The Realms of Faerie. Linda Massola

Olombo,’ Dominique began.

      ‘Yes, and how are we going to free Theodora if we do get to Olombo?’ said Zara. ‘We don’t have magic to dissolve a force-field!’

      ‘And …’ began Laura. Mab lifted up a hand to stop them all speaking at once.

      ‘So many questions,’ she smiled. ‘Of course you cannot go to the Realm of Olombo without a plan.’

      ‘Indeed,’ Willow agreed. ‘You must be well prepared.’

      Oberon motioned for them all to sit on the banks of the river. ‘First of all, the children must be shown how to get to Olombo.’

      ‘You must make haste and go to Marissima,’ Willow urged them. ‘We will meet you in the musical waters surrounding the underwater grotto.’

      ‘What about Silurion?’ asked Ella. ‘Won’t he try to stop us?’

      ‘It should be safe for you all to travel to the grotto as Silurion does not expect any visitors to Marissima. We go back and forwards to the castle at will,’ Willow said. ‘He knows it is impossible to penetrate our force-field around the castle and he is too lazy to check the waters! When you get to the grotto I will help you formulate a plan and find the best way to get over safely to Olombo.’

      ‘But what do we do when we get to Olombo?’ Dominique wanted to know. ‘How do we get past the force-field?’

      ‘Ah,’ Mab said. ‘You cannot get past the force-field, but you can convince the Crocodile-men to release it!’

      ‘Oh, sure, just like that!’ Tristan said.

      ‘Of course,’ Zara breathed. ‘We are to use our gifts. You mean that I can get Dentron to release the force-field with the power of my mind, don’t you?’ she asked Mab.

      ‘Exactly!’

      ‘Very dangerous though isn’t it?’ said Laura. She didn’t really like the idea of facing those Crocodile-men again.

      ‘Yes, but don’t forget the wisdom in The Fairy Chronicles,’ said Oberon.

      ‘Of course! We must remain positive and focus on the outcome we desire!’ Ella said quickly.

      ‘It is the only way,’ smiled Mab. You must delay no longer’. She was eager to have the dreaming fish returned to the River of Forgetfulness. It was then decided that the children would leave this very day for Marissima. Mab and Oberon would accompany them to the cross-over point behind the waterfall at the mouth of the River of Forgetfulness.

      ‘Once you enter the Realm of Marissima you will lose the ability to fly,’ Mab reminded them, but you will be able to breathe under water.’

      ‘What about on Olombo?’ asked Dominique.

      ‘Your wings will sprout again on Olombo,’ Mab told them. ‘It is only on Marissima that you will lose your ability to fly and gain the ability to breathe underwater.’

      ‘Once you enter the waters of Marissima, call Lido and his sea-horses to take you to the castle,’ Willow told Laura, handing her the familiar water whistle she had used last time they had visited Marissima.

      ‘Thanks,’ Laura said, pocketing the precious whistle.

      Then with a flick of her hair, Willow disappeared under the water, taking her Whispers with her.

      Chapter 4

      The great marble statue of Willow loomed overhead as Mab, Oberon and the fairy children made their way behind the waterfall at the mouth of the River of Forgetfulness. As Mab and Oberon held hands and chanted, one by one, the children slowly disappeared. They reappeared on the sandy shore in the Realm of Marissima and their wings began to dissolve.

      The ageless statue of Theodora sat watching them as they quickly made their way into the shimmering blue, green sea, knowing that they would easily be able to breathe under the water. Laura quickly retrieved the water whistle from her pocket. Within minutes, Lido and his sea-horses appeared to welcome them.

      ‘Look, Lido has a family now!’ said Dominique, pointing to the tiny sea-horses following Lido and his mate. Quickly they mounted the sea-horses and sped on their way to the musical waters. The children kept glancing over their shoulders, half expecting Silurion and his Lizard-men to jump out at them. Seeing their concern, Lido communicated to Laura that the Lizard-men rarely came into these waters, they preferred to swim in the waters near their caves.

      Don’t worry, he told her, we are staying well away from that part of the sea!

      Eventually, the beautiful melodic sound of the musical waters greeted them. Jumping off the sea-horses, the fairies swam lazily in the warm waters until the Whispers spied them and temporarily released the force-field surrounding the castle. Then they followed them down into the grotto. The children had forgotten how beautiful the castle was. Today, the sparking jewels encrusted on the stone walls seemed to shine even more brightly.

      ‘Lido and his sea-horses will take you through the kelp fields,’ Willow told the fairies later. ‘Hopefully, the Lizard-men will not even be aware that you are there! In the event that they are, remember that you have much power in your possession to disarm them.’

      ‘True,’ replied Ella. ‘However, we do not want the opportunity of using our magical gifts against them. I don’t know about anyone else,’ she said, ‘but I don’t have any desire to meet up with Silurion!’ The others quickly agreed with her, remembering their last visit to Marissima.

      ‘There is a bridge which connects Marissima to Olombo,’ explained Willow. ‘The sea-horses will be able to take you as far as the kelp fields. It will take you a bit of time to swim through them, but as long as you keep the sun on your left overhead, you will be going in the right direction. Eventually, the kelp will become very dense, then you will know that you are only a few meters from the bridge to Olombo.’

      ‘Is there no other way to Olombo apart from swimming through the kelp fields?’ Zara wanted to know. Willow shook her head. ‘Marissima is a water realm,’ she reminded them.

      ‘No choice then really, is there?’ remarked Georgia.

      ‘Once in Olombo, you will be in great danger from the Crocodile-men,’ Willow warned them. ‘You must remain alert and on your guard.’

      ‘I choose to remain positive,’ Ella announced. ‘Between all of us, we are very powerful. Don’t forget the advice of The Fairy Chronicles,’ she told the others. We must remain positive and focus on the outcome we desire. In this instant, it is to rescue Theodora and return her to the Realm of Marissima. We must not let any thoughts of failure distract us!’

      The others nodded in agreement. They had spent many weeks studying the wisdom of The Fairy Chronicles with Mab and Tatiana. Suddenly, their fears dissolved.

      ‘We are very powerful,’ said Ella. ‘Even you Dominique, when you want to be!’

      ‘It will take you a couple of days to get through the kelp fields,’ Willow explained.

      ‘A couple of days? What do we do for food?’ Andrew wanted to know. Willow rolled her eyes. It was well known that Andrew loved his food.

      ‘The kelp contains all the nourishment you will need. When you are hungry, just break a piece off and eat it!’

      ‘Yuk!’ Andrew replied making a face. Willow looked at him quizzically. Not a very fairy like comment, she decided.

      ‘Don’t say that until you have tried it,’ Georgia told him.

      After a sumptuous meal which was more to Andrew’s liking, the fairies once more headed out of the grotto and jumped onto the backs of the sea-horses for their journey to the kelp fields. Willow and the Whispers waved to them as they closed the force-field protecting the castle from the Lizard-men.

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