Chapter Nine: Darcy's Defeat

Suddenly, the pixies and Flora Rose's animal friends charged toward the house in the pouring rain. Queen Darcy knew she had been caught, and began running away from the cottage as the pixies came up to see her escape.

"There she is, pixies!" Tune shouted, "After her!" And so the seven pixies all chased after the evil queen of darkness as she raced through the forest. Darcy jumped over a log and got tangled in vines momentarily before getting loose again, and the pixies continued to follow her along the path. Then she reached a mountain of rocks and began climbing up, thinking she could get rid of the pixies at the top.

"Follow that wicked queen, guys!" Livy instructed as the rest of the pixies left the animals on the ground and began climbing the rocky hill and following Queen Darcy. The queen continued to climb up the rocks as the pixies charged at her with their mining tools, she hoped to reach the top before the seven magical creatures could get to her. Finally, she reached the top of the mountain with her old, frail body, and grabbed on a stick, and began trying to move a big bolder to have it roll down the rocky hill and fall on the seven pixies. The pixies were almost to the top of the mountain when they noticed what Queen Darcy was going to do.

"Look out everyone!" Amore cried out as Darcy continued to try and move the rock in the pouring rain and flashing lightening. She laughed gleefully as she was about to move the huge rock, but the victory was short lived when a strike of lightening hit the ground, making the cliff that Darcy was standing on crumble, and the wicked queen tumbled down to her death with an ear-piercing scream, and the bolder following her, and finally crushing her. Everyone, the two ravens that had followed Queen Darcy on her way to the pixies' cottage, and the seven pixies, watched to make sure that the queen of darkness was gone forever.

Once the pixies returned home, they found sweet and kindhearted Flora Rose collapsed on the kitchen floor with the poisonous rose just inches from her hand. They knew that Queen Darcy had succeeded in killing the poor princess, so they made her a bed surrounded by candlelight, and gathered around it, all sobbing uncontrollably. Even Tune, who knew she hadn't been very nice to Flora Rose from the beginning, was crying the hardest, she couldn't even look at the motionless form of the princess, because she was ashamed of her behaviour towards her and wished she hadn't been so doubtful. Piff was crying just as hard as Tune, and had to bury herself in Livy's arms and sob some more. Flora Rose's animal friends watched them all sob from the window, and they too were deeply hurt by the princess's death. Seasons had passed, and even in death, Flora Rose was still so enchanting that the good pixies couldn't find it in themselves to bury her in the ground, and so, the made her a coffin of trees that magically turned to a gold form for its base and carved her name on the side of it, and diamonds from their mine as its cover, and they sprinkled her with flower petals. That way, the pixies could watch over the fallen princess for eternity.

Prince Helia had searched all over the realm of Linphea for the princess who was kept in the coffin of nature. And one day, in the spring, the sun shone particularly on the golden coffin as it was surrounded with flowers of all sorts, and Flora Rose's animal friends gathered around it with the pixies as they set more flowers at the base of her coffin. Livy opened the coffin's glass case and Tune placed her bouquet of flowers in Flora Rose's hands. The pixies and the animals all hung their heads to know that this beautiful princess would never awaken, the suddenly Prince Helia got off his horse and began walking toward the crowd surrounding the coffin that was keeping the enchanting nature loving princess inside. He slowly made his way over to the coffin, and once he realized who was actually lying within it, he was heartbroken. He came around the coffin and bent down to give the sweet princess one kiss on the lips, and then buried his head in his hands. He couldn't believe that wicked Queen Darcy had managed to kill the love of his life, and Helia too, joined in with the sorrow they were all feeling for Flora Rose as they continued to hang their heads. Just then, in nothing short of a miracle, Flora Rose's eyes fluttered open, and she turned and stretched her arms. The pixies were the first to notice her, and gasped in pure relief and happiness, then the animals looked up to see the princess awaken, and they too were overjoyed to see this happen. Flora Rose sat up in the coffin, only for Prince Helia to look up in total surprise at her, surprise and relief. He was so happy to know she was alive that he instantly gathered her in his arms as she flung her arms around his neck. Then he began carrying her away as the pixies began dancing joyously for her. The pixies and the animals led the way back to Prince Helia's horse. Helia helped Flora Rose on, and one by one, he let all the pixies receive a good bye hug. First it was Amore, then Tune.

"Bye Tune." Flora Rose replied, waving to her as she let go of the hug. Then it was Livy, Digit and Chatta's turn to get hugs. Then it was young Lockette's turn to get one.

"Oh, Lockette, you sweetheart!" Flora Rose cried, given her a hug, and once everyone got hugs, Prince Helia began to lead his horse away as Flora Rose continued to wave to all her friends. Prince Helia guided his horse back to his palace, and Flora Rose finally got what she always wished for, for her prince to come and find her, and the pixies were always welcomed in the palace to visit, and Princess Flora Rose was always welcomed back at the pixies' cottage to visit as well. And from then on, Princess Flora Rose and Prince Helia ruled the realm of Linphea together, Flora was now known as the most beautiful in the realm, both outside, and within her heart.