Bezonian flags waved in the warm spring breeze as the knights of the royal guard approached the castle, fresh from their recent victory against the Azonian knights. The feud between the two neighboring kingdoms dated back further than anyone could remember, and no one knew the reason behind it any longer either, but still it raged with neither side making any real headway. It seemed they took and lost the same forested land between the two kingdoms over and over with neither ever being able to press beyond the forests borders.
Unbeknownst to either king was the fact that a wizard held sway in the forest and he was amused by their constant bickering and fighting, so he prevented them from ever leaving his forest and made sure that a different force won every battle to keep them constantly coming back for another round of battle.
Today however, another kingdom, one without a king but only a princess entered the eternal fray. This princess however, unlike the two kings, came into the forest herself. She left her royal guard at the edge of the forest and walked into the trees alone. Once well within the embrace of the forest's greenery her voice called out, "I am Princess Celina of Cezonia. I am come to end the war between my uncles, I know you are here Zon. Show yourself."
The wizard had not heard his name in many hundreds of years and so he stepped from a dark purple cloud in a regal looking flourish and a deep bow. "Princess Celine was it?" he asked as he stood before her, "How can this humble wizard be of service in such an impossible task?"
Celine stood facing him with her hands folded before her. The bejeweled gown she wore was exquisitely crafted in the perfect color to accentuate every feature and her pale coloring. Her impatience with his manner and words was evident on her lovely face, "Zon, wizard of Zonia, I know of your trickery and devilry. It is you who perpetuates the war, for heaven only knows what obscure reasoning you may have."
"Me? How could I..."
Her hand lifted to silence him, "Easily. I have seen your devilry with my own eyes, Zon. Do not insult my intelligence with lies. You have had your fun, return to your home and leave our three kingdoms to live in peace."
"Even if I leave there will be no peace Princess, even you must see this. Be that as it may, why should I leave? This forest was given to me."
"I will see to it the fighting ceases. As to why you should leave..." There was a glint in her eyes as her hand lifted and a sphere appeared there. Inside it was the form of a man banging on the clear boundaries of the sphere which was a little larger than the palm of her hand. "Perhaps you recognize him?"
Zon peered at the globe and blanched, "Yon?? How?"
Celine's lovely face held a slightly frightening smile as she stepped closer, "How is for me to know and you to find out if you choose to challenge my will in this..." Her tone was calm but menacing as she stepped closer still holding the sphere out to him.
Zon stepped back, "If I leave he leaves as well. You will not hold my brother in such a manner."
Celine stopped and looked at the sphere as if contemplating his offer, "Agreed, but...you will leave my way. Enter the sphere with him and i will send you both home to Zonia. Otherwise you leave alone. He chose this....what is your choice?"
Zon did NOT like his options. He regarded the beautiful woman before him and decided she was far more dangerous than either of her uncles. However, could her word be trusted? Had his brother trusted her and ended up trapped as he was? Or had he defied her and lost? He wasn't sure which scenario terrified him more. His only other option was to return home alone, and that was no option at all. If he returned home without his baby brother his mother would have him flayed. With a sigh of resignation he stepped forward, "Very well...we will both go your way."
Celine smiled, "It is good to know one of the wizardly brothers of Zonia is wise." Stepping forward again she touched the ball to his chest and instantly he was inside the sphere with his brother. True to her word the two were sent back to Zonia together, but once there the sphere grew until it engulfed their entire kingdom trapping them all within its glassy shell.
The princess then left the forest and travel to each of her uncle's kingdom's in turn issuing both the same warning. "Obey me in this or find yourselves of the same fate as Zonia." She was the first female born to the royal line in centuries and as such was gifted with great magical abilities. She used these to show both kings the glass encasing of the kingdom of Zonia. Both kings agreed to cease the war and to never venture into the forest again.
