The Unicorn's Fairy: The Awakening

See http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1524087 for original version... This is a work In progress, feel free to suggest any changes



An ordinary teenage girl sat at a bus stop, watching the rain run down the clear panelling. She sighed, as her young sister resumed chattering away about nothing. They had missed the bus again, and their foster mother would be mad. She had too much homework, too much house work, too much of an irritating sister to put up with. Luke gazed thoughtfully at the sky, as if counting the droplets falling. He was finding Lulu’s monologue a bit annoying too. He gently sat the 9 year old on his lap, and hugged her. Lulu laid her head on her brother’s shoulder and quietened down.

When they finally returned home, Hattie was more forgiving than usual. She gave the children a lecture, though. Amy and Luke nodded politely, cursing her inside. They knew they should be grateful, but they weren’t at all. They had never known their real parents, but knew that foster parents (at least in their guardian’s case) were not nearly a proper substitute for parents.

The rain stopped, Hattie decided that her three wards needed some fresh air. She took them walking along a trail through dense forest, carefully watching Lulu to make sure she didn’t stumble, while the older two ran ahead through the filtered rays of sun.

Amy stopped suddenly. She had seen something different on the trail. She picked it up, and found it was a horn, carved as an instrument. Her foster mother wasn’t beside her; nobody could tell her not to, so she began to play.

Melodies weaved through the forest, exciting Lulu, and mystifying Luke. Hattie and Lulu ran to catch up with Amy and Luke to see what was happening. Hattie gaped at Amy, quite appalled.

“Amy! Sweetheart, you don’t know where that has been! Put it down now!” Amy ignored her guardian’s whining voice, and focused on the echoing sound of the horn.

Lulu gazed dreamily at her elder sister, as she listened to beautiful melodies she never knew existed. Amy kept playing, losing herself in the sound as it grew more and more mystical, although all Amy ever tried to do was play a single note.



Amy was brought back to reality as something moved behind her. She stopped playing and turned to gape. A beautiful, pale horse strode gracefully towards her, dipping its silvery head with each step. Only when it was metres from her, Amy realised it wasn’t even a horse.

Of course it couldn’t be a horse! No horse was as pale silver as that- so silver it glittered in the rays of sunlight weaving through the treetops. No horse had hooves so gleaming, let alone as glittering as the rest of its body. Then Amy realised- a horn, in the middle of the creature’s forehead was a tell-tale feature.

The unicorn began to speak to Amy in a delightful, musical voice that became more beautiful and enrapturing with each word.

“Amy! Do keep playing! We have been waiting for a very long time for you to come. Keep playing and wake the others!” it said, its eyes sweet and pleading. For a few seconds Amy simply stared, open mouthed.

“We have been trapped by the Dragons for 16 years under a spell. They aren’t powerful enough to kill people, so they trap them instead or change them into mythical creatures… but never mind about that now- play!” Now Amy was mystified, almost in a trance from conversing with the unicorn, she raised the horn to her lips and blew. The melodies and harmonies began to weave through the forest again. Amy forgot completely about her family, who had somehow disappeared, leaving Amy alone with the unicorn, and another horse walking up from her left. Much to the disappointment of the unicorn, Amy stopped playing again, but she was as captivated by the new arrival as she was by the unicorn. The horse was mythical, she decided as soon as she saw it. It shone brilliantly, even in the dim forest lighting. Its coat was a glittering pink, which puzzled Amy to no end. This horse did not have a horn, but silvery wings arched gracefully above the perfectly shaped flanks of the Pegasus. With a voice not unlike the unicorns, but sweeter and higher, the Pegasus pleaded Amy to continue, as the unicorn had done.

As she once again produced the amazing sounds, she began to wonder how many creatures were coming… she continued to play as a rosy cheeked pixie joined the circle. A fairy, another fairy, and many regular animals simply appearing stunningly beautiful.

Rabbits with velvety ears, downy gold coats and melting chocolate eyes ran- not thumped- over as smoothly as the other creatures had come.

Amy blushed, to be surrounded by so many amazing creatures, feeling that she did not fit in, and might be intruding. The smaller fairy giggled, its mother shushing it, and rocking it in her arms.

“Your Majesty…”the unicorn began, stopping when he saw Amy’s eyes glaze over at the sound of his voice at its most endearing. Creasing his brow, he began again, in a variation of a normal human voice, in an attempt to keep Amy listening to the words and not the beautiful echoes of the singing voice.

“Your Majesty, we cannot thank you enough…”

“Excuse me?!” interrupted Amy, her voice high, and she lamented that it was so plain compared to the unicorns.

“I am definitely not a Queen- and nor was my mother-I am an orphan, not a Princess!” An uncomfortable murmur passed through the crowd, and the young fairy laughed again. The mother fairy hushed it again, and the Pegasus looked meaningfully at the unicorn.

“My name is Eclipse, and this is Metallic Rose.” said the unicorn slowly. Metallic Rose pouted, and mumbled something about full names.

“Okay- just call her Rose… she finds her name too long” added Eclipse quickly. “But you are a Princess, and yes, your mother was a Queen. Do you want me to tell you story?”

“Oh, yes!” cried Amy delightedly. The group lit a fire beneath the darkening sky, and sat around it, listening carefully to tales of a brave woman, who was Amy’s mother.

“If we start 16 years ago, you were born, and your father had been away, fighting as King against the dragons in a war that began about a month before you were born. He returned for your birth, but seeing his wife weak and defenceless while dragons were loose outside the palace walls bothered him, and he decided to hide her and his newborn daughter. She went to the human world- (Amy don’t give me that look, you don’t honestly see dragons roaming the streets do you)- but someone recognised her and separated her from you, renaming you to hide you from her, and telling you as you grew older that you were an orphan. Your mother escaped with the help of your father, but she didn’t know where you were, or if you were even alive.”

“It was about seven years later when she was so anxious to know about you, when she took her 5 year old son, Prince Gabriel, and 4 month old daughter Princess Celeste to the human world in a desperate attempt to find you. Your father was devastated when he found his family gone, and they didn’t return… That was 8 years ago; he is still waiting for you.” Eclipse smiled sympathetically, at Amy, who was wide-eyed, trying to take it all in.

“P-prince Gabriel? Princess Celeste?” she finally managed to choke out after about half a minute.

“I believe you know them as Luke and Lulu” interjected Rose, a smile almost laughing on her face.

“But seriously- who calls a fairy Princess Lulu?!” with that, Rose broke off laughing and floated back into the group.

Amy pulled a face.

“What is my real name then?” she demanded. Eclipse brought back the soft crease between his eyes.

“You’ll need to ask your father. He declared he would tell his daughter before anyone else. All we know is that it starts with an A, so your initials won’t change.”

‘Of all the things to worry about’ thought Amy smugly. Eclipse smothered a laugh. Seeing Amy’s offended face, he explained.

“I have special abilities as a mythical creature.”

“No!” cried Amy, horrified. Eclipse looked at her strangely.

“You can’t read my mind can you?!” Eclipse laughed.

“Not very well. It’s easier to read human minds, or other animals than a fairies mind.”

Rose turned sharply, and kicked Eclipse, her eyes widening. Amy sat smiling, her grin getting wider, and wider.

“Yessssssssssss!!” she hissed through her grin. Eclipse laughed again.



After the story, Amy felt tired, and instead of walking, climbed onto Eclipse’s back before he could object (not that he would), knotted her fingers through his soft, silvery mane, and promptly fell asleep, which Rose thought was very funny, and her musical chuckles weaved themselves through Amy’s dreams.



When Amy woke, she was in a stable, still clinging to Eclipse, who was lying asleep beneath her. Gently, in an attempt to let the unicorn sleep, she slipped her fingers from his mane and awkwardly stepped over him, almost losing her balance, but steadying herself against a wall. Eclipse opened one eye and snorted, huffing to an upright position, and then offering his back to her. Amy eagerly climbed up, and wrapped her arms around his neck in a soft hug.

Amy and her mount trotted out a wooden door, to a place flooded with morning sunlight. Rose was waiting there for them, her face plastered with a confusing mixed emotion of smugness and jealousy, which started Amy thinking. Maybe she was jealous that Amy was royalty? But hadn’t she tried to help Amy? Maybe she wanted to carry the Fairy Princess, and was jealous of Eclipse, not Amy. But then why would she be feeling smug? Puzzled she decided to ask Eclipse later when Rose wasn’t around; when she remembered something about Eclipse reading minds…

He was already chuckling softly beneath her. Amy thought very sharply to him to stop embarrassing her, but she was doubtful that he could tell what she really wanted because he just laughed harder.

Rose was looking mad now, as if Eclipse was laughing at her, which Amy reminded herself was possible. Amy didn’t want to make an enemy of the graceful Pegasus, so sent her a sympathetic look, hoping desperately that Rose would have reason to receive such a look and not think worse of her.

