PRINCESS MUSE CHRONICLES

5/26/01


Dear Diary,

It feels so incredible to be on Maximus and sneaking away from the Castle proper...I chose this morning to dress in disguise once again to prepare for my escape...I think I shall head towards my favorite spot by the lake where the large shaped rock is...My mind is so weary and my soul needs peace...

Drat this hair of mine appears to be coming loose again...There is a crisp spring morning breeze, the land seems in a hurry to smile with it's beauty...I am so blessed to look for miles over this knowing it is to be in my future keeping...I only hope I am worthy of IT..Enough of these thoughts!.."Oh
Maximus, lets RUN BOY!!!...

I cannae believe I finally made my break from the stables...LUCKY ME that Maximus has not been out in days so when I suggested exercising him for the fair "princess"..*GIGGLE* ..It was met with an agreeable aye..BUT I had to double time "my chores" before doing so...Maximus raises his head and we gallop fast and furious ....

AHHHHHHHH...GLORIOUS.. It feels sooooo blessedly GOOD...BLESSED BELLS , Mary is occupied with a hangover the size of the continent as she and I drank together late into the night..A story for another time...hehehehe....She thinks this Princess is safely in the tower preparing for the day's duties....

I slow Maximus up as I see I am close to my destination...I pull him up as I see someone on the bank of the lake...I cannae tell from here who it might be...WAIT...I blink and the figure is gone...Perhaps it was a trick of the morning sun...I look again...Still nothing...Hmmmmm...I must have just caught a trick of the light in my eye....GOOD I am in no mood to have to play my role as the good stableboy, obedient and quiet...NO not today!.....SIGH...

I rein in Maximus, sliding off him and running through the wildflowers....The wonderous fragrances are heady and I am decidely unPrincessy in behavior is a release!...Mother and Father should arrive by tomorrow late...Aunt Tizzy has been driving me crazy and Rolf has been pouting and VERY grouchy....SOMETIMES it is best to run and let things cool of themselves...If I had STAYED another moment I would have exploded...Rowan and his lovely friends are due back late today...They had to go on an errand I believe for Daryll...They were not too forthcoming...We, Prince Rowan and I , had our first tiff...I dinnae mean to get short with him and it pains me still that I was so ill-tempered...If I were him I would run for cover...Aye but I would indeed....MEN....OH MY STARS....

I run to the rock and climb up and stretch out...It is warm and comforting...I stretch out look up at the sky....The billowing clouds are fluffy like the pink sugary candy we have at the festivals...YUM....I close my eyes and open my ears to the sounds around me...I drift softly...

I awaken suddenly not sure what brought me to..Then I hear a clearing of a throat but amplified...I sit up quickly which unfortunately has me land in a HEAP on the ground...I untangle myself..A LARGE hand helps me up....I look UP
AND UP......WHY it is TOLKIEN?!....

"Missy Princess, are you all right?"....a look of concern crossing the troll's LARGE face..His eyes are very grand and round...He has a very broad nose...His ears are large and pointy and he appears to be squinting at me..He picks me up in his arms WITHOUT permission and carries me to the shady side of the bank on the lake closest to us..

I squirm at first very SURPRISED at this behavior, feeling quite indignant... only to relax as I figure out his purpose...."Tolkien, I am quite fine, just startled..WHERE did you come from??"

"I was here on the bank when I FELT hoofbeats that made me turn...OF course then I saw you Missy Princess dancing through the meadow .. I did not wish to.. to....intrude upon you.." he lowered his gaze to the ground and mumbled , besides your highness made enough noise to scare the fish...I was fishing...I LOVE to fish!....I am off duty until tomorrow night...I do not wish to do wrong..IS it permitted? ...

I look over and see a fishing pole and what appears to be a cloth covering food...I smell something mouthwatering suddenly realizing I dinnae eat breakfast this morning..Tolkien follows my gaze..."OF course it is fine for you to be here...I am only sorry that I frightened the fish...I donnae wish to intrude upon your free time... WAIT.... Tolkien, BRASS BELLS how did you know it WAS ME????....I look down at my clothing.. "I am in disguise!..at least I THOUGHT I was and a really GOOD ONE too.."

"Oh Missy Highness, I smelled you...he colored red across his face...May I offer you some of this food?...Please join me?" He seemed embarrassed to admit this fact.

"YOU smelled me....BUT I bathed in lilac water in that NEW FANGLED thing that Prince Rowan installed which STILL scares me...OH MY STARS.. now wait.. MAYBE it was the odor of the stables , but THAT should have confused you! Pray tell would you explain , PLEASE...."

" Missy Princess, I am a Troll, I have a VERY keen sense of smell and all people have a body smell that is theirs alone...SO that is how I knew it was you, my Princess...I hope that is NOT bad...I cannot help but know these things..If I have upset you, I will ask a thousand pardons...I will tell Prince Rowan, that I have been bad....OH Highness, I am sorry"....His face crinkled up and he looked so pitiful...

