Hi all, I'm back again, sorry about the wait, I had exams. Here is the second last installment of "Love-Struck" but I'm still writing the last chapter! Please, tell me if you are enjoying it and what you think, the next fic I'm planning to write is a Duchess RavenWaves one, I'm really looking forwards to that! Anyway, happy reading!
Aura

Part Five

The gathering of questioning villagers approached, halting just before Castle LovelyLocks’ arching bridge. Prince Strongheart rushed to ShiningGlory’s side, his eyes wide. A windswept Duchess RavenWaves, her black hair tousled in the wind, trotted up to the pair mounted side-saddle on her spiky-maned horse, Titan. Hairball warily stood besides the restless horse, cautious of its sharp ebony hooves.
“The people of LovelyLocks wish to see their Lady, Prince Strongheart!” The Duchess commanded the Prince. Prince Strongheart set his jaw, glaring up at RavenWaves. He was not going to be intimidated by her.
“Lady LovelyLocks is ill. If you wish to address her, Duchess RavenWaves, you must do so by me!” Prince Strongheart appeared confident, but inside his stomach was clenched with fear.
Duchess RavenWaves scoffed, tossing back her hair. She turned back to the crowd.
“Did you hear that? The Lady LovelyLocks does not want to see you! She has sent her precious Prince Strongheart instead!” RavenWaves called out provocatively, stirring the crowd with her crafty words.
“Huh-huh!” Hairball laughed, stroking his moustache, his lower teeth jutting out of his jaw as he grimaced at ShiningGlory.

Prince Strongheart was infuriated, stepping forwards.
“Why are you doing this Duchess RavenWaves?” He demanded, his fists clenched. RavenWaves laughed carelessly.
“I am a representative of the people, Prince Strongheart, and they want answers!”
ShiningGlory stepped forwards, his silver hair and deep plum robes whipped by the wind. The wizard held up his hands, appealing to the assembly of people.
“People of LovelyLocks! Do not listen to Duchess RavenWaves’ poisoned words! Lady LovelyLocks has not abandoned you, she is under an enchantment-“
“Quiet you old fool!” RavenWaves snapped, hastily bringing Titan in front of the sorcerer, blocking him from the crowd’s view.
“Do not listen to him! He is old and has lost his wits! They are both preventing you from seeing the Lady LovelyLocks!” RavenWaves crowed. The crowd shouted in agreement.
“And where is Lady LovelyLocks? In her castle with her Pixietails, not with her people!”
Another shout rose from the angry gathering.

Prince Strongheart and ShiningGlory exchanged anxious looks.
“Lady LovelyLocks is not safe, we must keep her inside.” ShiningGlory resolved.
Prince Strongheart ducked as a rotten tomato was sent his way, splattering on the castle wall behind him. The crowd was hurling their wilted and spoiled vegetables in the direction of ShiningGlory and Prince Strongheart.
“I think it might be wise for us to stay inside as well!” Prince Strongheart replied, shielding his face from the hail of festering foodstuffs. Strongheart and ShiningGlory hurried inside, closing the great glass doors. Slowly they felt the castle rumble and shift as it moved upwards, out of harm’s way.
“The Lady LovelyLocks has locked herself inside of her castle! She no longer wants to see you! She is ignoring your hunger and misery! She has abandoned you, people of LovelyLocks!” The pair heard RavenWaves announce below. The wizard and the prince exhaled, wiping their brows. Prince Strongheart started to panic.
“What are we to do ShiningGlory? We are trapped in Lady’s castle by her own people! Lady LovelyLocks cannot go out and see the people of her kingdom in this state…” He gestured to his fiancée, who was busy playing tag with SilkyPup.
“You can’t catch me, SilkyPup!” Lady giggled, her voice as light as the breeze, her pink slippers pattering as she darted across the black and white tiled reception. She was completely oblivious to the trouble she was now in.

“I think Duchess RavenWaves has finally succeeded!” Prince Strongheart stated gravely.
“We cannot give up on Lady’s kingdom, Prince Strongheart- you were born to be a leader, you were born to inherit a kingdom, a people- it is now time to show them the Prince you really are!”

In the dank and dark Forest of Never Known, Sir GlistenGill marched onwards down a winding path pooled with shadows and lined with brambles. His wide, fish-like eyes looked about as strange creatures cricked and hooted in the rustling branches above. In the darkness, he could be sure he could see eyes. He gulped, but marched on nevertheless- he was almost to NeptuneWaves!

