"Are you sure, I think I've heard that name before. I just couldn't remember when, where and how..." replied the handsome twenty-one year old dwarf.
"Really," she uttered as she looked on the side of the road. "We'll wait for a bus we can ride."
"Okay," he just said and waited for a bus with her floating near her.
"By the way, why are you dressed up like that, I know that is not just for walking."
"Okay, since you're a nice dwarf, I'll tell you." She then told her story ending it on the part when the little dwarf rescued her.
"That's a good story and partly because I'm part of it," the little dwarf answered smiling a little looking up at the beautiful girl. "But still you shouldn't have gone over the bridge. That was really dangerous."
"Yeah and I regretted doing it. And even fishing on the bridge is also dangerous, one could fall below anytime. I wonder where that little boy is right now," stated the young lady looking around to find the boy who entrusted her the fishing line.
Slowly the little boy reappeared on the far side of the road. Immediately, Edward turned himself invisible and looked at the approaching little boy. "Hi, you're still here. I really thought that you had already ran away leaving my fishing rod unattended because it took me so long to return here on the bridge," said the young boy as he approached the girl.
"No I wouldn't do that to you. I could tell this fishing rod is very important to you," the answer of the young lady. "And here's your fishing line and here's our catch."
"Wow, you certainly know how to fish Miss," praised the young boy looking at the pail full of fishes.
"Would you like to take home some fishes for yourself huh?"
"No, thanks, I'm waiting for a new bus we can ride," the answer of the beautiful girl and realized something.
"We, how did you know I was going to ride a bus myself, huh?" the question of the boy wondering a little.
She was referring to me young boy; Edward answered silently and immediately disentangled the fishing line while the little boy tried to pull it up from the side of the bridge.
"Huh, but I wasn't really referring to you, maybe I'm with a handsome dwarf," her quick statement.
"Okay, let's wait for a bus to pass then," the answer of the little boy ignoring her dwarf statement. "Hey, I'm Mario, you what's your name, huh?"
"I'm Marianne," she introduced herself looking around for the little dwarf.
Chapter 2
Shortly, a bus came and stopped beside the two of them. The two immediately boarded and sat beside each other inside the big bus. Marianne kept on looking trying to find Edward around.
"Stop looking around, I've turned myself invisible... I'm floating near your left ear lady..." the whisper of the handsome dwarf to be the beautiful girl in a wedding gown.
Marianne just nodded and looked ahead. She noticed some passengers were looking at her and on her wedding gown. She looked back at them and smiled.
"Where are you going huh?" Marianne asked the little boy beside her.
"I'm going home, it's almost lunch. I'll cook our catch," he replied glancing at her. "Hey, you help me catch these, maybe you'd like to eat your share."
"Is that your clever way of inviting me home huh?" her fast answer smiling at little boy sitting beside her.
"Yes, because I don't really get to see a beautiful lady in a beautiful wedding gown every day. Besides, I really think I've seen you before."
"Maybe, you've seen me in the papers, the news about my wedding.”
"No, I don't think so," his answer to her looking intently at her. "So you're going home with me then."
"I'm not really sure, if it's in the way maybe. Where exactly do you live huh?" she asked smiling at the little boy.
"Our house is just about a thirty minute ride from here. I'll get down on a corner with a yellow store surrounded with four tall mango trees, then I'll walk straight, turn to the left, and then turn to the right," his quick answer to the lady he invited home.
"Really, but that's exactly where I'm going to," Marianne replied smiling a little.
"What a coincidence!" his reaction to her.
What a coincidence indeed.... Edward silently whispered.
The bus continued rolling until finally it stopped near the yellow store surrounded with four tall mango trees. The three immediately got down and walked until finally they reached a big house with a big blue gate.
"This is our house Marianne," stated Mario looking up to her. "Now, was this the place you said you're going too huh?"
"This is the exact address and the exact house Mario," she replied confidently.
Immediately, the young boy opened the gate, the three walked through, and went inside the house. "Joanna I'm home!"
From the kitchen, "Mario, I'm here in the kitchen!" the loud answer of the little girl who was watching TV while she sat on a chair.
The two walked to the direction of the loud voice of the little girl and Edward followed.
"Hi," the beautiful little girl just said looking at the beautiful girl with a beautiful white gown.
"Hi, are you the beautiful sister of Mario huh?" her immediate question smiling at the little girl.
"Yes, she is," Mario answered for her. "She helped me catch these fishes Joanna and now she's having lunch with us."
The three then sat around the table looking at each other. "Why are you wearing that long white dress huh?" the question of the beautiful little girl.
"She just ran away from her wedding she told me Joanna," Mario answered for Marianne.
"Really, but why did you ran away from your wedding?" the little girl asked.
"I ran away to see your handsome cousin Regor," the answer of Marianne smiling at the two kids on her sides.
The two kids just looked at each other and then back to Marianne. "You ran away for our cousin Ed, really," surprised, the two answered together.
"Yes, I ran away to see Ed here in this house."
"Are you sure?" the two kids asked together.
"Yes, I'm very sure."
"But our cousin Ed had been lost for fourteen years now," the reply of Mario wondering.
"I know, but I know he will come back to see me. He promised me and I believe him," she answered smiling a little but immediately a tear formed in her eyes.
The two children didn't know how to react as they looked at Marianne starting to cry.
"Marianne, why are you crying?" Edward softly asked Marianne from where he was floating invisibly.
"Hey, how about I cook these fishes for the two of you huh?" the statement of Marianne trying to change the topic.
"Obviously, you and my aunt Margaret know each other. So I don't think she would mind if I let you in our guest room. You've traveled long and I asked you to fish, you must be tired by now. Come I'll show you our guest room," Mario offered and immediately took their guest inside the room. After Mario had left the room, Marianne sat on the bed. She looked around and realized nothing much had changed. The bed is still the same, even the frames on the walls were still the same and the paints were still of the same colors. She opened the window curtains and lay on the bed. She lay there for a moment and remembered everything that happened on that sad day.
"Marianne, we're leaving. Our office had assigned me to work in the province. I want you to help your mom pack our things so we could immediately leave tomorrow. Be a good girl, I'll see you tonight okay,” the father of Marianne informed his daughter.
After her father had left for his office, Marianne immediately left the house and went to the house of Ed next door. She went inside the house and saw Ed sitting on the floor playing with his car toys.
"Hey Marianne, you're early I thought you said we'll play in the afternoon," Ed greeted and asked his friend approaching him. But Marianne didn't answer and just sat in front looking at him. She looked at the face of his friend for a long time.
"You look so sad. What's wrong?" he asked looking at her. She did not answer so he decided to offer her ice cream to cheer her up. "How about we eat some ice cream first, would you like some huh Marianne?"
"Is that vanilla huh?" she answered and smiled at the friend she feared she wouldn't see anymore.
"I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't, I know that's your most favorite ice cream. And that's why I asked mom to buy me some last night at the mall. Come, I'll show you how many we bought," Carl offered, got up and gently dragged his friend towards their big refrigerator in the kitchen.
Marianne followed and walked with Ed. In the kitchen, Ed immediately opened the big and tall refrigerator, pulled a chair in front of it, opened the freezer and showed the many tiny cups of vanilla flavored ice creams.
"Goodness, there's just too many of them Carl," her fast statement looking up inside the freezer.
"I asked mom to buy a lot and I think she knew I'm giving a lot to you," Carl explained looking down from the top of the chair he was standing on. He then pulled four cups for the two of them and gave one to Marianne.
"Thanks Ed, my, this is really my favorite, vanilla. You really don't forget everything that I tell you Ed," said Marianne as she held the cold ice cream in her hand.
"Come let's go outside the house and eat these ice creams," invited Ed to his beautiful friend. Immediately Marianne followed Ed towards the garden and sat beside each other on the small round table. The two kids started eating ice cream.
"This is really delicious Ed, thanks a lot," said Marianne as she continued eating her favorite ice cream.
"When you finish that cup, you can still eat these ones," Ed just said.
"Okay, I'm finish with this one," Marianne informed Ed and immediately took the other ice cream cup on top of the table.
The two ate and ate the delicious ice cream looking and smiling at each other. And when they were done, Ed immediately sat Marianne on the seesaw. They played the seesaw for some time and afterwards they chased each other in the wide garden of Ed's mother. Smiling and laughing the two kids chased and chased each other. But Ed intentionally ran slow, and so Marianne could easily catch him and then he would chase her back and he would easily catch her because Marianne would intentionally ran slow too. Afterwards, the two had lunch with Ed's mother who really liked Marianne. When Ed's mother had left for the grocery, the two continued playing in the garden. They talked, laughed and played all afternoon. Ed was Marianne's best friend and Marianne Ed's. When it was about six o'clock in the evening, Ed asked Marianne to sit on the round table once more. Ed sat, looked and smiled at Marianne in front of him and realized that Marianne seemed upset about something.
"What's wrong Marianne," concerned, he asked his friend.
"We're living tomorrow Ed," Marianne said and started to cry. "And I won't be able to see you again."
"Huh," the quick reaction of Ed looking at his friend.
"Yes Ed, we're living tomorrow and I won't see you again," Marianne said and cried hard.
Ed didn't know what to do. He knew he didn't want to lose his friend. "But maybe you'll just go on vacation and you're still coming back."
"No we're not, dad was assigned in the province and he'll work there for a long time," Marianne answered sobbing. Marianne cried even harder.
"Marianne, you really don't want to leave me do you," stated Ed, stood up and sat beside her.
"Yes, because you're my most favorite playmate," the innocent answer of the beautiful seven year old young girl.
"You're my most favorite playmate too," was the innocent answer of the handsome seven-year old boy.
"But tomorrow I won't see you again," the statement of Marianne and cried even harder.
Ed just looked at the crying face of Marianne and pitied her. He immediately comforted her and said, "I heard, that we children can do a lot of things when we're much, much older than now. I heard that by that time we're already allowed to see any one we want. If you stop crying now, I promise that on my twenty-first birthday party you will be my most special guest and then we can see each other as often as we want, how do you like that huh?"
And Marianne immediately stopped crying and looked at her friend beside her.
"I'm glad you already stopped crying, we just have to keep sleeping early at night so that one day when we wake up I'm already twenty-one years old," Ed said smiling at her.
"And we will see each other as often as we want huh."
"Yes," Ed quickly answered and laughed.
"Promise me then."
"Okay, I promise," Ed said looking at his friend.
Immediately, Marianne cheered up and smiled at Ed.
"Let's race inside your house Ed, I want to eat some more vanilla ice cream," she said and immediately ran towards the house leaving Ed behind her. "Ed, hurry up."
"Dad, let me go. I'm not going with you, dad! I don't want to leave mom!"
Marianne heard Ed scream from behind her. She turned around but she didn't see him. She looked again but she didn't see him anywhere. "Carl where are you?"
"Dad let me go; I don't want to leave Marianne!"
"Okay son, just go with me and I promise when you're twenty-one I'll let you come back to see Marianne!"
"Marianne, wait for me here, on my twenty-first birthday I'll come back to see you I promise!"
That was the last thing that Marianne heard from Ed and after she had told Margaret everything that had happened, her dad took her to the province the following day.
Marianne, in her beautiful white wedding gown, fell asleep on the bed she was laying.
Chapter 3
She looks like a princess sleeping on the bed, Edward thought looking at her. I'll just go around this house. Invisible, he flew around the big and beautiful house. He passed the two kids, but he chose to enter the next room he saw. Inside the next room he saw a girl sleeping on the bed. He looked at her intently while floating by her side. Suddenly, the girl moved a little to her left. "Carl...." the girl softly spoke in her sleep.”Ed..."
"I wonder who really this Carl is; they kept talking about him even in their sleep..." Edward softly whispered to himself. "Okay, I'll just check this room. Another big and black rectangular object just like the one I saw in the living room. They really like this black thing a lot, I wonder why."
Edward looked back at the girl on the bed. Could this girl be the reason why grandpa sent me here, Edward thought to himself.
Slowly the girl started waking up and stretched. She stood up and went straight to the bathroom. Edward waited.
Shortly, the woman went out of the bathroom with her robe. She immediately sat on the chair in front of the mirror and combed her hair. "This is probably the Aunt Margaret those kids were talking about earlier."
Afterwards, the woman headed for the door and left the invisible guest hovering around. Ed followed her and saw her approaching the two kids inside the dining room. Mario, who was properly trained how to cook safely in the kitchen both at school and by his aunt, was already done cooking the fishes they caught.
"Good afternoon Aunt Margaret, Mario had already cooked his catch. You can eat late lunch with us now auntie," Joanna greeted her aunt as she looked up to her from her seat.
"Had you fished again Mario huh, these fishes don't look the same?" Margaret asked her nephew.
"Yes Aunt Margaret, and... Marianne helped me caught them at the sea near the bridge," the statement of Mario waiting if her aunt would react with the last name.
"Marianne... Marianne who...?" was the question of Margaret at her nephew.
"Our Cousin Ed's most favorite friend..." was his soft and slow answer to her.
Margaret stared at her nephew for a moment and spoke deliberately, "It's your cousin Ed's birthday today, are you saying she's in our house today, huh Mario?"
"Yes, auntie, I let her in our guest room. She looked tired and kind of sad, so I let her rest for a while," he responded to his aunt.
Immediately, Margaret went for the guest room, opened the door softly and looked. She saw Marianne sleeping on the bed in her beautiful wedding gown. "If only my son could see her now, he would probably marry her right away. She's become even more beautiful than I remembered her,” she said softly to herself with a tear slowly forming in her eyes.
When Marianne told her about the disappearance of Ed, she failed to tell her that he was supposed to come home on his twenty-first birthday. All she had told her was that he heard Ed's voice talking to who he called his dad. Margaret then went back to the two kids and sat down on the dining table.
"This looks delicious Mario, you really learned a lot from my cooking," praised Margaret.
"I really made it delicious for you auntie, and now that classes are over I'll help you in the kitchen anytime you need me," the assurance of the ten year old Mario to his beautiful aunt.
"Thanks Mario, just let Marianne sleep in the guest room. Keep your voices low after I'm gone. I'll just go to the church to pray for my son's birthday. I might bring some cake and ice creams when I come home. And take good care of Marianne when she's awake okay," Margaret told his nephews and continued eating the delicious fried fish Mario had prepared for all of them.
The three continued enjoying their meal, oblivious to the presence of the handsome dwarf floating around them and looking at their food.
Edward felt so hungry. He thought that maybe his new friend Marianne wouldn't mind if he partakes in eating her catch. Slowly, he landed on top of the table and started eating the remaining fried fish in the middle of the table. This young boy could really cook, this is delicious, and I’ll eat some more...
The two kids looked at the fried fish that was slowly being consumed by their invisible guest. Joanna and Mario alternately looked at the fried fish in front of them and to each other. Margaret just kept eating her meal and thought of her son Ed. After a while she finished and stood up. "I'll just brush my teeth, change clothes, and then I'm leaving you two in charge of here okay," Margaret told the two kids and headed to her room."
The two kids just continued eating and watched the fried fish getting smaller and smaller. Shortly, Margaret went out of her room and said, "Okay, I'll be back tonight, you two take care of the house and don't forget to ask Marianne if she wants to eat."
Chapter 4
After Michelle was gone, the two children immediately talked. "Mario, the fried fish is almost gone, I think we have a terribly hungry guest," Joanna commented and smirked.
"Yeah, I think so too, I wonder when his showing up. Ah... I think he thinks we're afraid of him," the comment of Mario who really likes watching movies about dwarfs and magical movie characters.
"Greetings, I'm Edward, the handsome dwarf!" Edward immediately introduced himself to the two kids who suddenly stared at the handsome dwarf floating on top of the middle of the table.
The two kids looked at each other once more and then back to the floating dwarf.
"We really have a dwarf visitor in our house, Mario," Joanna just said looking and smiling at Edward.
"Yes, we really do, Marianne," Mario uttered looking at the little dwarf. Mario smiled at their little guest. "Ah... welcome to our house!"
"Yes, welcome to our house!" Joanna joined in.
"Thank you..." Edward just said and smiled at the two young kids, looking and smiling at him. "I hope you didn't mind me eating your fish. I am really hungry."
"We certainly don't," Joanna answered.
"Yes, we certainly don't," Mario agreed. "In fact we're so happy to have lunch with you."
"I'm so happy to hear that," Edward just said.
"And we can continue eating now," Joanna told the dwarf.
"Thanks, I'm still hungry really," Edward's answer.
Joanna looked intently at Edward as he continued eating the delicious fried fish. "Even, with your very little face, I could see you're a handsome dwarf indeed."
"Thanks," Edward just said and continued eating.
The two kids watched Edward continued eating on their table and when he was done Mario asked him. "Edward, could you grant us a wish and give us nice clothes or toys huh?"
"I can give you clothes from our palace, but I don't think it would fit any of you," he said and laughed.
"Huh, of course it won't," Mario just said and laughed hard with Joanna.
"I can only bring you things from our kingdom, but I don't really have the power to create things," Edward explained to the two.
"Hey are you a prince huh?" Joanna asked the handsome dwarf.
"How did you know, I'm a prince," said Edward wondering a little.
"Nothing, it's just that your clothes looks expensive with its gold color and your tiny bracelet and necklaces are all made of gold too," the answer of Joanna.
"Yeah, I'm really a prince, grandfather, the king sent me here for a mission, and he instructed me to follow the first girl I see. And she's now sleeping in your room," his answer to the seven year old Joanna.
"You mean, you've been following Marianne all along huh?" the question of Mario.
"Yes, I saw her hanging over the edge of the bridge, and I helped her get up," he answered Mario.
"I'm glad you came to help her, because if she fell it would be my fault because I asked her to help me fish, I owe you a lot then Edward," the statement of Mario.
"You're welcome," was his answer to him.
"You said you can't create things what powers do you have then, huh?" he asked the handsome dwarf.
"I could talk to all kinds of animals, I cannot really fly but I could concentrate and make myself fly, I can also move things or people," his answer to Mario.
"That's amazing," was the fast statement of Joanna looking at Edward. "I really wish I could talk to animals myself."
Intently, Edward looked intently at the two kids. "You know, I like the two of you. I think if you two were dwarfs you could be my younger cousins. We all look great, I'm twenty-one by the way," stated Edward smiling a little.
"Or better, if you're human like us we could be cousins," the answer of Mario.
