Chapter 5
HAPPY NEW YEAR MELANIE
It was New Year's Eve and Griselda had come over to spend a quiet evening with her friends. "Some people like to stay up late and go to parties to ring in the New Year," Josh explained. "But we'd rather stay home and eat popcorn and watch TV."
"Not me", said Melanie. "I want to go out and have fun, but Dad says I'm too young. It's so boring here."
"It won't be so bad with Julie coming over," Marcia said. "Why don't you play that new computer game we got you."
"We don't want to play games on New Year's Eve," Melanie said dramatically. "We want to live."
Marcia and Josh went upstairs to put Arielle and Evan to bed. The door bell rang. It was Julie.
"My parents are all dressed up to go to a fancy party," she said with a sigh. "They won't be home until 3:00 am but they expect me toto be excited about getting to stay up late to watch the ball come down on TV."
"Why don't you show me that computer game," Griselda said.
"Why not," Melanie said. "There's nothing better to do." Griselda and the girls sat down at the computer.
"It's an adventure game with pictures and words," Melanie explained. "You have to rescue a princess who is kidnapped by an evil magician. The game is over when you rescue her. But you have to do it by midnight, or else you lose."
"How do you play it," Griselda asked. "This just looks like a TV with letters and numbers under it."
"Watch this," Melanie said as she put the game disk in and turned the computer on.
A picture of a king sitting on a throne, appeared on the screen. At the bottom were the words, "YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF OLD KING COLE."
"See," said Melanie. "It's like a story with pictures and words. You get to help write the story by telling the computer what to do. See what happens when I type the word 'TALK'."
Melanie typed "TALK", and a message appeared on the screen. It read, "THE EVIL MAGICIAN SORCERO HAS KIDNAPPED MY DAUGHTER, PRINCESS MEGALIAH AND BROUGHT HER TO HIS CASTLE. HE PLANS TO MARRY HER TONIGHT AND TAKE HER FAR AWAY TO THE NETHERWORLD. SAVE THE PRINCESS AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED GREATLY."
"We can wander around the castle by typing where we want to go," Melanie explained. "I'll type "N" for north." She did this and the picture on the screen vanished. A new picture appeared of a man writing at a desk with a candle on it. The caption on the screen read, "THE KING'S TRUSTED MINISTER".
"Melanie typed "TALK" again and a message appeared: "NO ONE HAS EVER RETURNED FROM SORCERO'S DARK FOREST ALIVE EXCEPT THE OLD WITCH WHO LIVES IN THE DARK TOWER AT THE TOP OF THE CASTLE."
"Sometimes we can also take things," she continued. She typed, "GET DESK," and the message appeared, "YOU CAN NOT". But when she typed "GET CANDLE," the message read: "YOU HAVE THE CANDLE."
"Usually, if it lets you take something, you need it at some point during the game," Melanie explained.
Melanie typed "E" for east and the screen showed a picture of a spiral staircase. She typed "U" for up and a picture of the top of the staircase appeared on the screen. At the top of the staircase there was a heavy wooden door.
"This must be where the witch lives, but I can't get in," Melanie said. "When I played it before I tried, 'OPEN DOOR', 'KNOCK DOOR', even 'KICK DOOR' but the door won't open. This is as far as I've gotten."
"Let me look at it for a while," Griselda said. "I might be able to figure something out."
So while Melanie and Julie took a break to play Mad Libs, Griselda sat at the computer.
"This computer is great," Griselda called out to them after a short while. "It's almost as powerful as my magic."
Griselda worked at it a little longer and then she called the girls over.
"Did you figure out how to open the door?" Melanie asked.
"No, better than that," Griselda answered. "Tonight you get your wish. Tonight you're going to live."
"What?" Melanie and Julie said together.
"Go ahead," Griselda said. "Type 'LIVE'. But here. Take this pencil and paper first and put it in your pocket".
Melanie took the pencil and paper and typed L-I-V-E on the computer. At first nothing happened. Then the picture on the screen began to grow larger, until it was as big as the room. Or maybe it was that Melanie and Julie got smaller. In any case, within a few minutes, there they were, in Old King Cole's Throne Room.
"The evil magician Sorcero has kidnapped my daughter, Princess Megaliah and brought her to his castle." Old King Cole said to them. "He plans to marry her at midnight tonight and fly away with her to the Netherworld. Save the Princess and you will be rewarded greatly."
Melanie and Julie looked at each other in amazement. "We're inside the computer game," Melanie gasped. But the King seemed to be waiting for a reply.
"Well find your daughter, Your Majesty," she said. "But first we have to explore your castle to see if anyone has any information or things that will help us with our quest."