A rumbling in the distance caused the amphibian-like official to glance over his shoulder in fright, an approaching cloud of dust causing him to shrink back. Two cloaked riders were approaching. Duchess RavenWaves must be after me! Sir GlistenGill thought in terror, looking about for an escape. The riders approached, their faces shielded by two hoods. GlistenGill looked about, they were close! He leapt into a thorny bush to escape the oncoming riders, yelping as he was tangled up in the gnarled thorns. He thrashed- this was definitely worse than being captured by Duchess RavenWaves!
“Help! Somebody! Help me!’ He cried out as his velvet sleeve tore. His tender, moist amphibian skin glistened- those thorns would cause a lot of pain. The riders slowed. GlistenGill gulped, closing his eyes.
“Did you hear something?” A female voice from the ginger horse queried as the pair slowed to a trot.
“Yes, I think I did…” A second female voice came from the hooded figure in dark blue. A graceful hand made to pull down the hood, revealing the perplexed expression of Maiden FairHair, shaking her brown waves out from the hood. Maiden CurlyCrown’s strawberry curls were soon revealed, her green eyes wide with apprehension as she stared about.

An owl hooted and swooped. The two Maiden’s cried out and ducked, clinging to their horses’ manes. Maiden FairHair was the first to sit up, shaking back her two cascading ringlets. She tried to appear brave.
“How silly to be frightened! It was only an owl- do not worry Maiden CurlyCrown, I think that noise you heard was only a strange creature of the forest…”
“Creature of the forest?” Maiden CurlyCrown echoed, her voice quivering in fear. The wind rustling the branches above caused her to gasp with fright, “I am frightened Maiden FairHair! Why did we have to come through the Forest of Never Known? It is dark…and I can see eyes, I am sure of it!”
“Now is not the time to be frightened, Maiden CurlyCrown! Lady LovelyLocks needs us and we must get to the kingdom of NeptuneWaves. Do not worry! Look, I can see a clearing over there, we are almost out of this forest!”
Maiden FairHair spurred her noble mare into a slow amble. Maiden CurlyCrown looked around at the shifting shadows one last time, taking a breath.
“Be brave CurlyCrown!” She whispered to herself, “Lady and her kingdom need you!”
Sir GlistenGill gasped as he saw the two Maidens turn to leave.
“Maidens! Please help me!” He cried out, struggling on the bramble bush.
Maiden CurlyCrown whipped around suddenly, her eyes sparkling.
“That time I did hear something! Someone is calling for our help, Maiden FairHair!”
“How can you be so sure…?”
“Listen!”
“Maiden FairHair…Maiden CurlyCrown, please help! I am stuck!” A faint watery voice traveled on the wind.

Maiden FairHair looked hesitant.
“Wait CurlyCrown! What if it is one of Duchess RavenWaves’ Comb Gnomes trying to trick us and lead us into a trap?”
Maiden CurlyCrown paid no heed to her sensible, and often doubting, friend. She dismounted from her golden and ginger mare, patting her tenderly before she went off in search of the mysterious voice.
“It sounds like Sir GlistenGill!”
“Wait Maiden! I am coming too!” FairHair slipped out of the stirrups, gathering her skirts as she darted over to her friend- secretly she was frightened of being left alone in the shadows, despite dismissing CurlyCrown’s fear earlier.
“Maiden CurlyCrown! Maiden FairHair! Over here, I need your help!” Sir GlistenGill gurgled, sighing with relief as the two young ladies came into view.
“Sir GlistenGill!” The pair exclaimed in unison.
“We must help him right away, FairHair! Look at how sharp those thorns are!” Maiden CurlyCrown rushed immediately to his aid, trying to disentangle his velvet cape from the catches of the brambles. Maiden FairHair frowned.
“I am not so sure, Maiden CurlyCrown…after all, he caused all this trouble with Lady LovelyLocks with his Mermaid’s Song!”
“But we must help him! Remember what Lady LovelyLocks said? One must always help someone in need no matter how you feel about them. Remember how she rescued Duchess RavenWaves, Hairball and the Comb Gnomes when they were caved in under Castle LovelyLocks…?”
Maiden FairHair sighed, reluctantly agreeing.
“Very well!”

