Once Bellasini had finished putting on her roller blades, the trio resumed their journey along the trail through the Enchanted Forest, to the Palace.

 

Zac, hanging on to his little propeller driven cap, clung desperately to Bellasini’s shoulder, as she skated up front with Kuching, who lumbered along, head swinging from side to side, checking out every corner of the dark forest, for any new dangers, that may lay in wait for them.

 

As they continued along the path at breakneck speed, Bellasini tried to explain to Zac, how the clock in Gran’s library, seemed to have stood still, while she was in Virtasia.

 

Half way through her explanation, Book reappeared floating backwards at great speed in front of them, to explain that time did not really exist in Virtasia. Hence there was no relationship between time in Virtasia, and Reality. Furthermore, if she wanted to stay in Virtasia for three years, before returning home to Reality, she would find upon her return, only a few seconds would have ticked by in her world.

 

“So that means I can spend two days, or even two years, trying to mend Glitch’s evil ways here in Virtasia, and still get home for my birthday tonight,” posed Bellasini.

 

Book nodded yes.

 

“Oh! This is going to be so much fun!” shouted Bellasini, picking up even more speed on her roller blades.

 

“Princess be careful!” shouted Zac. “There’s a…..”

 

But it was too late.

 

Book floating in front of her, had hidden from Bellasini’s view, a large pothole.

 

Her roller blades hit the hole, causing her to tumble off the path, down a steep bushy gully.

 

Over and over, she tumbled.

 

It seemed as if she was never going to stop.

 

Further, and further, down the embankment through one bush after the next, before finally coming to rest, at the edge of a dark, dingy, foul smelling swamp.

 

“You must be Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Bellasini of Virtasia,” proclaimed a tiny voice from inside the gloom.

 

Still stunned from her fall, Bellasini immediately stood, and began to search for the source of this strange, hauntingly familiar voice, which seemed to come from everywhere, yet nowhere, at the same time.

 

“I’m down here,” bellowed the tiny voice.

 

Bellasini glanced down, to find a small grey haired old man, that would barely have measured to her knees, calmly sitting on a rock near her feet. Wearing spectacles on the end of his small nose, he in no way looked familiar, but she was sure she had heard his voice before.