Project Rewrite

The Princess and the Unicorn: Rewrite

"Nelana, are you sure you're alright?" The princess continued watching the forest of Glenasia from the castle walls, responding to her mother.

"It's been three years exactly. What if we never find her?" The queen sighed, placing a hand on her youngest daughter's shoulder.

"We'll find her, my dear. The forests are big, but not that big. There's only so many places a lost unicorn can hide, and besides, she's probably trying to make her way to you." Unia was Nelana's unicorn, born on the same day and finding her way to the palace when both princess and unicorn were 2 years old. They were extremely close, so when Unia had gone missing when girl and unicorn were 9, it had been quite the upset. The little princess nodded, adjusting her summer gown. She was about to speak when one of the servants opened the door.

"Your Majesty, your Highness. She's been spotted in the forest." Nelana turned.

"What? Where?" She was immediately grateful she had left on the leggings she usually wore under her dress while riding. The servant, Mallie, smiled slightly.

"The north end, your Highness. Near the Faegems. Your father is already-" Nelana had already started moving, grabbing her belt and knife and bolting out the door. Mallie chuckled. "-and you're gone." Shaking their heads at the princess's antics, both queen and servant went back to their business.

Nelana thundered through the palace and down into the courtyard, nearly crashing into her father's large black unicorn. Unix, used to his charge's daughter's hijinks, fixed her with a cool dark eye. Each of the royals in their line had been bonded to a unicorn at birth, going back generations. It was said to be an old gift from an Opal Fairy, back when their people had first started ruling Glenasia. She gave Unix an apologetic pat, then looked up at her father.

"I'm coming with you. She's my responsibility too." Her father looked down at her and sighed.

"Alright. Up you get." He held a hand down to her, then hoisted her into the saddle in front of him. "We're going to ride to the northern end of the woods, then spread out in a search grid. These are for you." He handed her a pair of whistles, one a dark purple and the other a bright pink. "If you find her and need help, blow the purple one first, and we'll come find you. If we don't, blow the pink whistle. It will send help." Nelana nodded, attaching the whistles to her belt next to her knife and the bottle of Glenisian Jeweldust she kept on her. Soon enough, the contingent of searchers arrived at the northern edge of the forest, and Nelana's father helped her dismount. She patted Unix on the shoulder, clasped her father's hand, and spread out with the others.

She might have been the only person searching her area of the woods, but it was far from quiet. Birds and animals were everywhere, skittering around or chirping. Nelana relaxed somewhat, reveling in the sounds of the woods, and kept going, searching for her unicorn. She walked along for about 20 minutes with no luck before stopping when she heard a noise, a warbling trill that she had never heard before. She looked up, to see an interesting bird watching her. From the opalescent color of its feathers and the intelligence behind its eyes, it had to be a Jewellbird, from the Faegems. Nelana smiled at it.

"Hi there. Have you seen my unicorn? Her name is Unia. I'm kind of worried about her." The bird cocked its head, then let out another warbling trill. It seemed to listen to the forest for a moment, then took off, the princess hot on its heels. It led her through the forest in a dizzying set of twists and turns, finally stopping at the edge of a bright clearing. The bird took off, leaving Nelana to inspect the clearing. In the middle of it stood a large golden cage, inside of which was a majestic creature. She had grown in the last three years, her white mane and tail flowing down her back and sides, and her rose-gold hooves and horn shining in the light streaming through the trees. She showed no sign of whatever had happened in the three years she had been missing. Nelana lit up.

"There you are!" She flew across the clearing to the cage, where her friend nosed her through the bars. "I know, I know. Let's get you out of there." Pulling out her knife, she worked at the lock, first trying to pick it, then knocking at it with the hilt. When neither of those worked, she let out a couple of words she had learned from the palace guards, words which her mother routinely informed her were inappropriate for a princess, or for any twelve-year-old, for that matter. Unia nickered her disapproval. "Yes, yes, I know. But we need to get you out of here. She pulled the Jeweldust off her belt. Originating in the Faegems, it was supposed to remove or dissolve any traps or bindings, which was why her father had given it to her in the first place. She shook some over the lock on the cage. It should have dissolved or opened the lock to release the unicorn inside. It should have worked on anything. Should have, at least, but it was like she had sprinkled sawdust on it. Nothing happened. Unia, now seeming concerned, nudged the bars again. Nelana frowned.

"I know, I know. I'm going to call Papa, see if he can come help us." Putting the bottle of Jeweldust back on her belt, she pulled off the purple whistle and blew, hard. Then she sat down to wait.

After about an hour, no one had showed up still. Nelana sighed, standing up and blowing the other whistle. After a few tense moments, the bushes rustled. Nelana glanced over.

"Hello?" A tall, thin figure dressed in gray stepped out of the bushes.

"You look lost, my dear," he said, in a thin, reedy voice. "And oh, my goodness me, is that a unicorn? In a bit of trouble, are we?" Nelana nodded.

"Yes. I've tried everything I can, but I can't get her out. Are you here to help?" He nodded, giving her a simpering smile.

"But of course, my dear girl. Just step aside, and I'll be happy to... retrieve her." Nelana moved to step aside, but Unia reared as much as she could within the confines of her cage. Nelana frowned, and the man sighed. "Please stand aside, my dear. My methods won't hurt the unicorn, but they may hurt you if you're in the way." Unia was still panicking, her eyes rolling back so the whites were showing. A voice sounded from behind them.

"Your Highness, don't!" Nalena, still between the man and the cage, turned. On the other side of the clearing stood a girl dressed in light blue. Her opal accessories and the color of the wings on her back told Nalena this was an Opal Fairy, one of the most powerful of the Jewelfae, the magical beings that inhabited the wild Faegems to the north of Glenasia. The girl continued speaking. "Sorry, it took a while to get here from Opalena. Your Highness, this man is not a friend. He's been traveling throughout the world, trying to capture different kinds of unicorns. Do not let him have her." The man scowled.

"That is quite enough out of you! I'm going to bring her back and make her one of my army, and you won't stop me! As for you, 'Your Highness'..." he made a curious motion, and Nelana found herself in a tree. "Stay there and watch while I handle the fairy. I'll make it so you're no longer a problem once I'm done." Nelana gulped, trying to figure out a way to get down, but the fairy's wand flashed, and the wizard vanished in a puff of foul-smelling smoke. Nelana floated down under the fairy's guidance.

"I'm Makenna. Are you alright, your highness?" Nelana nodded.

"I think so. I'm Nelana." Makenna smiled.

"I know. And this is Unia." The unicorn nickered from her spot still in the cage. "Alright, let's get you out of there." She analyzed the lock. "You tried Jeweldust. Smart, but Zizzmoore's cages are multidimensional. It's hard to explain, but it basically means the only thing on our world that will open it is Opaldust, from Opalena. Which is what I've got." She opened a tiny blue bag at her side and pulled out a vial of dust. Upending it over the lock, it dissolved, and Unia pranced out. Nelana wrapped her arms around her unicorn's neck, overwhelmed.

"Thank you, Makenna." The fairy smiled.

"Of course. Let's get you home. I have to get back to Opalena and let the others know what he's been up to." She managed to help Nelana find her father, and they returned to the castle, much happier than they had left.