Luckily for Amy, Rose didn’t show it if she was not expecting sympathy. Her confidences reassured, she smiled brightly and listened as Marthie the pixie told the group (mainly for Amy’s benefit) where they were and why. They were at a village of horses, as Amy had guessed as she looked around at the open stables and meadows surrounding them.

For a moment, Amy found herself panicking that Eclipse and Rose would leave her, but was reassured by Eclipse.

“No, no. we’re staying for now… We don’t live here anyway- we aren’t really horses. Do we look much like them?” He gestured with his nose at several members of the group standing together, obviously horses, and obviously different to the mythical creatures by Amy.

A thought suddenly occurred to Amy. If she really was a fairy, why didn’t she have wings? How did she know they weren’t lying to her? Eclipse laughed

“Look over your shoulder” he suggested. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice them when you woke up. We’re away from the human world, so you have no reason to hide them, so they come while you sleep.”

Amy was awestruck by the colours spreading brightly from gracefully poised wings on her back. She wondered amusedly how much practise flying took. Everyone laughed as she tumbled off Eclipse’s back after flitting her wings, then losing control of her flight.

The horses each bowed their heads, and then cantered to their respective stable, to find their families after many years of separation. Sighing with satisfaction at the thought of long-lost loved ones returning home, Amy climbed back onto Eclipse’s back, stroking his sleek neck. He chuckled, declaring that no-one had ever stroked him before, and the group continued their journey. Amy clung to her galloping steed, grinning with the excitement of the speed.



The group came to a series of holes dug into the soft lawn. They continued until they came to an especially large hole, circled by dozens of smaller ones. Around the rim of the centre hole sat several rabbits, who had hopped up the moment the group could see the hole.

A silvery-gold rabbit smiley sweetly like a grandparent, and thanked Amy multiple times for bringing back her family and friends. The rabbits Amy had woken leapt down holes, calling out to other rabbits, who rushed to greet them.

Amy smiled. She loved seeing the families of the returned creatures. She loved how their velvety chocolate brown eyes lit up with delight at the sight of their child, sibling, lover or friend

Eclipse, getting better at hearing Amy’s elated thoughts the more time he spent with her, smiled at the warm generosity of her thoughts. His face fell when she imagined the warm embrace she would receive from a father she never knew. The unicorn knew she would never expect to see her father, not while she dreamt of a handsome, smiling man with wings. He almost laughed at the thought, but contained it, not wanting to offend the fragile emotions of the fairy-girl lying before him amongst the long, pillowy grass, watching the clouds.

Amy, done for now with dreaming of her future, leapt to her feet. A silvery shadow laughed, hearing her determined thoughts, as she arched her wings. Gently, she fluttered them, not knowing what to expect. Disappointed, Amy couldn’t tell any difference, until she looked down.

Even only centimetres off the ground, she felt such a rush of excitement that she forgot about how she was controlling her wings, and tumbled suddenly to the ground, rolling over laughing in the grass.

The rest of the day was spent by the group using the energy they had stored for days to run across the meadows, rolling in the soft grasses, and for Amy, learning to fly. After almost half an hour of running and rolling, Eclipse settled into a thick tuft of grass to watch and listen to Amy talking and learning from the mother fairy of the group, while Marthie held her young daughter Petal. Rose came to sit next to Eclipse, floating down from the clouds. Rose knew Eclipse was disappointed at her jealousy of Amy, and didn’t bother talking to him, guessing he would simply ignore her. He turned his head to her and stuck out his tongue before looking back at Amy.

“But Violet- it’s so hard! I don’t see how you can do it, even after years of practise!” cried Amy. Violet, the mother fairy laughed, and showed Amy what to do again.

But as hard as Amy complained it was, she was able to control her flight to several metres off the ground by sunset. Tired, Amy walked to a sleeping Eclipse and curled up to him, asleep before he woke from her weight. The Unicorn laughed, and then laid his head back down to sleep.

When Amy woke, she froze, remembering how she woke Eclipse the previous morning, even with what she thought were gentle movements. She gave up all hope of standing up without waking Eclipse when she realised his head was laid on her side. She chose not to wake him, especially since she woke him yesterday, and closed her eyes, somehow drifting back to sleep.

Amy woke the second time to find herself on Eclipse’s back, apparently travelling again.

“Good morning, sleepyhead! So that why you're waking up so late!” laughed Eclipse, obviously hearing Amy’s recollections of the morning. “Well, I suppose you didn’t wake me up this morning” said the Unicorn, still chuckling.

“Hmmm…” mumbled Amy thoughtfully. She frowned, thinking towards Eclipse. ‘When do I get to meet my father?’ He stopped still, too shocked at the prospect to speak. He started walking again as if nothing had happened, quickening her pace to catch up with Rose who was now carrying Marthie, and has Violet and Petal flying beside her. Amy realised how small their group had gotten. Now there were only the 6 of them; 3 fairies, a pixie, a Pegasus, and a Unicorn. Eclipse gestured to their left and then their right. Amy, following his gestures with her eyes saw several cats running together off to the left. Amy presumed to some cat village. To the right, the golden coats of dogs were just visible before disappearing over the horizon. Amy guessed they had left a little before she woke up.

‘But that doesn’t answer my question’ thought Amy, wondering if Eclipse would answer her question at all.

‘What about my father? Where is he?’ Eclipse didn’t react this time, he just kept cantering alongside Rose, though Amy noticed her looking at him questioningly. Frustrated, Amy scowled and fluttered off Eclipse’s back, over to Violet and her daughter.

Eclipse looked down, slowing his pace with Rose, who was asking him question after question that he wouldn’t answer aloud, or rather couldn’t without upsetting Amy; although it seemed he already had, by trying to avoid the questions about her father he had been dreading, because it meant he would have to give her the accompanying explanation, which would make her upset around him too.

The group had come to a stop, partly because Eclipse and Rose had, and part of their reasoning was that it was dark.

‘Dark?!’ Amy thought, somewhat alarmed that the day was gone so quickly. Eclipse quickly explained that she had slept through most of the day, glancing at Rose, who was the reason why; although he was glad she was only making her sleep longer.

Eclipse pulled Rose aside to talk to her, where the others couldn’t hear.

“So… was she asking about him?” asked Rose curiously.

“Yes!” fumed Eclipse. “And she left because I was trying to avoid answering her!” Eclipse fought to contain the fury that came as a response to Rose’s thoughts. Rose noticed, and felt hurt. Eclipse walked stormily to the rest of the group, where Marthie and Amy were building a fire. Eclipse felt bad about all the grass he had eaten when he heard the hungry moans Amy had been suppressing from the group.

When the fire was lit, Violet curled around Petal and fell asleep. Marthie found warmth with Rose, and Amy lay on the other side of the fire from Eclipse, to prove her unhappiness with him. She doubted how much he really cared, seeing as she probably irritated him anyway, but Eclipse heard her thoughts and felt sad.

Amy honestly felt sad too, that he wasn’t answering her, and hadn’t even spoken to her since she first woke up. Eclipse wondered glumly if it were Rose making Amy think so negatively, but couldn’t hear her think about Amy at all- she had fallen asleep. Eclipse made a spur of the moment decision, scooping her up, and taking her to talk away from where they couldn’t be heard. Amy was half awake now.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” she mumbled sleepily.

“It’s just me.” whispered Eclipse. Her eyes fluttered open, and were briefly animated with a caring glow, making Eclipse’s heart thud, and then darkened with remembrance of the day.

“What do you want?” she growled, focusing on her anger.

“I’m sorry- ok? I can’t always answer your questions aloud!”

“You could have told me you would tell me later!” cried Amy.

“The others would want to know then. I am really sorry- please don’t stay mad at me Amy.” He said sincerely.

“Why does it even matter if I’m angry at you? When I finally get to where I’m staying, and you get to where you lived, I probably won’t ever see you again, and we won’t have to get in each other’s way again.” said Amy defiantly. Tears leapt into Eclipse’s eyes at the thought.

“I… uh…” he began, not quite know how to say it. Amy looked at him, thinking amazed thoughts that he would object to not seeing her again.

“I… I think I love you Amy.” Eclipse whispered softly. Amy’s anger evaporated instantly. He loved her? But why her? She was just a fairy and he was a…

She broke off from the thought in peals of laughter, thinking thoughts of how beautiful she had thought he was earlier, that she had kept repressed, so that he might not guess that she thought that way about him.

“Ok… I love a Unicorn…” she said, knowing he already knew from her thoughts. She wasn’t laughing at him; she promised him in her thoughts, just the way it sounded. Eclipse looked away, somewhat relieved she wasn’t laughing at him, but a little upset that she might disregard her feelings that they might sound weird. Amy, horrified she had offended Eclipse, flitted to his side, wrapping her arms around his neck, and burying her face in his mane. Eclipse inwardly jumped for joy that she would care if he was upset, and turned to her, nuzzling the back of her head. Amy hugged him tighter, grinning into his mane.