"Hey Edward, can you show me how you move things huh?" asked Joanna and looking at the big table in front of her.
"Ah... so you want me to move the table." Immediately Edward concentrated and tried to levitate the whole table in front of the two kids. Slowly the whole table levitated in the middle of the room. The two kids stared at the levitating table wide-eyed.
"My you floated our very big and heavy table Edward. And it's so steady floating up in the air. It's so steady it looks like its still resting on the floor! Your control of your power is so impressive Edward," Mario stated still looking at the floating table.
"Yeah it's so steady floating. The plates, the milk and cocoa bottles did not even move a bit when you moved it from the floor," praised Joanna. "You indeed have great control on your power Edward."
And then Edward concentrated some more and floated all the plates and the bottles above the floating table. Amazed the two kids stared at the plates and bottles gently moving and circling above the table. Edward concentrated and slowly the plates and bottles landed back on the table. He then landed the big and heavy wooden table back on the floor.
"Goodness, we're so lucky Joanna, we have a powerful dwarf for a friend," exclaimed Mario.
"Yeah and a very handsome prince!" added Joanna looking at the handsome little face of Edward.
"Hey Edward, so Marianne already saw you then," stated Mario.
"Yes, I even whispered to her back at the bus," his answer to Mario.
"Great, so it's only Aunt Margaret that we have to worry now. You see, she's kind of upset with dwarfs I just don't know why. She didn't really talk about it really," Mario said looking at Edward who was already sitting on the table in front of them.
"Oh, she doesn't like dwarfs. Maybe, she had an argument with a dwarf before," the statement of Edward not knowing that what he said indeed happened a long time ago.
"Just don't show up when she's around, Edward. Hey can you turn yourself invisible once again now huh, even for just a short while Edward..." asked Adam.
And immediately Edward concentrated and turned himself invisible. Immediately the two kids glanced and looked around the house for Edward. They couldn't see him so Joanna spoke, "Okay Edward you can show yourself now." And instantly Edward reappeared floating in front of the two amazed kids.
"You're really amazing Edward," Mario praised looking at him.
"Really, really amazing," Wanda praised Edward.
"How long are you staying with us, will you stay with us for a long time huh?" the question of Mario.
"We really like you to stay with us for a long time Edward," Joanna added.
"Thanks," Edward said."I wish to stay here for a long time too. And when I go home to our kingdom I can easily come back here if you help me. You can give me a short cut if you like," was the statement of Edward smiling a little.
"You mean, you can just pop in here anytime and you need not follow anyone like you did with Marianne earlier huh?" asked Mario.
"Yes, that's right," answered Edward quickly.
"And how do we give you a short cut Prince Edward huh?" the fast question of Joanna.
"I can warp anywhere through a book about dwarfs, or fairies, or magical creatures," the fast answer of Edward.
"Really, that's great. I have a lot of books about dwarfs and fairies, so does Mario Edward. So you can go home to your kingdom and return to our house through it anytime you want," stated Joanna excitedly.
"Yes, but the book must be opened and the owner must give permission to the passing dwarf or dwarfs," explained Edward to his new friends.
And Immediately Joanna ran to the book shelves, opened it and took one. She immediately ran back to the dining table and placed the open fantasy book on top, near Edward.
"Okay, I now declare, prince Edward could pass through my book anytime he wants!" the loud declaration of Joanna and vowed.
Immediately, bright yellow ray of lights came out of the opened book. And when the bright lights disappeared, Joanna and Mario saw the glorious gold palace where Edward and other dwarfs live.
"That's the most beautiful palace I've ever seen Edward! Can we go there too Edward huh?" the fast question of Mario looking at Edward.
"Yes, but I have to ask for permission from the king first," the answer of Edward. "But close the book fast or all kinds of dwarfs might come in Joanna."
"Huh," Joanna just said and immediately closed the book.
"Not all dwarfs are good, there are bad dwarfs too. And you must not let them in or they'll cause a lot of trouble to your world," Edward warned Joanna.
"How can we stop them from coming in then, Edward?" asked Joanna.
"You had already given me access, if you see anyone on the opposite side asking for permission to pass through you must refuse him even if he looks like me. You had already given me your permission, and I need not ask again to return," explained Edward smiling at his two new friends.
"Someone could pretend to be you just to get in to our world huh?" Mario asked his friend floating in front of him.
"Yes, but I don't know who they could be. Maybe the thieves in our kingdom, who wish to come to human houses to steal, I don't know. Just don't allow anyone. And also when I'm passing through you must make sure that I have already landed on our kingdom before you close it back; otherwise, I will be trapped inside the book," Edward explained further to Joanna.
"What will happen if you get trapped inside the book huh?" her immediate question to the handsome dwarf.
"Nothing, really, I'll just be bored waiting when I'm getting out. I won't die don't worry," the answer of Edward smiling a little.
"How about you try passing right now, just so we could see Edward huh," the suggestion of Mario who was so eager to see Edward on the other side of the book.
"Okay, but don't close the book until I landed," he told his human friends looking at him.
"Okay, we won't but as soon as you stepped on your kingdom, come back immediately to us," Joanna urged her new favorite friend. Once again Joanna opened her fantasy book.
"Okay, I'm passing now...." Edward said, concentrated and floated. He immediately flew going to the center of the book. As he got near, the three immediately felt a strong wind pulling Edward inside. "Don't worry, it's just a normal thing, I can still pass even with this wind."
Edward then moved forward and went through the opening in the middle of the book. Joanna and Mario could see Edward floating and going forward through the round passage and after some time Edward landed on the ground. He looked back at the two kids and waved his wands. "Hey can you two see me here huh?" Edward shouted to his friends.
"Yes, we can see and hear you Edward. Hey look there are other dwarfs running towards you Edward!" shouted Joanna looking at Edward on the other side.
"Huh," Edward just said, looked back and immediately saw his friends running towards him.
"Prince Edward what are you doing here, I thought you're supposed to be on a mission with humans, huh" the immediate question of one of the hundreds of dwarfs that suddenly surrounded Edward.
"Hey humans!" shouted one dwarf. "They're looking at us!"
"Don't worry they are my friends Joanna and Mario!" Edward informed the other dwarfs smiling at them.
"Hey Edward, why did you come home early?" was the question of the twenty year old beautiful dwarf.
"I'll leave soon, I'm just showing my new friends how the book portal works," Edward immediately answered her.
"Who's that beautiful dwarf beside you Edward?" the loud question of Mario.
"No, she's Bella. My good friend Lex's girlfriend," was the loud answer of Edward introducing Bella to the two.
"Edward the king is coming, he might see you here, go back to where you're supposed to be," the soft warning of his good friend Lex.
"Huh," Edward just said and immediately went through the round passage and after some time landed on the table in front of Joanna and Mario.
"Hurry up close the book Joanna, the king might see you two!" the fast order of Edward looking at the approaching king.
Immediately, Joanna closed her book.
"My goodness, I never thought I would see that many dwarfs and I even saw the king. That was so amazing Edward. I really wish I could go to your golden palace one day," Mario said looking at his friend sitting on the table near the closed fantasy book.
"I'll take the two of you one of this days, but for now I still don't know why the king, my grandfather sent me here. He instructed me to follow the first girl I see so I can find the girl that I need to see. I already followed Marianne from the bridge and then I saw your Aunt Margaret. I wonder who I really need to see, who's my mission, Marianne or your aunt," narrated Edward with a hint of complaint in his voice.
"Maybe, I'm your mission Edward, maybe you need to give me diamonds from your golden palace," the quick statement of Joanna and laughed a little.
"Maybe Aunt Margaret is the reason why Edward was sent here by the king," the conclusion of Mario and looked at Edward who floated once again in the air.
"But I already saw your aunt, and she seemed okay to me. I don't think there's anything I can do for her, I'm not really sure," added Edward and looked alternately to his new friends in front of him.
"Or maybe, Marianne is your real mission. You already saved her. Wait, she came here to see our missing cousin Ed. That's right, maybe your mission is to find our cousin Ed so he could fulfill his promise to see Marianne," the fast statement of Mario and looked proudly at his little sister.
"I was thinking of that too," Joanna just said nodding her head.
"Yeah, right I already saved her. Maybe she is my mission but she's still sleeping, how about you tour me around your house huh," the suggestion of Edward looking at a door he hasn't entered yet. "How about we start on that room huh?"
"That one, that used to be Ed's room. You want to see it, okay," Joanna quickly offered.
The three immediately headed towards the door. "Wait, I need to get the key from the shelf," Mario stated and went to the shelf with pictures frames standing on it. He then went back to the door where Joanna and Edward were waiting. Immediately, he inserted the key in the doorknob. It clicked and Joanna immediately pushed it in. Hurriedly, Edward floated inside and looked around. He looked and looked for some time. "I don't know, but I think I've seen all of these before. The bed, the picture frames, the chair, the table, and even all those toys, especially those car toys, they all looked so familiar to me..." stated Edward wondering and kept looking around.
"Really, why don't you look closer and try to make sure, if you had really seen all these before," the suggestion of Joanna.
Immediately, Edward floated forward and went to the toy shelf. He landed on one of the car toys and sat on the driver's seat. "I think I have played with this yellow car before, Joanna, Mario," the statement of Edward trying the steering wheel of the toy car.
"Are you sure, maybe you saw our cousin Ed on the street, maybe you played with him before when he was little," stated Mario.
"No, I don't remember playing with any humans before," Edward just said and decided to float back in the air. "But I really feel, I've seen everything in this room."
"I'm beginning to wonder myself now, Edward. How about, we go somewhere around the house and see if it would still look familiar to you," suggested Joanna.
"Yeah, let's go outside the house," agreed Mario.
The three then went outside and looked around the wide garden. Immediately, Joanna and Mario sat on the old seesaw on opposite sides and looked at the floating Edward. Edward, immediately felt that he had played on the seesaw before but decided not to tell his new friends about it.
"I don't know, maybe I haven't seen that seesaw before," he uttered looking at his friends playing on the seesaw.
"Why don't you play with us then Edward," Joanna immediately suggested.
"Huh, but Edward is too small, how can we play seesaw with him Joanna," was the quick response of Mario.
"Of course I can, you two both ride on the other side," the fast statement of Edward.
Immediately, Mario sat behind Joanna on the opposite of the seesaw. Edward then stood on the other side, and immediately his seat went down to the ground pulling Joanna and Mario upwards.
"How did you do that Edward?" Joanna immediately said and giggled. "You're so little and you easily took both our weights upwards.
"I concentrated really, I made your seesaw side float," the quick answer of Edward and laughed. But looking at Joanna he started remembering playing with a beautiful little girl on the seesaw. He could swear that, that little girl was dear to him. And suddenly, he thought of Marianne. Marianne's name is so familiar to me too. I knew it, Marianne is my mission. I'm here for her. I just don't know why though... Edward silently thought to himself as he continued playing with two kids, the three played and played with the seesaw, and laughing all the time.
"Hey, Edward, why don't you eat ice cream with us huh? Aunt Margaret bought a lot of ice cream yesterday," was the offer of Joanna and smiling at Edward on the opposite side of the seesaw.
"Ice cream... just by the sound of it, I could tell that's delicious. Let's go and eat that ice cream," immediately answered Edward.
"Okay let's go Edward," Joanna just said. "But put us down first, we've been hanging up here for some time now." Joanna giggled looking back at her brother Mario. Edward then put down their seesaw side landing the two on the ground
"I'm really excited to eat that ice cream," exclaimed Edward looking at his two new friends.
The three then headed back to the kitchen and stood in front of the big refrigerator. Immediately, Mario opened the freezer door and pulled five cups of ice cream inside and gave one to Joanna. Instantly, Edward felt that he had stood near the refrigerator and gave a young girl an ice cream. And still he decided not to tell his new friends about it.
"Here, Edward take one for yourself," Mario immediately offered, opened one cup and placed it on top of the table, near Edward who suddenly landed on the table. Mario immediately spooned some vanilla ice cream for Edward and placed the spoon on a saucer on the table right in front of Edward.
Edward immediately stepped forward and started eating the vanilla ice cream. "Wow, this is so delicious, really, really delicious. You humans have something we dwarfs don't have in our land. If only my friends could eat this too, they would definitely want to stay longer in your world. Hurriedly, Edward continued eating the ice cream and deep inside him he was sure he had eaten a lot of ice cream before.
"They definitely would Edward, all children in our world loves ice creams," Joanna quickly uttered as she continued eating the ice cream.
"Yes and not only children, even the adults like Aunt Margaret, ice cream is also their favorite," added Mario looking at Edward who looked to be enjoying his ice cream a lot.
The three ate and ate ice cream. And afterwards they decided to go back to the living room. Going towards the living room, Edward was already convinced that he had been on human land before and had been in that house only he couldn't tell when. Wait, maybe I only dreamed about this place, he suddenly thought. I used to dream a lot about a house and a little girl in our kingdom when I was much younger. Yeah, maybe I just dreamed about it. Ah... I really need to talk to grandpa. I'll communicate to him when I had a chance later, Edward finally thought.
Chapter 5
"Ed!" Marianne called, opened her eyes and saw Edward floating near her with Joanna and Mario sitting on the bed. "I saw Ed in my dream..."
"Really," Mario uttered.
"We know you came here with a dwarf Marianne," Joanna told her.
"Yeah, we know your secret Marianne. We already knew you brought in a handsome dwarf inside our house," Mario quickly answered and smiled a little.
"Really, good, then I don't have to worry about you seeing me talk by myself," relieved, Marianne stated and looked at Edward. "How are you Edward, huh? What have you been doing since I slept?"
"My new friends toured me around their house, and most of all they let me eat a lot of ice cream, I really like it,” little Edward told Marianne.
"I'm not surprised ice cream is really popular in our world. So you like ice cream a lot now. Don't worry I'll buy you a lot of ice cream too Edward," her answer to him and sat on the bed and felt her wallet with lots of credit cards she hid inside her beautiful white wedding gown.
"Marianne, Aunt Margaret already knew about you. She told us to take good care of you when you wake up. Are you hungry huh, there are still a lot of fried fish from our catch earlier," Mario told and offered Marianne.
"Thanks, I'm really hungry now. But where's Aunt Margaret is she still around huh?" she asked hastily hoping that she could talk to her immediately.
"No, she'd left to church. She said she's going to pray for Ed, it's his birthday today. When she comes home she probably would buy some more ice creams and cakes and fried chickens. We always have a little celebration for Cousin Ed's birthday," narrated Joanna who was touching her beautiful gown.
"Do you like my wedding gown Joanna, huh?" Marianne asked looking at the beautiful little girl near her.
"Yeah, it's really pretty," Joanna praised her white gown.
"Yeah I know... only... never mind," Marianne didn't continue her statement thinking of Ed.
"You said, you're hungry, come with us and eat," Mario offered.
Marianne then followed the three to the dining table and ate a lot of rice and fish. And afterwards she immediately ate ice cream to the delight of Edward. The four talked some more and ate ice cream. They laughed and talked and ate ice cream. Suddenly, Marianne's cell phone rang. She answered and talked to her mom. "Where are you Marianne, what have you done," her mother on the other line asked.
"I'm sorry mom, but I really don't want to marry Jake. I really hope you understand me mom. I'll just call you later. Bye mom, I love you..." she said.
"You really, don't like that Jake huh Marianne," Edward butted in looking at her.
"Yeah I don't, but my mom likes him for me," answered Marianne.
"Do you think your mom would like me if he sees me huh Marianne?" Edward asked smiling at her.
"I think she will. Because you're a very handsome dwarf," Marianne answered smiling.
"No question about that, Edward is really handsome," Joanna agreed and smiled at her little friend.
"But I think you'll be much handsomer when you grow up Edward," Mario teased and laughed a little.
Yeah, why not, Edward suddenly thought.
Chapter 6
In the church, Margaret lit some candles for his son's twenty-first birthday. She then went to the bench knelt and prayed. She prayed to God that she would see her son once again. Afterwards, she went out of the church to buy a birthday cake, fried chicken, spaghetti, ice cream and some balloons. On her way she passed a small bridge near the big church and suddenly remembered. She was crying on the side of the bridge when suddenly a man approached her. Without a word, he handed her his white handkerchief. Without a word, she took it and dried her tears. The beautiful lady looked up and saw his face. The man glanced down and saw her face even better. He smiled and Margaret smiled back.
"I'm Phillip," he introduced himself.
"I'm Margaret," she introduced herself.
The two looked at each other's faces. They stared at each other for some time. And suddenly Margaret could no longer withstand his stare, she blushed.
"You're beautiful, much more beautiful than any princesses I've seen," Phillip told Margaret looking deeply into her eyes.
"Really," Margaret just said.
Phillip simply looked ahead on the side of the bridge. "If I had known that I would find someone as beautiful as you here, I would have brought all of my gold from our kingdom and offer it before your feet."
Marianne smiled and looked down to her feet. She was stunned, the bridge was gone. They were both floating in vast grassland, and far ahead was a glistening palace made of gold. She couldn't say a word. Margaret was surprised; she didn't feel any fear towards the man floating beside her. She looked at the golden palace and glanced back at Phillip. Suddenly, Phillip started growing smaller until he turned into a handsome dwarf. She looked up to his face and realized that she likewise had turned into a dwarf. She was dressed in a beautiful white gown and wore a golden shoe. Phillip turned and held her hands. Looking into each other’s eyes, Phillip and Margaret fell in love.
Suddenly, the wind becomes stronger and Phillip pulled her closer and kissed her on the lips. Mesmerized, she closed her eyes and kissed the man back. The wind became stronger and stronger and Marianne held on tightly to the man kissing her.
"Margaret! Margaret!"
Margaret opened her eyes and saw her mom inside her room. She woke up inside their house.
“Where have you been? You're supposed to go to the hospital and watch your father. Your brother told me that you didn't show up so I went home. Hurry up, Albert still got classes!" was the quick question and successive statements of her mother sitting on her bed.
"I thought I was..." Margaret just said.
"What, I have good news though, your brother found some gold nuggets in the clothes that you folded for your brother and left at the hospital. He told me it wasn't his. And I didn't think it belonged to the hospital or hospital personnel either, so I decided to sell it immediately and used the money for your dad's hospital bill and medicines. God helped us!" thankfully her mother narrated to her.
"Really mom," Margaret just said and immediately realized that Phillip wasn't just a dream. He offered her gold.
