I am the youngest of 8. I have 7 older brothers and I am the only girl. My father is the king of Ireland. I have no chance of becoming Queen and I understand that. My father has been talking about marrying me off to a prince so I can have my chance to rule, but he has not found anyone yet. I guess no one has been deemed right for me. He said he would continue his search when he gets back from England.

I guess that a big big to do happening in Northern Ireland and my father must go deal with it. My family will not tell me anything about what is going on in my country. If they did I would not have to worry about all this. I have a very good imagination. So I over think what is going on. I think my family wants me to be a proper queen someday. I understand that but I need something other than this. I sit in the castle all day and do nothing.

I do not know what my family wants from me. I understand that marriage is the one thing everyone thinks I can and will end up doing. Then have babies and rule the kingdom. Sometimes I think that I want more than that. I want to do something for this kingdom that no one else has ever done. I want the people to know my name. Aideen should be known throughout the land as someone more than just a princess. I hope one day I can become something more.

My father told me tales of a creature that no one has ever seen or is able to fight. I plan on going to find this creature and make my people know who I am. Tomorrow morning I will escape the castle and search for this evil creature. I must remember the stories my father told me in order to track it. My father told me it looks like a leprechaun but is not. He is not like the ones that we are use to. My father said he is a trickster and there is only one way to defeat him.

I plan to leave in the morning. I will bring all the weapons that I think will come in handy. I do not know what I will do in order to defeat him. I hope I remember more soon. I think if I sleep something will come. That is how my father gets all of his ideas. The fairy of dreams will come to my aid.

………………….

“Saoirse…..Saoirse...wake up!” This girl is not easy to wake up I think to myself. I go and shake her. “Saoirse you wanted my help now get up!”. She slowly woke up and looked up at me. “Who are you?” “I am Siofra. I am the fairy of dreams your father is always speaking of. I know you need my help to find the creature. I want to know why you want to go after this creature.” “I want to be more than just a princess. I want to prove something to my father.”

I smiled at the young princess and wondered why she truly wanted to go after this creature no one has been able to fight. “I can help you.” I tell the princess she must go deep into the dark forest and follow her gut. I will help her find the creature by talking to her without anyone else knowing. “You must not tell anyone I am helping you. Then everyone will ask for my help and I will not be able to help those who truly need it.”

……………..

The next day I awoke and grabbed the bags I had packed. I went downstairs to my horses and did not look back. I did not tell anyone where I was going or what I was looking for. I road on that day deep into the dark forest. Siofra was not speaking to me but she was guiding me and that is all I truly needed. Along the way into the forest, I stopped at a cabin that look abandoned. For some reason I felt the need to go inside the house.

I walked to the cabin and there was a light inside. I could hear voices. “...you know she will come looking for us. She does not know we are here.” “Why are we here Kian? Why have we been here for so long?” I tried to be quite so that neither of the men could hear me. “We have survived all these years, Ennis. I have done so many things for us to continue to be the wizards that we are. You know that is why we keep changing appearance as the monster. That way no one will be able to find us. I know the princess is coming. We will kill her like we did her mother.”

I went back to my horse and we road in the opposite direction. I was looking for anyone that would be able to help me. I did now know where to look. I stopped when I thought I was far enough away and tried to listen for Siofra. Wizards? Why were they wizards? That is all that kept going through my head. I knew I needed help other than Siofra but I did not know who to ask or who would believe me. I got off my horse and made camp for the night. I knew I would have to go to sleep for Siofra to show up.

…………

“Maybe she will be easier to wake up this time. She must know that I am coming. Oh a note. ‘Ring bell to wake me up.’” I rang the bell as Saoirse asked me to do. She woke as soon as I did. “Well you figured out they were wizards and now you do not know if you can defeat them.” “I know I cannot Siofra. I need help. I do not know who to ask or who will believe me. I do not believe me fully just yet.”

“That is why I wanted you to see for yourself Saoirse. You see I tried to tell your father but she thought I was just making stuff up and that magic does not exist, but he believes in me. Your father is a man of great contradictions isn’t he?” I could see Saoirse smiling as I said this. She just shook her head like she knew what I was talking about. I sat next to her and tried to think of something that would allow Saoirse to defeat the wizards.