“I love you too… iloveyouiloveiloveyoutoo…” murmured Amy, stringing the words together into one long one. Eclipse smiled.

“So you don’t want me to go away anymore?” he asked teasingly.

“No!” gasped Amy, hugging him tighter yet. He laughed, then carried her back to the circle of light at the fire., curled himself up, and went to sleep with her curled against him.

He woke before she did, and without waking her, scooped her onto his back, her fingers already knotted in his mane. Rose glared at him, jealous of the fairy-girl on his back. Eclipse glanced nervously at her, worried that that she might do something to Amy, even if Amy had saved her from a supposedly eternal slumber. Eclipse realised that Rose could do exactly that to Amy. The only way he could protect her was to keep her awake near Rose, and here she was, asleep! Rose could have already made it eternal!

Just as he was panicking, Amy woke up and yawned. Eclipse heaved a sigh of relief, and smiled. Rose guessed the cause of his panic and scowled at him.

‘As if I’d hurt you like that!’ she thought a him, hurt that he might worry about her hurting Amy.

‘Good morning, beautiful!’ thought Amy warmly. Eclipse smiled wider.

“Good morning to you too,” he replied. “Beautiful.” he added, whispering so only Amy could hear. She smiled, and hugged his neck.

‘So if I ask about seeing my father soon, will you freak out again?’ asked Amy silent. Eclipse looked left, then right, then left again- translating to a discreet shake of the head. Amy felt like squealing with delight at their ability to silently communicate, but decided against it, supposing it would kill said ability. Eclipse snorted. Rose’s eyes instantly flickered to his, demanding an explanation. Eclipse looked at her innocently.

“Amy’s being funny! Not my fault!” he said angelically, trying not to laugh. Rose rolled her eyes and looked away.

By nightfall, they were at a large castle, which Amy hoped signalled the end of their travels, but Eclipse told her it was just somewhere to stay the night. Inside the castle was very cold, as the floor was of stone. Fires were lit in three rooms in magnificent fireplaces. Violet and Petal snuggled together by one fireplace, Rose fell asleep at another, and a cold Marthie lay against her for warmth, with Eclipse and Amy together by the last one.

“Eclipse…?” asked Amy quietly. The Unicorn lifted his head, and rolled over so he was facing her, laying his head on his forelegs.

“You distracted me last night…” she smiled. “ Are we going to see my father?” Eclipse stiffened.

“And why do you keep reacting like that?!” cried Amy incredulously.

“You ask a lot of questions…” mumbled Eclipse.

“Please answer them… if you want to keep me sane!” laughed Amy. Eclipse sighed.

“I suppose you’ll see him sooner or later…”

“Good!” interrupted Amy, laughing again. Eclipse joined in this time.

“What’s wrong with that though?”

“It’s more…personal reasons that anything else,” he thought slowly.

‘Please tell me… please?’ thought Amy beggingly.

“He’s… not quite… human…”said Eclipse thoughtfully. Amy put her head on one side and smiled sweetly.

‘Neither am I!’ she thought amusedly.

“He’s not a fairy either, anymore, Amy.”

“Anymore?” Amy asked, all of a sudden paying full attention. Eclipse mumbled something about hoping she wouldn’t pick up on that word. Amy laughed.

“Do you remember when we first met?” asked Eclipse seriously, no trace of humour in his face. Amy looked up at his, almost shocked at the look on his face.

“Yeah, how could I forget that?” asked Amy sarcastically. “I was drawn to a mysterious horn, and to play it, and then this…” she gestured at Eclipse. “This beautiful creature appeared; so beautiful I couldn’t think straight.” she said. Eclipse’s eyes never wavered from her face.

“When I was explaining to you about why to keep playing... The dragons… with their trapping and…”said Eclipse nervously. Amy swore, surprising Eclipse into staring wide-eyed for a few seconds.

“Changing?” asked Amy, finishing Eclipse interrupted sentence. He nodded. “Ok… Phew… I have become so much more perceptive with you….” Amy smiled briefly, before continuing. “Ok… so you weren’t always a unicorn? That’s why you didn’t think it was weird at all me loving you.” said Amy thoughtfully. Eclipse laughed, and started nibbling on a pile of hay beside him.

“You never thought it was weird that I loved you?” he asked curiously.

“I thought that was even stranger, that you weren’t in love with someone more beautiful- maybe like… maybe like Rose?” Amy suggested, shrugging. Eclipse choked.

“Like Rose?” he asked, quite shocked. Amy pulled her eyebrows together.

“Why not? You’re a Unicorn, she’s a Pegasus, and you’re both beautiful, amazing, mythical creatures.”

“Hmmm…” mumbled Eclipse. He nuzzled her cheek. “You are beautiful.”

“Not like Rose…” muttered Amy sourly. Eclipse shook his head sadly.

“It could be explained as a frog prince thing. The Dragons captured the palace in the war, and made me a Unicorn. It’s only really an upgrade for incredibly vain people who value looks over anything else, Amy, so don’t look at me like that. I can’t hold anything. I can’t really kiss you. I’m too big and clumsy to do anything but stand here and say I love you.” Eclipse looked down.

“But you’re beautiful, you can read minds, and you’re a Unicorn!” declared Amy, amazed that he was not thrilled a being a unicorn. Eclipse shrugged.

“Its not all bad I suppose. But I could hear people before I was a Unicorn you know…” he smiled mysteriously. Amy looked at him, awed.

‘How’ she thought.

“Hmmm…” he mumbled, smiling.

‘Eclipse! Please tell me…?’ she asked silently.

“I was a fairy…” he smiled again. “And therefore; powers.” Amy smiled wistfully.

“I wish I had powers…” she said thoughtfully. “ But anyway- you really are good at distracting me- aren’t you?” she laughed. Eclipse chuckled nervously.

“My father is what? A unicorn?” asked Amy, still amazed at the thought.

“I honestly don’t know” said Eclipse sincerely. “I wasn’t there.” he looked down, feeling guilty for some reason he couldn’t figure out.

“Hey Eclipse, its ok- seriously…” said Amy, smiling up at him. She leant over and kissed the top of his nose again and again. “So you’re not a frog prince!” she declared, laughing herself to hysterics. Eclipse laughed with her, and then suddenly stopped.

“I… I think I can be a fairy again…”began Eclipse, thinking hard. “But someone else would have to take the horn, like uh… become a Unicorn instead of me. If I was a centaur or something it might be less annoying… Rose gets to fly, centaurs get extra speed, and still have human traits, and I get something pointy out of my forehead… its not fair!” Eclipse pouted, and Amy kissed him again, imitating his pout.

“It’s okay Eclipse. I can wait- forever if it never happens.” said Amy. She laughed. “But I reckon someone out there would want to swap with you.” She hugged him tightly.

“Do you know where my father is?” she asked curiously. Eclipse smiled

“Yes” he answered simply. He jumped up suddenly “Let’s go now. I’ll have you there by morning!” he declared proudly. Amy jumped up, hugging him and jumping around.

“You are such a clever Unicorn” said Amy sweetly. “Let’s go!” They put out the fire and left the castle.

Amy whooped for joy on the inside as Eclipse galloped full speed in the direction of Amy’s father. Eclipse laughed out loud as he ran.

They stopped for a drink at a stream, and Eclipse realised he’d never seen Amy eat, and that she must be starved. Amy assured him that she was fine, and that she wasn’t the one running all the time. Eclipse wasn’t convinced, and listened for any hungry thoughts as they continued.

As the sun rose, a magnificent castle rose on the horizon. As they approached it, Eclipse grew more and more elated. Amy couldn’t contain her squeals of delight anymore, and sent delighted echoes flooding towards the palace.

When they arrived, they found a guard keeping a heavy metal gate. He coughed as they approached, and walked towards them.

“Excuse me there missy, who are you?” demanded the guard. Eclipse answered for her.

“This is the princess, sir” he said sincerely. “She woke me in the human world.”

“Oh, yes, right this way.” The guard’s eyes had lit up, as if this was the most important day of his life. He led them to a stable, where Amy refused to leave Eclipse.

“But we can’t have a horse roaming the castle!” cried the guard, exasperated.

“He is a Unicorn, and he is coming.” declared Amy, in such a tone that even the guard did not question her again.

The guard led them to a corridor that had one door at the end of it. They passed the corridor, and stood behind the door as the guard knocked.

“Yes Jeffrey? What is it now?” a deep, yet musical voice came through the door.

“It’s your daughter, your majesty… or so she says.” Jeffery replied calmly, ushering Amy and Eclipse through the door.

Amy hadn’t been sure of what to expect. It had occurred to her that her father could look like anything, so she hadn’t tried too hard to imagine him. But standing before her was a centaur. Amy felt so unsurprised it surprised her. Of course he was not only a centaur, but magnificently beautiful. His human half was handsome and well-kept, his horse half metallic black.

“Oh, sweetheart!” he exclaimed, and trotted towards her, arms open wide in a warm embrace.

