Lacia's tale. The Dragon Games

Poisoned Apple

Faybelle followed Apple who was following the pixies through the enchanted forest. Apple walked past a large waterfall before the pixies stopped in front of a tree, beckoned her to come forward, and then jumped into the bushes.

"Hello? This is no time for games little pixies. I still need you." Apple said to no one in particular.

Faybelle landed in a tree a little way away from where Apple stood. Her phone started buzzing and she almost dropped it. The Evil Queen was phoning her. "What's the bad word? Has Apple led you to my daughters? Or am I going to have to turn you into a slug?" She asked. "You almost got me caught!" Faybelle angrily whispered back. Faybelle lost her grip on her mirrorphone and dropped it into the stream nearby.

Faybelle flew down to the stream to get her phone. "Well this is just great! First I drop my phone and Apple disappeared!" She looked up and she could see Apple walking into a cave with her dragon.

Apple walked to the other side of the cave and she came out in a magical area. It must be where the pixies lived. It had large trees enclosing the space and there was a fire in the middle of the clearing. There were flower petals hanging from trees to decorate and there were different animals lying around and doing their own thing. The pixies ran around while Holly, Poppy, Maddie, Ashlyn and Darling sat around the fire on tree stumps and large rocks.

To make it better for Apple, Raven and Lacia came over to the fire, Raven was carrying some tree logs to keep the fire going, and Lacia had a basket of fruits and nuts for them to eat.

With an encouraging nudge from her dragon, Apple started to walk over to them. "Raven! Lacia!" She called.

"I thought you said this place was secret." Raven said to Darling and the pixies. "You know, to keep away unwanted people." Lacia clarified as Apple came closer. "Raven!"

"Apple."

"I'm sorry! I was selfish." Apple started.

"Go on" Raven told her.

"Your mom hasn't changed. I had. And now I want to change again, for the better. For good. I know I can't turn back the pages but I believe! I believe we can all have our Happily Ever Afters, but not until we stop your mom!"

Raven walked over to Apple and put a hand on her shoulder. "And we will, my friend."

The girls around the fire all gasped. "Did you really think we would stay mad at you forever?" Lacia asked and Apple just gave a small laugh.

Up high, on one of the trees, Faybelle lay on a branch with her phone in her hand. "The Raven's have landed, I repeat, the Raven's have landed. Initiate operation roasted marshmallow."

"Faybelle, no need to speak in code." The Evil Queen told her. "Plant the poisoned apple, I'll send in the dark dragons." Faybelle hung up and smiled, a plan forming.

The dragons were all sleeping in a pile outside the entrance to the secret hideout.

Inside, one of the pixies grabbed the basket of fruit from earlier and took it to where the girls were sitting in a circle around the fire.

Ashlyn took a pear for herself and an apple for Maddie. "Why thank you Featherly. The pixies say, if we plan to face the Evil Queen, we need to nourish ourselves." She informed everyone else.

"This is going to be fairy, fairy dangerous. The Evil Queen has turned half our friends and staff into creatures, the place is like a mile high off the ground and surrounded by dark dragons!" As Apple spoke, Faybelle slipped the poisoned apple into the fruit basket when the pixie passed the bush Faybelle was hiding in.

"Then we need our strength, oh thanks." Raven said to the pixie who offered her, Apple and Lacia some fruit. They were all sitting together on a log. Lacia took some grapes, Raven took a peach and Apple took the poisoned apple.

Apple bit into it and her eyes turned bright pink as the Evil Queen's magic started to work. The apple shrivelled up and Apple started to cough. She got up and walked away. "Are you okay?" Holly asked.

Apple tried to run but the spell overtook her and she collapsed, under the sleeping curse that she had only just stopped wanting.

"Where did that come from?" Raven asked.

"What kind of apple turns black?" Holly asked.

"Is she okay?" Maddie asked worriedly.

Apple whispered something to Ashlyn before going unconscious again. "Can you understand what she's saying?" Poppy asked.

"She says 'how this fairytale ends, is up to you now Raven.'" Ashlyn told her. Lacia dropped down to Apple's side and examined the apple.

"It's.. poisoned." Lacia said. "That's weird.How'd it get here then?" Raven wondered.

"We'd better check if she's breathing." Darling said and listened for a heartbeat.

"Is she-" Holly was cut off by Apple snoring loudly.

"She's breathing all right." Poppy said at the loud noise.

A large roar was heard from above them and the girls all looked to the sky to see dark dragons circling. Faybelle was riding one and yelled "Get Lacia and Raven Queen!"