by Chris Colfer
She gave the dwarf no choice. Mr. Slate climbed down from the observation deck and begrudgingly guided his visitors to the back of the cavern. They followed him into a long tunnel that snaked even deeper into the mountain and ended at a small cave. Unlike the other parts of the mine, the sequestered cave sparkled like the night sky because the floor was covered in piles of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and every other gem imaginable.
In the back of the small cave was a girl of about twelve, with bright green eyes, beautiful brown skin, and black curly hair. She wore a dress made from a burlap sack and sandals made from wood and rope. The girl stood behind a workbench that was illuminated by a jar of fireflies.
Piece by piece, the girl selected coal from a cart beside her bench, closed her eyes, and concentrated as she squeezed it. When she opened her hand, the piece of coal had transformed into a colorful gem, and she tossed it into the pile it belonged to. Brystal and Xanthous were mesmerized by her process and they watched her for several moments before she noticed she had company.
“Who are you?” she asked, wary of her unexpected guests.
“Hello, Emerelda, my name is Madame Weatherberry,” the fairy said. “It’s so great to finally meet you.”
Madame Weatherberry approached the workbench to greet Emerelda with a handshake, but the girl didn’t accept it. Instead, Emerelda folded her arms and looked Madame Weatherberry up and down with a dirty scowl.
“What are you doing in my cave?” she asked.
“They’re witches and they demanded to see you,” Mr. Slate said. “I’m sorry, Em, they gave me no choice.”
“Actually, we’re not witches,” Madame Weatherberry corrected him. “We’re fairies and we’re here to save you.”
“Save me?” Emerelda was offended by the notion. “Papa, what’s this woman talking about? What does she think she’s saving me from?”
“Papa?” Madame Weatherberry was surprised to hear. “Why does she call you Papa?”
“Because I raised her,” Mr. Slate said. “We’re not holding her hostage—this is her home! Her parents abandoned her when she was just an infant and I found her crying in the woods. Of course, I didn’t realize she was magical until I brought her back to the mine. My plan was to find her a nice human home, but then everything she got her hands on turned into jewels.”
“So you decided to keep her and profit from her magic,” Madame Weatherberry accused.
“No, to protect her!” Mr. Slate exclaimed. “Can you imagine what would happen if humankind found out she existed? Their greed has no bounds! Kings would go to war to get their hands on a child who can turn coal into diamonds! She’d never have a moment of peace until the day she died! Yes, we make a nice living off of Emerelda’s creations, but at least she’s safe with us!”
Brystal could tell Madame Weatherberry was embarrassed for misjudging the situation, because she paused for a few moments before saying another word.
“Mr. Slate, I apologize for the misunderstanding,” she said. “But the mine isn’t the only place she can be protected. In fact, there’s only one place I know of that can guarantee her safety, that is, until she learns to protect herself.”
Madame Weatherberry leaned down so she could look into Emerelda’s eyes.
“I’m starting an academy of magic,” she explained. “I’m going to teach young fairies like you to control and expand their abilities. I’ve traveled all this way because I’m hoping you’ll want to join us.”
Emerelda raised an eyebrow at Madame Weatherberry, like it was the dumbest idea she had ever heard.
“Why would you start a school of magic?” she asked. “The world hates magic!”
“That’s exactly why I’m starting it,” Madame Weatherberry said. “After my students are properly trained, our plan is to travel around the world and use our magic to help people. Hopefully, humankind will recognize our good deeds and learn to accept us, so little girls like you will never have to hide in caves again.”
Brystal and Xanthous watched Emerelda closely, hoping she would be intrigued by Madame Weatherberry’s offer, but she remained just as defensive as before.
“I’m not interested,” she said.
“Are you sure?” Madame Weatherberry asked. “This is a very big opportunity. Would you like some time to consider it?”
“I don’t need to consider anything,” Emerelda snapped. “Why would I want to use my magic to help humankind? Like my papa just said, humankind is awful! All they do is make life difficult for other species!”
