Your Fantasy Sleep Saga (Season 1 Episode 9)

A warm welcome to this fantasy sleep saga where you are the main character.

Throughout this bedtime story series you will be guided on an epic adventure,

All the while accompanied by soft soothing music helping you to sink into an effortless sleep.

Here there is magic,

Wonder and mystery waiting round every corner.

Before we begin,

We will do a short guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.

This will allow you to slow down and relax,

Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful peaceful rest.

When you are ready,

Breathe in through the nose for 3,

Hold for 4 and breathe out for 5.

Let all of it go now.

Now,

Again that's in for 3,

Hold for 4 and release,

Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,

Today and tomorrow.

Again,

In for 3 and let it go.

Continue to breathe in this way in your own time and with each breath out allow your body to sink just that bit deeper,

And gradually allow your breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.

Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.

And now,

Let us continue your fantasy sleep saga and enjoy episode 9,

Sunrise in the golden wood.

You awaken very slowly from the most gentle dream,

A dream of elves and wizards,

Of long winding rivers and forests of gold.

And then,

As you open your eyes,

You realize that this was no dream.

Brief memories start to flick through your mind and you remember your journey here aboard a little rowboat accompanied by your wizard.

As you entered this magical golden wood,

You were greeted by a chorus of singing elves,

Before at last being taken to the top of the tallest tree where you had an audience with the lord and lady of the wood.

The last thing you remember before drifting off was being in the presence of the golden lady herself,

Inside her sanctuary of peace and falling asleep underneath the breathtaking starlight kingdom.

And now,

The first light of the day has breathed life into the trees,

And in turn,

They have guided you back from the land of dreams and into their enchanting embrace once again.

As your eyes flick around the clearing,

You see that you are still inside the sanctuary of the golden lady,

Resting on your bed of white stone,

Adorned with hand-crafted blankets and cushions that are filled with ancient magic.

The soft morning breeze is cool against your skin,

And the smell of oak,

Cedar,

And pine drifts through the air.

The sanctuary around you is filled with a morning mist that swirls in its own patterns above the shines through the trees,

Piercing the mist and dancing through it,

Creating a wonderful shimmer of silver and gold.

Slowly,

Now,

You sit up,

Still wrapped in the elven blankets.

They are smoother than silk and give off the faint smell of lavender and chamomile.

The sanctuary is still and silent,

As if the whole world is holding its breath,

Waiting for the new day to begin.

And there,

Emerging from the treeline,

You are met once again by the golden lady.

Her blue eyes shimmer,

And her smile puts your mind at ease.

Instantly,

You feel safe,

Protected,

And somehow even more connected to this place.

Enchanted earth.

Her palms hold two small golden orbs,

As if she has brought with her a little piece of the sunrise.

She steps silently through the clearing,

And her flowing white gown seems to glide atop the mist,

As if the lady herself is floating just above the ground.

As she arrives to meet you,

She brings her hands together and presents you with a small bottle made from the purest crystal.

Inside is a bright turquoise liquid as thin as water,

But pulsing with the most hypnotic golden glow.

This is the water of the first morning dew,

She tells you,

Bottled by our oldest apothecary.

The droplets are enchanted,

And they carry the magic of both the sun and the moon.

This water holds the power to heal and energize,

To soothe and surge,

To relax and rejuvenate,

And I give it to you now as a gift.

You hold the vial and uncork the top,

Before drinking it down in one mouthful.

The water is cool and refreshing,

And as it fills your mouth,

You feel your tongue tingling.

You swallow,

And you feel this tingling sensation tracing down your throat,

Going through your chest and into the pit of your stomach.

Once there,

You feel it pulsing through your whole body.

The sensation moves down your arms and hands,

Across your legs and feet,

And up into the top of your head.

You inhale deeply now,

Just allowing all of these wonderful feelings to happen.

Then,

You smile and thank the lady for this incredible gift.

From the treeline now,

A familiar voice calls out,

Asking permission to enter.

Both you and the lady reply that they are welcome,

And you are met by the kind face of the Elf-Captain,

The one who greeted you at the borders of the Golden Wood and who brought you to the top of the tallest tree.

He is clad in a silvery leather uniform and a long grey cloak with a longbow upon his back.

There is a kindness in his eyes,

But also a reserved strength.

He is one of the great protectors of this land.

The captain asks if you would follow him,

For he has something that he would like to share with you before you depart on the next leg of your adventure.

The lady of the wood helps you to your feet,

And you slip on your shoes,

Following behind the Elf-Captain now.

The lady walks by your side and guides you to the edge of her sanctuary,

Where at last,

She turns to you with a smile.

This is where we part ways,

My dear friend.

You must promise to visit again,

For there is more feasting and festivity for us to share,

And I have so much more to teach you about our world and about the moon and the stars.

Please know that you are welcome here any time.

You share a warm embrace,

Telling the golden lady that it would be an honor to return one day.

And with that,

She bids you a fond farewell,

And you turn back to follow the captain once more.

