The Black Queen of Elysia

Mirabeth pressed her hands hard over her ears in an effort to drown out the shouting of her parents as they argued. She hated it when they fought. I broke her heart.

When that didn't work, she flopped down on her bed and pushed one ear into the mattress and put a pillow on top of the other. She could still hear some muffled cries, but it was better. Soon the little girl fell asleep.

When Mirabeth awoke, she found herself surrounded by dense fog. She couldn't even see her hand in front of her face.

"Fergie, are you there?" Mirabeth called out to her unicorn friend who was generally her guide whenever she entered Elysia. "Fergie, I need you."

A strange cry came out of the fog. It made the six-year-old jump in fear. It was assuredly not that of Fergie, her unicorn friend.

"Is anyone there?" She spun around trying to catch a glimpse of the unknown entity stalking her.

A low growl came in return. It sounded ominous and suddenly Mirabeth wasn't sure she wanted to know from whence it came.

"What are you doing in Elysia?" A deep, growling voice penetrated the air, sending shivers down Mirabeth's spine.

"It's me, Mirabeth. I have been here before. I'm looking for my friends."

"What friends would those be," the voice asked, still growling its displeasure over her presence. "I've never heard of you."

"Well, there is Fergie and Bernie and Jane and. . ." Another growl, this time closer, cut off her words.

"Oh them," the voice said. "They have all run away."

"Run away? What would they do that," Mirabeth wondered, not realizing she had spoken the words out loud.

"Because of the gloom that is coming," returned the voice. "They were afraid they'd be overtaken by it."

"What gloom? I don't understand. Won't you show yourself so I can talk to you face to face?"

As Mirabeth peered into the gray fog, she thought she caught a glance of something red and very tall. She watched as it grew closer and stepped within a few feet of her. It was a strange looking creature with the body of a lion and the head of a dog.Oddly, its body consisted of red scales.

"What are you?" she asked. "Do you have a name?"

"Of course I have a name, upstart. "As for what I am, I might well ask the same of you. We have none of your kind in Elysia."

"I'm a little girl. Surely, you have children in Elysia."

"Surely, we do not," the creature roared. "But it does explain something."

"What's that?" Mirabeth asked, becoming impatient. "What does it explain?"

"From you fiery hair, I assume you must be the human that was long ago foretold. Some say you will be the end of Elysia. Others believe you will be its savior. I frankly think you are just a nuisance that I might as well eat and be done with."

Mirabeth laughed out loud. "You are going to eat me? I think not. I would sour your stomach for sure."

The creature flashed its amber eyes at her and bared its teeth, thinking it would frighten the girl into submission. "You dare to laugh at me?"

"Why not? You're funny. I'm sure I could run faster than you so I don't see how you think you could eat me."

"You are a strange one, I'll give you that," the creature replied. "You are brave, if not a bit stupid, but I like that about you. My name is Simon."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Simon." Mirabeth curtsied and moved forward to pat him on his dog head. Oddly, he did not draw away. "Now maybe you can help me find my friends. First we need to get out of this fog."

"That isn't possible, I'm afraid," came Simon's answer. The Black Queen has placed it here. It makes it easier for her to sneak up on her prey."

"Who is the Black Queen and why would she want to sneak up on anyone?" Mirabeth screwed up her face in a look of confusion.

"She is the ruler of the swamp land. She is use to the fog since it always covers the swamp. She can see through it while no one else can. As for her prey, that would be anyone who wants to save Elysia."

"Well surely there is a way to disperse the fog so that she doesn't have the upper hand. There must be a way."

"There is only one but it would mean traveling a long distance to ask the assistance of the Good Witch. Only she has the power to lift the Black Queen's fog."

"Well, let's go then. I have to find my friends and make sure they are safe."

"I don't know the way," Simon admitted. "But you do."

"Me? I don't know my way around Elysia. I have only been to the Rainbow Bridge and the Great Garden."

"It is through the Great Garden, on the far side of the meadow," Simon explained. "See you do know."

"But how can I find the garden in this fog," Mirabeth questioned. "I can only see you because of your bright red color. I can't see anything else."

"You don't have to see it," said Simon. "Just close your eyes and feel it. The garden will pull you to it."

"That makes no sense, either," said Mirabeth. "How is the garden going to pull us to it?"

"Because if you are who I think you are, the garden was made especially for you by the Great Wizard. It is your home away from home. It is part of you so you can feel it, if you try."

Mirabeth closed her eyes and concentrated like she was told. Sure enough, she felt a gentle tug in one direction. "It's this way," she whispered as she began walking off to her right. She couldn't see a thing, yet she knew she was headed in the right direction.

Sure enough, within minutes she felt the garden in front of her. Lifting her hands in front of her she felt the greenery of the roses. Gently, she followed them until she found the opening of the garden.

"Let's see," she stopped to think before moving through the archway. "The back door to the garden is straight ahead and slightly to the left if I remember correctly,"

"You do!" confirmed her companion. "But be careful, it's possible the Black Queen knows you are coming and she might have put obstacles in your path."

"What kind of obstacles?" Mirabeth drew close to her new friend so she could see his eyes more clearly.

"If you are Elysia's savior as foretold, then she won't want you to succeed. She'll do whatever she can to stop you."

"Stop me from saving my friends. That isn't likely," Mirabeth confirmed in her strongest, bravest voice. "Well, we might as well get going. Like you said, we have a long way to travel." With that the two companions disappeared into the fog.