The Tale of Snow Uni: Part Four

by Shidi

The wizard's eyes twinkled as he looked around at his children. "Don't worry, my dears… this all happened very long ago. Are you scared?"

Grylf grumbled, and rubbed his snout with a paw indignantly. "Of course I'm not, but the girls might be…"

Dondria peeked her head out from behind a pink Faerie Aisha wing. "I'm not scared! Neither is Nowne. Go on, please!"

Nowne was, in truth, maybe just a little scared.. but she did want to hear the rest of the story, so she didn't say anything about it.

The Wizard showed the illusion of the mirror again, with the Dark Faerie stepping up to it, grooming her raven tresses. "And so, she continued her daily rituals.. until one day she asked the mirror her question…"

The illusion of Myranda spoke then, intoning in a cruel voice "Magic mirror, tell me without hesitation, who is the most lovely in all Uni Nation…?" The mirror seemed to shimmer a moment, and then replied, "Dark queen, you are very lovely, this is true… but Princess Snowflake is lovelier than you...by far."

The pets let out a collective gasp--this had to be trouble! "And so, overcome with jealousy, the wicked Myranda ordered the castle hunter--a brave Uni named Favias, to take her into the deep dark spooky woods and leave her there to starve. As a sign that he had done this terrible deed, Favias was to bring back her broken horn."

"Not the horn!" Gaelan cried. Being a Uni himself... he knew what pride his species took in their crowning glorious horns.

"Yes," said the Wizard, "I'm afraid so. But Favias had a kind heart... and he could not bring himself to harm the innocent Princess. He told her that Myranda plotted against her... And that she should run... run as fast and as far as she could, and never return."

"Awwwww..." Nowne sniffled. "Poor Snowflake!"

"Terrified, Snowflake ran deeper and deeper into the wood--which was quite spooky, even way back then. Creeks and cracks and eerie noises emanated from the depths of the underbrush, and she was quite sure she did not wish to know their source..."

The illusion showed the pretty Uni princess all alone and frightened, traveling through the darkest of the dark wood. And then shifted to the castle, where Favias returned...

"Favias had stopped off on his way back to the castle to an old wizard's shop. There, he bought a 100% Fake Uni Horn, and some paint...carefully recreating Snowflake's horn, in hopes to fool Myranda."

Emorali giggled, thinking of the Fake Uni Horn he'd had to play with as a young boy. He wondered absently why they stopped making those as the Wizard continued…

"Myranda smiled coldly and took the horn from Favias as proof of his "dark deed". Favias hoped she never learned the truth… and that Snowflake would fare well."

***

The Wizard once again shifted the illusion, back to Snowflake on her travels. She had come to a small cottage in the wood, and was nosing the door open.

"Snowflake had never learned that it was rude to enter someone's home without permission- she was a Princess, after all, who would deny her entrance?"

Dondria giggled. "I want to be a princess so I don't have to clean my room!"

Shidi grinned at Dondria. "I'd still make you clean your room. It's good for little princesses to stay down to Neopia."

Dondria pouted at bit, but soon became interested in the tale again, as the illusion showed Snowflake entering the cottage and trotting quickly to a warm fire blazing in the hearth.

"Snowflake made herself right at home. The fire was so warm and cozy, that she soon drifted off to sleep. Later that evening, however, the owners of the cottage returned… seven burly Skeiths who were quite surprised to find a Uni napping by their fire."

The Wizard showed the Skeiths gathering around to look at the Princess, some looking cranky... some curious… and one a bit hungry.

Galean gulped… Skeiths could be scary.

"The Skeiths decided that since the Uni was here sharing their fire, she could help by keeping their cottage clean. Snowflake was mortified at first--she'd never cleaned anything in her life. But soon, she actually came to enjoy caring for her new home."

The illusion showed Snowflake tidying up the cottage, and seven happy Skeiths praising her efforts. "Soon, the Skeiths and Snowflake were living a happy life…"

"But meanwhile, at the castle, Myranda was furious. She'd found out the Uni Horn was a fake- poor Favias had left the tag on the inside. He'd fled the castle in grave peril, in the dead of night."

The pets felt sad for poor Favias, and even Grylf sniffled a bit, though he covered it up with a cough and a paw.

"Myranda cast a dark spell, that made Snowflake fall into a sleep so deep, she appeared to be dead. The Skeiths were all very sad…"

The illusion showed the Skeiths gathered around the very still Snowflake, bawling and crying and hugging each other for comfort.

"Dude… I never knew Skeiths could get so... emotional " Emorali said, surprised.

"Shhh... the story" Gaelan nudged his brother into silence.

"Just when it seemed all was lost, and the Skeiths were preparing a grave for the beautiful Uni… Favias came crashing through the wood. Overcome with grief at the sight of poor Snowflake lying on the ground beside the freshly dug grave, he wickeder a mournful sound, and nuzzled her snout with his own."

The illusion depicted this... And much to the pets surprise.. when snouts touched… Princess Uni's eyes flickered open.

"She's alive!" the pets cried almost in unison. "Hooray!"

"Yes... indeed she was alive… " the Wizard said with a smile "True love had broken Myranda's dark spell, and Favias dwelt for the rest of his days with Snowflake and the Seven Skeiths…"

Here the Wizard paused, as if to end the story, and Shidi rose to being ushering the pets to bed. Most of them started up the stairs, happily chattering about the tale… but Gaelan the Uni remained, and nudged the Wizard's leg with his snout for attention.

"But… what about the Uni Nation? What happened to them, with the evil Myranda still in charge?" he asked., somewhat saddened by the thought.

"My dear child… that is another tale entirely. There was a young knight, who led his people to freedom… after pulling a Sword of Domar from a stone…."

Gaelan's eyes widened. "Will you tell it to me? Pleaseee…."

"Another time perhaps, for now, you should go to sleep…"

Galean joined the others reluctantly, but soon fell fast asleep, to dream of a time long past when Uni's were noble, and fair Princesses could be found and saved from distress.

The End