Autumn Sunshine

Queen Sunshine and King Moonbeam

Once upon a time in a magical kingdom named Starshine Land, lived a royal family, unlike any other. The king was named Moonbeam and Sunshine was the queen’s name. With their love and magic they spread joy and happiness to all the people who lived there. Moonbeam and Sunshine were blessed with twin daughters, beautiful princesses, Summer and Siera.

Summer and Siera

From the day they were born, it was obvious to all that they were quite special. They ran and played in the golden meadows surrounding the castle. They had a gift, for like their royal parents they were born with magical powers. They talked to the animals, birds, every living creature who lived in Starshine Land. The wonder of it all was that the animals could also talk to the girls. They grew each day and their gift with the creatures of nature grew with them. They used their magic and their special powers wisely under their parents watchful eye.

Twinkle and Sparkle

Summer and Siera each had her own tiny fairy godmother to watch over her. Siera’s godmother was named, Sparkle, and Summer’s was named Twinkle. Like most children, the girls were quite mischievous, they kept Twinkle and Sparkle quite busy.

They had friends throughout the kingdom, animal and human friends alike. Their animal friends included a silver fox, appropriately named Silver, and a big white fluffy bunny named Snowball. The girls understood that all they had to do was close their eyes and wish hard, and their magic would work! They talked to their friends the animals and loved them dearly.

Silver and Snowball

One day while the girls were playing in the playground that surrounded the castle, they had a special visitor. It was Snowball who looked very sad. “I’ve searched everywhere, the entire kingdom, and I can’t find Silver anywhere.” “Well, have you checked her favorite place, the cave beside the stream?” asked Siera. Snowball nodded her head and replied, “yes, I’ve looked everywhere.” “Don’t worry,” said Summer. She closed her eyes tightly and wished hard. In a flash, Silver appeared before them. “Hi girls, how are you today, Snowball?” Snowball replied with a frown, “I’ve been looking for you, where have you been?” “Why I’ve been napping under my favorite pine tree in the meadow.” Summer and Siera giggled, “I guess you didn’t look every where after all,” Siera chuckled.

Sunshine, who had been in the garden gathering flowers, came up to the group and said, “Time for your lunch, girls.” Summer looked at her Mom with a smile, “We don’t have time for lunch now, Mommy, we’re talking to our friends.” Sunshine laughed, “How about having your friends join you for lunch? What would you like today?” “Pizza, pizza!” yelled both girls loudly. Sunshine closed her eyes, twirled around and said, “OK gang, follow me, your pizza is waiting.” They all followed Sunshine into the castle. All of the group enjoyed lunch, and finished their pizza in no time at all.

Afterward, they went back out to the playground, romping along to their favorite, the merry-go-round, it was so much fun to spin. They played and were soon joined by their special human friends, Madison and Lauren. “Let’s close our eyes and wish for ice cream”, said Summer. “Great idea,” agreed Lauren, “but you have to check with your Mom or Dad remember!”

Summer closed her eyes and in a flash of bright light, King Moonbeam stood before them. “Summer, your magic must be getting stronger”, laughed the king, “You pulled me right off my horse, I was out riding and checking on our friends around the kingdom.” Summer smiled and said, “Well Daddy, I needed you and here your are, we wanted some ice cream.” Moonbeam clapped his hands loudly, and at once each girl had an ice cream cone in her hand. “Thank you!”, they all said in one voice. Moonbeam said, “You’re all very welcome. Now I must get back to my work.” He winked his eye and waved to the girls.

So the days went and the twins grew as each became more independent. Their magic got stronger and stronger. They used it wisely, as they had been taught. Yet every once in a while they wished for things beyond their powers, it was taking forever to grow up!

