An Acquaintance

Ava picked up a stone and threw it in the lake, making a big splash as she vented all her anger in it.

She was going back to the palace, and was going to tell Neville that she had failed her test and she was ready to be sent away. She never begged to be here in the first place anyways, at least she'll be saved from his torturous bullying and arrogance.

She just couldn't believe that after all her effort she was going to fail again. He knew that it was impossible to find that coin, that was why he gave her this test so that she could finally leave the palace for him. Why was he so desperate to send her away?

Ava walked slowly through the long route to the palace building, stylishly checking if she would catch sight of the bird again.

A sharp chirping sound captured her attention, the sound was like the one she heard from that sneaky bird and she paused to see where it was coming from. There was a passage in between the bushes where the sound seemed to be coming from. She was going to risk anything to find this coin, she could already visualise the look on Prince Neville's face if she had returned without it and she was sure going to hate that look.

So, Ava entered the passage and traced the sound. Searching every tree in the thick woods. She went further, watched as a squirrel raced past, an army of soldier ants make their way atop a tree. It was beautiful, everything was. Then the chirping resumed, Ava paused…

She looked in between the bushes and caught sight of something- a bird landing on the branch of a tree, widened her eyes as she saw it clutch the thing she had been looking for. The coin!

Ava had motioned to race to the tree and do whatever it took to get the coin from it. The branch it stood on wasn't that high anyway. But what happened next shocked her.

The bird transformed into small statured girl with strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The girl wore regular clothes and Ava could guess she was a commoner and also a shapeshifter. Ava frowned; she had seen her somewhere.

She watched the girl put the coin in a small bag she was holding and motioned to run away. Ava spun into action and chased her.

"Wait!" Ava yelled. The girl who turned around hearing Ava's voice began to run faster.

Ava ran after her deeper into the woods. "Hold on!" ava yelled again. This dress she wore had made her slower. She watched the girl transform into a squirrel and run across a branch. Ava tried to chase her but she was too fast and soon, the girl was gone.

'Not again' Ava groaned.

"Please wherever you are!" Ava shouted "I promise I won't hurt you. I just need the coin, please it's mine!"

But nothing happened.

"Oh goodness this is my last chance" Ava thought aloud "I can't make this go wrong, am I this unlucky_"

"Hi" Ava spun hearing the voice that interrupted her soliloquy.

There stood the strawberry blonde girl, holding the coin in her hands.

"Oh…" Ava walked to her with enthusiasm "I…I need the coin please"

The girl nodded and extended her hand to give Ava the coin. She hurriedly motioned to collect it. But then the girl withdrew her hand hesitantly. She said;

"I'll give you the coin on one condition, if you really need it then you'll agree with me"

Ava nodded slowly "Okay?"

"You'll not tell anyone that you saw a shapeshifter around here"

"Sure, I won't" Ava agreed without thinking. "So give me the coin now"

The girl extended her hand but withdrew it again.

"What? You don't want to give me? I promised that I won't tell anyone that a shapeshifter was here already...Please give me the coin, I need it urgently" Ava begged.

The girl stood still, looked at the coin reluctantly.

"Alright then" Ava had an idea, she pulled off her ruby earrings and then said "I'll give you the earrings if you give me the coin. Will that do?"

"Really?!" The girl said with renewed enthusiasm. "Okay" she tossed the coin to her and Ava gave her the earrings.

"Wow. Thanks" Ava smiled. "um…by the way, I think I've seen you somewhere before. In the forbidden area…"

"Yes, I sure have seen you too" the girl immediately answered "Are you King Damien's guest? The outcast from the human world?"

Ava nodded, surprised "Yes…I guess. How did you know?"

"News travels fast" the girl simply said.

"So…" Ava walked to her "My name is Ava"

"I'm Louise" the girl replied. "Thanks for the ruby earrings by the way" she put the earrings in the cross-bag she held.

Ava simply nodded.

Louise waved and transformed back into the squirrel then raced past speedily across the branches.

Whew!

Ava was delighted to have the coin. She felt as though she had won a lottery. She walked between the bushes navigating her way back. The more she went, the more bushes and trees she saw. Where was that passageway she walked through earlier? Was she lost?

She tried to retrace her steps back to the places she had walked to, everything seemed to be getting more confusing, it was like finding her way through a labyrinth of trees and grasses.

Evening was gradually approaching. If she didn't hurry back, the royals might begin to suspect her. Why was today so filled with ups and downs?!

"Hey"

Ava screamed fearfully in response to the voice that she heard. Her heartbeat slowed down when she saw Louise standing behind her.

"Oh, it's you" she said relieved.

"Yeah, you look like you need a little help" Louise replied.

They walked together, the strawberry-blonde leading the way. Soon they reached the end of the passageway and Louise turned to her.

"I can't go beyond this path, please remember your promise"

"Sure" Ava nodded.

"So bye" Louise said and transformed into a small snake.

Ava walked to out of the passageway delighted, not just because of the coin but for the new friend she had just made.

She really hoped to see Louise again.