The Three Islands

CHAPTER 1 - A Fountain at Oakenstead

Mable and Ross stood in front of Oakenstead. It towered above them, giant-like. The walls were beige-bricked, covered in long swinging vines of mossy green. The house seemed like it had authority, it was like an old lady. This old lady appeared wrinkly and stern, but if one were to look closer than they'd see the hidden beauty in her smile and her figure. They both soaked in the hues of green that sat like dresses on the bark-carved maidens. 

Mable was a small girl who looked like a china doll. Her hair fell in rolls of wheat, caging her pale face. Her face looked like a moon that had been honeyed with the most delicate shade of pink. Her eyes sat like big spheres of obsidian.

Ross on the other hand, was more like a sun. His hair lay in dark gossamer webs of windswept curls. His eyes shined like plump blueberries, with tints of soft purple.

“Hel o’ there! You mist be Ma’ belle and Ross! Comin’ now! Hurry up!” The maid, Amelia, said as she opened the tall wood door. Her voice was high-pitched and startling. Her face was rosy and round, her hair sat on top of her head like golden dandelion fur.

They both hurried in and pulled off their glossy leather boots. 

“Keep your shoes right ‘ere!” Amelia squeaked, pointing to a velvety mat, “There’s some milk and cookies in the dinin’ room. Only one each!”

The dining room was a marvellous place. Long mosaic windows shined fragmented colours of the rainbow on the chestnut table. Paintings hung on the wall, of deep blue seas and soft whispering forests with white roses.

Mable and Ross devoured the cookies in silence, through silent tears of their lost parents. 

“You got to go to sleep early. Eet il soothe you! Go up the stairs. Your rooms are on the left. Better share a room today! Tomorrow, you may sleep in your own beds.” said Amelia as she walked through the glass double door.

***

Mable and Ross lied sleeplessly in their beds. The room was more luxurious than their previous rooms, but it felt empty even though it was full. This place must’ve been filled with warm laughter and cries, but now it sat with ghosts of the past. The two cots were stuffed with feathers, the walls were pale purple and lined with paintings of smiling children. Lace curtains hung over the windows, blocking the view of the long pines which were speckled with acorns that spun with the east winds.

“Do you think we’ll ever call this place home?” Mable demanded the ceiling.

“I dunno.” sighed Ross.

“I miss mother and father, but I know that they'd be happier if we were smilin’. They’ve always hated it when we cried.”

“I dunno.”

“Ross?”

“I dunno.”

“ROSS!”

“I dun-yes?”

“Ross, I want to explore the gardens. I need inspiration anyway. Do you think they’ll let me paint here?”

“Well, maybe Mable. Are you sure you wanna sneak out?”

“Never been so sure of anything in my life.”

“Let’s do it.”

The two opened the window and smiled as the night wind shrouded them in scents of pine trees and buttercups. They climbed down the wall of mismatched bricks easily and fell to the dewy grass. 

“Extravagant.” laughed Mable. She was overwhelmed by the beauty that lay in front of her.

Ross just stared in awe.

The beauty was a rolling green hollow, that rested under the soft blue breaths of the powder mist. The lisping pines shook like feathers, their crowns scattered the navy sky. Mayflowers drank the starlight in their buttery cups of pale yellow. The peonies sat in their thrones as angelic as clouds in the little dips of the green hollow. The other flowers scattered around the grass like a frozen flame, cold and glorious, they shined through the heavy night dew. 

Mable ran to the flowery paradise and started creating a crown of reds and blues.

Ross leaped to a fountain with rings of gold that sat in the middle of the hollow, excitement pulsating through his veins.

“Mable, come ‘ere!” Ross stared into the fountain. It didn’t show his reflection as all water did. An image of a ship sailed through the green, the ship was grand and seemed to be “made for the kings”.

Mable skipped over. She almost fell backwards when she saw it too.

“Ross,” Mable whispered.

“Mable,” Ross echoed.

“Oh my!” they both shrieked.

Ross put his hand into the silvery rippled water. He began to hear moaning ocean waves and began to feel the salty breeze creeping up his nostrils. A second later, Ross sunk into the water.

“Ross?” Mable stared into the endless blue of the fountain.

And without a second thought, she climbed to the ridge of the pond and dove in, head first.

CHAPTER 2 - Welcome to Moore

The azure waves crashed around the golden hull of the majestic boat that tossed and turned in the ocean sunlight. Mable and Ross struggled against the heavy waves that kept pulling them backwards, away from the boat. 

“H-help!” Mable shouted through gurgles of saltwater.

An anchor drifted down into the deep blues. Mable and Ross watched, they didn’t know if they should’ve been overjoyed that the ship was stopping for them or scared. A long stringy ladder fell from above. 

Mable gripped onto the ladder. 

“Mable!” Ross yelled.

“What are we supposed to do Ross, drown?” Mable snapped, she continued to climb. Ross followed after her.

As soon as they reached the top, they were grabbed by a few pirates dressed in reds and bronzes.