“Daddy?” asked Amy in a high voice. The centaur laughed.

“If you really are my child, then yes, I am your Daddy. And I do believe you are my child- you were this beautiful when you were born. Ah, who is your friend?”

“He can speak, Daddy” laughed Amy.

“I-I’m Eclipse…” stammered the Unicorn. Amy giggled; she had never seen him so nervous before. The King smiled.

“I see he reads minds…” he paused and glanced at Amy’s wondering face. “Yes, sweetheart, I tell what powers creatures have. Have you been a unicorn long, Eclipse?” asked the king brightly.

“Not really… 16 years, and all spent trapped in time by the dragons. Your daughter freed me, and some others.” Amy looked at him strangely, wondering how big their age difference really was. Eclipse smiled, and told her through eye contact that he would come back to it later.

“Oh I remember you… wait… do I? Hmmm…” the King mumbled confusedly. “They did something special for you? Maybe…”

“What is wrong, your Majesty?” asked Eclipse amusedly.

“Oh! You already know- you’re asking for my daughter’s benefit, I can tell.” laughed Amy’s father.

“I don’t know, but I have lost 16 years of my life, and yes, who you remember was me before they… changed me.”

“You were only 2! I’ve never heard of them aging their prisoners. They keep them the same age in case they are useful in a ransom or for information I suppose… But what did they do to you?”

“Maybe because we are changed… or maybe we don’t freeze in time like others do… My cousin was changed also, and she has aged too” suggested Eclipse.

“Cousin?!” exclaimed Amy. Eclipse laughed and nodded.

“Yeah… Rose is my cousin” He gave Amy an ‘I’ll explain later’ look. Amy burst into happy tears, which started her father and Eclipse fussing over her. She brushed them away- she was fine- just very, very happy.

“Daddy? What is my name?” Amy remembered the question she had been aching to ask.

“Hmmm… at the moment I do believe it’s Amy” her father suggested, wondering what she would think of her real name.

“Daddy? What is my real name?” she asked again.

“Hmmm? Uhh… Adelaide-Marie Yasmin Tudor… Sorry it’s so long.” Amy laughed, and was happy to finally know her true name, no matter how long it was.

“It’s ok Daddy- I love it!” she bounced up to her father and kissed his cheek.

“Oh!” exclaimed Eclipse suddenly. “Adelaide-Marie Yasmin, right?”

“Ooh! I’m still Amy!” Amy and Eclipse burst into laughter at their lame joke.

“So… what’s between you and my daughter?” Amy’s father asked curiously. Amy looked at her father then at Eclipse who was still laughing.

“Nothing… official,” Eclipse gasped between laughter. The king nodded thoughtfully.

“Then I suppose you’re glad you haven’t aged then?” Eclipse nodded sharply.

“But Celeste and Gabriel- they’re okay aren’t they?” King David asked anxiously.

“Yes- when I last saw them they were fine… I don’t really know what happened then though…” Amy murmured, pulling her eyebrows together, pondering.

“I suppose that was when we were going through the Gate. Its not surprising she doesn’t remember much,” explained Eclipse. “Oh no!” he sat upright all of a sudden. “The others!” A flurry of pink rushed past a window, and Amy giggled.

“They want to go to the main palace, Amy we need to go… you are coming- right?” Eclipse was suddenly anxious that she would rather stay with her father.

“No-no, I’m coming but I’m visiting you soon!” said Amy, looking at her father.

“Take care of her” said the king to Eclipse. “And you might need your power soon, Amy,” he said, a slightly worried expression crossing his face. Amy was confused, but her father ushered the tow out the door. She looked back and saw him smiling proudly at her.

Rose was there, waiting. Her shimmering pink face shot angry glares in Eclipse’s direction, her dark eyes glinting.

“There you two are,” declared Rose angrily. “You ran off with her!” She shook her mane madly. “Marthie almost had a heart-attack! Poor Marthie… We need to take Amy straight to the palace so she can have proper care taken of her- and she needs food!”

Somewhere in Rose’s speech, Amy passed out, and Eclipse instantly turned to help her ignoring the remainder of the lecture. Amy was still unconscious at the end of the speech.

Eclipse stood over her, calling her name in his sweet, sad voice. She slowly woke, and lifted her heavy eyelids.

“Amy… Amy please wake up…”Eclipse murmured into her ear. She smiled, leant forward and kissed the unicorn who was trying to cradle her in a tangle of legs and hooves.

“I’m okay - it’s fine Eclipse! Please stop fussing over me so much- I’m going to be fine” she cried.

“Not until you eat- Stop trying to hide your hunger, Amy- we care…” declared Eclipse.

The only thing Amy could eat they found was oats from the stable, so Marthie made porridge for her, adding honey she had collected. Amy smiled gratefully, and ate a bowlful, feeling much better afterwards. As they began travelling again, Amy started thinking of something. She mentally warned Eclipse not to freak out on her.

‘Are we going to bring back my brother and sister’ she asked silently. Eclipse nodded discreetly.

‘They were with me when I woke you, you know.’ This time Eclipse froze, making them fall behind.

“Really?” he asked, horrified and amazed. Amy nodded, and he swore internally. They had missed Celeste and Gabriel!

“Eclipse- its okay! We’ll find them- then everything will be fine…” said Amy, trying to calm Eclipse down. He shook his head- it wasn’t ok, but yes- he would find them. He galloped to catch up with the others. Rose looked at him questioningly, but he tossed his mane at her. He didn’t want to explain it to her right now.

At about midday, they arrived at a magnificent palace. Eclipse showed her to her room, laughing when he saw her face. Her room was painted pastel colours and furnished with cribs and other nursery furniture. Eclipse chuckled when he heard her bewildered thoughts.

“Don’t worry Amy- I’m almost as clueless as you are… I was two when I last saw this palace.” He led her back downstairs where a magnificent feast was being prepared. It appeared that Marthie had worked in the palace before, and slipped neatly back into routine. Violet followed Marthie, simply grateful to see proper food after days.

Amy cuddled and played with Petal while sitting next to Eclipse, who had stated that he was too clumsy with his hooves, and would hurt her if he tried to cuddle her. Amy didn’t really think he would hurt her, but didn’t question him.

A few minutes later, Eclipse declared that Amy needed a tour around her palace.

“This is um… oh yeah- that would be your brother’s room. The one down the hall there is your sister’s.” Eclipse gestured with his nose to a room with blue sponged walls, and a child sized bed. There were toys scattered across the floor; trucks, soldier, and aeroplanes. Amy shuddered and walked out. The room felt so… ghostly. A child should live in that room- it shouldn’t have been left empty for so long.

Her sister’s room was almost as bad- The sheets in the crib were pulled back, and there were clean nappies in a basket in the corner. It just didn’t feel right…

“Did you have a room?” asked Amy curiously. Eclipse shook his head.

“I shared with my… mother…”Eclipse didn’t say anything else, but he looked a little choked up.

An hour or so later, the tour finished, and when they returned, Marthie, Violet, and a few other palace staff who had arrived soon before the group did had completed the feats, and they all sat around a large table. Eclipse and Amy joined in the feast eagerly.

Later that night, as Eclipse was curling up to sleep, he heard Amy wonder where Rose was. Alarmed, he realised he couldn’t hear her thoughts- she was there! He decided he couldn’t do anything with Amy curled up to him, and that he would search for her in the morning, and eventually fell asleep.



When he woke, Amy was already awake, and had somehow gotten up without waking him. Rose was standing beside her, beaming like she was queen of the world. Eclipse rolled over sleepily and looked up at them.

“Look who Rose found!” Amy cried happily. “Luke and Lulu were at the gate to the Fairy Valley!” She grinned wildly. Rose let the two fairies off her back.

“I missed you two sooo much!” Amy exclaimed. They looked quite bewildered, the younger more so than Luke.

“Wh-where are we Amy?” asked the girl shyly. Amy pursed her lips.

“Eclipse,” she demanded. He looked up. “Tell them the story” she said delightedly. The Unicorn sighed, but told the story anyway.



“Celeste?” gasped the girl. “I prefer Lulu…”

“Gabriel?” retorted the boy, more amused than astonished. Amy laughed.

“I’m Adelaide-Marie! Don’t we all have such strange names?” Both Gabriel and Celeste laughed.

The rest f the day was spent by Amy moving more appropriate furniture into her room so she wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor again. When night time came, Amy lay down on her king-sized bed, grinning at the comfort. Eclipse jumped gracefully onto the bed, and lay down on top of the covers beside a laughing Amy. She sat up, kissed him, and then flopped back into the feathery pillows beneath her.

Eclipse chuckled. “Did you see the way your brother looks at Rose?” he asked amusedly. Amy hit him playfully.

‘He’s only 15’ she thought at Eclipse

“She is 16!” laughed Eclipse. “I don’t suppose you can tell with all this shiny coatness, but I am only 18.” Amy smiled- she had guessed that. Amy wondered tauntingly if he had the mental capacity of a two year old.

