by Judy Pierce
Slowly, very slowly, the vibrations became slower, the colors more subdued, and soon the song of the uni-verse faded. She shook herself, speechless at what she’d experienced. She remembered why they were all here and glanced down at Boardmore and Smiley, who had somehow been lifted from their pit and were lying on the soft earth, the calmest, most beautiful expressions on their faces. Ozette hardly recognized them. She put her paw to her mouth to hide a gasp. The men’s hair had turned totally white!
Ozette didn’t want to be the one to break the silence, so she stood with her paw on the Heartstone, which was now thrumming in a most soothing manner.
Looking stunned, Queen Beatrix stepped toward the men.
Boardmore opened his mouth to speak, but no words came from his mouth. He swallowed, licked his lips and sat up, facing his cousin. Smiley sat up slowly, looked around and shook his head in wonder.
“Queen Beatrix,” Boardmore said. His voice was so soft and contrite that Ozette couldn’t believe it was the same man who had haunted her dreams these past months.
“I...I had no idea. The soil...the plants...the air…the trees...are all so alive,” he said haltingly. “So intricate. So beautiful. I...I don’t know what to say. I never knew...never imagined...” He shook his head, speechless.
Smiley nodded and looked at the queen.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. This place is magical. Magical, full of awe, and wonder,” he whispered. Ozette never thought she would hear such regret in the man’s voice.
“I know now that what we planned was wrong. Very wrong. I can see that now,” Boardmore said, his voice shaking. “I can see it so clearly. I’m so ashamed at what I’ve become. I turned my back on my heritage. You’re right in wanting to send us back to Earth World. How can you ever forgive us?”
Smiley nodded in agreement as tears streamed down his face and mixed with the bird droppings and pokeberry juice.
Gizmo looked at Ozette. She shrugged her shoulders, feeling totally overwhelmed by what was happening.
Princess Abrianna looked at her sister. They’d expected the men to want to return to Earth World. And until that moment, that’s what they’d wanted also. Now they weren’t so sure. Could the men have had a total transformation? Or were they acting?
Koshi WorldDreamer stepped forward. He stood quietly, holding his hands out to the side as if measuring something. He closed his eyes for several minutes in deep concentration. He nodded. “I sense that you’re sincere. Your hearts have been changed.” He turned to Gizmo. “I’ll deal with you later, young lad,” he said sternly.
Gizmo gulped and moved closer to Ozette. She put a paw on his shoulder reassuringly. She had no idea if he would be punished for his rash act.
The queen bit her lip thoughtfully and then spoke.
“Because of your true change of heart, you’re welcome to stay in Farlandia as part of our family.”
Boardmore thought for several minutes. He looked at his brother. “I’m not sure what Smiley will decide. For too long I’ve made decisions for my brother. I appreciate your welcoming me here. Today has been a true revelation, and I want to think about how I might best be of service to all of nature. Let me ponder it overnight.”
Smiley looked at his brother. “We’ll talk it over, Queen Beatrix,” he said.
With his knees shaking, Boardmore walked over to Ozette. She took a step backward, holding Gizmo to her, not sure what to expect. The chipmunks clutched her ankles. The man knelt before her.
“Queen Ozette,” he said, bowing his head. “I don’t ever expect you to forgive me for what I wanted to do to you and this land, but please know that I’m truly sorry. The queen did the right thing when she made you the ruler of Farlandia.”
Smiley nodded in agreement. Ozette held out her paw, and the men took turns holding it in their large hands. Ozette felt herself choke up as they looked at her with such sorrow in their eyes.
She was at a loss for words and merely nodded and patted their hands with her soft paw.
“Ozette, I expect you and Gizmo to come to the castle tomorrow. You too, Abrianna. Maxwell will come for you,” the queen said. She mounted her unicorn and looked at the men. “Let me know what you decide, cousins. This has been a most unusual day, most unusual. I know we all have a great deal to think about. ”
Boardmore and Smiley picked up their tools, Boardmore looked at his bow and arrows saying, “I’ll not need these ever again.” They mounted their horses, patted them lovingly on their rumps and slowly picked their way home. No one seemed to have much to say. The events of the day had stunned all of them.
