The Changeling Princess
A Young Adult Novel
By
Jackie Shirley
The Changeling Princess
Copyright © 2013 Jackie Shirley
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Published in the United States
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many thanks to Carol von Raesfeld (The von Raesfeld Agency, Henderson, NV) for her editing assistance.
Without her support and encouragement, none of my novels
would have been published. I am forever in her debt.
My thanks to Dorothy Hardy for the fabulous cover design.
You have brought the changeling princess to life.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Janis French, Changeling. Member of the Vascadon Clan
Wade Wilson, Witch. Member of the Zandar Clan
Sherri Brown, Changeling. Janis’s best friend. Member of the Dustan Clan
William and Betty French. Parents of Janis French.
Pauline French, Janis’s grandmother. Member of the Vascadon Clan
Missy and Izzy, Janis’s adorable housecats
MINOR CHARACTERS
Mildred Wilson, Witch. Wade Wilson’s aunt. Member of the Zandar Clan
Bruce Dalton, Changeling. Sherri’s boyfriend. Member of the Aston Clan
James French, Pauline’s husband, Changeling. Member of the Vascadon Clan
Richard and Martha Greer. Janis’s grandparents. Members of Vascadon Clan
Ezra and Ezell. Evil Warlock twins and members of the Bosdo Clan
Ms. Forbs, Mist. Member of the Bosra Clan
CHARACTERS FROM THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE
Drog and Zanza, residents of Castle Town
Gorbra, ruler of Castle Town
Queen Neela, evil Witch. Ruler of Haven Town
Cayland, evil Sorcerer. Ruler of Cayland Town
Borgof, courageous leader of the Zema Witches Clan
Yolla, daughter of Borgof
Andra, High Priestess of the Zema Clan
Princess Meea, Fairy Queen of the Enchanted Forrest.
The Senior Elder in the Forest of the Mistazoids
King Tabia, evil ruler of the Kingdom of the Dragon Riders
Kazanza, majestic Dragon, ruler of Kazanza Island
Ishba, Keeper of the Records at Crystal Island.
Queen Subaza, evil ruler of the Kingdom of Vadraza.
Nardo, Queen Subaza’s evil brother.
INTRODUCTION
Stories of humans with extraordinary powers have existed since the dawn of recorded history. One such power was the ability for humans to transform their shapes at will. These humans came to be known as “Changelings” or “Shape Shifters.”
Another unusual power was the ability to mix plant and animal parts to make powerful potions to unlock the secrets of nature. These humans came to be known as “Witchmans” now commonly referred to as “Witches.”
The most unique power was the ability to morph into mist and float through the air. These early humans were called “Mistazoids,” but they eventually came to be known as “Mists.”
The human race prospered and populated every livable surface on the planet. Humans with special abilities remained small in number and kept their powers a closely guarded secret. All that remains in the twenty-first century are the fairy tales that parents read to their children.
This is a story of a young girl Changeling who is plucked from a life of mediocrity and endowed with the skills of the ancient Ivarrs, legendary warriors with unimaginable powers. When the Changeling is paired with a powerful male Witch, the young warriors prepare themselves for battle against an invasion of Demon hordes from a Parallel Universe. When the Portal of Darkness is opened, the fate of the entire human race rests solely on their shoulders.
CHAPTER 1
The horde of evil creatures was never-ending. I attacked the first dragon rider, severing the dragon’s head with one swipe of my sword. The dragon fell to the ground, but the rider morphed into black smoke and flew back into the Portal. The three remaining dragon riders flew high into the air and began cracking their whips in unison. The air was filled with gargoyles and all kinds of strange-looking creatures, surrounding me from all directions.
I sat straight up in bed. Wow! I said to myself. I’ve had a lot of strange dreams, but this one was really far out.
I wasn’t going to let the dream bother me. Today was special because it was the 21st of January 1960, the day before my sixteenth birthday. I couldn’t see into the future, but it was an exciting time to be alive. Many Americans believed that the 60s were going to be the dawn of a golden age.
Missy, my gray tabby, was lying at the foot of my bed. She looked up for a moment as if to say, ‘Why are we up so early?’ She did a little stretch before she curled back into a ball and closed her eyes.
I leaped out of bed and headed straight for the mirror on my dressing room table. The first thing I did was turn sideways and gaze at my shoulder length auburn hair. I took a deep breath and said to myself, I want my hair to be longer. I smiled as I watched my hair grow all the way down to my waist—a length I had never before obtained. I laughed and Missy raised her head again. My morning was off to a great start.
Next on my agenda was changing the color of my hair. I took another deep breath and focused on a single thought. I want my hair to be darker. I watched as my auburn hair slowly darkened until the color resembled a shiny piece of coal. “This is fantastic!” I sputtered out loud. I placed my hand over my mouth, but I couldn’t stop giggling. I was really happy with my progress.