The pair struggled and strained and finally Sir GlistenGill was freed from the thorns of the bramble bush. He exhaled with relief, wiping his brow and dusting off his red robes.
“Thank you Maidens! How can I ever repay you from your kindness?” The fish-like creature beamed at the two Maidens.
“How about explaining what you did to our Lady LovelyLocks with your Mermaid’s Song?” Maiden FairHair offered, her hands on her hips, her expression serious. Sir GlistenGill’s shoulders slumped.
“I am so ashamed! I did not mean to cause trouble for Lady LovelyLocks! I was captured by Duchess RavenWaves you see, and she forced me to enchant Lady with the Mermaid’s Song! It was not my fault, please do not be angry!” The amphibian pleaded, his eyes watering with fear.
Maiden FairHair turned to Maiden CurlyCrown.
“I knew Duchess RavenWaves had something to do with this!” She announced. Maiden CurlyCrown’s expression softened with sympathy when she saw the look of regret and shame Sir GlistenGill wore. She bent down and touched his shoulder lightly.
“Do not worry Sir GlistenGill, we are not angry with you, but we need you to help us!”
“Lady’s kingdom is falling apart because of this spell-“
“-and we need a solution!”

The trout-faced herald paused, pondering for a moment. Then he brightened.
“I think I know the answer- but we need the help of Princess AquaCrest.” He announced.
“What is it?” The Maidens asked in unison, leaning forwards.
“The only thing that can call back a Mermaid’s Song is the Great Conch that can only be blown by the leader of NeptuneWaves…”
“We need Princess AquaCrest and this Great Conch then!” Maiden CurlyCrown exclaimed.
“I agree- we must get to NeptuneWaves immediately!” FairHair concurred. The pair smiled at each other- what a relief it was that they were finally agreeing!
“Can you show us the way to NeptuneWaves Sir GlistenGill?” Maiden CurlyCrown asked as she mounted her horse, Sir GlistenGill settling into her lap. His webbed fingers grasped at the apricot curls of the horse’s mane.
“Indeed I can- we are not far off now.”
Maiden FairHair urged her wavy-haired mount into a trot, ready to burst into a gallop.
“Quick now! We have no time to lose! Lady LovelyLocks needs us!” She called out.
The trio was off in a gallop heading towards the rolling valley bathed in sunlight beyond the dark and shadowy Forest of Never Known…off to the kingdom of NeptuneWaves!

Prince Strongheart took a breath, puffing his chest and setting his jaw. He pushed his fringe away from his blue eyes, a look of determination on his face. But his voice was anything but determined.
“Are you sure I can do this, ShiningGlory?” His voice trembled with uncertainty as he looked down upon the frustrated crowd below. PixieShine twinkled about the Prince and perched herself on his shoulder.
“You-ix can do it-ix Prince Strongheart-ix!” She chirped encouragingly.
Prince Strongheart gave the little Pixietail a thankful smile as he tickled the magical creature’s belly tenderly. PixieShine almost fell off his shoulder in giggles.
“Thank you PixieShine.” Strongheart flicked his shoulder-length blond hair from his face, straightened his posture and adjusted the pin on his cape.
“I can do this.” He stated confidently.
“We have faith in you, Prince Strongheart…Lady LovelyLocks has faith in you.” ShiningGlory reassured the nervous Prince. Strongheart smiled, took a breath and proceeded to open the glass doors that led to the grand balcony of Castle LovelyLocks which looked down upon Duchess RavenWaves and the swelling crowd.
“Good luck-ix, Prince-ix!” The Pixietails trilled in unison.

As Prince Strongheart stepped out onto the balcony the myriad of voices fell silent. He took a breath as he strode to the edge of the balustrade, ready to duck if another vegetable was hurled his way. But none came. Wide eyes stared up at him. He could feel the smouldering heat of Duchess RavenWaves’ glare. I am not scared of you Duchess RavenWaves, like my fiancée never was! He thought to himself, building his confidence. He opened his arms.
“People of LovelyLocks! Your Lady has not abandoned you; unlike the lies you have been told!” Strongheart began.
The crowd murmured, looking amongst themselves. Prince Strongheart smiled to himself- he could sense already that their belief in Duchess RavenWaves was wavering. Strongheart took another breath, his confidence mounting with each word.