Ozette realized how tired she was. She was feeling quite overwhelmed by the day’s events. Although she was elated that Farlandia was safe, her heart was heavy, wondering what would happen to Gizmo.
Elves, fairies and animals crowded around her, happy that their home was safe but baffled by the turn of events. She thanked each one of them for all their help. Then she scurried to her nest, Gizmo in tow. Gertie, Abigail and their spider friends looked worried as the squirrels headed home.
After a quick dinner–both squirrels were too tired to eat much–they crawled under the soft moss and slept.
Ozette’s thoughts were in turmoil when she awoke in the darkest hours of the night. Would the queen send Gizmo away? Would she blame Ozette for Gizmo’s disobedience? She laid her paw over the Heartstone, letting its soothing energy finally lull her into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Twenty-One
A Prince of a Squirrel
When Ozette awoke, the sun was streaming through her nesting hole. Gizmo was sitting on a branch just outside the nest, looking worried. He turned when he saw Ozette.
“They won’t send me away, will they?” he asked, giving voice to her concerns.
“Let’s not borrow trouble. I’m sure the queen will be fair,” Ozette said.
“Please, Ozette. Did I do something wrong in sprinkling Boardmore and Smiley with fairy dust? I...I didn’t know what else to do. The queen and princess looked so sad, and besides...” Gizmo’s voice trailed off as they heard the heavy beat of Maxwell’s wings as he landed near her tree. The squirrels scrambled down, surprised that he had come so early, but not daring to snag breakfast before they left. Gizmo was already in enough trouble with the queen.
The squirrels clamored up Maxwell’s legs as he knelt down. Maxwell was in a chatty mood and kept up a running commentary on yesterday’s activities.
“This sure didn’t go the way any of us thought it would,” he said, looking back at his passengers. “That was some quick thinking on your part, young Gizmo. Not sure where Princess Abrianna is this morning. Thought I was supposed to take her to the castle too.”
Gizmo started to speak, but Ozette silenced him with a shake of her head. She didn’t want Maxwell spreading any rumors before they had even met with the queen.
With both Gizmo and Ozette lost in their own thoughts, the trip seemed to take forever. It was with a feeling of dread that the squirrels slipped off of Maxwell’s back and headed for the castle door. It seemed like it was always a crisis when Ozette visited the queen.
She heard Duchess Zorina barking and scratching at the big oak door, and her heart soared when she saw her Bichon friend again. DZ covered her friends with licks and slurps and led them into the queen’s office. Ozette recalled her last visit to the castle when she’d told the queen about the plot against Farlandia. How much had happened since that day!
The queen smiled and motioned for the squirrels to have a seat. At that moment, the door opened as Princess Abrianna and Cassady came into the room.
“We spent the night. The queen and I had much to talk about,” the princess said, looking at her sister.
Ozette heard the sound of someone clearing his throat. She turned to find Koshi WorldDreamer sitting on a cushion, sipping a cup of tea and smiling, his eyes kind.
A tall, thin woman Ozette hadn’t seen before strode into the room, pushing a teacart filled with nu
t pastries, fruits and an assortment of spiced tea and cider. Ozette was too nervous to feel hungry but took a plate to be polite. Gizmo filled his plate to the brim, ignoring Ozette’s warning look. The princess smiled at the baby squirrel, but her eyes looked worried.
“Ozette, Gizmo,” the queen began. “I’ve invited you here because we have a serious issue to discuss.”
Gizmo gulped and looked at his fuzzy feet.
“Didn’t Princess Abrianna warn you about not experimenting on your own with fairy dust?” she asked sternly, but not unkindly.
“Ye…s, ma’am. I mean your queenliness,” Gizmo said haltingly.
“What do you have to say for yourself?” the queen asked.
Ozette’s heart went out to the youngster, but she realized this was one battle he would have to fight himself. She bit her lip, and DZ cuddled closer to her on the peach velvet sofa.