My final test was to try to make myself invisible. I cleared my head and went into deep concentration. I want to be invisible. I watched as my body become more and more transparent. I could see right through myself, but I wasn’t invisible.
I broke my concentration and everything returned to normal. I was no longer transparent and my hair receded up to my shoulders. The color returned to auburn, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t crazy about being a brunette anyway. I really liked having my hair down to my waist, but it was out of the question. I’d have no way of explaining the sudden growth to my classmates at school. I could just see some stupid girl yanking on my hair because she wanted to show everyone I was wearing a wig. I turned my head and saw that Missy had crawled to the head of the bed and curled up on my pillow. It was obvious she wasn’t interested in anything but sleeping.
I was born Janis Ann French in 1944 in Charleston, South Carolina. I am the only child of William and Betty French. I stand five-feet-five and I weigh 120 pounds. I’m nice looking, but I can’t compete with girls who are drop dead gorgeous. I never gave it a second thought because being a raving beauty wasn’t really important to me.
I always made it a point to blend in with the crowd. It’s extremely important that none of my classmates knew that I possessed unusual abilities. Amongst my family’s Clans, I’m known as a Changeling, a shape-shifting creature that can change its shape at will. Changelings are popular in fairy tales and horror stories, but none of my classmates have the slightest idea we’re real.
I was born into a family of Changelings and we are members of the Vascadon Clan. At a very young age I noticed that I could do things other children couldn’t.
“You must be very careful,” my mother told me. “Don’t show off in front of your friends by doing anything to alter your appearance. If your friends know what you can do, they’ll think you’re a freak.”
When I was
very young, there wasn’t a lot I could do to change my shape. I managed to get rid of some ugly freckles and I was able to make my ears a little smaller. I also liked to eat and I was able to keep myself from looking chubby. Oh, what my girlfriends wouldn’t give to have that special ability! I’ve always been a happy child and I’ve never given a second thought to the fact that I’m different than other kids. I like having a secret and every day is like playing a special game with my friends. I know I could do things to show off, but I’d never do anything to hurt anyone’s feelings. My parents are extremely proud of me.
* * *
I made a beeline for the kitchen and rummaged through the pantry. I finally decided on a bowl of shredded wheat, but I cut back on the sugar to keep my weight down. I had just sat down to eat when my mother walked into the kitchen.
“You’re up early this morning, Jan. Excited about your birthday tomorrow?”
“I sure am, Mom. I keep thinking about my sixteenth birthday and I couldn’t go back to sleep. What time will Dad be home today?”
“He’s leaving work at noon. He’s taking the rest of the day off because he knows you have a million questions. We’ll spend the entire day with you and then we’ll all take a nap. We want to be alert for your midnight ritual of maturity.”
My thoughts were running wild as I tried to envision the midnight ritual. All I had been told was that at the stroke of midnight on my sixteenth birthday, I would inherit my full shape-shifting powers. Some scary thoughts entered my mind, but I’d always been told my abilities were a blessing. My parents had only issued one stern warning: “Never, under any circumstances use your abilities for evil. The wickedness will consume you and will end up destroying you.”
“The thought never entered my mind, Mom. I would never want to hurt anyone.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Did you notice anything different this morning? Some of your new abilities may be beginning to take root.”
“I sure did. I grew my hair all the way down to my waist and then I turned it jet black. It didn’t last very long because I lost my concentration.”
“That’s to be expected. Your abilities should mature after the midnight ritual of maturity.”
“I know, but the important thing is to be able to keep them under control. It would be a disaster if I ended up doing something stupid and exposed my new powers to my classmates.”
“The fact that you’re talking about it is a good sign. It shows how mature you are. Your father and I are very proud of you.”
I couldn’t resist smirking. “I guess I’m a wonderful daughter. You and dad are really lucky to have a terrific child like me.”
My humor caused my mother to laugh. “You have a great sense of humor, but I also know you’re very mischievous. I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of some smart-mouthed girl who decided to pick on you. You could make her life miserable.”
“You never picked on anyone, did you, Mom? 1 bet you were an angel when you were in high school.”
My mother tried to conceal her grin, but the look on her face was a dead giveaway. “You’re hiding something, aren’t you, Mom? Come on, tell me about it.”
“Well, there was this one girl who was really nasty. Her favorite pastime was telling lies about people behind their backs.”
“And you taught her a lesson, right?”
Mom was still trying to contain her composure. “Kinda.”
“Kinda how?”
“Well, she had some embarrassing warts she kept covered and I found a way to expose them.”
“I bet you used your shape shifting-skills and exposed her warts.”
My mother laughed. “Yes, I guess I couldn’t help myself. They called her ‘Warthog’ after that and no one listened to anymore of her lies.”
“I love it! I always knew you had a mischievous streak in you too.”
“Okay, I admit it, but you’re playing with fire when you use your powers for your own personal gain. More than one Changeling has been run out of town because the townspeople thought they were in league with the devil.”