Margaret took good care of her sick father in the hospital and after a few days he recuperated in their home. One day Margaret was alone sitting on their beautiful garden, she heard the sound of some footsteps approaching her from behind.
"Hi Margaret," the man behind greeted the beautiful Margaret sitting on a chair.
She looked back from where she was seated and saw a handsome man approaching her. She just smiled and looked at him.
"Do you still remember me huh?" Phillip quickly asked her smiling and looking incredibly handsome.
"Yeah, I do, you're Phillip, the man on the bridge," Margaret simply said.
"Yes I am. The man who brought you to a beautiful kingdom," stated Phillip smiling at her.
"The golden palace in your kingdom was so beautiful," Margaret just said.
"Yes it is, and that's why I brought you there."
From then on Phillip would visit Margaret regularly in her house. And he would suddenly appear where Margaret was. They dated like regular couples. In shirt, jeans, and sneakers, Phillip would take Margaret out and date her anywhere she pleased. They would stay out late with the approval of Margaret's parents and after a few months Phillip knelt on one knee, raised his gold ring, smiled and spoke, "Marry me Margaret!"
"Yes, I'll marry you Phillip," the answer of the beautiful Margaret with tears in her eyes. They were married and after nine months Ed was born. Phillip would warp on Margaret's fantasy book and did his responsibilities as a prince in their kingdom and goes home every night to their house to Margaret. Margaret, Phillip and Ed had a very happy life together in their beautiful house with a beautiful garden. The two would watch their handsome little boy play in the garden and looked at each other and feel happy and contented.
"Ed," Phillip called his son.
"Dad," Ed, who knew his dad, was a dwarf prince, answered.
"You stay here with your mom, I'm going down to our kingdom and discipline some naughty dwarfs," Phillip told his son.
"Is it fun disciplining dwarfs dad huh?" the quick question of Ed looking up to his father near the book portal of Margaret.
"It is difficult but fun son, would you like to come and help huh?" the question of Phillip smiling at his handsome little son.
"Yeah, let's go dad!" Ed excitedly agreed looking at his mom who immediately nodded.
"Okay, let's go Ed!" the statement of Phillip smiling at Margaret.
"Oh no dad, I suddenly remember. I can't go with you today; Marianne is bringing me some sandwiches and colas. She's coming over to play with me in our garden. She'll surely be upset if she doesn't find me here dad..." the statement of Ed and sounded apologetic to his dwarf prince father.
"Okay you'll go with me some other time then, she's really your favorite playmate isn't she," the answer of Phillip laughing a little at his son.
"Yes she is Dad," uttered the little boy.
"Okay bye now little boy, good bye Margaret," Phillip bid his good bye to his wife and son and immediately warped through the book portal.
With the gold nuggets that Phillip would usually bring to Margaret, they had a very comfortable life. Until one day the king told Phillip of his desire to step down and make him the new king. Phillip immediately agreed and convinced Margaret to live with him in the palace and help him govern his people. Margaret refused and told Phillip that she wanted to grow Ed as a normal human being in human land. Phillip pressured by his need to stay in their palace to govern as the incoming new king, he took Ed beforehand thinking that it would convince Margaret to live in their kingdom. But when Ed, who's dwarf name was Edward, got to the kingdom he demanded that he went back to see his mom and Marianne. Phillip refused and told him once again that he can only go back to human land to see Marianne when he was twenty one. Phillip erased his memory so he won't go home on his own through the book portal and made the king promise secrecy until he had returned with Margaret. Phillip immediately left to convince and fetch Margaret on human land but after that day none was heard of him in the kingdom and even in his house with Margaret. A day passed, and Margaret did not worry thinking that Phillip would return soon to fetch her. She had finally decided to go with him to his kingdom and make her son visit his grandparents regularly so he would still learn the human ways. But more days, more months, more years passed and still no Phillip appeared on Margaret's book portal. And Margaret, with tears in her eyes, realized that she had lost his son with Phillip. Thinking that Phillip intentionally took her son away from her, Margaret started to hate dwarfs.
On her son's twenty-first birthday, Margaret remembered everything that happened to her family, with Ed and Phillip. She dried her tears and glanced away from the bridge she was looking.
Chapter 7
It was already night when Margaret got back to her house. Immediately, Mario noticed and immediately warned Edward to turn himself invisible for his aunt disliked dwarfs. And Margaret came in just in time for Edward to disappear in the air.
"Marianne, it's nice to see you once again," Margaret greeted her son's friend and smiled at everyone in the living room.
"Good evening, Aunt Margaret and it's nice to see you too, after a very long time," greeted Marianne to the mother of Ed.
"It's a good thing you came today; it's my son's birthday. You never missed his birthdays when you were both here," was the statement of Margaret reminiscing.
"Yeah, and Ed never missed my birthdays too," Marianne answered and smiled at Margaret.
"You're in a wedding gown Marianne," Margaret simply said and laughed a little.
"Yeah, I guess I am," the answer of Marianne.
"She ran away from her husband to be inside the church today Aunt Margaret," the fast answer of Joanna and laughed a little. And she came here for Ed like we told you earlier."
"Yeah that's true Aunt Margaret, but that's a long story," Marianne just said. "Those balloons are beautiful; I remember Ed liked balloons a lot.
"I'm glad you remembered and I won’t ask, at least now, why you ran away from your wedding. Let's just celebrate my son's twenty-first birthday. I still don't know where he is now, and I'm not sure if he's still coming back to us," stated Margaret and looked a little sad.
Suddenly, Marianne remembered that she had not told Margaret that he heard the voice, which she thought was the father of Ed, stated that Ed could go home on his twenty-first birthday to see her. All she told him before that he disappeared and heard his voice speaking with someone she couldn't see. She even thought that Ed was on the other side of the fence speaking with his father. But she was so certain that Ed was just near her inside the garden, only she couldn't see him. Marianne decided not to tell Margaret fearing that it might hurt her some more if Ed failed to show up for his twenty-first birthday.
"Let's celebrate his birthday then Aunt Margaret and immediately Marianne started singing happy birthday like she always did when she was with Ed.
The kids joined in singing happy birthday for their cousin Ed and even Edward sang making the two kids looked at each other fearing that their aunt would hear his little voice. After they had all sang happy birthday to Ed on the candle lit birthday cake Margaret looked at Mario and immediately said, "Why don't you wish for Ed, huh and blow the candle."
And Edward who was hovering near Mario's face silently answered okay, and blew the entire twenty-one candle. When Mario noticed the flames starting move oddly, he immediately blew realizing that Ed was blowing on the candles and made sure that his aunt didn't suspect of somebody Else's presence.
"I've already wished for Cousin Ed, Aunt Margaret," Mario quickly said and tried to sense where Ed was floating.
"Let's eat now auntie, I'm glad you bought chocolate ice cream this time," excitedly Joanna said and wondered where Ed was.
When Margaret wasn't looking Edward immediately used his finger and spooned some chocolate ice cream. And on his first taste, he immediately somersaulted in the air with the most amazing taste he could remember. He found chocolate ice cream incredibly delicious. And again when Margaret wasn't looking he kept on digging and digging on the glass with his fingers and ate. He ate and ate ice cream and he also tasted the delicious cakes and spaghetti and colas that were all prepared for him by his mother. All of them ate and ate and sang happy birthday over and over again.
My, this Ed is so lucky; he got chocolate ice cream for his birthday. I never had this in our palace he thought to himself and laughed silently hovering invisibly near Marianne. Edward was so thankful he had eaten a lot of chocolate ice cream and he even wished he could bring Ed to them so they could be happier. The four ate, talked and laughed, talking about Ed. And Edward learned a lot about him not knowing that they were just talking about him. Slowly, he started to wonder how it would feel like if he was human like Ed. He thought and thought about it as he continued eating chocolate ice cream.
"Thanks auntie, the food was really delicious," Joanna just said and wiped her mouth with her pretty little yellow handkerchief.
"Thank you too for celebrating my son's birthday with me Joanna, Mario and to you too Marianne," Margaret thanked the three and smiled a little.
"Thank you too Aunt Margaret," Marianne just said.
"Okay, our little party's over, it's time to go to bed now kids. Me and Marianne had something to talk, I think. It's not always that I see a beautiful runaway bride," Margaret just said who looked happy even if she did not see Ed on his twenty-first birthday.
"Good night auntie, good night Marianne," the two kids said their good night and headed back to their rooms leaving the three behind.
Margaret then took Marianne back to their guest room and sat her on the bed. She looked at her and waited for her to start talking. Marianne looked away and quieted for some time. And then she looked back to Margaret and spoke, "Aunt Margaret, I left my wedding today because I was hoping to see Ed here today."
"Huh, what do you mean by that Marianne," the sudden question of Margaret looking at Marianne's face.
"I think I failed to tell you before, that I heard the voice said that he would allow Ed to come home on his twenty-first birthday to see me," the confession of Marianne looking intently on Margaret.
Margaret didn't say a word and just looked at Marianne. "You mean there is a possibility that Ed would come home to us today huh, Marianne?" the question of Margaret with some tears slowly starting to form in her eyes.
"Yes, and I even heard the voice of Ed promising to come back to see me," the answer of Marianne looking at the tearful Margaret.
"I just wish my son would really come today Marianne, I really do," stated Margaret. "But his party is already over."
"Yeah, it's sad but I'll still wait, maybe he'll still show up," Marianne uttered.
Margaret just looked at Marianne and thought of Phillip and shook her head slightly. She thought maybe he only said it to make Ed go with him. But still she hoped that his son would come home.
Margaret then left the room to get Marianne some new clothes she hasn't used and after she had given it to her she sat in the living room staring at door. The book portal that she had given Phillip and Ed permission to pass through was lost a long time ago. And she also knew that the only way left for Ed to come home on his own was through the bridge portal and she knew, as Phillip had told her, only the king can give permission to any dwarf to pass through. Remembering that the king was the reason why Phillip decided to bring his family to his kingdom, Margaret was left with little hope of seeing her son once again. She sat there for a long time, waiting for the door to open and see his son. She sat and waited on the sofa until she finally fell asleep.
And just like Margaret, Marianne fall asleep waiting for Ed. Little did they know that the man they were waiting was already hovering and sleeping in between the bed of Joanna and Mario.
Chapter 8
Early in the morning, Mario woke up and saw his aunt sleeping on the sofa in the living room. He decided to go to the kitchen and prepare breakfast; he took some eggs, hams, and hotdogs. After the oil in the pan was hot enough, he immediately started frying everything and when he was done he took some sliced bread and plated. Smiling he looked at the breakfast he prepared for all of them, and after he made milk for himself and for Joanna and coffee for Marianne and Margaret, he immediately went back to his room and woke Joanna. Immediately, Joanna woke up and so did the hovering dwarf Edward. He immediately flew and followed the two to the dining table. They decided to eat ahead of them, so Edward could eat sitting on the table. The three then started eating, Mario gave Edward one chicken leg and he immediately eat it all up and asked for milk.
"Can I have milk too Mario huh?"Edward asked. "I always drink milk every morning back in our golden palace."
"Here Edward, here's your morning milk," Mario just said.
Edward immediately stepped on the side of the mug. Edward concentrated and sipped through the milk without straw.
"The milk here is as tasty as ours in our kingdom," Edward said and continued drinking.
After they were done eating, they looked at the two women sleeping and decided not to disturb them and went to the garden. Right after the kids had gone out of the house, Margaret woke up and when she saw that Mario had already prepared breakfast and seemed to have already eaten, she went to Marianne and woke her up for breakfast.
The two ate breakfast and talked a little.
"I fall asleep waiting for Ed," Margaret started.
"Me too, Aunt Margaret I waited until early morning I think," the reply of Marianne. "But I'll still wait; maybe he'll come days from now. He promised me, and I believe him. He will come, I'm sure of that."
"I hope so too, Marianne," Margaret just said looking at Marianne sipping her coffee. "By the way, what do you plan to do now Marianne huh?"
"I don't really know, maybe I'll just take the kids to the mall and come back here to see if Ed had returned," she answered unsure of what she was going to do on that day.
"Good, I'm going somewhere. Maybe you can watch the kids for me, not that they need it though. Mario is really responsible, I trust him with Joanna."
"I haven't told you, but it was Mario who brought me here. I saw him on the bridge fishing where our bus suddenly stopped. He asked me to help him fish and I agreed," narrated Marianne.
"What you mean you fished on your beautiful white wedding gown huh?" the quick reaction of Margaret laughing a little.
"Yeah I did," Marianne just said.
After they were done having breakfast, Margaret went back to her room, bathe, changed and headed for the guest room to say good bye to Marianne and afterwards she kissed her two nephews and left the house. Afterwards, Edward turned himself visible once again and headed inside the house with the two kids. They sat on the sofa in the living room. Mario immediately opened the big LED TV. And when Edward saw it, his jaw dropped. My, that thing has a lot of dwarfs inside!" his loud comment above the loud sound of the big TV.
Joanna and Mario immediately laughed hard at Edward. They laughed and laughed looking at him.
"What did I say, but there are dwarfs running inside that thing. I wonder how many more dwarfs are in there," the statement of Edward and still wondering why Joanna and Mario was laughing at him.
Finally, Mario stopped laughing and explained, "Edward, there are no dwarfs in that thing. That is called television, LED TV. Those are just images being shown on the screen, but there are no actual dwarfs inside. And they are not dwarfs; they are humans like me and Joanna. They look dwarfs only because of special effect, computer graphics I say. I don't much really, but those are definitely not real dwarfs. You're the only real dwarf in this room, I assure you that Edward."
"Oh..." Edward just said looking at the many dwarfs on TV and laughed a little at his mistake.
"It's okay Edward, because you made me laugh really," the statement of Joanna and laughing.
"It seems there are really a lot of things I need to know about humans then, and I think I would understand you better if I'm...." Edward did not finish his sentence and continued watching the show.
"Yeah there really is I think," Mario answered and tried not to laugh anymore.
"But you like the TV Edward," Joanna asked after she stopped laughing.
"Of course, so humans have their own kind of magic too," Edward simply said, impressed.
"Yes, you can say that, but it's more like Science," answered Mario and smiled a little.
"Science," Edward uttered. "And now I'm getting more confused."
"Don't worry about Science, Edward; I have no plans of giving you a quiz anyway. Let's just continue watching the movie," the statement of Mario and continued watching with Edward. And finally the movie ended and Edward clapped his hands.
"This LED TV is amazing, maybe I should bring one to our kingdom one of this days," Edward suddenly said and smiled a little.
Mario chose not to comment, although, he wondered if Edward had electricity in their palace.
"Did you like the show Edward huh?" Joanna asked.
"Yeah I did, although I think that story was already told in our kingdom," Edward simply said. "Maybe, he copied it from another dwarf who told him about it."
"Really," Mario just said and laughed a little. "So I know now what this writer's secret is. I'll ask him once I see him."
"Okay, Edward, you stay here I'm taking a bath in our room. Joanna you bathe in Aunt Margaret's room okay," Mario told Edward and ordered Joanna.
Edward was left in the living room and continued watching TV. He watched a regular show, where humans were the characters being portrayed. He watched a beautiful movie, story that started when the two leads, a boy and a girl, were still very young. He watched it intently, and deep in him he felt something. Suddenly he felt that he missed someone, someone he always wanted to be with the whole day. He watched the show and he also watched the commercials. He watched commercial featuring DVD, TV, washing machines, refrigerators, air con, Internet, computers, cell phones and even bubble gums, and rubber bands. He also saw a lot of tall buildings, malls, elevators, escalators, airports, airplanes, helicopters, and parachutes. He also saw the best beaches and surf boards, and a lot of theme parks with lots of dwarf statues. Just by watching TV, Edward understood a lot about humans and about human behavior especially when a person liked someone, when a human heart choose another human heart, courtship. He watched and watched and wondered more how it would be like to be human, to be a person just like Joanna and Mario. He thought momentarily and immediately clapped his hands. Suddenly, smoke came out in between his palms. The smoke rose up, ballooned and grew bigger and from it appeared a clear image of the king, Edwards’s grandfather.
"Son, Edward, why did you call me?" the immediate question of the king of the dwarfs.
"Greetings grandpa, I already did what you asked me. I followed the girl that I first saw right after I warped on the bridge portal. And now I'm in this house. You told me I need to see a girl. I already saw three girls but I still don't know who my mission is," the narration and question of the handsome dwarf to his grandfather.
"You will know who she is in time Edward and now your new mission is to observe the human ways and to tell us about it when you come home," the answer of the king looking down from the big smoke balloon and immediately remembered his conversation with his son Phillip when he brought Edward that day to his kingdom.
"Welcome back to my kingdom Edward," King Ferdinand greeted and welcomed his grandson Ed to his kingdom.
"It's nice to see you again grandpa," Edward answered and tried to smile at his king grandfather.
"You've been here so many times before Edward, why don't you run along and see your dwarf friends, like Bella I think she'll be happy to see you once again," the suggestion of Phillip to his son Edward.
Edward heard his dad and his mom arguing about staying and living in their kingdom. And he knew that his mom refused and she had a heated argument with his father. He was afraid that he might not see his mother Margaret once again.
"Okay, dad I'll go around the kingdom while you and grandfather talk," the answer of the dwarfed Edward and walked away from the king's gold throne.
But as soon as he got out of the palace, Edward immediately ran towards the book portal they had just passed. He ran and ran towards the round passage but when he was about to jump in, Phillip stopped him with his powers.
"Dad, I want to go back to mom now, I know she won't come here. I won't see her ever again," Edward argued.
Phillip brought Edward back to the golden palace and stood once again in front of his grandfather in his throne.
"Son, I'm sure your mother will follow us soon. I'll just need to talk to her and convince her once again. Your mother loves you, she'll follow us here, you'll see. And when you're twenty-one I'm letting you go back to human land and see Marianne," the assurance of Phillip to his son.
"Father, I'm going back to our house at human land. I'm erasing Edward's memory as a human being so he won't go through the book portal on his own. Promise me you won't tell him anything until I have returned with Margaret," Phillip made the king promise.
And in front of Phillip and Edward, the king agreed and vowed not to tell Edward anything about his mother and everything that could make him want to go back to their house. And in their kingdom, a vow made was held sacred.