“Well, I...I guess I wasn’t thinking about that,” he said, looking at the queen. “I saw how unhappy you and Princess Abrianna looked about sending your cousins away. I remembered how I felt when I had to leave Earth World, and how worried I was that I wouldn’t be welcome here, even though The Divine Miss Piddlewinks told me I needed to come. I had to do something to help, and then I thought of the fairy dust I had with me and...” his voice trailed off.
“And?” the queen asked.
“Well, then the voice told me...” he started.
“Voice?” the queen asked, raising her eyebrows. “What voice?”
Gizmo rocked back and forth, his head downcast.
Gizmo looked at Ozette, who nodded at him to continue.
“I know that I was sent here for a reason. When I saw your cousins lying there, and they were so angry, and I saw your sad faces, I didn’t know what to do. I felt helpless. After all, I’m just a baby squirrel. Then I felt this vibration–it seemed to come from Ozette’s Heartstone directly to me. Then I had the idea to mix all the fairy dusts together. It just popped into my head out of nowhere–like a voice,” Gizmo said, looking the queen in the eyes for the first time. “It sounded kinda like the Divine Miss Piddlewinks, Ozette’s grandmother.”
The princess pursed her lips, her eyes wide. “But you specifically disobeyed me,” she said softly.
Ozette heard a stirring and Koshi WorldDreamer stood up. “Come, come, ladies. I’ve given this a lot of thought. Yes, a lot of thought. Weren’t you ever young? Why I remember some of my escapades when I was just a lad. Like the time I invented a potion that changed my sister into a toad, and then I couldn’t turn her back again. I sure got into trouble for that one,” the elf said, rubbing his backside ruefully.
“But it all ended well after a time. And this ended well, too. Very well indeed. Think about it: had young Gizmo not acted, Smiley and Boardmore would most likely be back in Earth World, and there would be hard feelings between you that might never be healed. I know. I know,” he said, holding up his hand.
“The boy needs to learn that magic is nothing to play with, but he seems to be a bright squirrel, and I suspect he’s learned his lesson, right lad? And besides, he was obeying the Heartstone, not going off willy nilly on his own. And the Heartstone must be obeyed.”
Gizmo nodded enthusiastically, his whiskers quivering in relief.
The queen looked at the princess, smiled and shook her head in surrender. Ozette had just taken a sip of tea when someone knocked on the door. The queen frowned, not wanting to be interrupted in the middle of a meeting. The door opened just a crack, and she saw Smiley standing there with Boardmore close behind. The queen smiled warmly and invited the men to enter.
Ozette gasped. The men looked so different from the first time she’d seen them. Their frowns and angry looks had been replaced by a gentleness, and their faces were unlined and kind looking. But their hair remained pure white.
“Ah, Queen Ozette, and Gizmo,” Boardmore said, walking over to them. “We’re so glad you’re here. We didn’t want to leave without telling you goodbye.”
“Goodbye?” the queen stammered. “But you can stay. You...you seemed to have changed yesterday. What’s going on?” she asked.
Boardmore laughed. “Yes, we’ve changed, thanks to these squirrels here.” He knelt by Ozette and Gizmo and took a paw in each of his hands.
“Again, there are no words to tell you how sorry I am for what I wanted to do. When I saw the reality of this world...its beauty...its interconnectedness...” he broke off, tears filling his eyes. “Smiley and I will be forever grateful for the gift you’ve given us.”
Smiley nodded, giving the squirrels’ heads a gentle pat.
Boardmore picked up Gizmo and looked him in the eyes. “If it weren’t for you, our eyes and hearts would never have been opened. I know that what you did was a little, well, unconventional, but we’re so grateful to you. You, young man, are indeed a prince among squirrels.”
Gizmo’s eyes grew wide, and he silently mouthed, “A prince among squirrels?”
“But you’re not leaving here...are you?” the queen interrupted, confused.
Boardmore turned to his cousin. “Queen Beatrix, we’ve been given a second chance, a chance to do what’s right. Smiley and I talked long into the night. We feel we can best serve you, our queen, by returning to Earth World. There’s much work that needs to be done there, and perhaps we can help by sharing what we’ve seen and felt, share the experience of our awakening. But we would hope we would always be welcome to visit.”
Princess Abrianna and Queen Beatrix hugged the brothers tightly, tears running down each of their faces.
