1.

The Waking Beauty

We begin a new series that updates a very old fairytale. We follow the
fortunes of Princess Talia who fell asleep sometime in the Middle Ages, and
now wakes up in the middle of a tutorial at Oxford University.
The plot arose from asking the question: if you had slept for hundreds of
years, where is the one place that might not have changed very much?
Bertie thought that it would probably be an Oxford College where very
little ever changes. The trick has been to write a story about college
students that will appeal to a slightly younger audience. Let us know what
you think!
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Sally was just longing ingin for her parents to leave. It had been very kind
of them to drive her up to her new college, but now she had been
smothered ditahan and mothered diasuh quite enough. After 18 years, she
had received all the advice she needed about her hot water bottle, her
vitamin pills, and her beauty sleep.
And just one word before we go, said Mum as she held both her
daughters hands tightly, dont ever turn down an invitation to a party,
you never know who you might meet, especially in a place like this.
When her parents stepped out through the door of the Porters Lodge and
back into the real world of light, noise, and pollution, Sally turned around
and looked at the honey coloured stone of Westerly College. For almost
800 years, students had walked around the quadrangle alun-alun segi

empat, past melewati the dining hall aula makan, the chapel kapel, and
the doors that opened onto creaky staircases tangga rumah. Very little had
changed down the centuries. The only discernible terlihat evidence of the
modern world was the faintest rumbling gemuruh of traffic from the street
beyond diluar the college walls.
Its just like a fairy tale, thought Sally to herself, like a castle in an
enchanted memikat wood hutan that has been asleep for centuries.
She went back to her room and lay on her narrow sempit, lumpy tidak
halus bed. Suddenly she felt restless resah. Was her new life to consist
terdiri of these four oak panelled berpanel walls? The spirits of all the
students who had lived in this room down the centuries were not much
company. For a moment or two, she even missed her parents. She
resolved menetapkan hati not to be lonely. She got up, went out of her
room, and tapped on mengetuk her neighbours door.
This is the knock of destiny, she said to herself, perhaps the door will
be opened by an Arabian prince, or perhaps by the daughter of a postman.
Either way, I have this feeling that we will be lifelong friends.
But no reply came from within dalam. Whoever he or she might be was
out, no doubt hobnobbing bergaul with brilliant and fascinating
mengagumkan friends. Sally went back to listen to The Killers on her mp3
player.
The next day, she knocked on the door of her tutor and, as it was half
open already, she entered his room. She saw two boys sitting on chairs,
and a girl stretched out on the sofa with her nose buried terpendam in a
cushion bantal. The boys were in jeans and t-shirts that hardly matched
the black academic gowns draped terjuntai on their backs. The sleeping
girl wore a purple velvet beludru dress, embroidered disulam with a rich
pattern of leaves and exotic birds. Her auburn pirang hair rolled down her
face in ringlets ikal kecil. Her arm dropped limply dengan elastis down to
the floor. A bracelet clustered dikerumuni with jewels dangled terjuntai on
her wrist pergelangan tangan. Her expression was of serene tenang
innocence.
One of the boys smiled at Sally and put his finger over his lips to say,
Shshsh.
TO BE CONTINUED-chal
Two more students arrived before their dome-headed, woolly-jumpered
tutor appeared out of what looked like a cupboard, but was probably a
door to a side room. His name was P. J. Partridge and he knew more about
an Alexandrian writer called Achilles Tatius than anyone who had ever
lived, unless you count Achilles Tatiuss own mother. Mr Partridge twitched
his nose at a first year Classics student and asked, Are we all here?

Sally judged that this would be an ideal moment for somebody to give the
sleeping girl a prod, but nobody was up to the venture. If this had been
school, the teacher would have woken her up pretty sharpish, in fact a
mere yawn would have been worthy of a rebuke, but Mr. Partridge just
ignored her. It wasnt clear if he hadnt noticed the girl on the couch, or he
was too shy to make a fuss about anyone who cared to sleep while he was
giving out his wisdom.
When the tutor had finished handing out the terms reading list, there was
a general shuffling and stirring as students slid notebooks into rucksacks
and briefcases. The girl slumbered on as if she meant to snooze for
another 100 years.
Sally asked nobody in particular, Is she okay?
Well she cant stay here, said Mr. Partridge, Im out to lunch. A tall
youth, who would have been extremely good looking if it wasnt for his
acne scars, went over to the couch and gently put his hand on her
shoulder. He tried to stir her to no effect.
Sally suggested, Perhaps the way to wake a sleeping beauty is with a
kiss? and the boy said:
Right. Ill plant one on her. He knelt on one knee and pressed his lips to
her pale cheek. The girls mouth smiled gently, lovingly.
My Prince, she said.
Wakie, wakie, said the boy.
The girl hooked her arm around his head and pulled him towards her face.
Woooooh! chorused three or four voices.
She sat up and stared intensely at the youthful faces, and then at the
tutors. Her eyes were blue and glacial and Sally thought that if she gazed
at you long enough, she might freeze you into an ice sculpture.
And who are these peasants? she demanded to know.
There was nervous laughter among the students, and most people started
to leave. Only Sally, the Sleeping Beauty, and the boy who had kissed her
lingered on. Mr. Partridge started to usher them too out of the door. The
face of the recently awoken girl wore a dark, but nonetheless beautiful,
frown.
Im Basil, said the kisser, as they stood on the dimly lit landing.
Prince Basil? asked the girl. He shook his head. Sir Basil?

Nope. Just Basil.

Oh.
They went downstairs and out into the daylight of the quadrangle. The
girls blue eyes searched up and down the walls and ran along the
battlements as if she was looking for some detail or hidden clue.
Is it a monastery? she asked.
No its a college, said Basil bemused.
Arent you an undergraduate here? enquired Sally.
The girl looked like she was trying to understand the question.
Im not sure, she replied.
Well lets find out, said Basil. And he led the way to the Porters Lodge.
Whats your name? he asked on the way.
Talia, that is, Princess Talia, said the girl, and Sally thought:
Shes bonkers. I bet shes just making that up. She noticed that several
people were staring at Talia. She was certainly striking, and somewhat
overdressed for a student on the first day of term.
Basil examined the pigeon holes. Sure enough, there was one marked
Princess Talia. He reached in and pulled out a scrolled parchment with a
waxen seal.
Youve got mail, he said as he handed it to her. He asked the porter for
Princess Talias address, and was directed to room 7 on staircase 14.
Sally offered to walk the princess to her room because, as it happened,
she was her neighbour. Basil took his leave of the girls, and Talia gave him
a nod that was so slight that perhaps only a true princess could have
managed it.
Sally tried to make conversation on the way to staircase 14. She asked
Talia where she went to school.
I didnt, said Talia.
And who are your parents?
Why the King and Queen.
Of which country?
This one or at least I think so. Im not really sure about anything
anymore. Sally do you mind if I ask you a personal question?

Sally blushed. Go ahead, she said with some trepidation.

Dont you feel a little bit odd here? I mean, its pretty unusual for a girl to
be a student. At least, I always understood it was something boys did.
Sally laughed, No I think its perfectly normal. I mean, maybe in our
grandparents time it was a little more unusual, but now why girls are
smarter than boys, arent they?
Well yes, said Talia, I agree with you about that of course.
She opened to the door to her room with the key that the porter had given
her. If Sally had hung onto any doubts about Talia being a real princess,
she lost them now. Her room was five or six times the size of her own. It
was filled with the rich scent of roses. A four-poster bed was strewn with
rich coverlets and silken cushions. One wall almost looked as if it was a
window onto a garden, but in fact it was draped with a tapestry depicting
trees and birds. The actual window was a large bow one, with a seat
looking onto the quad. The floor was covered with a flowery carpet. Sally
wandered in after Talia.
Can you play that? she asked, as Talia ran her fingertip over the ornate
frame of a harp.
Of course, said Talia, I have the gift of music. She sat on the stool, and
her fingers began to playfully pluck a tune. The music seemed to chase
the frown off her face and she looked like she might be capable of being
quite pleasant.
Sally picked up a jewelled ornament from the table. May I? she asked,
and Princess Talia answered, still playing, that she had no idea what it was.
Why its your mobile phone! exclaimed Sally. It was the most ornate one
she had ever seen. Talia did not seem to register the comment. She was
lost in the music. Sally quietly left the room and lay on her bed next door
listening to the delightful notes as they rang from the fingers of her most
peculiar neighbour.
Well, she thought, Ive met a princess. Not bad for the first day of term.
I wonder if we shall be friends? And although they came from completely
different worlds, and the princess, no doubt, belonged to a glamorous set,
Sally felt certain that it was no mere chance, but fate, that had brought
them together.

2. The Unpopular Beauty

This is the second part in our Awaking Beauty series which began here. If
you heard the first part, youll know that Princess Talia has woken up
somewhat confused. She is a student at an ancient college, but shes not
quite sure how she got there. In this episode we will find out how she fits
into her new surroundings.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Ancient rules governed the conversation over dinner at Westerly College.
For instance, it was forbidden to discuss the paintings on the wall or
women who were not present. At least one of those diktats was being
thoroughly broken that night, for the gossip on all the Freshers lips was of
the princess who slept through tutorials and who called her fellow
undergraduates peasants.
The Rector of the college stood up at the High Table and declared the Latin
grace:

Benedictus benedicat.
And just as the first course of watery soup was being served a dark,
beautiful woman clad in a long scholars gown strode into the hall. On her
chest she wore a star glittering with diamonds. Nobody was in doubt about
who she was. She headed for the High Table, but was directed by one of
the scouts, a servant who looked as old as the college, to sit with the other
undergraduates.
She picked up a bent, stainless steel spoon and stared at it with disdain.
When she tried the soup she wrinkled her nose with disgust.
This is not fit for the pigs, she declared.
There was many a sly grin, and even a chuckle around the hall.
Sally was seated at the other end of the table from Talia. A Law student
asked her:
You do Classics with the princess dont you? Is she as snooty as she
seems?
Not really, said Sally, I think shes just lost. Shes never had to mix with
us commoners, I expect.
But there were few people present who took so charitable a view of the
princess. Who does she think shes impressing with her diamonds? was
typical comment among the girls. And as for the boys, most were far too
shy to talk to such a stunning beauty, let alone to a princess.
But Basil, who was seated opposite Her Royal Highness, or HRH as they
had already started to call her behind her back, was not afraid to speak to
Talia. After all, he had already woken her with a kiss.
Princess, he said, are you feeling less sleepy now?
Princess Talia fixed him with her blue gaze.
Is that your idea of a joke? she asked.
No, its a polite question.
Good, because I do not find it funny, she replied. And then she tried
another spoonful of soup and spluttered it back into the bowl. She
muttered, Will somebody please cut off the wretched cooks head, and
she left the table, grabbing a piece of bread as she went.
At about three in the morning, harp music drifted into Sallys
consciousness. Next door, Talia began to sing, sweetly and sadly. It was
hard to make out the words, as they sounded like they were in old English,
but she did catch alas and woe.

Sally gently knocked on the princesss door, and heard the response from
within:
You may enter.
The song is sad this time, said Sally, as she came into the richly
furnished room which was lit by a candelabra of scented wax tapers. She
was sure that candles must be an illegal fire risk even toasters were
banned.
That is because I am sad, replied the princess, now resting her head
against her harp.
Will you tell me why? asked Sally.
I miss my parents.
Where are they?
Dead.
Oh I see. Im sorry, said Sally. And she asked if the princess wanted to
tell her more about it.
It is not a secret, said Talia, I looked it up in the Library. They died of the
sleeping sickness. And I myself have slept for around a thousand years.
Now, strange to say, I am not tired, and so I sit and play music. I hope that
I am not disturbing you.
But Sally did feel disturbed, spookily disturbed. She shivered, Thats not
funny, she said, you shouldnt joke about your parents being dead.
It is no joke, said the princess, I read it in a story.
And when Sally went back to her room, she could not sleep, not because
of the music, but because she could not forget the creepy conversation.
Next time somebody asked her what Princess Talia was really like, she
replied, Strange.
***
Basil was Talias tutorial partner. He said that she wrote her essays in a
beautiful manuscript hand, and when their tutor asked her a question, she
replied the first time in Ancient Greek, before switching to Latin and finally
English.
PJ is in love with her, he joked. PJ was their tutor, and although he was
not in love with her, he was in awe of his new scholars beauty and
brilliance. In fact, he hardly paid any attention to Basil during the tutorial.
Afterwards, when Basil asked her how she had learned to speak Latin and

Ancient Greek fluently, she shrugged her shoulders and said Why? I have
the gift of languages. I read all of Homer when I was eight years old.
At the end of the first week of term, Sally received a visit in her room from
her royal neighbour. Talias gaze passed over the unmade bed with an old
teddy lying on the pillow, the headphones, the illegal toaster, the lipstick
stained teacups, the books piled on the floor, and the clothes lingering in
heaps.
I see your scout has not been to clean up, she commented. And Sally
explained that she came later in the morning, to allow her to sleep in until
ten oclock.
I have a letter from my godmother, went on the princess. She says I
must use this card and a secret code to obtain money. Do you understand
this thing? and she showed her a black plastic bank card.
Sure, said Sally, you stick it in the hole in the wall. And when Talia
looked baffled, she offered to come with her to the bank and show her how
to use it.
As they stepped out of the college, a bicycle shot by.
Woh! said Talia, quite alarmed.
I know. They arent supposed to ride on this street, said Sally. Look a
policeman is stopping him. The narrow street was busy, as always, with
people walking up and down, their footsteps and conversations echoing
around the ancient stones. At the end they turned onto the shopping
street with its rumbling of traffic. Talia tugged on Sallys sleeve.
I cant go on, she said. This quest is too frightening for me, and she
turned back to the college. Sally wondered if the princess was suffering
from something like agoraphobia.
Later in the Junior Common Room, a small group of students were
discussing the subject of Princess Talia, not for the first time, while
lounging with cups of cocoa.
Shes just putting on an act to seek attention, said Jennie, who was a
scraggy English Lit. student. Matt, on whose shoulder Jennie was resting
her head, asked, Shes princess of where did you say? But nobody knew
where Talia was from. Jennie suggested, In all probability shes from
Essex.
They did not realise that Princess Talia was in the room and had overheard
their conversation.
No, I am not from Essex, she said as she loomed over them, richly
dressed and bejewelled as usual. I am from Wessex.

Oh youre a Wessex girl, said Matt.

I would thank you not to be so rude to your betters, replied the princess.
And do not gossip about me, if you do not wish your tongue to be cut
out.
Is she for real? asked Jennie when Talia was gone.
Im afraid she is, said Matt.
Princess Talia needed money to buy food, because she couldnt stand the
stuff they served up in the hall, but she was still terrified of stepping
outside onto the street. Finally, she resolved her dilemma by entrusting
her black bank card and her secret number to Sally, who withdrew 50
from the machine, and then visited the covered market to buy walnut
bread, pheasant pt, Roquefort cheese, fresh plums, apricots, and other
delicacies. She presented the basket of food, and the remaining money, in
the form of a handful of coins and some smoothly rolled banknotes, to
Talia. The princess examined the notes with great curiosity.
This parchment is valuable? she asked, are you sure?
Why yes, said Sally, its a twenty pound note.
And who is this? asked the princess, pointing to the portrait of a lady on
the note.
Why the Queen.
I must meet her, said Talia with determination, will you arrange it for
me, Sally? Her eyes were full of such intensity that she seemed almost
crazy. Sally, quite bemused, replied, Sure Ill just text Lizzy right now.
She too was now wondering if Talia was for real, and when the next day
Talia met her in the quad and demanded to know if the Queen had agreed
to meet her, Sally couldnt help exclaiming that her friend must be off her
head if she really thought that she could fix a tte--tte with the
monarch. Talia flew into a rage and said, Dont speak to me in that tone
as if I am some sort of mad woman. Its quite clear that I cant rely on you
to do the smallest thing for me. Ill ask somebody efficient to make this
arrangement. In fact, Ill ask my godmother, even though I only do that as
a last resort, but this is a last resort.
Sally was quite shaken by this outburst. If it wasnt obvious that the
princess was off her head, she would have been more angry with her.
Anyway, it made an amusing story over dinner when she told Jennie and
Matt that Talia expected to see the Queen.

The following Friday, a sleek black car drew up into the back quad and a
smart man in a suit stepped out and went to fetch Talia from her room.
The limousine brought her back the following afternoon.
I met your Queen, said Talia when she saw Sally, but I didnt think much
of her. Oh she was perfectly polite, but she didnt seem to know who I was,
and she couldnt help me one little bit. It was a waste of time. But at least
Im not afraid of automobiles anymore. In fact, now I have been inside one,
I see that they are most convenient, and far better than a horse in every
respect. I shall ask my godmother to make one available for me at all
times.
And after that, there was always a black car waiting in the quad for
Princess Talia. She hardly ever used it, and the drivers who worked in
shifts, either slept on the back seat or took walks around the college. The
students thought they were quite sinister. They never took their jackets
off, and Basil reckoned that they packed guns in holsters under their arms.
The black cars and the body guards were pretty convincing, even to the
most sceptical scholars. Nobody in college now doubted that Princess Talia
was for real but who she really was, remained a mystery.
And that was the second episode in our new series, the Awaking Beauty.
Well be following Princess Talia through her time as a student at Westerly
College, and well find out if the real princess manages to adjust to the
real world.

3. The Polite Princess

The Polite Princess is none other than Princess Talia of our Awaking
Beauty series set in a college at Oxford University. Her friend Sally is a big
supporter of Liverpool Football Club and Talia is drawn into watching a
match on TV with other students.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
I have mentioned before that Princess Talia did not often eat in the college
dining hall. She did not think highly of the colleges catering, and she
preferred to eat her own food in her room. One evening, for some reason,
perhaps she had run out of smoked salmon or quails eggs, or perhaps she
just wanted some company, she decided to visit the hall. She wore a black
evening dress, a string of pearls, and her long scholars gown, and this
combination made her look her most dark and mysterious. She almost
seemed like a beautiful shadow.
She sat down at the oak table just opposite Sally. As Sallys academic
gown was open at the front you could see that underneath it, she was
wearing her bright red Liverpool Football Club t-shirt. Princess Talia peered
at the Football Clubs badge, which depicted a proud griffin with a leaf in
its beak. It was the symbol known as the Liverbird.

Sally, is that your familys coat of arms? she asked.

The student sitting next to Sally laughed, and for a moment Sally
wondered if Talia was joking, but then she remembered that the princess
often said the strangest things, and rarely in jest.
Well sort of, said Sally. Actually its not my familys coat of arms. Its my
football teams. But I suppose you could say that we supporters of
Liverpool are like a big family and this is our coat of arms.
Oh, said Talia, somewhat puzzled, why would you want to support
Liverpool?
Because Im from Liverpool, and theyre my team. But you can see for
yourself. Theres a big match this evening, and were going to watch it in
the TV room. Come along. Have a laugh. You could lighten up a bit.
Could I? Oh. In that case Id better come with you, and have a laugh, as
you say.
The TV room was crowded with mostly male students. You wouldnt really
have taken them for the elite of Britains young minds. They bayed,
growled, and squawked at the television in a variety of accents ranging
from public school posh to rural regional.
The players from Liverpool and AC Milan were running around a large flat
panelled screen on the wall. Talia was clearly intrigued by the sight. She
remarked to Sally:
I have seen a moving picture like this once before.
Have you? replied Sally, who was used to going along with Talias odd
trains of thought.
Yes, but only once. The Wizard Merlin himself demonstrated it to me in
his cave.
That was nice of him, said Sally, hoping nobody else was listening to the
strange conversation.
And I have seen village boys playing this game with a pigs bladder.
Good for you.
When the referee showed a yellow card to a Liverpool player, the scholarly
supporters in the room were shaking their fists and gesturing at him. Sally
screeched at the screen:
Aww come off it ref. He tripped over a daisy!

and Talia exclaimed:

No Sally, the yokel in a red shirt kicked him in the shin.
Sallys eyes blazed with fury and she turned to Talia and blurted out:
That yokel is Steve Gerrard and he did no such thing!
Talia was quite taken aback. Well if you say so, Sally, but I saw it
differently.
Later when Gerrard powered the ball into the back of the net, the ref.
disallowed the goal as offside. The students were apoplectic.
Talia said, I dont see what all the fuss is about? Its only a game.
Jonathan Miles, the English scholar, flew into a rage. What do you mean
its only a game? Its football. Its more beautiful than poetry, music and
love.
Well I dispute that, said Talia. Poetry, music and love tend to elevate
the human condition. This sport seems to bring out the animal spirits.
The student of English was lost for words. Sally said, Talia, he was just
joking, sort of.
And Talia replied, I knew that. My fairy godmother gave me the gift of
laughter. Ha Ha! Yes, thats a very funny remark.
And somebody said, Shes quite cuckoo isnt she? And somebody else
said, Perhaps she should see the doctor.
At the end the match, AC Milan went through to the final on goal
difference. When it was all over the students did not seem to mind too
much that their team hadnt done well enough, proving perhaps that Talia
was right when she had said it was only a game. As Talia and Sally
walked back to staircase where their rooms were located, the princess
remarked:
I dont know about you, but I find that manners in this college are not
quite what they could be.
And Sally laughed because it was true of course, but then again, how did
she expect students to behave? Talia went on, You know Sally, you could
help me by using my correct title. I believe that if you called me Princess
it might set a good example and instil a bit of respect in the others.
Sally didnt like this idea. But were friends arent we? Dont friends call
each other by first names?