“Hey!” exclaimed Eclipse, startled into an upright position. Amy burst out laughing, kissed him, and drifted to sleep, dreaming dreams of her Unicorn.

Amy woke to him nuzzling her face, smiling sweetly at her. She grinned up at him, and sat up eagerly in bed. Eclipse smiled lovingly at the fairy-girl, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and blurted out awkward questions.

“Oh Eclipse!” she cried, burying her face in his mane. “Will it ever work? Us, I mean… it’s not fair for you- you always have to be gentle with me…”

“Hush, Amy. It’s alright; I love you” he soothed, stroking her cheek with his muzzle.

“I wasn’t finished Eclipse! We’re barely the same species- actually… we aren’t, and we can’t… you know…” Amy finished quietly, a little embarrassed. Eclipse shrugged.

“I haven’t hurt you so far, I used to be the same species as you… we…can… but only if you want to with a Unicorn” said Eclipse, a little thoughtfully. Amy pulled a face.

“I’d do almost anything for you Eclipse, but I reckon that if you really thought you needed to be gentle with me, you wouldn’t do it” retorted Amy, grinning. Eclipse smiled determinedly- it was almost like a dare now.

“I love you Amez” he murmured, as she looked at him, almost surprised at his response. He slipped down beside her, and she kissed him sweetly on the nose.

Amy lay beside Eclipse, sleeping again, clothed only in a tangle of sheets and doona. Eclipse gently leant over her, putting his soft cheek against hers. She woke gently, and kissed him repeatedly.

“Sweetheart…” said Eclipse between kisses; “I didn’t do anything to do you, did I? You’re okay right?” he asked cautiously.

“I…I don’t know actually” Amy replied, wriggling her toes. Eclipse frowned. Gently with his hooves, he untangled her from the mess of sheets and sat her upright. She rubbed her side, tenderly looking for bruises.

“Oh my… Amy are you alright?” Eclipse cried anxiously.

“I’m fine- I’m fine! But… ow… my ribs hurt here though…” she stroked the left side of her ribcage. Eclipse turned away and held his head in his hooves, slowly rocking back and forth on his haunches.

“Eclipse- what’s wrong?” she asked, wrapping herself in a bed sheet and going to his side.

‘Its okay- I’m fine’ she thought.

“No, you’re not okay… I hurt you and… it’s entirely my fault…” he sobbed. Amy put her arms around him, trying to calm him, but upsetting him further.

“You can touch me all you want, but I don’t even want to stroke your cheek in case I hurt you…” Amy looked up at him, sighed then began to get dressed.

They came down to breakfast together, beckoned by wafting smells of delicious foods. They accidentally, came across Rose and Luke talking quietly together, looking into each other’s eyes. Eclipse smirked ‘I told you so’, and Amy stifled a laugh until they were in another room, where they fell together laughing.

They stopped suddenly when they looked up and saw Rose and Luke standing in the doorway staring at them, wondering what could be so incredibly funny.

“Nothing- uh… nothing” said Eclipse quickly, looking sideward at Amy, who started giggling again. Rose rolled her eyes and walked off with Amy’s brother.

The delicious foods that Amy and Eclipse had smelt earlier were served, and they all feasted again, the kitchen staff eating with the prince and princesses; a system Amy liked very much.

After breakfast, Eclipse pulled Marthie aside and asked her about a doctor. She didn’t ask why, but gave him suspicious looks, and said a doctor would come in a few days. She then disappeared back into the kitchens.

Like Marthie said, a few days later, Eclipse went with Amy to a room they hadn’t seen before. It was almost crowded with medical supplies and machines doing various things. A doctor was there, moving his wings slowly as he stood waiting.

Eclipse spoke with him for a few minutes, while Amy stood patiently, gazing at the large amounts of medical supplies in the room before her, and wondering how it was not cluttered. Eclipse asked about himself; how to become human, before moving on to ask about Amy, and what he thought was hurt.

Amy lifted her shirt as Dr Charles requested, so he could examine the bruising. Guiding her towards a particular machine, he declared she needed x-raying. He gave her some tests, and Eclipse was ushered away while she was doing them.

“Maybe you don’t need an x-ray after all, Amy” Charles murmured, looking over the test results. She nodded uncertainly, waiting for him to explain.

“Amy... you’re pregnant- I’m assuming Eclipse is the father?” the doctor said, looking her straight in the eye, while she tried desperately to break eye contact with him.

“Oh… my gosh,” she breathed, her head sinking into her hands. “I’m only 16…”

“Fairies generally have children younger than humans, often around your age, but I don’t suppose that changes your anxiety. You also have two fractured ribs. Just take it easy for a while, and you’ll be fine. I’ll tell Eclipse about the fractures, but I’ll let you tell him yourself about the baby.” Charles stood up, and strode out of the room to find the Unicorn, check for other patients, talk to Marthie, and journey away again.



That night in their bedroom, Eclipse frowned at Amy, as she sat on the bed, looking tentatively at him.

“Amy, sweetheart… I’m sleeping on the couch.” He jumped off the bed, and onto the couch in the corner of her room. “The doctor said to take it easy, remember?”

Amy pouted, and swung into bed, and promptly curled up into a ball, facing away from Eclipse. He sighed, and settled down under his blankets.

He woke a few minutes later, and saw Amy standing over him, her expression blank, though clouded with hurt.

“Amy! Please don’t… just go back to bed’ he cried. There was a knock on the door. Rose bumped it open and walked in.

“What’s wrong with you two?” she asked, then laughed. “Did she banish you to the couch, Eclipse?” He pulled a face at her.

“Go away, Rose. It’s none of your business anyway.”

“Wait- I need to talk to you both. I can guess why Eclipse is on the couch anyway. I didn’t hear it from anyone; I can see it in his eyes.” She said, looking into Eclipse’s clear eyes. “You hurt her… didn’t you?” she whispered, her voice filled with sympathy.

“What was it you wanted to tell us?” Amy asked, bringing Eclipse away from the subject.

“Luke thought of something that could help you… us. I suppose you two already know about us, so there’s no point hiding it. Basically, Luke wants to be a Unicorn.” An awkward silence filled the room, and Eclipse eventually broke it.

“Does he really know what he’s asking for?” he murmured.

“I have talked to him in depth about it. Together we weighed up the reasons not to and the reasons to do it, and he’s decided that he wants to be Unicorn. If you don’t want to give your form to him, he’ll do something else- I don’t know what, but he has ideas.”

“I suppose… I have an idea too, though.” Eclipse sat up. “If he finds a Dragon -because that’s the only other way- he can never change back, but us two could go from fairy to Unicorn at will…With practise, of course.” He smiled, and Rose returned it.

“Yes, I’ll talk with him. We can see what we can do tomorrow, even.” Rose beamed, and ran to tell Luke.

“A few days then, and I won’t hurt you; everything will be normal again,” Eclipse murmured, his eyes meeting Amy’s. She sighed, and walked swiftly out of the room, defining her thoughts carefully so Eclipse wouldn’t hear anything she didn’t want him to.

“Amy!” he called. “Whatever it is, don’t run off; you need sleep now.”

“I… suppose there’s a couch in Rose’s room. I’ll send Luke over… I don’t know! Just go away, Eclipse!” she called back, bewildering the Unicorn.

She crossed the hall to Luke and Rose’s bedroom, and knocked gently. Rose answered the door, since Luke was asleep, sprawled over the bed.

“Are you two in such a bad fight that you are seeking a couch? You’ll have to put Eclipse in here- Luke’s on the bed.” She gestured at the sleeping figure, somehow managing to take up a whole King-sized bed, so that Rose couldn’t lie anywhere.

“Oh… I suppose I’ll have to tell him then,” Amy mumbled doubtfully.

“… You’re hiding something from him? Good luck with that!” Rose replied, laughing. She kissed Amy goodnight on the cheek, and closed the door. Slowly, Amy wandered back down the corridor, wondering how to tell him.

“Gosh, Amy, what could be so bad that you need to hide it from m…” realisation flooded across Eclipse’s face as she walked meekly into the room.

“Nononono… I’m eighteen, but that’s still not right!” he mumbled, utterly shocked.

“I’m only sixteen, Eclipse,” she reminded him, “And to be honest, you’re not very good at moral support…” she accused, blinking back tears. Eclipse took her to the bed, and sat beside her, nuzzling her to try to calm her down.

“Hey… Its okay I suppose, I’m just a bit freaked out. I have properly lived two years of life, and I’m going to be a father?”

“Yeah, yeesh…” Amy replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Eclipse frowned, trying to make eye contact, but failing as she looked quickly away.

“That’s not what I meant, Amy- and before you become upset and angry at me, I know it will be harder for you. I’m more worried about you than being a parent. I care about you, Amy- You should know that,” Eclipse murmured into her ear. Amy smiled, blew him a kiss, and then curled up. She was asleep in minutes, and Eclipse climbed under the sheets to lie beside her, falling asleep

They woke the next morning to Rose’s bubbly laughter.

