A Fairy Tail

A Fairy Tail

It was getting late on a Sunday evening when
dad declared it was time for bed. I climbed up on his shoulders
as I had done nearly every day of my 7 years and demanded a
bedtime story. Dad dumped me on the bed and asked me where my
favourite book of fairytales was. I reached under my bed as I
enthusiastically announced its location. Which one will it be
tonight Bronte he asked but while I was thinking a question
popped out of my brain. Why are they called fairytales dad?

Dad stopped for a minute to think, you can
always tell when dad's thinking cause he gets a little crinkly
in his forehead just between his eyes. Well, he began closing
the book, it all started long ago in a far off land. I could
tell this was going to be a good one so I snuggled in and listen
attentively.

The kingdom of Coractus was ruled by a stern
but wise king with a croaky voice by the name of Aday. He had
two sons, Murphious & Frazury. Although the two boys were twins
they were very different in the way they did their thinking.
Murphy was an easygoing storyteller whose best friend was a
fairy princess named Ailish. Murphy did not have much time for
the day-to-day running of the kingdom, as it was not in his
nature to make tough decisions nor to concern himself with the
tit-for-tat pettiness of the conflicts of the kingdoms
constituents. He preferred to spend his time making up stories
and telling them to any and all who would listen and he was
never short of an audience as he was very good at it. Most days
he could be found in the Coractus Courtyard where a number of
writers would meet and share their stories. There they would
take turns telling their latest tails and the fairies who would
gather to listen would judge the best story of the day and the
winner would be presented with food and drink from the courtyard
caretaker. Murphious was very often the recipient of these
favours.
Ever since he was young the prince's biggest fan was a fairy
called Ailish. Ailish was daughter of Melayne Grace queen of the
last colony of fairies in the land. She was unmistakably a fairy
by looks and by nature. Fairies are a curious lot, they can only
be seen when they want to be and although they love to play they
have a high sense of duty and believe it their main purpose to
make dreams for children. These dreams would be good if the
child had been good but if the child had been bad they can make
their dreams so dreadful they will wake in the night with a
scream, depending on how bad the child had been. The way they
would do this is by flying into the children's bedroom at night
and sprinkling fairy dust in their eyes. This dust would contain
a story magically transformed to be absorbed into the thoughts
of sleeping children. By the morning the dust would harden and
form crystals in the corner of their eyes and the child would
wipe it away without a thought. The fairies would get the
stories from the writers in the kingdom such as Murphious and
Murphious was Ailish's preferred supplier, as he would only make
up stories to give pleasant dreams.

Ever night Ailish would fly in and out of
windows sprinkling fairy dust and spreading the wonderful
stories of the kingdom until one day things were to change.

Frazury was a far more serious boy whose
dedication to his father's work had all and sundry believing he
would follow his father and one day rule the kingdom himself.
This was his ambition and he believed his right for all his hard
work while his brother indulged his folly. He would make the
kingdom the greatest in the land and would demand those who
waist their time playing games and telling stories be put to
better use.

Frasury's bedroom was next to the king's
bedroom and one morning while the king was having breakfast with
the queen he overheard a conversation that rocked him to the
core, the king was talking of announcing Murphious as the heir
to the thrown. Frazury is a very dutiful son but he is very
unforgiving, Muphious is more understanding than Frazury and he
would be kinder to those who need help. Frazury went into a
state of panic, how could this be, it was he who worked
tirelessly for the king faithfully learning the ways of the king
so that he could take over from him when he was no longer able
to do it. Murphious shirked his duties in favour of those
retched fairies over the needs of the kingdom, how could this
be. It would not, it could not, he just can't let it happen.
Frazury began to hatch a plan. He knew that as he was first born
and if the king did not, or could not, make such a proclamation
then he would be crowned king over his brother as this was the
law. But how could he do it, how could he change his father's
mind or make it so his father could not formally let his wishes
be known. Even as he was thinking he could hear that voice in
the back of his head, he knew what he would have to do but he
was not ready to admit it, not even to himself, not yet. After
breakfast he went about his business but his mind was always
thinking about what he had heard and trying to think of someway
he could stop his father's wishes becoming reality, the thought
nearly made him sick, he would be the next king of Coractus no
matter what it takes.

To be continued...

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