“The Lady LovelyLocks is ill…” His tone became serious. The muttering of the crowd became louder, this time it was worried.
“How ill?” A man shouted out.
“What is she sick with?” A female voice followed.
“The Lady has been made ill with enchantment, with magic. She is no longer herself…”
“Magic? Can’t the sorcerer ShiningGlory cure her?”
“This is advanced magic, Sea Magic, from a faraway kingdom, it is too strong for ShiningGlory to reverse. But do not worry, a cure is being found! At this very moment that I speak the faithful Maidens CurlyCrown and FairHair are traveling to the Kingdom of NeptuneWaves to help our Lady! Please, people of LovelyLocks, I beg of you, do not believe the falsehoods the jealous Duchess RavenWaves has told you! Go home and be with your families in this time of need- if you have faith in the Lady LovelyLocks, then know that everything will be resolved!”
Silence followed Prince Strongheart’s decree. A sharp blast of wind blew his cape about his figure, his blond hair whispering across his determined expression. The people looked around, at each other, at their children.

“The Prince is right…our families need us, we should not be angry like this…”
“Have faith in the Lady LovelyLocks!”
“Everything will be solved, it always has before…”
Voices rose from the crowd. Strongheart relaxed, smiling to himself. His speech had been a success- he really was a leader! Slowly, the crowd started to disperse as villagers and their families returned back to their homes. One person who was not content, however, was Duchess RavenWaves. Her violet eyes were wide with panic as the people- the simpletons!- actually believed what the Prince said! She kicked Titan into a trot, circling him as the people, once her audience, were ignoring her and returning to their homes.
“No! No, do not leave! Do not believe him, he is lying! It is all a lie, the Lady LovelyLocks is not really ill! No! Come back! Hairball- do something!” RavenWaves screeched.
“What can I do Duchess? Huh-huh, I wasn’t the one who lied to them!” Hairball shrugged.
“What did you say?”
Hairball swallowed and then shrank several sizes smaller as RavenWaves, imposing upon her spiky steed, towered over her assistant.
“Nothing!” The miniature Hairball squeaked nervously.
RavenWaves reached for a spoilt tomato left over by the now absent crowd. She glowered and held it up threateningly.
“Hairball…!” She growled
“Please Duchess! Huh, huh, I didn’t mean it!”

Splat.

The crystal clear water shimmered as it lapped the moist sand. The ocean stretched out towards the horizon, a glistening shade of blue. Maiden FairHair, CurlyCrown and Sir GlistenGill cantered on the sand, the late afternoon sun causing the waves to twinkle. Sir GlistenGill pointed.
“Look! There it is!”
The two Maidens gasped in unison. As they came around a corner, right before their very eyes rose turrets of bleached coral decorated with shells, surrounded by seaweed and nested by seabirds with long glistening tails and glittering wings.
“It is beautiful!” Maiden CurlyCrown exclaimed. Sir GistenGill chuckled.
“And that is only the top! The castle extends much further underwater.”
“Goodness…” Maiden FairHair echoed.
The trio cantered on, their horses’ hooves splashing as the tide rushed in. The NeptuneWaves castle turrets loomed, dwarfing the three. Maiden FairHair and CurlyCrown slowed their mares.
“But how are we to get in? We cannot breathe underwater Sir GlistenGill!” Maiden CurlyCrown exclaimed. Sir GlistenGill looked equally confounded.
“I am sorry Maidens, I did not think of that…”
Light lilting laughter and splashing distracted the Maidens. A voice could be heard. Maiden FairHair’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I know that voice…” She remarked, glancing over her shoulder.

The two Maidens dismounted, in search of this familiar voice. The pair laughed with delight as they laid eyes on a familiar face. In a sheltered cove a golden-haired mermaid, her hair streaked with blue and tied with pale blue ribbons, splashed in the shallows accompanied by her seahorse Pixietails.
“Maiden GoldenWaves!” Maiden CurlyCrown laughed, waving. How good it was to see a friendly face in such troubled times!
The mermaid, her blue-turquoise tail glistening held a pretty pink scallop shell.
“What do you think PixieSplash? Do you think this will cheer Princess AquaCrest up?” Maiden GoldenWaves asked her Sea Magic Pixietail, flicking back her long golden tresses. Her expression brightened as she laid eyes on Lady LovelyLocks’ friends.
“Maiden CurlyCrown! Maiden FairHair!” The mermaid waved, “What a surprise to see you here!”
The two Maidens hurried to the shore, their slippers lapped by the tide. Maiden GoldenWaves ducked into the crystal water, followed by her seahorse companions with glistening tails, as she swam up to the shore. The mermaid pushed back her luxurious, wet hair from her welcoming face as she surfaced, adjusting a shell ornament in her locks.

