Magic the unicorn entered Gemstone Glade, a smile in his eyes. Twilight fondled the trees with shadows. The fountain flowed quietly, silver silence in water.

Magic lowered his horn to the fountain. Its healing effects buoyed him instantly. He needed energy tonight.

There was another mission calling him, so many this month already. For Magic – like many of the Gemstone Glade unicorns – has a unique gift. He can make crying children smile. His wish, to help every child. His mission, to help the ones he can.

Jacob was crying. Magic closed his eyes. A green door of light appeared before him, glimmering in the dim end of day light. He stepped slowly through the portal, arriving in a child’s bedroom. Posters of Doctor Who smiled down from the bedroom walls. Magic smiled back in his mind.

Jacob looked up, tears streaming down his face like a human fountain. He looked blankly at Magic. Then he mumbled, words like rocks that hurt as they fell from his throat: “You’re … you’re … a unicorn.”

“I am here to help.” Magic spoke in to his mind, a trick all unicorns can perform.

Jacob’s tears began to fly from his face, to high above his head. Jacob looked up in confusion, as the tears grew larger and took on the form of tiny shining angels, rainbows deep inside their transparent bodies.

Tiny faces appeared, and laughed down at him. The diminutive angels held out their hands. “Come with us! It is time to play!”

Jacob smiled, for the first time in weeks. “Where are we going?”

The angels only nodded, and began to sing, tiny bodies glowing as they radiated beautiful sound. Jamie felt a wind in his hair. A cloud formed around him. Soon he could see nothing but white cloud.

Slowly, the cloud then dissolved. Jacob was no longer sitting on his bed – he was on a bench in a large park, flowers like happy stories all around, and a large play area like a child’s playtime poem solidified. Other children were on the swings and slide, shrieking with delight.

Around the park, giant trees stood like guards. Windows winked in the sun from a dozen or more treehouses. Jacob laughed. Was he in paradise?

Picture by Kosuke Noma (from Unsplash)

The other children called to him. He ran to a swing, and was soon happily flying in to the air, a grin painted on his face that might never fade.

Then it began to rain, big drops falling on them like a superhero shower. “This means another kid is coming,” explained Harry, one of the children. “This happened before you arrived too.”

Sure enough, a little girl shortly appeared on the bench, surrounded by the tiny rainbow fairies. She soon joined them, her tears drying in the light of her sunny smile.

Jacob continued to swing, as the sun stroked his face. This was luxury in motion, poetry in freefall. He had never felt so happy.

A rainbow appeared. “This means the angel queen is about to appear,” confided Harry.

A larger than usual rainbow angel descended from the sky, the size of a two year old. A pink and green sparkling dress hung around her loosely, as if it did not fit properly. Sapphire blue eyes smiled at them. She landed in the middle of the play park, and announced, “I am Queen Divina, and I have come to welcome you all. But soon, you must go home. We will come for you once again in the future, I promise, and take you back here. We will never be far, this is your second home.”

Jacob listened intently as the white cloud materialised around him. When it dissipated, he was back on his own bed.

He yawned. He was really tired, and it was long past his bedtime. Tomorrow, he would wonder whether it was all a dream. But like all the best dreams, the memory would kiss his brain with indelible lipstick, a moment to cherish forever.

Clover is a tiny female winged unicorn, with laughing eyes and a light green mane. Like so many of the Gemstone Glade unicorns, she possesses a unique gift, one which she enjoys very much.

She uses it today, neighing softly. Deep in the wood, not far from Gemstone Glade, magic is ignited. Gently, Clover touches a three leaf clover with her horn. It turns slowly in to a four leaf clover, the new leaf unfurling as if beckoning brightly to a better tomorrow.

Photo by Dustin Humes on Unsplash

Clover spreads her wings, the four leaf clover in her mouth. She does not know where she is going, but will understand when she arrives why she is there. She lets her wings take her where they will.