Certainly you may use my first name, but titles are also useful as part of
a correct form of address. You may call me Princess Talia out of respect
for our friendship.
And not for the first or last time, Sally was not entirely sure if her friend
was joking or not. She hoped that this was just a passing whim of Talias
and would soon be forgotten. Over the next few days she continued to call
her Talia just as before. The princesss face did not show any sign of
annoyance, but then she wore very few expressions apart from her
perfectly composed, beautiful, but inscrutable look. However, Sally soon
learned that Talia had not forgotten her desire to be addressed as
Princess. At the next meeting of the Junior Common Room which was a
sort of student union for undergraduates at the college Talia tabled a
motion that The JCR supports the use of titles as the correct form of
personal address at all times within the college. When Sally read the
motion on the agenda for the meeting she immediately went to see Talia
in her room and begged her to withdraw it.
Dont you realise, theyll just laugh at you? pleaded Sally. Those
meetings can be pretty rough. Youll make yourself look like a stuck-up
toff. Theyll rip you apart.
But Princess Talia insisted that she would stand up for what she believed
in, and she didnt care what the rabble said about her.
Oh dear friend, said Sally. You badly need a sense of humour. You just
cant see when you are making yourself ridiculous, can you?
Thank you once again Sally for your commentary on the defects of my
personality, said Talia. But as my friend you might show a little more
support for a matter that is close to my heart.
And Sally went back to her room wondering whether her friendship with
Talia would last the evening.
The Junior Common Room met later on. Jay Beckham, the chair person of
the JCR, called on Talia to propose her motion.
Some wag called out, Shouldnt that be Princess Talia? and there was
general laughter.
Indeed it should, said the princess as she stood up. And Sally was
impressed by the way her friend used her voice to cut through the noise of
the rabble without any apparent effort on her part. She also noticed that
both male and female students were all looking fairly interestedly at her
her beauty undoubtedly commanded attention.
Please forgive me if I appear somewhat nervous, she said. I am unused
to speaking at meetings. And although she looked anything but nervous,

this plea won her just a slightly more sympathetic hearing than you might
have expected.
Madam Chairperson. Honourable members of the Junior Common Room.
Some might say that titles are old fashioned, that they are, perhaps, a
touch formal for our age. And indeed they are formal. But you will also
notice that they are in use every day all the time. We might call our tutor
Doctor, we might call the person who cleans our rooms Mrs. we might
call the college porter Mr. but we address each other as Mic or Jim or
Jen. Why should I not respect my fellow students enough to use Good
Sir. or Mr. or Miss. or even Ms. although that title is strange to my
ears. I suggest that this innovation would have a civilising effect on the
college society and would pay dividends overnight. I foresee that if we
respect ourselves and each other in speech we shall dress better, behave
better, study better, and yes, enjoy ourselves better too.
After Talia sat down, three students spoke one after the other saying that
Talias proposal was outrageously snobbish, undemocratic, and elitist. But
then Dave Heathcott spoke in favour saying that a return to the age of
courtesy and chivalry would indeed make the college a better place to live
and study in. Dave was a popular figure, known for his wit and
independent thought. He swayed a lot of people to Talias side. In fact,
when it came to a show of hands, the JCR voted two thirds in favour of the
motion though Sally wasnt quite sure how many people supported the
motion as a joke or in full seriousness.
The news that the undergraduates of Westerly College had voted in favour
of using titles soon spread around the university. A photographer from the
student newspaper came to photograph Princess Talia in her room and her
picture appeared on the front page of The Cherwell with the caption: The
Polite Princess.
It was an impressive photograph, showing Princess Talia sitting at her
golden harp looking like a classical muse.
The newspaper reported the debate in detail and quoted from students
who were for and against the motion. For a few days afterwards some
people did call each other Miss. or Mr. or indeed Princess but only
with an ironic smile on their lips. A week later the motion was all but
forgotten.
But the newspaper story had certainly put Princess Talia on the social map
of the university. It wasnt long before she started to receive callers. Chaps
in blazers and girls in pearls came to her door to introduce themselves.
Invitations start to stack up on her mantelpiece. She started to go out at
night to parties. Sally realised that Talia had joined the posh set where she
probably best fitted in. She no longer felt comfortable going to knock on
her neighbours door. She felt uneasy when she saw her former friend, and
walked by on the other side of the quad to avoid her.

Oh well, she thought. My mother told me that I probably wouldnt keep

the friends I made in my first term. And I think thats proving right
already.
And that was third part of our Awaking Beauty series. If you would like to
know if Talia and Sally become friends again, then look out for the next
episode. In the meantime you can find loads more classic and original
stories on Storynory.com. And if you feel like supporting Storynory, you
can find a donate button on our site, or you can buy our iPhone app from
the Apple store. For now, from me and Elizabeth, goodbye.

4. The Princess Who Had a Heart

This, the fourth part of our Awaking Beauty series, sees Princess Talia in
rather a different and unexpected light. Princess Talia is now moving in her
own high circles, and Sally, her first friend at Westerly College Oxford, is
rather regretting that she does not see so much of her anymore. But then
Sally receives some bad news
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
It was Saturday night. Sally sat in her room trying to decipher a sentence
of Ancient Greek written by the historian Thucydides. It went on and on
and on, clause after clause, for an entire page. Just this one sentence was

ten times worse than the most horrible homework assignment she had
ever had to to do at school.
This is mental torture, protested Sally to herself, its against my human
rights. Only a sadist could write a sentence like that.
Music added to her torment. She could hear it playing from at least three
different rooms around the quad. Saturday night parties going on. Parties
to which she was not invited.
At 9 pm she heard a knock on the door. But it was her neighbours door.
There were exclamations of Princess! and You look simply sumptuous
darling! Talias new friends had come to collect her for an evening of
socialising. Sally thought:
Not long ago, I felt sorry for her because she didnt have any friends. Now
its me who is Miss. Lonely-locks.
Sally went to bed, and she dozed fitfully. She heard Princess Talia slip back
into her room at some unearthly hour like five in the morning. But even
then her neighbour did not sleep. She sat at her harp playing music. The
gentle, almost magical notes helped Sally to finally drift off.
In the past, Sally and Talia had enjoyed meeting for cups of tea. Or to be
more precise, Sally drank tea from a mug while Talia sipped water. But it
had been at least three weeks since they had exchanged more than a
passing hello and three weeks was almost half the time they had
known each other. Talia was the strangest person that Sally had ever met,
and yet for some reason she felt that she had known her all her life and
now there was a hole in her life. She missed her odd remarks and strange
views. But she thought it was perhaps for the best. After all, Princess Talia
was entirely wrapped up in her own selfish concerns, and had little
thought for others. It was hardly a solid basis for a friendship.
It was a piece of misfortune that drew them back together. Their tutor, P. J.
Partridge, called a meeting of all six Classics undergraduates. While he
was discussing their reading list, Sallys phone rang. She blushed bright
red and fumbled to turn it off. Their tutor, who did not even own a mobile
phone, gave her his sternest glance of disapproval. After the meeting,
Sally stood in the quad listening to her message. When she had played it,
Talia came up to her and said:
Sally, you look so upset. Have you received bad news? Sally was
surprised that the princess had even noticed her, let alone seen how she
was feeling. And yes, it was true. She had received bad news. Her mother
had rung to say that her father had been rushed to hospital in an
ambulance. In fact Sally was in a state of shock. It was the first time it had
occurred to her that her dad might not live for ever.

Talia said, Sally, my car is at your disposal. The driver will take you to the
hospital where your father is.
But hes miles away, in Liverpool, replied Sally.
Never mind. Take it for as long as you need. I will inform Dr. Partridge
what has happened.
And while she was speaking, she removed a silver chain from around her
neck. Its setting clasped a blue-green stone. Talia told Sally that her father
must wear the necklace. The stone would change colour to blood red
because he was ill. As his condition improved, it would turn first to pink,
then gradually back to its former colour. And whats more, it will protect
him from harm and speed his recovery, added Talia. Trust me Sally. No
harm can come to the one who wears this stone. It was given to me by my
godmother on the day of my christening, and has protected me from great
evil.
Sally was in such a state that she did not question her friend about the
stone. She hugged her with thanks, and ran up to her room to pack her
bag. Quarter of an hour later she sank into the leather back seat of Talias
black limousine.
Sally spent most of her first twenty four hours at hospital sitting in the
chair by her fathers bed. He made light of all the wires and tubes that
were fastened to his body. She began to think that perhaps it was all just a
scare after all. While he dozed, she read Thucydides with surprising clarity.
Towards evening, the doctor spoke to Sally and her mother out in the
corridor. He was clearly concerned. The x-rays had shown a worrying
shadow. Her mother cried and Sally had to be strong to comfort her. It was
only the next day that she recalled the necklace that Talia had given her.
She fished it out of her bag and looked into the mysterious stone. The blue
colour seemed to grow lighter as she held it in her hand.
Thats because Im feeling stressed and tired and my mouth is dry, she
thought. And then, Oh come off it! Im not going to start believing this
superstitious stuff am I? and finally, Well it cant do him any harm, can
it?
And while her father dozed, she gently lifted his head and fastened the
necklace around his neck. She tucked the stone under the collar of his
hospital pyjamas, seeing as she did so that it was already turning quite
red. There were so many strange things attached to her dad, that when he
awoke, he didnt even notice that he was wearing one more accessory.
After a week, Sally was back in college, looking far more cheerful. Her
father had dumbfounded the doctors. All his vital signs had bounced back
into full health, and the worrying shadow had faded away.

When Sally returned the necklace to her friend she said, I dont know if
its my state of mind, but at this rate Ill start believing in magic.
And Talia replied, Why Sally! Of course you must believe in magic.
Otherwise, how do you think I arrived here? Theres no other explanation,
is there?
And frankly, there was no other explanation, unless Talia was quite mad,
and Sally was swiftly catching up with her insanity.
Two weeks went by, and Sallys dad was not only back at home, but back
at work, back jogging in the mornings, and according to her mum, he
looked twenty years younger.
If thats what a good rest and hospital food does for you, then I think I
might check myself into intensive care, said her mum on the phone.
It was the final Saturday of the first term at college, and Sally was getting
ready to go out with Basil and Doug for a pizza. There was an unexpected
knock on the door, her door, not her neighbours. She heard a familiar
voice:
Sally, may I come in?
It was Princess Talia. Sally leapt across the room and opened the door.
Talia came in and sat on the end of her rumpled bed. She wrung her hands
and looked quite intense, even by her usual standards. At last she said:
Sally, you are friends with Basil, arent you?
And Sally said that yes, she was friends with Basil.
Good friends?
Yes, I think you could say we are good friends.
Are you more than just good friends.
And Sally laughed and said, No, were just good friends.
Ah, said Talia, because you see. Im not friends at all with Basil. In fact, I
dont think he even notices me.
Of course he notices you, said Sally, all the boys notice you. Some of
them stare at you like you were a goddess or something.
But not Basil, said Talia sadly.
And Sally was amazed, because at last she had found a chink in the
princesss armour of supreme indifference and serenity. She invited her to
join them for dinner, and the princess thanked her from the bottom of her
heart.

Sally thought, you look a touch overdressed for The Sunny Pizza Palace
but never mind, Im sure Basil will appreciate your charms.
Talia went back to her room to change. When they met twenty minutes
later, Sally was amazed to see that the princess was wearing jeans albeit
ones with a designer label. When the boys joined them, Basils smile at
learning of the surprise fourth member of their party gave the game away.
Hes pretty pleased to see her, Sally thought, and she felt an
unexpected pang of jealousy.

5. The Timeless Beauty

Our Awaking Beauty, Princess Talia, goes out for the evening with her
fellow students at college. She becomes upset when the conversation
turns to time. She tells them how she feels so lost because she has
slipped through time. The others find it hard to understand and think
that shes stranger than ever. But then Basil has the weirdest experience
that perhaps lets him know how she must feel.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Hello, my names Mario, and Ill be your waiter tonight.
Sally ordered a Margarita pizza, Basil a Florentina, and Doug an
Americana. Princess Talia studied the menu closely.

And Id like pheasant, she said.

The waiter looked puzzled. Talia thought again, Oh, I can see, you dont
have that do you? er Dover Sole what, no fish? well Ill have steak
and chips for goodness sake, oh Sally, what sort of restaurant is this?
Its a pizza restaurant, said Sally, you have to have pizza.
And what else to they have?
Pizza.
Basil was trying not to smirk. Sally was getting embarrassed. The waiter
was hopping from one foot to the other with impatience. After a painfully
long period of thought, Princess Talia finally ordered spaghetti bolognese,
which was actually on the menu. When the food arrived, she played with
her spaghetti on her folk while the others greedily attacked their plates.
It was the final day of their first term at university. In fact, it was really the
last day of their first ten weeks as adults, living independent lives, away
from their parents nests.
Isnt it odd? said Sally, I feel like we have all known each other for ages
and ages.
Time is stretchy, said Basil, sometimes the months fly by, and
sometimes a few days are so packed with experience that they last for an
eon.
The waiter lit a candle on the table, and Sally noticed that Talias eyes,
which were usually quite glacial in their pale blueness and inscrutability,
had a depth that she had not noticed before. The princess was clearly
paying plenty of attention to Basil and his words of wisdom. She said:
Yes, you are so right Basil, a thousand years can slip by just like that.
And she snapped her fingers as she said so. Basil raised one eyebrow,
which usually meant he was going to say something a touch ironic, but on
this occasion nothing seemed to quite occur to him. He sawed away at his
pizza.
The somewhat scholarly Doug filled the gap in the conversation with
Labuntur Anni, and all that, which in case you dont know, is Latin for
the years slip by. They were Classics students you see. And he
mentioned that some of the old boys and girls, who had been at the
college way back in the 1980s, were arriving for a gaudy that weekend; a
gaudy is a reunion of former students at the college.
Its hard to believe, but that will be us in twenty years time, said Sally.
Well be fat and wrinkly, married with kids, and dead conventional and

boring, but I bet well just feel the same inside. And well be back here,
trying to recapture our past.
Its always a mistake to go back, said Basil. You can only go forward in
time.
It was hard to see why anyone should get upset about anything, but Talia
suddenly grew quite agitated. Her emotions came over her so suddenly,
that the others didnt see this coming.
You dont understand, do you? Nobody can know what Ive experienced.
Ive fallen through time. You cant imagine what that feels like. You will all
be going back to your parents and your cosy childhood bedrooms this
Christmas, but I cant. But I cant go back in time. Im stuck here in the
21st century and Im so alone and out of place, and you all think Im
weird.
This outburst seemed to be directly mostly at Basil. He looked totally
puzzled. Did I say something wrong? he asked. Talia started to get up, as
if to leave.
No, no you didnt say anything wrong, she said, slightly more calmly
now. Sally had stood up too, and was putting her hand on her shoulder to
comfort her.
Its just that you dont, you cant, nobody can understand. Im sorry I got
so upset. I dont know what came over me. Oh dear. Im so terribly
embarrassed. Ive made an awful fool of myself.
Sally tried to reassure her that we all get upset sometimes, but it was no
good. Talia sat silently for the rest of the meal and didnt eat a single
strand of spaghetti. When the bill came she paid it all. They thanked her
for her generosity and Basil said:
Well, shall we all go back to my room for a drink? but the princess
excused herself and went off for a late night walk on her own.
On Sunday morning, when Basil was cleaning his teeth, he thought he
must be having a hallucination. The face looking back at him from the
mirror was about forty years old. Did I have a rough night? said Basil to
himself. I dont remember. It was just herbal tea before bed I think.
As he pulled the belt around his waist, he noticed that his tummy was soft
and flabby. This is just peculiar, he thought.
Out on the quad, he was relieved to see that the college had not changed.
It never did. Same old sandy colored stones. Same old ivy. As he walked
toward the dining hall, a middle aged man was coming towards him. He
just assumed that he was one of the old boys, back for the reunion, but

the man called out, Basil you old devil, you havent changed a bit. Basil
scratched his head. But you dont recognise me do you said the man, a
little forlorn. Its Doug. Remember me?
Why yes, of course, said Basil, its just that Im not feeling quite well
this morning.
The dining hall was full of men and women in their forties, and some of
them were eerily familiar. Basil began to feel really really strange, and
quite agitated. He looked at his hand as he held his spoonful of cornflakes.
It was wrinkly and hairy. Somebody tapped him on the shoulder. He turned
round and found a smiling face waiting to be kissed on either cheek.
Oh Basil, said the woman with a trace of a Liverpool accent. Its so
lovely to see you. And wheres your gorgeous wife? I bet she doesnt look
a day older.
Er, she couldnt make it, said Basil, not knowing what else to say.
Oh such a shame, said the Sally-like woman, we were all just dying to
catch up with her.
Excuse me, Im afraid I dont feel well, said Basil, and he got up and
hurried back to his room. He slammed the door behind him and wiped the
sweat off his brow. Inside his pocket, his phone was ringing. He felt
relieved. Perhaps it would be a call from the real world, a voice telling him
that this was all some terrible prank and the joke was on him. He fished an
unfamiliar and wafer thin device from his pocket. Patterns were gently
cascading over the edge-to-edge screen. It was like holding a video picture
in his hand. The screen blinked and a womans face first appeared in two
dimensions, and then morphed into 3D. She was extremely beautiful and
he recognised her right away.
Hello darling, she said, have you met any of the old gang yet?
He threw the videophone onto the bed and staggered into the bathroom,
where he most probably fainted. In any case, he came round some time
later and heaved himself to the basin to splash his face with water. For a
while he did not dare look up into the mirror. When at last he did, he saw
his familiar, somewhat aristocratic, and youthful reflection. The nightmare
was over. Basil was back in his own time.

6. The Christmas Beauty

The Michaelmas (Christmas) term at Westerly College has come to an end.

Sally is about to go back to her family, but her neighbour, the mysterious
Princess Talia, has no home to go to. At the last moment, Sally calls her
mum and asks if she can bring her friend home for Christmas.
Talia proves to be an elusive guest, who comes and goes without warning,
causing worry and annoyance in the O Brien family. As ever, the
explanation for Talias behaviour is somewhat strange and possibly
supernatural.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie. Sponsored by CGMS
The Christmas Beauty
Sallys first term at Westerly College had come to an end. As she stuffed
the last few books into her bags, she listened to the sound of harp music
filtering though the wall of her room. The clear notes rang out with a
lonely and melancholy quality.

Ugg I cant leave Talia here alone all Christmas like a lost puppy, said
Sally to herself.
She picked up her phone and pressed the speed dial that was labelled
Mum.
Im just setting off now, darling, said a familiar parental voice.
Mum, I know this is a bit last minute, but can I bring a friend home for
Christmas?
Oh, how exciting darling. You kept that quiet, whats his name?
Her name, is Talia, Princess Talia.
As soon as Sally had uttered the word princess she knew she had made
a mistake. Her mother would go into paroxysms of anxiety about the
house being far too humble to receive such an elevated person.
Why, hasnt she got a palace of her own to go to? she wanted to know.
And Sally had to explain at length that she was an orphan all alone in the
world. Mum, as mums do, caved into her daughters wishes with an air of
weary resignation.
Sally sprang round to her friends door with the invitation. The princess
who opened the door had a look of innocent astonishment on her face, as
if she had just woken up and seen the world for the first time. She quite
often looked like that. That was when she was at her most charming. At
other times she looked at you quite blankly, as if she saw you, but her
mind was completely elsewhere.
Our house isnt exactly a palace, said Sally warmly, but Christmas at
home is always kind of special, and youd be really really welcome.
Talia reached out and hugged her friend. This was highly unusual, as she
hardly ever even touched another person. Sally was almost surprised to
feel that her body was warm and human. She seemed like such a ghost at
times.
Oh Sally, Im so terribly moved by your kindness, but I couldnt possibly
impose on your family.
Dont be silly, of course you must come, assured Sally, patting her friend
on the back, and then wondering if that was just a bit too familiar with a
princess. Talia stepped back, and looked brighter.
Well it would be nice Ill have to make arrangements perhaps Ill
come in a few days time.

Sally felt slightly disappointed that her friend wasnt driving back home
with her. For far too much of the journey home, her mother grumbled
about not knowing whether to make a bed ready for her princess friend or
not. Sally felt like it was she who was being ticked off, not the absent Talia.
And all the feeling of grown up independence and confidence that she had
acquired over the ten weeks away from her parents was left behind in
Oxford.
When they arrived home, in a suburb of South East Liverpool, her front
door looked eerily familiar, as if she had remembered it from a vivid
dream. She hauled her suitcase up the stairs to her room. Her bed, which
was only just long enough to fit her feet in, looked ludicrously childish. Her
mother had placed a much loved, worn and chewed cuddly toy on the
pillow. She quickly stuffed Aliosha the Bear into a cupboard. One wall was
still adorned with a poster of a boy band that she had pinned up when she
was twelve. While she had been at home, the poster had somehow
become part of the wall. She had stopped noticing the dreamy faces, slick
hair and designer stubble of the teenage idols. Now she thought, What
would Talia say if she saw the The Backstreet Boys hanging above my
bed? and a minute later the poster lay scrunched up in her litter bin.
She heard her little brother come into the house with her dad. They had
been to Saturday football. She came down to greet them. The sight of the
fourteen year old Tim reminded her how recently she had been a child. But
her fathers familiar Hello love and warm hug soon cheered her up. He
whispered, Your mothers not stopped fussing about you catching your
death of something since youve been gone.
Almost two weeks later, Sallys mum answered a ring at the door. A tall,
broad shouldered man in a sharp suit asked her if this was the O Brien
residence. Instead of answering his question, she said:
We havent done anything wrong have we? The man coughed.
No Madam. Princess Talia is in the car. She asks, is it convenient for her to
come in?
Well, er no, I mean, yes, ah, . Sally! Come and look whos here!
Mrs. O Brien checked her hair in the hall mirror while the besuited
attendant returned to a long black limousine that was parked across the
close. He opened a rear door of the vehicle. The elegant figure of a
princess swivelled herself out, in the manner that a debutante learns to
leave a car at a Swiss finishing school. She wore a long satin dress and her
shoulders were wrapped in an ermine tipped jacket. As Sally came
downstairs and saw her friends arrival, she could feel at least a dozen
pairs of eyes peeping out of windows up and down the close.

