Thronegarden

to find herself hemmed in on all sides by trees. Looking to retrace her steps, she found herself facing a hungry Baywolf with an evil-looking Sprite on his back. The wolf was four-foot-tall with light grey fur that turned white towards his paws and tail. Piercing red eyes stared through her above a large snout that shadowed a mouth full of sharp teeth. Damselfly frantically searched for an escape route before spotting a small gap in a barrier of thorns. She crawled towards the opening, all the time expecting the wolves’ fangs to tear into her. Realising her intention, the Sprite who had green skin, small dark eyes and a sharpened spear in his hand urged the wolf forward. Damselfly knew the gap was too small though she could do nothing else but keep moving forward. She ducked to avoid a litany of low branches; her hands burrowed away clumps of snow to gain her a few extra inches to pass under the barrier. Just when Damselfly thought she might make it, she found herself dragged back, not by the Baywolf but by a stray sprig which had caught on her fairy wings. Terrified at being caught, Damselfly attempted to release herself. Unfortunately, she was stuck fast with not enough time to liberate herself before being pounced upon. Looking around in desperation, the princess caught sight of Buttons hiding inside a fallen tree trunk; the rabbit seemed to be trapped between trying to help her and his own sense of self preservation. Damselfly shook her head knowing that Buttons would never reach her in time. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

A blood-curdling cry shook the snow from nearby trees, stopping the wolves in their tracks and sending the animals fleeing into the night. Damselfly breathed again, knowing that they were safe, at least for now.

After the terrifying cry scattered the Baywolves, Damselfly managed to free herself and patiently coerce Buttons from his hiding place. They had set off in search of the woods’ end, finally stumbling out into the open where a strong breeze buffeted them along.

“What do you think made that terrifying sound to scare off the wolves?” Buttons asked.

“I don’t know,” Damselfly replied.

“Look at those lights,” Buttons pointed.

“It is just the stars,” Damselfly commented.

As the princess orientated herself, she noticed that the lights were actually coming from a small valley and with renewed hope pressed forward to reach safety. Damselfly could barely raise her legs when they finally entered the sheltered protection of the valley. Almost instantly, the wind dropped and they found a cleared path, which made walking easier. The hamlet seemed empty of life. Only the scattering of lights ahead kept Damselfly moving. A stray cat dashed in front of them before they turned a corner and found themselves in a clearing. Small wooden buildings created a square with a few dwindling lights shining through dirty windows. A couple of people were on the street and noticed them struggling.

“Why, Morris, it is just a young girl,” a female voice called out as Damselfly slunk to the ground in exhaustion.

“Quick, get her inside by the fire,” presumably the man named Morris ordered.

Damselfly felt herself lifted, though her mind and body felt dislocated due to her freezing state. The couple attempted to ask her questions, and although Damselfly formed the answers in her mind, she just could not bring herself to actually speak them. With Buttons curled up nearby and a warm fire thawing her appendages, the princess drifted off into a blessed sleep.

When Damselfly woke up, her head hurt and she called for her mother, before remembering what had happened. Morris owned a small establishment called the Woodcutters Inn which they were currently residing in. Buttons was sitting by the fire drinking a warm cup of honeyed tea, looking much brighter.

“Would you like a drink?” Beatrix asked.

Beatrix was Morris’s daughter and the family resemblance was startling with both having straw-colored hair, green eyes and a strong chin. Damselfly looked around the room though there was little to see: a couple of chairs surrounding a wooden table and a fireplace was all the inn could boast. Beatrix returned swiftly with a drink for Damselfly who took a hesitant sip; the tea was made from nettles making it rather bitter although the honey helped.

“Where did you come from?” Morris asked, absently wiping up a cup.

Damselfly was reluctant to reveal her true identity or purpose for being in the Wintergarden; however, she had to give an answer and so she chose her words carefully.

“We came through the Garden Gate and got lost in all the snow.”

“Are you alone?” Beatrix enquired with tears in her young eyes.

“Yes,” Damselfly replied.

“You’re lucky to be alive, wandering around alone without warm clothes or weapons,” Morris criticised. “There are all kinds of dangers out there from wolves to frostbite and everything in between.”

“They’re fortunate the Peritwinkle did not find them,” Beatrix added.

“What is a Peritwinkle?” Damselfly posed.

“It is a fearsome creature that Beatrix knows better than to scare our guests with,” Morris scolded.

“Please tell me,” the princess requested. “I do love stories.”

Beatrix was perhaps only a couple of years older than Damselfly. She seemed pleased to have someone to talk with, and Morris decided to leave them be.

“When the Fairy King destroyed Death’s timepiece we were in the middle of a long winter. Now it is always night and constantly cold. Many people moved away because they could no longer work or feed their families,” Beatrix explained.

“Those of us that stayed relied on the woods for our survival. Unfortunately, a pack of wolves began tormenting everyone who entered their territory and several people were injured.”

“Wolves are frightening,” Buttons spoke for the first time, looking rather solemn.

“The local people decided to raise a militia to scare away the wolves. They took burning torches and spears