Finley

**Finley** is the royal advisor and best friend to Princess Demetra.

## Biography

### The Diamond Princess Saves the Day

Winterfest is just around the corner, yet Finley and Princess Demetra can't seem to agree on anything. Arguing over everything from the ice sculpture judges to the refreshments, they don't get along at all. She even calls him names when she can't take it anymore, hurting his feelings so much that he calls her names right back. Nevertheless, when Finley notices that Sparkle Mountain has an odd green cloud circling the tallest peak, he arranges for a sleigh to take him and the princess there so they can investigate before reporting the strange phenomenon to Demetra. She agrees that the mountain needs investigating, but she doesn't want him to accompany her and tries to make him stay with her sister Sabrina, who will oversee the Winterfest preparations until she returns. But Finley is a stubborn little fox and insists that the path to the mountain peak is tricky to find, but he knows the way, not Demetra. Sabrina agrees with him much to her sister's annoyance, mentioning that his knowledge of the area could be useful. Finley smugly settles down in the sleigh and gives the reindeer Rolf directions before Demetra has a chance to.

Despite Finley's assurances that he knows the way, they get lost in the thick green fog. Finley and Demetra explore on foot, bickering all the way until they stumble upon the rabbit Alpenglow. Crying, she whimpers that the Goblin Elsinor and his mining team are trapped inside the mountain and she couldn't help them get out. Finley pushes Demetra to use her magic mirror to see if the miners are hurt, reminding her that she can only use the mirror's magic three times in one day. Annoyed at his bossiness, she steps away from him to check on the Goblins and sees that they appear to be unhurt, but huddled together on a large white mound in some sort of crystal cave. Demetra grimly decides to go in after them, but Finley reminds her that they have no idea where the entrance is in all the fog. Luckily, Alpenglow points out the door right behind them. Finley is terribly frightened of going inside, recalling all of the stories about a great danger lurking somewhere within the mountain, and the fact that the Goblins who dared to go inside got trapped in a cave-in do not make him feel any better. Demetra offers to explore the mountain alone, but Finley puffs out his little chest in an effort to be brave and forces himself to lead the way.

The door reveals two tunnels. The one on the right is spacious and dark, but the one on the left is smaller and sparkles with light. Demetra likes the one filled with light, but Finley argues that doesn't like how small it is and worries that they may get trapped. He prefers the solid rock of the dark tunnel, but Demetra points out that they don't know what could be lurking in its shadows. She pulls out her mirror to figure out which tunnel they should choose, but it only shows her the same image she saw before. However, Elsinor and the Goblins *are*shown to be in the light, so she marches down the left fork no matter what Finley says. Reluctantly, he goes with her because its his duty to protect her as a royal advisor.

As the tunnel becomes narrower and narrower, forcing Demetra to crawl on her hands and knees, Finley feels that it is also his duty to mention that she made the wrong choice. Nevertheless, the princess stubbornly continues down the tunnel until she literally bumps into a dead end. Finley reminds her once again that the other tunnel would have been better, but she just calls him out on the way he insists on pointing out every single mistake she makes. He replies that advising her is his *job* as royal advisor and she shoots back that advisors advise, not criticize. Finley counters that she doesn't listen to his advice, she argues with him. About everything. The princess says that even so, it still wasn't right to call her names. After a long silence, Finley quietly reminds her that she had called him names, so he called her some because his feelings were hurt. Suddenly, a low rumbling sound like snoring -or growling- comes from behind the wall in front of them and they hurriedly turn back. Finley full-on sprints down the tunnel, saying that he's going home where there is no danger of meeting some terrible, rumbling *thing*. Demetra manages to catch his tail just as he grabs the door handle, begging him to stay with her and help rescue the Goblins because she can't do it on her own, since she's afraid of the dark. This revelation surprises Finley so much, he lets go of the door handle and they tumble backwards into the shadowy tunnel.