On the doorstep, Talia addressed Sallys mum, You must be Mrs. O Brien.
It was so kind of you to invite me to your home for Christmas.
Sallys mum was so flustered that all she could say was, Come in and
have a cup of tea, dear, er, your highness.
Princess Talia drank camomile tea at the breakfast bar in the kitchen while
her attendant carried her many suitcases up the narrow staircase. Mrs O
Brien was horrified that her daughter was serving tea in the kitchen,
instead of the living room, and in her embarrassment, she hovered around
gesturing to Sally to use the best china.
We thought youd never come, said Sally to her friend.
I said I would come, and I am a woman of my word, replied Talia.
Well I hope you dont mind the humble surroundings. The spare room is
quite small Im afraid.
Your parents house is quite charming, Sally.
It was difficult to see what was so charming about the perfectly ordinary
kitchen from the Swedish furniture shop, Ikea, but Mrs. O Brien, who was
now busy wiping surfaces, was pleased by the remark, until Talia added
thoughtfully:
To speak plainly Sally, its a relief for me to see you so comfortably
housed. Where I come from, the common people live in far humbler
circumstances.
Mrs O Brien couldnt suppress a gasp of astonishment, and Sally couldnt
quite hide a slight smile. She was used to Talia now, you see, and was
more amused than shocked by her odd remarks.
When Talia went upstairs to her room, Mrs. O Brien said in a low voice:
Well we do move in elevated circles now, dont we? Soon your parents
wont be good enough for you.
Oh Mum! I wish you could see my other friends. Theyre all perfectly
normal. Dont mind Talia. Shes a one-off.
Well what country is she princess of, for goodness sake?
Shes never quite said. Sally knew that this sounded a bit feeble, but she
really did believe that her friend was a true princess. She had learned not
to mistake Talias mysteriousness for insincerity. Her mother said:
Its probably some phony continental title. Theyre six a penny over
there.

It was shepherds pie for dinner. Talia tasted it, praised her hostesss
cooking lavishly, and didnt eat any more. Mrs. O Brien asked Talia what
her family ate for their Christmas meal at home, and the princess slipped
into her astonished and just-woken up look. She spoke dreamily of oysters,
and Coquilles St. Jacques, of smoked salmon pancakes and goblets of
champagne, of partridge, cuts of venison, wild boar sausages, roast
chestnuts and parsnips, followed by 13 sweet desserts to represent Christ
and all the apostles.
Given that Talia was so thin, and rarely more than picked at her food, it
was surprising to hear her describe a banquet with the relish of a
confirmed glutton, but Sally realised that her thoughts were travelling
back with nostalgia to Christmases past with her own family, in her own
home.
Mrs. O Brien asked meekly if they ever ate turkey for Christmas in her
own country. Talia was puzzled by the question. She didnt seem to know
what a turkey was, and Mrs. O Brien seemed almost offended by her
ignorance of turkeys.
Fortunately, the princess got on with Sallys father just fine. His hobby was
Medieval History, and that was something the princess was well versed in.
He lent her two of his books, and she showed him her necklace which she
said was Anglo-Saxon gold. He was perfectly purring with admiration, and
Sally noted that the princess had made a conquest.
At 9 oclock, the family sat on the flowery three piece suite in the
immaculately tidy living room and watched a television programme in
which a modern English poet retraced the haunts of King Arthur and the
Knights of the Round Table. It ended amid the mist-entwined ruins of
Glastonbury Abbey where the semi-mythical King is said to be buried with
Queen Guinevere.
After it was over, Talia sighed and said, Uncle Arthur was such a dear,
and Sally could see that her father wasnt quite sure if he had misheard
the remark, or if she was referring to some other Arthur who happened to
share the Kings name.
The next morning was Christmas Eve. It was almost lunchtime, and Mrs O
Brien noted, Evidently, princesses arent early-risers for nobody had
seen Talia yet. Sally went up to knock lightly on the guestroom door. There
was no reply. She knocked a second time and gently pushed it open. She
saw an empty bed and as the door opened wider an empty room. Even
the suitcases had gone.
For the rest of the day, Sally felt quite disjointed. This wasnt at all what
she had been expecting. If somebody just ups and goes without saying
goodbye, it leaves you with a feeling of incompleteness. That parting well-

wish, which literally means may God go with you is a sacred ritual, and
its a sacrilege not go through it, far worse than not saying thank you.
Besides, she had to put up with the inevitable barrage of remarks from her
mother. That the royal guest did not consider that the food, the house, or
the company was good enough for her, and that she might be a princess,
but she had no manners. The commentary became so intense that Sally
had to get away. She took a bus into the centre of Liverpool and walked
through the crowds of last minute Christmas shoppers, but she couldnt
help wondering all the time if her friend would suddenly turn up again
while she was out.
The absent Talia even cast a shadow over lunch the next day. Sallys
mother twittered on rather too much about how there was nothing like
turkey and Brussels sprouts for Christmas, and when they all put paper
crowns from the crackers on their heads, Sally thought how embarrassing
it would have been to have done this in front of Talia.
At 3 oclock, the family settled down in front of the television to watch the
Queens Christmas speech. Sally felt crushingly bored, but unable to go
and do anything else without offending her mother. Just as the National
Anthem was playing, the door bell rang. Her brother sprung up and went
to answer it. A minute later, Talia stepped into the living room holding a
basket of beautifully wrapped presents.
Happy Christmas! she intoned, and started distributing the gifts almost
like Santa Claus. Dad reached for the remote control and turned the
Queens volume down. Mum moved her chair closer to the screen,
straining to hear the monarchs commentary on the year gone by.
May we open them now? asked Sally.
Oh pray do, I insist, said Talia.
The gifts were as exquisite as they were lavish pearls for Sally, an
emerald brooch for Mrs. O Brien, a golden goblet for Mr. O Brien, and a
jewel encrusted dagger for Tim. All Sally had bought for Talia was a book
with Latin inscriptions from around Oxford.
But Sally had never seen Talia smile so broadly, or so beaming with
obvious delight. Oh do lets put some music on, she said, Tim show me
how to operate this thing. Im no good with modern technology she
meant the CD player and she chose a disk at random. It was the The
Searchers:
Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey
Your first sweet kiss, thrilled me so.

They were a 1960s band from Liverpool, and Sallys dad rather liked them.
Talia took him by the hands and pulled him up to dance. This was not at all
the princess that Sally thought she knew.
May I ask my driver in, hes a bit lonely out in the car? Talia asked when
the track came to an end. Soon the driver was playing a video game with
Tim, and Mr. O Brien brought him a beer. Mrs O Brien spoke to the
princess:
Weve been so worried about you, love. You shouldnt have gone off so
abruptly without warning us.
I was called away rather suddenly, she replied abruptly.
And then she took her friend on one side and held her by both hands.
Sally, Im so excited. I was in Glastonbury for midnight mass. Afterwards,
as I was walking among the ruins of the abbey, I met my Uncle and Aunt
I havent seen them for simply an age, I mean to say, and she
whispered the last words Arthur and Guinevere.
And that was the story, of The Christmas Beauty.
I do hope that you are enjoying our Awaking Beauty series. You can always
let us know what you think by leaving a message on the stories page at
Storynory.com
Ill be back with some more stories soon. For now, from me and Elizabeth,
goodbye!

7. The Singing Beauty

Episode seven of our Awaking Beauty series is longer than the others so
far so keep listening, and dont miss the singing towards the end!
Some people are starting to suspect that Princess Talia might be crazy. Her
friends, Basil and Sally, decide that all she needs is to lighten up a little.
They invite her to a party where she must perform some silly forfeits,
including singing a karaoke song.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie. Singing by Gabriella Brunel (and you
will hear more of Gabriellas voice before Christmas).
Bertie wants to extend a special thanks to Elizabeth for all her input into
the development of the characters and the story in the Awaking Beauty
series, and to Gabriella for lending us her vocals.
We would like to thank our sponsor, the
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Montessori Studies.

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Guided

Half way through the month of January, Hilary Term begins in Oxford. The
students return from the 21st century with their trainers and their iPods,
and step through the gates of their colleges into the Medieval
quadrangles. The faces of the stone gargoyles welcome back the scholars
with grotesque smiles, just as they have done for the past 700 years.
Sally had only known Basil for ten weeks, but she felt as close to him as to
any of her oldest school friends. When she met him loping around the

quad, she would have liked to have given him a hug or a kiss, but it didnt
seem quite the done thing. He hailed her with a casual Hiya! and she
was pleased when he invited her to join him for a cuppa.
Tea in Basils room was something of a ceremony as he actually had
proper cups and saucers, and a blue and white china pot into which he
spooned loose Russian Caravan tea leaves from Fortnum and Mason in
London. Like other students, he kept the milk on the window sill when the
weather was cold. His biscuits came from a cylindrical tin, and Sally rated
them as posh, but not as nice as chocolate digestives.
It did not take more than a How was your Christmas? for the
conversation to turn to the most fascinating subject in Westerly College at
that time the remarkable Princess Talia. Sally explained how Her Royal
Highness had come to stay at her family home, and had disappeared and
reappeared without so much a bye or leave. And then she had dreamed up
a crazy story about meeting her uncle, King Arthur, and her aunt, Queen
Guinevere, among the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. At the end of recapping
her encounter with the freaky side of Talia, Sally asked:
Basil, do you think shes got a serious problem? I mean, like shes
mentally ill? She thought the question sounded naive as soon as she
heard her words coming out of her own mouth. Of course somebody who
has visions of legendary kings and queens and talks about them as near
relatives has a problem.
But Basil, who was normally the most straight down the line, tell-it-like-itis, of chaps, didnt just throw his arms up in the air and say Why yes,
shes as nutty as a fruit cake, out with the fairies, one sandwich short of a
picnic, or some such phrase. He looked thoughtfully at his teacup and
hunched his shoulders in a slightly awkward, embarrassed sort of way.
Im not sure, he said. Or, I did think she was a touch crazy at first. But
then at the end of last term look Sally this is an absolute secret between
you and me Before he could continue his confession, he glanced at
Sally and checked that she was nodding agreement that she would keep
his confidence and then he opened up a little more
You see at the end of last term, I had this dream. Only it was so vivid it
wasnt like a dream. It was more of a vision. It was as if I had travelled
forward in time. As far as I know, I wasnt asleep, I was awake like it was
really happening. Talia was there. Actually you were there too, only older.
When I came round, I was so shaken, that Im not sure Im over it yet. I
think perhaps there is something different about her. But Im not going to
say shes a nutter, because that would be like the pot calling the kettle
black. If shes crazy, so am I.
Sally couldnt take this entirely seriously, Oh Basil, youre the sanest
person I know, she laughed.

No Im not at all sane, protested Basil, or perhaps I just hide my crazy

thoughts better than Talia does. Pretending to be normal is a social skill.
Its not one thats particularly developed in her.
And that remark got Sally thinking. As she walked back to her room, she
pondered how she might help Talia to develop a few social skills. It was a
problem that she put to Mags, who was studying Art History, and who was
one of the coolest, most tattooed, and popular characters around college.
She always seemed to be sitting with her legs across the arm of a chair in
the Junior Common Room, and laughing about something or other. This
was where Sally found her.
Why Talia just needs to lighten up a bit, was her verdict. She added, A
boyfriend wouldnt do her any harm either, but first and foremost she
needs to stop looking so suicidally serious the whole time.
The word suicidal struck Sally really hard. You dont think she might do
anything to harm herself, do you? she asked anxiously.
Naaa. But she might die of misery.
Sally didnt think this remark was entirely fair. She had seen Talia in a
light-hearted mood at her parents house, when she had even danced with
her father. But that was the exception. Talia wasnt like that most of the
time, or with most people. Other people couldnt see the nice side of her,
because they didnt see beyond that beautiful but often expressionless
face. She could certainly do with some loosening up. There were times
when she just wanted to shake Talia and say, Come on, if you want to
make friends, just hang out with us!
Sally knew that Talia was back in college, because she heard her magical
but melancholy harp music. Even so, it was a few days before they could
have a proper conversation. Sally got on with her studies, but she found
that her thoughts were often drifting off to her unusual friend and how she
might help her. Eventually, she saw her silently flitting through the
Classics section of the Bodleian Library, but it was no place to chat. As
Talia walked past with a pile of books in her hands, Sally studied her face
to see if there were any signs of her being miserable or mad, but she just
seemed lost in her own thoughts.
She saw her the next day at a lecture on the comic plays of Plautus. Talia
seemed to think that the professors description of a scene involving a
trick with a rope was hilarious. She was sniggering away to herself,
although nobody else thought it was at all funny. As they walked out of the
hall with their books, Sally invited Talia to come with her to a party at
Brasenose College the following Saturday.

Thats so terribly kind of you to invite me, said Talia, but Im planning to
write my essay on Saturday night.
Oh come on! Saturday nights no time for working.
Will Basil be at this social gathering? I hope you dont mind me asking.
Im afraid hes got something else on, said Sally.
Ah. Oh well. Id better do my essay.
Now at least, Sally knew what it would take to lure Talia out of her little
world. Another tea with Basil followed, and a plan was hatched.
A few days later, when Princess Talia went to check her pigeon hole in the
Porters Lodge, she found a handwritten note from Basil inviting her to a
party in his room the following Friday.
There was no mistaking that the plot was off to a good start when Talia
hammered on Sallys door. Look Sally, have you got one of these? she
asked with childish excitement. It wasnt yet 9 am and Sally was still in her
dressing gown. She wiped a crust of sleep from her eye.
I havent had a chance to check my pigeon hole yet, she said. But in
truth the invitation was not entirely unexpected to Sally. Talia showed her
the card and asked what various things written on it meant like, PBAB
Please Bring a Bottle.
Oh its like a secret code, remarked Talia. And whats this? The line said:
Beware of forfeits come if you dare.
Oh dont worry about that. Its just a silly party game, said Sally.
And how can one dress smart casual? asked Talia. Surely they are two
entirely different things?
Well I suppose you have to be between the two, her friend replied. Talia
closed her eyes and held her hands together as if in prayer.
Oh Sally, what shall I wear? I dont have a single thing.
You poor Cinderella.
Cinderella? Whos she? asked Talia. Sally ignored the question. She knew
that Talias wardrobe was full of the most beautiful clothes you could
possibly imagine.
Nobody quite knows how many hours Talia spent trying on different
dresses, colours and styles golden threaded caftans, fir trimmed collars,
red taffeta, elaborate bird patterns all of which would have been

stunning at a Summer Ball, but not really quite the thing for an evening in
a students room.
Well, if you must dress up, havent you got a little black number? asked
Sally exasperated.
No, I dont believe I do, said Talia. And she rushed out to the shops to
buy a black dress.
In the event, she looked as stunning as a film star on Oscar Night, and
made everyone else at the party feel a little bit in the shade. Sally could
see that she wasnt winning many friends among the envious girls,
although the boys could hardly keep their eyes of her except for Basil. He
was clearly making a strenuous effort not to look at her so that anybody
might notice.
There were a dozen people in all, and Basil had made a surprisingly good
job of setting out all sorts of little eats and treats on a side table. The
music wasnt too loud, and the idea was that everyone should have a fairly
civilised time.
Talia hung by Sallys side, and clearly found it hard to join in any of the
conversations which all seemed to be about alternative rock bands, and
even more alternative comedians. When Basil was nearby, she kept her
perfect cool, but he looked a little bit less than his usual casual self.
Overall, it was just a perfectly nice, ordinary party. The only thing that
made it just a little bit different was that at 9 oclock Basil dipped down
the music and clapped his hands together.
Friends! he declared, gather round. Its forfeit time!
This was the game that had been promised on the invitation. Basil fanned
out twelve playing cards, one for each guest. One of the cards was a Joker.
Whoever picked it would then have to choose a folded piece of paper out
of a hat. On the paper was written some sort of silly stunt or trick that they
would have to perform. That was the forfeit.
It was impossible to pick a card without a little sense of thrill and
trepidation. The only guest who knew that the odds were a little bit loaded
was Sally. She was in on the secret that Basil was good at card tricks,
and that he was going to make sure that Talia picked the Joker at least
three times. Even so, she was quite relieved when she chose the harmless
Queen of Hearts. A boy called Charles picked the Joker the first time round,
and he had to do a hand stand. He managed it for about one second,
before toppling over, to a round of applause.
Oh Sally, said Talia, do I have to play this game?
Im afraid you do, said Sally. Its Basils little whim. It wouldnt be polite
to him to drop out.

She knew perfectly well that the word Basil held a lot of sway with Talia,
and would probably persuade her to stay.
And this time, as Basil came around with the pack, Talia made her choice,
turned over her card, and shrieked:
Oh no! Not me!
Yes, you, said Basil with a smile. And he brought over the hat for her to
choose a forfeit. She unfolded a piece of paper on which was written:
You must do a cartwheel.
I cant. Not in this dress, protested Talia. And Basil said kindly:
Well alright, you can pick another one. The second piece of paper said:
You must bend over backwards.
This time Talia achieved the task like a gymnast. She dropped her hands
behind her onto the floor and turned her entire body into a perfect
semicircle. Everyone marvelled at her suppleness, and Talia looked
genuinely surprised and pleased with the applause from the other guests.
In the next couple of rounds, one guest had to sing the National Anthem
and another had to go and pick up one of Basils socks from behind the
sofa. And then Talia pulled out the Joker in the pack once again.
Oh, she said, looking horrified, and a little cheer went up around the
room. This time her forfeit read:
You must jump up on the desk and act like a chimpanzee.
No excuses, said Basil. And the poor princess, coaxed by Mags, had to
squat on the desk, curve her hands under her arm pits and say Ooooh-ahah! She clearly didnt enjoy the experience, but did manage to laugh at
herself at the end of it.
This has to be the best possible therapy, whispered Basil to Sally. The
whole idea that they had cooked up together was to force Talia to act quite
silly, like everyone else at the party, and let her hair down. They thought
that the experience would break down the impenetrable fog of mystery
that surrounded her, and make her one of them. Either that or she would
run out screaming, but Sally calculated that she would do anything if Basil
wanted her to.
Basil shuffled the deck once more. Sally watched him closely, but she
couldnt spot any sly card slipping. This time it was she who pulled the
Joker. She had no idea if it had been by chance, or by slight of Basils
hand. She picked a forfeit.

Oh Sally, Im so sorry for you. I know how it feels, said Talia. Sallys
forfeit read:
You must kiss every person of the opposite sex in the room.
Thats not so terrible, she said, and proceeded to do so, to whoops and
cheers.
There were more rounds of forfeits. Somebody had to say the alphabet
backwards while standing on one leg, and somebody else had to scramble
around on all fours yapping like a dog. When nobody picked the Joker,
Basil had to take the forfeit. He had to recite a poem, and he managed to
get only so far with a famous one:
In Xanadu did KubIa Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
Then he could not remember the rest, but it was enough to impressive
everyone.
When there was only one forfeit left in the box, the cards came round for
the last time. Sally wondered if Talia was going to escape without doing
another forfeit, but Basil had promised that she would have to do three,
and so it proved.
Oh no thats not fair! she shrieked. Ive done two already.
Well theres only one left in the box, so you are safe after that, said Sally.
And Talia, with obvious reluctance, opened the folded piece of paper. It
read:
You must sing a karaoke song.
She looked mystified, and Basil had to explain to her that she had to make
use of his karaoke kit. He showed a book of songs, and she had to sing one
through a microphone to the backing music that came through a speaker.
Im sorry, he said. My sister gave it to me for Christmas.
But I dont know any of these popular tunes, she protested. Cant I sing
a madrigal?
I dont think that would be quite the same thing, said Basil. And the
verdict of the room was that she couldnt get out of it that easily.

Oh very well, she said. The words and music are written down here. Ill
do this one. Sally looked over her shoulder. She said:
Are you sure thats wise? Theres got to be an easier one to do. But Talia
said:
No. I think this one looks lovely.
It wasnt exactly your everyday pop song. The introduction was a full
blown orchestra which played very softly for almost a minute. Then Talia
began to sing in a crystal clear voice:
It wont be easy, youll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love, after all that Ive done
You wont believe me.
Her audience was quite entranced. When she reached the climax of the
song, the orchestra swelled up and she sang:
Dont cry for me Argentina
The Truth is I never left you
All through my wild days,
My mad existence,
I kept my promise
You kept your distance.
The music lasted more than five minutes. When the final bar died out,
there was thunderous applause as loud as eleven people can manage
and Talia bowed graciously. It was almost impossible to imagine that she
hadnt been practicing the performance for days she had sung it expertly
and so movingly. But as she put down the karaoke microphone, she said to
Sally:
By the way, who is Argentina?
And then Basil came over to congratulate her:
That was so splendid, he said. And so saying he kissed her on the cheek.
Why thank you Basil, said Talia, turning quite red. And with that, she ran
out of the room.

Text Copyright Hugh Fraser. Audio copyright Storynory Ltd.

Song quotation from Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

8. The Philosophical Beauty

In episode eight of our Awaking Beauty series, people at Westerly College

Oxford are beginning to accept that Princess Talia is brilliant, if somewhat
strange. But although she is a genius at languages and music, she hates
Philosophy tutorials. She insists that the ancient Greek thinker, Socrates,
was one of the most irritating men who ever lived, and talks just as if she
knew him personally.
Basil tries to help her, and she shares an amazing vision with him.
If you have been listening to our Awaking Beauty series you have probably
been wondering whether Princess Talia really does have fantastic powers,
or whether she is just odd. Let us know what you think.
We would like to thank our sponsor, the
Center for Guided Montessori Studies.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
The plan hatched by Sally and Basil had been a good one. After Talia had
played forfeits at the party, people began to see her as, well, rather more
human than they had done before. She hadnt been ashamed to make
herself look silly by pretending to be a chimpanzee, and she had really
wowed everyone at the party with her singing voice. Now that people
knew her better, they started to be more friendly. Talia had to get used to
students saying hello to her as she wandered around the college.