She flies over forests and hills, and then is in the “in between” land. Clouds swirl around her and she can see very little. This is the bridge between her enchanted land and that other – less magical – place, called Planet Earth. She knows that, somewhere at the end of these clouds, a child is waiting for her. He or she may be asleep, but somehow they know she will be coming. It is always the way.

Finally, she finds herself floating to a high bedroom window. She knows it is a bedroom, because it always is.

A little boy in pyjamas opens the window, eyes wide with fright and fun combined. She opens her mouth, and the four leaf clover flies in to his hand.

Clover looks deep in to his eyes, smiling with her soul. Then she departs, leaving her token of magic behind.

Nicholas fingers the four leaf clover, a shy smile playing with his lips. Is he still dreaming? Sleepily, he climbs back into bed, the clover in his hands.

He dreams he is sleeping in a giant four leaf clover, which starts to fly. As he sleeps, wind plays with his hair. He wakes as they land in a pretty forest glade, with giant rose quartz crystals – like sentries -at the edge of the trees. There is a fountain, with a unicorn drinking from it. Nicholas giggles as he jumps from the four leaf clover and joins the unicorn. “My name is Heaven, and I can take you to far away mystical lands.” “I am already far away in a mystical land!” laughs Nicholas.

He wakes the next morning to find a crumpled four leaf clover in his hand. It had all been a dream.  Tears prick his eyes, but of joy or sadness he does not know. Perhaps he will return to the dream tonight.

Carefully, he lays the four leaf clover on his desk. When he arrives home from school, the leaf is bigger, about five times the size. He looks at it curiously but with no fear.

The next day, the leaf covers the whole desk. Nicholas is bemused. He places his favourite teddy on the leaf, then opens the window to let in some sunlight, anything to chase away the dream dust and iron out his confusion. Something brushes his shoulder. Looking round, he ducks as the clover leaf flies over him and out the window, edges curling up as it fights its way outside.

Nicholas watches in dumb disbelief as it flies away, over the rooftops and in to the clouds. He will never see his teddy again. Tears tear at his eyes, but he will not cry. He is bigger than that.

That night, he dreams he is picnicking with his teddy in the magical forest. His teddy is alive and talks to him, button eyes gleaming. Nicholas laughs so much at the teddy’s jokes, that he spills his juice all over his pyjamas. They eat delicious cakes and watch fairies fly around the glade, each a different colour. Happiness rocks him in its arms.

A pink fairy flies towards him, and places something in his hand. “Keep this, and your memories of Gemstone Glade will linger forever. Hold this whenever you need help.”

Nicholas wakes up. Dawn dusts his window with its happy new day cleaning cloth. He yawns, covering his mouth with his hand. As he does so, something falls in to his lap. It is a tiny rose quartz four leaf clover. Nicholas picks it up and holds it to his heart. He knows now that he has real friends, perhaps far away in a magical forest glade, but there nonetheless. Friends that no one else would believe in. But he believes. He will cherish the crystal clover leaf, and keep it safe – and secret – forever. A smile lights up his face, like a clover growing its fourth leaf. Magic is real.

Silvie is a small, shy unicorn with a secret talent. The wind tousles the trees gently as Silvie stands below them. Gemstone Glade is empty. This is how she likes it. For she has a secret to preserve.

Slowly she tiptoes to the fountain. Its waters dazzle her eyes; blues, greens and purples flashing like a disco rainbow. She neighs softly as she lowers her horn deep within the fountain.

Immediately, the fountain bubbles, as if a child’s party is happening within. The bubbles grow larger, and spin above the glade. They glint in the sun as though they are winking, a special secret inside. And indeed there is.

Each bubble contains a silver piece of jewellery: bracelets, rings, necklaces and brooches. All the perfect size for a five year old child. The bubbles will sail far away, to find their surprised recipients. A blessing in a bubble will delight tiny hearts.