"Silly Goose, OF course not....I find that very intiguing and I would like to learn more about you and your abilities...I do not know much about Trolls, Tolkien...Please forgive my ignorance..YOU could make up for this by teaching me about you and your kind, how's that?....Would that make you feel better?...AND I will not mention this to Prince Rowan.."

He crinkled up his face tighter and then stretched his cheeks and mouth into the biggest smile ever...His eyes shined , he went to his knees and bowed low head to the ground...He mumbled something into the dirt....

"Up with you , out of that dirt, I brush his face off and sit back....NOW let's eat...I am famished...We shall talk! and I smiled....I peeked under the cloth....meat pie, fruit and cheese AND PASTRIES....We began to eat...Now in all honesty, you would think that a troll would have terrible manners while eating and perhaps be a messy eater but not so...He was very precise and neat...Trying very hard NOT to make a mess...I would suppose because of me...OH LA........

WHILE we munched , Tolkien began to visibly relax no longer as shy...SO sweet and (yes) handsome as his spirit shined through, this day on this bank on the lake with THIS princess WHO is very lucky indeed to have this TROLL for a protector and friend...He dangled his VERY LARGE feet over the rock into the lake water..I chuckled inwardly, EVERYTHING about dear Tolkien is LARGE!.... I noticed that he had 4 toes...We ate and laughed ...He told me many things...His history, his family...I asked him about why I dinnae see him , I even brought up thinking I saw a figure that seemed to disappear...He said rather proudly that Trolls can disappear and become invisible at will..He giggled and his body shook...He confided that Prince Rowan and his friends, did not know this....Although he did say that Daryll might know as he is G.O.D. ....I looked up when he said that with such reverence...Why Daryll, you stinker, I THOUGHT to myself...I would have to ask the good Friar about THAT....I smiled back at him...He glowed...

After we talked at length, Tolkien looked very thoughtful which meant that his eyes squinted and I was sure that I could see gears moving in that head of his...I learned so many things...Trolls are much maligned in this world...They love beauty, and are usually gentle..They protect and have great respect for all creatures...NO sunlight does not turn them to stone...NOR do they EAT HUMANS...Well, Tolkien mumbled not anymore since his GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER'S time...Something about food poisoning on human meat...I turned abit green then and he quickly changed the subject...

" Princess, I have a gift for you, may I?" he looked very serious...

"Tolkien, that is not necessary, you know that BUT I do love surprises"....I smiled...

He climbed down and disappeared out of my view...I could hear mumbling and all manner of rustling and grunts....He appeared climbed back up to join me...In his hands he held a soft leather pouch which he held with reverence..He placed this into my hand...very PROUDLY with a smile that could light up the night...and compete with the sun..

I took it...I pulled open the draw string...Shook out what was there....On my palm lay gems...sparkling and shiny..I had been holding my breath...I let it out...my eyes wide..Let it be known that as a Princess I have seen some treasures and gems (in my career as Princess) BUT these were exquisite...I have NEVER seen any quite so beautiful!...My amazement and excitement grew..

"Missy Princess, I had a dream before I came to you...Before I met Prince Rowan...It showed me that I was to give these four gems to someone...I would know when it was time...They are meant for you....I do not know why but they are different from all my other stones...I am a gem master of the Rings..Known as the Lord of Rings and Gems...I do know this, these are special and they have an aura that I can sense...They are for you..They are home...NOW...He smiled again looking proud and a tear crept down his cheek....He touched my cheek and then pointed to each one, "This one is a Citrine, this one here is a perfectly shaped piece of Quartz, this brownish one is Tiger's Eye...This one over here is Agate......Now you must show these to Stanley, he will know about the SIGNS....He will tell you some things you will need to know..."

"Take good care of these, please Princess...They will serve YOU well..."

He then walked me to my horse as it was getting late, I knew I must get back so as to not get discovered....."Tolkien, you are a BLESSING and I am very pleased to have you as my protector, and my friend"...I kissed his cheek..tears in my eyes...
He blushed and mumbled something....Gently he placed me on Maximus....He whispered something to Maximus....Who knickered and shook his mane...I could sense something passed between this gentle giant and this grouchy , high spirited horse..."Missy Princess, AS LONG AS I LIVE, NO ONE WILL HARM A HAIR ON YOUR HEAD....IT BE TRUE...IT BE TRUE....I LIVE LONG SO SHALL YOU...your highness....MY honor lay with you....He raised his weapon looking all the fierce WARRIOR...Then gentle....once again soft around the eyes.....I rode back toward the castle , the leather pouch close to my heart feeling warm , safe and STRONG........

***********************
to be continued