Synopsis
by Marilyn Churchill
Chapter One
Fifteen-year-old Princess Cecile of Belamor is reading an exciting tale to a group of spellbound children. It is the story of a showdown between two powerful wizards over their claims to a dragon. The story hour comes to an end when her secretary fetches the children for their waiting mothers. As Cecile resumes her royal duties, the castle is shaken by an earthquake, another in a recent series that is plaguing the kingdom.
Chapter Two
Financial advisor Edwin delivers bad news. Earthquake repairs on the castle are draining the royal funds. Cecile is worried about the future of her kingdom and it’s citizens. Neighboring King Thaddius of Larchmore sends his emissary, Sir Thomas, to deliver a letter to Cecile. In exchange for the promise of her hand in marriage, the king offers financial aid and a plan to unite their kingdoms. “Bella Larchmore?” Cecile wonders. “No!” Determined to find her own solutions, she decides to inspect the treasury. In a large empty space of floor where gold had been, she discovers a trap door and stairs leading down into darkness. She grabs a lantern and bravely descends to the bottom of a cavern. Suddenly, Cecile feels the earth quake. In a fiery flash, she sees a dragon’s wings unfold and a tail crash down through the rocks. Terrified, she races back up the stairs to safety.
Chapter Three
Why is there a dragon under the castle? Cecile doesn’t know what to do. Belamor doesn’t have it’s own army of knights, and news of a dragon will surely cause the citizens more panic. Still shaking with fright, she hurries to the library for research. She reads that some peaceful dragons posed no threat to mankind. She also reads a mistaken report that Sir Thomas killed the last dragon. When her handsome best friend Jerome drops in unexpectedly, she confides in him. Eagerly, he reports that he has secret information for her too. A wizard named Sandor lived in Belamor five hundred years earlier and hid a dragon under the castle, employing him to turn lead into gold. However, one day Sandor disappeared after casting a spell and putting the dragon to sleep. Jerome tells her that if they find Sandor’s hidden study, where he kept his wand and a book of spells, they can put the dragon back to sleep. Cecile is miffed that Jerome has pledged not to reveal the source of his information. But she trusts his integrity. And eventually, they succeed in finding the wizard’s study concealed behind the library wall.
Chapter Four
Cecile and Jerome explore curiosities in the wizard’s study and find the wand and the book of spells. But Jerome reads a warning attached to the Sleeping Dragon Spell that says only those “wizard born” and experienced should attempt to use it. He is disappointed that he is disqualified on both counts. Cecile discovers a map of the dragon’s lair and adjoining caves. She rolls it up to study later.
Chapter Five
Cecile writes a diplomatic letter to King Thaddius declining his marriage proposal. She is wondering where she is going to find an experienced wizard to put the dragon back to sleep. At dinner, Sir Thomas tells her that he regrets killing the last dragon. And when she hears that dragons were intelligent creatures, she asks him to accompany her and Jerome to the dragon’s lair to talk to the beast. Filled with excitement, Sir Thomas sends his page Braedon to deliver Cecile’s letter to King Thaddius, along with word that he has been delayed.
Chapter Six
Jerome proudly announces that he has discovered his own wizard ancestry and is now able to put the dragon to sleep. But Cecile receives a visit from her mystical teacher, Emma, and is given new information. Melchor, the dragon, is weary of battle and it’s time to set him free. Cecile is given three pieces of advice on how to lead the dragon out of the caves through three magical doors: learn to see things in another way, practice cooperation, and trust. But Cecile wishes she had something more concrete to go on.
Chapter Seven
“It’s just a precaution,” Sir Thomas explains when he shows up for their journey with his sword and shield. Cecile, Jerome, and Sir Thomas descend into the caves and call out to the dragon. The dragon appears, disdainful of his intruders. But he is soon overwhelmed to hear that he has been asleep for five hundred years and that Sandor is dead. In his grief, he shakes the cave, causing a dwarf hiding in the cliffs overhead to tumble down onto his tail. Surprised, Melchor lunges at the dwarf. Defensively, Sir Thomas draws his sword. Cecile cries out—and Melchor turns on her. Jerome begins chanting the spell. "Stop!" Cecile shouts. "I'm here to set the dragon free.