“Tie ‘em up!” A man ordered, his fuzzy ginger fell down to his shoulders. Little globes of indigo blue sat on his face like droplets of the deep sea. The moment Mable and Ross touched their eyes on him, they knew they were going to be safe. His genuine tight-lipped smile seemed so real. Until they heard what he said.

The soaked children were tied up in heavy knots and stuffed into big barrels.

“Cap’ should we roll ‘em over?” Another man questioned.

“Wait till dawn, that’s when we’ll know.

At the pink light of dawn, truth shall be revealed

In the dark sea, two faces shall be found

If these two find the virtues of the heart than darkness will be concealed

O’er the waves, islands shall waken

Those are the clues to what has been taken

Fairies took the key at the reaping light of twilight

But if light is not discovered then all hopes shall be drowned” he finished

Mable and Ross, despite being soaked and shivering grinned in fascination. 

“Mable, I don’t even remember what the meanings were. It jest makes me feel so warm inside,” whispered Ross.

Mable, who was soaking furiously in embers of anger, ignored him. But deep inside she nodded and continued to puzzle out the words.

“Hey, take ‘em out.” The ginger-haired man ordered.

The two crawled cowardly out of the two barrels after being untied.

“What’s outside? Outside o’ this world?” The ginger-haired man asked.

“A h-house.” They both muttered.

“Welcome to Moore. I’m so sorry for this.” he gestured to the barrels, “You never know with fairies, kiddos.”

“Fairies? Oh, I’ve always wanted to meet them. They’re real here?” Mable chirped.

“O, Fairies are really dangerous here kiddos, they’re powerful. The most powerful really, they can shapeshift and fly. Some are good, but everybody has a balance of fear and hope in them. If fear wins, then hope flickers until hope burns out. That’s why we locked you up, kiddos. The chain is magic, fairies cannot shapeshift in those chains. We’ve been told that they’re three islands, one key hides in each one of them. We better get goin’ now! Lift the anchor!” The ginger-haired man sighed, “O and I forgot to mention, m’name’s Joseph. Don’t call me Jo.”

“Why shouldn’t we?” Mable asked curiously.

“O cause Jo sounds like the name of a prisoner. I had a friend called Sloppy Jo, isn’t that ugly. I’m no prisoner, I’m a sea captain and a knight. I wear my name like a trophy, kiddos.”

“I’m Mable.”

“And I’m Ross. Call me anything but that.”

“Great, hi Mable and Friedrick the fourth.” Joseph laughed.

“Friedrick the fourth, I shall wear my name like a trophy, kiddos.” mimicked Ross, through bursts of laughter.

CHAPTER 3 - The Island of the Three Sisters

“How’d you know what’s outside o’ here?” Ross and Joseph were leaning on the banister staring at the pink-nosed dolphins who fluttered around.

“See kiddo, Magic is everywhere. Sometimes it’s more visible than other times. You kids found it. Just like I did years back. I was a leetle older than you when I found it. I was in the forest. The sun was peeking through the trees but after a while it started fading in until there was nothing but trees. Then I was in Moore.”

“Wow.” gasped Ross.

“But I chose to spend my life here. I had nothing back there. I gotta go kiddo, we need to start steering, we’re almost there. Soon we’ll be at The island of the three sisters.”

The ship sailed as the pink moon which looked like a plump rose erupted into the star-flooded sky. The ship passed through a cloud of smoky fog, then began to hit clustered rocks of red sand.

“We’re here,” Joseph yelled.

They anchored the ship into a sea and began to launch small rafts to the shore. Mable and Ross climbed onto a white-wooded boat and started to pull themselves onto the glowing ruby red sand.

The silence ladened the place, but the silence was a beautiful one. The island seemed to slip into three territories. One was shinier and rosier, the trees were big and bushy; the flowers were free and bright. The second side was more indigo, the trees were slender and emerald crowned; the birds' chirps were melodic and silvery. The third side held a care-free beauty, it was enveloped in a never-fading sun that kissed everything in its benevolent light. The dears hopped with a young joy and the little dandelions grew on every free blade of grass.

“Mable, Ross, you can probably tell why this place is called “The Island of The Three Sisters”. You see, Elaine represents the love between parents and kids, a love that will refuse to fade. Stella represents quiet love- the love in the stars we see every night. Charity represents the whole red love. They share this island, but it was invaded years ago, it has lost its fruitful beauty.”

“Here’s the next line Cap’! 

The brook has dried

The trees have started to wither

The shrouding mist has wandered

The exuberant fireflies have danced

The blue moon has meandered

The key will glow

For hope must sing” a man shouted

“O, Joseph! I get it. It means that time has gone, right. You said that this island has lost its beauty. We need to restore it for the key to reveal itself.” Mable exclaimed, her face glowing with irrepressible delight.

“Yes-Yes, that’s right. But how?” Joseph sighed.

“The three sisters…” Moss pondered.

“Moss, that’s brilliant. They have it! But how’d we find them?”

“They’ll come to us and if they really represent love, they’re harmless,” Ross replied.

***

They all trekked through a maze of lined trees and past glimmering ponds. Finally the wind started to whistle to a more upbeat tone and the trees started to abandon the green on their heads.

“We have the key.” A voice howled through the air.

