Friendship Dance (4 page)

I'll keep trying to be nice to him
,
Twink decided, putting on her favourite necklace – a tiny daisy on a woven chain.
It can't hurt – and I'll feel better about myself if I'm not as awful as he is
.

‘Look, the butterfly's back already,' said Jena. ‘Come on, we'd better hurry!'

The girls followed the bright blue insect as it led them upwards again. Twink was struck suddenly by how attractive the four of them looked – all in their best dresses, with hair and wings gleaming. It was as if they belonged in this grand place!

She had forgotten all about the shadowy figure that had been peering at her earlier . . . but it hadn't forgotten her. Something was crouched behind a large green leaf, watching her every move.

.

Chapter Four

The blue butterfly led them to a large, ornate tree house. Adult fairies were swooping through the carved double doors, paying no attention to them. They all wore the finest orchids and lilies, and bright gemstones flashed everywhere.

Twink gulped. Had she really thought that she and the others looked as if they belonged here? Compared to these fairies, they should be doing the cleaning!

The boys were there already, and seemed just as uncertain as they did. Gem peeked through the door, and his face paled. ‘It's all adults, sitting at a big long table. I think it's the Queen's counsellors – we
can't
be meant to be eating with them!'

Maximus appeared beside them, flapping his wings irritably. ‘Children! I
did
ask you to be prompt – that doesn't mean hanging about like hooligans. Come along, now.'

Maximus herded the eight of them inside. Twink caught her breath. The high, arched hall was made almost entirely of windows, showing leaves and branches all around them. As Gem had said, a long table ran down the length of it with dozens of adult fairies already seated.

‘You're down here, at the bottom of the table,' said Maximus, guiding them to their places.

Instead of the friendly spotted mushrooms that Twink was used to at Glitterwings, the palace seats were carved from wood, each made to look like a different woodland animal. Twink's was a frog with glistening emerald eyes. She sat on it gingerly, half expecting it to say
ribbit
!

Chauncey-Oberon had seemed as daunted as the rest of them before, but now he surveyed his surroundings with a condescending look. ‘Not bad, I suppose,' he said once Maximus had bustled off. ‘Of course, this is only the Queen's
summer
palace.'

‘And of course
you
know all about it,' snapped Palo. From the sharpness of his tone, Twink guessed that Chauncey-Oberon hadn't been endearing himself to the other boys since they'd seen them last!

‘I do actually,' said Chauncey-Oberon, stretching his wings. ‘My parents are
very
important, you know. In fact, the Queen knows me personally. I'm sure that's why I was chosen for the dance.'

‘I doubt it's anything to do with that,' said Jena mildly. ‘It's a magical dance, that's all – it needs certain fairies.'

Chauncey-Oberon sniffed. It was clear from his haughty expression that he thought he knew far more about it than Jena.

Twink gritted her teeth. He was even worse than before! Still, remembering that she'd planned to be nice to him, she forced a smile. ‘What's White Cloud like, Chauncey-Oberon?' she asked.

He raised his crimson eyebrows, as if he couldn't believe Twink was daring to talk to him. ‘Very nice,' he said, sneering at her down his long nose. ‘We don't get
common
fairies there.'

‘No, just moss brains like you,' muttered Tilli's partner, a slightly chubby fairy called Jay.

Twink glared at Chauncey-Oberon, her resolve forgotten. ‘Why do you keep going on about fairies being common?' she demanded. ‘My father says it doesn't matter how old someone's family is, or who they know – it's how they act
that counts!'

‘Well, he
would
say that, wouldn't he?' said Chauncey-Oberon, stifling a yawn. ‘After all,
he's
not anyone important.'

Oh!
Twink's blood sizzled in her veins. But before she could say anything else, a rustling noise filled the long room. All of the fairies rose from their seats, standing respectfully on tiptoe.

‘
The Queen!
'
squeaked Snow, turning as pale as her hair.

Twink's heart thundered as she and the others leapt up. It had never occurred to her that they might see Queen Mab before the day of the celebrations.

A pair of songbirds stood one on either side of the doors, trilling a bright fountain of notes. There was an expectant silence . . . and then Queen Mab fluttered in, with four attendants behind her.

Twink let out a breath. The Queen was just as beautiful as she remembered, with long, flowing golden hair and a silvery dress gleaming with moonstones.

Queen Mab's gaze fell on the young fairies, and a smile lit her face. ‘You must be the dancers,' she said warmly, pausing beside them. ‘Thank you very much for coming from your schools to wish me a happy birthday.'

‘You're welcome, Your Majesty,' murmured Twink with the others. Although she knew Queen Mab had lived for several centuries, the fairy monarch seemed to glow with ageless beauty. Twink's wings tingled to be so close to her.

‘And Twink! How lovely to see you again, my dear. I'm so glad you were one of the ones chosen.' Stooping, the Queen kissed Twink's cheek lightly before continuing down the room.