Sally and Talia were walking down Turl Street, both on their way to a rather
nice patisserie shop to buy some Danish pastries for their elevenses. They
bumped into a slightly bleary-eyed Jonathan Miles who was carrying a pint
of milk and a packet of sliced white bread. He was the English scholar, and
it was rumoured that a publisher had already accepted his first novel. In
short, he was widely regarded as one of the colleges brightest lights.
Dont ask, he moaned when Sally asked him how he was. Weve got a
translation test on Beowulf this morning. Normally Id really be into a
rollicking good read about heroes fighting dragons with magical swords,
but its so unfortunate that its all written in Anglo-Saxon. The strange
words rather spoil the story I find. Is it like that with Latin and Greek?
You bet, said Sally. If only Sophocles wrote in English, I would give him
ten out of ten for his plays but hey, Talia doesnt have that problem,
she turned to her friend. You seem to find Ancient Greek a piece of cake.
Its not that Im super clever, said Talia modestly, its just that my
godmother gave me the gift of languages when I was born. It was one of
those strange remarks that Sally wished she wouldnt make.
Lucky you, said Jonathan, I wish I had a godmother like that.
Oh but she didnt help me with everything, insisted Talia. I had to learn
Beowulf off by heart when I was seven. Now that was hard.
Jonathan looked, shall we say, somewhat taken aback. Did I hear that
right? You learned Beowulf off by heart when you were seven?
Oh yes, said Talia, its inscribed on my mind to this day.
Hwt! We Gardena in geardagum,
eodcyninga, rym gefrunon.
[Lo, praise of the prowess of people-kings
of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped]
Jonathans eyes opened wide. He recognised the first two lines of the
Anglo-Saxon epic poem that had robbed him of so much of his beauty
sleep as he sat up late each night in the library.
Thats thats just incredible, he stammered. In fact, thats the whole
thing about this place. You arrive here thinking youre some sort of super
smart alec, and you then bump into a genius before breakfast and realise
that youre just average. I suppose its part of growing up. And as he left
the two girls, there was something quite weary and defeated in the way he
dragged himself back to the lodge of Westerly College.

There were, perhaps, those in college in who suspected that Talia had won
her place at Oxford just because she was a princess, and not because she
was anything special at academic work. In fact, some people thought the
words princess and thick went together like bread and butter. If there
were any people who harboured such thoughts, they now had to admit to
themselves that they were wrong. The word got round that she was
brilliant and gifted and if you were brilliant and gifted, you could be
excused a little strangeness. You only had to look at the tutors to see that
was the case.
But in her second term at Westerly College, even Talia began to find that
some of her work was stretching her abilities to the limits. Basil was the
first to notice this. He was on his way to his Philosophy tutorial when he
met Talia coming out of hers. She was wearing a look that he had never
seen on her face before. Her teeth were clenched and her forehead was
knotted. She looked like she wanted to bite somebody.
Talia, are you okay? he asked. Grrr I hate that Socrates, she growled.
Im not at all surprised they put him on trial and executed him. He was
the most irritating little man who ever lived. All that nit-picking over the
meaning of each and every word. I cant stand him!
You see, they were studying a book called Phaedo in which the Greek
Philosopher, Socrates, is in prison and is talking to his friends about life
and death and the existence of the soul. It was full of strange ideas like,
Bigness grows out of smallness and Harmony is the property of a harp
and it was all very taxing on the brain cells. Basil rather enjoyed it, but
he could see from Talias gnashing teeth that this type of logic was not her
strong point.
It was time for his own tutorial, so he wasnt able to stand around and
sympathise for long. After he had spent his own hour with the Philosophy
don, it took a little courage for Basil to do so something he hadnt done
before. He went over to the side of the college were Sally and Princess
Talia had their rooms. He didnt have to check which was Talias because
he could hear gentle harp music behind the door. He knocked softly.
Talia opened. She was wearing a long flowing gown and her face had
regained its usual smoothness.
Oh Basil, she exclaimed, what a delightful surprise, will you come in?
As Basil stepped into the room he felt like he had crossed the threshold of
time and space. It was huge by the standards of college and full of the
most wonderful things like tapestries on the walls, fur rugs, carved
furniture, and gold and silver ornaments. In the centre of it all stood Talias
harp. Sally had described the room to him, but he wasnt quite prepared
for the sheer other-worldliness of it all. There was a stillness and calm, as
if time stood still there.

Shall we sit down? asked Talia, and she led him over to the bench in the
bow window that overlooked the quad. She sat with her hands on her lap,
and waited for Basil to speak.
Er, I just thought, said BasilI mean, look just say if this isnt what you
would like
Certainly Basil, you may speak freely with me, encouraged Talia.
I mean, everyone knows that you are a genius when it comes to
languages and music, but if you find Philosophy hard, perhaps I could help
you.
The princess was silent for just a moment. She clearly hadnt been
expecting such an offer. Then she smiled, and said Why thats so kind of
you. Of course I would be delighted.
Basil had brought his copy of the dreaded Phaedo, the book that was so
perplexing the princess. Talia moved to sit a little closer so that they could
both see the pages. It was written like a play; Socrates said one thing, and
his friends who were visiting him in the prison cell replied with another. At
one point Socrates wife came in and burst into tears because he was
about to die. He had been sentenced by the court to drink a poison called
hemlock. He asked her to go away because he was talking to his friends.
This part of the book enraged Talia:
You see what I mean, dont you Basil? The only thing Socrates loved was
the sound of his own voice. His poor wife. I dont understand why she
didnt kill him herself long before.
And Basil had to agree that Socrates was perhaps irritating.
Oh Basil! If you could just see the look on his face. He was so smug, selfsatisfied, and pleased with himself.
Well I should love to meet Socrates, perhaps in the next world, said
Basil, and he found the passage that they had to study that week. It was
the part where Socrates talks about opposites, and bigness and smallness.
Oh I still dont understand any of it, sighed Talia. Even his friends look
bored cant you see?
Er, no I cant see actually, said Basil.
Look, Simmias is yawning, said Talia.
Where does it say that? asked Basil puzzled.
It doesnt just look Basil, cant you see?

And Basil looked up from the pages of the book. A man was sitting cross
legged on the bed. Only it was no longer Talias four-poster it was a
simple bed standing on rickety legs. On the floor, which was now covered
with straw, sat his friends. One of them did indeed look like he was trying
to suppress a yawn. The man on the bed did not notice. He continued to
talk in a lively, animated fashion, and as he spoke, he seemed to be
smiling. Talia was right. He did seem rather too pleased with the sound of
his own voice. The most surprising part of it all was that Basil could
understand him perfectly, even though he was speaking in Ancient Greek,
and although he studied the language on the page, he had never actually
heard it spoken before.
A Philosopher should not be afraid of death, Soctrates was saying,
because a Philosopher cares for the soul not the body.
Dont you find him annoying? whispered Talia.
Well yes, but utterly fascinating too, said Basil, straining so as not to
miss anything.
It was a little like sitting in the front row of the theatre, when you feel that
you are practically on the stage. Basil was so drawn into the conversation,
that he was almost unaware of the sheer strangeness of it all. There were
moments when he even forgot that he was sitting next to Talia. The
philosophical drama unfolded for three or more hours, until the jailer came
into the cell, quite apologetic for interrupting the friends discussion, and
politely offered Socrates the bowl of hemlock. The Philosophers friends
were weeping, but he took the poison as calmly as you or I might drink a
cup of tea, and then he lay down on the bed, and spoke no more.
It was already dark when Basil walked back to his own room. His legs were
shaky. His whole body felt limp and drained of energy almost as if he had
drunk the hemlock himself. He was overwhelmed.

9. The Beauty Under Arrest

Princess Talia finds the modern world frightening. When she wants to go
shopping she asks her college friend, Sally, to come with her. In a
department store, a woman steals Talias purse. Talia attacks the thief with
unfortunate consequences for herself. Now, more than ever, she needs a
knight in shining armour
Follow our Awaking Beauty series from the beginning
Kindly sponsored by the The Center for Guided Montessori Studies.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Should you wish to escape from the Medieval walls of an Oxford college,
and into a less rarefied atmosphere, all you have to do is to cross
Cornmarket Street. Once your foot touches the opposite curb, you are
right in the world of mothers pushing buggies loaded with toddlers, dads
taking their kids to the ice rink, hooded teenagers hanging out in
hamburger bars, and shoppers sliding plastic cards into cash point
machines. Even an Oxford professor with a domed head full of Greek
epigrams, becomes a citizen of the modern world when he is queuing for
his weekly groceries.
Princess Talia had been at a student at Westerly College for almost two
terms and she was yet to set foot on the other side of Cornmarket. She
lived as much as possible inside the college.
One Saturday morning, the princess found her best friend lounging in the
Junior Common Room as she thumbed through the magazine of a weekend

newspaper. Sally, she said, I must know. Where do you get your
clothes?
In truth, Sallys fashion sense was not something that most people found
interesting. She was wearing a blue hooded fleece over a t-shirt with the
slogan Angel in Disguise, some loose, slightly shiny trousers, and some
old trainers. She looked up from the magazine and said:
Sorry Talia. We cant all dress like a princess you know.
Yes, I understand that, said Talia, its just that I want to look more like
you Sally.
Why in the world would you want to dress like me? Your clothes are
beautiful. Mine are just rags by comparison. Sally stood up and held her
friends hand. The cuffs of her shirt were embroidered in silk with a
delightful bird pattern. The buttons were of pearls. A silver pendant hung
from her neck in the shape of the moon. The workmanship was exquisite.
Nobody else could get away with dressing like you do around college, but
you carry it off perfectly. If you dressed like me, youd just be one more
slob.
At this, Talia whispered in Sallys ear. I think that Basil is afraid of my
splendour. My plan is to dress down to his level, and then he might, well,
you know, realise what hes got to do.
Oh, I see, said Sally. Well if it will make you feel better, lets take a spin
round the shops. I wasnt doing much anyway.
As the two friends crossed Cornmarket, Talia entwined her arm around
Sallys. Sally could feel how tense the princess was. When they had
reached the St. Giles Shopping Centre and passed through the wide door
of a large modern store, Talia took a silk fan with a silver handle out of her
bag and wafted it in front of her face.
Its the people, she said, Im not used to being among them. Their
manners are so rough. They pass so close by. Do you smell the perfume
that mans wearing? It makes me feel quite sick.
Sally saw the heavily scented man turn his head. He had clearly overheard
the remark. She couldnt help blushing on behalf of her friend.
Talia stepped uncertainly onto the moving escalator. At the top, Sally
guided her through the racks of clothes, and showed her how to find the
labels with sizes and prices. Talia held up a few sweatshirts in front of
herself, and Sally shook her head, This is so not you, she said.

I dont think I can bear this much longer, gasped Talia. Sally, can you
just ask them to send a selection of sweatshirts and jeans round to my
rooms? I think Id be able to make my mind up so much better in private.
Sorry Talia, this sort of shop doesnt do that sort of thing.
A flash of annoyance passed over Talias face, Dont be so defeatist Sally.
Theres no harm in asking see here, Miss, yes, you, shop girl. Thank
you. Will you send one of each and every sweatshirt in size medium round
to my address for inspection, first thing on Monday morning?
Sally was so embarrassed by her friends haughty tone that she wanted to
hide behind the clothes rack.
The girl said, Er, Sorry Madam. You pay at the till first.
I see, said Talia. Look, heres something for your trouble. and she
reached for the bag that hung around her shoulder. The clasp was open,
Oh, she said, and looked quite stunned, its gone.
What? asked Sally.
My purse. Its been stolen. And then for perhaps a minute she froze and
her eyes stared blankly into space. It was that blond woman! she said
suddenly.
What blond woman?
The one that was standing near us a moment ago. Quick Sally. Stop her,
shes heading for the moving staircase.
Im not quite with you, said Sally.
Stop thief! called out Talia. Wont somebody arrest that woman? and
she darted after a tall well dressed shopper and grabbed hold of her.
Give me back my purse, she demanded to her startled captive. She was
about thirty years old. Her hair was done up somewhat elaborately, and
she wore gloves. In fact, of all the people in the shop her appearance was
probably the closest to Talias in elegance and perhaps extravagance. She
did not seem to Sally to be a likely purse-snatcher.
A moment later, Sally and the shop assistant caught up with the princess.
Talia, leave this poor woman alone, pleaded Sally, shes not taken
anything from you.
I saw her do it! exclaimed Talia. I caught her red-handed, the rottenhearted thief. Shes possessed by demons!

No you didnt see her take it, said Sally wearily, you only noticed that
your purse was gone when you looked in your bag a moment ago. It could
have been anyone that took it. Now please let her go before theres any
more trouble.
Yes, let go of me, exclaimed the woman haughtily. She tried to jerk her
arm free, while uttering a rather rude word which was perhaps pardonable
under the strained circumstances. But Talias grasp on the womans arm
was surprisingly strong. She didnt let go.
I did see her, insisted Talia. I saw her the second time around. Look
Sally. You know that I have second sight. I slipped back a minute in time
and I saw her do it.
Im sorry Talia, said Sally rather embarrassed, this is way too crazy for a
Saturday morning out shopping. If you dont let go of the lady, Im going to
leave, because I just cant get my head around any of this.
Then the woman kicked, and Talia kicked back and Sally slipped away
through the crowd.
About two hours later, Basil was cycling back to college after a morning
rowing on the river with the colleges first eight. He wobbled slightly as he
reached into his tracksuit pocket and pulled out his mobile phone. There
was a voice-message which he listened to, rather dangerously, as he
pedalled along a narrow backstreet.
Basil, whispered a familiar voice, save me! Ive been robbed. Sally ran
away. And then it got worse. The police put irons around my wrists. They
say I assaulted the robber and they will throw me into a dark dungeon. Oh
Im so afraid of being alone in a cell. I fear I might rot and die there and
will be forgotten by everyone but you, my dear. Come and save me, my
prince. Come and save me without delay!
Basil was totally bemused by this message, and if it had been from
anybody else, he would have been sure it was a prank. But Talia didnt do
pranks. It didnt matter how oddly she was behaving she was always in
earnest.
It was only when he tracked Sally down in her room that he received a
slightly clearer picture of what had happened, and before long he was
speeding furiously down the High Street to the police station. As he
pedalled, Sallys words played over in his head.
Shes totally bonkers. She really believes shes got second-sight.
And he was thinking, Shes not mad. Or at least, if she is, I am too.
Because he had experienced such strange things since he had met Talia
that he knew there was something utterly extraordinary about her. The
effect she had on him was more powerful than anything he had ever

known. These days, he hardly ever stopped thinking about her or at least
wondering about the weird way he felt, and trying to puzzle out if he was
in love, or under some other mysterious spell.
He was still out of breath when he spoke to the police sergeant behind the
counter at the station. As he was physically fit and in training from rowing,
it was adrenaline rather than the effort of cycling that made him gulp for
air. He was still in his tracksuit, which was unfortunate because the officer
wanted to see some identification, and he didnt have any with him.
Theres been an awful mistake, he said.
Well, said the Officer. Your friend is not doing herself any favours by
claiming that shes a princess and refusing to give us any identity that we
can verify. All she will say is that her name is Talia. When we ask where
shes from, she says its a secret.
Well thats right, said Basil. She has plenty of secrets. But thats not a
crime, is it? And besides, its true. She really is a princess and shes had
tea with the Queen.
Yeah, and Im Charlie Chaplin, replied the sergeant. Listen young man.
Theres an offence known as Wasting Police Time, and if you and your
friend insist on keeping up this prank, youll soon be sitting in the cell next
to hers. Im calling the Inspector, and if you know whats good for you,
youll give him a straight story.
Fifteen minutes later, Basil was seated in an interview room. The sergeant
sat mutely at the corner of the table and pressed the button of a cassette
recorder. The man who did all the questioning wore a suit that had seen
slightly better days.
I must warn you, said the Inspector, this interview is conducted under
caution. We have reason to believe that the young lady who has identified
herself as Princess Talia he pronounced the name rather ironically
belongs to an international gang of pickpockets that has been operating
in Oxford for these past two weeks. For all we know, you may be one of
them too.
Basil shook his head. Youve got this all the wrong way round, he said,
Talia was the victim, it was the other lady who stole her purse.
So you were there? asked the Inspector.
No. But if Talia says thats what happened, then thats the truth.
Well, its not what the store detective told us.
After some more fruitless and frustrating questioning, there was a knock
on the door. The sergeant got up to answer it. He said, Theres a lawyer

here for the so-called princess, and he says he represents this here lad
too. The gentlemans ,er, not one of the local solicitors, at least, not one
Ive seen before.
Basil wondered who on earth the lawyer could be. Perhaps Sally had called
him.
Will you please let me pass, said an imposing voice in a posh English,
but with a hint of Italian, accent, and into the room stepped a tall figure
whose slight baldness was compensated for by long curly black hair which
fell down the back of his head to the collar of his perfectly fitted Armani
suit. In his hand, he held a green velvet hat. If you were observant, you
might have noticed that his nose and forehead were dabbed with white
face powder.
He laid an embossed card on the table. The Inspector cast an sceptical
gaze over it . The name on it was:
Count Anthony J. Mancini QC.
Basil knew him, of course. Count Anthony was the colleges Law don, who
had pursued a brilliant career at the bar before returning to academia. His
family hailed from some sort of dispossessed European nobility, hence the
title of Count on his card.
Well well well, said the Inspector, in the manner that policemen are
supposed to speak. So we have a princess, and a count, and I suppose
you, young man, are the heir to the throne?
Sorry Inspector, said Basil. Im the only person here without a title.
Huh! It almost makes me feel naked.
And can any of you prove that you are who you say you are? asked the
Inspector. Theres a pantomime on at the theatre, he continued
ironically, shall we ring the director to see if he can provide references?
And can you prove that you exist? asked the Law don. But there will be
no need for further philosophical speculation because in precisely one
minutes time, you shall receive a call from London that will put you fully
in the picture.
Oh how very Hollywood, said the policeman. But right on cue, an officer
knocked on the door and said:
DPG on the phone for you, Sir and the Inspector replied:
Cant you see Im busy. Tell him Ill call back later.

Count Anthony shook his head, Tut Tut. Not exactly a shrewd careeradvancing move, I would say as a member of the force, perhaps you
should know that DPG stands for Diplomatic Protection Group.
Basil could see that Inspector did not appreciate being told his business by
this exotic character in a sharp suit, and he clearly didnt believe a word
that he was hearing. It was not entirely surprising when he retorted:
You, my friend, are under arrest on suspicion of Attempting to Pervert the
Course of Justice.
And when he had finished cautioning the count and telling him his rights,
which of course the Law don understood far better than anyone else, Basil
sat back in his chair and laughed:
Oh bravo. Im enjoying this. You just arrested one of the most brilliant
legal minds in the country. I think you will find yourself tied up in legal
knots for the next ten years, Inspector.
And just for that, youre nicked too, said the policeman testily.
There was another knock on the door.
What?
Telephone again, Sir.
And who is it this time? and he muttered, the Archbishop of Canterbury
perhaps?
No Sir, number ten Downing Street. The Prime Ministers secretary would
like to have a quick word with you.
Half an hour later, the princess, the count, and the plain untitled student,
were being driven back to college in a car escorted by motorcycle
outriders. Meanwhile the police Inspector sat at his desk, composing an
incident report explaining how the princess had been arrested for her own
safety. He knew that this account was going all the way up to the Prime
Ministers office. He choose his words carefully.
Meanwhile, the police sergeant was wondering where they could find the
lady who had taken Talias purse in the department store. They had just
realised that the driving licence which she had shown them as her proof of
her identity was stolen, and that the address where she claimed she was
staying in Oxford, did not exist.

10. The Beauty and The Tower

We have reached episode ten of our popular Waking Beauty series.

The Police officers had instructions to see Talia safely back to the door of
her rooms at college. They left Basil and Count Anthony standing in the
quad.
Do you have time for tea? asked the count politely. And of course, Basil
could hardly refuse the invitation.
The rooms occupied by most of the dons at college were fairly Spartan, as
if to show a preference for the golden realm of the mind over and above
the physical world. Not so were the counts. A sword hung above his
fireplace, and a bronze bust of one of his Italian ancestors sat on his desk.
A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a bearskin rug was strewn
across the floor. In fact, next to Princess Talias, his quarters were the most
extravagantly furnished in the college.

Almost every other don in all of Oxford, and probably in the other place
too, would have boiled his or her own water for tea, but Count Anthony
kept a servant, who lived in the next room, and whom he summoned by a
bell. The man servant entered with china teacups and saucers on a silver
tray, along with little Italian biscuits.
When they were alone again, the count said:
College is like a small village. Gossip is the greatest source of
entertainment. I suggest that we do not breathe a word of what happened
today to anyone.
That goes without saying, said Basil.
Very good said the count, and for a moment he silently studied Basils
face until Basil felt quite uncomfortable. I hope you wont find this an
impertinent question, he said, but are you romantically attached to the
princess?
Basil blushed, We are just good friends, he said.
I heard that you awoke her with a kiss in Dr. Partridges study.
That was just sort of a joke, said Basil.
Love often starts as a game, said the Law don, but in the end it is
deadly serious. The trick is to know when the time for frivolity has gone,
and the moment for bold decisive action has arrived.
Yes, thank you, said Basil, feeling both grateful for the advice, and rather
embarrassed at the same time. I will remember that if thats all, Id like
to go and get changed out of my tracksuit now. Its been a long day.
You may leave, said the Law don.
As Basil stood up, he asked hesitantly, Um. By the way. Do you know
which country the princess is from?
I do, said the count.
And where would that be?
I cannot say. Nobody else in college knows. Not even the Rector. I only
know myself because well let us say, I have a few things in common
with the princess.
Basil wandered in a daze back to his room. As so often was the case, after
he had some sort of experience involving Talia, he felt overwhelmed with a
buzz of confusion and excitement.