“So you sorted that out, I suppose,” she giggled, walking away to give them time to get ready and dressed. Amy yawned, and sat up.

“Morning, beautiful,” she whispered to Eclipse. He grinned, plopped out of bed, stretched, and came downstairs with Amy following.

Eclipse, Amy, Luke and Rose were chatting while waiting for breakfast to be served. Rose told a lame joke, and everybody started laughing. Eclipse swore absent-mindedly, and everyone froze. Rose stared at him, a look of horror on her pretty face.

“Pretend… pretend I didn’t just do that,” he whispered to nobody in particular, the scooped Amy onto his back and ran upstairs.

“Eclipse! What’s wrong? It’s not about the baby is it?” she asked, gazing at him in utter confusion.

“Yeah, I suppose it’s related… But what about the others? What are we going to tell them? We aren’t even engaged or anything; you’re only sixteen… With the human ideals you two have come with its years underage- that’s the way your brother will see it,” he said in a rush, looking at her expectantly for a resolution.

“Sixteen isn’t too young for anything really, thank you very much,” she retorted.

“Okay… whoa… I do actually have a ring- just stay there!” Eclipse opened a drawer, and began rummaging through his many, varied possessions. He found what he sought, and managed to hold it delicately between his front hooves, then attempted to kneel. Amy tried not to laugh.

“So, Amy… I love you as I do life itself, and I promise that I would have asked you soon enough anyway- Will you marry me?” he asked, his eyes alight with a thrill of excitement.

“Yes, yes, YES!” she cried, only just containing herself from snatching the ring from her new fiancé to put it on. She gazed at it, her eyes locked onto the brilliant, shimmering diamond.

“We should get back…” Eclipse mumbled to Amy, hoping Rose wouldn’t jump to conclusions.

Rose turned, and watched them come down the marble stairs together.

“What is it this time?” she asked, eagerly awaiting the gossip.

Amy’s ring glinted in the sunlight that streamed through the window, and Rose saw it before Amy hid her hand behind her back. Her green eyes widened in surprise, and she froze for a moment.

“Eclipse?” she demanded, her voice barely reaching a whisper. Amy discreetly put a finger to her lips, and Rose concluded that she would ask Eclipse again later, not in front of everybody. Eclipse’s chocolate brown eyes blinked their thanks to her, and then turned to everyone else.

They all stared in blank confusion, without any idea of what had just passed between Rose, Amy and Eclipse.

‘Tell them in a few months or something’ Amy thought, trying to make jokes to fill the awkward silence, even if only Eclipse could hear. To her surprise, he dipped his head in subtle agreement. After a moment of thought, Rose pulled Eclipse aside and asked him if he wanted to talk with Luke about Unicorn forms after breakfast.

Amy watched anxiously as he trotted back to her side.

“It’s just about Luke, sweetheart,” he murmured, in response to her confused thoughts. “I’ll probably tell Rose then, though, if it’s okay with you. She saw your ring, and she’s planned to demand answers as soon as she gets us alone.” Amy nodded slowly.

‘Rose is fine’ she thought. Eclipse smiled, and everyone began to file into the dining room to eat breakfast.

While everyone’s attention was otherwise occupied, Amy slid the shining ring off her fourth finger and into her pocket. She promised Eclipse that she wasn’t changing her mind, in silence so nobody else would be able to intrude in their problems.

After breakfast, Rose chased Eclipse and Amy to the garden. They were walking together in silence. They no longer found much need to speak aloud, as Eclipse could hear everything, and Amy could guess his replies until he nodded to confirm.

“So… you’re engaged?” asked Rose, curiosity defeating all tact she could have used. Eclipse smiled at Amy, and then nodded.

“Aren’t you both a bit young? It’s a bit old-fashioned to be getting married so young, isn’t it? You’re only just an adult, Eclipse, and Amy is just 16- there’s nothing wrong with waiting a year or two is there?” Amy shrugged, pretending to dismiss Rose’s remarks.

“He said he would have asked me anyway…” Amy began mumbling. Eclipse looked straight into her pale blue eyes, concerned that she might regret the way she told Rose.

“The reason why I’m engaged now is… well…I’m pregnant…” Rose stared at Amy, her face expressionless. “With him,” she added, laughing.

“Don’t tell anyone- I’ll tell them myself when I feel ready… That includes Luke,” she smiled, and Rose nodded. She was stunned beyond words, and so stood dumbly staring.

“It would be nice if you said something about now…” Eclipse muttered, watching emotion flash across Amy’s face, so fleeting that he was the only one to see it.

“Okay… but you are so much heavier than Amy… you could have killed her…” Rose whispered. Eclipse nodded sourly, and shrugged.

“If Luke and I can figure this out, then neither of us will ever have that problem again,” Eclipse replied thoughtfully. As if on command, Luke wandered up to the group.

“Hey, you guys!” he called. “Do you know what we’re doing, ‘cos I have no idea,” he laughed and grinned.

“Yeah… I have a pretty good idea,” Eclipse mumbled vaguely.

“And…?”

“And we’ll need a scalpel- you know, for blood,” Eclipse added, reluctant to tell the worst parts first. Luke’s eyes widened, and he fumbled backwards. Rose was there beside him the moment he needed her, nuzzling his side and trying to soothe him.

“There’s probably one upstairs in my drawer, Amy” Eclipse told her. “Don’t look through my stuff!” Amy chuckled, wondering what strange things he hid in his drawer, especially since it was filled with his only possessions, one of which had been the ring that was now on her left hand. She ran upstairs as she smiled to herself, ad Eclipse looked up after her.

“Don’t worry Luke, we don’t need much. We’ll just use your finger, and that won’t hurt too bad…” Eclipse trailed off into thought as he tried to deduce the rest of the operation.

Amy returned, carefully carrying a scalpel in a sterilised wrapping.

“I know you don’t have hands, honey, but I’m not doing anything with that or I’ll seriously be sick. You don’t have fingers, and you can’t really get blood from a hoof… go figure,” she said as she handed the scalpel to her brother. She sat down on one of the wrought iron benches in the garden and watched everyone anxiously. Eclipse nodded.

“You’re not taking each other’s bodies are you?!” Rose asked suddenly, and a wave of reluctance spread over everyone for a moment. “You’re going to look the wrong age…”

“Don’t worry, Rose. He’ll look as if the dragons made him his own Unicorn. Possibly similar, but not the same. I’ll just be me,” he said. He glanced sideways at Amy. “The real me… gosh that sounds weird.” Rose nodded slowly.

“And if either of you need to change back for some reason, do you need to be with the other or do this again?” she asked.

“No idea,” Eclipse replied cheerfully. “I don’t know why I’m meant to be the expert on this…”

Unexpectedly, Lulu skipped up to her elder siblings.

“Hello Amy, what is Luke doing?” the young fairy asked, twisting her long hair around a finger. Luke pricked his finger with a stifled gasp, and Lulu looked on in confusion.

“Find out later, sweetheart,” suggested Amy, “Why don’t you and Petal go play together?” Lulu nodded seriously, and jumped up from her seat beside Amy, and ran away to her friend, waving over her shoulder.

“We just need to… um, mix a bit of blood,” Eclipse told Luke, wondering where he could get blood with minimal pain involved. He chose his shoulder, and Luke reluctantly pierced the Unicorn’s shoulder. Eclipse sucked in a sharp breath and winced. Amy stroked his nose, smiling and trying to distract her fiancé. She kissed him as Luke put his finger to his shoulder. This time, they flinched in unison.

“Is this meant to happen?” Luke asked, almost 30 seconds later.

“Yes. We wait for tomorrow,” Eclipse replied with a grimace.

“Nobody told me it would hurt like this!” Luke complained, rubbing his hand vigorously.

“It goes away… unfortunately it takes almost a full day…” Amy pulled a face, and then hugged her brother.

“Ow!” he cried, recoiling from her embrace. “It hurts Amy!” She stepped away, chewing her lip.

“Oops…” she muttered under her breath.

“Hug me, please Amy! Please keep distracting me!” Eclipse wailed behind her. Horrified, Amy held him gently and kissed his neck through the thick tufts of silver mane.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this for me,” she whispered.

“It’s okay, Amy- I’m going to be fine. Just please stay and look after me, at least until tomorrow… Oh and please don’t freak out then, either,” Eclipse murmured.

“I promise…”

“Hmm…” pondered Luke, having managed to calm himself. “ I wonder what my father would think of this, with me to become a Unicorn, and you engaged to another…” he broke off into thought.

“He’d certainly be one to talk! He’s a centaur!” Amy declared. “Wait… how do you know that we’re engaged?” she demanded.

“Rose isn’t the only one to see your ring. Besides, I know you better than that. You’re acting differently around Eclipse than you were before. Amy laughed, and fluttered around in the warm sunlight.

