The Unicorn Stone: Elena in the Land of Mirrios

By Rosemary May Davison

The land of Mirrios is terrorised by an evil necromancer who holds the land’s guardian, the silver-horned unicorn, Mirabelle, captive. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, Australia, a young girl, Helen, is being terrorised by school bullies. Through a magic door, Helen escapes into Mirrios where she becomes caught up in an adventure that helps her discover her own inner strength. There, she finds that a stone she once found in a creek near her home is really a message from Mirabelle. Helen, or Elena as she is called in Mirrios, meets a little gnome called Pea and his friend Cat, as well as an elf, Nancha, and a boy, Kam. Together, they set out on a quest to save Mirabelle. But, a Melbourne schoolgirl, an elf child, a young boy, a little gnome and a cat – how can any of them defeat the powerful necromancer and his evil goblins? How can they break into his mountain fortress and free Mirabelle from her chains?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Feb 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781035808120

Rosemary May Davison

Rosemary May Davison grew up, the fifth in a family of six children, in Glenroy, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Rosemary worked as a children’s librarian for many years until she received a diagnosis of MS, which eventually led to her early retirement. After traveling overseas several times, including a visit to her father’s birthplace in Birmingham, England, she now lives in a unit not far from Glenroy with a tabby cat named Jenny. She has always enjoyed writing and developed a love for fantasy ever since reading E. Nesbit’s books as a child. To be able to create such a magical world herself has been a lifelong ambition.

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About the Author

Rosemary May Davison grew up, the fifth in a family of six children, in Glenroy, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Rosemary worked as a children’s librarian for many years until she received a diagnosis of MS, which eventually led to her early retirement. After traveling overseas several times, including a visit to her father’s birthplace in Birmingham, England, she now lives in a unit not far from Glenroy with a tabby cat named Jenny. She has always enjoyed writing and developed a love for fantasy ever since reading E. Nesbit’s books as a child. To be able to create such a magical world herself has been a lifelong ambition.

Dedication

To all the children who are victims of school bullies: Stay strong. You are not alone.

Copyright Information ©

Rosemary May Davison 2024

The right of Rosemary May Davison to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781035808113 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781035808120 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2024

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I would like to acknowledge the help of Rachel Flynn who, in her CAE class many years ago, read the first draft, pointed out all the areas that needed improvement and encouraged me to keep writing. Also, thanks to Emma and Lucinda at Flying Pants Editing who, with their very encouraging words and helpful advice, enabled me to get my story up to submission standard. Finally, I would like to mention my niece, Sarah, and grandniece Olivia who, as teachers, gave me information about bullying behaviour in schools today.

Prologue

Once, in a remote corner of Mirrios, there lived a small gnome called Pea. He collected stones. Shining, bright stones that sparkled all colours of the rainbow. Soft-hued, warm stones, smooth-edged and round. He put the stones in a crystal bowl that his grandmother had given him and hid it in a secret place known only to him and Cat who, with his sparkling green eyes, knew the beauty of stones. And there they stayed. Only on clear moonlit nights, when the earth crackled and the air snapped with frost, would Pea and Cat go to the secret place and marvel at the stones.

Until, smelling their way, the goblins came. They smashed the crystal bowl into a thousand pieces in their greedy thieving of the bright stones. Then, Pea curled up amongst the twisted tree roots, deep in the rocky ground, and wept for long days and nights, Cat sitting tall and still beside him. But one stone, perhaps through a will of its own, slipped through clumsy goblin fingers, falling unseen into gently flowing water. One stone. The Unicorn Stone.

History of the land of Mirrios, Vol.12, p.xii

Chapter 1

Escape

Helen ran on, stumbling over the uneven bluestone blocks paving the laneway. She could still hear the squeals of laughter behind her, muffled, now, by the surrounding houses. She looked around for somewhere to hide then crouched in a shallow, recessed gateway. Her breath came in noisy gasps as she struggled to stop herself from crying. If they came this way, they would be able to hear her, she knew, and she tried to hold her breath. For a while, she couldn’t hear anything. They must’ve gone. She peered out into the lane and could just see the street. Two figures were walking past the entrance. It was Josie and another girl. Then a third appeared, hesitated and looked her way. She shrank back, quickly, but it was too late.

Oooh. Don’t go through the lane, the girl yelled. Helen is down there. You’ll catch mikyrobes. There was another loud burst of laughter and squeals as more girls ran past the entrance to the lane. Then, a small group turned back.