If he had been more schooled in the code of chivalry, perhaps he would

have called on Talia that evening to see if she had recovered from her
ordeal. But by the time he showered and changed, he found that he was
already exhausted by the strangest of Saturdays, and he lay on his bed
and fell into a deep sleep.
It was not until the following Tuesday that he spotted Talia, by chance,
outside Fletchers Tower. He could see that she was on her way to a
tutorial, because she was wearing her long scholars gown and carrying
books under her arm. She made her way towards the entrance of the
tower, which was the oldest part of college, and then, just as she was
about to pass through its arched doorway, she span round on her heel and
marched away from it.
Oh Basil! she said as she noticed him for he was now walking towards
her. Once again I must call upon your gallant services.
Of course, said Basil, wondering if the moment for bold action would
soon be at hand. She stood close to him.
Youve probably heard, she said in a confidential voice, for some reason
known only to himself, Dr. Partridge has moved from his cosy old room to
that dank and dreadful tower. I simply cannot bring myself to set foot in it
please do another noble deed on my behalf. Go up and see Dr.
Partridge, and tell him that I will receive him in my own rooms for my
tutorial.
I fear that PJ might find that rather odd, said Basil. PJ was their tutors
initials as well as his nickname.
But do please go and ask. Hes such a sweet man, Im sure hell
understand.
Basil smiled. He could not refuse Talia any request, however odd, but he
did feel rather sheepish as he knocked on their tutors door and passed on
the princesss message.
I hold our tutorials in the young ladys rooms no no. Im afraid that
the college authorities would not approve, he said.
And when Basil returned to Talia with their tutors reply, she did not
change her resolve.
Well thats too bad. I simply cant climb up that tower. Ill just have to
return to my rooms, and at such time that Dr. Partridge is ready to make
the short walk across the quadrangle to my quarters, I shall be ready and
waiting for him. And then seeing Basils puzzled face she said, Look, I
know my attitude must seem rather dogmatic, but I have my reasons. You
see, something terrible once happened to me in a tower. In fact, I believe
it might have been this very same tower a long, long time ago. So you

see I wont go up there because I simply cant. And with that she
marched briskly away in the direction of her rooms.
And so Talia missed her tutorial which would have been rather a serious
matter, had not Count Anthony intervened and persuaded Dr. Partridge to
take the unusual step of holding the tutorial in Talias room that afternoon.
Once again, the princess had got her own way.
The following evening, Basil straightened his tie in front of the mirror. It
was the turn of the Classics students to attend a drinks party at the
Rectors Lodge. The Rector was the head of the college, and had served
briefly as a junior minister in a government of years gone by. The most
interesting thing about him, from the gossip point of view, was that he had
recently been married for the sixth time. His new wife was to be at the
party. But more importantly, as far as Basil was concerned, Talia would be
there too.
The atmosphere at evenings such as these was always a touch artificial,
as everyone was on their utmost good behaviour. The Rector warmly
greeted the Classics students with the air of a vicar who has to be nice to
everyone. But it was well known around the college that he thought that
Classics was an out-of-date subject, and they could make some useful
savings by dropping it all together. Nobody mentioned this.
Basil stood next to Sally, and the Rectors wife poured sherry into their
glasses. The students had been expecting more of a dolly bird, but she
was earnest and middle aged. Apparently she was a specialist in Molecular
Chemistry. Talia was late which was unusual, as she was normally most
punctilious about time. When she arrived, looking stunning in a knee
length black cocktail dress, the Rector held her in conversation for a good
long ten minutes. His wife was on the other side of the room with her back
to them. When she turned round, a look of horror passed over the
princesss face.
Whats up with Talia? said Sally. Basil was about to go over and ask her,
but he was too late. She had already turned and fled the room.

11. The Beauty and The Witch

Our Awaking Beauty series has reached its eleventh episode. More and
more people at Westerly College Oxford now believe that Princess Talia is
more than merely eccentric, but is probably insane. She has run out of a
drinks party held by the Rector (the head of the college) and now she is in
trouble for making a strange accusation against his wife.
And for those who have been waiting patiently for a romantic moment
dont miss this episode!
Was it something I said? asked the Rector with a forlorn look on his florid
face that was usually so self-congratulatory. The glamorous young woman
that he had spent the last ten minutes talking to had turned and fled from
his drinks party, just as he was telling her an anecdote about the time he
was Government Minister. The two graduate students who were standing
next to him were as taken aback as he was.
I dont normally have that effect on the opposite sex, he said recovering
his poise and a couple of his guests laughed politely.
Er, thanks for the lovely party, said another student, as he hastily
departed a moment or two later.
Sally, who had until that moment been talking to Basil, was left standing
on her own in the corner of the room. She had been feeling somewhat
disenchanted with both him and Princess Talia ever since Saturday

mornings shopping trip where Talia had attacked a fellow shopper and got
herself arrested. She was also starting to be irritated with Basil who was
clearly infatuated with Talia, and had seemed to accept without question
that she wasnt merely strange, but truly had mystical powers.
She wandered over to a couple of second year Classics students and said
in a low voice:
Insanity must be infectious. Basil has caught it off Talia and the way hes
going, hell soon be as cuckoo as she is. And she started to tell them
about the incident in the shop, and how Basil rode to the princesss rescue
on his bicycle as her knight in a shining tracksuit.
While she was grumbling about him, Basil was running across the quad in
the direction of the staircase which led up to Talias rooms.
He hurried up the stairs and caught up with the princess just as she was
turning the key in her door.
Oh Basil, she said, you must be starting to think that Im frightfully
odd.
Well I did notice that you are a bit out of the ordinary, or rather, utterly
extraordinary. Maybe thats why thats why I cant think about anyone
else, or anything else, other than you.
Is that really true?
Totally.
My prince, said Talia, as he took her in his arms. And this time, his kiss
was no joke.
The following day, rumours were flying around college, though not yet
about Basil and Talia. For now, the gossipy tongues were wagging just
about Talia: how she had been arrested for attacking an innocent Saturday
morning shopper, how she claimed to have mystical visions and to be on
personal terms with famous people of the past, and how she had run out
of the Rectors drinks party screaming. She hadnt actually made any
sound, let alone screamed, but that was how the rumour improved in the
retelling. The fact that she was a princess made the tale all the more
enjoyable and sensational but nobody knew for sure what it was that the
Rector had said that had made her run away so abruptly.
Sheena Simon, who was studying History, was always suspicious of
anyone who had a posh accent. She thought they spoke that way to make
her feel inferior. And she couldnt help herself, but she felt a particularly
strong desire to sink her claws into somebody who went about calling
herself a princess. And of course, that somebody was Talia. She just had to
know why Talia had taken such exception to the Rector. She suspected
that she had misunderstood some innocent remark, and taken it totally

the wrong way. She was sure it would make a hilarious story if she could
get hold of it. And so when she met Talia on the narrow path that led
through the Fellows Garden to the library, she decided to stop and
sympathise with her.
Oh hello, Talia, she said, I just wanted to say how I totally understand
why you ran off from that smarmy-faced Rector. I wanted to do exactly the
same thing when he was boring me to death at one of those dreadful
drinks parties.
Oh thats kind of you, said Talia, but it wasnt the Rector I ran away
from. In fact, I was rather interested in his conversation.
Then if you dont mind me asking, said Sheena, why did you leave?
It was his wife, said Talia. And then she whispered, I know her from the
past, the distant past. You see, shes a witch. And my advice to everyone
is to stay away from her because, as I have found to my cost, her magic is
as evil as it is powerful.
Soon after that brief conversation, the wheels of the college rumour mill
were in full motion. There was hardly anyone who did not know that Talia
had accused the Rectors new wife of being an evil witch. The idea that
Talia was rather strange, if not completely insane, took a deeper hold than
ever. Even the tutors started to hear the rumours, and one or two agreed
in private that the princess might have a point about the Rectors wife,
even if her words werent literally true.
Every undergraduate at Westerly College was assigned a moral tutor, who
was supposed to look after his or her welfare and to provide friendly
guidance on personal matters during their time at the college. Talias
moral tutor was Dr. Mills, who taught Anglo-Saxon English. One morning,
Talia found a polite note in her pigeon hole at the Porters Lodge. Dr. Mills
asked her to drop by at his room for a quiet chat about how things were
going.
Why is he taking an interest in me all of sudden? she asked Basil. And
Basil shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps he tries to see each of his moral
pupils once in a while, he said.
Talia arrived for the appointment exactly on time, and found that Dr. Mills
was late. She waited outside his door for five minutes, and then started to
leave. She met him on the stairs.
Ah princess! he said, thank you for dropping by. And Talia said,
somewhat icily:
I was waiting for you, but she did not receive the apology that she
thought she deserved.

I only have ten minutes, she said, as she sat down in a chair in his room.
Well in that case, Ill come to the point, said Dr. Mills. It has reached my
ear that you do not see eye to eye with the Rectors wife.
We are old enemies, said Talia.
Well thats unfortunate under the circumstances.
One cant like everyone.
May I ask the source of the animosity.
You may ask but I am afraid I cannot tell you. Its an old story, and you
probably would find it hard to understand.
Well you could try me and see.
Id rather not thank you.
Well I must ask you, said Dr. Mills, to keep whatever feelings you have
about the good lady to yourself. If the college authorities hear of you
spreading any malicious slanders about her, they will be forced to take
action.
You have my word that I will not slander her, said Talia.
That is wise, said the tutor.
After all, said Talia, if you slander someone, what you say has to be
untrue and I never speak a lie. Now if you will forgive me, I must leave. We
began this appointment late and now my schedule is behind time.
Neither the tutor nor the princess found the outcome of this interview to
be entirely satisfactory, but Dr. Mills felt the problem would soon be
resolved one way or the other. Either Talia would keep quiet, or if she
continued to spread rumours about the Rectors wife, she would be sent
down, princess or no princess. He himself was rather inclined to think that
this most peculiar young person was actually no princess but that she
was suffering from delusions and he was surprised that some of his
colleagues, including the colleges Law don, appeared to have fallen for
her fantasies.
If you had seen Talia walking across the quad, you would no doubt have
noticed how tense and preoccupied she seemed. She arrived at the foot of
her staircase, and then suddenly turned around and went to visit Basil.
She interrupted his studies, but he didnt seem to mind.
May I just sit here while you work? she asked, and he agreed, but of
course he could not concentrate.

Eventually he held her elegant hand and asked if there was anything
wrong. She told him about Dr. Mills and his threat to have her sent down
from college if she ever mentioned the Rectors wife in public.
I wish you could tell me what it is about her that is spooking you he
said.
Oh Basil, I cant tell you, because if I did you would think that Im crazy
like everybody else seems to think now.
No I wouldnt, he protested, but he saw that she was too afraid to tell
him the whole story just yet.
When Basil returned to his desk, he opened his laptop and he saw that he
had an email from the college office. The message said that there had
been an outbreak of Avian Flu, and the Ministry of Health was warning that
young people in their late teens and early twenties were particularly
vulnerable to this nasty, and potentially lethal, virus. For that reason, the
college had arranged for every student under 25 to be inoculated.
Did you get one of these emails? asked Basil to Talia.
No, she said, but perhaps that is because I dont know how to use a
computer.
You must let me show you some time, he said.
Its something Id rather not know, she replied.
And so Talia did not go to see the visiting nurse for a flu jab. It was
probably a good thing that Talia did not read the email, because the nurse
set up her surgery in a room at the top of Fletchers Tower, where she
refused to set foot. The tower seemed to bring out another of her strange
fears. As Basil climbed the dark winding staircase, he thought how eerie it
really was.
When he reached the nurses room, she invited him to sit down on the
chair and roll up his sleeve. As he began to undo his cuff, he felt a strange
chilliness come over him. He wondered if it was the effect of the tower.
Just relax, said the nurse, Ill be with you in a moment. Basil turned his
head to look at her as she took out a disposable syringe from a drawer.
But before she had finished unwrapping it, he had got up and left the room
without saying a word.
And that was the eleventh instalment in our Awaking Beauty series. If you
would like to find out why Basil was so afraid of a little injection, then
come back to to Storynory.com to listen to the next instalment.

12. The Beauty on Trial

We have reached the twelfth episode of our Awaking Beauty series and
Princess Talia is getting into deeper and deeper trouble with the college
authorities. She is convinced that the Rectors wife is a dangerous witch.
Many people in college now think that she is crazy with the notable
exceptions of her friend Basil, and the exotic Law don, Count Anthony.
If youve been waiting patiently for this episode, thank you. You may be
like to read this note, The Trouble with Serials.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Its funny, but even when I was a boy I wasnt afraid of injections, said
Basil. But here I am, supposedly grown up, and I ran away from a nurse
with a needle.
Talia looked at him intently, What did this nurse look like? she asked.
Why, er, come to think of it she looked a little bit like, I mean, no thats
too silly. She was middle aged and she had short ginger hair, probably
dyed.
In other words, she looked like, go on say it, pressed Talia. She was
squeezing Basils hand now so tightly that it was starting to hurt.
The Rectors wife, admitted Basil.
Talia let go of him, and started to walk around the room. Now I see it, now
I see it all she said.

What ? asked Basil bewildered.

Its not me shes after, its you my darling. Shes out to get you, and if
you had allowed her to sink that needle into you, you would have fallen
into a deep dark death-like sleep for almost an eternity. She means to get
you out of the way because, you see, its your destiny to kill her.
At this Basil couldnt help letting out a laugh, Me, do in the Rectors wife?
Oh come on Talia, thats completely crazy. I wouldnt hurt a fly. I mean, Id
be a vegetarian, only I like bacon too much to give it up.
Suddenly Talias eyes flashed with anger and tears. See, I knew if I told
you the truth you would think I was mad, and she threw herself on the
bed and buried her face in the pillow. Basil sat down on the side and tried
to comfort her, but she was having none of it.
Oh come on, I didnt mean it like that, it was just an expression, he said.
But she refused to calm down and just said leave me alone, and so Basil,
thinking it was probably best to let her calm down, went out of his room,
and took a walk about the Fellows Garden, which he probably wasnt
supposed to do, but he really needed a calm and tranquil place to soothe
his nerves.
When he was feeling a little more relaxed he thought that Talia would
probably have had time to calm down too. He passed out of the garden,
through the main building, and saw the princess on the other side of the
quad. He was too far away to stop her as she ran towards the figure of the
Rectors wife.
Talia, no!!!! Stop! he yelled. But it was no use. The princess flew at the
woman and gashed her face with her sharp nails.
You stay away from him. You stay away from my Basil! she screamed.
And the woman struggled to free herself from Talia, and ran into the lodge
to seek help from a burly porter.
The College Disciplinary Committee consisted of the Rector, Dr. Mills, and
Mr. Mortimer, the Moral Philosophy tutor who declined to use the title
Doctor because he thought it was vulgar to do so.
Talia sat uncomfortably on a chair on the opposite side of the table to this
formidable committee of men. Fortunately she was not required to speak,
as she was represented by Count Anthony, the Law don. All the same, the
Rector addressed his question to the princess.
Perhaps you could begin by telling us why you attacked my wife?
With all respect Rector, I object to that question, said the count. In the
first place it is a leading question that assumes the guilt of the princess. In
the second place, I humbly suggest that you are personally connected to

the matter in hand, and that in the interests of justice, you should leave
the room.
The Rector, to his credit, saw the truth of those words, and after handing
over the chairing of the meeting to Mr. Mortimer, stood up and left. Count
Anthony had scored his first point.
Does the princess deny that she attacked the Rectors wife? asked Mr.
Mortimer.
She does not, said Count Anthony. He explained that she had been
under a great deal of stress after being wrongfully arrested by the police,
that she had been the victim of a malicious campaign of rumours in the
college, and that she had been hurt as a child by a woman who bore a
strong resemblance to the Rectors wife.
Now it was the turn of the princess and Count Anthony to leave the room
while the two men who were judge and jury in her case conferred and
decided what action to take. The worst that they could do was to send her
down, which meant that she would be expelled from college.
If they send me down, said the princess, as they waited in the next door
room, Im not sure where I will go you see, I dont really know where my
home is or even, if it is oh its so hard to explain.
My dear, I understand more than you think, said the count. But perhaps
it is for the best for you to leave, and to get as far away as possible from
your enemy, for she is dangerous to you.
If I was only thinking of myself, said the princess, I would leave. But
theres Basil
Ah yes, said the count.
After about ten minutes, they were asked to return to the room to hear the
decision of the Disciplinary Committee.
We have weighed the circumstances of the incident, and the extenuating
circumstances that have been described by the count, and we have
reached our decision, said Mr. Mortimer. In reaching this decision, we
have been careful to exclude any partiality due to the fact that the
innocent victim of this action is the wife of the Rector. We are presenting
the princess with a choice. Either she can be sent down with immediate
effect, or she can agree to our terms, which are to undertake an
examination by a psychiatrist and to follow whatever course of treatment,
if any, that is prescribed for her.
Im saner than any of you are, said the princess standing up, and she
fled out of the room.

Count Anthony, be so kind as to inform us of the princesss decision

within the next 24 hours, said Mr. Mortimer, and the count nodded.

13. The Beauty Departs

The authorities of Westerly College Oxford have given Princess Talia a

choice: she can either be sent down and leave the college for good, or she
can visit a psychiatrist and undertake any treatment prescribed. Of course
both Talia and her friend Basil believe that she is perfectly sane, and that
the Rectors wife really is a dangerous witch. They are supported by the
mysterious Law don, Count Anthony.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Sally had not spoken to the princess for about three weeks, ever since
their ill-fated trip to the shopping centre. She had felt incredibly
embarrassed about Talia taking a haughty attitude with everyone she met.
It was one thing to call the spoilt brats of Westerly College peasants, but
it was quite another to treat shop assistants as if they were lowlife. Sally
felt that it was plain bad manners to act that way. And when Talia
physically attacked another shopper, accusing her of having stolen her
purse, she thought that things had gone too far.
But now she felt sorry for her friend because she did still regard her as a
friend. Of course she had heard how the princess had flown at the Rectors
wife in the quad with her fists and nails, and how she had actually bitten
the poor woman on the wrist while the college porter had to wrestle her
off. Lots of people were laughing about it, but Sally felt it was just terribly
sad. When she called her dad and told him about it he said:
Well that is a shame, because I liked the princess, though your mother
did think she was a bit snooty. But shes not the first young royal to go a
bit potty, and I daresay she wont be the last. Some people are envious of

princes and princesses and what have you, but Ive never been. Too much
wealth, fame and privilege isnt good for anybody, especially for the young
when it all just comes served up on a silver spoon. If you want to stay
sane, its better to be born into a normal family, thats what I say!
Nobody thought that Talia would be allowed to stay in college after such
an assault, apart from a few, like Sheena Simon, who reckoned that she
would be let off any harsh punishment because she was a princess. The
student newspaper soon got hold of the story, and published it on the
front page. And then a reporter from London came up to ask questions
around the college. He knocked on Sallys door and asked if she knew
which country Talia was from. Sally just said, Nobody knows, and shut
the door. She was amazed when she was quoted in the newspaper the
following Sunday. They seemed to know all about her, including the fact
that she was from Liverpool. She was even described as a former friend
of the phony princess, which made her feel really bad. But somehow she
couldnt quite bring herself to knock on Talias door.
But then Talia knocked on hers.
I just wanted to give you a little present before I go, she said. And she
handed her the crystal pendant that she had lent to her before, when her
dad had been ill in hospital.
Youve been so sweet to me Sally, said Talia, and I am sorry that I have
not always been the easiest person to have as a friend. But I want you to
wear this always. It will protect you from danger. And just between you
and me, this college will be a dangerous place over the coming days and
weeks so please dont forget to wear this keepsake.
Sally recalled how when her father had been ill in hospital, she had put the
pendant around his neck and it had changed colour as he recovered. She
had never really figured out whether that had been sheer coincidence, or
some mystical power. Anyway, as she took the stone from her friend and
hung it around her own neck, she felt an energising force.
Its very strong, said Talia, you might find it difficult to sleep with it on.
But whatever you do, dont take it off.
Sally tucked the stone out of sight under her t-shirt.
Well thank you, she said, its really generous of you, and I will always
remember you by it, but where are you going to go?
To my fairy godmother, said Talia. I have no other relative. And Sally
thought:
Its kind of beautiful to be that crazy.
***

Basil had not yet heard the news of Talias fate. In fact, he hadnt seen her
all day. She had spent that morning preparing with Count Anthony for the
ordeal of the trial by don. He was anxious for news, and could not
concentrate on his studies or anything else for that matter.
The daffodils were out in the Fellows Garden. He climbed up the steps at
the back of the college and onto the rampart at the top of the ancient wall.
He looked down into the alley bellow. A girl was pushing her bicycle over
the cobbles. Next, he glanced up into the square at the end of the alley
and at the domed library building. He was acutely aware of what a
privilege it was to spend four years, shielded from the hustle and tussle of
the real world, while filling his head with languages and cultures that had
long since turned into dust.
What would he do if Talia was sent down, and had to leave college? He had
absolutely no idea where she had come from, or where she would return
to, but he was sure that wherever it was, he would go there with her. Yes,
he would give all this up for Talia. Oxford was special but it was hardly
unique. After all, there was the other place, not to mention great
universities like Bologna, Heidelberg, Harvard, and Yale But there was
only one Talia. He hadnt lived that long in the world, but he knew that he
would never meet another woman like her. She was his destiny.
While he was deep in his thoughts, his phone pinged. He took it out of his
pocket and saw Talias name at the top of his messages. He shuddered. It
would surely be news of the judgement from the kangaroo court of dons
that was deciding her fate. But how odd? Talia was a technophobe who
owned a bejewelled mobile but didnt know how to use it. As he was
opening the message, he thought, Perhaps she asked her driver to send it
for her, it must be important.
It read, Basil, do come right away. The Rector wishes to see you in the
lodge. He will listen to you. Only you can persuade him to show me
mercy.
His long legs were propelled by great urgency as he ran down the steps
and bounded across the garden. He knew that he should stop to prepare
some thoughts to give to the Rector, but at the same time the instinct to
rush to the rescue of the princess was too much for him to hold back.
He was in such a blind hurry across the quad that he almost didnt take in
the tall dark figure of County Anthony, the Law don, coming towards him.
Basil, where are you off to at such a rush? asked the count.
The Rector wants to speak to me about Talia, gasped Basil. Hes waiting
for me in the lodge.