Stephanie lies in hospital, unable to sleep. She fingers her long blonde hair and wishes she were at home with her parents. Her pink nail varnish is chipped, and how she longs to repaint it. Her heart screams for sparkles and fun. Her weak body says otherwise.

A flash of light catches Stephanie’s eye. She looks up. How strange! A large and shining bubble is floating towards her!

It lands in her hands. She laughs as it pops and is gone.

But in its place, a silver necklace laces her palm. Tentatively, she touches it, and smiles. It is beautiful, a circular locket engraved with tiny symbols. She opens the locket and gasps. A picture of a fountain and a unicorn confronts and comforts her. Stephanie is overjoyed.

She falls asleep with the locket entwined in her hand. And then she is there. A magical forest glade, with a bubbling fountain, large pink crystals at its edges, and a unicorn sitting on the ground. Fairies flit among the trees. Stephanie laughs with dizzy delight.

“Stephanie.” A deep voice speaks inside her mind. She turns around. A large wolf faces her, kindness in its eyes. She is not scared.

“Let me give you my gift, the strength of wolves.”

The wolf walks round her. “Strength will now reclaim your body.”

The wolf walks away, as Stephanie lies down beside the unicorn. “I am Honey,” the unicorn says in her head. “Sleep now. You will feel better in the morning.”

When Stephanie awakes, she is no longer in an enchanted forest glade. She is back in the hospital. However something is different. She can feel her legs! She can move her arms! The weakness has fled like a thief in the night. Her body feels fantastic.

The doctors cannot explain the sudden change in her. But deep down, she knows the truth. It is her necklace. It has healed her.

From that day on, Stephanie will sleep with the necklace under her pillow every night. Like Silvie, she now has a secret to cherish. And it is one she will keep forever.

Ellie the Easter Bunny is ecstatic. It is Easter Monday, her favourite day of the year!

It is also the busiest day of the year, delivering chocolate eggs to the world’s children. How on earth does she manage? She has a secret. Ellie is gifted with the ability to time travel.

It is a secret that the rabbits from the Great Beyond – a fairy-tale dimension – all share. They are born with the ability to go both back, and then forwards in time. She feels sorry for Planet Earth rabbits, who do not have this gift. Their lives must be so boring!

So time-travel ensures that Ellie can do the same hour again, and again, and again. That way, all the children receive their chocolate eggs at around the same time. Of course, she has helpers – assistant Easter Bunnies. They take a country of Planet Earth each. Her helpers are good; she is trying to decide who will take over as Head Easter Bunny when she one day retires. Perhaps Emerald the Eccentric Bunny. But that is a long way off yet.

This year, her nominated country is the United Kingdom. Ellie could not be more pleased. She loves the UK. However, there is somewhere she needs to visit first.

Gemstone Glade is full of merriment as Ellie arrives. Crystalline fairies fly among the trees and swim in the fountain.

Ellie smiles. “Welcome all! I have tiny fairy eggs for you.”

Ellie places a small basket of miniscule eggs on the ground. They are all the colours of the rainbow and more. The fairies flood the basket, laughing gleefully.

“Can we give you some trinkets for your big eggs? A special treat for some very special children? They can go inside each egg as a surprise!”

Ellie laughs. “Of course! I will make sure your presents go to some children in need of a superb surprise!”

However, Ellie is disappointed as the trinkets are laid at her feet. They are crystals – a piece of rose quarts, green malachite, purple lepidolite, snow quartz, dark blue sodalite, dark pink rhodonite, and green, blue and pink fluorite. Of course they are beautiful, but they are not incredible toys! However, she will hide each of them inside an egg as requested.

Little does Ellie know, these are magic crystals.

When Anna finds her rose quartz crystal inside her egg, she giggles with joy. As she holds it in her hands, it becomes hot. Anna drops the rose quartz on the floor, it is too hot. Then it starts to grow. Anna claps her hand over her face in surprise and delight. A magic crystal!