“I would never do anything to make you ashamed of me, Mom.”
My mother and I had always had a wonderful relationship. I was going to do my best to make sure it stayed that way.
CHAPTER 2
At two o’clock, my parents and I were seated in the living room for the family discussion. Missy had finally made it downstairs and was curled up in front of the fireplace.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” said my dad. “Feel free to ask us anything.”
My mother spoke up. “That’s right, Janis. Your father and I will answer your questions with complete honesty. As a blood member of the Vascadon Clan, you have the right to ask any question that enters your mind.”
I paused. “I’m not sure where to start. I guess I’d like to know how Changelings got their powers.”
“No one knows the true origin of the Changeling Clans,” my father answered. “There is no written record of how we got our powers.”
“But there must be some kind of theory relating to our origins.”
“Actually, there are a couple of theories. One is that the Earth was bombarded with meteors when the first humans appeared. Some Changelings believe the meteors had magical powers that were absorbed by the humans who came in direct contact with them.”
“Wow! That’s pretty farfetched. It sounds like something you’d see in a science fiction movie.”
My father laughed. “Yes it does. Another theory is that explorers from another world traveled to Earth and took pity on the human species. It’s believed that they gave some of us shape-shifting powers to ensure our survival against vicious predators.”
I smiled. “Still sounds pretty far out.”
“A lot of Changelings believe in that theory,” my mother said.
“If that’s the case, I guess I should think of myself as really special.”
“Special, but not better.”
“I second that,” my father said. “We believe every creature on this Earth is special. We try to be respectful of each and every one of them.”
“Is there a limit to the abilities I might acquire?”
Both of my parents nodded their heads. “Yes, but you should be able to alter your appearance to the point where you can fool your friends,” my mother said. “It remains to be seen just how good you’ll be at it. I wish you could have seen your Grandmother Pauline when she was in her prime. She was amazing.”
“Age makes a difference?” I asked.
“Yes,” my mother replied. “It’s a fact that Changeling powers fade with age.”
My father interrupted. “There is a story that’s been passed down from generation to generation you might find interesting. As the story goes, approximately once every five hundred years, a Clan member from a Changeling or Witch Clan is endowed with special powers. These powers include reading people’s minds, morphing into animals, and controlling objects through the use of telekinesis.”
“That’s fantastic! Does this Clan member have a name?”
“Yes, the chosen one is called an Ivarr.
My eyes lit up. “I’d love to be an Ivarr.”
My father tried to conceal his amusement. “To my knowledge, there’s never been an Ivarr in the history of the Vascadon Clan. Your Grandmother Pauline would know more about that. She’s been doing extensive research on the history of Changelings for the past forty years. She has data dating back to the ninth century.”
“And I thought Grandma was just a bookworm.”
“Let’s just say she’s a very special bookworm.”
“Is there such a thing as a Werewolf?” I asked.
“That’s a good question,” my mother replied. “The term ‘Werewolf’ may have come from early Changelings who assumed the form of wolves. I’ve never heard of a modern day Changeling who could change into an animal.”
“What about Witches?”
My mother spoke again. “It’s my
understanding that some of the early Clans developed a unique ability to make special potions from plants and animal parts. These potions were especially useful for healing the sick and disabled. As their knowledge increased, these Clans were said to have discovered how to make potions that could control human emotions. In today’s modern world, these potions are commonly referred to as ‘spells.’”
“Are Witches evil?”
My father answered quickly. “Some are, some aren’t. Witches who turn evil are called ‘Warlocks.’ The sad thing is that the bad Witches get all the attention. An example of a good Witch is our neighbor, Mildred Wilson.”
I gasped. “Miss Wilson is a Witch? 1’ve always like her because she’s so sweet.”
My mother laughed. “By the way, after midnight tonight, you will have the ability to sense when you come into contact with a member of another Clan. You might not know if they’re a Changeling or a Witch, but your senses will tell you they’re gifted.”
I paused. “I know I’m awfully young to be asking this, but what about marriage? Do I have to marry someone from a Changeling Clan?”
“Of course not,” replied my father. “The only drawback is that your children’s powers will be reduced by one-half if you marry an ordinary human.”
“Like a mixed marriage?” I asked.
“That’s right. Just remember that all the Changeling Clans will eventually be absorbed by ordinary humans. You can’t stop the process because you can’t control who you fall in love with.”
“Jeez, the only Changeling boy I know is Jimmy Brown, Sherri’s younger brother and he’s a little creep. You and Mom don’t have any brothers or sisters, so I don’t have any uncles or cousins.”
“That doesn’t mean there aren’t other Clans in Charlotte we haven’t come in contact with. I’ve sensed their presence, but it was always in a large crowd. I can’t even say for sure they were members of a Changeling Clan. They could have been Witches or Mists.”
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