You wind through a narrow pathway among the treetops,

A pathway that slowly spirals downwards towards the forest floor below.

You pass through a thin tunnel of golden leaves,

Where spotlights from the sunrise pierce through and a deep magical hum fills the air.

You feel as though you are being guided by the forest now,

Lifted up ever so slightly,

And carried deeper and deeper into the depths of the golden wood.

You can see the forest floor once again,

And very slowly,

You are lowered until,

At last,

Your feet touch the soft bed of leaves,

And you have arrived.

The elf-captain turns back to the tree now and kneels down,

Placing both of his palms on the trunk and whispering a faint elvish prayer.

It is a language you still do not understand,

But this passage in particular feels old,

Like an ancient dialect reserved only for the most sacred ceremonies.

And suddenly,

The roots of the tree begin to creak,

And the trunk stretches up and down very slowly.

And then,

Emerging from deep within the roots is a small,

Slender branch.

You watch in amazement as the elf-captain continues his prayer and passes his hands over the branch,

Using a tiny tool between his fingers to work and shape it.

You are observing a master craftsman practicing a skill that has been passed down for thousands of years.

In the next moment,

He stands and turns to face you with his hands behind his back.

The elf-captain smiles,

Thanking you for blessing his homeland with your presence.

He would like to offer you a parting gift.

He reveals his hands now,

And laid across his palms is a small wooden flute.

It is a blend of amber and gold,

And delicately carved with ancient ruins along both sides.

This is the oldest instrument of our people,

The captain explains.

Many moons ago,

My ancestors awoke the golden wood with their songs,

And these flutes were the first gift they received from the trees.

I offer this one to you now.

You blow a single note and feel the beautiful vibration in your lips.

You have never played this instrument before,

And yet,

Emerging from the flute is the most soothing melody that you have ever heard.

It is a song that seems to sing to your very soul.

The captain tells you that this flute holds the ancient songs of the elves,

And whenever you play it,

No matter how far away,

The golden wood will sing with you,

And its power will guide your adventure and protect you from evil.

The elf bows low,

And you return the gesture,

Thanking him for this beautiful gift.

You shake hands,

And he places his other hand upon his heart.

Let the blessings of all the elves go with you,

Friend.

The captain's eyes flick to look behind you,

And he gives a subtle smile,

And then you feel a hand on your shoulder.

As you turn to look,

You are met by the gentle face of your old wizard,

Your most faithful companion of all.

He chuckles mischievously,

Observing how relaxed and at peace you look this morning.

You cannot help but join in with his infectious laughter,

And the wizard takes you in his arms,

Whispering just how wonderful it is to see you again.

He asks now if you are ready for the next chapter of your adventure,

And you can only smile.

Well,

That's very good,

He says,

Because there is somebody here that I would like you to meet.

You bid farewell to the elf captain,

And follow behind your wizard as he leads you back through the golden wood,

Where at last you arrive at the end of the river where you first disembarked.

Only waiting for you now is a carriage pulled by two mighty stack glistening with an ethereal gold dust,

And then emerging silently from the bushes is a cloaked figure dressed in a green garb and leather armor,

A shimmering silver pendant around his neck.

He carries a small black bow,

And his boots are caked in mud.

He pulls back his hood to reveal a stern face with a heavy brow and black stubble,

And yet,

Hidden behind those proud,

Stoic features,

There is a softness,

And his presence seems to calm you down almost instantly.

This,

The wizard explains,

Is our newest companion,

A ranger from the distant lands in north,

Descendant of the great kings of old,

And a very dear friend.

The ranger's eyes soften,

And a smile creeps across his face.

He kneels down to greet you,

Taking your hand in his.

Any friend of the wizard is a friend of mine,

He tells you.

His voice is calm,

Yet powerful.

His grip is strong,

But his eyes are kind and full of memory.

They carry wisdom,

Hope,

And resilience,

And already,

You feel as though you are in the presence of somebody very special,

Indeed.

The wizard announces it is time to depart,

For there is much to do,

And much to see.

The ranger helps you aboard the cart,

And jumps in next to you as your wizard takes the reins.

He gives a low whisper to the two stags,

And at once,

You are on your way,

Weaving through the borders of the golden wood,

And returning once again to the world beyond.

As you leave the forest,

You look back to see the golden lady and the elf captain,

Both waving you off.

And through the air,

You hear them speak to you.

We will meet again,

Friend of the elves,

And when you return,

We shall bless this land with music,

Laughter,

And joy.

The gentle ride of the carriage lulls you into a deep relaxation,

And you know that there is still quite a journey before you will be out of the woods.

And so,

You allow your eyes to close,

And you simply enjoy the rocking of the carriage,

And the enchanting hum of the magical air.

You carry your flute on your lap,

And as the golden wood fades away,

You promise to always remember it.

You know now that you can always find your way back through the power of your flute,

And you know that there are many more wonderful times to be had in this land.

But right now,

A new adventure awaits,

And the world is ahead.