By Christina Jackson Age 10

For over the past 9 years Sarafina stayed in Crete. Sarafina defeated many beasts and she even won the key to the city in Athens by slaying the Minotaur. She climbed mountains, hills, and she did rock climbing too. Her homeland is actually Athens. She was a famous hero to the islands that belonged to Greece. As the years went by Sarafina was feeling a little homesick. She missed her father, her mother, and her friends that live in Athens. Her mother and father were the King and Queen of Athens. So she packed her bags and suitcases and headed for Athens. Sarafina sailed on a ship called The Triton Sailor; it was a really big ship. After a while they reached their destination, Athens. Sarafina was expecting rejoicing from the citizens of Athens, but that didn’t happen.

Not a single person was outside. No women were chatting at the water fountain, while filling their jugs with water; no roosters crowing; no farmers farming the crops; not a single person or animal was out in daylight. Only Sarafina and the sailors from the ship were outside. Sarafina went straight to her mother and father’s palace. Sarafina wanted to know what was going on? Why isn’t anybody outside like how it was in the past, when she was in Athens?  Sarafina knocked on the gold and shiny doors. To her amazement her mother and father’s old servant came to open the door. The old man escorted her to the King and Queen. And there he left her in front of the King and Queen’s living room doors. Sarafina knocked on her mother and father’s living room door.

“Come in”, said King Rayaless.

Sarafina, walked in the room without making a sound, she closed the door behind her. Her mother and father were sitting in their silver and golden throne chairs.

“I’m so happy to see you Sarafina .We all have missed you”, replied Queen Annatheesa.

“He will be coming back just in a couple of hours”, said King Rayaless to the Queen.

“Who will be coming back? “said Sarafina with a curious look on her face.

“Sarafina there is a terrible beast terrorizing Athens, and the Goddess of animals Artemis has sent a creature called the Retheus. And the reason why she sent this beast is because most of our farmers here are not taking care of the animals that well. It’s eating all of the crops and all of the fruits and vegetables,” replied Queen Annatheesa.

“And if it keeps on eating the crops there will be nothing left for us soon. We might all die from starvation! It has a body of a lion, wings of an eagle, its legs were also a part of an eagle too, and it has the head of an eagle as well.”

“So let me get this straight, there’s a beast called the Retheus. And what your saying is that you would like my help to slay the creature?” said Sarafina in a questioning voice.

“And not only that it’s frightening the towns people too.”

“But wont I need a sword, a helmet, a pair of Greaves, and a shield for protection …..I need a whole army suit in order to keep me alive?” said Sarafina getting all freaked out.

“And there’s absolutely nothing to worry about because I have you all prepared…I gathered all of the stuff that you would need in order for you to slay the Retheus, when you would get here”, replied Queen Annatheesa remaining calm.

So Sarafina changed into her army suit .She had all her weapons that she needed.

When the time came the beast rose from out of the sea ocean, came onto dry land and headed straight for the fields. Sarafina ran as fast as she could. She headed straight for the fields, she jumped over all of the fences in the town until she reached the very last one and she stood right in front of the Retheus, holding up her sword an her shield to protect her. The beast roared with anger. It wanted to get past Sarafina and eat all of the crops.

Sarafina’s Uncle, Uncle Ediless, peeked out of his window and wanted to see what was going on outside. He walked outside and saw Sarafina fighting the Retheus with her trusty sword and her protective shield protecting her from the beast.

Uncle Ediless shouted to the top of his lungs and said, “Hey, everybody princess Sarafina is defeating the mean Retheus. I repeat princess Sarafina is defeating the Retheus!”

Soon everyone heard the message that Sarafina’s Uncle said, and they came to cheer for Sarafina.

With her trusty sword Sarafina poked it, poked it poked it and poked it. And just then the Retheus scraped and pushed Sarafina down. Sarafina had a huge scrape on her left armband.

Then she thought to herself that if she gets a pile of rock and throws it at the beast, when it turns away she might as well strike back and stab the Retheus.

And that’s actually what happened. She stabbed it with her sharp sword. Then the beast began to stop fighting. It began to suffer and die from the wounds and then the sword stabbed him in the heart. Not a minute later the Retheus had died, he was dead as a doornail.

Victory was all Sarafina’s! The Retheus was dead, and the crops had been saved. And the only thing that the farmers had to do is plant new vegetation.

Sarafina decided that she wanted to stay in Athens, and that going back to Crete and all the other islands, can wait a little longer.

The end

Note: Christine Jackson attends Cayman Prep School and is the daughter of Christine Ogilvie whose mother is Joan (Watler) Wilson

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