Phillip immediately concentrated and removed all the memories of Edward of his house, his mother and of Marianne. "Take good care of my son while I'm away father," was the request of Phillip to the king as he embraced his little Edward good bye. And immediately Phillip flew and headed back towards the portal leaving his son behind.
The king looked at the little dwarf."Don't worry Edward, your father will come back with your mother," the assurance of the king to Edward as he hugged him gently. But unfortunately, from then on nothing was heard of Phillip. The king ordered his soldiers to find Phillip but no one found him neither on human land nor in their kingdom. Phillip went missing for years.
Looking up to his own smoke balloon near his throne the king smiled at Edward back in the house of Margaret.
"I understand grandpa. And my new mission now is to observe and learn the human ways," the answer of Edward and felt relieved.
"Yes, grandson, just learn whatever you can learn up there. Just go around and enjoy with human beings. I suppose you have human friends by now, you're the most charming dwarf in our kingdom. I'm sure they'll all like you. But still choose your friends, make sure that you can trust them Edward," stated the king with full confidence of his grandson's ability to adopt anywhere.
"I'm beginning to learn now grandpa.... but I'm thinking what about if I become human too... even for just a short while... is it okay huh?" the question of Edward hoping for a particular answer from his grandpa.
"Of course Edward, you can be human too. You can concentrate and use your magic to turn yourself into a human being," the assurance of his grandfather from their kingdom. "Is there anything else you want to ask me Edward huh?"
"That was all grandpa, and thank you by the way you look great from my smoke balloon," Edward flattered his grandfather. "So I'm making myself human anytime soon."
"Huh, okay" his grandfather just said choosing not to react much on Edward's last sentence. "Bye and I'll hear from you soon Edward."
"Bye grandpa!" Edward bid good bye to his grandpa, clapped and instantly the smoke balloon vanished.
Immediately Edward thought a little, should I make myself human now, or stay a dwarf some more time?
Chapter 9
"Hey, Edward you look like you're enjoying the TV a lot," Mario just said smiling when he returned after his bathe.
"Huh, you're already done bathing Mario. That's a miracle, I thought you'll finish ten minutes after I'm done," Joanna just said teasing her brother who usually took more time than her when taking a bath.
"I hurried this time, I just want to see how Edward is doing back here," his answer to his little sister.
"Why, I'm the only one who hasn't taken a bath," Edward exclaimed looking at the two sharply dressed kids.
"Do dwarfs take a bath everyday like us humans huh?" Mario asked suddenly. "And do you have showers in your kingdom too, huh?"
"Of course, we have water systems inside our palace too, and also in smaller cottages of other dwarfs in the kingdom," the quick answer of Edward. "And dwarfs bathe everyday too. The king is so strict when it comes to cleanliness in the whole kingdom."
"Well it looks like Aunt Margaret and your king would get along pretty well, she's also very strict when it comes to cleanliness," the answer of Joanna.
Sitting on the sofa the three continued watching television, and after a while Marianne came out of her room and approached the kids and the dwarf.
"Good morning children, and good morning to you too Edward," greeted Marianne. "I'm going to the mall and I'm taking all of you. Are you ready to go with me huh?"
"Yeah, we're all ready," Joanna and Mario just said.
"But I'm not," Edward just said.
"We'll wait for you Edward," Mario told him. He immediately flew going to the bathroom. He showered flying in the bathroom. Afterwards Edward wore his other golden dwarf clothes and immediately hurried back to his friends."
"We're all ready now," Joanna just said looking at the very handsome dwarf flying near them.
Right after the four went through the gate, Edward immediately turned himself invisible as he floated and followed his friends as they waited for a taxi. Shortly a yellow taxi stopped in front of them. Excitedly, the two kids sat on the back seat and Marianne on the front. And Edward immediately tried sitting. My, this car feels cold too just like Joanna and Mario's room. This is probably because of the air conditioner I saw on TV, Edward thought looking up at Marianne on the front seat.
"Edward, are you inside, huh?" Joanna softly asked and looked around the car.
"I'm trying the seat in between you two," Edward softly answered not wanting to be noticed by the driver.
The taxi driver drove fast. And Edward decided to float so he could see through the windows. They followed a different road, so Edward saw new roads, new buildings and parks. There are too many people in this city, Edward silently noticed. The driver drove and drove until finally they reached the big mall. Immediately the two kids got off the taxi and Edward followed. After Marianne had paid the taxi driver, they immediately headed inside. This place surely has a stronger air conditioner than both the taxi and Margaret's house, Edward noticed as they got inside.
"Hey Edward, just follow us anywhere we go okay," the fast instruction of Mario trying to spot his exact location.
"And don't do anything extraordinary okay," Joanna immediately warned Edward.
"Okay, I'll be a nice dwarf, I promise," laughing a little, Edward promised his friends.
"What do you want to do kids huh?" asked Marianne to the kids walking with her inside the big mall.
"How about we eat ice cream first," Edward suggested as he stared on the ice cream stand.
"No, how about we play first Edward. Let's just eat later," Mario suggested to his invisible friend.
"How about we watch a movie first instead," Joanna suggested and looked at Marianne looking down on her.
"Okay, I think we should eat ice cream first. Because that's what Edward wants to do. This is his first time to be in the mall so we'll do what he wants first," the suggestion of Marianne. "Come."
The three immediately followed and after the beautiful lady in fancy costume gave the three each, they immediately started eating ice cream.
"Edward, you eat from my cone. We'll share so nobody notices much," Marianne invited the handsome little dwarf.
Mario and Joanna started eating their mango ice cream. Marianne and Edward ate from one cone.
"This yellow ice cream is also delicious," Edward said as he continued eating with Marianne.
"Yeah, mango ice cream is really tasty," Joanna agreed and continued eating.
The four ate and ate the delicious mango ice cream. And after they were done, Marianne immediately took them to a store.
"Why did you take us here Marianne, are you buying as clothes huh," the excited question of Joanna.
"Yes and not just clothes, lots of toys as well," was the quick answer of Marianne looking at the two kids with her.
"Hurry up and chose Joanna so we can already transfer to the toy store," Mario immediately urged Joanna.
As they walked inside the store, Marianne saw a nice pink dress on a hanger. Joanna saw it too and immediately ran towards it and touched it.
"I like this one Marianne, I think I'll look really pretty with this pink dress," stated Joanna as she kept looking at the beautiful dress.
"Of course you'll look pretty on that dress Joanna," butted in Edward floating near her. "You're already very pretty, though."
"Thanks, I know that already though," Joanna answered back and laughed a little.
Marianne immediately pulled the hanger with the pink dress. "Let's go to the boy's section so you can choose Mario," suggested Marianne and immediately walked towards the boy's section.
They walked and looked at the shirts and pants on many different hangers. Mario saw a white shirt with lots of dwarf’s pictures on both front and back. He immediately pointed to it and asked Joanna and Marianne to go with him. He immediately pulled the hanger and showed the shirt to where he thought Edward was.
"Hey Edward, what do you think of this shirt huh?" he asked Edward.
And immediately Edward flew towards the dwarf drawing on the shirt and stood directly in front of it and appeared.
"Hey do you think the other mall goers will still notice me from here huh?" Edward asked smiling as he stuck himself on the shirt with lots of dwarfs.
Suddenly, a little boy approached them. He stared and stared at Edward. He went closer and looked. Edward looked back at the little boy looking at him. He tried not to move so he won't realize that he was a real dwarf. But the boy kept looking and smiling at him and so he decided to talk to him and befriend him, "Hi, I'm Edward!"
"My you're a real dwarf," the boy replied smiling and looking at him float in front of him.
"Yes, I am," he replied smiling and looking at him.
"This is great!" he said. "You just wait here and I'm calling my mom and my friends to see you." He immediately ran away and called his friends just ahead of them.
"Edward, are you really sure you want all his friends to see you huh," Joanna asked quickly.
"Yeah, are you sure, you want them to see you huh?" Mario asked Edward too.
"I only meant to befriend him and not all of his friends," Edward just answered.
"Edward, you better make yourself disappear. Look the kid is back with his mother and his friends," concerned Marianne warned Edward.
Immediately, Edward turned himself invisible. And before the mother and the friends of the little boy could see Edward, they immediately headed to another store in the mall. Mario and Joanna then chose some new clothes and when they had already chosen they headed to the fitting room. Mario and Joanna came out of the fitting rooms and showed their new clothes to Marianne and Edward.
"That shirt and dress both make you more handsome and more beautiful Mario, Joanna," Marianne praised the two kids wearing the new clothes.
Edward simply looked at Mario and wondered how it would be like to wear a shirt that humans wore.
"Do I look good with this shirt Edward huh?" Mario asked Edward.
"Yes, from where I'm flying you certainly look good and so are you beautiful Joanna," the fast answer of Edward. Marianne then took them to other clothes store and bought more beautiful dresses, shirts, pants, and shoes to the delight of the kids. And after they had fitted the shoes, Marianne immediately paid for it and brought to children to a burger stand.
"Here you go," said the young lady as she handed the last hamburger to Mario.
The three then ate the delicious hamburgers and drink some colas. Once again, Marianne and Edward shared the same hamburger so as not to attract any attention to the invisible Edward eating.
"I like these hamburgers, this is delicious too," Edward whispered to Marianne in her ear and immediately flew back down to eat some more burgers. He also sipped from the straw and drank cola which he also liked.
"Thanks a lot Marianne," thanked Joanna as she continued eating her burger. "You bought as a lot of clothes and shoes, even if we're not really relatives."
"I know, but you two are cousins of Ed. You know Ed used to give me a lot of gifts before. He would ask his mom to buy things at the department stores and gave it all to me. And I also used to eat a lot of ice creams in your house. Ed made sure that Aunt Margaret would buy a lot of vanilla ice creams for that was my favorite," narrated Marianne.
"Really, I wish cousin Ed would come back to see you Marianne," Mario stated looking at Marianne.
"Me too," Joanna said. "I really want to see him," Marianne just said looking at Mario.
Edward simply looked at the three of them and continued eating the delicious hamburger with Marianne not knowing he was the one the three was hoping to see.
Chapter 10
Sitting, Edward floated above his seat and watched with Marianne, Joanna and Mario inside the theater. The movie was about aliens invading earth. Fascinated, Edward seriously watched the movie. He laughed when it was funny, cried when the leads cried, and glanced at Marianne when the leading man gently kissed his leading lady. The movie was a hit. The entire audience loved and enjoyed the show. After the show the whole audience stood up and clapped. Edward also stood up from where he was floating and clapped as well.
Afterwards they went to a toy store. Immediately, Joanna and Mario ran towards the hundreds of toys on display. Joanna saw a doll and asked Marianne to buy it for her.
"That's a very beautiful doll you got there Joanna," Marianne said and carried the doll for Joanna.
Mario then approached the cars, robots and action figure toys. Immediately, Mario picked one and showed it to Marianne. "Can I have this one Marianne huh, it's kind of expensive though," uttered Mario hesitantly.
But Marianne simply smiled and immediately agreed to buy it. She even made Joanna and Mario chose some more toys and immediately paid at the counter. Gratefully, the two kids thanked Marianne for her generosity. And once again Marianne simply smiled at the kids. A little tired, they decided to go home. The three walked with each other passing some more stores. They walked and headed to an escalator going downwards.
Suddenly Edward saw some car toys and immediately got attracted to it. He immediately flew towards it. He stared at the little jeepney toy car. I saw a lot of these earlier on the road, Edward thought. He sat on the driver's seat and played the steering wheel. He played and played. Suddenly a boy grabbed the jeepney toy and peered inside. He immediately saw Edward who turned himself visible earlier. He peered and peered looking at Edward looking at him. Edward did not move. The boy then sat on the floor and played with the little jeepney toy with Edward inside. The boy played and played with the jeepney toy and Edward just let him. But as soon as the boy pushed the jeepney forward and rolled on the floor, Edward flew with the jeepney. He flew really slowly so the boy could follow him. Amazed the boy kept following the flying jeepney. And slowly all the other children on the toy section started noticing the flying jeepney. They all rushed towards Edward and looked. Edward flew faster and immediately the kids hurried and chased the flying jeepney. He then landed the jeepney and rolled slowly on the floor and immediately the boy who first saw Edward tried to pick the jeepney. But Edward simply laughed and flew the jeepney once more. He flew straight, he flew in circles, and he even made the jeep somersault near the ceiling to the delight of the amused kids. Soon even the parents started noticing the commotion that Edward was creating. They too chased after the flying jeepney and tried to catch it when it got near them. But Edward was just too fast for them. He simply laughed the moment one almost caught him, until even the salesladies in the toys section joined in chasing the flying jeepney. Edward played and played smiling and laughing at all the people chasing him flew the toy jeepney all over the wide toy section of the big Mall. Edward was having such a good time flying inside the little jeepney when he suddenly realized Mario, Joanna, and Marianne had left him. He immediately remembered he left them at the escalator. A little worried, but still Edward decided to make a graceful exit from his amazed followers chasing him. He flew the jeepney straight and suddenly stopped and flew still in the air for a moment. And the people chasing him stopped and watched as the jeepney flew still. Edward then slowly lowered the jeepney toy on the floor and when it landed, he immediately turned himself invisible and flew out of the jeepney. While he was flying invisibly, he saw the crowd raced to pick the jeepney toy car. Edward then left the toy section and started looking for his friends he had left. He flew and looked but he did not find them. He kept looking and looking for them when he suddenly saw a life-size picture of a young man and young woman on the glass wall beside a store under construction. He immediately flew towards it and stared at the two. The picture of the young man and young lady seemed to be looking and smiling at each other while they were talking in a beautiful garden. He looked at the young man's clothes and wondered what it would be like to wear those clothes too. I was sent here to learn the human ways, maybe I should start learning and living it, he thought and decided silently. He looked around and realized that it was only him in the area, he immediately concentrated. He concentrated really hard and in just a short time he started transforming into a human being. He stared at the huge mirror in front of him and saw a naked man. He looked down and saw his dwarf clothes lying on the floor. He immediately picked it up. Suddenly he heard someone approaching. Immediately he ran and hid inside the empty store under construction. He noticed the man with a woman was holding a shopping bag with a box in it. Realizing that he was naked and thinking that the box contained some pants and shirts, he immediately concentrated, flew his tiny gold nugget towards and into the shopping bag and made the box flew out going to his hiding place. Hurriedly, Edward opened the box and saw what was in it. He did not recognize what kind of clothes it was but still he decided to wear it. Afterwards, he went out of his hiding place and looked at his reflection in the huge mirror. Suddenly, more people started passing by and saw Edward in his new clothes. They showed some reaction but still Edward simply ignored it, walked and started looking for his friends inside the mall. He roamed around the mall in the fifth floor when suddenly he heard a very loud commotion coming from the first floor. Immediately all the people in the fifth floor gathered on the wide rectangular railing of the big mall and looked down. They all looked down and tried to find out what was going on at the first floor. Edward hurried and looked down in the middle of the big mall. And they all heard the people from the first, second, third, fourth floor screaming, "Lion! Lion! Lion! There's a lion inside the mall! All the people watched in horror as they saw three persons near the roaring wild lion.
"Help, help!" the whole of the big mall shouted fearing that the lion might eat the three persons near him.
The lion kept roaring and roaring as he slowly approached the three in the middle of the big mall. Soon Edward realized that three persons near the wild lion were Marianne, Joanna, and Mario. Immediately, Edward jumped from the fifth floor. All the crowds looked in horror as they watched Edward fall from the fifth floor all the way going down to the first floor. But they didn't know that Edward was actually flying downwards fast and not falling like they thought he was. And as soon as he landed on the first floor, everyone quieted, even the roaring lion quieted. Suddenly someone shouted "Jungle man!"
And suddenly Joanna begged earnestly, "Please help us don't let the lion harm us..."
Me, jungle man, Edward silently thought and looked at his new clothes. And realized, from the TV show he watched earlier, that he was indeed wearing a jungle man clothes. Amused at the way Joanna called him he looked back at Joanna and spoke, but as soon as he spoke he realized he was having trouble speaking with the new size of his mouth, tongue, and teeth. But still he tried to pacify Joanna.
"D- don't wo- worry, Go-gor-yo, has-sam ju-gle man is here," Gregory spoke, struggling, and laughed inside.
"Please help us jungle man..." Marianne begged the unrecognized Edward.
"Please help us... don't let the lion harm us jungle man..." Mario begged Edward earnestly.
"Handsome jungle man, help them!" shouted one lady from the large crowd looking at them.
Immediately, Edward looked back at the lion and spoke through his mind. "Hey lion, I know lion knew a dwarf when they see one. These are my friends you're scaring."
"Yes I know you're a dwarf, but I don't mean any harm. I ran away from my abusive master. When I finally had the chance, I jumped out of my opened cage on the truck. I ran and ran away from him on the highway and caused a lot of traffic on the road. Many people were terrified and the police chased me, and fearing that they would return me to my master I ran as fast as I could. And now I'm lost inside this big building," narrated the lion to Edward.
"Good, but these humans don't know that. You're the king of the jungle and they're scared of you," Edward spoke through his mind to the lost lion inside the big mall.
"I know they're scared of me, but I'm also scared of them. There are just too many of them," answered the lion looking at Edward in front of him and to the many mall goers watching them.
"Okay, this is how we're going to do this, when I say sit, you sit so they'll think you're a civilized lion," the suggestion of Edward to the lost lion in his mind.
"Huh, okay I'll do that," answered the lion.
Edward looked towards his three scared friends and then looked back to the lion. "Sit!" Edward commanded loudly.
Surprised and Amused, the mall goers watched as the big lion obeyed and sat at the loud command of the handsome jungle man in the middle of all them. Immediately, Edward turned around and faced his friends, Joanna, Mario and Marianne.
"Are we safe now huh, he's no longer attacking us huh?" Joanna immediately asked the unrecognized Edward.
"Yes, are we really safe now huh, jungle man?" asked Mario looking at Edward.
"Yes, you're all safe now, the lion said he's just lost," answered Edward who suddenly learned back his speech.
"You mean you could speak to lions huh?" the immediate and amused question of Joanna.
"Yes, jungle man could," answered Edward and smiled a little at Marianne listening to their conversation.
"Thank you jungle man for saving us," Marianne immediately thanked her savior.
"Thank you jungle man, thank you for saving them and us from the wild lion!" shouted by one mall goers. Suddenly the whole of the mall thanked Edward the handsome jungle man. They clapped and cheered loudly. Some government representatives arrived and took the lion with them who came with them voluntarily. Slowly, the crowd started dispersing and went to their ways.
