The Forbidden Island

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Valerie and Isabel awoke, and darkness greeted them. The thick trees blocked out almost all of the sun, making it hard to see what lay ahead of them. They rubbed their eyes and got up to explore. 

"What can we get to eat?" Valerie asked. "I don't know....We could search for some edible plants." They got to work, careful to inspect every plant until they found one with ripe red berries. Isabel reached for it, but her arm was imediatly entangled in the vines. "HELP!" she shrieked. Isabel could feel the vines tightening aroud her waist and dragging her in. Valerie quickly grabbed her pocket knife and started to saw at the vines. It took a while until they finally came loose. Isabel fell to the ground, gasping for air.

After they had both calmed down, they decided not to touch anymore plants and kept walking until they found a thin stream of water running through the island. They imediatly leaned to the ground and started gulping down the fresh water, until a glint of ligt caught Valerie's attention. She looked into the lake and gasped. There was a sword sticking out of they sand. It had a cover to it. Valerie took it off. It had a golden hilt with a big ruby encrusted into it.

"Come here." Valerie called. Isabel came gasped when she saw her findings. "Where did it come from?" 

What Valerie saw next, surprised her even more. There was a set of initials carved into it. D. V. Dmitri Vigne. "Those are my dad's initials!" Valerie suddenly said. She looked around. "Do you think my parents have been here? And to think that my dad actually had a sword!" 

Isabel shrugged. "There are lot's of people who have those intials" she replied.

They put the sword into a pack Valerie had fashioned out of dried grass. A woven bag made of grass wasn't the best choice but it would have to do.

Isabel and Valerie went on, careful to observe thier surroundings as they passed by. Suddenly, Isabel heard Valerie shout for help. Isabel rapidly looked around but couldn't find her. Then, she saw a hole in the ground. She looked inside, but could see nothing in the black, bottomless hole.

Isabel didn't know what to do, so she jumped in. The hole seemed to go on forever until finally they came to a stop. "What is this place?" Isabel wondered to herself. "You're here!" Valerie shouted happily, her voice echoing all around them. "Of course, I owed you for saving me back by the vines." Isabel replied.

They both stood up, their eyes were adjusting to the darkness so they could just make out their surroundings. The place they were in was mostly empty, leading into a hallway. Isabel and Valerie went down the hallway and shrieked in surprise.

There was a boy, he was much shorter than them, but looked older than them. He was dressed in all black grinning from ear to  ear. Until he stopped, and frowned. He eyed them both carefully. "Who are you?" he barked.

"Uh....um..." Isabel stuttered. "Who are you?" Valerie asked back. "Who am I! You don't know who I am! I'm only the nephew of King Dmitri, and Queen Diana." the boy answered haughtily with his back turned towards them. "Now who are you?" he asked. 

Valerie could only stand there in surprise. Then she suddenly rushed down the rest of the hallway and burst open through a magnificent door. 

There were hundreds if eyes staring at her, all from the faces of tiny people. Then, on the two golden thrones on the other side of the room, was a beautiful woman and a handsome man. 

Valerie gently closed the door, and leaned her back against it. She had a tear in her eye. Those people on the thrones were her parents. She was sure of it. 

Isabel came running over panting, and saw Valerie's face. It was sad, but then slowly changed into anger. "Why did they leave me?" she whispered. "Why didn't they love me and care for me, like Isabel's parents do? They left me alone in Mount Nespe!" Now Valerie was shouting.

The tiny people were pouring out of the magnificents doors. They were all crowding around Isabel and Valerie, only as tall as her waist. You could hear them whispering to each, while staring wide-eyed at the two girls. 

Then, King Dmitri and Queen Diana stepped out of the doorway.