The Warrior Princess

“Listen up subjects!” The little girl announced to her people, the toys scattered around the floor. “Today is the day I become a Warrior Princess!” She dug up an old sword from her closet full of toys. She coloured two paper towel rolls with a magic crayon she bought from a merchant at her school and taped them with magical tape.

“Come with me, Sir Cuddles,” She grabbed her loyal bear. His arm almost was falling off, but it was from a battle wound that came from a fierce war with her cousin’s toys in the washer. Up the stairs, they trekked, reaching the forbidden land of the attic. There is where they will find a crown worthy of a Warrior Princess.

Dust protecting the boxes that littered the attic, but they were no match for her. One powerful blow and the dust was gone, but it left a curse of sneezing. Both she and Sir Cuddles went in and out of boxes but finding no crown. She was about to redirect her search when a unique chest found a way to her gaze.

“This is it! It’s a witches’ chest, there has to be magic inside.” She gave a giddy smile while struggling to open the ancient-looking chest. There was a golden lock on the front, shining with jewels that she had never seen with her two eyes before.

“Drats! The witches have cursed this chest with a lock, but that won’t stand in the way of the greatest Warrior Princess!” The girl reached the key that laid on a beautiful silver chain around her neck.

“Maybe Mommy’s enchanted key chain will open the locked chest,” She told Sir Cuddles while removing the chain from her neck. “Mommy told me it was a gift from a Fairy Queen, it would open magical things. She gave it to me before the sickness got her so I could find my way back to her.”

The key fit into the lock like clockwork; the heavy lid opened, revealing sparkling treasures for the young peering eyes. Inside the chest was wonders the girl had never seen before, glimmering jewels and golden accessories, but that wasn’t what caught the young girls’ eye.

A crown was made of flowers, crafted with the most vibrant flowers the girl had ever seen, and she had seen a lot of different flowers. She was basically a professional flower person, so she knew these were special flowers.

“This is it, Sir Cuddles! The crown worthy of a Warrior Princess!” She placed the crown of flowers upon her head, ignoring the rest of the treasures within the chest and locking the chest again only because it was quite fun to lock and unlock. It wasn’t roller-coster fun, but it was still fun to do.

The Warrior Princess made her way down the stairs with Sir Cuddles in one hand, her cardboard sword in the other, and the magical flower crown upon her head. On her way to the garden, she spotted her Sister at the kitchen table, yelling into a strange contraption she called a phone.

“Good day, my good Sister! What brings you troubles this day?” Her Sister peered her eye over her phone and snorted.

“What are you wearing, and why are you talking so weird?”

“This is the Warrior Princess way of life!” Her Sister shot her a look, but she had no idea what it meant; therefore, it was not important. “Now, what is it that upsets you with this strange device?”

“My phone? I’m talking with Angelina, and she is just totally clueless! I told you about how she keeps missing my hints about us being more than friends.” The little girl just nodded. Her Sister told her a lot of things that she didn’t understand, but she listened nonetheless.

“I can fix that! As a Princess, I shall grant your wish!”

“Princesses don’t grant wishes.”

“Well this one does! I wish that Angelina would catch the hints!” The Sister watched as the Warrior Princess waved her sword, missing the faint glow that came from the crown as the words left her mouth. “My work is done, now I am going to go to the garden.”

“Alright then, just wear a sweater. It’s windy outside.” Her Sister mumbled as she went back to her phone. Her Mommy used to say that every time she went outside, even if it wasn’t windy, but now her Sister said it. Maybe their Mommy taught her. When the little girl opened the front door, she saw Angelina. She gave an awkward hello that summoning her Sister to the door.

“Angelina? What are you doing here? Did you run here?” The Sister asked the huffing and slightly sweaty Angelina at their door.

“I just had the weirdest feeling like I needed to come here and kiss you.” Angelina admitted with a red face, causing her Sister to have a red look. They just stared at each other before shoving their mouths against each other. It reminded her of the love movies her Mommy used to watch with her, they always felt the need to press their faces together. Gross adult stuff.

The Warrior Princess left the house and went to the garden, and it wasn’t even that windy. She threw her sweater on the fence, allowing her fluffy Princess dress to shine under the sunlight. 

The garden was her favourite place to go, it was her Mommy’s garden after all. Mommy would tell her stories of when she first started the garden when she was a child. How she planted each fruit tree and watered them with water blessed by the mermaid in the lake next to the house. They never got to see the mermaid in person, but the little girl knew the mermaid was there.

She would sing to the flowers and vegetables to help them grow up to be happy plants because happy flowers looked better, and happy vegetables tasted better. Together they would make lovely bouquets for the neighbours and make the tastiest salads. Her Mommy taught her everything she needed to know about tending to the garden, so that is what she did every day.

“A Warrior Princess never misses a spot!” She exclaimed as she watered the plants with the Mermaid water, making sure everyone got their fair share. There were lots of different things in the garden, but the most significant thing that stood was a ring of painted rocks that surrounded a patch of dirt with a single tree seed.

That is where she directed most of her attention; it was the last thing her Mommy planted, so it was the most important seed of all. She sang to it every morning and every night, kissing each rock that surrounded the seed. Her Sister would scold her every time, but she knew her love would help the tree grow.

“It is a Warrior Princesses duty to protect the garden!” She would chant as she welcomed the ladybugs and chased away the rabbits that tried to steal their carrots and cabbage. This was her Mommy’s legacy, and she was going to protect it with her life.

It was when she was in the garden when she missed her Mommy the most. Her soft hands and arms, perfect for hugs. A sweet voice perfect for lullabies, and a kind smile that made every problem vanish into mid-air. The little girl finished her duties in the garden but decided to stay a bit longer. She sat near the painted rocks and dragged her fingers over the designs she painted with Mommy and Sister.

“I miss you, Mommy,” There were tears in her eyes, but her Mommy taught her it’s okay to cry when sad feelings come by. “I wish I could hug you again.” 

There were the words again, and there was the glow from the flower crown. The little girl didn’t notice once again, because it was still on top of her head. From her words sprouted the single tree seed, growing into the grandest tree her eyes have ever seen.

Flowers of every colour bloomed on the branches, sparkling more than all the glitter in the world. This was a magical tree with flowers that gave birth to fairies! The tree gave off a familiar smell, like cinnamon and the lovely smelling tea her Mommy made for them. It was her Mommy’s tree, just as majestic as she said it was going to be.

It was her tree.

The Warrior Princess had gotten her wish, even if she didn’t understand it completely. She dropped her sword and Sir Cuddles and wrapped her arms around the tree, hugging her Mommy’s spirit without even knowing it.