“You’re always welcome here. Always. Thank you for what you’re doing. Somehow, it feels right to me,” the queen said, wiping her eyes with a yellow silk handkerchief. “Earth World needs to hear your message.”
Koshi WorldDreamer looked at the men, his eyes bright. “I knew you had it in you. You’re fine men. Fine men indeed.” He winked at Gizmo. “Sometimes it just takes a little fairy dust.”
The princess and queen laughed, and Gizmo grinned happily, glad to be off the hook. Ozette looked at him and gave him an affectionate nudge. He’d gotten pretty good at knowing what she wanted.
“Umm, I do want to apologize for disobeying you, Princess Abrianna. I just...” he shrugged his fuzzy shoulders, and the princess smiled.
“Well, not always, but sometimes the ends justify the means,” she said. “And this was one of those times. And besides, who are we to disobey the Divine Miss Piddlewinks?”
DZ barked happily and started running around in circles, glad that the tension had ended.
“When do you plan on leaving?” the queen asked.
“We want to get started. We’ll leave today, but we’ll return,” Boardmore said.
“Please. Join us for tea,” the queen said, as she passed around more platters of food. “After we’ve eaten, I’ll help you through the veil.”
Ozette was quiet during the tea party, but Gizmo loved basking in the limelight. Smiley kept calling him the little prince, and Gizmo beamed. Soon it was time to head to their nest. Ozette and Gizmo, their hearts full of joy, bade their friends goodbye.
Maxwell was full of questions, which Gizmo willingly answered.
“What a turn of events,” Maxwell said. “All our worries were for nothing, Ozette,” Maxwell said, as he landed by their maple tree. Ozette shuddered, thinking of how it could have turned out if it weren’t for the love they all felt for Farlandia. She sent up a silent “thank you” to her beloved grandmother.
After straightening their nest and having a light dinner, the two squirrels curled up together and slept soundly.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Golden Acorn Tree
Ozette was up early. The air was crisp, and she could see her breath when she exhaled. After all her anxiety over the past few months, she felt a wonderful lightness. She hugged herself to keep warm and gave yet another silent thanks that her beloved home was safe. She was still amazed at all that had happened.
> Later that morning, Gizmo and Ozette were rooting around the forest looking for nuts they had buried during the fall. Soon it would be spring, and new trees would be sprouting from the nuts they’d not eaten. She smiled as she remembered the moonnuts, starnuts, sunnuts, grizzlenuts and chucknuts they’d planted and wished them well as they rested beneath the soil, warm and safe.
They’d just returned to their tree and were dozing when Ozette sensed someone was in their nest. She opened to eyes to see Sophia fluttering above her. “Come, Ozette, Gizmo. It’s time,” she said, hovering above the squirrels.
“Time? For what?” Ozette asked. But Sophia was flitting through the nesting hole. Ozette nudged Gizmo and off they went, following the tree sprite as best they could. Sophia led them to the golden acorn tree. Ozette almost stopped breathing when she saw the large group of friends gathered around the tree. Ariel was spreading a variety of delicacies on a woven tablecloth, and Baby Fiona was carefully filling tiny cups with spiced cider. The chattering stopped when they saw Sophia and the squirrels.
The sound of clapping filled the air. “Queen Ozette! Prince Gizmo!” they called. Once again, Maxwell had spread the word far and wide of their visit with the queen. Gizmo looked up at Ozette, embarrassed but beaming.
Sydney patted the ground next to her and Oliver, and Ozette and Gizmo sat next to their friends. Beemer spotted the squirrels, and the three chipmunks scurried over to them.
“I made you these Chocletto Seedettes,” Suzuki said shyly, handing Ozette a piece of bark piled high with the tasty treats. She still had a small bump on her head where she had hit the tree. “Oliver helped me make them.”
Ozette took a tentative bite. “Wonderful,” she pronounced, passing the bark platter to her friends.
She was taking a second bite of the treat when a cloud seemed to block the sun. Ozette looked skyward to see a large group of elves and fairies descending on the group. She heard a sharp bark and turned to see Cassady bounding toward her. The princess, toting a large picnic basket, was hurrying to catch up.