“Well, I won’t argue with that,” Madame Weatherberry said. “Humankind is a flawed race, but unfortunately, as long as they have the numbers and resources to stay in power, their acceptance of us is the key to our survival. If the magical community doesn’t do something to improve our relationship with humanity, we risk extinction. Showing them kindness is the first step in changing their perception of us.”
“Humans don’t deserve kindness!” Emerelda said. “My parents were human and they left me to die when I was just a baby! What kind of monsters would do that to their own child?”
“We all have our scars, Emerelda, but that doesn’t mean we should give up.”
Madame Weatherberry slowly removed the glove covering her left arm and everyone in the cave gasped. Brystal had never questioned why the fairy wore only one glove, but now it was obvious. Madame Weatherberry’s left arm was skeletal and her skin was pitch-black from the tips of her fingers to the bottom of her shoulder, like it had been burned to the bone. It looked less like a human limb and more like the branch of a withering tree.
“My family was human, too, and when they discovered my magical abilities, they tried to burn me at the stake,” she told them. “Luckily, there was a terrible storm that night and the fire didn’t last long—but I’ll never forget the pain as long as I live, because my family’s betrayal hurt far worse than the flames burning my skin.”
After the gruesome memory was shared, Madame Weatherberry slipped her charred arm back into her glove.
“Why would you want to help the people who did that to you?” Emerelda asked.
“Because if we want a better world, we have to be better than the world,” Madame Weatherberry said. “If we let one experience destroy our faith in an entire species, then we’re no better than the people who hurt us. Just like in the magical community, there is good and evil in humanity, and now more than ever, they need to be reminded of the goodness in their hearts. Our pursuit of acceptance could be the example humankind needs to change its ways—it could inspire them to finally value their compassion over their hatred. We could create a new era where the world respects not just us, but those from all walks of life.”
Madame Weatherberry’s passionate plea poked a few holes in Emerelda’s resistance, but it didn’t tear it down.
“I guess I’m still valuing my hatred over my compassion, too,” Emerelda said. “I’m sorry you came all this way, Madame Weatherberry, but I won’t be attending your school. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.”
Emerelda returned to her workbench and continued transforming the coal into gems. Madame Weatherberry seemed extremely saddened by the girl’s decision but didn’t press the issue any further. She headed out of the cave, gesturing for Brystal and Xanthous to follow her.
“We should get going, children,” she said. “I’m sure the unicorns are anxious for us to return.”
Although Madame Weatherberry had accepted Emerelda’s choice, Brystal thought the girl was making a horrible mistake and wasn’t ready to give up on her. She went back to the workbench and stood in front of Emerelda until the girl acknowledged her.
Emerelda rolled her eyes. “Yes?” she asked.
“I’m just curious: How do you decide which jewel to turn the coal into?” she asked.
Emerelda sighed, like her method was too complex for Brystal to understand.
“I don’t decide,” she said. “Each piece of coal is unique and has its own en
ergy. All I do is find the jewel inside and bring it to the surface.”
“Interesting,” Brystal said. “So you’re doing to the coal exactly what Madame Weatherberry wants to do to us.”
Emerelda scrunched her forehead. “What are you talking about?” she asked.
“Even if you disagree with Madame Weatherberry’s reasons for opening the school, she’s still offering us a chance to become the best versions of ourselves. I understand how you feel about humankind, but you aren’t going to let them keep you from reaching your full potential, are you? Haven’t they taken enough already?”
Clearly, Brystal’s words resonated with Emerelda more than Madame Weatherberry’s had, because the girl dropped the coal and went deep into thought. Brystal turned to Madame Weatherberry and the fairy beamed with gratitude for her assistance. The entire cave waited with bated breath for Emerelda to make her decision.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I can’t leave the mine,” Emerelda said. “The dwarfs need me and I belong with my—”
“Em, pack your things,” Mr. Slate said. “You’re going to that school.”