Finley tumbles into a hole in the floor and lands on a soft, white, hill-like thing. Elsinor and the other Goblins are there as well, having accidentally created the hole in the first place. When Demetra trips into the hole not long after, Elsinor catches her before she can hit the ground. The Goblins report that they had searched the cavern for any way out, but their only way to escape is through the hole they came in. Knowing that no one would know where to look for them, the Goblins had made a signal by mixing peridot ore with water which resulted in the green mist blanketing Sparkle Mountain's peak. Suddenly, the white hill they're standing on starts to rumble as if there's an earthquake, but the Goblins are hardly bothered and simply steady Finley and the princess. They say the rumbling happens all the time and is occasionally accompanied by a loud, low noise, almost like snoring. Demetra examines the ground more closely, noticing that what they had thought was white grass feels more like fur. Elsinor warns her that she could fall off and cut herself on the broken crystal, but Finley darts to her side so he can better protect her. As she continues to feel along the hill, she comes across what feels like a nose and a tooth. Just as Demetra deduces with alarm that the hill is in fact an enormous bear, it rises up on its legs and lifts them almost to the ceiling.

Everyone is too terrified to speak until Elsinor gathers his courage and introduces himself. The bear angrily asks if Lord Bleak sent them, believing that the Darkling leader is still the ruler of the Jewel Kingdom. Demetra quickly corrects him, declaring that she is the princess of the White Winterland, daughter of King Regal and Queen Jemma, but the bear doesn't believe her. He has been a prisoner of Lord Bleak for years, trapped in the cavern with nothing to do but sleep. Furthermore, he refuses to help them get out of the cavern because he suspects that they'll report to Lord Bleak that he is now free and ready to fight him again. Finley loses patience and tries to explain that Lord Bleak has been banished, but the bear is utterly convinced that he is lying and knocks him to the floor, pinning him beneath one enormous paw. Demetra doesn't hesitate and commands the bear to release Finley, announcing that she can prove Lord Bleak is no longer in power by using her magic mirror. Finley manages to gasp out that she needs to be careful, as she only has one more chance to use the mirror for that day. The suspicious bear finally allows her to use it, but she will only if he agrees to let them go. After some thought, the bear agrees to let the Goblins and Finley go, but the princess must stay with him. She accepts.

The bear hoists each of the Goblins out through the hole in the ceiling, but when he reaches for Finley the little fox refuses. Demetra hisses at him to get out of there and go get help, but her royal advisor replies that his place is beside his friend. The princess is so touched by the sweetness of the gesture, her eyes fill with tears. The bear is less impressed and impatiently reminds her that she was going to use her mirror to show him Lord Bleak. She corrects him, saying that she intends to show him her parents, the current king and queen of the Jewel Kingdom, but the bear snaps that he wants to see Lord Bleak. However, Demetra is none too eager to see the reportedly-hideous Darkling Lord and suggests that the bear use her mirror instead. Although he initially refuses to touch it, suspecting a trick, Finley proves that the mirror is harmless by holding it himself and saying the incantation that activates its scrying powers, explaining that all the bear has to do now is say whatever it is he'd like to see. Unfortunately, the little fox gets carried away and states what *he'd* like to see: all of his friends at the Winterfest parade. Its silvery surface shimmers into a reflecting pool and Demetra cries out, realizing that the mirror is responding to the third and final wish of the day.

The bear is furious and is about to smash the mirror on the rocks, but luckily he sees something in its surface that makes him hesitate. Leaning over the bear's shoulder, Demetra sees the pegasus Charger, and her three sisters, leading the parade. The bear, absolutely amazed, softly explains that Charger is his closest friend. Together, they had tried to overthrow Lord Bleak, but were unsuccessful. The two were captured and separated and the bear was imprisoned deep within the mountain, assuming that Charger was dead. Finley clarifies that Charger somehow managed to fight twenty Darklings at once and escape, with the battle scars to prove it. Seeing his friend alive and well finally convinces the bear that Lord Bleak is gone at last. The prospect of freedom, once so far away as to be a mere dream, overwhelms the bear and he cries tears of joy. Meanwhile, Finley sees the parade veer towards Sparkle Mountain and notices that everyone's faces are worried, realizing that they're all coming to rescue him and Demetra. The bear joyfully punches a bigger hole in the roof and has Demetra help him put on a special red collar studded with diamonds, wanting to look his best when he greets Charger after so many years. As the princess and her royal advisor fuss over him to make him look presentable, the bear belatedly introduces himself as Bernard. Soon, they are ready to meet the parade. Finley and Demetra clamber onto Bernard's back and prepare to journey through the shadowy tunnel, Finley thoughtfully holding Demetra's hand to help her make it through her fear of the dark. Within minutes, the diamond princess is running to her sisters as Charger flies to Bernard. Sabrina surreptitiously asks if Demetra and Finley are still fighting, but they both assure her that although they can get on each other's nerves, they have nevertheless become the best of friends.