Constance's Wonderland

Princess Constance or Connie as she preferred to be called, felt depressed. This said a lot for a nine year old. Little girls had friends to play with and supposed to be happy but not all little girls were princesses. Being a princess took responsibility and hard work. You couldn’t just do what you wanted. There were rules like you had to behave yourself at all times. Your clothes must always be neat. You couldn’t play outside whenever you felt like it. Of course, there were the lessons. Those boring old lessons. You would think princesses had balls to go to and great feasts to give but Connie was to young to go. The balls lasted way past her bed time. What Connie really wished for was a friend. Not just any friend but a bosom friend; a friend for all time. A bosom friend and kindred spirit made lessons more fun. This was quite advanced thinking for a nine year old but Connie was very bright for her age and thought of these things often.1

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One day after lessons, her tutor permitted her to walk around in the garden before supper. The little princess liked to walk in the garden and look at all the pretty flowers. She had a secret place in the garden where she liked to be alone . The door to her special place covered in vines was hard to find but she knew where to go. She pushed on the door and it swung open to reveal another garden. She found this place one day while exploring the royal gardens. No one ever came here except her. 3

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She took it upon herself to take care of it. Her favorite place in the whole garden was a palm tree that stood in the center. Here it was nice and shady. The tired princess slumped down in the soft grass and fell asleep.5

The next thing, the princess knew someone was shaking her awake. “Wake up miss. Wake up.” 6

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She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a garden but not the same one she fell asleep in. “Where am I?”8

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“You are in the royal gardens miss.” spoke the voice. 10

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The girl looked around. “Where are you?”12

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“Down here miss.” 14

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She looked down to see a lithe lizard. “Who are you?”16

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“My name’s Tim. I am the gardener miss.”18

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“Who does this garden belong to?”20

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“The White queen owns all the garden miss.”22

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“The White queen? Who is she?”24

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“She owns this land. She is very powerful miss.”26

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“What is the place called?”28

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“That is the thing miss, it doesn’t have one.”30

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“How strange. How do I get out?”32

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“Just follow the footprints.”34

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“What footprints?”36

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“Why the ones on the ground, of course.” 38

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She looked down to see footprints that were not there before. She did what was told and followed them. The footsteps took her out of the garden. She turned around but the ones behind her disappeared. Not sure what to do, she moved on. 40

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Soon she came to a little house. In front of the house there seemed to be some sort of party. People dressed in funny clothes were dancing. Curiosity had gotten to the girl and she crept closer for a peek. The music was so addicting that Connie could not help herself and she too danced around. Suddenly, the music stopped. “Who are you?” asked a small man in a funny hat.42

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“My name is Connie.”44

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“No, no, no, I mean what is your number?” 46

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Connie looked confused. “My number?”48

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“Don’t tell me you don’t have one. Everyone has one. Unless you are a peasant. Are you a peasant?”50

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“No, I am a princess.”52

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“A princess? Now I believe you are telling tales. There are no princesses here. There is only the White queen. All new subjects must report to her for their assigned number or else you are an undesirable. We don’t want any undesirables. Shoo!” The small man with the funny hat chased the girl away. Connie, not knowing what to do ran away from the little party. 54

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Eventually, she found the footsteps again. This time they led her to a enchanted wood. Trees of all different colors lined the path. The wood soon turned into a clearing. In the middle of the clearing stood a horse but not exactly a horse. For one thing, the horse was blue. It also had a gold horn. It wasn’t a horse at all but a unicorn. Connie walked up close to the unicorn. -Hello- she spoke. Or did she speak. 56

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“Did you say something?”58

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-Yes I did-60

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“How are you talking? How can I understand you?”62

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-It is called telepathy. You can speak it too, you just don’t know it yet.-64

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“What is your name?”66

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-Sapphire-68

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“Who are you waiting for?”70

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-You, Constance, I am waiting for you.-72

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“Me?”74

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-Yes, you asked for a friend and your wish has been granted.-76

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“I never told anyone.”78

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-The gods know and they have granted your wish by sending me to you. I will not abandon you. You can trust me- 80

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Sapphire had said this so softly and sweetly that Connie could not help but believe her. Her heart wanted to believe but her brain told her not to be foolish. “What do we do now?”82

