The golden orb slowly slipped below the horizon to bring to a close another day. Drought had wrecked havoc on Jack’s family farm ground to dust leaving no food the last cow, Milky Way, Jack had struggled to save would not be here. Her bones stood out for everyone to see. She had given her last cup of milk. Jack would have to tell his grandmother the sad news. Exhausted, Jack shuffled on his weak legs toward the last two hay bales where he lay down and curled up to rest. Within seconds he was in a deep sleep.
“Jack,” a sweet voice whispered in his ear. “I need your help. You are the only one who can. You have to quickly plant the last of the seeds.”
“I don’t have any seeds,” mumbled Jack. “No water.”
“Yes you do, Jack. I’ll tell you do have the seeds.”
“I told you. No water. No seeds.” Jack rolled into a different position. “Let me sleep.”
“No time to sleep. You have work to do.” Jack tuned out the voice this is no time to think. He would have to face his frail, elderly grandmother with the news that Milky Way is dry.
“Dry. What is dry, Jack? Explain to me this dry.”
“No water. No seeds. No milk. And soon no cow.”
“I fix. You rest. Help is coming. Keep dreaming.” A snigger behind her had the Winter Fairy breaking contact with Jack.
“What’s so funny, Kai?” She waved her wand at her friend.
Kai ruffled his feathers. “I told you your mad idea wouldn’t work. You didn’t heed my advice.”
Winter Fairy folded her arms across her ample chest, tapped her foot on the floor, and waved her wand at him. “So you believed I failed. You believe you can do better.”
“Of course I can,” Kai stuck out the feathers on his chest while prancing along the perch. “I don’t have my mind clogged with the thought of your supply of chocolate running out.”
“So I like chocolate. What of it?”
“You have to look at this with a clear mind. Part of your plan has credence but you aren’t pulling it together,” hedged Kai, not wanting to anger Winter Fairy.
“Let the battle begin,” Winter twirled her wand then aimed it at Kai splintering the perch beneath his claws.
“Ahh! Not fair.” He ruffled his night dark feathers back into place. “This is war, your fairyness.” Kai picked his way across the room, hiding behind furniture out of sight of the wand, where the fairy couldn’t aim her wand at him.
“Cat! Cat! Who let in the cat?” Kai let forth the loud roar of a line he’d perfected.
“Where?” screeched Winter Fairy, waving her wand around ready to zap the lion.
Kai made his escape before the Winter Fairy realized she’d been tricked. “Fooled you. Fooled you,” chanted Kai, on his way out of the window.
“Why you...? You’ll pay for that nasty trick.” She took a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves. Her heart beat fast at the thought of coming face to face with a ferocious lion. How did she fall for that trick once again?
Kai’s raucous laugh echoed back to Winter Fairy until he was out of sight of Fairy Castle. He made his way to the farm where Jack slept. There was plenty of time to put his plan into action.
Princess Zelene paced the floor of her castle. The last giant had perished in a blizzard while on earth at his favorite skiing mountain. Now, she was left to take care of the family chocolate factory. She didn’t know what to do. The stream of chocolate stopped flowing into the factory tanks to be processed into different shapes and flavors.
Easter was approaching with freight train speed. Children all over the world were placing orders for Easter eggs. She didn’t want to disappoint the children. This is all the giant’s fault. He should have stayed to fix the problem. But no. His enjoyment of flashing across icy cold snow down dangerous slopes more fun than making chocolate.
“Where is Winter Fairy? She promised to solve my problems.”
“Well, there’s a slight hitch,” puffed Winter Fairy. “Jack isn’t responding to my pleas.”
“What are you doing wrong? Jack has to fix the problem. His grandfather started our downfall. He took our treasures away from us.”
“Treasures? What treasures? No one told me about any treasures,’ Winter Fairy moaned her displeasure of being kept in the dark.
“Yes. Jack’s grandfather took some of our gold, the golden hen and the musical harp. My grandfather was killed when he tried to retrieve our possessions.”
