Diana's Quest

By Ayana Fotedar

As the morning rays pushed through the brambles and wines of the forest, the forest woke up by the sound of the birds, the howling of the wolves and the ripples of the water in the pond. Sat beside that pond was a beautiful girl dressed in an elegant gown of white and blue petals of flowers decorated her elegant white gown her hair was carefully plaited into a neat and loose braid decorated with purple flowers with three pearls carefully placed inside each of them. She was looking at her reflection in the pond, that's when her mother, Isabel shouted, "Diana! Come inside, we have work to do!" Diana stopped looking at her reflection and ran towards a thatched hut made of wood. "I am sorry mother I was just about to come back home!" said Diana. "I don't know where you go to now a day?" said her mother. "I was just……" but before Diana could say anything her mother cut in saying "Ok fine I don't want to listen to your made-up boring stories." "But mother……" said Diana when her mother yet again cut into her saying "Oh! Enough of this already go and change into your rags and save this dress for the church or if you have to go outside and after you change come down stairs and help me clean the house." "Yes mother" said Diana quietly and went into her room quite sadly. She changed her dress, came down and helped her mother in cleaning the house and cooked food. After eating the food and doing some chores she finally got the permission to leave the house, with some leftovers of the food she hastened towards the forest to meet her animal friends, when she finally reached there, she offered the food to the animals and told them about her sadness because of her mother scolding her and not believing in her. By the time she finished her story it was already night time and her face looked even more beautiful in the moon light but her blue eyes had a hint of curiosity in them and the animals could sense that so the rabbit who was seated in her lap asked her what the matter was and she said " When I once asked my mother where my father was she got teary eyed and said that he died a year ago while he was sailing in the seas but I always thought about it and I wished that I knew about what had happened to him exactly." "Then you should go and find out what happened to him," said the rabbit. "But how?" asked Diana. The rabbit said "You should go and take some of the animals and set off on your journey." "What a great idea rabbit!" She said and then she sneaked into the house found her mother sleeping so, she took some supplies changed her dress and got ready to start her adventure. She hid her supplies under her bed and went to sleep. She woke up before her mother, she looked at the clock it was 4 O'clock. 'Perfect' she said to herself as she started to get dressed up. She then wrote a note to her mother explaining everything and that she should not worry about her as she would be back home soon. Then she went to the forest, there her animal friends, that is the rabbit, the lion, the cat and the dog were waiting for her and then the lion spoke up " Diana we packed some food for you and you don't need to worry about our food as we have already packed some for ourselves." "How sweet of you, thank you so much lion, dog, rabbit and cat!" said Diana gratefully. "So, let's start our journey" said the cat and so the five friends went towards the 'Mermaisis sea.' When the group reached the sea, Diana asked "How are we supposed to find where my father went next?" "Maybe we will find something on the ship on which he sailed on, Diana do you remember which ship was that?" asked the cat. " That is a great idea…… I think that my father went on the ship 'black swan'." said Diana. "Well, there are still some hours before the ships start sailing. So, let's start investigating." Said the rabbit. "Yes" they all said in unison. So, they all started to search until Diana cried out in joy and said that she found a note with the name 'Robert Washington' written on it. She read the note out loud and it said "Dear Diana, I cannot stay at our home because of a threat to my life but if you wish to meet me you should take the 'Swift Lady' ship and travel to the remote area of 'Marine Island' and go to 'Daylint Avenue' block number 3. There you will find a house by the name 'Leo Madrigale' you can meet me there. Diana could not believe her good luck and said to her friends that she was ecstatic and that they should start their journey and so the friends boarded 'Swift Lady' and left towards the unknown 'Marine island'. As they boarded the 'Swift Lady' Diana seemed to look around anxiously and then after some nervous glances of Diana's the lion asked her what the matter was and that's when she replied "I was thinking of what my father said about a threat to his life and I was thinking that what if……..." that’s when the lion cut in saying " Diana don't worry we won't let anything happen to you…… okay? So, concentrate on the journey." "That’s very comforting lion…... thank you so much…. Let's go to sleep now." Said Diana "That’s a great idea!" said the dog. So, the friends went below the deck and had a peaceful slumber. The next day the group was ready to start the next leg of their journey. Diana was watching the ship getting docked in the harbor of Marine island it gave her hope to see how close she was to finding her father and before she knew it all the tension was gone and she was smiling and joyful, the breeze ruffled her long and luscious hair as if to celebrate along with her. The rabbit came to her and said "I know how happy you are but don't keep your hopes to high who knows whether your father is still alive... This note could be written years ago!" "Whatever may happen my dear rabbit I will keep my hopes high and hope for the best!" said Diana calmly. As soon as they set foot on the land, they saw a beautiful and tremendous waterfall and then the lion said "A waterfall is a good sign… It usually stands for hope… at least we lions believe that" "That is a great thing to believe in!" exclaimed Diana. "Hahaha… Don't give all the attention to the lion we all animals believe in this Diana." Said the cat. "Oh…. I did not know that" said Diana showing a puppy face towards all the animals and they all burst out laughing. Diana then brought a map from a nearby stall and started to examine it, after some time of examining she said "Aha! I found where Daylint Avenue is…. It is just a few miles walk…. Come on then" "A few miles!" Exclaimed the dog "Why what happened?" asked Diana anxiously "With you all walking so slowly I get quite tired as I like to run" answered the dog. "Hahaha……. We will try our best to walk quickly… come on then what are you all waiting for?" said Diana while rushing past all of them, starting a wild race. When they reached Daylint Avenue they were out of breath except for the dog who was joyfully jumping up and down. That is when Diana noticed a house with the name 'Leo Madrigale' and instantly remembered the note which her father wrote she pulled it out and said "Hey! Leo Madrigale's house is right there" pointing in the direction of the house. They all decided to stop and think whether they should go or not after all it could be a trap too. So, finally Diana spoke up and said "Let us all camp here for tonight and tomorrow we will visit that house." So, the friends made camp and went to sleep. So, the next day the group hiked towards the Leo Madrigale house as they reached the house Diana said "Let me ring the bell and as we don't exactly know who lives here you will have to pretend to be my pets." "Okay Diana" said all the animals in unison. Diana rang the doorbell and waited, after some time a young lady almost Diana's mother's age came to answer the door. She was wearing a formal red dress which went up till her knees, it was decorated with a scalloped neckline and a beautiful black lace on the hem. She introduced herself as Marissa, Leo Madrigal's caretaker and asked them why they were here. Diana told her about her journey to find her father and ended it by saying "The note which my father gave me said that I would be able to find him here." Marissa invited Diana into the house and said that she would call Leo as he was upstairs and asked them to make herself and her pets comfortable. After some time, A tall and stout man entered the room. He was wearing a leather, black coat with an embroidered red shirt inside it, below the coat was a pair of black pants. His hair was neatly combed and he was wearing a chequered, red tie. Overall, he looked like a man ready to attend a wedding party. Diana immediately understood that this man (Who could or could not be her father) was very uptight and sophisticated, she decided that until she figured out who this man was, she would watch her manners. He came inside the room and seated himself on a comfortable chair, then he called Marisa and asked her to bring two lemonades. He then finally turned his attention towards Diana and said "Are you my daughter Diana?" Diana hesitated a bit, then she said " If you are Robert Washington then, yes, I am your daughter Diana." Diana couldn't read his expression and then he suddenly burst into tears and said " O, my sweet child I have missed you so much!" Diana couldn't contain the emotions swirling inside her and then she burst into tears and hugged her father. After they both calmed down Marissa came in and gave them some snacks along with their lemonade. Diana looked at her father and noticed that instead of looking more like her mother she looked more like her father, she noticed the same blue eyes, the same white skin, the same black hair and the same calm smile. "Father can you tell me why you left mother and me?" asked Diana. After a moment of hesitation her father said "It's a long story Diana. It all started when I met your mother my wife Isabel, we were deep in love but then one day - after our engagement – a beautiful lady named Carla caught my eye she was beautiful like a celestial being she was wearing a long elegant red gown with a beautifully scalloped neckline and the way she was walking was simply to attractive I had completely fallen under her spell so, I went up to her and asked her who she was and what was her name, it was then that I came to know that her name was Carla and that she was a merchant's daughter I asked her if she would marry me and she said yes so we secretly married and then I married Isabel but after some time a man named Mr. Wesley sent a telegram asking me to come and live with my first wife Carla, at first I said no and thought that the matter was settled but a few days later I received a letter without the name of the sender and it said – READ OAF BEN ERECT RACE TELL IF FEW YOLK OR UNIVAC WOW IF SHOULD HAVE TEA OMLETE LEAVE ICE VERY EAT COCK OH MY EGG AND NOT DIVIDE LEAVE IF VICE EGGPLANT WATCH IT TO HER MYSELF YOU DARE ARE USE GOAT HAD TEA EGG RICE.

