Chapter 1: “The Princess Collector”
“There once was a princess named Allyson. She lived peacefully in her castle with her righteous provider, the king. Her king was a kind ruler, and princess Allyson did enjoy his company. But the world outside these walls was a much grander place, and it was imperative that the princess should one day venture out into the unknown, to explore, and to fulfill her destiny…“
“What was my destiny, Dad?”
“That’s something you’ll need to discover on your own someday.”
“It’s not in the story? I don’t remember hearing that part before,” said Allyson.
“That’s because it hasn’t been written yet. And someday, it will be. There will come a time when this story will be yours to write. In the meantime, let me finish this chapter,” her Father said with a grin.
“Okay, Dad.“
“But the princess had an enemy out there in the world, and that enemy did not want Allyson to leave the security of her home…”
“Polio,” said Allyson with a sad face.
“Polio,“ her Father nodded. “But the princess will someday defeat this enemy. And then she will be free to live her life the way she was intended to. With the help of her Father the king, and the medicine that he gives her, she will be strong enough to face that foe once and for all, and vanquish it.”
“But, what if she can’t?” Allyson asked.
“Bellingtons don’t say ‘can’t’,” her Father reminded her. “You can do anything you set your mind to.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you, Dad.”
“Oh, honey, you won’t. I only ask that you try your best, and you’ve always done that. Just never give up, okay?“
“I won’t,” she said, but with a hint of uncertainty.
“It’s okay if you don’t succeed,“ her Father added. “That’s not the only way to win. Not letting something beat you is also a win.“
Allyson looked a little puzzled as she pondered this logic. Then she finally said, “I think I understand.”
Her Father leaned over and brushed back her blonde bangs as he kissed her forehead. “You will. Someday, you will.”
“I love you, Dad.”
“And I love you, princess.”
Then he stood up and crossed the room, shutting off the light and leaving her door slightly ajar on his way out. He could hear Allyson whispering, so he stood quietly for a moment and listened, just to make sure she wasn’t talking to him. She wasn’t, so he retired to bed to do some light reading before sleep could take him.
Allyson lay on her side and spoke to her dolls, which were gathered in between the wall and the metal safety bar that prevented her from rolling off of the bed accidentally. The dolls are lined around her pillow, so she only needed to turn her head to see them. But tonight, they had her full attention, so she turned to speak to them directly. More specifically, she spoke to her favorite, Siobhan, while the rest only listened intently. Siobhan, who Allyson had named after her Mother, and which was also Allyson‘s middle name, was the most special of all her dolls. She was the only one who was an adult, for one. But she was also quite beautiful. She was dressed in a Victorian maroon dress, and with ivory lace and frills that stood out from her wrists and neckline. Her buttons were gold, as was her hair clip. And her lips and nails were colored in a striking deep shade of red. This was the last doll that her Mother had given to her before leukemia claimed her at the age of 32, so it was Allyson’s most cherished. Her Mother had given her one doll every year on Christmas, until her untimely death occurred, at which point her Father had continued the tradition. Now, Allyson has a total of seven dolls, and five of them are from her Mother.
Allyson understands why her Mother is gone. And she also understands the realities of death, as well as the concept of the afterlife. She also knows of the possibilities of Heaven and Hell. But as a child who grew up homeschooled, which was mainly due to her disability, she’s had no outside influences to sway her beliefs, and her Father has left it to her to decide what she wants the truth to be. This is what he taught her about faith. It wasn’t about what you read in books, or what you heard in church. Faith had everything to do with what’s in your own heart. And it’s your heart that should guide your path. But even though her Mother is gone from this world, and Allyson believes that her soul has been accepted into heaven, she still talks to her doll Siobhan as though it holds the spirit of her Mother. She believes that the dolls watch over her, protect her, and even offer her comfort when she is in distress or feeling lost. And after the day she’s had, she needed some guidance now.
—David Allen
Volkuros Prophesies 