Maiden CurlyCrown crouched down.
“You are far from the Enchanted Island, Maiden GoldenWaves.” The maiden with apricot curls observed.
The mermaid gave a silvery giggle, splashing the fluke of her blue tail.
“Why yes! I have come to visit my good friend Princess AquaCrest…” GoldenWaves’ expression then fell into a look of puzzlement, “…but the Princess is not herself at all today! She has been so sad and miserable, everyone here is! I cannot think why…! Oh, how rude of me! How is Lady LovelyLocks? Maiden MistyCurls and I have been thinking of her…”
Maiden CurlyCrown and FairHair exchanged looks.
“That is precisely why we are here, Maiden GoldenWaves, because of Lady LovelyLocks…” Maiden FairHair informed.
The mermaid’s eyes widened as she drew her tail up to her chest. The sun made the droplets of water on her blue scales glitter like jewels. Her lips parted with concern.
“What is the matter with Lady LovelyLocks?”
“She has been enchanted, Maiden GoldenWaves!” CurlyCrown exclaimed.
“Like Princess AquaCrest, she is not herself either…” FairHair added.
“…she is off in her own little dream world…”
“…and the kingdom is falling apart…”
“…and only Princess AquaCrest has the solution! We need to see her right away!”

“Oh no! This is terrible!” Maiden GoldenWaves exclaimed, looking about at her Pixietails, “But seeing Princess AquaCrest will be very difficult, I am afraid…she is in such a gloomy mood that she refuses to come out of her castle and will not see anyone!…I have been trying to find pretty shells that might cheer her up…”
“But we need to see Princess AquaCrest, it cannot wait!” Maiden CurlyCrown became frustrated, the lively maiden stamping her foot.
“Only the Great Conch can fix this spell that seems to have both Princess’ out of sorts!” Maiden FairHair added.
“Please, Maiden GoldenWaves…could you help us?”
Maiden GoldenWaves wore an expression of sympathy- she really did want to help her friends. She shrugged her shoulders.
“I do not know what I can do!” She admitted, “Princess AquaCrest is in such a grouchy mood that I do not think she will listen to me! She is usually not like this at all; she is always so kind and understanding!”
“Well, if you want Princess AquaCrest back to normal, you need to help us Maiden GoldenWaves!” Maiden CurlyCrown was persistent.
“Yes! Try to convince her to come up to the surface to see us, and she needs to bring her conch too! Please Maiden GoldenWaves- two kingdoms depend on you!”
Maiden GoldenWaves looked at her glittering seahorses once more, then gave the two worried Maiden’s a reassuring smile.
“Do not worry, I will see what I can do!” She splashed her tail, “One must always help friends in need!”
The Maidens exhaled with relief.
“Thank you Maiden GoldenWaves!”
Maiden GoldenWaves giggled as she skimmed over the water, her half-fish body leaping fluidly like a porpoise before she finally ducked down, her tail flicking as she descended underwater.

There was a silence. Sir GlistenGill pattered up to the pair, his face flooded with joy as he felt the water of his kingdom lap at his webbed feet. Maiden FairHair sighed, guilt gnawed inside of her.
“I am sorry for not always understanding you Maiden CurlyCrown…and for being so convinced that I was right that I did not even listen to you! I am sorry we have been disagreeing lately…” Maiden FairHair apologized as the pair looked out at the setting sun. Her bubbly companion gave her a bright smile, shaking her strawberry curls back from her green eyes.
“There is nothing to apologise for, Maiden FairHair!” CurlyCrown laughed, not at all fussed, “You are far more sensible than I am! Sometimes I am too impulsive and silly things come out of my mouth!”
“But I should not have been so dismissive of you earlier- it was you who was right about the Mermaid’s Song and what was wrong with Lady LovelyLocks. And it was you who was doing the right thing by helping Sir GlistenGill! I think I have learnt that being impulsive sometimes and saying what you feel can be a good thing! Thank you for being so understanding!”
“That’s what friends are for!”
The pair embraced gently, sighing as they marveled at the beauty of the setting sun over the expanse of the twinkling sea.