The crystal grows and grows, changing its shape and becoming … a large rose quartz doll’s house! Anna jumps up and down in joy. Inside the doll’s house, tiny rose quartz figures peer from the windows. Rose quartz furniture populates each room. This is so much more than an Easter egg. This is joy in physical form, happiness in a house, a poem of perfection.

When Neville opens his egg, he fingers the green malachite crystal furtively. He has never held a crystal before. It starts to burn his hands, so he drops it. As the malachite crystal lands on the floor, it starts to grow and take shape. The crystal turns in to a miniature fountain, with flowing green and sparkling waters. Neville laughs with heart-hugging joy. He does not know, but this is a tiny replica of the Gemstone Glade fountain, and of course the flowing water is magical. It is a master healer. Neville will never suffer from a cold again.

Meanwhile, Tina places her purple lepidolite crystal on her bedside table. To her silken surprise, it begins to grow and change shape, turning in to a minuscule piano. She claps her hands in stomach-tickling glee. Gently, Tina presses one of the tiny piano keys with her fingernail. A beautiful rendition of Mozart starts to play. It is a magic piano, with good taste in music! Tina could not be happier.

When Harry opens his egg, he is delighted to find the snow quartz crystal inside. He places it on his desk. Harry’s eyes widen in wonder as the crystal grows. It forms the shape of a small white lion, as large as an average ornament. Harry laughs. How strange but superb! A magic crystal … how did it know that lions are his favourite animal! That night, he awakes to find a full size lion looking over him. “I can take you on a magical adventure to Lion Universe!” Harry giggles. When he wakes in the morning, the lion is back to its normal size on his desk. He can scarcely remember riding on the lion’s back, running through verdant green valleys and meeting some special lion people. Perhaps it was all a dream. Perhaps he will never know.

Sheila fingers the dark blue sodalite crystal with gentle joy. Slowly, it not only grows bigger but breaks in to six parts. They take the shape of … a miniature tea set, complete with tea pot, cups, milk jug and sugar bowl. Sheila is delighted. As she pours the tea, magic blue water flows in to each cup. It is healing water. Sheila will never cry alone again.

Rebecca touches her dark pink rhodonite crystal with care and love. It is beautiful.  She opens her eyes in starry surprise as it grows in size, forming the shape – and the size – of a book. Rebecca laughs in delight. Cautiously, she opens the book, and reads a story about unicorns in somewhere called Gemstone Glade. That night, Rebecca dreams she is in Gemstone Glade, lying on the softest grass and watching the purple moon above. The next morning, she opens the book once more. This time it is a different story! It is about the adventures of fairy Rhodonite Rita. Rebecca laughs as she reads. She will never be bored again.

Fiona cradles the fluorite crystal in her palm. It is so beautiful, purple, green and pink intertwined like a piece of rainbow in quartz. Slowly, the crystal becomes warm. Then, it starts to grow. She places it on her pillow, in concern. But there is nothing to be afraid of. The crystal has turned in to a purple, green and pink teddy, with twinkling eyes! Fiona hugs the teddy, tears of happiness stroking her face. This is the best Easter present ever.

Ellie the Easter Bunny returns home at the end of her long day. She sorts her baskets and bags, to tidy them away. With surprise, she finds something at the bottom of the fairy egg basket. It is a large quartz crystal. She turns it in her paws, and as she does so, a picture appears inside the crystal. Ellie watches in alarm that changes to acute delight. She sees each child open their egg with the crystal inside, and then witnesses the metamorphosis of these crystals. She laughs loudly. Their joy is her Easter present, and it is better than any chocolate egg in the world. Because happiness is more addictive than chocolate. And happiness lasts forever with no crumbs.

(c) Can Stock Photo / Catmando

Floral perfume drifts on the breeze, an elixir of joy and peace. Peony neighs softly, enjoying the evening calm in Gemstone Glade. The fountain sparkles in the setting sun. Fairies fly through the trees, laughing. The world is alive with happiness.