Everyone in the cave turned to the dwarf—it was the last thing they expected to hear coming out of his mouth.
“What did you just say, Papa?” Emerelda asked in shock.
“I said you’re going to that school,” Mr. Slate said. “I’ll admit, I’m not convinced Madame Weatherberry’s plan will work, either, but the girl is right. This is an opportunity for you to become a better version of yourself, and I won’t let you turn it down.”
“No!” Emerelda exclaimed. “The mine is my home! I’m happy here!”
“Yes, but that won’t always be the case,” Mr. Slate said. “Eventually, you’re going to grow up and want more out of life. You’ll want to make friends and start a family, you’ll want to have fun and fall in love, and you won’t be able to do that in a mine surrounded by dwarfs.”
“But you need me!” she said. “You just said you profit off my magic!”
“We’ve benefited from you long enough,” Mr. Slate said. “But you’re like a jewel yourself, Em—you won’t do any good hiding out in a dark cave. It’s time you shared your beauty with the world.”
Emerelda tried to argue with her papa, but he wouldn’t hear another word from her. Tears came to her eyes as she reluctantly put her belongings into a small bag. Once Emerelda finished packing, Mr. Slate kissed his adopted daughter on the forehead and gave her a hug.
“I’m not happy about this,” Emerelda said. “And I’m not saying good-bye—because this isn’t good-bye. Right, Papa?”
“No, my child,” her papa said. “This is just the beginning.”
Although they didn’t live in the Southern Kingdom, Madame Weatherberry had Mr. Slate sign a permission form just to be safe. The Miner Superior escorted everyone back to the main cavern and Madame Weatherberry awoke the miners from their sleep. Emerelda said farewell to the dwarfs and each of them was more dismayed to see her go than the last, like they were all losing a child. Mr. Slate walked his adopted daughter and their guests to the entrance of the mine and waved them on their way.
“All right, children,” Madame Weatherberry said. “Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER NINE
MADAME WEATHERBERRY’S ACADEMY OF MAGIC
After leaving the mine, Emerelda tried her best to remain as unimpressed by Madame Weatherberry’s magic as possible. When the fairy transformed four field mice into unicorns, Emerelda’s eyes grew very large, but she didn’t make a sound. When Madame Weatherberry removed the brooch from her gown and turned it into a golden carriage, Emerelda’s breathing increased, but she didn’t say a word. However, as the unicorns transported them across the Southern Kingdom at extraordinary speed, Emerelda was having a difficult time concealing her amazement.
“Isn’t this spectacular!” Xanthous said. “If you whip your head around really fast like this, you can catch a glimpse of the land.”
The boy gave Emerelda an example, and she almost tried it herself, but then she remembered to keep her appearance unenthusiastic. Brystal giggled at Emerelda’s failing facade.
“You know, it’s okay to be a little excited,” Brystal said. “No matter what we see or do, nothing will ever make the mine any less special to you.”
Emerelda pursed her lips to suppress a smile, but it surfaced anyway.
“All right, I admit this is pretty amazing,” she said. “For fun, the dwarfs and I used to race runaway carts through the mine, but they never went as fast as this. How are the unicorns doing it?”
“They’re compelled by magic,” Madame Weatherberry explained. “Not only are unicorns the fastest animals on the planet, but they also always know their passengers’ exact destination and the quickest route to get there.”
“Are we close to the academy?” Emerelda asked.
“It’ll take a couple of hours to reach the Southern Kingdom’s eastern border, then it’s just a short distance through the east In-Between,” Madame Weatherberry said. “We should arrive just before sunset.”
“We aren’t getting out of the carriage again, are we?” Xanthous asked.
“Unfortunately not,” Madame Weatherberry said. “As much as I would love to teach you another lesson at the expense of a hostile creature, there’s a special path in the forest the unicorns know to take.”
“Madame Weatherberry? I keep forgetting to ask, but what is the academy?” Brystal inquired. “Is it a house? A cabin? A cave?”
