A NEW FRIEND
by: Arilanna, a member of our forum
all credit for its creation belongs to her, 
I used it with her permission.

 

This is a funny short story I did for a challenge on a writing forum.

Princess Ethelyn sat on the stone well, musing quietly to herself. Everything is confusing of late. 
A talking llama came to the palace yesterday, saying he was a gift from King Arqualox. 
Father lets him stay, and he follows me around day in, day out. I only just managed to get away from him. 
Oh, blast! There he is again!
Ethelyn looked desperately around the palace garden, seeking cover. 
The hedge maze was her best choice, and she lifted her long, purple skirts, revealing her satin slippers, and took off. 
Her long, wavy dark blonde hair flowed behind her as she ran into the maze, hoping she wouldn’t get lost.
Behind her, a clop-clop could be heard as the llama headed for the maze. He saw me! I better keep going. 
She had stopped, hoping he would leave, but as the llama got closer Ethelyn hurried away. 
Now how do I get through here to the exit? The hedges are so high; I don’t think I could see over them if I tried. 
She hurried along, and picked randomly whenever she came to a place in the maze where she could go one of two ways. 
She came to a dead end, and looked hurriedly around for an escape. If she went back, she might run into the llama.
Could I slip between the bushes? It’d be a tight squeeze, but I’ll have to try. 
That llama will drive me mad if I have to listen to its endless jabber again. 
She made up her mind and got down on her hands and knees. Ethelyn tried pushing aside the thick hedge, 
and found that it wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. Here goes nothing.
She got on her belly and pushed through. The hedge was three feet thick, but she managed. Once through, 
Ethelyn turned around and replaced the branches as well as she could, concealing the small hole she had made. 
At eighteen, her father would expect better of her, but Ethelyn wasn’t much of a lady. Yes, she could behave when 
she wanted to, but she also romped with her brothers, twelve-year-old twins, and the family dog, Brock.
I’ll have to sneak up to my room and change before the evening meal. It’s almost five now; I’d better hurry. 
Ethelyn ran through the yard, again lifting her skirts. When she reached the back door of the white stone castle, 
she ducked inside. There weren’t any servants in sight, so she made a dash for the back staircase. 
When Ethelyn reached her room, she hurriedly looked through her wardrobe for something to wear to dinner. 
She pulled out a rose colored gown and quickly changed into it. Facing the gold-framed mirror above her dresser, 
she brushed her hair and braided it down her back, tying it off with a ribbon that matched her dress.
She had just finished when a maid called her to the evening meal. “Coming!” Ethelyn called, looking at herself one 
last time in the mirror before she hurried out the door.
The royal family included King Orin, Queen Alaedra, Princess Ethelyn, and the twins, Tobias and Troy. 
Supper was usually enjoyed on the terrace, which overlooked the gardens. Ethelyn met her family there and a male servant seated her.
“Ethelyn, I have been advised that you are distressed by Derenith,” her father commented casually, referring to the talking llama.
Ethelyn cringed slightly. “A little, Father. He, well, he jabbers my head off. If I don’t hide from him, I have no peace.” 
She wasn’t sure whether her father was upset with her or not, so she was careful with her words.
“I see. Well, I am sorry for this inconvenience, but there is not much I can do. He was a gift, as you know, 
from the most respected King Arqualox, with whom I wish to remain friendly.”
“Yes, Father,” replied Ethelyn in a reluctant tone. She still wished to shut up the babbling llama. Ethelyn was also 
confused as to why he chose to follow her around. There were many people in the castle whom he could annoy.
After the meal, Ethelyn excused herself and went out to the gardens again with Brock following. The large, black 
dog was a Great Dane and Ethelyn enjoyed his company, as he did not talk endlessly about nothing in particular like Derenith. 