"Thank you jungle man," Joanna and Mario thanked Edward and immediately walked with Marianne away from Edward. After they walked a few steps, Joanna looked back and saw Edward standing and looking at them with pitiful eyes.
"Look the jungle man is still looking at us," said Joanna to her brother and Marianne.
Mario looked back and smiled at the unrecognized Edward and continued walking towards the exit of the big mall. The three continued walking outside and waited for a taxi to arrive on the road. Joanna looked back and saw the unrecognized Edward behind them.
"Mario, Marianne look the jungle man is behind us, I think he's following us," the statement of Joanna.
Mario and Marianne looked back and also saw Edward standing and looking at them. Mario looked intently on Edward who he thought was a real jungle man.
"He looks so sad, maybe he's lost. Maybe he doesn't know where to go," stated Mario looking at him.
Immediately, Joanna ran towards Edward and asked, "Hey jungle man, are you lost huh?"
"Yes, jungle man lost..." answered Edward immediately and tried to mimic the way the jungle man he saw on television spoke and moved.
"Mario, Marianne this jungle man who saved us from the lion is lost," said Joanna loudly to Mario and Marianne.
Mario approached and asked, "I'm right that you're lost huh, jungle man?" asked Mario looking up to him.
"Yes, jungle man lost..." answered Edward softly and with his head down slowly walked away from them.
Joanna looked at Marianne intently. "Okay, Joanna, I know what you mean," stated Marianne and immediately called at the jungle man slowly walking away from them, "Jungle man!"
Immediately Edward turned back and said, "What..."
"If you're really lost, you can go with us!" answered Joanna and smiled.
"Really..." answered Edward softly looking intently at Marianne.
"You helped us, so we'll help you too," Marianne offered kindly.
Immediately, Edward smiled and walked towards them.
"Come jungle man," Mario just said and Edward immediately followed.
A taxi arrived and they immediately boarded. Edward sat in between Joanna and Mario while Marianne sat on the front seat. Smiling, Edward sat and glanced alternately at the three of them inside the taxi.
"Hey jungle man, don't worry we're nice people too, we'll take good care of you in our house. I know you're not used to the city," Joanna told the unrecognized Edward who just smiled at her and looked on Marianne in front of him.
Now that I'm bigger and taller than her, I realize Marianne is really really beautiful, Edward silently thought looking at her. The driver continued driving and after a while they reached their house. They immediately got off and headed inside. Edward followed them from behind. Edward looked around the house and suddenly the whole house became more familiar to him than he first came in as a dwarf.
Chapter 11
Edward immediately saw the sofa.
"You can sit on it if you want jungle man," Joanna immediately offered noticing him looking at their sofa in the living room.
Marianne sat on the sofa and looked at the unrecognized Edward, "You can sit now jungle man."
Edward smiled and immediately sat beside Marianne. Marianne glanced at him beside her and smiled a little looking intently at his face.
"You two look good together," Joanna suddenly said and laughed a little looking at the two sitting beside each other.
"Yeah and especially if jungle man decides to take a bath," Mario suddenly teased the unrecognized Edward laughing.
Looking at how beautiful Marianne was beside him, Edward suddenly realized that he really needed to take a bath.
"Yes, jungle man would like to take a bath now," Edward replied trying hard to sound like a real jungle man. "Where can jungle man bathe huh?"
"Come we'll show you," Joanna and Mario offered.
"Go ahead jungle man, you can follow Mario and Joanna to the shower," stated Marianne looking at the unrecognized Edward with a messed up slightly long hair.
"You just stay here, you just wait here till you see jungle man finished bathing," Edward spoke to Marianne and immediately followed Joanna and Mario to the bathroom.
Mario immediately opened the shower and told Edward to take a bath, "You bathe now jungle man; we'll leave you here while I go to our room and change clothes. You're name is Gorio, right huh jungle man?"
"Yes, jungle man name, Gorio," Edward answered and touched the flowing water from the shower.
Mario and Joanna smiled at their new guest, left Edward on the shower and headed to their room. Mario noticed their room's door was slightly open; he immediately went inside with Joanna behind him. The two children saw Margaret in their room and looking at the opened book portal. She immediately looked back at them and stared.
"This is your book Joanna; I know this is a book portal. Who taught you how to do this?" Margaret immediately asked looking intently at Joanna.
Joanna glanced at Mario and then back to Margaret, "Please forgive us Aunt Margaret, I know you're kind of upset with dwarfs. But Edward is really nice and we let him stay in our house since yesterday. He's a nice dwarf Aunt Margaret."
Suddenly, tears started forming in Margaret's eyes. She stared at Joanna for a long time and asked, "You know a dwarf called Edward, his name is really Edward Joanna?" Margaret asked repeatedly.
"Yes Aunt Margaret his name is Edward and he's very cute and handsome," Joanna slowly answered and wondered why her aunt was suddenly in tears.
Mario also wondered why Margaret was in tears, "Why are you crying Aunt Margaret, we're really sorry we let a dwarf stay in your house..."
But Margaret ignored her nephew's apology and asked once again, "Where is he now, I want to see him.”
"Edward, you can show up now, Aunt Margaret would like to see you," Mario raised his voice a little and looked around him. He waited a little and asked once again. "Edward you can show up now. Aunt Margaret already knows about you."
"Edward! Edward!" Joanna joined and called Edward looking around the room. The two kids kept calling Edward's name. Suddenly the two stared at each other and thought something.
"Aunt Margaret, I haven't seen Edward since we left the mall. I don't know where he is now, we got distracted by a big lion that suddenly appeared inside the mall," Mario explained and wondered if his aunt believed in him.
"There was a lion in the mall," Margaret just said.
"Yes, Aunt Margaret, there was a big, big lion and we were so scared. He was standing and roaring right in front of us. And when I thought he was about to attack us all, a jungle man called Eddie suddenly appeared in between us and the big lion. The jungle man looked and seemed to talk to the lion. And all of us inside the mall was surprised when the big lion suddenly sat when he commanded him to sit," narrated Joanna. "It was really amazing Aunt Margaret. And now he is taking a bath at the shower."
"He was able to talk to the lion, are you sure?" Margaret asked hurriedly and starting to smile a little.
"Yes, I think so too, Aunt Margaret," Mario suddenly answered and continued. "Why are you smiling now Aunt Margaret, do you like jungle man better than dwarf huh?"
Margaret laughed a little at what Mario just said to her.
"Where could that Edward be," Joanna asked softly. "I shouldn't worry I think, he can always come here anytime through the book portal."
Margaret suddenly went out of the room and walked towards the bathroom. She hurried and stopped the moment she saw the bathroom's door and heard the sound of the water falling on the tiled floor.
Mario and Joanna followed Margaret and stared at each other when they noticed Margaret was staring at the bathroom where the jungle man was taking a bath. Mario approached a little and raised his voice.
"Eddie jungle man are you done bathing?" asked Mario.
"No! Jungle man not done bathing, jungle man must look handsome for beautiful girl outside," Edward answered aloud and seriously continued bathing.
With little tears in her eyes, Margaret laughed a little. "Mario does he have clothes to change huh, I don't think jungle man has a luggage."
"Yeah, and I don't think he'll fit into my clothes. He's too tall and big," answered Mario shaking his head and laughing a little.
Margaret immediately left and went back to her room. When she got out she was already carrying a shirt and jeans that used to be Phillip's. Curiously, the two kids watched Margaret as she stood back near the bathroom's door waiting for Eddie to finish bathing.
"Eddie, are you done bathing now huh?” Mario raised his voice some more.
"Yes, jungle man done bathing," Edward answered from the inside of the big bathroom.
Mario immediately took the clothes from Margaret and knocked on the door. "Hey jungle man, we brought you new clothes, open the door slightly so I could slip it in," Mario told the jungle man and slipped the clothes through the slightly opened door. Edward immediately took it, closed the door and changed. Margaret and the two kids waited outside, and in just a short while Edward came out of the bathroom door with his hair pressed and pulled back showing his face clearly.
Edward immediately saw Margaret outside. He stared at her and wondered. Edward was surprised when Margaret suddenly approached and hugged him. He could feel the woman's happiness seeing and hugging him. He did not move, he just let the woman hug him. Suddenly Marianne approached and saw Margaret hugging a man. Marianne couldn't say a word when she suddenly focused on the jungle man's face.
Margaret noticed and looked back at Marianne. Margaret suddenly left Edward and went to Marianne. And softly she whispered, "You're right Marianne, Ed has gone back to us. That jungle man you brought here is my son Ed.
"Yes I notice now, he really looks like Ed and your husband Phillip. But how can you be so sure huh?" Marianne asked. "He said his name is Gorio and not Regor."
"I know, but I think I know what happened. He doesn't remember anything and I know why," Margaret quickly answered.
"Aunt Margaret, could we bring Eddie to the dining room and give him something to eat huh?" asked Joanna looking at both Margaret and Marianne.
"Yes you can Joanna, and give him everything he wants, especially ice cream," Margaret answered.
"Let's go to the dining room so you could eat now jungle man," Mario just said.
"Yeah, jungle man wants to eat now,” answered Edward looking at Marianne and Margaret whispering at each other and looking at him. Joanna and Mario then took the Edward to the dining room. Immediately, Margaret brought Marianne to her room.
"Marianne, you told me before that you heard my son talking to someone, but you didn't really see them," Margaret started looking intently at Marianne inside her room.
"Yes Aunt Margaret," Marianne answered.
"Then you won't be surprised if I tell you that Phillip was no ordinary man. He's a dwarf, a dwarf prince," Margaret stated.
Marianne stopped and looked at Margaret for a moment. "Are you saying that, Ed was a dwarf too because his father is a dwarf prince huh?" Marianne asked slowly.
"His father Timothy was a dwarf, but Edward was born human just like us. And I've seen Phillip turned Ed into a dwarf before through magic," answered Marianne.
Suddenly Marianne realized something. With tears in her eyes she said, "Aunt Margaret I was saved hanging from a bridge by a little dwarf called Edward... Could it be that Edward is both that jungle man and Ed?"
"Marianne, Ed's dwarf name is Edward, the dwarf that rescued you is my son Ed," Margaret told Marianne.
"So Ed fulfilled his promise to come back to me on his twenty-first birthday," Marianne suddenly realized. "But he doesn't seem to know me; he only said my name sounded familiar."
"I think Phillip erased his memory of us so he couldn't go back on his own," Margaret answered.
Marianne suddenly embraced Margaret. "Ed has really gone back to me, to us Aunt Margaret."
"Yes Marianne and I think you can help me restore his memory back," happily Margaret replied.
Chapter 12
After they were done eating in the dining room, Mario, Joanna and Oscar sat on the living room and watched TV. After some time Oscar spoke, "Don't the two of you really recognize who I really am huh?"
"Huh, you're Eddie, the jungle man who saved us from the lion," Mario answered and laughed a little.
"Yeah I am, but I'm also the dwarf that saved Marianne back on the bridge," answered Edward and laughed a little looking at both the faces of Mario and Joanna.
"Is that really you Edward, huh?" Joanna immediately asked.
"Yes, it's really me Edward the handsome dwarf," Edward answered and smirked.
"It's really you then," Mario exclaimed and laughed. "You're so tall and big now, how did you do it?"
"I called grandpa and he told me I can make myself look like a human being. I used my magic in the mall. Only, I didn't know I picked a jungle man clothes and the crowd thought I was a jungle man so I just rode on it," Edward explained laughing a little.
"So that's why you were able to speak to that lion. You told us before that you could speak to animals," the realization of Mario looking at Joanna and then to Edward.
"And I was wondering where he was, you Edward really," Joanna just said. "Yeah you really look like Edward only your ears, isn't pointed at the tip now."
"But that's not what I really want to talk about," Edward just said. "Now, now that I'm bigger, your house seem to look more familiar than I first came in as a dwarf. I really think I'd been here before."
"Ah... maybe you're Ed, you came home for Marianne," Mario said teasing Edward a little.
"Me, Ed..." Edward just said thinking hard.
"Mario is just joking I think Edward," Joanna simply said, "But if you're really Ed, it would really make us happy specially Aunt Margaret and also Marianne. I hope you're really Ed, Edward."
"Yeah, me too, I really like Marianne a lot now," Edward confessed.
"But are you really sure you feel you'd been here before huh Edward?" Mario asked once more.
"Yes, I'm very certain now. I just can't tell when, and how. And Marianne's name is also very familiar to me."
"Come to think of it, you came here together. That's too much of a coincidence. Maybe you two really know each other, maybe you're really Ed," Mario spoke thinking hard from his seat.
"Maybe we should ask questions to Edward and find out, investigate like you told me once Mario," Joanna just said.
"Yeah, that's right. Let's investigate," Mario agreed and smiled a little. "First, you really look like our relative. You seem to look like us."
"Yes that's true, Edward looks like us even with pointed ears before," Joanna quickly agreed.
"Ed disappeared fourteen years ago. He disappeared when he was seven," Mario uttered. "What do you remember when you were seven Edward?"
"The only thing I remember when I was seven was when my father left me at grandfather's palace and he never came back ever since," Edward replied thinking really hard. "I don't remember anything before my father left me, yeah that's right."
"Me, I'm ten but I can definitely remember a lot before I was seven. I remember going to parks with dad and mom. I remember asking them to enroll me because I wanted to go to school already. But dad would just say, you're too young to go to school son," narrated Mario.
"Me, I'm seven but I still remember a lot when I was five or six," added Joanna. "Are you sure your dad is a dwarf huh Edward?"
"Yes, I'm sure of it," Edward quickly answered. "And in our kingdom, I have heard of stories of dwarfs marrying human being and having a child. Didn't you say that your aunt is kind of upset with dwarfs huh?"
"Yes, we told you that and Aunt Margaret is really upset with dwarfs. I just don't know why," Joanna answered Edward.
"Wait, when I was younger, I used to dream a lot about a boy and a girl eating ice cream from inside something that looked like your refrigerator. And I also used to be dream about playing with a little girl in something like your seesaw and running and chasing on a garden," Edward narrated. "And we don't really have ice creams in our kingdom."
"Yes, and we have refrigerator, we have seesaw and we have a garden. Ed disappeared at seven and you don't have any memory at seven before your dad left you in your kingdom," Mario said.
"Wait, that's right that's how I call my father, dad. Yeah I remember it now. And in our kingdom, dwarfs don't call their father dad, they call them father," Edward spoke fast. "I was brought up as a child in your world then."
"We're getting there now Edward," Mario excitedly said.
"Yeah, we're getting there now Edward," Joanna agreed nodding her head.
"And earlier Aunt Margaret asked us who taught us to make a book portal," Mario continued.
"Your aunt knows about book portal too huh, really," uttered Edward.
"And when we told her we let a dwarf named Edward, she suddenly cried. And when I said that there's a jungle man, who can talk to animals, bathing in our shower she suddenly looked happy. And… then she waited for you at the shower and when you got out she immediately hugged you, like she knew you from before. I think this will do it, what's the name of your father Edward?" Mario finally asked.
"Phillip, Prince Phillip," was the answer of Edward.
"That's it; you're our long lost cousin Ed!" Mario exclaimed.
"Yes, you're Ed, Edward. Phillip is the name of Aunt Margaret's husband," Joanna agreed fast and smiled at Edward.
"Yeah, I really am Ed, you two are my young cousins, Margaret is my mother and Marianne, Marianne came here to see me," Edward finally realized and rejoiced at the sound of his last three words. And with the happiness that he was feeling, suddenly Edward remembered everything that happened that day. From the morning Marianne came to their house and sat in front of him on the floor while he was playing his toy cars, up to the time when his dad brought him to their palace. "I remember it all now Mario, Joanna, I really am Ed. I and Marianne used to eat a lot of ice creams in this house and play in the garden chasing each other."
"And I think Marianne and Aunt Margaret are talking about it now in her room. They know you're back Edward, Ed," the statement of Mario looking at Edward then to Joanna.
"I wonder what they are planning right now," Joanna just said laughing a little.
Chapter 13
Suddenly, Mario, Joanna and Edward saw Marianne got out of the room of Margaret. She looked at them for a short while, smiled and headed to her room.
"What are you waiting for Edward, follow her," urged Mario to his cousin Edward.
Edward hurried and followed Marianne to her room and when Marianne was about to open her room's door, he immediately held her hand, turned her around and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Marianne, I know you know who I am now," Edward said, bent down and gently kissed Marianne on the cheeks. "We'll start early tomorrow I promise."
"Edward..." Marianne just uttered and gently embraced Edward.
Edward then opened her door's room and when Marianne got in; he kissed her gently once more and closed the door. Edward stood for a moment outside Marianne's door and when he turned around he saw his mom looking at him. He immediately walked towards her and embraced her. "I'm home mom. I remember you now," uttered Edward softly.
Tears formed in Margaret's eyes as she hugged her son, "Go to bed now son, I want to talk with you about so many things, but I prefer that you and Marianne catch up," uttered Margaret looking up to his son in front of her. "Good night son..."
"Thanks mom, I'm so happy to see you," Edward answered, hugged her once more and headed to the room with Joanna and Mario to sleep.
Edward woke up and when he got out of their room, he immediately saw her mom in the dining room.
"Good morning Edward, I cooked everything you need. I placed the foods you two like to eat when you and Marianne were both very young," stated Margaret smiling at her son approaching her.
"Good morning mom," Edward greeted back and gently hugged her. He looked inside the big basket and saw some fried chicken, chicken steak, papaya jam, cookies, chocolates, sandwiches and colas. "You still remember the food that I like eating with Marianne mom."
"Yes, I still do, go ahead wake her up son," Margaret urged Edward smiling at him.
Edward smiled and immediately went to Marianne's door and knocked. And on the first knock, Marianne immediately opened and looked up at him.
"You're so beautiful Marianne, come I'm taking you somewhere I hope you'll like," Edward smiled and told Marianne standing in front of him. He bent down and kissed her gently on the cheeks.
