Gemma Arterton

Fun Fictional Celebrity Story 

of

Gemma Arterton

from the movie "Hansel and Gretel"

Fifth

“Your highness, the queen would like to have tea with you.”

The dark-haired princess in her long lace gown, studded with rare Aruthian crystals turned to her servant and smiled. Her mother always made sure that they had tea together every afternoon. There were times when they did not have breakfast or dinner together because of important matters that the queen must attend to. But tea time was a mandate for both mother and daughter.

“My dear Nireya, come sit beside me,” Queen Haralah said as she motioned for her daughter to come close. “We have important matters to discuss.”

“You seem very happy, mother,” Nireya greeted as she bowed and lifted her mother’s hand just in front of her light, supple lips. She sat beside the queen while the servants prepared her tea and brought in the afternoon delicacies of berry custard cakes, cheese tarts, meat rolls, and egg custard pies. The tea was especially made for royalty—Jaressi tea—a rare tea that only grew at the top of the highest peak in Aruthia. It always took a month for servants to climb the mountain and harvest the tea leaf tips. Nireya smelled the sweet aroma of the Jaressi tea. It was their favorite. Nireya always poured fresh lamb’s milk into her cup while the queen added some fresh honey into hers. The princess looked up at her mother who was smiling at her as she chewed on a cheese tart.

“Nireya,” Haralah started. “I know the pressures of the crown are getting to you already and I don’t want to see you stressed.”

“It’s all right, mother,” Nireya said as she held her mother’s hand. “I’m your daughter and I know my present and future responsibilities.”

“That’s what I thought,” Haralah said. “And I know that you’re ready.”

Nireya silently watched the queen as she called for her maid. The faithful servant came closer and extended her hands that held a small, platinum chest that rested on a blue, silk pillow. Haralah opened the chest and revealed a platinum ring that embraced the most beautiful gem that Nireya has ever seen.

“This is the ring that was made for the fifth princess of Aruthia,” Haralah said as she picked up the ring and placed it in Nireya’s right forefinger. “It’s just a ring for now.”

Nireya looked at the ring in her finger. Its dark green glow changed to yellow, blue, and red when light passes through it.

“For the fifth princess,” Nireya repeated. “Why, mother? When was this ring forged?”

The queen stood up and walked to the aviary at the side of the palace garden. Nireya followed.

“All of the family rings were made millennia ago,” Haralah started. “Each ring possesses a power unique from the rest of the sister rings.”

Halarah turned and faced her daughter.

“Nireya, my dear,” Halarah said as she held her daughter’s hands. “As the fifth princess, you are the last to go and free your ring’s powers. When you do, you will have control of all the five rings of Aruthia. Once you have your ring’s powers, you must return and unite it with the past four rings of the past four princesses of Aruthia. By then, you will fulfill the prophecy.”

“What prophecy, mother?” Nireya asked. “The scholars never mentioned of a prophecy to me.”

“You will in time. For now, you should prepare for your quest,” Halarah said.

Nireya understood her mother’s tone. With that, she hurriedly went to her quarters and prepared her things. Before she slumbered that night, she prayed to the three guardian stars of Aruthia. The following morning, Nireya left even before the first sun rose. She wore a commoner’s clothes to camouflage herself in the woods. The princess was supposed to make it to the secret Aruthian lake before the third sun sets.

When Nireya made it to the Aruthian lake, an old woman was there. Nireya thought that she must have been over a century already.

“Welcome, fifth princess of Aruthia,” the woman greeted. “I am Feres—priestess and leader of the hidden tribe of the Aruthian lake.”

Just then, children came out from the darkness of the woods. There were only a handful of mature women and men. Nireya smiled at her welcome. Everyone walked with Feres and Nireya as they entered the forest.

“First, you rest. Then we start your training,” Feres said. Nireya respectfully nodded. The children gathered around Nireya as she walked. She was led to her cottage. Food, drink, and fresh tribal clothes were offered to her. Even if she brought her own clothes, she chose to wear the ones of the tribe. Nireya was invited to bathe in the warm springs that they prepared for her. Feres performed a blessing ceremony at the beginning of Nireya’s warm bath.  Before she came out of the spring, fragrant oils were rubbed on her. This was believed to awaken her inner strength and resilience. Feres said that it was part of her preparation for the awakening of her ring. That night, as the third moon rose, NIreya prayed to her ancestors and to the great serpent phoenix—Kaliv.

Nireya always believed that Kaliv watched over her. When she was just a little girl, she got lost in the woods at night when she tried to follow a small bunny late in the afternoon. It was pitch black. She didn’t know what to do. Nireya just managed to find a huge tree and sat on its roots. Suddenly, a wild tiger-boar came and snarled at the young princess. Its red eyes glowed in the dark. Just as the creature took its first step, a long streak of fire appeared in front of the scared Nireya. The tiger-boar ran in fear and never looked back. The long steak of fire was the serpent phoenix. It led Nireya out of the woods and disappeared under the bright moonlight.

“Be with me, serpent phoenix,” Nireya whispered before she slept. The three Aruthian moons shone brightly over the tribe. Feres was still awake and performed a cloaking spell over the entire forest. It was her responsibility to protect her tribe. As Feres gazed at the moons, she smiled at the new hope that Nireya brought to all of Aruthia. She just prayed that the Wedix won’t know about the fifth princess just yet.