By the time the sun had begun to rise they were well into the craggy slopes of the mountains. They were once again following a rocky stream that crashed over rocks and through small cascades as it tumbled down from the slope above.
They came to a narrow gorge, beside which lay a narrow path. The Butterfly continued to fly along the gorge, but Jazmyn had to dismount and lead Prinziana along the trail, watching their footing so as not to fall into the rushing waters below.
The gorge turned ahead of them and when Jazmyn came around the bend she found herself standing beside a pool of water at the base of a waterfall. From here the path was no more.
“Where now? The path is gone. Do we swim into the pool, or fly into the sky?”
The Butterfly ignored Jazmyn’s frustration and instead flew toward the waterfalls edge. Jazmyn watched in astonishment as the Butterfly disappeared behind the falling water and then reappeared, only to disappear again.
Prinziana snuffled and Jazmyn turned and patted her side.
“Stay here girl. I think I’m here……wherever that is.”
Jazmyn stepped up to the edge of the waterfall and found a dark crack in the rock behind. It was large enough for a person to walk through. She took a deep breath and stepped inside. Her hair and clothing was misted with droplets of water and she felt a breeze blow from within the darkness. She stepped deeper into the cave and saw the fluttering of the Butterfly’s still glowing wings. Feeling a little braver she began to follow once again.
After around five minutes of slow and careful footsteps, Jazmyn finally saw light ahead. She could see the path beneath her feet now and quickened her pace. She stepped to the mouth of the cave through which she had been walking, pushed a giant fern frond aside and gasped as she saw the most amazing and magical sight she had ever seen.
Jazmyn found herself surrounded by steep rocky slopes, some of them sheer cliffs. The canyon that these had created was filled with ferns and gorgeous flowers, but the amazing thing was that every leaf, every rock, everything was covered with the fluttering wings of millions of butterflies. Everywhere except for a rock bench in the centre of the canyon on which lay a person, and even from where she stood at the mouth of the cave she could tell who it was. It was her father.
Jazmyn began to run calling out to him, “Father, Father”, but he did not move. As she got close she could see his chest rise and fall slowly, breathing deeply. He was in a deep sleep. She stepped up to him and placed her arms over his chest and shook him gently. Still he slept. She yelled, she shook him again but still nothing.
The Butterfly flew in front of her face and she heard the word ‘Poison’. Jazmyn pulled back, almost in tears. She knew she had to do something but she had no idea what. Another butterfly landed on her father’s face, stepping on its tiny feet toward his mouth. Held between its front pair of legs was a tiny droplet of water which it placed onto the Kings lips. His mouth opened slightly and swallowed the water. Yet another Butterfly did the same thing but this time with a droplet of nectar from one of the many flowers in the canyon.
Jazmyn realised that the butterflies were feeding her father, keeping him alive, but still the poison was keeping him asleep. She did not know how but she knew she had to save him.
The Butterfly flew into her face once again and she expected to hear a word, some clue to what she must do, but instead the Butterfly dropped to her neck and landed on the chain of her necklace. She could feel its tiny wings fluttering but its legs were locked into the chain, pulling the necklace. Another butterfly flew in to help and then more. Soon there were almost twenty butterflies pulling at the chain around her neck and together they pulled it from her top and it dropped straight down onto her father’s face. His mouth opened and the tip of the ember stone fell between his lips.
In the canyon around them a million butterflies suddenly took to the sky.
Jazmyn heard what sounded like bubbling water coming from her father’s mouth and a tear dropped from her face onto her father’s eyelid. His eyes opened and he spat out the necklace. The ember stone was gone, dissolved away.
“Father, Wake up. It’s me. It’s Jazmyn.”
He opened his mouth slowly and whispered, “She told me you would come, in my dream she told me.”
“Who told you?”
“The Butterfly.”
The King slowly sat up and wrapped his arms around his daughter, and for the longest time they hugged each other.
In the canyon all the Butterflies were gone. All except for one.
For the next hour Jazmyn and her Father sat and talked. Jazmyn told him all that had happened to her, her journey and the state of the Kingdom. The King told Jazmyn what he remembered.
He had been standing on the Cliffside lookout, watching the sea for any sign of ships that might have news of the Queen. He had lifted his water flask to his mouth for a drink when a Butterfly had flown into his face. He had only managed the slightest taste of the liquid but he knew instantly that it was not water. It was poison. He felt his legs grow weak and as he stepped to get help they buckled and he fell. Fell backwards and over the cliff. The last thing he remembered was falling, the rocks and sea getting closer, then he was surrounded by wings and being carried away and after that nothing until waking and seeing his baby girls face.
They hugged again and walked around slowly while the King regained his strength. Both of them wanted to return home as soon as possible. There may have been news of the Queen and the King wanted to learn who had poisoned him.
Jazmyn sat on a patch of grass and spoke to her father in a quiet voice.
“The Butterfly. It reminds me so much of mother. Do you think it could be her spirit?”
“That thought had occurred to me as well.”
Jazmyn looked down at the ground and then at her father once more, “but if it’s her spirit that would mean……”
Her father cut her off before she could say it. “I know baby girl, I Know”
“Your horse, does it still wait for us beyond the canyon?”
“Yes, at least I hope so. Prinziana will be there I know it”
“Then I think it is time for us to go. We are in the eastern mountains and Castle Stone should be nearby.”
“But isn’t the Castle in ruins.”
“Most of it young lady, but it still holds some secrets. Let us go, we need to reach it before nightfall.”
Together they made their way back to the cave at the end of the canyon. They stepped into the cavern and waited for their eyes to adjust to the darkness. Slowly they edged their way along the path and eventually the light and sound of rushing water led them to the waterfall.
Jazmyn looked around but could not see the Butterfly anywhere. It seemed that its job was done and it had returned to wherever it had come from. Jazmyn just wished there had been a chance to say goodbye.
Just as Jazmyn had known, Prinziana waited for her beside the pool of water. The horse trotted over to them as they came from behind the sheet of falling water. It rubbed its head against both of them and they stroked her side.
“We have to walk to the end of the gorge but then we should both be able to ride. I don’t think you are ready to walk too far just yet.”
The King put his hand on Jazmyn’s head and ruffled her hair.
“You know I didn’t thank you yet. Thank you for coming for me.”
“You are most welcome”
Jazmyn grabbed the Kings hand and together they set off along the narrow path beside the river. Prinziana followed close behind and in no time they were back in the forest and foothills.
The King announced, “I think I know where we are. I rode these woods when I was young, when I lived in Castle Stone. If we ride due north we should make it there well before night.”
The King climbed onto Prinziana’s back and pulled Jazmyn up behind him. Slowly the horse weaved through the rocky ground beside the river but picked up its pace when they made their way into the open fores