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The dew lay thick upon the grassy field as Princess Cali strolled along the worn path to her hideaway just inside the forest edge, beyond the reach of prying eyes (or so she thought). On the opposite side of her makeshift blind hid the entrance to a long-forgotten cave. She came upon it one day after running away from the castle for the hundredth time...

"Cali! Princess Cali!! You come back here this instant!" yelled Nanny Murtha. "There'll be hell to pay if you don't..." and the words faded into the distance as she crested the hill towards the woods. She ran this route so often that the locals named it "Cali's Way". And that's the way it was. But at the edge is where the path ended. As if it just disappeared beyond the treeline. Cali made "special" arrangements to ensure that what lie beyond would only be known by her and a very select few others. Past this point was where she found herself. She stopped for a moment, turned and looked back toward the castle. It really was beautiful.

When she was younger she'd always gotten herself into some kind of trouble. Normally due to her temper and lack of empathy towards anyone who wasn't willing to cater to her every need. "No, Cali!" was often heard, followed by "But I WANT IT!!!!!" screamed at the top of her lungs. Immediately followed by the walk/dragging of Cali back to the castle to be placed in her room until she settled down (which wasn't very often). Her mother, the Queen, relied heavily on maids and nannies to watch out and over her daughter. She could barely stand to be around her by the time she reached age 10. And when she became a teenager Cali only saw her mother at special gatherings and galas and sometimes at the dinner table.

Cali's father, the King, was different than most fathers Cali knew of. He took a vested interest in Cali. She thoroughly enjoyed her time with him, as limited as it was since he was, after all, the King. But he took her for walks. He taught her to fish and to hunt. Once he even showed her how to sword fight with sticks. The King loved his daughter and wished the Queen and she would get along as well. Cali didn't even think of the Queen when she was with her father. As far as she was concerned the Queen could simply disappear. She would find out later that someone read her mind.

As Cali turned back to step into the forest edge, she ducked just in time to avoid the ball hurtled at her. "HA! You missed!" Cali said. "Admit it. You didn't know I was there, did you?" said Stephanie, Cali's childhood friend and keeper of secrets both old and new. "I'll admit to nothing." Cali quipped. "You have a specific scent about you that is unmistakeable. I could smell you fram WAY OVER there!" Cali said, pointing back toward the castle. "Oh you could not." Stephanie retorted. "I was upwind of you the whole time. Face it. My stealth technique is getting better."

"Okay, sure" said Cali. "But next time, tighten your money sack. The coins jingle when you hurl stuff."

"Oh. Right." said Stephanie, and quickly tightened the straps of her purse. "Going back again so soon?"

Cali gave her a puzzled look. "Is that a problem?"

"Oh no. Not at all a problem." Stephanie replied. "But if you recall, he said if you ever went back there he would string you up, cut you open and fry your carcass as a treat for his "little ones"".

Cali smirked and just stepped past the blind. Stephanie followed. The entrance to the caves was so well hidden that it took a while for Stephanie to get used to going in. Step here, duck there. Push this. Watch out for that trap. It may have been necessary, but it was a pain in the neck. Once inside, the rock stairs were steep and the passage was barley lit from a dying torchlight. "Remind me to replace that one." said Stephanie. "Why?" asked Cali "You afraid of the dark?". "I'm surprised you would even ask such a question after our encounter at Fable's Ridge." Stephanie groaned. "I was stuck in that hole for days!". "You exaggerate." Cali teased. But Stephanie was right. That had to have sucked for her. Cali thought, and grinned.

They continued to descend to the bottom of the rocky staircase and into the antechamber. From here are five passages to choose from. Four of them ends in certain death to the foolish and unlucky. Cali thought about Fable's Ridge for a moment. What an amazing battle that was. Corpen'dah was lucky, but Cali doesn't believe in luck. It was her skill, expertise (and Babylove, her dragon) that defeated that wretched soul-reaper. He deserved every flaming, burning, scorching ember thrown at him. It. Whatever. He ended up as he began; Dust in the wind. And her and Stephanie walked away with so. much. gold. Cali bought Babylove a new straw bed to sleep on. The farmer just looked at her and scratched his head. "Whatshya need all this straw for, m'lady?" he asked perplexed. Cali just smiled and said "I have a VERY hungry horse, sir." She handed him a satchel full of gold and had him deliver the straw (all 14 wagons full) to the edge of the forest. It took her and Stephanie all day to carry it back down into the caves. Babylove was grateful and almost licked them both to death.

"Fable's Ridge wasn't bad. You met Peter there." said Cali.

They enter the balcony to the main chamber. "I'm HOME!" Cali yells loudly. In the distance a familiar roar echoes excitement and gratitude. "Momma has a treat for you, Babylove!"

"You spoil that beast." Stephanie pokes.

"Shuddup and hand me that Tuna fish." Cali playfully snaps back. "We got a long trip ahead of us. And when we get there, he's not going to be rolling out a banquet in our honor. She's going to be hungry as it is."

Stephanie just shakes her head. She opens the satchel and pours the tuna over the balcony to the chamber floor. They both watch as Babylove lumbers into the room. She first looks up at the two of them on the balcony. She then gives a quick yelp of approval as she smells the fish, then proceeds to eat each one of the tasty morsels off the floor. When she finishes she looks up, as if expecting more. Cali looks at her and says "That's it for now, Baby. Go lay back down and momma will be with you in a moment." Babylove snorts happily and heads back to her bed.

"What ARE we going to do once we get there?" Stephanie asks. "We can't go through the front door this time.". "I know," Cali says. "but I think I have just the thing that may get us in the through the back.". She pulls out a large piece of parchment from her satchel and opens it up on the table.

"Where'd this map come from?" asks Stephanie. Cali just smiles and places her index finger on a small symbol on the corner of the map that resembles a dragon's head. "It wasn't easy to get. But it sure was worth it." says Cali with a smile.

Great start to a story with no end.....

Cali is a great name, nice descriptions and story, enjoyed page one....LOL!

Tammy