A Tale of a Princess

This story is meant to be read to a young child...




Once upon a time, there were three children who lived in a great castle. Emerald was much, much older than either Diamond and Amethyst; and Diamond was much, much younger than either Amethyst and Emerald.

Every day they would go out and play in the gardens, with the paved stones underfoot, and the bushes and flowers all around in little flowerbeds. Emerald would bring his marbles, Amethyst her books, and Diamond brought herself. Each would enjoy the others' toys: Emerald taught the girls how to play marbles; Amethyst read aloud; and Diamond was loved by both.

Diamond especially loved Emerald's marbles. Pretty things they were, clear with colorful designs on the inside. She would roll them across the pavement just to see the sun shine through the colors.

So it was that she and Emerald were racing marbles down the pavement, running alongside them as a dark form glided down behind them.

Next thing they knew, Amethyst was calling for help as a cloaked figure threw her on the back of a dragon. Before anyone could do anything, the dragon was gone.

Emerald, with Diamond in his arms, ran to the castle. Fifteen minutes later, he and his father were in full armour and in the air, following the dragon on their flying horses.

Little Diamond was left to the care of nurses, for her mother had been ill a long time and needed to rest.

The eldest daughter of her nurse came over to play, but she did not know how to play marbles. She only wanted to dress Diamond up like a doll. Indeed, Diamond was as pretty as one, in her lovely dresses. But Diamond didn't like being a doll. After all, she was five already; a big girl.

Diamond toyed with Emerald's marbles. Even rolling them on the pavement was uninteresting without Emerald playing with her. Amethyst's books made no sense to Diamond without her sister reading them.

The next day was the same. No siblings to play with. Nurse brought Diamond a new dress of shades of gorgeous blue, but Diamond didn't care. She wanted Amethyst and Emerald.

Finally, several days later, Emerald and Father came home...but without Amethyst.

"Daddy, where's Amethyst?" Diamond asked.

But her father could not answer. Emerald had no answer either.

Perplexed, Diamond wandered all over the castle, asking everyone where her sister was. No one could tell her. Emerald joined his father again on the search for Amethyst the next morning.

So once again, Diamond was alone.

This time, though, she came up with a new idea so she would not be so bored all by herself.

"Hello, nursie!" she said when her nurse came in to check on her. "Look at what I drew!"

The nurse peered through her thick glasses at the pages of the sketchbook.

Each page was filled with a full-color picture: stick figure-populated villages, bright green hillsides, smiling sunshines, and colorful rainbows.

"I am going to take these to everyone who misses Amethyst. Then it won't be so long until she comes home."

So she did. She took a picture to the cook, the stable-boy, and the maid. She left one in her brother's room for him to find when he came home.

Finally, she begged Nurse to take her to her mother's room. She crept in oh-so-quietly, and laid her drawing on the bed. Then she turned and fled.

"Diamond!" her mother called.

Diamond turned.

"Thank you for your picture," Mother said. "It's lovely, and it brightened my day."

At that very moment, a voice called from the door.

"Mother, we're back!"

Emerald stood in the doorway, his face beaming. Leaning on his arm, bedraggled, but happy, was Amethyst. Father came in behind them. Diamond lost all her bright words as she saw her beloved sister.

A few minutes later, as they all sat on Mother's bed, laughing and talking as they had not for many a long day, Diamond finally found words for her joy.

"I love you all!"