You’ll be OK if you cover your face. Helen recognised that voice. It was the big girl, Sasha or something. Helen watched as she and some of the others walked slowly down the laneway towards her, holding their hands in front of their faces, giggling. The last girl to pass ran over and pushed Helen, who fell back against the wall. Then, holding her hands out in front of her, palms out, that girl ran after the others, squealing: Oooh. Helen germs. Oooh. They’re all over me!

Helen was ten years old, small for her age, with a tangle of curly, light brown hair and hazel eyes. She was clever and had been popular with the kids at her old school. She loved learning new things and finding out the answers to interesting questions. Her dad said she took after her mum who taught science at the university. But she had just started at a new school and it was all different. The kids in grade five here never let her be part of their games and made fun of her, pointing and laughing when she tried to join in. Josie was the worst and the other girls just copied her.

If only she hadn’t told them yesterday about her mum’s work. The teacher had been talking about the world of tiny, microscopic things that live everywhere, how some could make you sick but most were very useful. Helen had said she knew about them because her mum was a microbiologist. They studied them. She had told the class about microbes, like the good bacteria, that lived all over your body. Now, Josie was going around telling everyone Helen had germs crawling all over her.

Helen picked herself up and brushed the dust off her pants. She was crying openly, now. It wasn’t fair.

Oh. Poor wittle Helly is cwying, a voice said nearby. We is such bad, bad girls. Helen looked up. Josie and a group of other girls had come back.

Don’t let her sneeze on you, another girl said, giggling. It was Miranda. She had thought Miranda liked her. Now, she was just as bad as the rest of them. Well, so what! She didn’t care. Tears were still blurring her eyes but she reached up to brush them away angrily with her clenched fists.

Why don’t you leave me alone? she whispered. Then she shouted, her voice wavering off key: I wish I’d never come to your stupid school! She adjusted the shoulder straps on her school bag, stood up and began walking home. The girls followed. Then, pushing roughly past her, they walked on ahead, chattering amongst themselves and occasionally turning to look back and laugh.

At the end of the lane, Helen turned the corner and began running the few blocks to her house. She walked quickly down the front path, pushed open the door, dropped her school bag on the floor and disappeared into her bedroom.

Is that you Munchkin? a man’s voice called. It was Dad, using the stupid baby name he always called her. Helen threw herself down on the bed and buried her face in the pillow.

What’s wrong, love? Her dad, a stocky, balding man with glasses had walked into the room. He sat down on the bed beside her and stroked her shoulder. Trouble at school?

They hate me. The kids there are horrible. All of them. Helen’s voice was muffled by the pillow.

Oh, when they get to know you better that will change. Just give it time.

"It won’t. They don’t like me. They pick on me. They’re just, just horrible."

When I was at school the kids used to pick on me, too. I don’t know why. They don’t have to have a reason. Kids like that just pick on anyone. Helen turned over and looked at her dad.

So, what did you do? she asked.

Well, said Dad with a smile. That’s a long story. He settled himself on the side of the bed, one arm around Helen’s shoulders. You see, I might look like a mild-mannered computer technician but, inside, I’m really a gigantic, ferocious ogre.

You are not, Helen said. She had stopped crying now and the corners of her mouth were curving up slightly.

Oh, yes. It just takes the smallest hint of nastiness and I turn into a gigantic monster. Grrr! Those bullies didn’t stand a chance. I leapt on them, opened my gigantic ogre mouth and swallowed them in one gigantic gulp.

You did not, Daddy, don’t be stupid. But Helen was smiling openly, now.

No, you’re right Munchkin. Of course, I didn’t swallow them. He gave Helen a squeeze. I spat them out straight away. They tasted awful. Like mouldy socks. Have you ever tasted mouldy socks? Blah! Yuk!

Helen burst into laughter and gave her dad a hug.

There’s my little girl, said Dad, hugging her back. I know its hard starting at a new school. Kids can be mean. It’s not your fault. I know you’re a strong girl but remember you’ve always got me and Mum here if things get bad. We’re here to help. It’s our job. And you’ve got good teachers at the school, too. We made sure of that. You can always talk to them. Just don’t worry. Things will settle down. Mum will be home soon and we’ll see what she thinks. Now, he said, standing up, would you like to help me make cheesy tuna pasta for tea? Helen smiled. Dad’s cheesy tuna pasta was her favourite.

The next day, Helen tried to get away from school early. Mum had said it might be a good idea to try to keep away from the nasty kids.

They’ll soon find some other poor kid to annoy, she said. It’s how bullies work. They just like bullying.

So, Helen thought that if she ran