Madame Weatherberry smiled playfully as she thought about her academy. “You’ll see,” the fairy said. “Some things in life are better seen than described.”
A couple of hours later, the golden carriage approached the eastern border of the Southern Kingdom. Just like the western border, the thick forest of the In-Between grew along the eastern border like a gigantic, twisted fence. The trees were so close together there was barely room for a person to walk between them, but the unicorns charged ahead. They found an opening Brystal would never have spotted on her own and the steeds pulled the golden carriage onto a narrow road.
As they traveled through the In-Between, the unicorns slowed down to guide the carriage safely down the winding path. Brystal was unsettled by the eerie sights of the dark forest outside her window. She expected a ferocious animal or monstrous creature to jump out from the darkness and attack their carriage at any moment. Brystal figured Xanthous and Emerelda were feeling the same way, because both her companions had covered their eyes and sunk in their seats. Unsurprisingly, Madame Weatherberry wasn’t affected by their frightening surroundings at all. The fairy kept a confident and watchful eye on the trees passing by, like she was prepared for whoever or whatever might cross their path.
Time seemed to move much slower in the In-Between than it had in the Southern Kingdom, but eventually the golden carriage came to an abrupt stop. Brystal, Emerelda, and Xanthous looked out the window and saw that the unicorns had stopped because the road was blocked by a massive hedge wall. The strange plant was taller than the trees and stretched for miles in both directions. The leaves and branches were so thick the hedge was practically solid.
“We’re here,” Madame Weatherberry said cheerfully.
Her students had no idea what the fairy was talking about. The longer the unicorns stayed put at the dead end, the more they felt like sitting ducks in the dangerous forest.
Suddenly, the hedge started to shake and snap. The leaves and branches slowly parted to form an arch that was wide enough for the carriage to fit through. The unicorns moved under the arch and entered a long leafy tunnel that cut through the thick hedge. The passageway went on for several hundred feet and the children were amazed by how dense the hedge was. It was so dark in the tunnel Brystal couldn’t see her hands in front of her face.
“Madame Weatherberry, what is this?” Brystal asked.
“Just a little barrier I planted around the property to protect the academy,” Madame Weatherberry said.<
br />
“A little barrier?” Xanthous asked. “This shrub is enormous!”
“It may seem like overgrown shrubbery, but the hedge is actually equipped with a very powerful spell,” Madame Weatherberry said. “It only opens for people and animals with magic in their blood. It’ll keep us safe from all the restless creatures wandering the In-Between.”
The unicorns reached the end of the tunnel and stopped at another leafy wall. Beams of bright light shone into the dark tunnel as a second arch opened and granted the carriage access to Madame Weatherberry’s property. The unicorns exited the hedge barrier and their young passengers realized they weren’t in the creepy woods anymore.
The golden carriage proceeded down the path into a rolling field of the most vibrant wildflowers the children had ever seen. The land was sprinkled with trees that were covered in colorful maple leaves, blushing cherry blossoms, and blooming magnolias. A crystal-clear lake was lined with weeping willows and it spilled into streams and ponds with vivid water lilies. The picturesque estate stretched toward a cliff overlooking a sparkling blue ocean, where the sun was setting in a horizon of rosy clouds.
“I don’t believe it,” Brystal said. “It’s like we’re inside a painting!”
“I’ve never seen so much color in my whole life!” Emerelda exclaimed.
“We must be dead,” Xanthous said. “Our carriage crashed in the forest and now we’re in paradise. It’s the only explanation.”
Madame Weatherberry was incredibly touched by the excitement in her student’s faces.
“I’ve waited a long time to see smiles like those,” she said. “Many years of hard work have been put into developing this place. I hope it becomes as much your home as it is mine.”
The carriage continued down the path, and there were more surprises at every turn. Brystal was mesmerized when she saw there were herds of unicorns grazing and frolicking throughout the fields around them. She looked up and noticed the sky was filled with huge colorful butterflies and enormous birds with long auburn feathers.
