A Heart's Journey: A Collection Of Short Tales

The Magic Stone

"I'm home!" Morgan yelled cheerfully as he stepped through the garden's gate.

Gwen came running up to him with Derrick quietly following behind her.

Morgan scooped up his little girl and gave her a big hug, "how's my princess doing today?"

She giggled gleefully, "papa, I'm not a princess!"

"Of course you are, you're my princess" he answered with a grin."What's your mama doing right now?"

"Probably baking in the kitchen, she knew you were on your way home" Gwen replied as he set her down.

Morgan nodded, then looked over at Derrick, "hello there young Master Derrick, how's your family doing? I heard your papa should be coming home later today."

Derrick cracked a smile, "they're doing well, we can't wait to see papa."

Morgan gave him a gentle smile and patted him on the head, "perhaps you should run along and help your mum get ready then."

Gwen waved goodbye to her best friend as he went running off down the lane towards his house. She then took Morgan by the hand and tugged him along to find her mother.

They found her leaning over a pile of dough, kneading and rolling it. She didn't seem to hear them enter the room. Gwen watched happily as her father crept up on her and hugged her from behind, making her jump with a start. When she turned around to scold him, she had a streak of flour across her cheek and was blushing.

"Morgan Whittaker! You nearly scared the life out of me!" she swatted playfully at him.

He chuckled and gave her a kiss as he wiped the flour off her face, "my darling Eliza, I couldn't resist, I've missed you."

Gwen helped him go unpack his travel pack. After they cleaned out his regular traveling supplies, or what was left of them, he took his pack to the library, as she observed in curiosity.

"What did you bring back Papa?" she asked with big eyes.

Morgan glanced over at her and smirked, "knowledge, and a whole lot of books."

Eliza came in as he started to pull them out one by one, "honestly Morgan, I don't know why you must strain your back bringing those sort of things home all the time."

"What? It's a hobby, and I've brought you cookbooks from far away lands, that I know for a fact you still use to this day" he teased her affectionately.

Eliza blushed and said no more about it. She sat in an armchair and took up her embroidery. Morgan pulled the last one out and held it out to Gwen.

"This, I picked especially for you, there are all sorts of magical tales in here. I know how you love to use your imagination, so there are no illustrations, but I know you'll enjoy the stories more than anyone. Perhaps we could read some together?"

"I'd like that very much Papa. Could Derrick read with us too?" She asked him sweetly.

"Of course, he's welcome anytime" he put the book on the shelf with the others, then went to put his pack away.

The next day, Derrick was back, with a sad expression in place. They went to their secret spot in the woods they often frequented; an opening amidst the roots of an old pine tree, hidden by low-hanging branches.

As they sat on the ground, Gwen grabbed his hand and squeezed it, "what's wrong Derrick?"

"My father had to leave again this morning. A messenger came with an important letter" he sighed out of loneliness.

Wanting to cheer him up, she took him to Morgan, where he was looking over the fruit trees in the orchard, "Papa, do you think we could read a story from that book you brought?" she pleaded with him.

He looked down from where he was perched on a small ladder and saw Derrick's face, "absolutely, I could use a break anyway."

They went to the library and sat themselves on a sofa, near the old fireplace. Eliza brought them something to drink and food to eat, then returned to her chores. Morgan pulled the book out and skimmed through the pages, looking for a story to read.

"Ah, here we are, The Magic Stone. Sit closer children, I'm going to start reading now" he said after he took a big sip from his cup.

Derrick and Gwen sat to the side of him and peered at the words on the paper. Then Morgan started reading to them, his voice changed with the different characters, making it that much more exciting.

"... the young princess gave the boy a special stone, promising that it would protect him from danger until they could see each other again. Every time they met each other, the one who had the stone would kiss it, then hand it over to the other," Morgan grinned and paused the story, "that would make a marvelous game, wouldn't it?"

Derrick looked puzzled and seemed like he wanted to ask something, "where could we find a special stone like that?"

Gwen piped in, "maybe it could be like those swirly blue-green ones we find in the lake, couldn't it Papa?"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm, "I suppose it could. Let's finish the story."

Gwen and Derrick eagerly listened to the rest of the story, then Morgan had to finish eating and return to his chores. Later that day, Derrick had returned home, and Gwen went to the lake, still wanting to cheer her friend up, and went looking for the colored rocks in the water's shallow end.

After searching for a while, she finally found one that closely resembled what she had imagined the one from the story would look like. She skipped back home to clean it off, and then turned it into a necklace.

When Derrick had come back the following day, she took it out of her little apron pocket and showed it to him, "see Derrick, like the one from Papa's storybook." She kissed it, then held it out to him,"here, you wear it. Then next time you can kiss it and give it back to me."

Derrick's confused expression finally turned to one of happiness. She had gone through all the trouble of finding a stone and making it special, Gwen had always made him feel that way with every little thing she did for him. He was sure that was the moment he started loving her deeper than he ever had before.

They played that game for years, every day they took turns giving the magic stone to each other. It was their special game that they played, just the two of them, and bonded them in a way that could never fully be severed. No matter how far away, or how long it had been since they last saw each other, the magic stone was something they both treasured.