But then pair jumped back and gasped as they suddenly noticed that the water right before them started to bubble and boil! CurlyCrown gasped, clinging to Maiden FairHair as the water bubbled red, then a shimmering gold slowly bleeding into a pale purple. The bubbles grew bigger, some popping as they expanded, other breaking free of the surface and floating upwards into the air. Then beautiful, choral sea music reached the Maidens’ ears…it sounded similar to the Mermaid’s Song, but with many voices! Then with a great whoosh, the water parted, a foam circle surrounding this water activity. The two Maidens gasped as the ruler of NeptuneWaves suddenly burst upwards, perched on a large, glittering pink seahorse. Princess AquaCrest had arrived. Maiden FairHair and CurlyCrown exchanged looks then dropped into low curtseys, the lace of their white petticoats lapped by the waves.
“Your majesty, we have come all the way from the Land of LovelyLocks to ask for your help….” Maiden FairHair started serenlely.
Princess AquaCrest, a mermaid as beautiful as her watery kingdom looked down upon Maiden FairHair with disdain. The mermaid princess had a tail of silver, the colour of wet dolphins glistening in the sunshine as they leaped; each of her scales possessed an iridescent shine. Her luxurious hair, between waves and curls, was piled up in abundance, decorated by shells, strands were strung with pearls large and small and upon the crown of her head she wore a coronet of red coral laced with sparkling bubbles. Maiden CurlyCrown looked up at wonder towards this mermaid princess- how strange it was that her hair was green! Her features were delicate and pretty, her eyes as blue as the deepest part of the sea, her lips pink like new coral and her skin as creamy as the finest pearl…her expression would normally be open and welcoming, but today, it was anything but!

“My help! Why would I offer you my help?”
The mermaid, her voice musical and lilting, exclaimed sharply. Her tone resembled Duchess RavenWaves’ stubbornness. Sea Magic Pixietails of turtles, fish and seahorses surfaced and surrounded their mistress. Maiden FairHair observed the magical sea creatures- their shine had been lost, their tails drooped…every one of them looked miserable! Maiden GoldenWaves surfaced, her waves of spun gold with pale blue streaks swimming in the water as she glided over to the Maidens.
“Princess AquaCrest, please do not be like this! The Maidens are friends of Lady LovelyLocks…” Maiden GoldenWaves interjected, trying to reason with the glum and groucy mermaid princess.
Princess AquaCrest sniffed and folded her arms.
“I was perfectly happy in my throne room…” Princess AquaCrest pouted, “All I want is some peace and quiet!”
“But Princess AquaCrest, we are your friends! We have come to help you.” Maiden CurlyCrown explained brightly. The mermaid blinked.
“Why do I need your help?”

The three Maidens looked at one another. If they worked together, maybe they could get this gloomy mermaid princess to see reason!
“Look around you Princess AquaCrest…” Maiden FairHair stepped forwards, gesturing to the sad looking Pixietails.
“Your kingdom is gloomy and miserable!” CurlyCrown added.
Maiden GoldenWaves swam forth, her seahorse Pixietails diving and splashing after her.
“We used to have such fun times, Princess- remember our seahorse races? And how we would collect the prettiest shells in the kingdom? Everything used to be so happy and bright, you do not want to be like this, so glum and grouchy!”
The mermaid upon her large pink seahorse looked about at each Maiden, then sighed. Poor Princess AquaCrest looked miserable!
“You are right!” She sighed, “I have been feeling so sad and lonely…and I feel like there is nothing I can do about it!”
Maiden CurlyCrown brightened.
“But there is something you can do, Princess!” she stated brightly, her green eyes sparkling.
Maiden FairHair nodded.
“You are only feeling sad because you have lost your Mermaid’s Song! Your Sea Magic has been altered and now Lady LovelyLocks has all your happiness…”
“And her kingdom is falling apart!”

Princess AquaCrest listened to the pair, then raised her finger as she thought.
“Then I must call my Mermaid’s Song back!” She declared.
Maiden FairHair and Maiden CurlyCrown laughed with relief- finally, they were getting somewhere!
“Sir GlistenGill, find me my Great Conch!”
“Right away your majesty!”
Sir GlistenGill beamed as he retrieved a magnificent, jewel-encrusted conch shell. Princess AquaCrest took the shell from her loyal herald, held it up against her lips…and blew. A long, loud echoing note burst from the magnificent instrument and the three Maiden’s clapped their hands over their ears- it was so loud! Maiden CurlyCrown turned to Maiden FairHair.
“Goodness! I hope this works!”
“So do I Maiden CurlyCrown, LovelyLocks depends upon it!”