Tempestuous Times...
The Weather, Dear Readers, had rained on and off for two nights and a day and had not stopped threatening to start up again at any moment... causing some of the Castle Halloween Party guests to arrive early, and some to wait.... and wait... hoping the rain would stop before they set out. And so the Gypsy's Fortune Telling table was quickly crowded with the young Princesses, all longing to learn their fate. And the Great Hall, was filling with the guests who didn't need to hear their Fortunes told ahead, but preferred to catch up with them in their own good time!
Frank and Sherry Aileen had come as a Pirate and his Moll,
and their young son Jasper was a "Pirate in training",
while their daughter Amber was one of the Princesses
at the Fortune Teller's table.
Will and Chip were deep in conversation
while Gabrielle and Sally May and Annabelle
were at the Gypsy's table with the Princess crowd.
As for the Lovely Old Dollhouse family,
they were dressed and waiting...
Pollyanna and Arthur were a Witch and a Wizard...
While Joanna and Victor were
Maid Marion and Robin Hood...
their favorite costume, although Joanna
has found a new gown for the role!
Helen and Charles are a Lady and her Gentleman...
they are also dressed and ready....
"As soon as the rain stops, we will go, my Dear!"
Charles assures her.
Meanwhile, you might recall that the Fairy Bears
Sweet Pea and Brother Beorn had heard alarming news
from the Owls that the Little Dreamers had gone missing!
They had headed straight to The Cloud Palace
to let Blue the Blue Fairy Bear know what had happened.
Blue and Lady Lavender and Hamish Harry hotcakes McCloud
and Sir Orion Blackthorne the Skywalker
were all together enjoying their afternoon tea and honeybread
when Sweet Pea and Brother Beorn arrived.
"The Owls were all atwittering..." said Sweet Pea.
"They were very upset...
the Little Dreamers have disappeared!" she added.
"The Owls said we were to help find their brother Peregrine
and bring him to the Wizard...." said Brother Beorn.
"Wherever he is... the owls did not say." he added.
"Ah," said Sir Orion, "I believe I have seen him watching the stars
from the rooftop of Hardwick Hall with Uncle Albert.
I would be honored to fetch him for the Wizard..." he said, blushing.
"We have flown together before, I think he would trust me..." he added proudly.
And I am sure, Dear Readers, you are wondering
where the Little Dreamers had disappeared to?
Well, the Little Dreamer Beth had not gone far at all...
But as the mist that had swirled around her began to fade...
she could see that she was not in the same place at all!
She knew the Dragon had not been there a minute ago...!...
Nor the Trees...
She found herself entering the clearing...
It was the most magical place she had ever seen...
she was sure she had never been here before....
but the dragon seemed familiar somehow.
"Ah...." said the dragon
"I am Sylvester Nightwing, Guardian of this Forest....
and you are not supposed to come here..." he said gently.
"But I did not come here..." said Beth....
"You just appeared in front of me...
I was just out on the Briar Moors..." she added defensively.
"The Enchanted Forest only appears to those
who have Dreamed of it..." said the dragon.
It is not a place in itself... it is neither here nor there...
but is a mirage that comes and goes
at the whims of imagination and desire.
You wished for it... so here it is...
but you cannot hold it,
and you cannot stay...."
And before Beth could think of a reply,
Little Dreamer Amy appeared at the edge of the clearing.
The dragon turned to her and spoke again.
"I am Sylvester Nightwing, guardian of this forest
and you are not supposed to come here..." he said gently.
"But I didn't come here..." said Amy.
"I was reading and I wished I could see the Cat
who could disappear but leave his smile.....
And then you were there in front of me...
but you are not a cat!" she said accusingly.
Amy turned to Beth. "Where are we..?" she asked.
"The Enchanted Forest.." replied Beth.
"How did you get here...? asked Amy.
"The dragon says I Dreamed it so it came to me..." said Beth, frowning.
"You must not stay here..." said the dragon.
"The Enchanted Forest is not a place in Time and Space,
neither here nor there, near nor far.
You are here because you wished to see it...
you can see it because you believe it...
you cannot hold it, you cannot stay...."
"But where should we go...?" asked Beth quietly.
Meanwhile, in another Time entirely,
Sir Orion Blackthorne the Skywalker
set out immediately for Hardwick Hall,
hoping to find the lad Peregrine
was still where he had seen him last.
Perry and Uncle Albert were just setting up the telescope
in the Cupola on Hardwick Hall's rooftop.
The very last thing they expected to see
was a Fairy Beary flying up to the cupola!
"Excuse, me," said Sir Orion politely,
"I have been requested to fly you to the Wizard in his caves" he said.