Peony drops her horn to the fountain, shaking her head in glee. She loves Gemstone Glade. The healing properties of the fountain water fill her soul. She neighs again. In the distance, another unicorn returns her neigh. Then the glade is silent, with only the occasional punctuation of fairy laughter.

Peony is a child unicorn with a difference. She can breathe in flower pollen, and then breathe out tiny flowers. No one knows how she does it. This makes her feel weird at times. Why her? Why does she have this strange gift? But at other times, she is glad. It is great fun after all, seeing the flowers float far and away, to where she does not know.

She has heard that there are other unicorn children who had special gifts, which they lost as they grew older. Will this happen to her? She does not know.

She can feel pollen building in her nose like clouds overtaking a still summer sky. A few minutes pass, then tiny pink flowers erupt from her mouth, and fly high above. Where will they end up? She wishes she could see. But for now, she enjoys the vision of pink stars in the sky. She neighs softly. Perhaps her gift is not that bad.

*

Janet slowly walks through the wood, clutching her walking stick, bones aching as she moves. She recalls childhood days playing hide and seek here. A smile loiters on her lips. Happy memories. She is looking for the small glade where she made a doll’s house, so many fun hours there with her best friend Lucy.

Finally she finds it. Her own hidey-hole, still there. Her eyes open wide, delight shining within. There are flowers! The glade is speckled with tiny pink buds, a message of hope and a sign of enduring life. Janet laughs. Slowly, she sits down among the flowers, and cries. So many childhood memories, like flowers they are special but you have to keep them close, or they may simply float away.

Tears of joy fall and bathe the flowers.

Far away, in a larger forest glade, a child unicorn dreams of her flowers, and wonders where they are. We do not need to know the difference we make in the world, we just need to do it anyway. Like flowers, our actions fly far away and have outcomes we can never know or imagine. But believe, believe in your good deeds and one day, you too will be full of happy memories. Memories are forever, hidden treasures like a secret woodland glade at the centre of your heart.

Runa holds her head high as she softly enters the glade, quiet calm in her uniquely coloured eyes, one purple and one green. The gentle midday wind plays with her mane, as her horn glows in the sunlight. She pauses, looking around with the disbelief she always feels in Gemstone Glade.

Her purple eye itches. A purple door suddenly appears before her, pulsating with a gentle light. Runa stares, disquiet swelling in her heart, hand in hand with excitement. There is always magic in Gemstone Glade.

Without a second thought, she slowly walks through the purple door. A wood surrounds her, purple light filtering through the trees. A path winds gracefully through the wood, an invitation to explore.

(c) Can Stock Photo / Subbotina

Runa breathes in the purest air, breathing out all her earthly concerns as she feels invisible arms around her. It is like the wood is hugging her. The trees are silent, but they feel like friends, an aura of comradeship embracing her.

The path ends. Before her lies a meadow, purple grass and purple clover reaching to a purple sun. A purple river flows in the distance, and purple bubbles dance in the sky.

Is this the mythical Purple Paradise?, wonders Runa. The one Mother Mara had spoken of?

A purple fairy appears before her. “I am Amethyst. Welcome. I will be your guide.”

Amethyst tells her about Purple Paradise. It is a world between worlds, a pocket dimension accessible only to the chosen few. “You are chosen,” whispers Amethyst. “Your purple eye is a link to our dimension. You are here to learn how to heal using the purple ray. This is our gift to you, and you will take it back to your world where it will benefit many.”

A shining purple road leads them to a purple temple. “This temple is made of amethyst crystal,” explains Amethyst. “It is here that we will give you the purple healing ray.”

The temple is circular, with sunlight streaming in from above. A purple fountain bubbles in the middle. “It is just like the Gemstone Glade fountain!” exclaims Runa.