One warm, sunny day the girls were walking in the woods surrounding the meadow. They came upon a very tiny baby fawn. Summer asked, “What’s your name?” “My name is Daisy,” said the fawn. “My mommy jumped across the stream and now I think I’m lost.” “Don’t worry, Daisy,” said Siera, “we can help you.” Each girls closed her eyes and wished very hard. They opened their eyes and before them stood Daisy’s Mom, who looked at them in wonder and surprise. “I’ve been looking for you, Daisy!” “I was afraid to jump across the stream, Mommy.” Daisy nuzzled close to her Mom and said, “this is Siera and Summer.” “I know of you two girls, and your wonderful magic, I thank you both for helping Daisy! My name is Sunflower and I’m happy to meet you.” Summer smiled, “we have to get going, but come visit us at the castle sometime. We love making new friends!”

Blaize

The girls continued their walk, stopping once in awhile to pick some wildflowers. Suddenly out of the woods galloped their favorite unicorn friend, Blaize. “Hi there, Blaize” chimed in both girls. Blaize looked at the girls and said, “I was just on my way to the castle, something seems to be wrong, I’m losing some of my magic. I can’t soar in the sky! I miss it so much.” Summer replied, “we better get to the castle, Mom and Dad can help you.” Both girls closed their eyes, and soon they were safely in the castle.

Twinkle and Sparkle, the fairy godmothers looked puzzled, they both knew how much Blaize loved to fly. Sunshine and Moonbeam appeared, they listened quietly as Blaize explained the problem. “It seems to me,” said Sunshine, “that your magic can only be restored in one way.” “What is that?”, asked Blaize. In one strong voice, both Sunshine and Moonbeam said, “Why with a sprinkle of magic stardust powder, of course.”

Blaize smiled for the first time, “can we try it now?” Moonbeam answered, “No right now Blaize, we have to wait until the first star appears in the sky tonight.” “That should make you good as new, Blaize, but for now stay with us and wait.” said Sunshine. “The magic wishing star,” Summer said with a smile.
They all waited patiently, and soon it was nearing darkness. Finally the first star appeared in the sky!

“It’s almost time, are you ready, Blaize?” asked Moonbeam. “I sure am, what do we do?” Blaize answered. “Well, for one thing”, laughed the king, “stand still and stop prancing around.” Blaize stood very still and waited. “Close your eyes, Blaize, while I sprinkle you with the magic stardust.” said Sunshine. Blaize listened and soon Sunshine said with a smile, “Open your eyes, let’s see how you are now!” Within minutes, Blaize was off and soaring, high above the trees, happy as she could be. “Thank you!!”, she called back to the family watching her.

“Bedtime girls” said Sunshine. Yawning both girls went with their parents, ready for a bedtime story, and sleep. It had been a long day. Soon the girls were asleep, their parents tip toed quietly out.

The next morning the sun rose and it was a beautiful day in Starshine Land. Beams of sunshine bounced off the morning dew and sparkled like diamonds, so another day had begun. Summer and Siera bounced out of bed as always. They were followed closely by Twinkle and Sparkle. Sunshine was waiting for them, breakfast ready and a a flower beside each girls plate, in a tiny vase. She hugged each princess saying, “Daisies today!”

Blaize arrived at the kitchen door. “Good morning, everyone! It’s a happy day.” Sunshine agreed, “It sure is, all OK now, Blaize? Would you like to join us for breakfast?” “I sure would!”, answered Blaize,”I’m brand new today, thanks to you and Moonbeam, where is he, by the way?” “Off on his daily rounds early today.” replied Sunshine.
“Daddy promised us a special surprise today, Mommy!” added Siera, “that’s why he’s gone, but he’ll be back soon.” Sunshine laughed as she remembered the special surprise. “A picnic down by the garden, oh yes, I forgot.” Summer looked up and smiled, “You did not forget, Mom, you never do that.”

The girls waited eagerly after breakfast for their Dad to return. They passed time with Blaize patiently taking them for galloping rides around the castle. Twinkle and Sparkle were amazed how the girls could ride and ride and Blaize never seemed to get tired of their games. Their friends, Malena, Lauren, and Madison had been invited to the picnic and they arrived soon. Blaize never tired as she took all the girls time after time around the castle. “Blaize is so much fun, and soft and cuddly, too”, said Malena. The others nodded in agreement.