Have you lost your mind? If you set foot in the Rectors lodge, you will be
in the greatest danger.
But Talia stammered Basil, and he showed the text message to the
law don. As he did so, he came to his senses, and realised that deep down
he already understood that the message was not from Talia. When County
Anthony said, and that missive is a fake, he knew that he was speaking
the truth.
I see, said Basil, yes, I suppose you are right. Talia never uses a mobile
phone I just felt so useless standing around and waiting. A chance to
help was was
Irresistible, said Count Anthony. Yes, the person who sent that message
perfectly understood your state of mind. But if there is any lingering doubt
that the text is a forgery, let us go and speak to the princess in person and
confirm it from the horses mouth although in the case of the princess
that is perhaps not such an apt phrase.
When, a few minutes later, they were standing in the princesss room, she
shrugged her shoulders and said, I know that you are greatly attached to
your mobile phone, but Im afraid that I dont understand technology any
more than you understand magic.
And Basil looked into the princesss oval face and saw someone who had a
completely different understanding of the world from himself. Perhaps that
was why she was so fascinating. But she was clearly in a state of great
anxiety. She was fumbling nervously with the silver coin which hung in a
pendant from her neck.
They sent you down, didnt they? said Basil. The princess shrugged her
shoulders. She did not mention the alternative she had been given to
visit a psychiatrist, and to undergo any treatment that was prescribed to
her. It was something for her that was simply beyond consideration.
Where will you I mean to say, where will we go? Because wherever it
is, I am coming with you. Thats non-negotiable.
Basil. You are so sweet and wonderful. I dont know what I would do
without you. I shall go and stay with my fairy godmother in London. You
will be most welcome, I know.
The danger is very real, said Count Anthony, I must stress that we must
suspect everyone and trust nobody. I have just spoken to a senior contact
in the government, and I had a bad feeling. He was not nearly so friendly
as usual. I think that perhaps the Rector, who used to be a cabinet
minister, still has had some malign influence in the corridors of power. We
really are on our own now. You must leave immediately.

Basil looked around the room at the great many treasures belonging to the
princess: a bearskin rug, the picture of a garden on the wall, the fourposter bed, and the gilded harp.
How will we move all this down to London? he asked. Oh dont worry
about that, said the princess, my godmother will arrange it.
Please hurry now, said Count Anthony. There is no time. Anything could
happen if you stay here.
Basil and Talia walked at a measured pace down the stairs. Can I go back
to my room and fetch a few things? asked Basil.
Not now, said the count, they will be sent on to you.
As usual, Talias black limousine and a driver were waiting in the back
quad. The driver sprang out of the seat and opened a rear door for Talia.
Basil went around the other side. Soon the car slipped out of the back
gates. The count nodded his farewell. None of them saw the face that
watched the departure from a window high up in Fletchers Tower.
Basil sank back into the leather and held Talias hand as they made their
way out of the city over Magdalene Bridge, and up the hill on the way to
London. For a while he closed his eyes and wondered if London really
existed he had grown up there, practically in the centre of town, but
now after the strange events of Oxford, reality seemed remote. But when
he opened his eyes he could see it all around him the ordinary streets,
the ordinary houses, the ordinary life of people who actually lived in
Oxford. Yes, he was going to have to adjust himself back to real life. At
some point he would have to find his own place to live, a job to pay for it,
a plausible explanation for why he had not finished his degree not least
to his parents. And there was this little problem about that explanation
most people, in fact 99.9% of people, didnt believe in magic which
brought a question to mind:
Talia, whats your fairy godmother like? he asked. I mean, is she
elderly? Will she mind me coming to stay?
Well she is rather old, said Talia, but I know that she wont mind. In fact,
I am sure that she will see it as an honour to meet you and help you in any
way that she can. You see Basil, you may yet be called upon by destiny. I
do so hope it wont come to that, because it will be terribly dangerous for
you, but there may be no escape from it. Destiny is so very determined, as
a rule.
It was all too much for Basil to take in, and so he closed his eyes. He only
opened them when he heard Talia say in a sharp voice to the driver,
Excuse me, where are you taking us?

The car had turned off the London road. It was entering the forecourt of a
large house with ivy climbing up the walls. He caught sight of a sign. It
said, Bidcliffe Clinic, but it did not say what sort of clinic it was.
Im sorry Your Highness, said the driver, orders is orders.
Two burly men and a woman were waiting for them at the door to the
house. The woman wore a business suit. The men were dressed in blue
nursing uniforms.
And that was the thirteenth episode of in our Awaking Beauty series.
Bertie says well done for listening so far. We do read all the comments and
we understand how there are loads of people waiting to see what happens
to Princess Talia, and of course that includes me! So do drop by at
Storynory.com to check for new episodes, and if you ever can make a
small donation, we are always ever so grateful. For now, from me and
Elizabeth, goodbye!

14. The Beauty and The Big Sleep

Our Awaking Beauty series is about to get even more mysterious we

reach the fourteenth episode in our Princess Talia series, in which she is
taken against her will to be interviewed by a psychiatrist. She answers all
the questions honestly, and Basil knows that it does not bode well for her.
The Beauty and the Big Sleep
Talia, dont get out of the car, were not budging, said Basil. And then he
remonstrated with the driver, I thought your job was to protect the
princess, not kidnap her.
Mine is not to reason why, replied the man.

Theirs is but to do or die, responded Basil. Thats what the Light

Brigade said before they charged into the Russian cannons. You cant just
obey orders even when they are insane.
I believe, said the driver, that the powers that be have the princesss
best interests at heart. And if I may add, I have some personal experience
in these matters. While I was in the army, I saw a few things I wont go
into details but they say that everyone has their own breaking point and
I hit mine. After I left the forces, I spent a couple of months in a place like
this, and it restored me sort of. So my advice to the princess is this: the
sooner you start, the sooner it will be over, and she can get back to
college and her friends, and her studies.
Basil realised that the driver was a decent enough sort, who simply had no
idea what this was all about. In fact he himself scarcely had the vaguest
idea about anything at all anymore except that when Talia was around,
things seemed to get stranger and stranger, not to mention scarier and
scarier
A broad shouldered male nurse came over to speak to the driver. We are
authorised to use reasonable force if necessary, he said in a low voice.
There will be no need for that now, will there princess? said the driver.
And the princess said, No there shant. I will come because I have no
choice, but as soon as I can, I shall complain through the highest possible
channels.
Basil clambered out of the car first. He spoke to a hard-faced woman who
was dressed rather like an accountant, but who introduced herself as a
therapist. She told him that they just wanted to ask Talia a few
questions.
We will only agree if I can be present, said Basil. And the lady replied
that that it was entirely a matter for the princess and if she wished him to
stay, he could.
Basil went back to the car to confer with Talia, and she agreed to the
questioning so long as he stayed with her. The greeting party of the two
nurses and the therapist led them into the house and down a long corridor.
Eventually they went into a room where they could sit down always in
the presence of a man in a blue uniform.
Are you a doctor or a gaoler? asked Talia.
Im a nurse, said the man, would you like a cup of tea?
Thank you. I will have a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon in it, said
Talia.
Im afraid we dont have lemon.

Well Ill just have hot water then, she replied. And the nurse went over
to the drinks machine and filled a plastic cup with hot water for her. Basil
made himself some tea.
After almost an hour of near silence, the interview took place in the room
next door. There were four people from the clinic present, and it had the
atmosphere, not of a consultation with a doctor, but of a trial, or worse, an
interview for a job in a bank.
The lady therapist sat reading through a file of notes before looking up and
asking, Do you have any family in this country, princess?
Just my fairy godmother, Talia replied. And Basil could see that the
interview had got off to a bad start when even the nurse suppressed a
laugh by turning it into a grunt. The therapist kept a straight poker face.
I see. Do you have any contact details for her? she asked in a flat voice.
No, said Talia, we dont communicate in any way that you would find
normal.
Do you mean that you hear her voice in your head? asked the woman.
No, said Talia, Im not insane.
Why did you attack a stranger in a shop? asked the therapist.
She stole my purse, replied Talia dryly.
And why did you attack the wife of the Rector of your college?
Shes a witch, said Talia.
She means that shes a bad person, interjected Basil.
Im afraid, said the therapist, that if you interrupt, you shall have to
leave the room. My questions are for the princess. Now Talia, do you mean
literally that shes a witch, or is it just a figure of speech.
I mean, said Talia, that shes a witch. And if you dont believe me, I
suggest that you take a short trip into Oxfords city centre, and see what is
happening there right now. If you do that, you will realise that I am
perfectly sane.
I am afraid, said the lady, that you are having a psychotic episode,
which means that you are imagining things. We are going to have to
detain you here under section 5 of the Mental Health Act. We can keep you
here for 28 days, by which time, If all goes well, we shall have isolated the
problem and stabilised it. Do you understand what I have just said?

Im afraid that you are the one who does not understand, said Talia.
Basil was already on his feet, You cant do this, you just cant do this! he
was saying.
But they could and they were.
When he left the house, he was in such a fury that he didnt even answer
the driver who was offering him a lift. He loped off down the drive, and to
the main road where he caught a bus back to the edge of the city. It
dropped him off at the Magdalene roundabout because there was a road
block preventing traffic crossing the bridge. In fact a deep impenetrable
fog had risen up from the river, which was rather strange given that it was
early afternoon and the morning had been bright and crisp.
Basil walked across the bridge and through the fog which was a true peasouper. It was the strangest thing, but he was so wrapped up with
frustration and angry thoughts about what had happened at the clinic that
he was hardly thinking about it. He just edged his way forward with his
hand trailing along the stone side of the bridge. The fog did not get much
thinner until he was well past Magdalene College and even then he could
only dimly make out the High Street. Then he tripped up over something
and stumbled forward, almost falling over, but recovering his balance just
in time. The only surprise about this was that it hadnt happened sooner in
the fog. He looked back to see what he had tripped on, and saw that it was
the leg of a woman who was lying on the pavement. He knelt down,
feeling for her head, which he half expected to be bloody from hitting it on
some sharp stone. He would have to call an ambulance, and it occurred to
him that there might be many such accidents and that they would take a
while to arrive. He felt all round the womans head, but could not find any
sign of injury. He checked that her neck was warm. She seemed to be alive
which was a relief to him. He decided that it would be best not to move
her until more expert help arrived. He reached for his phone, but he
couldnt get a signal. He would have to try and call from further up the
street. But it was only a few yards further down that he found a man lying
down in the same way. By the time he reached Queens College the air
was more or less clear with only traces of mist at foot level and he could
see that all the way up the pavement people were lying down, as if asleep.
In fact, he passed a man who was positively snoring. He looked inside a
shop that sold college ties and saw an assistant slumped on the counter.
Outside, a baby was sound asleep in his or her pram, and the mother was
lying on the pavement not far away. These days, only a few cars were
allowed into the the centre of Oxford, even on a normal day, and the
closure of the bridge had clearly hindered traffic, but he saw that a police
car and a mini had crashed into each other. The drivers and passengers
did not appear to be too badly hurt, but they were sound asleep. Further
up a BMW had smashed into the wall of University College.

Basil made his way back to Westerly college and found that the porter was
asleep in his lodge, the rugby team had dozed off on their way to a match
and were lying in a scrum on the quad, and he could see through a
downstairs window that a History undergraduate had fallen asleep in her
tutorial, as had her tutor.
And the strangest thing of all was that Basil was hardly surprised. I know
that at least two people will be awake, he said to himself, One of them
will be Sally, because she is wearing Talias amulet, and the other will be
the Rectors wife.
But there was somebody else that he saw walking towards him. It was
somebody he had not seen before. She was tall, middle aged, and yet
undeniably beautiful with high cheek bones and a dignified way of holding
herself. Her dress was long and made of red velvet. He knew right away
who she must be.

15. The Beauty and Sir Basil

We reach the fifteenth episode of our Awaking Beauty series, and some of
the mystery surrounding Princess Talia will be revealed.
The City of Oxford has fallen asleep under a cloud of fog. Only Basil and
one or two others are awake. He meets Princess Talias fairy godmother,
who takes him to a barge by the river and explains to him why all these
mysterious things have happened.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.

The paving stones of Westerly College were ankle deep in wisps of mist.
But it was the time of day when the spring sun shone directly into the
quad, and shafts of light played in the flaxen hair of the woman who was
walking towards Basil. She seemed like she had stepped out of a dream or
a vision. She walked up to him with hurried steps and said:
Sir Basil, let us be gone from this place. It is an evil corner of the city.
Basil was not quite sure whether he was more taken aback by being
addressed Sir or the description of his college as evil.
But, I cant go until Ive found my friend Sally.
She is waiting for us in the barge, my Lord.
What barge? asked Basil.
The barge of Avion but each minute on the dial is precious, let us hurry

And Basil realised that her every answer just gave rise to more questions,
and so he stopped asking, and hurried in the direction of the Porters
Lodge, and from there, he stepped out into the sleeping city.
As they went along, Basil checked his smart phone to see if there was
anything on Google news or the BBC about what was happening in Oxford,
but his phone had no signal.
They retraced his recent path, across the piazza with the domed Radcliffe
Camera building, and back down the silent and slumbering High Street
towards Magdalen Bridge. Basil walked meekly alongside the lady, now
well aware that he had little or no say over where they would go, who they
would meet, or what they would do. The events that were taking place
were beyond his understanding. All he could do was to place his complete
faith and trust in this good fairy.
The mist was thick by the river, and they made their way with great care
down some steps to the bank, and along the narrow tow path to where the
punts were tied waiting for tourists and romantically minded students to
hire them. But there were no customers today, and the owner was fast
asleep on the grass. Basil shuddered as he thought how cold he must be,
but he was one of thousands who had fallen asleep in random spots all
over city.
A little further along, a wooden barge was moored. It was a pretty boat,
painted gold, and with a prow in the form of a swan. The name on its side
was Avion.

Basil stepped on board first, and held his hand out for the fairy godmother,
though she was no doubt both lighter and steadier on her feet than he
was.
The door of the cabin opened, and a familiar head popped out and said:
What took you so long?
It was of course Sally, still wearing the protecting amulet given to her by
Princess Talia. She invited them to step down into the cabin, which was
filled with a homely aroma. A freshly baked fruit cake, slightly crusty and
burnt on top, stood on the table.
Hmm, that smells good, said Basil, did you bake it?
No. Edwina did. I just took it out.
Edwina? asked Basil.
And Sally indicated with a nod that Edwina was the name of Talias fairy
godmother.
They sat around the table, and Sally cut the cake, but Edwina said that
only Basil or to be precise, Sir Basil could eat it.
All for me? asked Basil, its not got anything, er, unusual in it, by any
chance?
The cake is powerful, said Edwina, but good.
The taste was certainly more tangy than a usual fruit cake, but Basil liked
it. Yes, very good, he said.
Dont say that, Im famished, said Sally. And when Basil wiped his mouth
and asked if he could have another piece, her stomach audibly growled in
protest.
Sorry Sally, he said.
No, its me who should be sorry, said Sally for thinking that Talia was
crazy. Poor Talia. Edwina told me what happened. And of course I realise
now that the Rectors wife really is a witch.
And not just any ordinary witch said Edwina in her clear voice. She is
Morgan Le Fay.
Ive heard of her name, said Basil, but Im afraid I dont know anything
about her. Could you try to help me understand whats happening?
She is an enemy of knowledge. She derives her magical powers from
human ignorance. She is like a black hole, that sucks up knowledge and

destroys it in the process. An event like a book burning fills her with
energy and rejuvenates her malicious powers.
She brought down the Court of Camelot, the home of King Arthur,
Chivalry, and Honour, and ushered in the dark ages, when ignorance ruled
this sceptered isle. Abroad, she inspired the persecution of the
astronomer, Galileo. She caused the Great Fire of London which ravaged
St. Pauls Cathedral, and all the books that used to be kept within it. Now
she plans to create a great bonfire of books from the greatest library in the
world, the Bodleian here in Oxford, but the minds of all the scholars
working around the university were interfering with her plans. Her evil
intent cannot operate in a field of such intense and collective thought. It is
for this reason, that she has caused the city to fall asleep. This is a trick
she has employed before, not least when she set Princess Talia and her
family to slumber for a thousand years. They were the greatest scholars of
their time, and therefore the enemies of superstition and ignorance. She
had to put them to one side while she burned the Book of Wisdom which
they kept in their castle.
A library seems like quite an old fashioned target, said Basil, what about
the internet? Surely she must want to bring that down?
The internet is indeed a great source of knowledge, but it is also a vast
repository of idle gossip, dark plots, wild theories, crude entertainment
and stupidity. People are as much distracted as enlightened by it. On
balance, the net suits her purpose for now. She has not only put Oxford to
sleep, but she has suspended it in time. The Oxford we are in now is a
suspended state that exists in parallel with the city that continues to live
and bustle. She expended a huge amount of magical power to cast such a
spell, and now she is resting. We have about 48 hours before she will be
restored enough to carry out the next phase of her plan. And when she
has completed that, and the knowledge of centuries is in flames, then
Basil, she intends to bring Oxford out of its state of suspended animation.
She will be flush with evil energy from so great a destruction and then she
will challenge and eliminate her enemies, chiefly, Princess Talia, myself,
and dear Basil, you.
Me, why on earth am I her enemy?
Because, dear Basil, you are the direct descendant of Sir Eric, Knight of
the Round Table, and it is your destiny to triumph over Morgan Le Fey. But
first you must return home to retrieve the armour and weapons that you
will need for the task.
I didnt think I had any weapons at my parents house in Fulham, said
Basil.
Not that home. You must return to your ancestral home, and for that you
must go back in time.

Yes, back in time, he said sleepily.

Basil, are you okay? asked Sally with alarm. She leant over the table and
felt his hand. It was cold and clammy. Oh no, dont fall asleep now
Basil, stay awake.
But Edwina said, Dont worry Sally. It is a different sort of sleep that is
taking over him now.
Basil tried to speak, but instead he yawned.
Go into the back room and lie down on the bed, said the fairy
godmother. We shall leave now before you fall asleep. The boatman will
take you back in time. When you wake, be sure to ask for the Wizard
Merlin.
Basil felt too weary to protest. He more or less stumbled into the bedroom
at the back of the boat, crashed on the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.
And Sally said, Oh Basil, waiting for you here is going to be so hard. I wish
I could go with you.
And Edwina said, Rest Child. All we can do now is wait for him. She sat in
a tall Venetian chair with lion heads carved on the back and gently closed
her eyes.
Sally tried to lie down on a chaise longue, but she was far to fidgety to
sleep. She eyed the cake on the table. Basil had left his second slice
almost untouched. Quietly, she got up, took the piece on the table, and
went into to the room where Basil lay virtually unconscious. She began to
eat the cake.
And that was the story of The Beauty and Sir Basil. Im not quite sure if
that cleared up the mystery of Princess Talia or deepened it.

16. The Beautys Homeland

Episode sixteen of our Awaking Beauty series takes us far away from our
usual setting as Basil and Sally awake in Talias homeland. A Miller takes
them to a Medieval tournament where he says they can meet the Wizard
Merlin.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Sally knew that she was asleep, but her dream was so real that she could
almost touch it. Her head was filled with the mellow voices of monks
chanting psalms. She was walking up the aisle of a stone chapel lit by
candles, and she was holding the trail of a long, beautifully embroidered
dress. An ermine shawl covered the shoulders of the bride who was
proceeding in front of her, for this was an evening wedding and it was
chilly inside the chapel. She knew that the elegant figure and the long
auburn hair belonged to none other than Princess Talia. She was not quite
so certain about the identity of the groom, who was waiting at the altar
with his back to her, because he was dressed in an elaborate cloak. For a
moment she thought he might be the Law don, Count Anthony, because
he was the only man she knew who had such fancy taste in clothes. But
then, as she glanced to the side she saw that the entire congregation was
dressed rather elaborately and eccentrically furs, silks, cloaks, heavy
embroidery, and chunky jewellery were all on display. At first everyone
seemed to be watching attentively but the next time she looked, they had
all nodded off to sleep.
No, wake up wake up, she called out. But the Chaplin who was waiting at
the altar with a bible in his hands fell to his knees as if in prayer before
keeling over into a coma. Wake up wake up! called Sally. And eventually,
she did.