A figure started to appear, she was scarfed in a blue mist that embraced her coldly, her eyes were blue gems that glow sadly, and her hair was sprinkled with little silver stars that pulsated beautifully.

“Stella,” Joseph whispered jaw dropped.

Another lady began to appear, her hair was a worn blond that wove around her head like silk, her eyes were grey like a rising storm. Her little mouth was forming a small smile.

“Elaine.”

The last woman that appeared had nutmeg hair that was giving of a faint smell of cinnamon. Her lips were devil red, and her face was a glowing mocha, her nose was perfect, almost divine; it sat still under her small sky blue eyes that twinkled slightly.

“Charity. Those are the legendary three,” said Joseph.

“We don’t only value love, we value many other things. Love’s like a core that glues everything together. We are just spirits to help people-remember.” The three of them said, in a melodic voice that seemed to flow through the whole island.

“To receive this key, one of you must prove to be worthy,” Stella said.

“A test.” Elaine continued.

“To show love, courage and bravery.” Charity finished.

“You!” Elaine’s finger sled off her navy dress and onto Mable’s cheek.

Mable shivered.

“No-No, she shall not. I shall go.” Joseph declared.

“You do not know who you’re speaking to Joseph Black Of Goldrock. She must go or none of you will leave this island.”

Mable took Stella's hand and turned her head as they led her far far away.

CHAPTER 4 - Fear is power as it is also a weakness

“It-it was terrible, they made me choose. Between mother and father, and-and-the world. It was absolutely horrid, I couldn’t choose. But I passed.” Mable sighed, the key twinkling in her hands, “I also stood on a cliff, I couldn’t go back, the wind was all strong and scary. And below was sweet Shrimp, our small cat; who died. But without a thought, I jumped and saved him. That test might’ve been horrid, but it really made me feel good about myself.” The boat was rocking off the red shore sand and back into the sea which was bouncing was crimson light.

“O Mable, I stared at you the whole time, through this lens, cool, eh. But they fogged the place up. I really thought they represented love. Times are tough, I guess, ever since that place got destroyed they haven't been the same.”

“No, but Joseph. They treated me with love. When I passed, I guess they loved me because I deserve love, that’s what they said anyway.”

“Ghost Town, here we come!” Ross yelled from the other side of the boat.

“Mable take this!” Joseph handed her a piece of licorice, “It’ll serve you well.”

The skies were turning a stormy grey, the blues all fading out of sight.

“She’s coming!!!” Joseph shouted, “Everybody, find shelter!”

The winds started to form an ominous dance, getting faster and stronger by the second.

“Wh-who’s she?” Mable whispered, droplets sticking to her wheat hair.

“Amphitrite, the spirit of the sea, not a good one though,” Ross whispered to Mable.

“W-wait what’s that?” Mable pointed to a faint twinkle of gold.

“The key! Joseph, look up there!” Ross yelled.

Ross marched up onto the hull. He didn’t know why his legs were doing things without him asking.

“We’re not afraid of you! You’re merely scared. Fear is power as it is a weakness. Come down here, you coward!” Ross shouted up at the sky.

You’re afraid too, my young boy. Nobody who cares. Your sister really hates you. She hates you. Joseph doesn’t even know you. Why was your sister picked, she probably had a bigger heart than you, my young boy.

“I’m not yours! I’m not afraid! Come down here!”

Join me, you can look down at all these traitors. These people don’t c-care for you!

“Be quiet! Come down here!”

Join meeeee!

“Commmeeeee.” his voice faded away as he dropped onto the ground.

***

“Ross, are you okay?” 

Mable towered over Ross, with fresh cheese and a few slices of buttery bread.

“Ross?”

“Hello?” Ross moaned.

Ross felt many forces crowd his head, he felt scared for no reason. Then happy for being alive, then sad. A tear rolled down his cheek.

“Ross, you won. She left, Ross. You’re a hero. Don’t believe anything she says.”

“What?”

“Ross, she’s gone. And she dropped two keys, Ross.”

“Sweet.”

She hates you

The voice hummed around inside his head.

“Leave me alone, Mable!”

Mable clattered the platter on his legs and ran out of sight.

CHAPTER 5 - Homecoming

Joseph, Mable and Ross entered a castle. It was topped with turrets and rimmed with bronze peaks. The sun which was broken by soft clouds shined down on them as they sat around the box, it carried a golden crown.

“This is for the king of what?” Mable asked, looking up at Joseph.

“King of Moore, it belongs to me.”

“What?” 

“Yes, Mable.”

He slid the three keys into the box, and it opened with a sunshine glow.

They all stared as he picked up the beautiful headpiece in his palms.

Joseph was about to slide it onto his ginger head when he hesitated.

“No.” Joseph said.

He tucked it into the green grass, it started to shine. The grass became topped with red flowers, the clouds cleared as the coppery sun shined majestically. A breeze of freshness rolled down the air. The trees became more verdant and fresh. Far away, the three sister’s faces’ lit up with bright smiles. Ross’ grimace cleared and he began to grin, more birds flew into the sky.

“Welcome back, Moore, my old friend.” Joseph smiled.