“Fergus! He will help you. He is a great man and he will be able to do everything and anything you need him to while you are fighting the wizards.” Saoirse looked at me confused, “But I do not know if I can defeat the wizards. I do not have any magic in me. At least I do not think I do.” She stood up and walked to her horse. I could tell she was just a little confused and could not think of how to ask it. “Give me your hands.”

I walked to Saoirse and grabbed her hands. I could feel something inside her, something she could use against the wizards. “Saoirse do you know what love is? I mean have you ever truly been in love?” “No Siofra I have not. Why?” “The wizards that you are going to fight do not know love. They are not able to love and blame women for this. That is why they took your mother and many other women in your village. They need to see that it is not the woman’s fault, but theirs. The only way you could show them that is to find the one person you are suppose to be with…” I stopped there. I did not know how we would be able to pull that off in a short period of time.

I knew that the wizards worked fast, within 24 hours usually, when they have a target. “Fergus will be here in the morning. You must find a way to use your love against the wizards. They will take the shape of whatever you fear. You must prepare yourself for that. Fergus knows that these men are wizards, and I will visit him tonight to give him his orders. I believe in you Saoirse.” With that I left and hoped that she would be able to find her way.

……..

I woke to my horse making noise. I knew that Fergus must be near because my horse does not like strangers or strange horses. “Saoirse? I am sorry for waking you princess and that I called you by your first name. Siofra sent me to help you. I hope I can. I do not like the wizards but I need them to stop taking the women we love.” I looked at him. “Did they take your mother? Sister?” Fergus looked at me, “How did you…” “They took my mother...and my unborn sibling. I am sure she was carrying a girl. I mean they attached my mother when she was carrying me but never when she carried my brothers.”

Fergus and I spent the next several hours planning our attack. We knew they would target me and what I feared. “What do you fear princess? What do you fear the most?” I looked at Fergus. “Love. I fear that I will never love a man the way my father loved my mother.” Fergus stood up. “That is what they fear. They fear they will not be able to love and instead of trying they run away from it.” Both of us smiled. We knew what our plan was.

We rode our horses, knowing that they would come out eventually. When they did, they came out and did not take the form of anything. They did not know how to show what I feared. They did not understand love. “What is wrong wizards? You do not know how to deal with someone who fears what you do?” I got off my horse and walked to them. “She does not fear us. What do we do?” Ennis looked at Kian, I could tell they were both trying to find the answer to that question.

Before they could Fergus and I both had swords out and ready to strike. Fergus looked at me and said, “I must say something before we do this. I asked to be here with you princess. I know you may not be able to understand this because of what you fear.” He looked down, “But I love you.” I did not think, I just kissed Fergus. I knew that he was the man I was suppose to be with. When we kissed, we broke the spell. Ennis turned into a woman about my age. Kian had apparently turned her into a man because she did not love him the way he loved her. Kian then turned into a frog.

Before we could do anything the frog hopped away. The girl who was Ennis stood next to us. “Oh do not worry. He is not powerful anymore. He took all the power I had and turned me into a man. He said he would give me pack my true body if I helped him find a mate. You see there was a very powerful witch who fell in love with Kian. He did not love her so she turned him into a frog, but he had the ability to talk to the few who could hear him. I, being a witch, could hear him. He confused me and told me he loved me. Kian was a very powerful wizard in his own right. So after I kissed him, I turned into a man. I do not know why he did this.”

“So for 100 years we kidnapped woman trying to find his one true love. I do not think he has one. He will never find it. What he does not know is that last night I gave him a potion that takes away his ability to talk. That is why he never said anything to you. I know he was trying but he will never be able to again.” We both stood there in amazement. “What is your name?” I finally asked the lady who stood in front of us. “Kyna. I am your aunt princess. That is why you were sent to defeat him. You have the powers as well. You just do not know how to use them yet.”

“So is that why Siofra came to me?” “Oh she is your aunt as well. Oh Fergus. Do not worry. She loves you. Once a witch loves you, you will be immune to her spells.” Fergus smiled, “So what do we do now?” He asked me. I smiled, “Go home. You have to meet my father.” All three of us got on the horses, and rode to the castle to tell my father our tale.