Chapter Eight
Do you want to be free?” she asks the dragon.
The dragon snorts, exhaling smoke, “Of course, I want out of this tomb.”
Cecile tells Jerome about Emma's visit while the dwarf tugs on his sleeve. “You were supposed to put him to sleep. Do it now! It’s not too late,” the dwarf pleads.
Jerome finally discloses that his family has done business with the dwarves for centuries. It was the dwarves living secretly underground that told him about Sandor, and the dragon, and his own wizard ancestry. However, both he and Sir Thomas now pledge allegiance to Cecile’s quest, even though the knight still has his doubts about dragons. Door One looms ahead, and there seems to be no way to open it. When Cecile recalls Emma’s advice to “see things in another way,” Jerome figures out a double meaning to the Sleeping Dragon Spell. He successfully uses it to open the door. A labyrinth stretches before them and Cecile is dismayed to find that she accidentally switched her map of the caves with her letter to King Thaddius. She asks Oden to be their guide. Reluctantly, he agrees.
Chapter Nine
A magical light from Sandor’s wand illuminates their path. As Cecile experiences both awe and fear in the dark caves, she better understands the dragon. She notices that Jerome looks ill. When he slips and nearly falls off a cliff, the group stops to rest. Melchor tells the story of how Sandor rescued him from an evil dragon-killing wizard named Luther. When Melchor reveals that wizards, like dragons, never die of natural causes, Sir Thomas realizes that it was the wizard, Luther, who convinced him to destroy the dragons too. They continue their journey and stand before the second door. Oden surprises everyone when he suddenly runs off and disappears into a tunnel. Jerome chases after the dwarf. Cecile follows, leaving the knight and the dragon alone.
Chapter Ten
In the tunnel, Cecile listens to the fading echo of Oden’s footsteps. Jerome suddenly collapses on the ground. He tells her that he’s afraid that he had no right to use the magic spell and is now suffering the consequences. The wand flickers out. Cecile can’t see her hand in front of her face. She tries in vain to revive Jerome. What should she do? When twinkling lights signal her, she follows. Fairies lead her to their beautiful underground kingdom. The fairy queen tells her the fairies are hiding from Luther, and that the dwarves are their protectors. Cecile is presented with a crown that Sandor made for her in prophetic anticipation of this day. Oden, the dwarf, is now a full recruit, and the fairy queen gives him the key to Door Two.
Chapter Eleven
Cecile returns to Jerome in time to witness his mystical encounter with Sandor. The wizard warns Jerome about Luther’s mission to kill all the dragons. He explains that spells and wands are nothing in themselves. They can only magnify your feelings and focus your will. He cautions him to watch what he thinks with the wand in his hand. Then with a nod to Cecile, Sandor disappears. With Jerome refreshed, the wand is glowing brightly. The two reunite with Sir Thomas and Melchor, who are now fast friends. Their journey continues.
Chapter Twelve
Oden unlocks the second door and leads them into a cave encrusted with amethyst crystals. They cross Sandor’s beautiful white bridge over a mysterious chasm that emits a disorienting fog and golden light. Cecile has a disturbing vision of Melchor being attacked by knights, but keeps it to herself.
Chapter Thirteen
They travel through Xiter, a dwarf outpost, and meet Valmor, one of the guards. Soon after, they arrive at a lake that was formed when Sandor blocked an ancient spring. Unfortunately, the third door is now buried under the water. Boom! Ripples travel across the surface of the lake. Valmor races up to tell them that King Thaddius and his knights are battering the mountain outside. Cecile realizes that the king now has her map of the caves and is attempting to save her from the dragon. The knights break the third door open and water gushes down the mountain in a river. The lake is draining quickly. With his first glimpse of light after five hundred years, Melchor jumps in the water and heads for freedom.