Amethyst takes her to a large amethyst crystal which rises from the floor and towers over them. “Touch this crystal. It will give you the purple healing ray.”

As Runa touches her horn to the crystal, a wave of energy soars through her body. She feels energised and alive. She knows that she can now transmit this healing energy with her horn. It is a gift, and one she must use wisely.

It is time to return. Runa says goodbye to Amethyst once they are back at the purple door. A purple tear slides from her purple eye. She does not wish to leave, perhaps she will never come here again.

Amethyst says softly, “Purple Paradise is now in your heart. You can come back here anytime in your dreams, as you sleep.”

Runa nods. She backs through the door, and finds herself in Gemstone Glade. The door has disappeared.

But it is not time to say goodbye; it is time to say hello to her new healing abilities. Runa drops her horn to the fountain, as a rainbow appears above. Purple tears flow and join the waters beneath. But a new beginning sings in her heart.

It is Mothering Sunday in Gemstone Glade.  The fairies sprinkle magic rose petals around the fountain, infused with bliss energy. They are ready to pamper the best mother of them all – Mother Mara.

Mother Mara is mum to seven unicorns: Magic, Harmony, Blessing, Divina, Innocent, Heaven and Happiness. Each of these unicorns has a unique magic power. Some can fly, while others can turn in to Super Unicorns and jump in to other dimensions to save people and, at times, whole worlds.

It was Mother Mara who nurtured their powers, and turned them in to the unicorns they became. But she takes no credit.

She patrols Gemstone Glade and the wider forest, daily, helping any creature she finds. She is known as Forest Mother among its residents. The fairies love her too, as they adore anyone who helps animals in distress.

This is why the fairies are ready to celebrate Mother’s Day just for Mother Mara. They hang magic flowers in the trees, all the colours of the rainbow that emit a soft light. The fountain waters turn pink, the colour of motherly love. The trees begin to sway in time to a gentle forest song, the music of a misty forever.

Mara’s children enter the glade, the glow of gratitude in their eyes. They adore their mother, and cherish their childhood memories like gold dust. Happy recollections are more valuable than jewels.

Finally Mother Mara herself enters. The fairies throw rose petals over her, as she bends her head in a quiet thank you. Then the fairies fly round her head transmitting their fairy magic. Mother Mara sits down, joyful and grateful.

The fairies begin to sing, as the unicorns softly neigh in time. It is time for a fairy party, with cakes and dancing. Mother Mara looks on, happiness swelling in her heart as tears fall from her eyes. There is no home like Gemstone Glade.

This blog post is dedicated to my own marvellous mother, and to all mums everywhere. Thank you for all you do from the bottom of our hearts.

(c) Can Stock Photo / Catmando

Rhyolite Robbie is under the Gemstone Glade Christmas Tree, gently fingering the tiny present he has found. He wonders what precious magic it contains. The wrapping paper is dark green and it sparkles, winking in the early morning sun.

In another world, many many miles away, six year old Neville is crying. Bullied at school, his ego is like an egg that has just fallen on a hard floor. Depression delves deep in to his soul.

Suddenly, a cloud of sparkles softly rain around him. He closes his eyes in disbelief. When he opens them, a tiny light green and grey fairy hovers before him.

“Who … who are you?”

“I am Rhyolite Robbie, made of living crystal! I bring a special gift just for you! I can’t wait to see what it is! Can you open it now?”

Neville is bewildered, but he complies. “Oh!” he mutters. “It is only a seed.”

“But a magical seed, from that most magical of places, Gemstone Glade! Go on! Plant it straight away!”

Neville happily runs in to the garden, making a small hole in the flowerbed nearest his window. He plants the seed and waits. “Nothing is happening!”

“Give it time!” implores Robbie.

By the next week, there is a small green shoot rising from the frosty earth. Neville knows that this is wrong, plants should not grow in winter. No, not wrong – magical.