At first, I thought the sender of this letter was crazy but then I saw something that caught my eye and I figured out the letter and its true meaning was – ROBERT IF YOU WISH TO LIVE COME AND LIVE WITH MY DAUGHTER.

I immediately understood that this letter was sent by none other than Mr. Wesley, Carla's father." "But father how did you understand what the letter meant?" asked Diana. "I saw the first letter of each word and finally understood what the letter meant." Replied Diana's father before continuing the story. "So, now I was scared out of my wits, I had no idea what to do so I made this fake story of me dying so that your mother would not know that I had married a woman before her but, I did leave a trail for you to follow I knew that your curious mind would urge you to search for me and I was right. So, when I reached here Carla's father had already passed away and in shock and misery even Carla passed away as I was their only kin, I inherited all their money with that money I built this mansion and paid Marissa to help me around the house as I didn't have the heart to return back to Isabel and tell her the truth." And with that he gave out a long sigh and room was quiet for a very long time. Then Robert's gaze fell on the rabbit seated in her lap and then he said "Is that you rabbit? Do you remember me?" the rabbit said "Indeed I do Robert indeed I do!" "Can you speak with animals as well?" asked Diana "Yes, I can." said Robert. "And there is a story behind that too. Once before me and Isabel married, I helped a fairy and in return she told me that me, my wife and one of my descendent – that is you Diana – will be allowed to speak with animals, but if one of you do a misdeed then he/she will not be able to talk to animals anymore, and so Isabel did a misdeed by not helping an old witch who came to our house and lost her power to speak to animals and later after Carla's death I learnt that she was the same witch waiting for revenge and that was the only reason for our marriage. After I pretended to die grief over took Isabel and she completely forgot that she could to talk with animals." "Father I think we should put all of this behind us and go back home. Mother delighted to see you again!" said Diana. And so, Diana, her father and the animals journeyed back home and reached the small, thatched hut again. Robert explained everything to Isabel and apologized and Isabel forgave him and for the first time in her life Diana was greeted lovingly by her mother.

By Ayana Fotedar