Edward immediately took Marianne to his mother's car and drove away. Silently, Edward drove and glanced at Marianne by his side, smiling at her. Marianne breathed gently and savored the moment of being with the man she left the church wedding for. She looked at him intently and realized how handsome he had become as man. Edward noticing her smiled back and through his eyes made her know how beautiful she was for him. For Edward Marianne was the most beautiful girl of all most beautiful princesses he had ever seen in kingdoms far and near. Silently, Edward drove, pulled Marianne closer and placed his arm around her kissing her on the cheeks. He continued driving and when they reached the place, Edward immediately opened the car's doors and walked with Marianne. They walked for sometime through the thick woods until finally they reached a quiet but romantic beautiful river, near breathtaking waterfalls. Lovely and colorful flowers grew everywhere. And equally beautiful and colorful butterflies and birds flew here and there. The water looked clear and inviting, only the two of them in one romantic early morning. Edward laid down the mat and placed the basket filled with foods and colas. And afterwards he held Marianne on her shoulders and kissed her gently on her forehead and on her cheeks. Marianne hugged back and whispered Edward's name.
Marianne and Edward then went into the clear water of the river and swam. They immediately felt the freshness and coldness of the water on their skins. Afterwards they climbed up and bathed under the beautiful waterfalls, smiling, and hugging each other. When they bathed in the waterfalls enough, they went back to the clear river, went under and swam together looking at the colorful tiny fishes swimming with them. They swam and swam for a long time. And when they were done swimming, they went back to the mat and held hands. Marianne opened the basket and placed all the food on the mat. Edward smiled at Marianne preparing the food for the two of them. Quietly they ate, looked at the beautiful place around them and occasionally glanced at each other. Afterwards, they went back to the water and swam. They swam and swam once again for a long time, just looking at each other. And when it was getting dark they went back to the mat by the river and sat.
"I've always watched this place from our kingdom inside the king's magical room Marianne. And I've always wondered how it would be like to find a woman I'll love and bring her here. I didn't know I had already found her, it's just that fate had taken her away from my mind," the statement of Edward looking at Marianne by his side.
"I have never forgotten about you Edward, you're the only man that I ever wanted. And now that you're with me, promise me you'll never leave me," uttered Marianne softly.
Edward reached for her and kissed her gently, "I'm never leaving you Marianne, I promise... I love you more than anything in any world or any kingdom."
Edward and Marianne embraced each other near the clear and beautiful river.
Marianne was so happy Edward had finally gone back to her.
It was already night and Edward lit a small bonfire. He sat back on the mat with Marianne. He pulled her closer and made her rest on his chest. "It's already dark Marianne, close your eyes I want to see you sleep in my arms," stated Edward softly.
Marianne simply smiled and cuddled closer.
"We're away and we're all alone in this place Marianne, if you can sleep in my arms, it only means that you truly love me, entrust your whole life with me and believe that from now on, I'll do nothing but take good care and make you happy for the rest of our lives..." Edward whispered softly to the beautiful Marianne in his arms.
Edward held Marianne in his arms the whole night just watching and looking at her. And when it was day break, Edward quietly brought her back to the car and flew her home.
Chapter 14
Joanna had just taken a bath and was combing her beautiful hair when she suddenly glanced at her fantasy book. She immediately finished combing her hair and approached the book. She looked at it for a while and decided to open it. Slowly, Joanna opened the book she had made as a portal for Edward. As soon as she opened it, the round passage immediately appeared. She looked through the round portal and saw the beautiful golden palace of King Ferdinand on Ferdinand Land.
That palace is so beautiful; maybe someday Edward would take us there. And the garden looks so pretty from up here. I never saw flowers as lovely and as colorful as those. Even the vast grasslands look good too, Joanna silently thought as she kept looking at the beautiful kingdom. Suddenly, many dwarfs started coming out of the palace and immediately saw the portal opening. Joanna saw them rushed towards the portal. They ran and ran going to the book portal and they reached it they immediately saw Joanna.
"Hey I remember you, you're a friend of Prince Edward, aren't you?" asked one dwarf in a colorful orange dwarf clothes.
"Yes, I'm a friend of Edward and I'm Joanna," answered Joanna aloud looking at the group of good looking dwarfs that gathered around.
"Can I go to your house huh?" asked another dwarf smiling at Joanna. "Can you give me your permission so I can pass through?"
"I don't know but Edward told me not to give permission to anyone. Maybe I'll ask him first," Joanna quickly answered.
Suddenly another dwarf approached the large crowd of dwarfs that gathered around the portal. He immediately went near the book portal and spoke loud, "Hey, you're Joanna right; I'm Lex Prince Edward's friend."
"Yes, I remember you, you and that beautiful dwarf named Bella," replied Joanna loudly looking at Lee on the other side.
"I'm glad you still remember me. I approached the book portal because I really need to talk to Prince Edward, it's really important. Is he around, can I talk to him, huh?" asked Lex loudly looking at the beautiful Joanna on the other side of the book portal.
"Yes, it's really important," butted in the beautiful dwarf Bella who suddenly appeared in front of the book portal.
"It's nice to see you Anita, okay you just wait and I'll just go outside my room and inform Edward," the response of Joanna and immediately walked out of her room and looked for Edward in their house.
"Have you seen Edward huh Mario?" asked Joanna to her brother who was watching television in the living room.
"He's outside in the garden talking to Marianne," answered Mario and continued watching the show.
Joanna immediately walked outside and saw Edward and Marianne talking to each other in the garden. "Edward, I opened the book portal and Lex told me that he needs to talk to you. I think it's really important," Joanna informed Edward as she approached the two.
What could Lex want to talk to me about? Edward thought and decided to go to Joanna's room. "You just stay here Marianne, I'll just talk to Lex my friend from our kingdom," Edward told Marianne looking at him.
"No, I'm going with you. I want to know what's going on too," she answered, stood up and immediately walked with Edward going to Joanna's room inside the house.
The three then walked and when they reached the room, Edward immediately turned himself into a dwarf and looked through the book portal. He saw Bella and Lex waiting for him on the other side.
"It's nice to see you Lex, Bella," stated Edward aloud. "Joanna told me you want to talk to me about something important."
"Yes," he immediately answered and turned to the other dwarfs around him in the kingdom. "Could you please leave us, I need to talk to Edward. The other dwarfs stared at Lex for a moment but started walking away afterwards. "Edward, I have already learned where your father Phillip is."
"Huh, where's my father Lex. Is he still alive huh?" the quick question of Edward to his friend Lex.
"Yes Edward, he's still alive. But he is held captive by the alien dwarfs. And we have tracked their flying saucers are stationed far north of our kingdom. I checked for myself if it was true. And when I got there I saw hundreds of hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers flying in the area. And my source said, Prince Phillip is imprisoned in one of those flying saucers," the statement of Lex.
"I'm so glad you told me immediately. It's a good thing Joanna opened her book portal on time. I'm going back to the kingdom right now, Lex," answered Edward and immediately glanced at Marianne holding his arm.
"Are you leaving me Ed, huh?" the immediate question of Marianne and looked worried.
"I've got to help our knights rescue my father Phillip. He's been missing for years. And now that we already know where he is, I must hurry and save him," he answered Marianne.
"But I want to go with you Ed, I'm afraid you might not be able to come back to us again if I let you go now. Please let me go with you," Marianne asked Edward earnestly holding his arm.
"Okay, if that's what you want. But you're just staying in the palace while I try to rescue my father," Edward told Marianne.
Marianne agreed and Edward immediately concentrated and turned Marianne into a dwarf
"You look really pretty as a dwarf, Marianne," Joanna praised Marianne as the two dwarfs stood on the table near the book portal.
"Where are you going Edward, and Marianne you turned dwarf too," stated Mario as he entered the room looking at them on the table.
"They're going to the kingdom, we'll just keep the book open so they can easily come back afterwards," Joanna stated looking at her brother.
"Thanks to the two of you, Mario, Joanna," Edward thanked his cousins. "We'll come back as soon as we can."
Immediately, Edward held Marianne and flew towards the entrance of the portal. He looked back at Mario and Joanna and immediately went through the portal. Marianne and Edward traveled through the book portal and after some time they reached the kingdom and landed on the grassland.
"Come back soon Edward, Marianne!" shouted Mario from the house of Margaret.
"We will!" replied Edward loudly and immediately approached Lex and Bella waiting for him.
"Welcome back Edward and welcome to our kingdom..." Lex welcomed Edward and looked at the beautiful Marianne beside him.
"This is Marianne, she's my girlfriend," Prince Edward introduced Marianne.
"It's nice to see you Marianne," Lex immediately greeted Marianne and smiled. "And this is Bella, my girlfriend."
"Welcome to our kingdom, Marianne," Bella just said smiling at her.
"Thank you," Marianne just said and smiled at the two dwarfs.
Immediately, the four walked and headed for the palace. And when they reached it they immediately went to see the king.
"I'm glad that you already know that you are human Edward," Lex said and smiled.
"Huh, you mean, you knew I was human huh?" the quick question of Edward.
"Yes, we all knew in the kingdom. But we were strictly told not to tell you. The older dwarfs kept their secret and they told us that we must do the same. They knew the king vowed to keep his vow to your father not to tell you anything about your true identity until he's come back. And now that you already know, I feel relieved. I don't have to keep a secret at you anymore," narrated Lex.
"My, so I was the only one who didn't know, I was human with some dwarf blood," stated Edward a little amused and looked at Bella.
"Yeah, you're the only one, Edward. We all knew all along," stated Bella. "But none of us knew that you'll bring a lady to our kingdom upon your return from the human world."
"Yeah, we didn't know that Edward," Lex just said and laughed a little.
"I remember now that I promised to come back and see her above," Edward answered. "Now I understand why grandfather sent me to human land above. He wanted me to be able to fulfill my promise to Marianne without breaking his vow to my father. Grandpa is really clever. He's a clever king."
"Will, the king is just happy to see you with the girl you wished to go back to Edward," butted in the king who just arrived to his throne.
"Your highness, we came here to inform you that we have already learned where Prince Phillip is," stated Lex.
The king stared at Lex for a moment. "You have already found my son, where is he?" the immediate question of King Ferdinand looking intently at Lex.
"We have tracked hundreds and hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers far north of our kingdom. And I had already verified it to be true. And Prince Phillip is imprisoned in one of those flying saucers. And that's why I called on Prince Edward to lead us in the rescue," Lex replied.
"But have you tried rescuing anyone from aliens huh Edward," Marianne asked Edward. "Are you sure you're ready for such a mission, huh?"
"Don't worry about that, Prince Edward and the other knights have trained for years for such encounters," King Ferdinand stated and answered for Prince Edward smiling. "And in our kingdom, the most powerful knights are the twenty-one year old. At twenty-one the dwarfs get their full powers making them ready to defend and protect our kingdom from invaders, even aliens."
"Yes that's true Marianne," agreed Prince Edward smiling a little. "You're safe with me. I can protect you all the time."
"And if you brave knights must rescue my son Prince Phillip, you must all retire early so you can travel early in the morning and head far north," the firm statement of the king. "Welcome to my kingdom, Marianne."
"Thank you your majesty," Marianne just said and smiled at the king.
The king then left and went back to his room to rest. The four then headed out of the room and walked around the palace going to their chambers.
"I'm so happy you have a girlfriend now Edward," Lex told him.
"I'm happy too you already have a girlfriend Edward," Bella stated looking at Marianne. "And I must say she's really, really beautiful."
Edward smiled at Marianne. "Yes, I'm very lucky to have Marianne as my lady."
Lex and Bella then talked to Marianne and told her a lot of stories about Edward growing up. Hearing their stories about him, she realized she was in love with a good and kind hearted dwarf prince.
Later that night Prince Edward spoke to Marianne in a chamber he brought her. Sitting on the beautiful soft bed in a royal room, Edward looked at Marianne. He kissed her on the cheek and smiled.
"I know you're worried, but I'm a prince and I need to fulfill my responsibilities," stated Prince Edward holding Marianne's hands. "Don't worry, all the other dwarf knights are very powerful themselves, we're trained to defend our kingdom. I'll be back in no time you'll see."
"Promise me you'll come back Edward," Marianne said softly looking at Edward beside her.
"I promise I'll come back, just like I promised before when we were still very young," the assurance of Prince Edward smiling at Marianne. "But for now I have to leave you here, I need to talk to Lex and the other dwarf knights so we can plan our attack."
Prince Edward then kissed Marianne and left to converse with other dwarf knights.
Chapter 15
In the morning, Marianne woke up and heard the sound of horses departing from the kingdom. She immediately headed towards the balcony and looked for Edward. She immediately saw Lex leading the dwarf knights away from the kingdom. She tried to look for Edward but she didn't found him. She tried calling for him and shouted, "Edward! Edward!" But the knights simply looked back at her, smiled and went on traveling. She called out once more, "Edward! Edward!"
"I'm here Marianne!" Edward responded and smiled at the beautiful Marianne.
Marianne immediately looked up and saw above Prince Edward riding a beautiful wingless tiny flying white horse with a rainbow tail. "Edward!"
"Marianne, this is my horse, Rainbow!" he introduced his horse to Marianne. "Rainbow, that's my lady Marianne. Rainbow immediately ran and flew towards Marianne near the balcony. The beautiful flying white horse immediately bowed his head looking at Marianne.
"It's nice to see you Rainbow, you take good care of Edward for me, huh" Marianne greeted and told the beautiful flying white horse.
Rainbow then stood on his hind legs in the air and looked back at his master Prince Edward. "I'm glad you two finally meet. This is my most favorite horse in our kingdom, Marianne. He's very obedient and trustworthy. I just came to say good bye Marianne, I love you and I'll see you soon!" Edward said good bye to Marianne and immediately flew away and followed his knights trooping far north. Marianne looked as Prince Edward slowly disappeared from her sight in the sky. She took a deep breath and went back to her room worrying about Edward.
After Prince Edward caught up with his one hundred knights, Rainbow immediately landed on the grasslands and walked in front of the other one hundred brown horses leading them. Lex immediately approached Prince Edward on his beautiful brown horse.
"You really love Marianne, don't you Edward," uttered Lex as he rode his horse beside Prince Edward.
"Yes Lex, I really love Marianne. She's the most important lady in my life. She loves me so much, she waited for my return. I don't think I'll ever see a lady that would love me that much. She never saw me for years but she never lost hope. I'm so fortunate to have a woman like her, someone who believed in my promise, even if I made it when I was merely seven," stated Prince Edward as he rode his favorite horse Rainbow.
"You're fortunate indeed my friend. And she seems really, really in love with you," said Lex. "But as of now you really have to focus on our mission. So stop thinking about her," Lex teased a little.
"I wonder how my father is now. I hope those aliens didn't harm my father," Edward softly said thinking of his father's welfare. "I had been wondering why my father never returned for me, and now that I know where he is, I'll do everything to bring him back to our kingdom."
"The king would be very happy to see Prince Phillip back in our palace. He was supposed to be our king when he suddenly disappeared," the statement of Lex.
"Yes, the king would be very happy and my mother would be happy to see him too, I hope," Edward just said and smiled a little. "I remember them now arguing when I was little. She didn't really want us to live here; she wanted me to grow as a normal human being and not as a dwarf."
"Yeah, I heard that too, a long time ago. And I really wanted to tell you about it, but like I said, I was told not to tell you, everybody was," confessed Lex. "But nevertheless, you grow up to be a happy prince with your grandfather always taking good care of you."
"Yeah, I know, I really owe my grandfather a lot. And bringing my father back would be a good way to repay him," added Edward as they continued traveling on their horses.
They traveled and traveled towards the far north of their kingdom, until finally they saw hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers stationed in the sky. Edward immediately commanded his knights to stop. He then looked and assessed the flying saucers in the sky. Immediately the dwarf aliens in the tiny blue flying saucers noticed the one hundred knights on their horses looking at them.
Prince Edward immediately instructed his knights to line up in fifties. They looked up and waited for his next command.
"My spy told me that your father is being held in that blue flying saucer in the middle," Lex told Prince Edward who was assessing the situation.
Prince Edward smiled and nodded at Lex beside him. Suddenly the blue flying saucers started firing green laser lights on all of them.
Prince Edward immediately commanded, "Shield!"
And Lex and the one hundred knights answered, "Shield!" and immediately the one hundred knights were covered with a clear protective shield on each of them. The blue flying saucers fired and fired their lasers towards the one hundred knights on their horses but the clear shield protected them. They fired and fired but still the knights remained protected. And when they stopped, Prince Edward immediately instructed. "We will fire on those flying saucers except for that one in the middle where they are keeping my father."
Once again the blue flying saucers fired on them but still they were not damaged. Immediately, Prince Edward commanded loudly, "Bow!" and magically a bow suddenly appeared in the hands of all one hundred dwarf knights. Prince Edward shouted once more, "Arrow!" and magically an arrow with a burning tip instantly appeared in the hands of the one hundred dwarf knights on one hundred tiny horses.
"Ready!" shouted Edward and immediately the one hundred knights pulled back their flaming tipped arrows. "Fire!" shouted Edward loudly and immediately the one hundred arrows shoot up going to the hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers. The flaming tipped arrows continued moving in the air going to the one hundreds of tiny flying saucers above the sky. The flying saucers tried to evade the attack but the knights were too precise, one hundred blue flying saucers were hit right in the middle and burned in the sky. It burned and burned and immediately started crashing and falling down on the ground. The remaining flying saucers fired green lasers on the knights but Edward immediately shouted. “Shield!" and the knights responded, "Shield!" Once again the knights were protected from the green laser lights.
Immediately, Prince Edward shouted, "Ready! Fire!" and immediately the one hundred knights pulled back and released their one hundred flaming tipped arrows and instantly hit all the remaining tiny blue flying saucers. It burned and immediately crashed on the ground.
Prince Edward immediately concentrated and flew the blue flying saucer down to the ground. Softly the flying saucer touched the ground. Prince Edward concentrated once more and opened the flying saucer. He saw the tiny green aliens inside; he concentrated once more and flew all of the tiny green aliens inside out of the tiny flying saucer towards the ground. Hurriedly, all the green aliens fled away from the mighty knights and Prince Edward. Lex then went inside the tiny flying saucer and when he got out he was already walking with Prince Phillip. Prince Edward saw his father; he looked at him intently as he and Lex approached him. His father had gone a little older than the last time he saw him in their palace. He suddenly realized how much he missed his dad. "Father," Edward called out looking at his father approaching him.
Prince Phillip stared at the knight calling him. He looked for a moment and realized it was his son Edward. He immediately called, "Edward!"
