Wishes

Magic Book

"Ohhh," the baker groaned, pacing back and forth in the middle of the woods. The others followed his steps, back and forth, back and forth...

The baker threw his hands up in despair.

"It's almost three! How can we get to that long-haired maiden?"

Little Red crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "You think that girl wouldn't even be the slightest bit offended hearing that? That just sounded wrong... all right, that's it. I'm done with waiting. I'm gonna save the day." She suddenly grabbed Jack's harp and the magic book.

"What are you doing?!" Jack grabbed the other side of the book.

"I'm returning these things to Mr. Giant so we can all live happily ever after."

"No!" he shouted. "At this point there's no going back! I could be killed!" Little Red was clearly thinking thoughtfully about that idea.

"Hmm, maybe that might be FOR THE BETTER!" she shouted, pulling harder on the book. They both pulled a little too hard and let go of the book, stumbling backwards. The book hit the ground and suddenly magically grew to their height. "Oh, yeah," Jack realized. "I forgot to tell you about the book." He slowly opened it up, revealing Ella on the first page, on her knees, crying in front of her mother's destroyed tree.

Little Red gasped. "That's a grave!" she whispered looking at the tiny inscription carved in the tree. The baker looked at the new portal in awe. Without thinking, he stepped right into the page of the book.

A gust of wind blasted into his face as he stepped through the book. There was a blinding flash of light, then darkness.

The baker heard someone gasp. He rapidly blinked to find himself standing in between Ella and the ruins of her tree. Her eyes were pink from crying, but she stood up in astonishment. "Mr. Baker?! How did you... did you just walk through the tree?"

"Uh, I guess. But that doesn't matter right now." He gestured toward the tree. "What's this all about?"

Ella looked down at the dead twigs. Everything was lifeless... except for one single leaf sticking up out of the other leaves. It seemed like it was glowing. Her mother's magic hadn't left.

She picked up the leaf and stuffed it into her pocket. "Mother's grave," she mumbled. "It looks as if something stepped on it. I guess there's nothing we can do about it anymore. I don't even know what's going on in the kingdom!"

The baker nodded. "I'm sure even the royal family has no idea what's happening."

Ella felt a bit offended. "Really? I thought Char knew everything about the kingdom."

The baker was confused now. "Only those closest to the prince call him that... like his new wife! Oh I am so sorry my princess!" He immediately got on his knees and lowered his head.

"Wait, no," Ella sighed. "Please, get up. I'm not a princess. Well, I guess I now am, but I certainly don't know how to act like one! I have a heart for EVERYTHING! Princesses shouldn't care for so many things. That would just make life harder..."

"I think you'd make a great leader!" The baker got back up and now talked more casually. "You'd at least CARE for us poor villagers. You understand because you never started out as royalty."

Ella smiled. "So, what exactly are you doing out here? Walking through trees and..."

"Oh," he laughed. "I didn't walk through the tree." He suddenly grabbed her hand and ran through the tree trunk and out of the page. Everyone smiled at Ella, who had tumbled to the floor. The baker lifted her chin, and gestured his hand out towards everyone else.

He grinned. "I walked through a book."