They walked north and found the trusted minister at his desk. He told them about the old witch and let them take the candle, just as they knew he would.
Melanie and Julie went east and up the stairs of the round tower. They saw the closed door but try as they might, they couldn't open it.
They went back downstairs to the Minister's Room and walked west. They found themsleves in the King's Counting Room, which was filled with bags and bags of money.
"Let's try taking the money," Melanie suggested.
"But that would be stealing," Julie gasped, horrified.
"But Julie, it's only a computer game," Melanie explained. Still she hesitated before she reached for a bag. It may only be a game but she still didn't want to get caught and put in the dungeon.
Melanie tried to lift the bag, but was relieved to discover that it was too heavy. She took six gold coins which were lying on the table, and the girls quickly left the room.
Walking south from the Counting Room, they entered the Music Room. In it were two blond boys, about their own age. They were wearing tights and tunics, but were otherwise quite normal looking. The boys were taking violin lessons from a music master. A bow and arrow lay beside one of them.
"I am Prince Danon, and this is Prince Kerrick," one of the boys explained. "Are you here to rescue our sister?"
"Yes," answered Melanie. "Do you have any information or things that might help us?"
"The witch is hard of hearing," Prince Kerrick replied. "If you want her help, you must get her attention without using sound."
"Can we have your bow and arrow?" Julie asked.
"Here," responded Prince Danon.
"How about your violins," asked Melanie. But the boys would not give them up.
Melanie and Julie returned to the Throne Room and headed east. They entered the Queen's sitting room. The Queen, who was wearing a dazzling collection of jewels, was opening the window to let a pigeon in.
"I send my pigeon all over the Kingdom, but it always returns to me," she said.
"May we have the pigeon? Melanie asked. The Queen handed her the pigeon but it flew all over the room. Melanie and Julie chased after it, but each time they tried to grab it, it flew out of their reach. Finally they gave up and left the room.
"What could we possibly use that pigeon for, anyway?" Julie said in disgust.
"Who knows," replied Melanie. "But I have a feeling its important."
Melanie and Julie passed through the Throne Room again and went south to the Front Hall. There they met a guard who told them, "Sorcero's Castle lies south of the village."
Melanie and Julie continued south, out the great door, and found themselves outside the castle.
"Let's go south and find Sorcero," Julie suggested.
"Not, yet," Melanie said. "We still haven't talked to the witch. Let's walk around the castle and see what's there."
They walked around the castle until they came to the northeast side. There was the round tower they had climbed with a window at the top. Melanie started shouting for the witch, but naturally since she was hard of hearing she didn't answer.
"Let's try shooting an arrow into the window," Julie suggested. She tried it and it worked. The witch stuck her head out the window and let down a rope ladder. Melanie and Julie climbed up.
When they got inside the tower, they saw who the witch was. "Griselda, it's you," they shouted but the witch did not answer. She merely said. "There are three things you need to know to outsmart Sorcero. One is that you must never enter his castle without his permission. Two is that you must never speak within his walls. Three is that he fears the sound of beautiful music."
"Thanks, Griselda," Melanie said. Melanie and Julie walked out the wooden door which they had not been able to enter before, and went down the spiral staircase. This time they noticed a little door underneath the stairs. Julie opened it and they discovered a dusty old bird cage. "Let's take this," she said.
They went back into the Queen's chamber and tried to catch the pigeon again. Still they had no luck. The pigeon perched itself on the cage, but every time they tried to catch it, it flew out of their reach.
"I know we need this pigeon for something," Julie said. "Why won't that stupid bird get into the cage."
"Let's try something else," Melanie suggested. Maybe the Queen will give us some of her jewels. "May we have your necklace?" she asked.
"No."
"Your bracelet?"
"No."
"Your crown?"
"No."
"Your ring?"
The Queen handed her the ring. Instantly the bird flew over to Melanie and perched on her finger. Melanie placed the bird in the cage and locked the door. "Let's go," she said.
Melanie and Julie walked out of the Queen's Sitting Room back into the Throne Room. There they met a disraught servant who said, "The King's pipe is missing. The King's bowl is missing."
They walked south into the Front Hall. The guard was no longer there, but there was a large sleek black cat that looked like a panther, wearing a red velvet collar that was decorated with diamonds. A small golden disk with a picture of a crown and the letter 'C' engraved on it hung from the collar.
"Look at that cat" Julie said. "It must belong to the King or Queen. I wonder if we can take the collar?" She went over to pat the cat but it hissed at her loudly. "Let's get out of here." she said.
Just beyond the cat was a heavy wooden door. The two girls opened the door and walked out into a large open market place surrounded by the castle walls. A large wooden stick lay at there feet. In front of them they saw a fish monger, a pot seller and a baker.