“Hmm! I’m missing parts of this situation. Kai was right. Not that I’ll tell him.” Winter Fairy disappeared. She had to research her fairy stories.
“Hey. Where are you going? I needed your help, yesterday.” Princess Zelene stomped out of the room. “Fairies aren’t what they’re all cracked up to what they used to be. Give me a real fairy godmother.”
“You called, Princess.” A dazzling, glittering fairy godmother appeared. Her golden star twinkled at the point of her wand. Her crown encrusted with gemstones.
“Who are you? Where did you come from?”
“I was Cinderella’s fairy godmother. She disappointed me. Her stepmother told me she ran away with a giant.”
“She did. That’s interesting. Did Prince Charming marry one of her stepsisters?”
“No. He refused to marry any of the choices his father presented to him. His father disowned the prince and he left the castle to follow a different future.”
“So why are you here?”
“You called for a fairy godmother. What problem do you have?”
“The river of chocolate has stopped flowing. We can’t fill our orders for Easter eggs. We can make sugar eggs,” wailed Princess Zelene.
“Oh, dear. that’s a disaster. I love my dark chocolate with ginger pieces.” The fair godmother waved her wand over Princess Zelene from head to toe. Her wand started pinging. “Hmm. that’s interesting. Where’s your mother, Princess?”
“My mother died. Why?”
“Are there any photographs?”
“The giant locked them in the dungeons the day his wife died. He hid the key. No one can open the door.”
“Key,” whispered Winter Fairy listening in on her magic mirror. “Kai. I have to track him down. He’s the keeper of the key.”
But Kai was busy setting his plans into action. He had found the hidden seeds in the barn in an old boiled sweet tin pushed back tight in the rafters. He set to work to plant them beneath the barn.
Searching the loft where hay was once stored Kai found the secret trap door in the floor. He opened the door to find the harp and a storage of gold.
“At last I’m free,’ sang the harp. “To be able to see the light of day. To smell the roses. To breathe clean air.”
“Will you keep down the noise?” whispered Kai. “Or I’ll lock the door. We don’t want to wake Jack.”
“Jack? Is he the new giant?”
“No. there are no giants here. Where’s the hen?”
“Haven’t seen her in a long while. Am I going home?”
“That’s the plan. That is, if you don’t wake Jack.”
“When do I leave? I want to do home to the fresh clean smelling castle. I want to be able to sniff all the aromas from the kitchen. Hay and cow dung is blocking my sinuses.”
“Though your singing is a bit flat.”
“I never sing off key,” bellowed the harp.
“I warned you about the noise.” Kai slammed the door shut to muffle the noise.
“Seeds sprouted. Creaks and cracks sounded in the darkness. Kai peeked out of the window in the hay loft. The barn slowly rose from the ground taking with it Jack, and Milky Way, the cow.
The smell of creamy hot chocolate stirred Jack. His stomach complained to be fed. Brilliant sunlight shone through the door of the hay loft. Fragrance of the flowers fought with the tantalizing aroma which had Jack opening his eyes to search out the divine flavors. Standing Jack walked to the door. Shock tautened every muscle of his body. Where was he? He wasn’t at home.”
“Welcome, Jack,” announced Fairy Godmother. “I thought you were going to sleep all day.”
Jack wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands. “Who are you? Where am I?”
“You’re on Chocolate Moore.”
“Where’s Chocolate Moore? How did I get here?”
“Not to worry, Jack. You must be hungry,” Fairy Godmother took Jack by the arm to lead him to the castle. Took him to the kitchen where food had been set on the table for him to eat.
Jack stared at the food, his stomach grumbled while he licked his lips savoring the aroma. Years had passed since he’d seen so much food set out on a table
“How many people are you expecting?” croaked Jack, his voice forced past over his salivary taste buds.
“Why? Only you, Jack,” answered Fairy Godmother. “Haven’t we prepared enough food to satisfy your hunger? Enough drinks to slake your thirst?” She picked up her wand. “I can zap up some more food for you. What have I forgotten to serve?”
