The Magic Book series, book 1 (10 page)

The tree itself
had been decorated with tiny coloured lights. Spiders had spun webs
for the fairies to hang water droplets from, and they swung and
glistened like precious jewels.

Birds had
helped collect the flower petals which had fallen during the winds,
and then had scattered them on the ground around the foot of the
Great Oak to make the most beautiful scented carpet.

Toadstalls had
been gathered and dotted about, small ones for tables and chairs
and the largest to dance or rest beneath.

Fairies, laden
with food and drink making them too heavy to fly, had run in and
out of the Great Oak in two long lines like worker ants, and set it
all out on long tables. Sophie marvelled to herself as to where it
had all come from with such short notice!

And providing
an amazing focal point in the distance, lit up and shimmering as if
it were a mirage, sat the castle, once again to be Queen Tara’s
rightful home.

Just a short
while later, as everyone returned, the air began to buzz with
excited chatter and care-free laughter. The fairies were swathed in
beautiful dresses and suits made with the daintiest and most
elegant materials the girls had ever seen.

Random strains
of music stopped and started as a band fine-tuned its instruments.
Once the band was in full swing, the rose petal carpet was soon
awash with dancers. Those hovering just off the floor whipped the
petals up with the turbulence of their wings so that they too
looked like they were unable to resist joining in!

Everyone danced
and danced, laughed and ate, until they felt they could dance no
more and their stomachs were fit to burst.

Sophie and
Felicity, who’d found brief respite under a secluded toadstall from
all the fairies who wanted to dance with them, couldn’t help
feeling a little disappointed that Queen Tara was absent. It just
didn’t feel quite right without her.

Then, as if
she’d read their thoughts, the music stopped and a gasp went up as
she came into view and alighted onto a small stage.

Her people
bowed and curtseyed, yet unable to take their eyes off of her. She
looked stunning! The tiara she wore in her hair radiated a warm
golden glow. Pearl earrings and a matching necklace complimented
her dress, where more pearls adorned the bodice. The moonlight
played over them giving them the appearance of droplets of
pearlised milk. The dress itself was made of the finest silk, dyed
in the softest shade of pink. From her tiny waist the tiered,
lace-edged fabric fell like a waterfall, right down to her dainty
ankles. Her exquisite shoes, glittering with sparkle dust,
completed her attire. She raised both hands above her head, one of
which was holding her very special wand, then by lowering them
slowly she indicated for everyone to be seated.

A strange
apprehension fell over the waiting fairies, unable to prevent
themselves from remembering the last time someone stood on that
very spot with the terrible news that Queen Tara herself, and The
Book, had been captured.

Queen Tara took
a deep breath, before addressing the uneasy crowd. “As you know all
too well, it has been a very trying time lately. In fact none of us
would be here at all if it wasn't for the bravery and steadfast
belief of Felicity and Sophie…” She was forced to pause as a great
cheer of relief and joy went up from the crowd.

When hush
returned, she continued, “As a token of our gratitude, I would like
to present them with a gift on behalf of us all. Please… come.” She
beckoned for the girls to step up onto the stage with her.

They curtseyed
to her shyly before they stood at her side. Bryony stepped up and
handed the Queen something.

She continued,
“I asked The Book for a fitting gift, and this is what it drew and
gave life to.”

As she held the
object out to the girls, the cloth which had been covering it
simply melted away like smoke, but when it cleared, what it
revealed was unimaginable. It was another book!

“This book has
the same powers as mine,” Queen Tara continued to explain. “Such is
our debt of gratitude to you, that The Book has seen fit to bestow
upon you the greatest gift possible; a copy of itself! It is yours
to keep and use with great care. Once in your land it will look
plain and ordinary, so as not to draw attention, but as you now
both understand, it is anything but!”

“Wow!” the
girls gasped, blushing profusely at the magnitude of such a gift,
let alone the wonderful speech the Queen had given and the amazing
things she’d said about them.

