yellowblossom, I take it your arrival here before me is to demonstrate your willingness to be put to service, should I allow it, in the difficult and challenging case of Princess Stephanie, Goldmaracynthia Bell?”

Eva-Claire slowly rose and stood up again. She was close to six foot tall. The ten guards nervously but decisively formed up in front of her with gleaming weapons at the ready. They did their best to avoid looking directly at her, especially for any prolonged period of time. And above all, they avoided looking into her eyes which were thought to be the channels of her more mighty and dangerous powers. They asked her to lower her eyes and handed her a pair of restraints, asking her earnestly and respectfully to wear them because they also feared her hands which were the secondary channels of her power.

She cooperated willingly with them. Vanessa became somewhat hopeful. Surely, this lofty fairy was the answer to their constant problems with Stephanie. After a brief silence, Eva-Claire faced the Queen but with her eyes cast down and spoke directly to her mind and without using her voice. She informed the Queen that she was ready for any assignment except for that of mentoring Stephanie. That was the one thing she did not feel ready to do. As she stood before the Throne, a guard carefully placed a blindfold on her and she willingly submitted to it. However, it wasn’t sufficient to block her vision since it was only a strip of blue satin. To block her vision, they would have needed something more dense, such as a metallic mask. But nothing was available at the time.

The Queen thanked the humble and mighty practitioner for her candour and then promptly sent her away.  Another forty guards came to escort the tall, shimmering figure out of the Palace where they removed her restraints and she later vanished just as suddenly and dramatically as she had arrived.

“I did not expect her to refuse you, Al Chelsyia,” said Vanessa, “I am sorry. What do you wish to do now?”

The Queen was silent for a moment. After seeing the gesture of loyalty, docility and dedication from the highest ranking fairy in the realm, and her honesty in professing her unreadiness to train Stephanie, she felt that this only made the eminent mentor seem the most suitable person for the task.

“We will try to convince Eva-Claire to think again. She might be the only one capable of turning Stephanie into the fairy Princess we require for the peaceful and effective furtherance of the United Provinces.”

Vanessa slowly nodded before answering. “But Al Chelsyia, we must be careful. If she has told us that she doesn’t think she should be training the princess, and we pressure her to do it anyway, who knows what may happen? Should we really contradict her?”

“I am the Queen and this matter is of grave importance. I will issue a formal order for her to accept this assignment. We will closely monitor both her and the princess. That is my decision.”

“Very good, Al Chelsyia. And yet, please forgive me but should I not get the members of the Royal Spokespersons Unit to discuss this first? It seems that we would be more than wise to avoid giving displeasure to Eva-Claire at all costs.”

“Then meet with them. But unless you can offer me a better alternative or convince me not to give the order, I will write it up before nightfall. Now go.”

“At once, Al Chelsyia.”

Vanessa called a meeting with the Royal Spokespersons Unit immediately and looked nervous as she broke the news to the members that the Queen was about to command Eva-Claire Yellowblossom to become the personal mentor of the wayward princess despite her respectful but firm refusal of the proposal. Some of them felt uneasy and afraid.

Sarah Silverwater of Lavenders Dale stood up in her magnificent silver, gold and violet dress and said, “I strongly disapprove of this. The Queen should first try another mentor, such as Elizabeth Greatheart. Eva-Claire should hardly even be used as a last resort. Her immense power renders her a constant concern to the United Provinces.” After she had said this, she promptly and gracefully sat down again.

Talrannia of Crimson Butterflyvale stood up in shimmering white and said, “I agree with Sarah Silverwater, much as I respect the Queen’s trust in the most mighty fairy in the realm.”

Savannah Silverstone of Lavenders Dale who wore her usual silky green with gold trimmings, stood up and said, “I don’t think other mentors have what it takes to reform Princess Stephanie, so I am inclined to agree with the Queen’s proposal. Eva-Claire is loyal, obliging and steadfast. She will not refuse a direct order from the Queen. I have faith both in the top-ranking mentor and in the Queen.”

Then Elora-Brightgaze of Maracynthiavale stood up with a radient and serious look in her penetrating eyes. She had redish-brown hair that came down to her elbows and wore a light blue dress which was studded with luminous pea-sized gemstones. While many fairies spoke in a rather soft tone, she spoke with a powerful tone of authority and persuasion. It would be scary to hear if you were not used to it and heard it for the first time. It was a very powerful voice that seemed to draw energy from her entire being and not just her vocal cords. It was as if the sound was somehow coming from her whole body, and not just her mouth. Also, when she spoke, her eyes, which were already brighter than those of most other fairies, shone even brighter and more captivatingly. A new energy immediately flowed into the room whenever she spoke.