"Father, Father!" immediately Edward rushed towards his father and embraced him. "I'm so glad you're still alive father!"
"Yes I am son, and I can't believe you're standing in front of me. I already lost hope, I never thought I'll ever see you again," stated Prince Phillip and embraced his son tighter. "You've grown up to be a great knight my son, my beloved son!"
The reunited father and son hugged for a long time and afterwards they looked at each other. They looked and looked at each other's faces and laughed a little. "I missed you son!" and immediately the knights cheered and celebrated. Victorious, they immediately headed back to the kingdom. They traveled back to the kingdom on their beautiful tiny horses. Rainbow looked back at his master who was smiling looking at his father. Rainbow felt happy himself. He felt good he was there to see it all. They traveled and traveled until finally they reached their kingdom. Immediately, all the dwarfs in the kingdom ran out of the palace and met the arriving one hundred knights on their one hundred horses. They instantly rejoiced when they saw Prince Phillip with Prince Edward leading the knights. In great celebration they chanted the name of Prince Edward and Prince Phillip. And when they got in the palace, the king immediately approached and looked at his long lost son. He looked at his face for a moment. He couldn't believe his eyes, his son was back. He immediately embraced him and said, "My son, my son!"
"Father... Father..." Phillip softly uttered embracing his father.
"Edward, thank you for bringing Phillip back to our palace," the king thanked his grandson.
"But we have to thank Lex and the knights the most, they did most of the works you know," Prince Edward simply said and looked back at Lex and his one hundred knights inside the palace.
"And for that we will celebrate. We're going to have a feast in honor of our gallant knights and for you too Prince Edward and Lex," the King happily announced.
Immediately, Prince Edward saw Marianne looking at him on the side. He immediately ran and embraced her kissing her on the cheeks. "Didn't I tell you I'll be back in no time," Edward just said and smiled at Marianne.
"And I thank you for bringing yourself back to me," Marianne simply said, smiled and hugged Edward tighter.
"Who's that beautiful lady, you're kissing Edward, huh?" Prince Phillip immediately asked looking at his son with a beautiful girl.
"She's Marianne father," Edward answered and laughed a little.
"Marianne, Marianne the Marianne, that you played with as kid in our house above huh?" immediately asked Prince Phillip.
"Yes, none other father!" his quick answer smiling at Marianne.
"It's nice to see you again Marianne!" Phillip greeted Marianne smiling at her.
"I'm happy to see you too sir," Marianne softly said.
"Call me father; you'll soon be my daughter I know. I know my son isn't letting you go without a ring on your finger," stated Prince Phillip and laughed a little at his son.
"Sure I won't father," Edward quickly answered and smiled.
The whole kingdom celebrated the return of Prince Phillip. They celebrated and feasted inside the palace. All the dwarfs in the kingdom joined in the celebration. Everybody was so happy in the kingdom, little did they know that the prince of the green alien dwarfs had arrived somewhere in King Ferdinand's Kingdom.
Chapter 16
The alien dwarf prince immediately surveyed the extent of the damages suffered by his hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers. From inside his tiny silver flying saucer, he immediately summoned his most trusted green alien soldier.
"Who did this to our blue flying saucers?" the immediate and loud question of the Prince of the green dwarf soldiers who had just arrived.
His most trusted green dwarf alien soldier Jimmy immediately approached nearer the fierce Prince Zaldy. "My prince, Prince Edward and his knights invaded us. There were thousands of them, and we were severely outnumbered. We tried to fight back, but they were just too many against us all. And they had magical bow and arrow that immediately burned and crashed our hundreds and hundreds of blue flying saucers. And I saw with my own eyes, how their prince, called Prince Edward, concentrated and brought down our blue flying saucer, carrying Prince Phillip, to the ground. They were just too many and too powerful, we couldn't do anything," narrated Prince Zaldy's most trusted alien green dwarf soldier
"So, they have powerful weapons huh. And their prince has powers himself. What else do you know about this mighty prince huh?" the immediate question of Prince Zurich to his most trusted green soldier.
"We had learned that this Prince Edward was brought up on human land as a child. Prince Phillip took him to his father's kingdom right before we abducted him. And he lived in the dwarf kingdom ever since and trained hard for years to lead his gallant knights against any invaders," added Zion.
"And why was he brought up on human land?" the question of Prince Zurich to him.
"We had gathered enough information telling us that Prince Edward was born by a human. Prince Phillip married a beautiful human being named Margaret," his answer to the fierce Prince.
"And where can you find this human called Margaret?" was the fast question of the green alien prince.
"We learned that Prince Edward traveled here from his mother's house through a book portal that his cousin Joanna gave him, and he also has another cousin named Mario," answered Jimmy.
"Good, now that I know who Prince Edward's mother is, and where she lives, we will have our revenge!" vowed loudly by the fierce Prince Zaldy.
"Prince Zaldy we had also learned that the whole kingdom is now celebrating their triumph against us. All of them are inside the golden palace enjoying the lavish feast that the king had rewarded Prince Edward and his knights," stated the trusted Jimmy.
The fierce Prince Zaldy thought and slowly nodded his head and immediately called for reinforcements.
Chapter 17
Joanna and Mario sat in the living room in front of the big television. "I wonder what's happening with Edward and Marianne right now," Joanna stated wondering and looking at her brother beside her on the sofa.
"Aunt Margaret was so worried when she learned that Ed had gone back to their kingdom to save Prince Phillip from the green alien dwarfs," replied Mario to his little sister Joanna.
"Yes and I woke up last night and saw the lights in her room was still lit as I passed by to get some water in the kitchen," added Joanna.
"I really hope that nothing bad happened to both Marianne and Edward," stated Mario from beside Joanna.
"No, I'm not that worried with Marianne because I remember Edward saying that Marianne would just stay inside the palace while they try to rescue Prince Phillip from the green dwarf aliens somewhere in the kingdom," recalled Joanna looking down on the floor.
"I really wonder if Edward could beat those dwarf aliens, I know aliens have very powerful flying saucers. What if they have flying saucers technology and dwarf powers. If I remember it right, Edward said he has powers but he did not mention if they have space technology. I'm really worried what's going to happen once Edward encounters this alien dwarfs in their kingdom," spoke Mario wondering and worrying.
"Yeah, I never thought of that Mario and now I'm getting more worried now than I did the other day.
I really wish that Edward and Marianne can get back here so I won't be worrying this much and I won't see Aunt Margaret worried. I really don't like seeing Aunt Margaret upset. She had tried to be happy when we were around her before but I always sensed she was sad for the loss of her son Ed back then," narrated Joanna. "And she was just so happy when we finally found back Ed. But if she losses him once again this time, I really don't know if she could still take it."
"Yeah, I'm worried about that myself Joanna. Aunt Margaret had taken really good care of us while dad is on America working for us, I really want her to be happy," the statement of Mario looking at their room's door.
"Dad always told me to cheer up Aunt Margaret, so she won't think of Ed that much. That's why I always came home early so I can get to play and talk with her and hoped that I could make her forget Ed even for a short time," added little Joanna.
"That's what I had been doing too myself Joanna, I had been trying to make Aunt Margaret happy despite of her loss then of Ed. And I saw the happiness in her eyes when we finally learned that Ed had gone back to us," said Mario and suddenly stood up. "Let's have breakfast, Joanna, I think the rice is ready."
"I forgot we still haven't had breakfast thinking about Edward and Marianne. Yeah, let's eat now Mario," agreed little Joanna, stood up and walked with her brother towards the dining room. "Aunt Margaret is still asleep I think, she slept really late, I think, waiting for Edward and Marianne to arrive last night. Let's just let her sleep because she'll just be upset if she learns that Edward still hadn't gone back from their kingdom."
The two children then sat on the dining table and ate breakfast. Mario kept looking on the wall clock on the wall anticipating when Edward would go home to their house. Joanna kept looking on the wall clock herself as she continued eating her fried chicken. After they had drunk their milk, they immediately went back to their room and waited beside the book portal. They alternately looked through hoping that they could see Edward somewhere in the kingdom. But they just didn't see him anywhere in the kingdom from the portal they were looking through. They did not even see any dwarf in the grasslands or around the gold palace of King Ferdinand.
"I was sitting and reading another book on this table and when I got tired reading I closed it and slept on my bed. I only realized that I had also closed the book portal when Aunt Margaret came home and woke me up. Now, I don't know what happened in the kingdom yesterday. I shouldn't have slept and just waited looking through the book portal," Joanna stated shaking her head in regret.
"It's my fault too Joanna, I went out of the house and left you here for a long time. I am older I should know better. But there's nothing we can do now, we just have to wait and find out what had really happened to both Edward and Marianne," confessed Mario and hoped for the best.
"Yeah, we really just have to wait here," Joanna softly agreed to her brother.
The two continued waiting for Edward and Marianne to appear and pass through the book portal.
"Joanna, Mario have you seen my son Ed in the kingdom huh?" the immediate question of Margaret as she entered the room of the two kids. "Have you seen them huh?"
Mario hesitated looking at his aunt's extremely worried face. He then spoke softly, "I'm really sorry Aunt Margaret but we really haven't seen Edward anywhere in their kingdom and we didn't even see any dwarfs around the golden palace."
"What could have happened to my son and Marianne," said Margaret extremely worried. "I don't want to lose my son anymore. I waited for so long to find him and if I lose him once again I really don't know what I'm going to do."
Mario and Joanna both looked at the face of their Aunt Margaret and felt the worry and sadness in her.
"Don't worry Aunt Margaret, I really believe that Edward would try everything he can to come home to us, with Marianne," stated Joanna trying to pacify her worried aunt.
Margaret approached the table and sat on the chair. She suddenly stood up when she saw someone on the other side of the book portal. Mario and Joanna also stood up and looked at the dwarf standing on the grasslands in the kingdom.
"Hello!" shouted the new dwarf standing outside the book portal of Joanna. "I'm Zaldy; I'm a knight and a friend of Edward."
"Where's my son Edward, where's my son?" the immediate question of the extremely worried mother of Prince Edward.
"Prince Edward and we knights battled the green alien dwarfs far north of the kingdom. But they were just too powerful; they have powers and flying saucers technology. We failed to rescue Prince Phillip and Prince Edward is badly injured. We tried to bring him to our healers in the kingdom for immediate treatment but we found out that all of them was already captured by the soldiers of the fierce alien prince," the loud statement of Prince Zaldy who copied the look of one dwarf in King Ferdinand's kingdom.
"Where's my son now?" the loud question of the worried Margaret.
"We have hidden him somewhere for his safety. He told me to come here and look for Joanna his first cousin and ask for permission to pass through the book portal. We need to bring him to your land for immediate medical attention now or he might die!"
"Joanna, quickly give him permission to pass through, my son is injured and we need to bring him to the hospital," Margaret worriedly and quickly ordered her nephew Joanna.
But Joanna hesitated and looked at the dwarf on the other side of the portal. "But Aunt Margaret, Edward specifically told me not to grand access to anyone, even if they look like him. He warned us that bad dwarfs could come to our world and could cause a lot of trouble and chaos," Joanna quickly answered and explained to the worried mother of Prince Edward.
"Yes Aunt Margaret Edward warned us about that, we're not really sure if he's telling the truth. Maybe, he's lying to us," agreed Mario to the statement of his little sister Joanna beside him.
"Okay, can I talk to Prince Edward's mother Margaret huh or his other cousin Mario. Maybe they have another book portal and give us permission to pass through. We really don't have much time. I'm afraid the green dwarf aliens might see me and capture me anytime," added the pretending Prince Zaldy loudly.
"I'm worried about my son Ed; I really don't know what to do. He knows all your names. He could be..." Margaret hesitated.
"I've already done what Prince Edward had asked me. You have to give me permission now," stated Prince Zurich loudly looking through the book portal.
Suddenly Joanna, Mario and Margaret saw another dwarf appeared on the other side of the portal and immediately spoke, "Zaldy, the aliens have discovered where we are hiding Prince Edward and they are now heading to our hiding place. We have to bring Edward to human land now or they would kill him!" the loud and urgent statement of the new dwarf that arrived.
"Joanna, quickly give him permission!" Margaret hurriedly ordered extremely worried for her son's life.
Joanna looked at Mario for a moment and spoke, "I'm giving..."
"Go ahead Joanna!" Margaret ordered loudly.
"I'm giving Zaldy permission to pass through my book portal..." Joanna spoke and declared.
Zaldy suddenly smiled and quickly flew towards the book portal. He flew fast inside the round passage and right after he got through he laughed aloud and spoke floating inside Margaret's house, "You humans are so easy to deceive. I’m Zaldy the alien prince!"
Margaret, Joanna and Mario couldn't say a word. And when they saw Prince Zaldy transformed into a green alien dwarf they immediately tried to run away from him. But Prince Zaldy was too fast he immediately turned Margaret into a dwarf and caught her. He dragged her and flew her inside the book portal. She screamed and tried to free herself but Prince Zaldywas too strong for her. Joanna and Mario watched in horror as Prince Zaldy finally got through the book portal. Immediately a tiny silver flying saucer appeared near the portal and pulled up Prince Zaldy and Margaret inside through its opening in the bottom and middle.
Joanna and Mario shouted the name of their Aunt Margaret as they saw the tiny silver flying saucer flew fast and disappeared in the sky of the kingdom of King Ferdinand. They shouted and shouted worrying what's going to happen to their beloved aunt in the hands of the fierce prince of the green alien dwarfs.
Chapter 18
Earlier inside the golden palace, the king, Prince Phillip, Prince Edward and Marianne were having late breakfast for they had stayed up late the other night feasting and celebrating on their successful rescue of Prince Phillip. "I wonder what mom would say once she sees you back home," Prince Edward said looking at his dad on the other side of the long rectangular table inside.
"That I'm really worried my son, she lost you for a long, long time because of me," stated Prince Phillip worrying.
"Yeah, she was really furious at you, dad, but I believe, as of now, Joanna and Mario had already told mom that you got abducted by the green alien dwarfs that's why you were not able to come home to her," answered Prince Edward to his father. "She loves you still, I think, and she'll understand."
"Aunt Margaret would surely want to see you now sir... father specially that Edward is back. I'm sure she'll forgive you for any hurt that you had caused her," agreed Marianne glancing at Edward beside her on the long rectangular table inside the palace.
"I really hope so. When I was in prison, I always thought of her and my son. The memories I had of her kept me alive. I tried to escape so many times but I was always caught by my guards. I regretted erasing my son's memory of her and everything on human land. I thought, if I didn't do it, maybe Edward could come home to her on his own. Maybe she wouldn't be that sad if at least one of us was with her. Edward could have grown up with a mother and you two could have spent more time together," Prince Phillip narrated not knowing that Marianne was also brought away to the province by her father.
Marianne and Edward simply smiled at each other listening to him.
"Yeah I know dad, I grow up without a mother. But I had a great grandfather, a king for one. I was actually happy growing up. I thought about you a lot but still I had a lot of friends who cheered me up during my hard training," stated Prince Edward looking at the king near him.
"My grandson is really lucky to have me as grandfather," King Ferdinand just said and laughed a little. "But I'm luckier to have him as my grandson. Having Edward here in the kingdom made everyone happy specially me. Edward is really charming. Growing up Edward was loved by all our dwarfs. He would go around outside the kingdom and helped all dwarfs in need. Dwarfs in the kingdom hang out with him all the time. He was the best friend of everyone. Edward loved his friends, he had shared them everything that I had given him. Edward lived like a prince and his friends all lived like prince too because of him."
Marianne just looked and smiled at Edward beside him.
"And I thank you father for making my son happy while I was away," Prince Phillip just said and smiled at his son.
The four happily continued eating breakfast and when they were finished Marianne, Prince Phillip and Prince Edward headed to the book portal.
"Let's hurry Edward, I think Joanna and Mario are now waiting for us on the other side of the book portal," stated Marianne as she walked beside Prince Edward.
"Who are these Mario and Joanna Edward?" asked Prince Phillip.
"They are my two young cousins, they're the son and daughter of mom's brother Albert but he's on America now working for the two of them," answered Edward to his father and continued walking towards the book portal that Joanna had given him.
And as soon as they reached the book portal and looked through, they saw the sad faces of Joanna and Mario on the other side.
"Mario, Joanna!" Marianne called out to the kids.
"Hey Joanna, Mario, we're back and we have my father with us!" stated Prince Edward and started to wonder.
"We lost Aunt Margaret Edward..." answered Joanna sadly.
"Huh, how did you lost mom, what happened?" the quick and worried question of Prince Edward.
"The alien prince called Zaldy deceived us and she took Aunt Margaret. He told us you were badly injured and hidden somewhere. He told us he was your friend and you sent him to ask for permission to pass through the portal. I refused but another dwarf came and said that the dwarf aliens had found your hiding place and was about to kill you. Aunt Margaret was deceived and made me gave permission, not that I blame her, because I must admit I myself was deceived too," narrated Joanna sadly.
"We really thought that the dwarf aliens was about to kill you in your hiding place Edward, we got so worried and were deceived easily," added in Mario and looked down.
Momentarily lost for words, Prince Edward shook his head. "Don't worry Joanna, Mario I'll find mom and I'll bring her back to our house. I have a lot of mighty and gallant knights, look we rescued my father. I'm sure we could rescue my mom too," worried Edward said and pacified his two little cousins on the other side.
"Really Edward, please bring back Aunt Margaret to us. We really love her, tell your knights to help you find her for us," Joanna asked Edward.
"We will find her, we will find mom soon!" Edward finally answered and immediately returned to the golden palace with his father and Marianne.
Chapter 19
And as soon as Prince Edward had reached their palace, a dwarf ran towards him screaming about something, happening outside their palace, "There are hundreds of flying saucers flying in the sky around our palace!"
Immediately, Prince Edward called on his one hundred gallant knights. Outside, Edward lined them up in fifties and on their tiny horses they all looked up towards the hundreds of new blue flying saucers flying in their sky.
"What shall we do Prince Edward, we don't where your mother is being held in all those blue flying saucers or if she is indeed in one of those," the question of Lex beside Prince Edward riding his wingless tiny flying white horse Rainbow.
"We'll wait, I believe they're going to make a statement, but just keep our knights prepared for anything," Prince Edward immediately replied and Lex returned to the one hundred knights and readied them.