Melanie offerred the fishmonger a coin and he gave her a large whole fish. Immediately, she was surrounded by about a dozen alley cats howling pitifully, jumping on her, and scratching.
"Help!" Melanie cried."
Julie grabbed the fish and threw it back to the fishmonger, but he wouldn't give her back the penny. As the girls hurried away they passed the wooden stick on the ground.
"Let's go to the pot seller," Julie suggested. The pot seller sold them a pot for a coin.
"Now to the baker," Melanie said, nearly tripping over the wooden stick that lay in their path.
"A coin for a loaf," the baker said pointing to the bread.
Melanie bought the bread. "We've seen everyone in town. Let's go look for Sorcero now," she suggested.
But returning to the path, Julie had an idea. "Let's take this stick," she said. "Maybe we can use it to get the fish."
"Oh forget the fish," Melanie said still feeling the scratches. I don't like fish anyway.
"No," Julie insisted. "I think this will work. Here, you take the stick. I'll buy the fish."
Julie paid for the fish and again the cats appeared clamoring for it. But Melanie chased them away with the stick. "To the castle," she shouted, suddenly realizing what the fish was for.
The girls hurried back to the castle keeping a sharp eye out for more cats. Inside, the royal black cat with the diamonds on its collar stared at them with greedy eyes. Julie threw it the fish before it could pounce. The cat, purred and began to eat. This time when Julie reached for the collar the cat let her take it.
Melanie and Julie raced down the road that led from the castle, through the market place and outside the town walls. The road led south through farm lands. Melanie and Julie could see workers in the distant fields and a few cottages but noone was close enough to talk to. They continued until they saw a forest in the distance.
"That must be Sorcero's dark forest," Julie exclaimed. "Let's go!"
"Don't you think we better see what's down this path first?" Melanie said pointing to a rocky little path. But Julie was already racing ahead so Melanie ran to catch up with her.
When they arrived in the forest they saw that it was thick with trees and dark. It was so dark that as soon as they took one step inside they couldn't see a thing.
"Oh no," Melanie said. "We need some light."
"We have the candle," Julie remarked. "All we need is a match."
"I don't think they're invented yet," Melanie said. "Let's go back and see if we can get any help down that path.
The rocky path led them to a cottage. They walked inside and saw a peasant woman stirring a pot of thin soup in a fireplace.
"May we light our candle in your fire?" Julie asked.
"What will you give me?" the woman asked.
"How about this bread," Julie said, glad to get rid of it. The woman eagerly took it. Julie lit the candle in the fire, thanked the woman, and the girls left.
Back in the forest the girls could see some twisty paths in the candle light but they didn't know which way to go.
"Uh-oh," said Julie. "I think we're going to get lost."
"We're in a maze," Melanie explained. "I know what to do. We have to drop things."
"Drop things?" Julie looked puzzled.
"Drop things," repeated Melanie as she dropped the bow on the ground. "It's a marker so we know where we are if we come back here. Good thing we have this pencil and paper so we can make a map."
The girls walked through the forest, careful to drop the arrow, the stick, the pot, the dog collar, and the last coin to use as markers. Finally they reached Sorcero's Castle.
Sorcero's Castle had a big moat around it and the drawbridge was up.
"How are we ever going to get in?" Melanie asked.
"I don't think we can," Julie advised. "Griselda said we can't enter his castle without his permission. He'd never let us in without capturing us."
"Let's let the pigeon out of the cage," Melanie suggested. "Maybe it will do something helpful. I'm pretty sure that as long as I am wearing the ring it will come back." Melanie let the pigeon out of the cage and it flew away. They walked all the way around the castle, but they couldn't see much because of the high stone wall surrounding it.
When they returned to the front of the castle, the pigeon had returned. It was carrying a note in its beak. Melanie took the note, which read:
I am locked in South Tower. Give Sorcero some jewels and he will let you in. -- Megaliah.
"Where are we going to get some jewels?" Melanie wondered.
"The cat collar," Julie said excitedly. "We have to go back to get the cat collar with the jewels on it."
With the aid of the map, the girls retraced their steps. They retrieved the cat collar and returned to the castle. They were getting nervous now, because it was beginning to get dark. In a few hours it would be midnight and the game would be over, whether they had rescued the princess or not.
"Now what do we do," Melanie said.
Just then they heard a loud noise from the castle. The drawbridge lowered and a guard appeared and said, "The magician Sorcero invites you to his Castle."
"Remember, Griselda said not to talk inside the castle," Melanie reminded Julie as they crossed the drawbridge.