“No, more food, thank you. I can’t believe I’m saying that. Has anyone seen my grandmother? I haven’t seen her.” Worried where she was. Wanting to share his good fortune with her.
“She’s still at the farm,” announced Kai, flying into the kitchen. “Didn’t have enough seeds to bring the house as well as the barn.” He landed on the back of a chair.
“And who might you be? You haven’t been invited? Where did you come from?” Fairy Godmother fired questions at him. There hadn’t been any black bird in her story.
“Sorry to intervene, your fairyship. But I’m the key you need to marry these two factions to make a whole.”
“Please speak plain English.” Fairy Godmother was confused.
“Excuse me,” Jack broke into the conversation. Two sets of eyes stared at him. “While you sort out the puzzle may I have some food?”
“As you wish,” replied Fairy Godmother. Turns her attention back to Kai. “I’m waiting.”
“Cut an apple in half, Jack,” ordered Kai.
Jack did as asked and placed both halves on the table in front of Kai.
“Here we have two halves,” began Kai. “The one on the left is ‘Jack And The Bean Pole. The other half is ‘Cinderella’s story. To join the two together to make a whole, I’m the key to unravel the puzzle. Are you with me so far?” Fairy Godmother nodded.
“Jack isn’t Jack,” stated Kai.
“I’m not,” mumbled Jack, his mouth filled with food and a chicken leg half way to his mouth.
“You’re the disowned Prince Charming.”
“I am?” said a surprised Jack.
“He is? How do you know?” Fairy Godmother had been searching for the prince.
“I’m the key. It’s my job to know.” Kai proudly applied his knowledge.
“Your Princess Zelene is the former Cinderella, who was disposed of by her stepmother.”
“The witch lied,” growled growled Fairy Godmother. “Made everyone feel sorry for her supposed loss. I’ll deal with her later.”
“Carry on. I’m interested in what else you have to say,” said Jack, interested in finding his stolen Cinderella.
“So that’s why he didn’t know about the seeds,’ chortled Winter Fairy, appearing in the kitchen.
“Who are you?” snapped Fairy Godmother. “Why are you here?”
“Winter Fairy. Here to solve the chocolate problem.”
“This puzzle has more twists and turns than a mountain road,” interjected Jack.
“I’d like to know how you were able to find the seeds, Kai,” stormed Winter Fairy.
Kai stood proud while he explained. “The seeds were in the barn along with the musical harp and some golden coins.”
“Coins? But, didn’t the goose lay golden eggs?’ inquired Fairy Godmother.
“The giant had a hen, not a goose,” stated Kai. “He made the eggs into coins.”
“Where’s the evidence?” snorted Winter Fairy.
“In the barn,” replied Kai. “I suppose I had better let the harp free.” Kai flew from the kitchen with everyone following.
“Who are all you people?” A confused Princess Zelene asked, when they all came out of the castle. “Who owns the barn?”
“Jack does,” replied everyone.
“Hello, Cinderella,” said Jack, moving toward her. “I’ve found you at last.”
“Prince Charming?” stuttered Princess Zelene. “How did you get here?”
“I’m waiting for the pieces to fall into place.” Jack turned to find the others making their way to the barn. “We’d better catch up with the others or we’ll miss a piece of this confusing puzzle.” Both set off toward the barn. They arrived in time to hear a commotion.
“About time you opened the door. I’m absolutely fed up being locked in the dark. Help me out of here,” yelled the harp, brushing cob webs from his strings.
“Hand up the bags of coins to me,” ordered Kai.
“Not on your life, buster,’ growled Harp. “I’m out of this dust hole first.”
“Okay. Bring a bag when you come out. I’ll let down the ladder for you.”
“How uncouth. I don’t want any scratches on my varnished wood.”
“Stand aside,Kai,” yelled Fairy Godmother. “I’ll sort him out.” When Kai had moved out of the way she zapped a hole in the floor on the loft. The harp came tumbling through the hole with the bags of coins.