The hundreds of new blue alien flying saucers continued flying up in the sky of King Ferdinand's Golden Palace as all the dwarfs looked up and anticipated what's going to happen next. They all knew that the mother of their prince was abducted and were all worried for they all loved their prince. And near the main entrance of the golden palace, Marianne, Prince Phillip, and King Ferdinand all looked up and waited.
They waited and waited until suddenly one trusted green alien dwarf soldier spoke from inside his tiny blue flying saucer.
"We have the mother of Prince Edward inside in one of our flying saucers. And in exchange for her release we demand that you surrender all your weapons and your shield to us!" the loud demand of the dwarf alien soldier Jimmy from inside his blue flying saucer. "Surrender all your weapons to us now or we will kill Margaret the mother of your prince immediately!"
All the dwarfs were horrified with what they heard from Jimmy in his blue flying saucer. They mumbled whispering softly what Prince Edward should do to save her mother. Prince Phillip, King Ferdinand and Marianne were all extremely worried hearing the loud demand of the green alien.
"What shall we do father?" asked Prince Phillip to the king. "I want Margaret alive. I love my wife and I want her back."
"Edward loves his mom so much, I don't want him to loss her for it would hurt him deeply," Marianne stated and worried looking at Prince Edward with his gallant one hundred knights on their horses.
"Don't you worry, Edward will find a way, I'm certain of that," the king answered and stood firm on his words.
"Surrender your weapons now or we will kill the mother of your prince!" Jimmy demanded once more from his flying saucer. "I will count to five and if you don't surrender all your weapons we will start killing Margaret, the mother of your Prince! One... two... three... four-"
"We will surrender; we will surrender all our weapons!" Prince Edward answered loudly looking up to the direction of the voice that all of the dwarfs in the kingdom was hearing.
"Great!" the loud voice simply said from inside his blue flying saucer. "And make it look good for us. Make us enjoy the scene!"
Immediately Prince Edward commanded loudly, "Bow!" and immediately the one hundred bows magically appeared. "Arrow!" and instantly the flaming tipped arrows appeared. "Drop!" and immediately all the one hundred gallant knights dropped their bows and arrows on the ground a little farther on their front.
"Shield!" and the clear shield instantly appeared. "Drop!" and immediately the one hundred gallant dwarf knights threw their shield to the direction of the one hundred bows and arrows on the ground.
"We have already surrendered all our weapons and our shields, release my mother now!" Prince Edward demanded loudly looking up towards the tiny blue flying saucer carrying alien dwarf soldier Jimmy that made the demand.
"Later my friend, allow us to collect our new weapons first and thank you for your generosity!" answered the soldier Jimmy from inside his blue flying saucer. And immediately the blue flying saucers opened from the bottom and pulled up all the bows, unlit arrows, and clear shields inside. In just a short while all the weapons disappeared from their sight as the blue flying saucers closed all its doors.
"You have taken our bows and arrows and shields release my mother now!" demanded Prince Edward loudly looking up at the hundreds of blue flying saucers.
"We aliens, are honorable, we honor all agreements we make and therefore here's your beloved mother Margaret!" answered loudly by Jimmy from the sky.
And slowly one blue flying saucer opened up. All the dwarfs immediately saw Margaret, the mother of Prince Edward, slowly levitated downwards. The flying saucer above her slowly and gently lowered Margaret to the ground and she touched ground, Prince Phillip immediately rushed to her side and embraced her.
"Margaret... Margaret...I was so worried about you,” uttered Prince Phillip softly as he embraced his wife.
"Phillip... Phillip... our son rescued you I really thought..." Margaret uttered softly and embraced her long lost husband.
"Quit the drama you two!" spoke the loud Jimmy watching them. "We still have a battle to start. Go find yourselves a nice place to watch your beloved son's defeat!"
"Mom, Dad! Run back to the palace now. You'll be safe in there with the king's protective shield," Prince Edward shouted asking his parents to seek safety inside the golden palace.
And immediately Prince Phillip ran his beloved wife Margaret towards the safety of their golden palace and immediately the king shouted, "Shield!" and the whole of the palace was covered with a clear and strong protective shield all over it. From inside the clear protective shield, the king, Prince Phillip, Margaret, Marianne and all the dwarfs watched in horror as Prince Edward, Lex and their one hundred knights on their tiny horses stood without a bow, arrow and shield below the hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers in the sky. Immediately, the dwarfs inside the clear protective shield saw the hundreds and hundreds of tiny blue flying saucers prepared to fire their green lasers on the one hundred knights on their tiny horses but Prince Edward wasted no time and shouted, "Fist!" and immediately one hundred golden dwarf globes magically appeared on the hands of each of the one hundred gallant knights. "Punch!" and immediately the one hundred knights punched. And from two hundred meters away from the ground all the hundreds and hundreds of blue flying saucers surprisingly shook, trembled and flamed. And in just a short time they all went crashing down everywhere on the vast grasslands of King Ferdinand's kingdom. Immediately the whole kingdom rejoiced at the victory of Prince Edward and his one hundred knights. They rejoiced and cheered the name of Prince Edward and his one hundred knights. They rejoiced and cheered until suddenly one tiny silver flying saucer appeared from the sky. It flew slowly towards the direction of Prince Edward and his one hundred knights on their tiny horses. It floated near them and stopped. The whole kingdom waited for the dwarf alien inside to speak.
"I am Prince Zaldy and I demand a fair battle, prince versus prince, the two of us to the end!" loudly spoke Prince Zurich from inside his tiny silver flying saucer.
Immediately Prince Edward commanded all his gallant knights and Lex to go to their golden palace with the other dwarfs. Hesitant, but still the gallant knights and Lex obeyed Prince Edward and rushed towards the golden palace. They stood inside the clear protective shield and listened.
"I am a prince of honor, I fight with dignity and I will grant your demand! But why should we fight, you have already lost all your blue flying saucers and your soldiers, what do you want from us!" Prince Edward spoke loudly from the ground looking up to the lone but powerful glistening silver flying saucer.
But the alien prince did not respond and from the inside of his tiny silver flying saucer in the sky, he moved closer towards Prince Edward on his wingless tiny white flying horse, Rainbow.
Chapter 20
"What do you want from our kingdom?" Edward spoke aloud and asked the prince of the green Alien Zaldy.
But the prince did not speak and his tiny flying saucer flew still.
"Ah... I think I know what you want. You want mangoes huh?" asked Edward loudly looking at the green prince inside the tiny flying saucer.
"No, we don't want mangoes; we have lots of mangoes in our planet!" the loud response of the furious green alien prince.
"Ah... maybe you want our famous tuna," Prince Edward asked once again.
"No, we have lots of tuna in our planet," was the second loud response of the furious Prince Zaldy.
"Ah... I know, you want to watch our colorful and festive street parades and Festivals!" Edward spoke loudly once again as he rode his wingless flying white horse in the sky near the tiny silver flying saucer.
"We have lots of Festivals in our planet!" the furious answer of the dwarf green alien looking at Edward.
"Ah... I know where this conversation is going to. You want our water too just like the other aliens I heard about!" the loud statement of Edward and laughing a little.
"Hahahahahaha! Finally, you got it right! We want water too!" the loud answer of the green prince. "But most of all we want to conquer your kingdom. Because it's the most beautiful and the cleanest in the whole universe! And that's why we are making Ferdinand Land into our new kingdom and human land as our new state-of-the-art dumping site. Many humans keep throwing trashes everywhere; they have no regard for cleanliness in their surroundings. They throw garbage on canals, on rivers, and on seas and caused massive flooding everywhere, killing hundreds and hundreds of humans. And now it's time that I, the prince, give earthlings what they want, prince versus prince. Let the battle begin!" the explanation and the loud challenge of the green alien prince.
Prince Zaldy in his tiny silver flying saucer and Prince Edward on his white tiny wingless flying horse, rainbow, stared down at each other in the sky. Prince Zaldy's flying saucer circled slowly around the handsome Prince Edward calculating his every move. Suddenly, the flying saucer released a green laser light whip from the left edge of the flying saucer and immediately lashed Prince Edward on his flying horse. Edward immediately moved upwards and escaped the laser whip. But immediately another green whip came out from the middle of the flying saucer, whipped downwards and hit Prince Edward and rainbow. Immediately Prince Edward felt the pain and together with his horse flew downward to the grassland as his dwarfs, Phillip, Margaret, and Marianne watched worriedly from inside the round and clear force field that surrounded, covered, and protected the whole kingdom of King Ferdinand. On the ground, on his horse, Prince Edward looked up, weakened by the painful punishment he received from the alien prince, and planned his next move. Immediately, he ordered rainbow to fly upwards and flew near the tiny flying saucer with the green alien prince inside. Prince Edward positioned himself in the sky, immediately he focused and concentrated looking at the tiny silver flying saucer. He concentrated and concentrated, and suddenly the tiny silver flying saucer shook, plunged downward, and slammed on the ground. Immediately all the dwarfs, Margaret, Phillip, the King, and Marianne rejoiced looking at the crumpled and flattened tiny silver spaceship on the ground. But to their horror it slowly levitated back upwards. It slowly levitated and levitated and stopped near Prince Edward in the sky. The crumpled and flattened tiny flying saucer slowly expanded back and glistened in the sky like nothing happened to it.
"Is that all you got Prince Edward?" the loud statement of the tiny green alien prince in his glistening tiny flying saucer, mocking Prince Edward.
Suddenly, the tiny flying saucer released lines of blue laser light balls and fired successively towards the direction of Prince Edward in the sky. Immediately, on his flying white horse, Edward moved and avoided the tiny blue laser balls firing at him. The green alien dwarf prince fired and fired his tiny white blue laser light balls. And Edward flew in all directions trying to avoid all the laser blue balls. He flew and flew until rainbow committed a mistake and got hit, making him flew slower. The tiny silver flying saucer continued firing and Prince Edward was hit on the chest. He immediately screamed in pain up in the sky. The tiny flying saucer fired some more and Prince Edward was hit by the tiny blue laser light balls repeatedly. Rainbow was hurt and weakly flew downwards going to the grasslands. Rainbow touched the ground lying on his side and, weakened, Prince Edward crawled off him. Prince Edward lay motionless on the ground. The whole kingdom, from inside the protective clear force field covering them, cried looking at the pitiful Prince Edward on the ground.
"Your highness, let me out, I'm taking Edward in here. Let's stop the fight and surrender..." Margaret begged the king.
"Edward... Edward...Edward..." Marianne cried and uttered Edward's name softly. "No, Aunt Margaret, I'm going out. I'll bring Edward back in here. Please let me out and carry him, your highness..."
But the king simply patted Marianne. I trust my grandson; he'll find a way to fight back. He wants to marry you Marianne and that's what he'll do," the king pacified and assured the tearful Marianne inside the protective force field together with the extremely worried Phillip.
Slowly, Prince Edward stood up and flew towards the pitiful wingless tiny white horse. "Rainbow, get up we have still have a battle finish. Get up rainbow!" he gently patted and commanded Rainbow.
Rainbow, slowly opened his eyes, looked at the face of his prince, and stood up. He moved without gaining ground and proudly looked at his master. Prince Edward immediately rode him.
"Fly Rainbow! Fly!" the loud command of Prince Edward as the beautiful wingless tiny white horse soared up towards the sky. Rainbow floated still near the glistening tiny silver flying saucer with the dwarf green alien prince inside. Zurich the green dwarf alien prince and Prince Edward on his tiny flying white horse stared at each other up in the sky.
"This is your end Prince Edward and your kingdom and earth is mine!" shouted the dwarf green alien prince from inside his tiny flying saucer and immediately released hundreds and hundreds of tiniest flying saucers from all over the tiny silver flying saucer. The hundreds and hundreds of tiniest flying saucers all emitted green laser lights around them and immediately flew towards the direction of Prince Edward. They flew towards Edwards fast and immediately Prince Edward and Rainbow was surrounded by them. The hundreds and hundreds of tiniest flying saucers flew still surrounding Prince Edward and Rainbow. Immediately, Prince Edward concentrated but suddenly Prince Zaldy shouted and commanded, "Fire!" And altogether the hundreds and hundreds of tiniest silver flying saucer fired from all directions towards Prince Edward and Rainbow in the center of them in the sky.
"No! No! No!" Marianne screamed from inside the protective clear force field as she looked at Prince Edward suffering in the middle of the many tiniest silver flying saucers. Marianne screamed and cried looking at the helpless Prince Edward.
The hundreds and hundreds of tiniest silver flying saucer kept firing their green laser lights on Prince Edward and Rainbow in the sky. They stopped abruptly, and the helpless Prince Edward and Rainbow flew weakly down to the ground. Once again, Rainbow lay on his side on the ground catching his breath and Prince Edward, unconscious, slid off him. Rainbow, with his last remaining strength watch his master lay motionless near him. His sorrowful eyes looked at his defeated master. He looked towards the dwarfs in the kingdom and looked back at his master. Slowly, Rainbow got up. And when he saw Prince Edward suddenly took a deep breath, he immediately made a sound and rejoiced.
"You're alive, Rainbow... You're alive...” was the soft whisper of Prince Edward lying on the ground.
Rainbow stood on his hind legs. Slowly, Prince Edward stood up. He looked up and saw the hundreds and hundreds of tiniest silver flying saucers in the sky. He concentrated and immediately the hundreds and hundreds of tiniest flying saucers all exploded in the sky, fell on the ground and never recovered. Edward suddenly thought of something. He immediately jumped and rode Rainbow. Rainbow immediately flew upwards, he flew and flew upwards and stopped near the tiny silver flying saucer with the dwarf green alien Prince Zaldy. Prince Edward looked and smiled at Prince Zaldy inside it.
"So, you're still alive Prince Edward, I must admit, I'm a little impressed," stated Prince Zaldy from inside his tiny flying saucer. "But I can still release hundreds and hundreds of tiniest flying saucer to attack you anytime!"
"I know, but I also have hundreds and hundreds of books in our kingdom and I also know knowledge is power!" started Edward and laughed at his opponent looking at him up in the air.
"And what will you do with those hundreds and hundreds of books in your kingdom, smack me with it huh?" was the loud answer of Prince Zaldy from inside his tiny silver flying saucer mocking Prince Edward. "Look down your people looks so sad. They know that you are about to lose our battle. Your land will be ours and the land above will be ours too!" boasted loudly by the greenest dwarf alien inside his tiny flying saucer.
"This conversation is getting nowhere. Aha I know… I'll battle you above, where humans could witness your defeat. Let's fight to the end on human land. Yes that's right, I will defeat you where media men and reporters could cover and broadcast my victory over you!" loudly Edward spoke as he rode his tiny wingless flying white horse.
"Ah maybe what you mean is, you want to ran away and avoid your defeat. You're getting your media coverage if you can get out of here alive!" retaliated the green dwarf alien and immediately fired his green laser towards Edward.
Immediately, Prince Edward moved his white horse to the left and avoided the green laser. He turned his flying horse around and headed to the book portal. He made his tiny white horse ran and flew as fast as he could. "Fly faster rainbow!" he ordered his white rainbow tailed horse. Rainbow flew and ran as fast as he could towards the book portal. The dwarf alien prince chased and fired his laser over and over again on Prince Edward. But Rainbow was flying so fast. The tiny flying saucer kept chasing Edward in the air. With his flying horse, Prince Edward looked back and saw that the alien prince was chasing him and when he thought he was near enough, he immediately went through the round passage. "Fly faster, Rainbow, faster!" Edward ordered his horse and looked back. The dwarf alien Prince in his flying saucer reached the portal, went through and chased Prince Edward on his flying horse. Looking back at the dwarf alien prince, Prince Edward just smiled and shouted, "Joanna! Joanna!"
"Edward!" Joanna responded from the other side of the book portal as Mario looked at the green dwarf alien prince chasing Edward inside the passage.
"Joanna, prepare!" the loud shout of Edward flying on his white horse rainbow.
Immediately, the dwarf alien prince fired his green laser towards the speeding Prince Edward on his flying white horse. Prince Edward immediately moved to his right. "Fly faster Rainbow, Faster!" he commanded loudly and finally he got through the passage looking back at the dwarf alien prince chasing him. "Now Joanna, close the book!"
Joanna immediately obeyed and closed the book with the green dwarf alien prince still inside the passage.
"No!!!" the loud shout of Prince Zaldy. The dwarf alien prince was trapped inside the book.
"Gotcha!" shouted Edward and laughed.
"Yes we got him Edward, we got him!" shouted and celebrated little Joanna.
"You won Edward! You won!" shouted and celebrated Mario looking at Prince Edward on his tiny wingless white flying horse Rainbow.
"Yes, we all won Mario, Joanna," Prince Edward replied and recognized the help that the two children gave him.
Immediately, Prince Edward concentrated and miniaturized the book. Prince Edward took the miniature book from Joanna and tied it with his golden handkerchief, locking the dwarf alien prince inside until eternity.
Back in the kingdom, Phillip, Margaret, the King, Marianne and the dwarfs waited. They looked and waited. Suddenly, everyone in the kingdom saw a new portal opening. And slowly they saw Prince Edward on rainbow flying through the new book portal given by Mario. Finally, Prince Edward got through and reached the edge of the Dwarf Land. Magnificently, Edward rode his flying horse towards his dwarfs and towards his family. He immediately saw Marianne, flew towards her, grabbed her waist and rode her on Rainbow in front of him immediately kissing her on the cheeks. Marianne simply looked back and smiled at the victorious Prince Edward.
"Where's the prince of the alien dwarfs, Edward?" asked the dwarfs loudly.
And Prince Edward simply answered, "He's inside, booked and published!" and immediately waved the miniaturized book with the picture of the alien prince printed on the cover. The King, Phillip, and Margaret immediately cheered and congratulated Prince Edward. The whole kingdom rejoiced and chanted the name of the triumphant Prince Edward.
"I'm so proud of you Edward..." Marianne said softly as she rode Rainbow with Prince Edward.
"And I'm so proud you're my woman, I love you Marianne..." Prince Edward softly said and kissing her once again on the cheeks.
Amused the dwarfs cheered Prince Edward and Marianne. They clapped and cheered at the Handsome Prince Edward and the beautiful Marianne riding and flying the wingless flying white horse, Rainbow.
Prince Phillip decided to live with Margaret on human land with Joanna and Mario. In a grand Royal Ceremony Prince Edward married the beautiful Marianne. Edward became the new king, and on his reign the whole kingdom lived happily ever after.
End