The other young fairies gaped at her. Jena recovered first, gazing at Chauncey-Oberon with an amused smile. Twink thought he looked like the carved frog on her chair, all goggling eyes and open mouth!

Far away at the head of the table, the Queen took her seat, gracefully spreading open her golden wings behind her. ‘Please be seated,' she said.

The hall filled with noise as everyone sat down and began talking. Tilli lunged across the table towards Twink. ‘What was that?' she hissed excitedly. ‘How do you know the Queen? You never said!'

Twink's cheeks reddened as the others leaned towards her as well, their faces alight with curiosity – except for Chauncey-Oberon, who looked extremely cross.

‘It's nothing, really,' she said. ‘Our school hosted the ice pole a couple of winters ago, and I met her then.'

The fairies exchanged a doubtful glance. ‘Twink, she came to
our
school last year too, and she didn't know me from a bump on a log,' pointed out Jay.

‘Yes, I think there must be more to it than that!' laughed Jena. ‘Come on, Twink, tell us.' A rainbow of butterflies streamed into the hall, carrying seed cakes and nectar on gleaming mother-of-pearl trays.

Twink hesitated. Should she should tell them about Stripe, the wasp she'd befriended during her first year at Glitterwings? Queen Mab had been so impressed when she heard that she'd wanted to meet Twink, and had decided to make friends with the wasps herself.

But the Queen's attempt to befriend the wasps hadn't gone very well. In fact, Twink's father had told her just a few days ago that things were worse than ever between the two species.

‘It's no one's fault,' he'd said sadly. ‘But wasps and fairies are very different, you know, Twinkster. There was another meeting recently between Queen Mab and the wasp Queen, and somehow it all went wrong. They just couldn't understand each other's point of view.'

The news had distressed Twink a great deal. She hated to think of fairies and wasps not getting on, when she and Stripe had been so close. But it was just how things were. A lot of fairies couldn't stand the very
mention
of wasps!

What if . . . what if her new friends felt the same way? Twink's wings chilled at the thought.

The others were still waiting for her to answer. Twink forced a smile. ‘Honestly, that's all there is to it. Queen Mab liked how I danced in the ice pole dance, and so we chatted for a bit afterwards. That's all.'

Chauncey-Oberon's face was red. ‘So I suppose
that's
why you were chosen for the Friendship Dance!' he burst out. ‘Because the Queen felt sorry for you.'

Thoughts of wasps flew from Twink's head. ‘Felt
sorry
for me? But I never said –'

‘Well, what else could it have been?' demanded Chauncey-Oberon. ‘There's no other reason why she might talk to an ordinary fairy like
you
.
Why, I've
never even heard of your parents! I bet they –'

‘I think that's enough,' broke in Gem angrily.

The crimson-haired fairy stumbled to a halt, looking surprised.

‘Yes,
I'll
say it is,' agreed Palo. ‘Listen, Chauncey-Oberon. We boys have to live with you for the next two weeks, so it had better be understood right now that you're going to behave yourself.'

Chauncey-Oberon curled his lip. ‘Oh? What's
that
supposed to mean?'

Palo gripped the shoulder of the younger fairy's purple cloak and pulled him towards him. ‘It means that from now on, you're going to
keep your mouth shut
.
If I hear you say anything
I don't like, you WILL regret it. Understood?'

Chauncey-Oberon paled. ‘Er . . .'

‘Yes, and that goes for us girls as well,' put in Jena. ‘We won't have you being horrid, not to Twink or any of the rest of us, so you might as well stop it right now!' The little fairy's eyes flashed.

Chauncey-Oberon tried to sneer, but Twink thought he seemed worried. ‘Whatever,' he muttered. ‘As if I'd want to talk to
you
lot, anyway!'

He was silent for the rest of the meal, glaring down at his food as the rest of them swapped stories about their schools. Tilli soon had them all laughing loudly about Emerald Leaf, but Chauncey-Oberon didn't even look up.

Though he'd brought it on himself, Twink couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for the crimson-haired fairy – it couldn't be nice to have everyone turn on you, when you'd only just met them!

And besides . . . would the others still have stuck up for her, if they'd known the truth about how she met the Queen? The thought prickled at Twink uncomfortably.

After dessert, Maximus bustled over to them. ‘You may take your leave now, children,' he said. ‘Rise, and bow to the Queen.'

They did so. Twink's pointed ears grew warm as she saw the entire room smiling indulgently at them. ‘Our dancers!' called Queen Mab, and everyone burst into polite applause, beating their wings together.

‘I hope they're still applauding
after
they see us dance,' muttered Tilli, pink-cheeked.

As they flew from the room, Twink found herself next to Chauncey-Oberon. She cleared her throat. ‘Listen,' she started, ‘I'm sorry about –'

He glared at her. ‘Oh, just leave me alone!'
he snapped.
And before Twink could respond, he had jetted off after the other boys.