The White Dove

By Helena Canejo

A 12-year-old boy's parents have been prisoners in the catacombs of the castle under false pretenses for 5 years. He must leave his little sister behind with a strange woman he just met. He takes off into a dark and haunted forest in search of a White Dove that will help bring his parents back home and restore peace and joy to the whole kingdom. He had always been told not to enter this forest, yet he must find the courage and be confronted by great obstacles and to accomplish this daunting task.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667875668

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© Helena Canejo.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN: 978-1-66787-565-1 (printed)

ISBN: 978-1-66787-566-8 (eBook)

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, lived a twelve-year-old boy named Eric and his five-year-old sister, Isabella. Their parents had been taken away by the soldiers of the wicked Queen Alviva, when Isabella was just a baby, for not paying taxes. Eric had taken care of her ever since. At first, folks in town did not think that Eric was capable of taking care of such a young child all by himself, but he had proved them wrong. He was such a dedicated elder brother and worked on his family’s land to get food for himself and Isabella, and also to pay some money to the Queen in hopes that his parents’ debt would be paid.

Every week, he would pull a little two-wheel cart to the village with fresh vegetables to sell, as his little sister rode in the front close to him holding her favorite doll. Some good people in the town would take pity on the young children and bring them some bread and dried meat. They were all so proud of Eric and they helped as much as they could, but they too did not have much. Since Queen Alviva took over the kingdom six years earlier, her greedy nature had taxed everyone so heavily that there was not much left for themselves, let alone for someone else.

One day, as Eric and Isabella were heading back home from the market, they ran into an old woman sitting on the side of the road. Her head was covered with a scarf, so only her eyes were visible. She looked so frail and hungry, that he decided to walk over to her and offer her some food. The old woman looked up, saw the boy standing in front of her, and immediately assumed he was asking for money.

What do you want, young man? I have no money to give you! she said.

I don’t want any money, Madam, I just thought you might be hungry, Eric said cautiously.

"I am not hungry.