“Yes, you’re a good boy, aren’t you, Brock?” cooed Ethelyn, rubbing the dog behind his ears. She was sitting on 
an elaborate iron bench, which faced a fountain. She looked up to watch the water fall from the fountain spout into 
the pool, when a wooly white llama walked into view.
“Ah, there you are, Princess Ethelyn. It took me a while to locate you. I almost had you when you went into the 
hedge maze. Must not have seen me, eh?” Derenith talked cheerfully as he trotted up to the bench.
“I’ve been busy,” replied Ethelyn with a feint smile. 
“Well, we can talk now. The weather’s quite nice don’t you think? Not at all like Athlindisk, where I come from. 
It’s quite dry there most days…” 
Ethelyn drowned out his voice and began to daydream.
Derenith said something that caught her attention, “You know, I always liked the fairy tale where the prince is a 
frog and must be kissed to turn back into human form.”
Ethelyn detected a hint of longing in the llama’s voice. “Why, may I ask, does this story catch your attention?”
“I, ah, it’s a bit embarrassing…”
“You can tell me,” coaxed Ethelyn.
“Well…” he paused, then looked at her. “I’ve always wished that I were under some sort of spell like the frog. 
I babble constantly and bore people, and I can’t help it. I wish that a princess would kiss me, and I would turn into a prince.” 
Derenith looked down at his front hooves. “I know it’s silly, but I can’t help it… King Arqualox sent me away 
because of my jabbering, and now I’m boring you.”
Ethelyn felt guilty. She had been avoiding him as much as possible because of babbling he couldn’t help. 
Perhaps the situation was not what it seemed. “That doesn’t seem silly to me. I think if I were in a similar position, 
I would wish that I were a cursed princess, too, doomed to roam the earth as a wooly lamb.” This remark 
brought forth a strange sort of chortle from the llama.
“I wonder if it could be real, though? Could I actually be a prince in the form of a llama?” Derenith sighed, 
displaying the helplessness he felt. “But the only way I could find out is if I were kissed by a princess, and that’s not going to happen.”
Ethelyn could tell he was hinting. However she didn’t think she could make herself kiss him. He was rather 
cute, in his llamaish sort of way, like a puppy-dog almost.
“Well, I’d better leave. I’m probably boring you now,” said Derenith, turning to go.
“Wait!” said Ethelyn. She felt awkward when he turned around, hope showing in his eyes. “I-ah, I feel like 
I owe you something,” she looked down. “I’ve been avoiding you, and I haven’t even tried to get to know you. 
I owe you this much,” Ethelyn, still feeling awkward, planted a kiss on his wooly snout.
Nothing happened. 
“Thank you. No one has ever seemed to care before. Perhaps we can be friends,” Derenith told her. 
He again turned and trotted away.
Ethelyn, feeling sorry for Derenith, sat only a little longer. Though it was a few hours before her normal curfew, 
she went back into the palace to retire for the night.

~*~*~*~

Ethelyn woke early the next morning and slipped into a blue silk dress and white slippers. 
The sun had risen when she reached the back door, but it was not more than seven o’clock. 
She hurried out, meaning to go to her favorite spot by the fountain.
When, however, she came into view of the place, she spotted someone whom she had never seen before. 
A young man, with dark hair and eyes, stood pacing back and forth in front of the bench. 
He wore court clothes, and was strikingly handsome.
Ethelyn approached, unsure of herself. “Sir?”
The man spun to look at her, and his eyes lit up. He rushed toward her and took her hand in his two. 
“Ethelyn, it worked! I’m no longer a jabbering llama.” Seeing the confused look in her eyes, he continued, “It’s me – Derenith.”
Ethelyn stood staring for only a moment before her face lit up and she smiled. “Your wish came true – 
you really were a llama under a spell. And you really are a handsome prince.”
Derenith smiled at Ethelyn’s reply. “Yes – a prince. Capable of marrying a princess.” With this remark he 
got down on one knee. “Ethelyn, I want you to become my bride.”
Ethelyn smiled happily, “Of course, Derenith. I happily except.”

The End 



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