Inside the castle they were greeted by a tall man with a long white beard. He was wearing a flowing robe and a cone shaped hat and was smoking a long stemmed pipe. "I am Sorcero," the man said. "What can I give you for that beautiful diamond collar?" he asked.
Melanie and Julie gave each other puzzled looks but did not dare speak. Then Julie realized that it was probably Old King Cole's missing pipe that Sorcero was smoking, so she pointed to it. Sorcero raised his eyebrows and gave the girls a little smile. He handed them the pipe and took the collar from them.
Melanie and Julie linked arms as they walked south. They entered a beautiful courtyard with flowers growing in the ground, and in elaborate bronze pots placed on pedestals. They walked around the garden to see if they could find anything useful.
Melanie noticed that most of the flower pots were decorated with a fancy curlycue 'S' on them, which she figured stood for 'Sorcero'. One pot looked different. It was filled with fruit and decorated with a plain-looking 'C' with a little crown on top. Melanie pointed excitedly at the bowl and Julie nodded to show that she understood. It was Old King Cole's bowl.
Melanie took the bowl and they continued walking south. They came to a stairway which they guessed to be in the South Tower. They walked up the stairs and came to a wooden door. They tried to open the door but it was locked.
They continued to walk up the stairs until they reached the top. High above their heads, on a hook on the wall, hung a key. Melanie tried climbing on Julie's shoulders to get it, but still she couldn't reach it. Then she let the pigeon out of the cage and pointed to the key. The pigeon caught the key in it's mouth and flew back to her with it.
Melanie and Julie raced downstairs to the locked door and opened it with the key. Inside, Princess Megaliah looked happy to see them, but she put her finger to her lips to remind them not to talk.
Just then, they heard the sound of rushing footsteps and saw that Sorcero was running up the stairs. Remembering what Griselda told them about Sorcero being afraid of music, Julie tried to play the fiddle, but it squeaked horribly. Sorcero was now standing in the doorway, leering at them. Julie quickly handed the Princess the fiddle. The Princess put it to her chin and began to play a beautiful tune. Sorcero shrank back in horror and disappeared.
The three girls went down the stairs and headed north through the castle. But when they reached the front door it was locked. A guard approached them with a spear and said, "I've got you now."
Melanie and Julie didn't know what to do. They didn't have any weapons. All they were carrying were the pipe, and the bowl of fruit. So they started throwing fruit at the guard, hoping this would scare him away.
It didn't work exactly as they had planned. The guard wasn't scared, but he did start eating the fruit, and he let the girls pass.
The three girls ran out the door and into the forest. Fortunately there was a full moon, and soon they found their way back to Old King Cole's Castle.
"I am very grateful to you," Old King Cole told Melanie and Julie when they returned with not only his daughter but also his pipe and his bowl. "This calls for a celebration."
He ordered a huge banquet brought in and made Melanie and Julie the guests of honor. They sat in a room full of lords and ladies at the head table with the royal family. They ate mountains of delicious food, without ever getting stuffed and were entertained by a succession of minstrals, jesters, jugglers and dancers.
"I could get used to living like this," Melanie commented to Julie, as the servants were clearing away the dinner things and setting up for desert.
Just then, a loud cheer went up in the room. The cook herself, was coming out with the dessert.
"Look, it's Griselda," Julie said to Melanie, pointing at the cook.
"I should have known," Melanie said laughing. "Who else could have prepared a meal like this."
But before they were served dessert, the King spoke. "I have decided to give you a choice for your reward. You can have either a bag of gold each or my sons hands in marriage. Of course if you take the second choice you will have to wait a few years until you are all old enough. Which will it be?"
Melanie and Julie paused for a moment to give the matter some thought. Just then a clock struck twelve and their surroundings began to fade. The girls felt themselves growing bigger and by the twelfth chime they were sitting at the computer again. They could hear the sounds of Auld Lang Syne and people cheering in the New Year on the radio.
Griselda walked in the room with a plate full of freshly baked cookies. "Congratulations," she said. "You rescued the Princess before midnight. I thought you might be hungry after your adventures."
Melanie and Julie took two cookies apiece. They were surprisingly hungry after having eaten such a big meal. It seems that lectronic images are tasty but not very filling.
They sat back and looked at the computer screen. On it was a picture of Old King Cole, the Queen, the Princess, and the two Princes celebrating at the banquet. It was hard to tell, but it looked like they were eating chocolate chip cookies. There were two empty chairs at the table.
The message at the bottom of the screen read:
TO OUR HEROINES MELANIE AND JULIE: THE KINGDOM AWAITS YOUR DECISION AND YOUR RETURN.
"Cool," Melanie said. "Let's ask Griselda to send us back."
"Maybe our parents will make us stay in again next New Year's Eve," Julie suggested.