Chapter Fourteen
Worried about what the knights will do, Cecile jumps in after Melchor. Then Jerome and Sir Thomas dive in too, leaving Oden behind. On Melchor’s back, Cecile sails past the knights to the bottom of the mountain. Jerome and Sir Thomas exit further upstream. Tired and relieved, Cecile rests on the riverbank and waits for Jerome and Sir Thomas. Melchor wanders off, enjoying his freedom at last. Cecile jumps to her feet and looks around. Where is Melchor? She looks up the mountain and sees Jerome signaling her. Sir Thomas is intercepting a knight and appropriating his horse. She hears Melchor roar and realizes that her vision is coming true. Melchor has been attacked! It’s up to her to save him. She takes off running.
Chapter Fifteen
“Stop!” Cecile yells, her voice, unusually amplified and echoing through the mountains. Swords and arrows are suspended mid-air. Sir Thomas gallops in, surprising the knights with his alignment to the dragon. The knights explain that Luther is advising King Thaddius on his dragon campaign. Out of breath, Jerome arrives at Cecile’s side. Then Luther and King Thaddius gallop in on a cloud of dust. It doesn’t take Cecile long to realize that the king is under a spell. Luther takes one of the magical dragon’s teeth from his necklace and throws it into the midst of the knights. The knights are stunned and unable to move. Cecile confronts Luther who brushes her aside. “This is just between me and the boy now,” he says and turns to Jerome.
Chapter Sixteen
Jerome is put to the test in a wizard’s battle with Luther. When Luther uses another dragon’s tooth, he succeeds in grabbing Jerome’s wand. But Jerome has learned Sandor’s lessons well. He successfully manipulates Luther’s ego and directs the power of the wand against him. Now the knights are released from their spell. On the horizon, an army of a thousand dwarves suddenly appears. Cecile delivers the final psychological blow by informing Luther that he has not only failed to destroy Melchor, but he was the key to the third door, playing a role in Sandor’s plan to reunite the kingdom and free the magical creatures. Jerome reclaims his wand. Defeated, the wizard flies off in the form of a raven.
Chapter Seventeen
Everyone is congratulated. Cecile establishes Melchor’s citizenship. King Thaddius recovers and offers his support to the princess. Everyone is invited to a banquet at Castle Belamor. The friends assemble on the riverbank to say a tearful good-bye to Melchor. The dragon flies off toward the horizon.
Chapter Eighteen
At the crossroad to Belamor, Cecile and Sir Thomas find his page, Braedon, recovering from Luther’s drugged wine. He explains how Luther waylaid him and stole the scrolls addressed to King Thaddius. With a laugh, Cecile acknowledges that everyone played their part in the adventure. After the banquet, Cecile leads the children out to the courtyard to watch the fairies streaming into the trees, enchanting the forest once again. Emma links arms with her.
Final Addendum
A modern-day Cecile is typing at her computer. She recaps her dream adventure. Melchor missed his friends, returned to Belamor, and was helping out by turning lead into gold. In closing she adds, “Oh yes, and Luther—well, that’s another story!” A car horn honks and her mother’s voice calls to her. She grabs her backpack and bolts for the door.
Mystic Heroine Adventures - The Series
Cecile is a modern-day young girl who aspires to be a writer. And she is also a princess in the kingdom of Belamor. Well—at least she is in her dreams! But everything begins with a dream. And the lessons learned from adventures in the world of her imagination couldn’t be more real.
Book One: Cecile and The Spider Queen – Completed
A story about personal identity.
Cecile wakes up inside the hollow of an ancient tree. She is under a spell of forgetfulness and doesn’t know who or where she is. But she soon learns that she is being pursued by a beautiful and evil queen who has taken possession of Castle Belamor. And when she heroically decides to save the citizens from peril, she remembers that she is their princess.
Book Two: Cecile and The Treasures of Belamor – Completed
A story about personal power.
When earthquakes threaten to destroy her kingdom, Princess Cecile discovers a dragon in the caves under Castle Belamor awakening from five hundred years of slumber. She must decide whether to put the dragon back to sleep or lead him through three doors to freedom.
Book Three: - In process
A story about forgiveness.
Princess Cecile of Belamor finds that an unfortunate misinterpretation of events between two wizards has been the source of their strife, and the cause of problems besetting her kingdom. She traces the wizard’s journey back through time and discovers that they are brothers.
Book Four:
A love story.
In her dreams, Cecile has fallen in love with her best friend Jerome, and seeks to find him in her waking reality.
