It was a dark night. Wolves were howling at a distance. Strange! There were no wolves in my kingdom. That seems very strange. But may be the trickster elves from Tricky swamp make that noise. But they could not make that much horrible noise. It cried out like a woman wailing and shrieking with agony, at the dead of night. Something bad is going on. But it had to wait till morning.

The first rays of sunlight hit my eyelids. It illuminated the pale pink wallpaper decorated with flowers. I opened my eyes. It was dawn. The fairy court assembles in Throne room only by 5.30 am. Still too early. But it is the best time to investigate my castle! So, I pulled on my dressing gown and walked over to the window. My kingdom looked beautiful. But something was dimming its light. What is it? I’d soon find out. I walked along the corridors to the courtyard.

Everything looked so familiar, except one thing. A big hole, right over the edge. I walked over. Now I am so near to it. It almost looked like a tunnel. I was just about to stick in my head into the tunnel, when I heard the wailing again. It sounded so near now. I looked everywhere around the courtyard. But I couldn’t find it. I have to inform this matter to the Fairy court at once. After a few hours, the castle woke up. So, with a jingling of my silver bracelet, I summoned the court to the Throne room and explained the matter to them. I had to follow the voice.

Despair is not allowed in the land of dreams, I know. As I thought there were a lot of protests. Ada, the Head minister of the fairy court spoke up first. ‘But your majesty! You know the legend of voices. You could be following Agatha, the assistant of the witch Ethel.’ But I had my own answer. ‘Ada, you do remember the fairy Mellissa? Do you?  She vanished four years ago. Nobody can be completely sure that monsters don’t exist in the land of dreams. You do know that’. I said. Everyone has to agree with me.

The next day early morning I started my journey in my sleigh ridden by the unicorn Sparkle. Sparkle is the fastest unicorn, I could find in the royal stables. But I wasn’t still sure where to go? And then the voice shrieked again. It faded away towards the north. ‘Come on Sparkle, we have to head north. I whispered and gently patted her. And with a neigh she took off. For hours, we passed through lush green forests, rocky cliffs, sandy beaches and more. And when the sky turned deep red, I budged sparkle and said, Okay girl, that’s it. We’ll stay here for a night. So Sparkle slowed down and bowed her head.

I slide off her smooth back. I looked around. We were in a small forest, clearing the area and making a perfect place to spend a night. I gathered some heather to make a bed and some rainbow hay for sparkle. It was a restless night. I couldn’t sleep. The wailing voice called again. And for the first time I notice that the voice strangely sounded like Mellissa. Whoever it is they should be saved soon.

For the next few days I and sparkle travelled a lot. After six tiring days, I noticed that the scenery was becoming dimmer and dimmer. The beautiful green trees became leaf less and rough barked. And then on the seventh day, I saw it. It happened like this, exactly like this. A large sign post, and a dark forest behind it. The sign post said,

BOG OF BOREDOM

RESIDENCE OF BRAM

Bram? Who is that? I’d know soon. I led Sparkle into the forest. But she won’t budge. Of course I didn’t think unicorns don’t like dark places. I didn’t have a choice. I moved Sparkle to a shady corner and went to find some rainbow hay tor her. But I couldn’t find any. So I gathered some tree leaves and left Sparkle there. And then, without turning back I ventured into the forest.

It was very dark. I walked fast. The woman wailed again.  Now I am very close to the person who was wailing, I felt. It bought tears to my eyes. I sprinted through the forest and reached its edge. As I walked out of the trees, I saw a dark, tall fortress in front of me. This had to be where the wailing sound was coming from. I climbed up the old broken steps. There was a broken door in front of me. A bat was engraved on it. I pushed against it.

The door opened with much creaking. There was a dark room behind it. Moth-eaten curtains, dirty couches, and more. Paint was peeling from the walls. I went up the stairs. Why there were a dozen of rooms on the first landing? I just counted. 12 rooms! The woman wailed again. The person must be in one of these rooms. The noise seemed to be coming from the room marked 10. I leaned against it and it opened easily.

There was Mellissa, bound to a chair. Her brown eyes look frightened! ‘You’re Majesty’! She said, she cried with joy! Mellissa, YOU are locked inside this for years! I too was crying.  Mellissa told her story: ‘A wizard Bram kidnapped her when she was in her royal gardens. As Mellissa was my secretary, she had all my details and secrets of the kingdom.  Bram wanted to take over my kingdom, so he took away Mellissa. I untied Mellissa and pulled her. At that moment Bram stepped into the room, He was ferocious and strong. But nobody could fight dream magic. So I took out my wand and brandished at him. As light flashed around, Bram fell down unconscious. I and Mellissa ran out of the forest where Sparkle was waiting. And as we rid away to the castle, the fortress tumbled down to bare rock and stone!