A Teenage Enchantress: Earth, Air, Fire and Water

by S.B. Bartlett

back in Aquarian Falls before the hour is up. What you’ll need is a glass jar, water and a blue gem. Instructions: fill the jar with water, gently drop the blue gem inside. and repeat the spell three times.

  I turn to Emma. “I need to do this spell.”

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea,” she says nervously.

  “You pointed the spell out to me!” I laugh, and Emma joins.

  “It’s my only hope of un-binding our main portal. The tree is dead I have to fix my mistake.” I say imploringly.

  “Well, what do we have to do?”

  “Well, it says I need a glass jar, water and a blue gem.”

  “Where are you going to get them from?

  I wasn’t sure how I would obtain these items. I couldn’t ask my family because they wouldn’t allow me to do this, but deep within me, I feel I can do this, and that it will work. All I have to do is create a temporary portal, find a glass jar, water and a blue gem. Seems simple and easy. And I know exactly who can help me. Or at least I hope he can help.

  “C’mon, let’s go see Midnight,” I say as I close the book, jump to my feet, and place the Book of Shadows under my arm.

  “This place still amazes me. It’s huge, and we need to explore it after the tree problem is fixed,” says Emma in awe of our surroundings.

  She was right, we have only seen some of this world.

  “I wonder if they have shops here,” laughs Emma.

  I actually wondered the same thing. We head to the waterfall and look for Midnight. I soon see him as he swims out from behind the waterfall. He notices Emma and I instantly. I smile and wave as he makes his way over to us.

  “Arabella,” he smiles as he adapts human form.

  Emma gasps. She’s only ever seen Midnight in horse form.

  “Emma,” he nods in her direction with a kind smile.

  “Hello Midnight, I was wondering if you could help me? Does our world have shops? I need a glass jar, and a blue gem,” I say.

  “Why would you be creating a temporary portal?”

  He knows? “How’d you know?”

  “I’m over 300 years old, I know a few things,” he laughs,

  “And yes, there are stores here, you’ll have to travel to Belk Forest.”

  He’s over 300 years old!

  “How far away is that?”

  “About a thirty-minute walk, west of here. You never answered me Arabella, about the need to make a temporary portal.”

  “I need a few things from the mortal world that will help with the portal tree.”

  “You think you’ll be able to restore life back into the portal?”

  “Yes, I really do believe it will work.”

  “I hope so Arabella,” he smiles warmly as he steps into the water and transforms back into the stunning horse.

  Emma and I wave goodbye as we head back to my grandfather’s house. I’m glad Emma is with me when I face Grandfather.

  I nervously open the front door only to realise that I have our Book of Shadows without their permission. I let go of the door handle, pull the book from underneath my arm, hold it before me and let go as it now floats mid-air. I use my mind to teleport the book to my bedroom window, and then proceed with opening the door to the house.

  “Sweetie, where have you been? I came to check on you and you were gone,” Mom enquires worriedly.

  “I’m sorry, I went for a walk with Emma.”

  “That’s okay sweetie, your grandfather is waiting to speak to you.”

  And there it was again, those butterflies floating in my stomach. Mom could sense my distress.

  “It’s okay honey, he knows you were only trying to help,” she tries to soothe me.

  “He seemed very angry.” I whisper.

  “He’s waiting in the kitchen, go talk to him,” she urges kindly.

  “I’ll… um, just wait here Arabella.” Emma says.

  What! No, I wanted her to come with me.

  “I think that would be best my dear,” interrupts mom as I stare at Emma pleadingly. She shrugs apologetically as she takes a seat in the living room.

  I take in a deep breath and walk slowly into the kitchen, trying to muster the courage to face him. I turn the corner, and see him seated at the table with his back towards me. I take in another deep breath as I walk by him and take a seat to his right.

  “Arabella,” Grandfather begins softy. “I feel terrible that Ariel and I both snapped at you. We know you didn’t mean any harm my sweetheart. It’s just, that portal has lived for thousands and thousands of years. Your magic is stronger than you know, you’re quite the powerful enchantress Arabella.”

  “Grandfather I’m so sorry, I really am.” I whisper, as I try not to get upset and bawl my eyes out.