Oh, where am I? she thought as the spell of the dream hung around her
for a few moments before slipping off into the ether. She rubbed the
crumb of sleep out of the corner of her eye and gazed around. Water was
lapping against the side of the boat. Basil snored on the other couch. She
shivered because it was cold, and set her feet on the floor. The fairy
godmother was no longer sitting in the front cabin. Apparently she had
gone.
Thats a pity, thought Sally, because you never know when a little bit of
magic might come in handy. Then she recalled Edwinas instructions: Be
sure to ask for the Wizard Merlin.
But ask whom? she thought. For all she could see through the porthole
of the boat was a thick fog. She went up on deck and sat in the prow of
the boat for 15 minutes or so to get some of the fresh damp air into her
lungs. The boat drifted on through the whiteness. The odd swan floated
by, and every now and then Sally had to duck to avoid a low hanging
branch, but there were few clues as to what might or might not be waiting
for them downstream.
She went back down into the cabin, Come on sleepy head, wake up, she
said to Basil, giving him a bit of a push on the shoulder. For a moment she
was afraid that he would not wake up. But he did.
Whos that? he said, oh, er Sally. Whats going on?
Im not sure, said Sally. But I think we might be sailing through time.
Thats weird, said Basil, but everything else is weird too, so you might
well be right.
They went up on deck and were pleased to see that a hard cold sun was
visible through the mist. Quite soon a stone bridge came into view and as
they passed through it, they saw that quite literally, there was light at the
end of the tunnel bright, dazzling light that sparkled and danced on the
water. They heard the voices of children playing, and as they came out
into the bright world, they saw half a dozen or so of them by the river
bank. The younger ones were dressed in smocks, and the older ones wore
breeches or shapeless dresses.
Basil stood up and threw the rope onto the river bank, Here! catch this
and haul us in will you? he said. An older boy grabbed it and started to
pull back. Some infants came running over to help him, but one of these
slipped on the edge of the bank and fell into the water. He went straight
down like a stone, and only his straw hat was left on the surface. Basil
jumped into the water, which went up to his chest, and dived down to fish
the struggling child off the bottom. The boy was spluttering and sobbing

but otherwise unharmed as Basil deposited him on the bank. Basil, of

course, was dripping wet and had duckweed in his hair.
Well that woke you up, laughed sally as she jumped onto the bank.
The other children found the episode all very exciting and amusing but
it wasnt exactly easy to understand their speech. It was full of long vowels
and strange guttural consonants.
I think they said that youre damp enough, said Sally, and poor Basil
you are soaked through. I dont think were going to find you a change of
clothes unless you fancy yourself in a smock.
Yes, what language are they speaking? asked Basil.
English. replied Sally. Its just a bit out of date thats all.
Out of date! It sounds like Chaucer.
I think thats not far off, agreed Sally.
A girl picked the up the child who had fallen into the water and comforted
him.
Go thither, and put on array that is dry, she said to a somewhat puzzled
Basil.
I think she means you can get changed, said Sally. And the girl was
pointing towards a crude but functioning windmill that stood on a small hill
above the river.
The children ran and skipped ahead, and quickly spread the news to the
family and workers back at the mill. There was a small group of people
including a rather emotional mother waiting to greet Sally and Basil. Some
just stood and stared at them, because obviously, they were rather oddly
dressed for the times. Basil was soggy and bedraggled. Sally was wearing
a light blue t-shirt bearing the slogan:
Can you feel my awesomeness?
She tried to explain that they were from a far away place but nobody could
understand a word that she was saying. A child took Basil inside and gave
him some dry clothes to change into. He emerged from the mill wearing a
loose tunic and some baggy trousers and Sally exclaimed, Oh Basil! If
Talia was here, she would say that youre dressed like a yokel! And then
she put her hand over her mouth hoping that nobody had understood the
word yokel because it didnt sound very polite.
Eventually the Miller came out to see what all the fuss was about. He was
more smartly dressed than the others and looked like a stocky man of
some substance. He heartily slapped Basil on the back to thank him for

saving the child. Basil looked rather dazed and confused, but Sally
remembered that they had come to this place on an urgent mission. She
thought there was a chance that the Miller might understand them.
Look, she said, can you tell us where to find Merlin? You know the
famous Wizard Merlin?
And the Miller replied, Let us ride. I shall show thee Merlin.
Which was clear enough. There was an hour of mostly waiting around, but
at the end of it, Basil was sitting astride a wooden saddle on top of a mule,
and Sally was seated sideways on a donkey. The Miller rode a dapple horse
and with a certain amount of kicking and coaxing, they started to make
their way down the road. It wasnt exactly the most luxurious way to
travel. Their behinds bore the brunt of every bump along the road. On the
way the Miller spoke at length, pointing out fields and the occasional
village or church. The further they went along the way, the more people
they met. Various horses, carts, and people on foot were heading in the
same direction. As far as Sally could make out, from what the Miller was
saying, they were all aiming for the town where there was to be some sort
of tournament.
And sure enough, after a couple of hours plodding down the road, they
came in sight of a great noisy crowd that was gathered outside the walls
of a town. It was definitely some sort of fair. Flags were fluttering and
hawkers were selling pies and ale. And then Sally said, Basil, do you see
him? And Basil turned his head to where Sally was looking and saw a
knight in full armour riding a white charger through the crowd. People
were hurriedly getting out of his way, and away from his servant who was
riding by his side with a whip in his hand. A huge sword was slung over the
knights saddle. He did not look like somebody you would want to annoy,
unless you were tired of this life.
The Miller found the Medieval equivalent of a car park, and paid a man to
look after their horse, donkey, and mule. And then they made their way on
foot around the crowd towards an enclosure where seats and a stand for
the nobility where laid out. The area was fenced off, and a guard barred
the way in. The Miller was clearly trying to smooth talk him saying that
they were honoured guests from abroad, come to meet the Wizard Merlin,
but the guard was having none of it. He was staring at Sally and her t-shirt
and jeans in a way that clearly meant:
Whos that weirdo?
And Sally said, Dont look at me like that its rude. Basil was still clearly
somewhat confused and overwhelmed. He was unusually quiet and
listless. He looked like he wasnt quite sure if he was awake or dreaming.

Then Sally had an idea. She pulled out the amulet that Talia had given her
and which she wore under the neck of her t-shirt. It was some sort of
precious stone set in an elaborate golden cross. As she showed it to the
guard, the stones colour changed from green to red. The guard clearly
recognised it as some sort of sign, because he immediately bowed and let
them pass. The Miller led the way to a tent that was also guarded, and
where also the amulet was the key to the entrance.
Inside, men and women were seated on cushions and servants were
bringing them drink and food. A minstrel band was piping and strumming
a merry tune. This was clearly the place to be and none of them, not even
the Miller, were dressed for the occasion. Some of the servants gave them
odd looks, but most other people were far too busy enjoying themselves to
notice them. But then a man, a great hulking man, with a red beard and a
gold embroidered tunic came rolling towards them and called out, Sooth.
It is the very likeness of Eric in his youth! which both Sally and Basil
understood, but found very puzzling. Basil found himself being hugged in a
very powerful and somewhat suffocating embrace, and receiving bristly
kisses on both cheeks. The knight hauled Basil over to a table that was
laid out with food and drink, and where a group of young and beautiful
women were seated in long flowing dresses. Sally was left behind, and she
felt, well, quite left out really.
Hey, what about me? she exclaimed.
And Basil was trying to say to the man, My names Basil, and this is my
friend Sally. Weve come a long way But by now he was surrounded by
other men who wanted to hug him or at least shake him by the hand. One
was saying that he was a skinny sapling and others that he was so very
like Sir Eric. Next women were curtsying and offering their hands to be
kissed.
Um, if anyone is listening, weve come to see the Wizard Merlin, said
Sally. And she held up Talias amulet hoping that somebody would take
notice.
I am Merlin, said a voice behind her.
And she turned round and saw an extremely calm and almost
expressionless face. He was well groomed, even by modern standards,
and wore a very modest black tunic. Although he had silver hair his faces
skin was almost without wrinkles. He definitely had a very different aura
from everyone else in the room.
And if that young man is Sir Basil, said Merlin in perfectly modern and
understandable English, then you must be Sally.

17. The Beautys Time

We are now in Medieval times. In the seventeenth episode of our Awaking

Beauty series, Sally meets some famous people and Basil is increasingly
anxious that he might have to fight a duel with a knight.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
The Beautys Time
Sally had not met anybody who could claim to be famous before, unless
you counted Timmy Jones, the drummer with the Space Kids, who was a
friend of a friend, or Danny O Shea, her classmate from school who now
had a bit part on a TV soap. Merlin, however, was not merely well known,
but an A-list historical celebrity down the centuries. He was more than just
famous. He was a legend. When she first saw him, Sally felt a bit
disappointed really, because he seemed to be just a bit too smooth to be
likeable. She remembered what her mother used to say, Never trust a
man who takes too much care over his grooming, not to mention another
pearl of her mothers wisdom, Dont meet your idols in the flesh, because
theyre always a let-down in real life.
And Merlin said, or rather, he almost purred in a silky, refined voice, My
dear, we must dress you in clothes that befit a lady of our times. And
without him adding anything else, a servant stepped forward and said I
will show you my lady.

She led Sally out of the tent and across the camp. It was not the most
peaceful scene. Page boys were scrapping and play-fighting over the
muddy grass, and on the other side of a fence two knights were trading
energetic blows with wooden swords. Sheep and goats were tethered here
and there, and some of them were bleating noisily. Chickens ran around
the place, and Sally could not help feeling sorry for some rabbits that were
kept in small cages, presumably destined for the cooking pot.
The serving woman, who seemed a kindly sort, said to Sally, The Queen
is your size my lady, I believe that her array shall befit you.
Oh my gosh, do you think the Queen will mind me wearing her clothes?
asked Sally a little alarmed.
She will not begrudge a friend of the Wizard Merlin, my lady.
They entered another colourful tent that was guarded by two soldiers with
pikes. Inside, a dignified old lady was sitting at a table and talking to a
white haired, but still handsome man, with broad shoulders and a straight
back.
The serving woman curtsied. Sally followed suit, though the effect was not
quite the same in jeans, trainers, and a t-shirt.
Your Majesty. This lady has come from Princess Talia to the Wizard. As is
plain to see, she is in sore need of decent clothing. Sally blushed and the
Queen said:
My dear, do not be shy. Step forward. Let me take a better look at you.
And Sally, who was feeling quite jittery with nerves, almost had to force
herself to walk up to the table.
She is passing fair, is she not? the Queen said to the knight who was
sitting at her side. And the knight stroked his beard while he looked Sally
up and down and replied:
She is fair indeed, my lady.
And tell us what became of our beloved niece, the Princess Talia? asked
the Queen.
Ah yes, Talia, shes good, I mean well, I mean, she was, but now she is in
great danger. Ive come here with our friend Basil to find help for her, but
we arent quite sure what we are looking for yet. Am I making any sense?
Perfectly my dear. Talia was our favourite niece. Her beauty and grace
were surpassing. Her gift for music was a delight to us. Many a young
knight had eyes for her. But we knew that she had befallen an evil curse.
We did all we could to lessen its sting, but the magic of Morgan Le Fay is a

match even for Merlins. They are brother and sister you know, but Merlin
is ours, or sometimes I think that we are his. Now. Your complexion is a
little red. But never mind. My yellow sunflower dress will suit you. It is
yours. Help her to dress, will you Anya?
Yes, maam,
And Anya led Sally through some drapes at the back of the tent, where
they found numerous gowns were laid out over the couches, and still more
inside wooden chests. Anya knew where to find the yellow sunflower
dress, as well as shawls and shoes.
While Sally was changing into the unfamiliar clothing, a bewildered Basil
was sitting down to a meal of roast partridge washed down with mead, a
kind of honey wine. He was not feeling particularly hungry, but it was
impossible to refuse the hospitality of the knights, who were convinced
that he was the son of Sir Eric. Basil found it hard to understand their
conversation which was heavily accented, and besides, they were all
talking at once with their mouths full, and it was embarrassing when they
tried to exchange friendly banter with him, because he could do no more
than smile back. It was a great relief when Sally returned, although it took
him a moment to recognise her.
Wow, Sally, you look, amazing, he exclaimed as he stood up from the
table to admire her. He was truly surprised, because although Sally was a
great friend, she did not normally have much of a wow factor about her.
Her yellow dress was trimmed with white fur at the bottom, and braided
with gold around the collar. Her hair was covered with a silk scarf and a
green gown hung on her shoulders.
Well I feel a bit daft looking like a sunflower, she admitted.
No, really it suits you perfectly. You should dress up more often, he said.
And Merlin, who was standing by her side, added Queen Guinevere has
chosen well for you. She was a great beauty in her youth, and it pleases
her to dress a young lady well. She used to give many fine things to
Princess Talia, including, my dear, that amulet that you are wearing.
It took Sally a moment to take this in, Did I hear you right? You mean,
that was the Queen Guinevere
Indeed my dear.
And Arthur?
Dead long ago. The man you saw sitting by her side was Sir Lancelot.

A minstrel began to sing, and some of the ladies came down to sit with the
knights at the dining table. The uproar was growing louder by the minute.
Could we find somewhere quieter to talk? asked Basil with a pained
expression on his face. And Merlin nodded.
The inside of Merlins own tent was lightly scented with incense and
bathed in wonderful quietness. They sat on cushions and a page boy
brought them grapes.
You see, weve come all this way, said Sally, but we are not quite sure
what it is that we are looking for.
Merlin, who was sitting crossed legged with a straight back, replied, You
must return to your own time where Basil will fight Morgan Le Fays
Champion.
Fight? said Basil alarmed. Im afraid Im not much good at fighting.
You are Talias champion, said Merlin, and if you do not fight, she will
have to find a better man. Either way, the battle will take place in your
time, not ours.
Then why are we here? asked Sally.
You are here, said Merlin, so that Basil can learn the art of combat and
gain the quality of courage. And we shall begin by watching the
tournament, where you shall see skills of our young knights on display.
After an hour or so rest, they made their way to the field where the
jousting would take place. Crowds of noisy spectators were held back by
ropes and soldiers. Guinevere and Lancelot were already seated on a
wooden throne. The other more privileged onlookers took their places on
an elevated stand. Flags fluttered. Trumpets blared. Basil watched with a
sense of trepidation as a knight was helped onto his horse by two foot
soldiers. He saw the chainmail, the shield, the sword, the lance. The man
was like a human tank. Was he, Basil, supposed to fight somebody like this
knight? When he was finally mounted, the knight struggled to take control
of his restless horse, before spurring him onto the side, and riding over to
the Royal Stand. He halted just before where Basil was sitting with Sally
and Merlin.
Oh cripes, hes not going to challenge me, is he? thought Basil. But the
knight bowed, and called out:
My Lady. If I may be so bold. Lend me your colours. Your fair looks will
give me courage and I am sure to win the day.

Sally couldnt help smiling, almost from ear to ear, and she looked round
to see if Basil or Merlin could offer her any advice about what she should
do.
If you find favour with the knight, said Merlin, you may give him your
scarf to wear. And Sally unpinned the silk from her head and held it out to
the knight, who took it and tucked it into his sword belt.
By now the other knights, about two dozen of them, were riding onto the
field. Sally felt a thrill of excitement, but Basil said in a confidential voice,
I hope there wont be too much blood, because I will look silly if I faint.
Poor Talia, thought Sally, she has some champion
The knights presented themselves before the Queen, one by one, and the
supporters in the crowd either cheered or booed. It was not unlike a
football match. The referee, in this case, was armed not with a whistle but
a bugle. He rode among the knights, inspecting their swords and the ends
of their lances, to make sure that they were blunt for the contest but
blunt or not blunt, you would not want to be hit by one of those weapons
thought Basil.
Sally had been expecting an organised contest in which knights took it at
turns to tilt at each other with their lances. In fact, it was nothing like that.
They divided into two teams, the blues and the reds, retired to opposite
ends of the pitch, and when the bugle sounded they charged at each other
and met in the middle. From then on it was a chaotic brawl and at times it
seemed like every man for himself. The swords clashed, the men grunted,
the horses reared, the crowds roared. When knights were knocked off their
horses, men ran onto the field to help them onto their feet or to carry
them off on stretchers. Those who still had strength continued to fight on
foot.
Oh no, exclaimed Sally, as her champion was pushed off his horse by a
lance from behind. As he lay on the ground, it was clear that he was in
need of some medical attention, and Sally was afraid that he would be
trampled underfoot, but the horses seemed to know not to step on the
bodies lying on the field. His assistants soon came and dragged Sallys
shining knight, semi-conscious, to the side.
Youll have to do better than that for Talia, she said to Basil. But Basil did
not reply.
When the bugle called an end to the battle, there were only six knights
still left in their saddles, and three others standing on their feet. The
Queen consulted with Lancelot, before declaring the reds to be the
winners. The crowd cheered and the knights congratulated one another.

And now, said Merlin to Basil, you have a better idea of what you must
do.

18. The Beautys Champion

In the eighteenth episode of our series, Basil learns to fight with a two
handed sword from one of historys masters of the martial art. He takes
part in a jousting contest and is feeling rather battered, bruised, and fed
up.
Just in case you are wondering, we expect to wrap the whole story up by
episode twenty.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Basil stood in a field wearing a leather jerkin. In front of him, a two handed
sword was dug into the ground. Its hand guard made it into the shape of a
cross. A silver-bearded knight stepped forward and yanked the weapon out
of the ground. He showed Basil how to hold it, with his right hand just
under the guard and his left hand gripping the pommel at the bottom of
the handle.
Basil was no weakling. Two terms of rowing at college had toned up his
muscles no end. Even so, the sword felt heavy as he took it.
Sir Lancelot showed him a good swordsmans posture, with one foot in
front of the other, and the sword pointing up at a threatening angle from
his stomach. Then he demonstrated how to strike, pushing off with the

back foot, sliding the front one forward, while the thick blade strikes first
upwards, and then comes crashing down on the opponent.
Basil tried.
Good good, said his teacher. And Sally, who was watching from not far
off, clapped and called out:
Go on Basil, you can do it. He was smiling, feeling much more confident,
and thinking, at least Im learning from the best.
In fact, after two hours of practice, Sir Lancelot slapped him on the back
and declared, A true son of Sir Eric.
And they retired for lunch.
Youre doing just great, said Sally, as they ate game soup and rough
bread inside Merlins tent.
This is all very well, but a mornings worth of practice is hardly going to
equip me for battle, said Basil mournfully.
After lunch he had a different teacher. Sir Robert was thirty years younger,
and, though Basil did not know it, had been a suitor for the hand of
Princess Talia. He had no liking for the strange foreigner who saw himself
as the princesss champion, and yet knew next to nothing about
swordsmanship, and he was determined to show him a thing or two. For an
hour and a half they fought with wooden swords, and by the end of it,
Basil was dazed almost out of his senses, covered in bruises, and was
bleeding profusely above his right eye so much that he could hardly see.
He went back to the tent and collapsed into a depressed sleep.
While Basil was testing his limitations as a swordsman, Sally was finding
that her accomplishments as a Medieval lady were somewhat limited. She
could not sing, nor dance, nor embroider. But she could gossip, and she
found out a few things about the princess from the court ladies. Talia had
been the most renowned beauty of her time. She was widely seen as a
successor to Queen Guinevere in the hearts of the bravest knights.
Musicians sang ballads about the perfection of her smile, likening it to the
moon. And her own singing voice was considered to be as sweet as a
skylarks. She was blessed by a good fairy who watched over her. She
could read Latin, Greek, and French with equal ease. But there were few
who knew that she was living under an evil curse, and that her happiness
would come to an end before her nineteenth birthday. And so it happened.
Her entire family and court were overcome by sleeping sickness and
gradually passed away. But she, by some miracle, slept on, and on, gently
breathing, and never fading. Or so the legend held. But since nobody
could see her, nobody could be quite sure if was true.

The next morning, Basil was clambering onto a horse. It had been bad
enough when he had gone pony trekking in Wales as a boy, and had been
terrified when his horse had broken into a canter. But now that he was
weighed down by chainmail and armour, he had never felt so immobile in
his life. He dug his spurs into the side of his charger. It began to slowly
plod forward. He pulled down the visor on his helmet. He could hardly see
anybody now, let alone fight them.
This is a bad joke, he thought.
But that afternoon, when they watched another tournament, Basil was
able to cast a more expert eye over the knights swordsmanship. He could
see that perhaps only two or three had any great skill, and the others were
just swept up in the chaos, and swinging randomly with their swords.
Tomorrow, you shall take part in the joust, said Merlin.
What me? exclaimed Basil, Ive only just learned how to hold a sword.
You should see by now, said Merlin, that fortune is the biggest player
on the battlefield.
Basil was beyond being afraid. He was so bruised and exhausted that he
no longer cared about anything much. The following day, as he rode onto
the jousting field, he felt that fate was pulling him along by a string, and
what would happen would happen. He was on the blue side, and when the
others charged, his horse charged too. He threw his javelin, and it landed
somewhat pathetically in the middle of nowhere. He hid behind his shield
as blows fell down on him. He counter attacked with his sword more or
less blindly as he could see very little through his visor. Somehow his
strength and his luck held out. At the end of the bout, he was still seated
in his saddle, and the blues were declared the winners. The other knights
were congratulating him on his courage and strength, and Sir Lancelot
declared him the man of the match.
But I didnt do anything, protested Basil. But he realised that quite
frankly nobody cared whether he had fought with skill or not. As Merlin
had said, recklessness, stamina, and good fortune had carried him through
his first battle.
That evening he had to feast with the rest of the blue team, and if
anything the celebration was more exhausting than the fight.
The following day, Basil was allowed to rest his aching limbs. At mid
morning, Merlin took him to see Sir. Lancelot for advice on tactics.
When you pick up the sword, forget chivalry, advised the famed knight.
In a struggle, the victor takes all the honour, and tells the story when he
gets back home.

