AN ADDITION TO THE FOREST FAIRY FAMILY

The fairy twins were bored.  Extremely bored.  They had not rescued anyone in many weeks and Annalisa was distressed that everyone in the enchanted forest was doing so well that their valuable services were not needed.  And Arabella had a fit of pique every time she saw her beloved parents acting lovesick.  Gazing at one another.  Calling each other Darling and Sweetheart.  Holding hands and kissing.  Apparently love was tiring because they went to bed early every night before the moon rose.

It was too tiresome!

"Oh, my love, I have news!" said the Queen to her husband.  "Do you remember when King Frederick who lives in the next kingdom lost his wife?  Well, he and his pretty young daughter have been on their own ever since.  But now the King has married again!"

"Yes, I have heard!" said the King, reaching for another cup of raspberry wine.  "And I understand she is quite beautiful, but rather vain about it.  Looks in the mirror every day.

"And the mirror speaks to her and tells her she is the fairest in the land," said Mother.

A talking mirror?  Well, this was interesting indeed.  The twin sisters immediately began to pay attention.  Who knew when they might be needed?  They must be ready!

"What does the daughter think of her new stepmother, I wonder?" said Annalisa, hoping for a little family discord.

'After all," said Arabella, "Snow White is quite a little beauty herself."

"Snow White is just a child!  Surely the Queen couldn't be jealous of her own stepdaughter," said the Queen, reaching for another muffin.

"Mother, another muffin, really?" said one of the twins. "You've had two already!"

"And, Mama," said the other twin, "you are becoming just a little bit plump."

Father laughed heartily although the girls didn't think they had said anything funny.

Mother had an odd little smile on her face.

"Perhaps it's time to tell them?" said Mother, her hand tenderly touching her belly.

"Yes, of course, tell them, my dear," said Father, putting his arm around his wife.

"Don't keep us in suspense," cried Arabella.

"Well, Girls, I'm going to have a baby!"

The sisters were thunderstruck; their little rosebud mouths fell open.  How could this be?

"Will this...baby...live here...with us?" said Annalisa, who could not imagine such a thing.

Arabella, who was naturally suspicious, narrowed her large blue eyes.  "Where did this baby come from?  We want to know."

Mother laughed nervously and looked at Father who was staring at his feet.

"Well, it's a bit complicated.  Perhaps my dear," said Mother looking at her husband, "you could shed some light on the subject.  Please."  

"NO, no," said Father who was horrified.  "I have no light to shed.  None at all."

"Well, my dear little girls," said Mother.

There was a long pause.

TO BE CONTINUED