  “It’s my fault for not teaching you more. With your sudden need to come to Aquarian Falls, and holding a feast and all that, I had no time before then to teach you. I also didn’t realise that wolves would be able to open the portal in the mortal world. They don’t have that sort of power, that’s how I know someone from our kind is working against us, and helping the vicious wolves.”

  “What! Why would someone of our kind help werewolves?”

  “That I still do not know, but I think there’s a way to reinstate our main portal, bring it to life again.”

  You and me both, I think. “How so?”

  “The information I require is in our Book of Shadows, the book you took last night,” Grandfather smirks. He knows I took it.

  “I’m sorry, I took it only to find something that could help bring the portal back to life,” I say nervously.

  “I know sweetheart, that’s ok. What did you find?”

  “Well, we need a few things from the mortal world so we need to create a temporary portal, we need a glass jar and blue gem.”

  “Hmm, temporary portals, especially when created from a glass jar and blue gem can sometimes glitch, and with our main portal not working, it can be quite difficult to create another temporary portal from the mortal world. We’ll need to travel to Belk Forest, I know just what we need.”

  “I really am sorry grandfather,” I feel the need to reinstate.

  “Arabella, my dear child, it’s okay, we’ll get through this. You and I will fix this, then we can focus on you learning more about your magic,” he smiles comfortingly.

  I stand up and wrap my arms around him. “Thank you,” I whisper.

  As night will soon fall, Grandfather and I have prepared to travel to town first thing in the morning. I was so excited that I’d get to explore more of our world, to visit magic stores. I can’t wait! As Emma will be joining us on our excursion, she stays over for the night.

  As we change into our pyjamas and hop into bed, I decide to show her the stars. I wave my hand across, and whisper, “Wish on you, wish on me, the stars I wish to see.”

  Emma’s eyes light up as we see our bright sky, with rays of bright colours.

  “Arabella, I never want to return to the mortal world, ever.”

  I turn to look at her as she stares at the magnificence of the sight above. “This is our new home.” I assure her with a smile.

  We continue gazing at the stars until we fell into a peaceful sleep.

  It’s the following morning. Emma and I are up early and ready to visit Belk Forest. We have no idea what to expect but we’re utterly excited.

  “Are you girls ready?” Grandfather asks with a grin, taking in our eager expressions.

  “Yes,” we both reply at the same time.

  “I love you honey, take care of yourselves,” says Mom as she kisses my cheek.

  “Love you too Mom.” I give her a hug in return.

  “Why does Arabella get to go do fun things?”

  “Sebastion honey, you can go play with your friends,” placates Mom, to which he runs out the front door and over to Daxton’s. We laugh at his exuberance.

  Emma and I walk out the door as Grandfather quickly follows. He walks in front of us and holds his
hand up for us to stop. Emma and I look at each other, perplexed.

  I look to the right and in slow motion, running toward us, was a glowing, manifest, white winged horse. It stops before us. This is the third magical animal I’ve seen. She was huge; she stood much more than ten feet tall.

  “Stardust, we require a lift to Belk Forest,” says grandfather. He sprinkles magic dust from one hand into the other, forming sugar cubes as her reward. Grandfather feeds this amazing horse as I stand staring, completely mesmerized.

  Emma stood like a statute as she stared, enchanted by the magical creature. I nudge her a little and she gathers herself.

  “This horse has wings,” whispers Emma in wonderment.

  “Girls, this Stardust, she’s a star spirit.”

  A star spirit? That’s interesting.

  “Did she fly from the stars?” asks Emma.

  Grandfather laughs, and Stardust snickers.

  “No my darling, she comes from a part of our world that always remains dark. She glows to light up the village, as do all the other star spirts,” he explains kindly.

  “That is so cool!”

  I look at Stardust, my eyes follow along her long, white, shimmery tail, to her perfectly braided mane, and up to her eyes, where I find her already gazing at me calmly. I immediately look away nervously.

  “Alright girls, up you go,” urges Grandfather.

  I look around. There’s no way to climb upon her, no ladder, no nothing.

  “How?” I ask, dumfounded.

  Grandfather smirks as he casts a spell. Emma and I are lifted from our feet causing us to yelp in surprise. It took my breath away.

  “Oh my God, I’m flying, we’re flying, holy moly Arabella!” yells Emma in excitement.

  It was truly incredible, and I soon started laughing as our bodies float upwards until we were seated on top of Stardust.