Soon the girls were delighted to see Moonbean arrive, they were excited to get going. Sunshine appeared and exclaimed, “Everyone ready to go”? They all nodded together and shouted, “Let’s go”! “OK, here we go, let’s all hold hands and close your eyes and think happy thoughts”, said Sunshine. She and Moonbeam smiled at each other and away they went. “Open your eyes, we’re all set for our picnic”! said Moonbeam. The girls looked around and sure enough, everything was in place and all their favorite foods were waiting for them to enjoy.

They all sat down to begin their picnic, and were soon surprised because, because before their eyes appeared Snowball, Blaize and Silver, in a flash of sparkling color. “Thank you Mommy and Daddy”, exclaimed Siera and Summer in one strong voice, “now all our special friends are here”! Moonbeam said thoughtfully, “That’s true, girls, almost everyone is here, check again”! The girls blinked their eyes in surprise as they saw in another flash of color their Nana and Grandpa were there. They danced along happily hugging their grandparents.

The day passed slowly, with everyone enjoying the sun and fun. They were so busy that no one noticed a black cloud suddenly casting a shadow and blocking out the sun. All of a sudden they heard thunder and saw lightning. All the girls huddled together closer to Sunshine, who looked at Moonbeam and said sadly, “Well, it seems someone here in Starshine Land is very unhappy.”

“We’ll have to fix that at once”, said Moonbeam, with a determined look on his face. Everyone was still as Moonbeam clapped his hands loudly, while at the same time Sunshine and the grandparents, Summer and Siera closed their eyes. The force of their magic combined was so great that almost at once the thunder and lightning stopped, and before them stood a very sad looking man. Siera and Summer recognized him at once, it was their Uncle Michael, who was Sunshine’s brother.

Uncle Michael

“What on earth is wrong with you, Michael?” demanded Sunshine. “I was sad, and none of you even noticed,” replied Michael. He added for good measure, “No one listens to me sing anymore”. “Yes we do, Uncle Michael, all the time. You just never seem to know it”, said Summer. “Yes that’s right”, agreed Siera. Michael bent down and hugged each girl tightly as he could. He said, “I’m so sorry, Siera and Summer”. Sunshine who had been quiet thought the entire conversation, said to her brother, “We’ve all missed you, Michael”.

Michael stood up and took Sunshine’s hand and said softly, “I love you, Sunshine and I’ve been a selfish brother. I’ve been so involved in my music and all the people listening to me sing that I have forgotten how very important my family is to me”. “We love you Uncle Michael”, said Summer and Siera together. Michael suddenly smiled and said as he looked at his twin nieces, “I guess I needed to remember that girls, but somehow I got lost in my music”.

Summer looked at her mother with a smile, she said, “Well, Mommy tell Uncle Michael what you always say when you’re sad.” Sunshine laughed as hard as she could, for she knew her brother well and he knew the exact words she was about to speak. “Sing to me, Michael”.

Michael laughed for the first time and all around them they could feel the strong flow of love surrounding them all. “OK, Sunshine, you asked for a song”. Michael sang and as he kept singing, the sky became clear and the sun shone once again and in the sky there was a rainbow of many colors. Happiness and love were the things Michael sang about. When the song was over, everyone clapped their hands. Summer and Siera both grabbed their Uncle and hugged him. Michael smiled as he took each girls hand and said, “Siera and Summer, you’ve made me so happy and just looking at you two reminds me of your Mom when she was your age, he added softly, “I’ll never be so selfish again”. “Well”, said Lauren, “special things seem to happen all the time in Starshine Land”.

Everyone had learned a lesson that day. Can you guess what that lesson was? Never take anyone’s love for granted, not even the love of your family, or the love of your friends. Love and happiness are special gifts to protect and guard safely.

So through the years as Summer and Siera grew older they would remember the lesson of love very well.

This page has the following sub pages.

• Magical Kingdom ~ Part Two