The week after, a green leaf has appeared. Then another, the next day. Neville sees green fairies flying round the plant when he returns from school. He laughs. What a fun Christmas gift.

The next week, a layer of purple leaves appears. Miniscule amethyst crystals hang from then. Neville laughs again. Taking a crystal, he places it in his bath that night. The waters turn purple, and tiny lilac dolphins jump up and spin over the bath. Neville laughs again. He hopes his mother does not find the plant. What can he tell her?

The next week, there are more leaves, this time blue. Bright blue birds flock around the plant, then they are gone as quickly as they have come.

On the fourth week, Neville runs home to see what changes await. He stops in his tracks. The plant is still there, but all the leaves are red and brown and normal looking. Where has the magic gone?

The next morning, a note is by his bed, a green crystal on top.

“Magic never goes, it just moves on to the next place it is needed. One day, you will see us fairies again. We are never far away.”

Neville takes the note and carefully hides it in a shoebox. Then he laughs. He knew real magic, even if not for very long.

And magic never leaves us, not ever. It is still there in our secret memories, and at night it whispers to us in our dreams.

Sally sleeps with her tattered teddy in her arms. It has been two months since her best school friend moved away, and she still misses her so much.

Far away, a fairy dances around a magic tree and then swoops down to a special gift beneath its branches. Laughing, she flies in to the moonlight … and materialises by Sally’s bed.

As Sally continues to sleep, Kyanite Kim – a pink fairy with a sparkling sequin purple dress – gently places the gift next to her pillow.

The next morning, Sally is delighted and bewildered in a crazy tangle of emotion. Then she opens the gift. A gold locket is in her hands. She laughs. Inside, is a picture of a golden meadow.

Gently, she touches it. Then she is there. A golden sun hangs resplendent in a bronze sky. Golden grass moves in a gentle wind, and golden hills rise to the sky as if they are trying to fly there.

Sally looks around in awe.

“Hello.” A golden girl with huge wings approaches her. “I am Nicole. I will be your new best friend. When you wish to return to your world again, just touch the locket.”

So Sally’s secret world becomes her go to place before school, after school, in the middle of the night. She has never been happier. One day, as she brushes her hair, she finds a golden strand. She smiles. Gold is beautiful.

© Can Stock Photo / webking

The Christmas Tree glows in the low winter sun. The fairies are flying round the glade, Christmas cheer in their eyes and party fun in their wings. It is time to celebrate the year, in true fairy style.

Suddenly, everyone pauses in collective awe. A present has materialised beneath the tree. The silence is broken as the fairies cheer.

A small gift in pink shining paper glimmers with its own hidden secret. There is a magic amethyst wand next to it, which has also only just appeared.

In a house far way, Melissa is sound asleep. In her dreams, she is playing with young lambs. She giggles as the dreams. If only she could have a pet in real life.

Moonstone Marina sweeps down to the ground, and inspects the gift. She knows what she has to do. Waving the magic wand furiously, she then grabs the present and flies away. She does not know where she is going, but the wand’s spell has set her path.

In a cloud of sparkling wizard’s dust, she materialises in Melissa’s bedroom. Quietly, she places the gift on Melissa’s pillow. Then she is gone as mysteriously as she arrived.

In the morning, Melissa gasps with delight. Quickly she opens the present. A rose quartz lamb falls in to her hands. She laughs. “But I wish you were a puppy!”

The stone changes beneath her fingers. It is now a pink Labrador puppy.

Melissa laughs, too happy to be curious as to the magic in her hands.

“I want a kitten!”

The stone changes again, as Melissa giggles.

That night, she sleeps with the crystal – now in the shape of a unicorn – beneath her pillow. As she dreams, unicorns join her. She climbs on one, and rides with it through a dense forest. Soon, they come to a glade with a shining fountain, fairies flying through its waters. Melissa laughs, she feels so happy.

The next day, when she awakes, little does she know that a piece of Gemstone Glade magic is now lodged in her heart, forever.