Felicity
tentatively took their Book from her and, almost mesmerised by it,
she stroked it softly and slowly, turning it in her hands as if
touching it might help her believe what she was in possession of.
This one was pink and each page was edged with shimmering silver
fairy dust. In its spine was a pen snuggled safe. It gave a little
wriggle, as if in acknowledgement of their presence.

“I don’t know
what to say. We have had the best time - although it was almost the
worst!” added Sophie hastily.

“This gift is
way too much - are you sure?” questioned Felicity. Some
affectionate laughter rippled round the onlookers.

“Most
certainly,” reaffirmed Queen Tara. A resounding cheer went up
again, everyone clearly eager to echo her sentiments.

Suddenly there
was a flash of purple as Nightshade swooped down onto the little
stage. Horrified shrieks ripped through the crowd as they all
shrank back.

Felicity
instinctively protected The Book, wrapping it tightly in her arms
and turning her body away defensively. Sorrel and Campion darted
forward to restrain him.

“Oh no, don’t
be afraid. I mean you no harm,” Nightshade retreated back and up
into the air a short way, holding up his hands to show no malice.
He continued, addressing Sophie and Felicity, “I simply wish to
have the chance to thank you both myself. You have set me free! If
there is ever… ever,” he emphasised, “anything you need, I will be
at your service.” He alighted back onto the stage and bowed, but
before he could straighten again, the girls rushed at him and
almost bowled him over with the biggest hug.

“Oh!” came the
surprised Nightshade’s muffled voice, also slightly winded with the
ferocity of their impact!

“Now, for a
toast….” Queen Tara interjected. Drinks were hastily handed out to
everyone.

The two girls
and Nightshade had regained their composure on stage. They appeared
completely at ease together, standing with their arms linked, glass
in hand, as if they’d always been the best of friends.

“To Sophie and
Felicity!” Queen Tara called to the crowd, holding her glass aloft
to toast the occasion.

“To Sophie and
Felicity!” echoed the enthusiastic crowd, heads tilting back in
unison as everyone drank. The crowd then resumed chanting, “Sophie,
Felicity! Sophie, Felicity!”

“I feel funny,”
muttered Felicity, swaying slightly. “Oh, we’re going home aren’t
we?” she added, remembering the sensation and that bitter sweet
taste from before.

“Sadly for us,
yes my child, but no doubt we will meet again,” Queen Tara
answered, her beautiful eyes resting kindly on them.

The happy
chanting of “Sophie, Felicity!” continued, but began to fade until
it seemed to be just an echo in their heads…..

“Sophie,
Felicity….. Sophie, Felicity…!” The girls smiled at the sound of
their names being chanted by a grateful crowd - only it didn’t
sound quite right for it to be the collective voices of the
fairies. Sophie, her eyes still closed, frowned trying to make
sense of it.

“Sophie,
Felicity, wakey, wakey!” Mrs Vincent was clicking her fingers in
front of their faces, trying to snap them out of their stupor.

They blinked,
still disorientated.

“This is no
time for taking a cat nap!” With that she gently but firmly helped
them to their feet and steered them by the shoulders into the
school hall.

They just had
time to take in that the clouds had melted away and the sunshine
had returned as it had done in Serenia – Serenia! The girls smiled
at each other broadly as recollections of their adventures flashed
like clips from a film through their mind’s eye.

Felicity
indicated to Sophie with her eyes to their very own magic book,
tucked safely in her blouse; Sophie acknowledging their special
secret with just a wink in return.

Mrs Vincent
began to speak, more to herself than to the girls, “Oh, this crazy
weather will make up its mind what it’s going to do soon, I hope!
I’ve never known anything like it. They say it was only raining
over our school, the rest of Horley has been completely dry and
sunny – how strange?! Oh well, let’s get you back to class.”

“Don’t worry,
Mrs Vincent, I have a feeling that it’s going to be much sunnier
for the foreseeable future,” Sophie beamed up at her.