“Earth quake. Earth quake,” shouted Harp, as he fell to the floor of the barn. “Where am I?” He looked at the strangers.
“You’re on Chocolate Moore,” answered Princess Zelene.
Home! Yeah! I’m finally home. I must go to play for the giant.” Harp stood to make his way to the castle. Everyone stared at him.
“What’s wrong? Am I out of tune?”
“There’s no giant,” said Princess Zelene. “He was killed in a ski accident.”
“He was.” Disbelief rang in every cord. Princess Zelene nodded.
“Yippee!” Harp ran out of the barn.
“One happy customer,” announced Winter Fairy.
“By my reckoning we have two missing pieces,” said Fairy Godmother. “Where is Jack? Where’s the goose?”
“Hen,” supplied Kai.
“Hmm! I have my suspicions,” Winter Fairy surmised. She waved her wand at Kai. Surprised gasps echoed around the barn as Jack landed on the floor. Milky Way rushed over to lick him.
“So where’s the hen?” asked Prince Charming Jack.
“That’s another story,” surmised Fairy Godmother. “Searching for the missing hen. Who is likely to have hidden her away?”
“Don’t ask me replied the real Jack. I have to make the river of chocolate flow to make Easter eggs.” He walked away. Jack able to use his legs to walk not his arm for wings to fly. Free from living with the Winter Fairy, her castle too cold and dark, tired of her zapping every time she wasn’t happy, not happy like the Fairy Godmother who looked so gentle and peaceful. Jack walked up the hill to find out why the chocolate had stopped flowing to the factory, to his surprise he found the musical Harp at the top of the hill playing a merry tune, spurts of chocolate breaking the hardened surface of the river to flow down over the crust toward the factory. He sat on the grass beside Harp.
“How did you make the chocolate flow? I was suppose to be the one to fix the problem.” Jack fascinated, watched the spurts of chocolate bubble to life, melt the hardened crust to begin with a trickle, flow at a faster rate until the river had set a fast pace to reach the factory, the workers whistling tune matched the one Harp placed.
“We only have to find the goose,” said Jack. “You wouldn’t know where she has been hiding? We didn’t find her at the farm.” Worried the story wasn’t fully stitched together, a gap held the information of where the hen had disappeared to.
“She’ll be along any second. But the duck won’t be pleased. Do you hear that?’
“No. What am I listening for?’
“Hen is approaching. Mister Duck is banging his wings on the ground, tears flow over his beak, his supplier of gold he used to make his fortune has flown the coop, his piles of money with shrink, if he doesn’t find another way to make money.” Harp changed his tune, calling the hen home, blocking out where she had traveled, not wanting Mister Duck to trace her, to come here to take her back to his money bins to lay more golden eggs.
“Which Mister Duck are you talking about? There wasn’t anyone of that name in our area.”
“Scrooge McDuck. He paid the Burgle boys to snatch her from the farm, for which they were paid handsomely.”
“How can he infringe into a fairy story? That’s not the way things are done.” complained Jack, moments before he was hit from behind be Hen crash landing into his back.
“Still can’t fly properly,” Harp joked with Hen. “You took your time.”
“Had to hitch a few lifts to reach here. Old Scrooge had plucked a few of my feathers.”
She ruffled what was left of her feathers then turned to Jack,”Sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I? The last lift dropped me instead of coming in for a landing. She said chocolate made her sick.”
“I’m fine, thank you. Pleased you made good time. I’m Jack.”
“Sure you are. I’d know you any where. Are you friends with the giant?”
“The giant doesn’t exist on Chocolate Moore. Prince Charming and Cinderella are here.” began Jack, to explain to the Hen what she had missed.
“You mean Cinderella has finally married Prince Charming? How sweet. Where are they? I must go and congratulate them.”
“I didn’t say...” was as far as Jack was at to explain the tale to Hen, she rushed off to find the happy couple.
“Don’t worry,” chuckled Harp. “Hen never waits to hear the end of any story. Just settle back and relax. We’ve done our part, the rest of the puzzle will sort out where all the pieces fit.