A sudden realised filled her mind; Rose had never been this nice to her…not before Luke had come. It was suddenly clear to her how Eclipse had chosen her over Rose… the beautiful Pegasus, currently flying amidst the branches, sparkling in the sunlight that filtered between the leaves. How could he have done that, though? Who would choose a sixteen year old blonde over someone so much more… a Pegasus? Especially if the one choosing was a Unicorn himself?

“I would,” Eclipse growled under his breath. “And stop exaggerating, it gets annoying. Besides, did you only just think of that?” Amy glared at him, also shocked that he could be so nasty about her thoughts so suddenly.

She stormed off into the twisting depths of the garden, ignoring tears that streamed from her icy eyes. She found a wooden seat not too far from them, and sat, wondering if Eclipse would still be able to hear thoughts when he lost his Unicorn form, and trying to distract herself from feeling mad at her new fiancé.

Eclipse watched his beautiful fairy leave, just moments after promising to stay. He blinked back tears, and, biting his lip, whispered a quick prayer that she would come back before the morning.

“Hey, she’ll come back, don’t worry. She’s probably got some excuse to be grumpy anyway… She is certainly one to keep a promise though, isn’t she?” Luke said sarcastically, throwing unimpressed looks after his sister.

Eclipse didn’t reply, though. He wished he could speak rather than listen, hearing things people kept private inside their heads. He lived his life always wondering if he was intruding, eavesdropping on private conversations, and he hated it.

Too caught up in his misery, Eclipse didn’t realise how close Amy was, hidden amongst flowering trees, and other twisting plants. She wished she hadn’t hurt him by walking of without warning, but she needed to be alone. She wanted to think with only herself, about anything, even about what to call her baby in eight months or so.

She jumped up, hearing a foreign noise in the back of her mind. Eclipse’s silent moaning slowly invaded the quiet private space of her mind. She pulled her eyebrows together and thought as clearly as she could to him.

‘Eclipse! Eclipse!’ she called ‘Listen to me!’ Amy heard the Unicorn’s thoughts brighten in anticipation. ‘I’m not angry at you- anymore- I just needed to think alone, for once.’

‘By running off, and breaking your promise… humph!’ Eclipse scowled to himself. Feelings of irritation ran through to Amy’s thoughts. Her eyes welled with tears.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break my promise like that…’ Eclipse froze.

‘You can hear me?!’ he asked, astonished.

‘Yes… I don’t know how, but I just heard you moaning about only being able to hear, and have heard you ever since. I’m coming, sweetheart.’

Amy quickly flew over, her eyes bright. Rose and Luke laughed as she approached.

“You two aren’t very good at fighting, are you?” Rose remarked. “It’s almost like you’re having silent conversations…”

“I think we just were,” Eclipse murmured, watching his fiancée in awe. Rose was immediately paying full attention.

“I don’t think I’m telepathic like Eclipse… He’s probably sending it,” Amy said slowly.

“No idea, sweetheart, but Rose is thinking that everyone would be hearing me… and that I’d never shut up,”

Well, whoever’s power it is, I’m taking you off to bed. You should sleep through the rest of transformation, Luke. I promise you won’t enjoy it,” Rose said, pulled her boyfriend onto her back, then taking him through an upstairs window to their bedroom.

“If you want me, just wake me,” Rose told him, and fell quickly asleep. Luke laughed weakly, and curled up on his bed, trying to ignore the persistent agony.



Amy kissed Eclipse, regaining his attention away from the pain.

“Just talk to me about anything- anything to distract you. I’m not going to keep babbling on like an idiot,” she told him.

“Ummm… What are we going to call the baby?” he asked. “Oh wait… we don’t know the gender yet. Never mind, then.”

“No, no. We can choose names for both genders. Start with girl names?” Amy suggested.

“Uh… Adrienne, Opal, Sarah, Ruby, Bree… Names like that? Are any of those okay?” Eclipse asked, his voice lacking confidence.

“I like Adrienne… and Bree…If it’s a boy, He’s going to Eclipse Jr. …unless you don’t like it,” Amy replied, laying her head on Eclipse’s shoulder, and closing her eyes.

“Uh… There are enough Eclipses in the world with just me,” he murmured.

“Really? I think you’re perfectly fine… one more couldn’t do the world any harm…”

“I said no, Amy,” Eclipse emphasised, cutting her off, and effectively ending the conversation.

“Well… bedtime for Unicorns!” Amy mumbled after a few moments, and turned her face to gaze at the dimming sunset. She wondered absently how the day had gone so quickly, despite how much had happened. Eclipse stood up beside her and trotted away.

She chased Eclipse upstairs, taking the marble stairs two at a time, and flopped onto the bed beside him.

‘I love you, Eclipse’ she thought, wrapping her arms around him. He smiled, nuzzling her soft hair.

Amy kissed him, pulling away slowly to gaze into his dark, chocolate coloured eyes. She kissed him again multiple times, adding more passion each time their lips met. Eclipse already knew exactly what she was thinking, though, and he turned his head away.

‘Amy! You’re already pregnant,’ he thought as Amy pulled her top half over him, silently imploring him to stop being over-protective of her.

‘No, honey, don’t be stupid. Not ever until I’m human. Who knows what I was thinking last time,’

Amy pouted, and leant forward to kiss him gently on the nose.

“Fine,” she growled, a smile hinting at the corner of her mouth. Eclipse chuckled.

‘You know that won’t work either, honey. Let’s just get some sleep,’



Eclipse felt cold the next morning when he woke. Looking down, he realised that he had lost his coat, and no wonder he was cold- he was naked! The only things keeping him from freezing were their thick blanket and a warm body sleeping against him, smiling in her sleep.

Amy stirred as Eclipse sat up, staring at his hands. After a few moments, she sat up beside him, and looked into two very human eyes from a very human face that looked back at her. She sighed at how handsome he still was to her, even when he wasn’t Unicorn any longer.

He smiled back, to Amy’s dismay, reading her thoughts again.

“Don’t look like that… I’ve told you before, I could do it before I was changed,” he whispered, kissing her as he marvelled at how different his voice sounded.

Amy grinned, and hugged him, forgiving him instantly.



A few hours later, Rose nudged the door open, and stopped a few steps into the room. She stopped, horrified as she saw Eclipse wrapped up, wearing only a doona.

“Rose- I’ve been a Unicorn since I was 2- you don’t honestly think I had clothes did you?”

Rose laughed nervously in response, and walked quickly away down the hall.



Luke woke to the thumping of hooves down the hallway, jumping in shock. He had begun to doubt Eclipse’s method of becoming a Unicorn, but it had worked!

Rose ran into the room, her eyes wide.

“You look great,” she murmured, grinning as he gracefully slid off the bed and started towards the mirror. His euphoria amplified as he slowly realised that he actually was the metallic blue creature in the mirror before him.

“Awesome! I’m going to find Eclipse,” he exclaimed, darting for the door. Rose got there first, and barred the way through.

“Uhhh… I wouldn’t really advise that. Transformations aren’t very good with clothes,” Luke looked over his shoulder, and saw that the clothes he had fallen asleep in were neatly folded on the end of the bed.

“Oh… I had to undress you last night… you know, so you wouldn’t choke yourself when you changed. Or ruin them so Eclipse would have to go nude,”

“Oh… Ok, I suppose I’ll see them at breakfast then. Let’s go down to the garden, so I can get a bit more used to have four legs. Hmmm… no hands… that’s weird,” Luke laughed as he ran down the stairs, tripping over his hooves. Rose followed, him giggling each time he slipped.



Marthie was at the base of the staircase, walking through to the kitchen, when she saw them coming.

“You… turned the Prince into a Unicorn?! Oh… Eclipse… I going to kill that Unicorn!” she declared, her green eyes flashing. Luke and Rose chuckled together.

“I’m not a Unicorn!” a voice called from the top of the marble staircase. “But does anyone have clothes? I mean, apart from Amy. I absolutely refuse to wear a dress!”

Marthie’s face turned a deep shade of red, and went to find Violet for a solution. An older teenage boy fell down the stairs, wrapped in a bed sheet, with a red, embarrassed face. Laughter echoed from the top of the steps, and the Princess ran down to him.

“Having trouble balancing, Eclipse?” Amy teased.

“Well… ok, ok, yes. I can’t remember how to walk very well,” he mumbled. “Nice colour, Luke,” he smiled when he saw Amy’s brother in his new form. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blue Unicorn before. Gosh this would be so much easier if my wings had come already,” he groaned.



Violet ran out of the kitchen, and after sixteen years of doubtful waiting, she recognised her only son; somehow healed from a supposedly eternal ensnarement inside a vain body. She ran to him, and Eclipse turned towards her, balancing awkwardly. Violet’s eyes lit with love and hope, and her arms enveloped him in a warm embrace. She held him gently, whispering in his ear that his mother had come back, and not to worry.

