The Missing Necklace

Jake was waiting at the Royal School for Royals. What was taking Alison so long? he thought. Alison, his sister was an expert at being a very bad princess. She is always late, never wears ball gowns, and never acts like a princess. Jake, on the other hand, was perfect. The complete opposite of his sister. That’s what his parents said about him. Suddenly, the bell rang, and everyone, in single file, walked in. 

“Princess. Princess? Are you in there?” Called a voice from the hall in the palace. Alison had been drooling in her sleep, till someone (probably the handmaiden) woke her up in a particularly scary dream.

“Huh? Wha-Where are the cannons!” She demanded.

“Excuse me? Princess, are you alright?” Asked the handmaiden.

“Sorry, bad dream,” Alison replied. “Aw, dang! I’m late!” Quickly, she got ready, packed her bag, and ran toward the Royal School.

Alison and Jake sat together at their desks, Alison somewhere in dilly-dally land. It was almost the end of the day, when Principal Winston walked in with a special announcement. 

“Today, there will be a special ball for your graduation, and all of you will have to attend. I’m looking at you, Alison Grace!” Alison snapped out of her daydream, and smiled all innocently. Jake knew Alison was not good at balls. He sighed.

“I am looking forward to see all of you there,”He said with a scowl.  As soon as school was over, everyone picked their stuff and left.

When Jake and Alison came home, they heard their mom screaming. They saw their mom sobbing on their dad’s shoulder, while he rubbed her back to comfort her. 

“What happened?” Asked Jake in a worried voice. Alison rolled her eyes. Her brother was always worried.“Your mother’s great-great grandmother’s necklace that was passed down to your mother, was stolen,”He explained. Their mom just sobbed and sobbed.

“We’ll retrieve Mom’s necklace from the thief. Right Jake?” Said Alison. She glared at him. Please don’t ruin my chance – my chance for an adventure. She thought. 

“We are? Oh, right, we are,”He chuckled nervously.  

“We also have to see where it was. Can you also tell us when it happened?” Mom answered this time. She was just recovering from the breakdown.

“It happened in my jewelry room, between 9 and 10. But you have to get it back before the ball, or I will look like a peasant,” She complained. Alison and Jake rushed to their mom’s jewelry room, and found the empty stand. They searched the area and found: a piece of ruby, a footprint covered in muck, and a dirty piece of rag. They packed, and left the palace in a carriage, toward Highland Woods.  Jake watched the palace disappear behind him. He felt scared. How were they supposed to find a thief in Highland Woods, where all criminals fled. It was the most dangerous place in Leoba Lands. Surely, his sister was afraid too, and would order them to stop. But, unfortunately that did not happen.

“How exactly are we going to find the culprit?”Asked Jake. Aliso did not answer. She was to busy, examining the clues they found at the jewelry room. 

They traveled in silence. Alison was absorbed in the clues, until she saw a glitter in the distance. As they came closer, Alison saw that it was a fairy.

“Stop!”She ordered, and the chariot stopped. The fairy fluttered toward the chariot. She wore a dress made up of flower petals. Her skin was glowing, and her was flowing behind her. She was beautiful. Alison could see Jake gaping at her. It was the first time he saw a magical creature. 

“Have you seen anyone with an emerald necklace. Do you know how he looked like, and point us in the right direction?” Asked Alison. As the fairy talked, there was a faint tinkling sound that seemed to be coming from her.

“Why yes, I have,” She said sweetly. “But I didn’t see his face. He was holding something shiny, and was headed in that direction.” She pointed North. Alison asked if she wanted to come along and help them find the thief. The fairy answered with a yes. 

Soon they came across a wizard and a dragon, and they too, both said he was going North. They also came along. It would be good to have some protection Jake thought. 

3 hours passed, and they had less than 1 hour to find the thief, get the necklace, and get back in time for the ball. There was no sign of life around them. It was dark, and the trees around them thikend. Jake shivered. It was also getting cold. 

“Stop!”Yelled Alison. The chariot stopped at her command. She stepped out, and realised that there were bushes on 2 sides of her and her friends. 

“We’re in a maze!”Alison called. An idea popped in her head. She asked the dragon if she could get a ride. The hovered over tree tops and found the way out. Something else caught her eye. There was a speck of light up a head. She ordered everyone to follow her and the dragon. 

Jake was feeling sick, as they zipped through the maze. He poked his head out the window, and almost fainted! There was a troll clutching an emerald necklace trying to outrun them! The wizard whispered something under his breath, and the troll floated in the carriage.

Jake snatched the necklace out of her hand. The troll scowled. 

“Hhhmph!”She pouted, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “That was mine!” She started complaining, but when she laid her eyes on the dragon, she muted herself. 

 When they got back, the troll was put in jail, and they had a wonderful ball.