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-How about we just enjoy each other’s company.- Sapphire laid down so that the girl could rest her head on the unicorn’s back. A warm feeling swept over the girl. One she had never felt before.84

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However, they were not alone for the White Queen was watching Connie very carefully. She turned to her imp servants and said, “Bring me that child and her little horse too.” The imps went off to do their queen’s bidding.86

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Meanwhile, the brown haired princess and the blue unicorn sat in peace and contentment. Sapphire had something to tell Connie but she wasn’t sure how to bring herself to tell the child. -Connie, I must tell you something very important. The White queen will stop at nothing to get to you.-88

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“Why me?”90

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-You are a threat to her. She doesn’t think like normal people. Something is not right in her head.-92

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“What am I to do?”94

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-She will put you to a test. You will doubt yourself but you must not believe her lies. Remember her power comes from her mirror. Destroy her mirror and you will destroy her. The most important thing is that I love you. I feel the queen’s presence. She is very near.- 96

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Just after Sapphire finished her speech, the queen’s imps swooped down on Connie and snatched her up. “Sapphire! Help me!” The unicorn tried to reach her young friend but the imps zoomed in like swarms of bees. The number was too much for her to handle and she too was taken away.98

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The queen’s castle loomed ahead of the princess. Like the queen’s name, the castle decorated in all white stood frozen and towering. She felt a chill as she was carried through the queen’s window to her private chamber. 100

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The queen stood tall and regal in her white gown. Her hair as white as her gown flowed long down her back. Her steel blue eyes bore into the child. “Welcome my child to my realm.” she said with a cold smile. “I must say I was expecting someone older and more sophisticated. Why have you come here?” 102

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“I don’t know why I am here.”104

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“Don’t play dumb with me girl. You came to destroy me. Put an end to my beautiful realm. Look at you! A skinny, ugly little waif like you is going to destroy me. You are so small! How can you possibly destroy me. Your little unicorn friend isn’t here to save you. She is a bit tied up at the moment.” Some of her imp servants brought in Sapphire, bound and gagged. “See, your friend can do nothing to save you. Now, who is to be your friend. You don’t have any friends child. No one likes you. You are nothing but a little waif. Why you don’t even act or look like a princess. Princesses act lady-like and all royalty is beautiful. You are nothing but a simple little waif, a foundling. Why would anyone want to be friends with a foundling like you.”106

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As the queen spoke, the brown haired girl started to cry. This is what the queen expected. Connie looked over at Sapphire. The unicorn looked as helpless as she felt. The queen continued again. “Why are you crying? Princesses don’t cry. Look at your cheeks, nose and eyes. They are all red. Come child, let us compare ourselves in my mirror and see who is more beautiful.” The queen led the girl to the mirror. “See for yourself. Aren’t I not beautiful? Now look at you, a skinny, ugly little foundling. Friendless, loveless, poor, little princess who no one cares about.”108

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“You are not beautiful. You may have a beautiful face but you have an ugly heart and that is worse no matter how much physical beauty you have.”110

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“Such pretty words from a person like you.”112

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“Let’s see how beautiful you are without your mirror.” Connie picked up the mirror. It wasn’t very big and smashed it on the floor. 114

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When the mirror hit the floor, a low rumbling noise filled the room. The queen began to change form. She was no longer a tall regal, young woman but a small old woman. “What have you done? What have you done?!” The woman grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared completely. Then a brilliant white light blinded Connie. The next minute she was floating through the air; white all around her.116

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Then she heard someone calling her name. “Connie, wake up. Wake up.” She woke up and rubbed her eyes. She was back in her beloved garden. Leaning over her, her nanny smiled. “Have a nice nap?”118

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“It was all a dream?”120

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“What was a dream honey?”122

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“Oh, nothing.”124

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“Well, let us be off. It is time for supper.” The princess stood up and brushed herself off. 126

She followed her nanny out of the garden but then she heard a voice. -Hello Connie.-127

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She turned around and found her beloved friend standing there. “I thought you were a dream.” the girl said and she threw her arms around Sapphire’s neck. The unicorn smiled at her companion.129

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-No it wasn’t a dream, my friend. I am here. I will love you and I will never leave you.- Connie felt the warm, tingling feeling again. They walked back to the castle together. Connie knew she would never feel lonely again as long as her beloved Sapphire was with her.