Rose started to laugh, but stopped when she heard Violet. Eclipse’s Mum? Hadn’t he told everyone that his mother had been taken away when he was less than a year old, then just 3 months later, his father disappeared, as well. How could Violet possibly be his mother if she had died years ago? Rose pulled Luke away to the garden, where they had been headed.

Eclipse stared at Violet for a moment, wondering if she had gone mad.

‘Wouldn’t your mother know you by your name? You probably don’t look that much like you did when you were a baby,’ Amy wondered.

‘I didn’t have a name when I woke up. Well, I didn’t know if I had one. I had the name Eclipse running through my head, as if it were one of the last things I had thought of. Then Rose didn’t know what her name was so I gave her one,’

Amy chuckled, and Violet look at her in confusion.

“Oh… it’s just Eclipse; he’s funny. He… uh…” she stammered.

‘Aren’t you going to tell her?’

“He… reads minds. And ‘speaks’ to me… or maybe I can hear him. We’re not sure,”

“So he named you Eclipse?” Violet murmured. “Well, Eclipse Jr., I suppose… It never occurred to me that you could be my son; I only once hoped that I had been dreaming when I saw your father killed before my eyes. You look a lot like him. He had a golden horn though… When he was a Unicorn,”

“I… don’t remember having a name…” he mumbled. His eyes lit up, “Rose… do you know who she could really be?” he questioned.

“I have no idea, Eclipse. If she is 16, then I wouldn’t know. She would have been born while I was away. I was gone for 12 years before I was frozen. The way Dragons freeze us seems to be different to what we thought. There were infant horses and cats, but Marthie, Petal and I are all older. Petal isn’t exactly a newborn anymore. Or maybe it’s because you and Rose had been changed, and that messed up the freezing process for the fairies, I don’t really know. ” Eclipse nodded thoughtfully.

“Oh yes, Petal is you half-sister, by the way,” violet held Petal out to Eclipse. He shook his head, but smiled.

“Not quite now, Mum…” he said, shuffling his sheet. He almost dropped it, and it slid to his waist. He blushed as Amy helped him to pull up back up to his armpits.

“Follow me!” Amy sang as she darted upstairs. Eclipse pulled a pained face and began to pull himself up the stairs with the rail. He followed her to Luke’s room, where she pointed at the pile of folded clothes.

Eclipse sat down on the bed as he pulled on the shirt. It was a little bit tight, but it would have to work until he could get better clothes. The jeans ended halfway up his shins, so he rolled up to his knees like shorts.

“Ew… uncomfy…” he muttered under his breath.

“We need to shop desperately. I can only find only two other sets of clothes that fit me in the whole palace, and I’m sure Marthie is getting sick of washing every other day. What do we have for shops here?” Eclipse shrugged.



They returned back downstairs, Amy laughing at her fiancé’s expression and stuff walking in the denim.

‘I’d rather wear a dress,’ he thought sourly. Marthie walked in from the kitchens, a tiny smile on her face.

‘Charles will come in about a week to check you and Luke. He’ll probably give Amy an ultrasound while he’s here. You should probably tell your mother before he comes though, Eclipse,’ she thought, knowing that Eclipse would hear her.

Amy heard it as Eclipse’s thoughts registered the words. She looked over at him.

‘I’m not telling her. She’s your mother,’ Amy said, smiling like angel. Luke suddenly stepped between them.

“This driving me crazy!” he exclaimed. “How does everyone else out up with them having silent conversations while we just stand here?! At least Eclipse doesn’t need to speak aloud anymore. One sided conversations are even worse than not hearing anything at all! I think I should go back outside before I go mad.”

‘If I tell her, you won’t run off and abandon me, will you?’ he thought back. Amy shook her head.

‘Fine, then.’ Eclipse took Violet’s hand, and the three of them walked to a different section of the garden, away from Luke and Rose, and sat down on a park bench.

“Well… Amy and I have things we need to tell you…” Eclipse looked meaningfully at Amy, patting his pocket.

“Oh!” Amy whispered. She slipped the ring from her pocket and out it on her left hand. Violet gasped.

“Yeah…we’re engaged…” he said slowly. “And…uh…Amy’s kind of… having a baby in 8 months or so…” he stammered. Violet’s eyes widened.

“I assume not with… this you? I mean, I saw you first as a fairy this morning.

‘I wish she hadn’t asked that,’ Eclipse hissed silently.

“Uh… I was a Unicorn. I honestly don’t know what the baby might look like. It better not hurt you, Amy, or I’ll have to ask Charles to have it aborted, no arguments.” Amy gaped at Eclipse for seconds.

“Arguments guaranteed,” she said quietly, when had collected her thoughts. Eclipse frowned. He didn’t want to kill his child, but he definitely wouldn’t let it kill Amy. Violet put a hand on Amy’s shoulder.

“I’m really sorry, Amy, but Eclipse is right. If you die to save your baby, the baby will die too. Besides, you are the eldest child of the King. Someday you will probably be Queen- don’t destroy all that for an unborn child who would die with you anyway. Well… I’m not sure- Luke might be King instead. You’ll have to ask your father when you see him next,” Violet murmured. Amy swore in her mind. What was she going to tell her father? Eclipse chuckled softly beside her, reminding Violet of how much of the conversation she was missing.

“What are you thinking?! I know how Luke feels when he says it drives him crazy!” she laughed.

“When can I see my father again?” Amy asked her question without warning.

“Well… anytime you are able to travel, really. I think he’s hiding from the dragons, since the war isn’t completely over yet. They seem to be able to find mythical creatures with more ease than trying to find fairies and other animals.” Amy thought for a moment, and then nodded.

‘Tomorrow?’ she asked Eclipse.

‘Amy, I’m not a Unicorn anymore, and I’m not sure I could walk that far, especially not yet.’ He replied.

‘Can’t you try swapping back?’ Eclipse shrugged.

‘Try’ she suggested.



After herding Luke and Rose inside and upstairs, Eclipse asked Luke what he thought about being able to swap.

“Awesome! If we could just swap forms like that, I could tell my father in my own time, and I could be fairy as King, and Unicorn all the other times.”

‘I thought I was the heir! Ugh!’ Amy growled silently. Eclipse looked sideways at her, his eyes glinting with amusement.

‘Amy, honey, it’ll be fine. It doesn’t work that way anyway. When he’s fairy I’m Unicorn, and vice-versa,’ he thought calmly.

Luke’s face fell as Eclipse then spoke the thought aloud.

“You can’t hide it from the world, Luke,” Amy said. “But anyway, tomorrow can you two try to swap so that Eclipse can take me to visit Dad?”

Luke’s eyes widened. “You’re going to see Dad?! I’m coming, then. But yes, it’ll work better if we swap back so that I’ll ride Rose and you ride Eclipse.”



The next morning, Eclipse wrote a note to his mother telling her where they were going, and then went to find Luke.

They weren’t sure how they were supposed to change forms, but eventually found that when they pictured the other person in their previous form, they both changed instantly. This time, clothes didn’t seem to be an issue. Luke appeared in his won clothes that Eclipse had been wearing.

Amy hugged Eclipse, who was once again a Unicorn, then climbed up onto his back. Luke mounted Rose, and the four of them galloped away toward the King’s palace.

They arrived a little after midday, and Amy waved to Jeffery the guard. He recognised her and Eclipse, and let the group in. Amy dismounted, and ran up the stairs beside Eclipse. Rose and Luke trailed behind, unsure of what to expect or how to act.

Amy knocked briskly, and then swung the wooden door open without waiting for a response. She wandered through the door, and saw her father standing a little way up a corridor, as if he had been expecting them. Luke shuffled inside behind his sister, Rose standing beside him.



The king beamed. “Gabriel!” he exclaimed, and ran towards his son.

“What about Luke?” the prince asked, as he returned his father’s embrace. The King shrugged.

“You’re a centaur; that is so cool!” Eclipse jumped up suddenly, starting towards him.

“Luke- no!” There was a tiny puff of smoke, and then Luke appeared in his Unicorn form, and Eclipse in his fairy form. An awkward moment of silence followed, as the King stared blankly at his son and Eclipse, his mouth open and eyes wide.

“Eclipse… what did you do to my son?” David finally managed to ask. Eclipse bit his lip.

‘You told him not to! A little late, granted, but still- It’s not your fault!’ Amy cried in her thoughts.

“We… can kind of… swap forms now. I wasn’t going to tell you like that. I did ask him not to,” Eclipse mumbled.

David nodded slowly, resigning himself to the fact that he couldn’t easily break the connection now. He saw Amy’s ring glint briefly in the sunlight that streamed through one of the stained windows.

“I’m guessing that there is something official between you two, now?” he said slowly.

Amy opened her mouth to tell him everything, but Eclipse cut her off.

“Yeah, we’re engaged, as of a few days ago,”

















LAST UPDATED: 18 August







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13579 (18 August)