"If you don't mind..." he added politely.
"Oh, hullo, Sir Orion..." said Perry
leaning out the open window.
"I would Love to go flying again... " he added.
"Then just climb on my back..."
directed Sir Orion, turning around.
"And hold on tight!" he said into the wind as they took off.
And they flew away into the gathering dusk!
The Owls watched them go.
And before too long, Sir Orion
set him down before the Wizard's cave.
Meanwhile, deep in the distant past,
in the Castle's Kitchen, Old Meg sat by the hearth.
She rarely left her corner by the warm fire.
She was old and her bones were even older
and the cold dogged her heels.
She was nearly blind, but she could "see" the shadows of life
and the threads of time as they wove their way through the Ages,
and she could sense more than most people could see.
And she knew when she was needed before any one could speak.
She would be needed in the caves this All Hallows Eve!
Where she suddenly appeared though no-one saw her come or go....
She stood at the Spring of Dreams
and chanted the charms.....
and dipped a vial in the waters...
Then she turned to Perry. "You will need this potion,
you and your sisters both." she said as she looked at him.
"You must wait until you are all out of the Enchanted Forest
before drinking from the vial." she said before giving him the vial.
Then he turned and watched as the
Wizard drew a circle in the floor with his wand.
"Your sisters have strayed into the Enchanted Forest" he said.
"You must go to them and guide them back." he added.
"When you are ready, step into this circle and it will take you there."
"Do you have any questions?' he asked.
Perry just shook his head.
And stepped into the circle...
Then Poof!
He disappeared!
And in no Time at all,
he arrived at the edge of the Enchanted Forest...
And saw a dragon standing over his sisters Amy and Beth!
He hadn't been warned there would be a dragon!
And he didn't even have his sword,
he thought with some alarm!
Amy and Beth turned to look at him...
but he wasn't quite sure they could see him....
they stared at him almost as though they had forgotten who he was...!
"I have come to bring you home..." he called to them.
"The wizard sent me to get you..." he said when they didn't reply.
"You must not stay here.... it is not safe...." he added.
Then Perry looked up... at the Trees...!
He had never seen trees like these before...
they were simply magnificent.... he thought...
but then suddenly he recalled his assigned task...!
He needed to get his sisters away from here!
"The Wizard said you must Follow me... "
he called to them in his sternest voice..
and then he turned away...
His youngest sister Amy was the first to follow him...
he could not look back to see....
he knew he would be snared himself if he did.....
Amy caught up with him....
Beth seemed to linger, undecided...
Until she, too, joined them outside the Forest.
Where suddenly they found Blue,
the Blue Fairy Beary standing before them.
"Are you forgetting to drink the potion
Old Meg sent with you?" she asked gently.
Perry glanced at his hand and realized
he had completely forgotten the potion!
He turned to Beth and Amy and explained
that they each needed to take a sip of the potion.
When they had all drunk from the vial,
they turned to Blue the Blue Fairy Beary...
who told them she was sending them to the Castle
to join the All Hallows Eve Party without delay....
because they were almost late as it was!
But did everyone get to the Party on Time, Dear Readers?
The folks from The lovely Old Dollhouse
arrived well after almost everyone else was there.
They had finally convinced Helen
that a little bit of leftover Misty rain
was not going to bother them at all!
When they arrived, Helen could be heard to say
"Charles, I do believe we are late!"
"I think you are right as always, my Dear," he replied smiling.
"But at least we did not get your lovely hat wet on the way!"
"I do suppose that it was the rain's fault..." said Helen.
"But I am glad we are here anyway."
And barely minutes later,
the Little Dreamers appeared in the Castle Guard Room...
where no-one at all seemed to notice their arrival.
Everyone was focused on the Gypsy Fortune teller's Crystal ball!
And in the Great Hall,
Perry arrived so close in front of Jasper
that he could not help but notice!
"Hey!" said Jasper. "Where'd you come from..?"
"I came from The Enchanted Forest..." said Perry,
a little bit dazed, but willing to describe in detail
what he had just seen!
"Whoa...!" said Jasper.
He was riveted.....
and just a bit Enchanted...
Meanwhile, the Party was going strong...
The rainy weather didn't seem to have
dampened anyone's spirits!
High above the Hall in the Minstrels Gallery,
the Deadly Nightshades were howling out
their rendition of "Werewolves of London"....
while in the opposite gallery
two Mystery guests were looking on...
just to be sure everyone made it to the Party on Time!
And I sure hope, Dear Readers,
that whatever the Weather
and whenever the Time happens to Be,
that you too, can come to the All Hallows Eve Party at the Castle!
Where a Frightfully good Time is had by All!
Happy All Hallows Eve!