She said, “I have faith in the Queen’s decision to give the proposed order to Eva-Claire Yellowblossom. Moreover, I am willing to go to Eva-Claire myself to deliver to her the document containing the Queen’s formal command.”

In the end, everyone put faith in the Queen’s decision and the order was written up that evening. Elora Brightgaze of Maracynthiavale offered to deliver the order to Eva-Claire and insisted on having no guards with her. It was important to make the most powerful of fairies feel trusted as well as greatly valued. But the Queen thought that Elora-Brightgaze tended to come across as rather intimidating when communicating with other fairies and so she wisely chose a fairy with a more meek and appealing approach. This fairy was initially Sarah Silverwater but she didn’t want to go and instead suggested that her friend, Savannah Silverstone should go. And so it was settled. All necessary decisions had been made and Savannah Silverstone set out alone to deliver the Royal Command to the mighty Hermit Fairy of the North.

It took her a long time to reach the hermit’s location which was inside a great mountain situated on an island that lay far beyond the royal province of Alphiabrook.

There was an eery silence as she approached the ancient wooden door with its blatant sign outside that gave a warning in Luminenya and English to corrupt and banished fairies who are known as the Unpeaceful Ones.

‘Decen Ye Laka. Du Va Nena Latanya Ya Vana Detrudi Va Leli Uli Koronya Devia Te Gochidenyia.’

‘Keep Well Back. If You Are An Unpeaceful One And Dare To Intrude, You Will Most Surely Be Destroyed.’

This was a deterrent. Corrupt fairies knew about Eva-Claire and always wanted to either capture her and find ways to steal her power or to kill her so that the United Provinces would be weakened.

With a slightly trembling hand, Savannah Silverstone gave a timid knock on the door and coughed. Then she suddenly felt terrified, wondering whether Eva-Claire might think she was an intruder. So she called out. “Please! I am of good heart and am here on behalf of the Queen!”

But for a while there was silence. She breathed fast and trembled even more, wondering what else to do.

Then the door slowly opened and creaked as it did so. Savannah stood well back as the tall, bright occupant slowly came out.

“Forgive me,” said Eva-Claire, “but I must briefly examine you before I let you inside and before we converse.”

Savannah Silverstone then mysteriously fell down on her back. “Oh, no! Please! Don’t do anything to me!” She then tried to get up.

“Shh! Stop moving! Keep still!” said Eva-Claire. She then stood motionless for a while, examining her visitor.

After this, she offered her a hand. “Okay. You are clear. Come inside if you wish. Your name?”

“Savannah Silverstone.”

“And what brings you here if not to deliver to me our Queen’s will that I become the Mentor of her daughter?”

“Oh. You umm… You know?”

Eva-Claire smiled. “I do know. I foresaw how this would play out. I had to show the Queen that I felt unready because indeed, no one can claim to be truly ready to deal with a corrupt Fairy Princess. But the truth is that I am as competent a mentor as she will ever find. Here. Hand me the document.”

Savannah carefully gave it to her and after reading it, Eva-Claire laid it aside and smiled. She then said, “refresh yourself here, loyal messenger of Her Royal Greatness, to whom all heads must bow. Then be on your way again and tell our Queen that I graciously accept this most honoured position as Mentor of her Firstborn. But let her know that Stephanie will have to go through a terrible period of suffering while she trains under me. She desperately needs to be purified and only I know how to do this properly and effectively for her. I should not be held responsible if the princess manages to escape to the Outer Lands where the corrupt ones dwell, or becomes violent. But I will do all in my power to prevent this and will balance purification with work, study, relaxation and reward for any progress she makes. I will also put this in writing for you to formally deliver to the Sovereign.”

Savannah Silverstone stayed for a while with Eva-Claire Yellowblossom and got to know her better. She then set off again for Alphiabrook, carrying only a small enchanted blade that was gifted to her by Eva-Claire.

But she was observed by a clever and sophisticated group of cruel, warriorlike beings on hulking black beasts from the Outer Lands. They decided that since she seemed to be alone and on an important mission, they should attack her and bring her back with them for interrogation. And whether or not she gave them anything useful, they would in the end, mortally wound her and while she was still alive, their beasts would devour her.