His other advice was, Strike at the hand, Its the easiest target. Strike
once to cut the glove. Strike a second time to disarm your opponent. Then
he is yours. You can kill him or take him prisoner as you see fit. And if you
cant see a strike at his hand, stab him in the leg. Few men can fight on
one leg, though I once met a giant who tried.
And now, said Merlin, your initiation as knight is complete. It is time to
visit the Queen.
As Basil bowed before Queen Guinevere he was all too aware that he was
a sorry sight. His hair was matted and his eye was black.
So this is Talias champion. I am not surprised. He is indeed handsome,
declared the Queen. And Merlin whispered, Step forward and kneel before
her, and Basil did as he was told and bowed his head. He felt a light tap
on his shoulder:
Arise, Sir Basil, she declared.
And a dazed Sir Basil arose.
Basil actually felt quite angry as they left the Queens tent. This is getting
ridiculous, he protested, there has to be more to being a knight than
this. Im just being used as cannon fodder. Well I know cannons havent
been invented yet, but what I mean is, you are just feeding me into this
contest and Im going to be chewed up and spat out just as assuredly as if
I jumped into a pit full of lions.
You are right, said Merlin, you would have very little chance in a one to
one combat with the champion of Morgan Le Fay, unless he is, like you,
from your own time, and untrained in swordsmanship. Then you would
stand a very good chance. The tutelage of Sir Lancelot is no mean
advantage.
But who will this knight be? asked Basil. Have you any idea?
I suspect he will be from our time.
And I will be cut to pieces?
Most probably.
Thats lovely, said Basil sulkily, you dont seem to care much about
that.
Oh I do care, said Merlin, I do not wish my sister to win. I do not want
the future of the world to be cloaked in ignorance. I cannot let that
happen. Which is why I will entrust my most famed and precious
possession into your keeping until your last days, when you must return it
to me. I have given it to one other. You are the second to have it in your

possession. It will not ensure your victory, but I believe that if you know
who held it before you, you will be inspired and you will see a way to win.
Youve got me intrigued now, said Basil.
And when they returned to the tent of Merlin, the Wizard disappeared
behind a curtain, and returned holding a sword. Its hilt was studded with
jewels, and its shining blade was engraved with scenes of knights fighting
strange and fearsome beasts.
Here it is, said Merlin. Excalibur.

19. The Beautys Challenge

We reach the climax of our Awaking Beauty series in which Basil and Sally
return to present day Oxford. Basil must face the champion of Morgan Le
Fay in hand to hand combat, and then win a challenge of a very different
sort.
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
The Beautys Challenge
On the edge of the encampment, away from the noise and bustle of the
tournament, damp open fields stretched out into a flat, boggy marshland.
In the distance, mist and fog hung over the ground. It might have been a
beautiful view if there had been perhaps a church spire, or even a path or
a fence or any other sign of humanity to liven it up.
That direction is your way back to the future, said Merlin, pass through
the mist and the forest, and you will arrive back from whence you came.
Sally shuddered at the eerie emptiness that they had to pass through.

When we came here by boat, we had to fall asleep, she said.

The journey is less frightening if you are asleep, said Merlin, but if you
see any demons on your way, you may rest assured that they are
insubstantial spectres, terrifying maybe, but without the ability to do any
real harm. Isnt that so, Lancelot?
Indeed, said the old knight. I have passed that way and lived to tell the
tale.
Im up for it, said Basil, lets get cracking. And Sally could not help
admiring this new Basil who seemed to be full of fiery determination. She
thought, My, how a boy changes when you put a sword in his hand.
Two pages helped Basil to clamber up onto his charger. All the chainmail,
leather, and armour-plating that he was wearing made him fairly stiff and
inflexible. Once he was in the saddle, Sir Lancelot handed him his shield
and his lance. Sally managed to spring onto her dappled mare without any
assistance. Now she was wearing a flowing dress, she had to ride sidesaddle, which was a little strange at first, but she felt terribly ladylike. Her
horse started to walk forward of its own accord, but from behind her she
heard Merlin calling out:
Hold steady. It is still for me to prophesy what shall take place.
And Sally pulled on her reigns. She turned round and saw Merlin raise his
staff and peer into the clouds as if he was seeing what would take place in
a vision.
First, Sir Basil must rescue the princess from her captors, then he must
meet the champion of Morgan Le Fay. If, God willing, he survives the
encounter, he must take a second test the Challenge of Knowledge. If he
succeeds, then all will be well. If not, then the Dark Ages shall return.
The Challenge of Knowledge! exclaimed Basil. What do I know about
knowledge?
But his witty remark was ignored by all. Sir Lancelot boomed:
By he who died on the cross, be a true knight. Go forth and smile upon
danger.
And as she waved farewell, Sally wished that they had said rather less
about death and danger. She looked over at her riding companion to see
how he was taking it all. Basil wore his helmet with the visor turned up. His
face was grim and determined, but she could not help thinking that this
Classics student in a suit of armour was more than just a little bit quixotic.
Was he really going to rescue a princess and fight a witchs champion to
the death? It was almost funny, she thought. But as they rode on, and the
mist started to swirl around the hooves of their horses, she was more than

glad to have him at her side. In fact, she started to feel that there was
quite a lot to be said for a girl to have her knight to protect her.
They rode into the fog, and then into the woods. Fortunately the horses
seemed to know the path. Basil rode in front, and hacked at branches with
his sword, but he could not clear the way completely, and Sally felt leaves
brush against her face.
Then, in the darkness, she saw two demon eyes glowing at her:
Ahhh! she screamed.
Steady on Sally, called out Basil, no harm will come to us here,
remember. And his voice seemed so certain that she managed to
compose herself. There was, after all, no going back. In fact, when she saw
the glowing outline of a demon face grinning at her from the branches,
she almost laughed. Something shrieked and flew at Basils head it might
have been a bat or an owl and he swiped at it with his sword. That really
made her jump so that she almost fell out of her saddle.
Oh please, can we find the way out of this terrible place, she pleaded.
Keep calm, and we will, said Basil, as his horse stepped over what
appeared to be a huge python that was sleeping off a meal, still bulging
inside its body. Sally was so terrified that she wasnt even frightened
anymore. She just felt sick and helpless.
But the worst journey of her life, did eventually come to an end. They
came out of the woods, into another fog, and found themselves following
the river bank. Hey look, thats the back of Christ Church, said Basil. And
Sally thought that she would never again be so pleased to be back in
Oxford.
Their horses hooves clattered down the High Street, which was still strewn
with sleeping bodies. They crossed over Magdalen Bridge and out into the
living, traffic-filled, noisy, and air-polluted world which seemed totally
oblivious to the sleeping, time-warped city just across the river. People
were staring at the Medieval knight and his lady as they road up the hill.
They presumed that they were on their way to some sort of fair or
pageant.
But nobody was quite as surprised as the receptionist at the BidCliffe
Clinic when a knight in armour, sword in hand, kicked open the front door.
The clinic was used to all sorts of people, some depressed, many unable to
cope with life, and still others suffering from various delusions of grandeur
or paranoia, but seldom had the receptionist met anyone quite so
obviously insane as this.

Wheres the princess? he demanded as he marched up towards her

desk.
The security guard was no use, he just jumped out of the window and ran
across the lawn to his car.
Room number 12, just at the top of the stairs, she replied with as much
brisk, businesslike normality as she could find within her. And while the
mad knight clanked down the corridor, she cowered behind her desk and
called the police. Yes, hes armed with a sword, she emphasised, and
he looks like he means to use it.
But in fact, at that moment, Basil was briefly holding his princess in his
arms against his metal plated chest, before saying:
Quick, theres no time.
They ran out of the clinic to the drive where Sally was waiting anxiously on
her mare. Despite the encumbrance of his armour, Basil managed to swing
up onto his horse, and haul Talia up behind him. They cantered down the
drive, and out onto the London road. Amid all the traffic, it wasnt really
safe to do more than walk their horses down the hill and wave the cars
past, but when they heard the sound of police sirens, Basil kicked his spurs
into the side of his charger and darted down the centre of the road, Sally
not far behind. A single police car was attempting to block off half the road
at the bottom of the hill, but Basils horse jumped right over its bonnet.
Talia hung on tight around his waist. Sally more prudently lead her mare
the other way round the side of the car and avoided the block all together.
They galloped over the bridge, pursued by police cars but not for long
the drivers fell asleep at their wheels as soon as they entered the fog.
I hope they were wearing their seat belts, thought Sally as she heard
them crash somewhere behind her.
They entered Westerly College through the back entrance, which was
normally used by cars. Basil jumped his horse over the barrier, but Sally
was more circumspect, and dismounted from hers. Basil rode into the
main quad, with Talia still clinging on to him, and as he called out, Witch
where are you? Send out your champion! he waved his sword in his right
hand, which although it was thick and meant to be held in two hands, was
light in his grip. Somehow when he held it, his whole body seemed skilful
and fluid. The armour that he was wearing did not seem to hinder his
movements at all. He felt that he was a natural horseman.
After a long silence, they heard the sound of horses hooves in the next
quad. First the shadow, and shortly after the point of a lance, appeared
around the corner of the chapel. It was followed by a knight on horseback.
He was no giant, but small, almost childlike in stature. His visor was up
showing a face that was gnarled and scarred by battle.

I am Basil, champion of Princess Talia, what is your name? called out our
knight.
The gravelly reply came back, No matter my name. Know that I am your
doom.
I know that knight, said Talia, his name is Parkin. He is small but
poisonous and has proved deadly to many. But Basil, I know you can
defeat him. You have Excalibur in your hand.
And I have you by my side, said Basil, but now my princess, you must
get down, for it is time for me to face my fate.
Basil sheathed his sword and reached down for his lance which was
strapped to his saddle. Sally came into the quad just in time to see the two
knights turn towards each other, raise their shields and lift up their
weapons. She ran over to where Talia was standing.
Oh Talia, what will become of us if Basil is defeated? she asked.
Sally, just think positive thoughts, replied the princess. And Sally tried
her best to do so as the two knights charged across the quad. Parkins
Lance hit Basils shield and splintered, but the force was enough to knock
Basil backwards off his horse.
Oh no! called out Sally.
My dearest Basil, said Talia under her breath.
Basil tumbled head over heels and somehow sprang to his feet. Excalibur
was in his double handed grip as Parkin rode in for the kill. He thrust
upwards and felt the point tear through his enemys glove and into his
hand. He heard Parkin shriek as he dropped his sword. Basil struck at the
horses side. He liked animals, but this was war. He remembered Sir
Lancelots words: When you pick up the sword, forget chivalry. In a
struggle, the victor takes all the honour, and tells the story when he gets
back home.
The horse reared up and threw its rider onto the ground. As Parkin
staggered to his feet, Basil swung the flat side of his sword against his
helmet with an almighty clang. The man was dazed and staggering around
and Basil took a vicious stab at his leg, catching him in the joint between
his armour plates. Parkin the Poisonous was by no means dead, but he was
certainly out. Basil wondered if it would be kinder to humanity if he killed
him, but then he realised that he didnt quite have that in him to do that
not in cold blood.
Crawl back to your own time, he snarled.

Look out Basil, screamed Talia. From where he lay, Parkin threw a dart at
Basil. It just missed his neck and its point stuck harmlessly into the collar
of his leather jerkin. No doubt it was tipped with poison.
Dont you know when you are defeated? asked Basil. And he gave Parkin
another whack with the flat of Excalibur to make sure he was unconscious
at least for a while.
Basil had not one, but two women rush over to him to tend to any wounds
that he might have received, but given that he was so well buckled into
his armour, it wasnt convenient right then to examine the damage.
I thought you were a gonner for a moment back then, said Sally as she
took one arm, and Talia the other.
Oh Basil, you could have broken your neck when you came off the horse.
Ive seen that happen before at a tournament you know.
What next? said Basil with grit in his voice.
Oh, said Talia, we must tackle the witch.
Where is she? asked Sally.
Didnt you see her? said Talia, She was watching from the tower.
Well, no time to lose, said Basil, and he began to lope towards Fletchers
Tower. Sally and Talia ran after him. When they got to the entrance, Talia
said:
She is my enemy. I must take her on alone, and she pushed the door
open and swiftly and lightly climbed the stone staircase.
What do you think? asked Sally,
I think I must go after her, said Basil and they both followed up behind.
Basil in his armour could not move as quickly as Talia, and he was blocking
Sallys way, with the result that the princess reached the room at the top
of the tower a minute or two before her friends. She pushed open the door
and saw, as she knew she would see, a woman with a spinning wheel.
I am not a little girl anymore. I wont fall for that trick a second time,
said Talia. But Morgan Le Fay picked up a needle and threw it at Talia. The
Princess turned her body sideways and it flew past her and stuck into the
half open door.
Im charmed, said Talia.

And a moment later Basil and Sally came into the room. Basil was holding
his sword in two hands and was ready to slice the witch into pieces but
Talia said firmly, Hold back Basil. You cannot fight magic with a sword.
Which of you is ready to take the Challenge of Knowledge? said Morgan
Le Fay.
That will be me, said Talia.
Er no, said Basil, Im afraid it has to be me.
You Basil? Youve done enough. This Challenge is about brains not
brawn.
Well thanks, said Basil.
Oh come on Basil, said Sally, this is no time to get all uppity. We all
know that Talia is the top student, and you didnt even get one answer in
the college bar quiz.
That may be, said Basil, and yes, Talia is the most brilliant person I
have ever met. But Merlin said it was my fate to take the test. So it has to
be me. I dont like it any more than you do. Its destiny.
And he stepped forward.
Who, said Morgan Le Fey, is the wisest person who ever lived? This is
the question that you must answer.
Basil thought. King Solomon? Plato? Descarte? maybe, he thought for a
moment, even Talia. He remembered the time that she had shown
Socrates to him. He could only take a wild guess. It seemed ridiculous that
the fate of the world should hang on his answer. That what he might reply
might make the difference between enlightenment and darkness. And in
any case, who was to judge that his answer was correct. He looked at
Sally. He could see that she was white with nerves. He looked at Talia. Her
eyes were full of tears. In fact, his own eyes were moist he was not sure
whether it was with frustration or fear or the sheer emotion of it all. He
was still holding Excalibur in his hand. Its blade was a thing of beauty.
Simple, but perfectly balanced, and with edges that were almost incredibly
sharp. Somehow it was impossible not to be wise with such a kingly object
in his hand. His brain had to match the keenness of the weapon. He did
not quite know how he recalled the words, but he said, perfectly fluently.
, , ,

Which was what Socrates said at his trial.

This man, on one hand, believes that he knows something, while not
knowing anything. On the other hand, I equally ignorant do not believe
that I know anything.
And which is often translated as, All that I know is that I know nothing.
After everything he had been through since he had first met and kissed
Princess Talia, he felt the truth of those words in his heart. The more he
experienced the mystery of time and space, the more he realised how
little he understood the world, and how he could take nothing for granted.
And so it proved. Those words of humility were indeed the ultimate truth
of the universe because at that moment, Morgan Le Fay was sucked
through the window of the tower and out into eternal darkness.

20. The Beauty at The Last Ball

We have reached the final episode in our Awaking Beauty series about the
mysterious Princess Talia, and her friends Basil and Sally. They have
travelled back and forth in time and confronted their arch enemy. Now the
sleeping City of Oxford is waking up. The three friends must return to the
real world. But is there a future for Talia at Westerly College Oxford?
Read by Elizabeth. Story by Bertie.
Sallys mum noticed that the digital clock on the oven was reading 17.59.
She liked to hear the evening news on the radio while she prepared
dinner, and she reached over to switch it on. She heard the six time pips
and the announcer, with smooth tones, read the headlines:
Several thousand people in the City of Oxford have temporarily lost
consciousness. Emergency services have been overwhelmed by numerous
traffic accidents and outbreaks of fire. Officials say they are mystified by
the occurrence and are yet to find any credible explanation.
She could not make head or tail of what she had just heard, but
immediately felt a sense of dread, of the sort that only parents can feel
when they fear for their child.
Oh my gosh something terrible has happened to Sally, I just know,
and she rushed to the phone to dial her daughters number:
Hello Mum, came the cheery reply.

Oh Sally, youre alive. Thank goodness.

Yes mum. Im alive. In fact Im just fine. A few people banged their heads
when they fell asleep, but Im glad to say I had a soft landing!
Of course Sally could not begin to tell her mother what she had really
experienced. For her the trip back through time with Basil had taken
several days, but for most people in Oxford the sleeping sickness and the
fog had lasted a minute or so at most. Many had woken up bemused and
baffled, and quite a few with with bumps and bruises. Some had more
serious injuries. The cause of the incident was unknown. Government
officials were visiting a power plant near the Oxfordshire town of Didcot to
see if any poisonous gasses could have leaked into the air. The head of the
UFO Society had telephoned Channel 5 News to claim that a giant flying
saucer had been sited flying over the citys dreaming spires. But the truth
would never been widely revealed, for who could have guessed that it was
all a slick trick of time played by the famous witch Morgan Le Fay?
After the witch had been sucked through the window of the tower, Princess
Talia had fallen into the arms of Basil. It was the way it was meant to be,
and it was the fairytale ending, but Sally could not help feeling a little
sharp pang of jealousy after all, she had been at Basils side while he
transformed himself from a lanky, head-in-the clouds Classics student, into
a knight. Part of her thought she ought to prefer the brainy, funny, peaceloving Basil, but there was another part of her that could not help
shuddering with a certain awe at the steadfast, sword-in-hand, fight to the
death Sir Basil that she had just witnessed.
But then Basil, still tangled up in Talias arms, turned his head and said:
Sally, I want to thank you for all that youve done over the last few days.
Its so great that you came back in time with me. I mean, you were the
one doing the thinking. I would have just been lost on my own.
Then Talia, released Basil from her embrace, and came over to Sally to hug
her. And Sally began to feel a little less left out of things.
The trio made their way down the dark, winding stairs of Fletchers Tower,
and out into the bright sunlight of the quad. The scene was almost normal
with undergraduates and dons milling around and trying to figure out what
had happened. What made it just a little bit surreal was the fact that two
horses draped in colourful silks were nibbling the grass. These days horses
are a rare sight inside Oxford colleges, and of course nobody except Basil,
Talia, and Sally understood why there were there. It was a day of strange
happenings.
Sally could not help noticing that quite a few eyes were directed towards
the three friends as they made their way along the path. She began to
wonder if people now knew the role they had played. It was only when a

third year student, Cynthia Smythe, said to her, Are you going to a ball?
that she realised that everyone was looking at the way they were dressed.
She was still in a Medieval gown, and Basil was wearing metal armour and
carrying a sword.
Ay yes, I mean no, its a fancy dress party at Teddy Hall, stuttered Sally.
And quite frankly, there are so many bizarre people wondering around
Oxford at any time of day, that it wasnt that strange to meet people in
Medieval costume among the sandstone walls and ancient gargoyles.
They went up to Basils room to help the poor boy out of his suit of armour.
A tall thin Classics student emerged out of his bulky shell. They set up the
metal suit in the corner where it looked like an ancestral heirloom.
Otherwise the room was pretty empty because, of course, Basil had
packed his things and left college shortly before the momentous events.
He had pledged to leave with Princess Talia. Basil wore a leather pouch
around his neck which had been given to him while he was travelling
through the past. He checked and found that it still contained his thin
sliver of a bank card and his mobile phone. The phone unfortunately had
taken a blow at some stage, and was dented and no longer working.
Well, said Basil, this is goodbye Sally.
What do you mean? You cant up and leave now.
Im afraid we must, said Talia. There is no place for me in this college.
The authorities sided with her I mean, the witch. I cannot remain here.
An hour later, Basil and Princess Talia were seated on the bus for Victoria
Station in London.
Sally came on board to kiss both her friends goodbye. While they waited
for the driver to get on board, she said:
What do you think would have happened if she had succeeded if
Morgan Le Fay had destroyed all the universitys knowledge?
The knowledge would not have mattered that much, said Basil, most of
its wrong anyway. Modern Science has surpassed it all. But what we would
have lost is that sense of connection with the past I mean, when you
read about Rome or Ancient Athens, the people are as real as if they are
alive today. You get that feeling that human life continues even if we dont
ourselves. The past is different, but its also the same. Its all part of one
big thing. Do you understand what Im saying?
Yes, said Sally, I do because Ive been there, in the past I mean.
And Talia leaned her head against Basils shoulder and said, If you leap
through time and miss out all the bits in between, you feel totally

disjointed. You need a record of the past to connect it all up. We humans
need the past as well as the present and the future.
Sally stepped down from the bus. From the pavement, she waved goodbye
to her friends. She looked around the Oxford bus station. It was such a
drab and dreary scene straight out of modern Britain. Nobody had really
bothered to make it into anything special. It was no more than car park of
diesel fumes. And yet it was the place where for so many, the Oxford
fairytale began and ended.
Sallys dress, given to her by Queen Guinevere, came in handy for the May
Ball which took place, as is the custom in Oxford, in the month of June. She
even had the pick of the college men to accompany her, in the form of
Jonathan Miles, the English scholar, who was widely considered as totally
cool, and she was the envy of many of the other college women who
wondered what he saw in her.
But what made the night really special, was that Princess Talia and Basil
came back for the ball. They were the most beautiful couple who danced
the night away, obviously in love with each other. Although they were the
same age, or younger than almost all the others there, because they had
already left and moved onto a new life, they already seemed so much
more mature and grown up. They were almost like film stars. Impossibly
glamorous and beyond the reach of ordinary mortals, apart from Sally of
course.
From then on, the many distractions of life at Oxford, including the parties,
the romances, the student politics, the drama societies, the eight weeks,
and the balls, no longer seemed quite so important as before to Sally. She
had experienced so much, so intensely, that Oxford life all seemed rather
trivial. She found that the less she cared about who invited her to what
event, the more that everybody wanted to invite her out to every
happening. She concentrated on her studies, and at the end of four years
she took a first in Classics, or Greats as traditionalists like to call it.
And that was the twentieth and final part of Awaking Beauty. The story
was written by Bertie and read by me Elizabeth Donnelly for
Storynory.com.
Perhaps, like me, you feel just a little bit sad that the series has come to
and end. If you have got this far with it, you probably feel that you know
Sally, Talia, and Basil quite well. As they say, parting is always such sweet
sorrow. Oh well, excuse me while I wipe a little tear from my eye. But
never mind. Ill be back soon with some more stories, including one that
Ive written myself. That will be a first and Im feeling rather excited about
it.