Friendship Dance (9 page)

The wasp was still telling his story. Chauncey-Oberon squirmed as Stripe mimed asking Twink and Chauncey-Oberon for help . . . and then described how the crimson-haired fairy was the only one who had known how to save the wasp Queen.

‘But it wasn't like that at all!' Chauncey-Oberon blurted out. Stripe stopped, hovering in place.

‘What do you mean?' asked Queen Mab. ‘Is the wasp not correct?'

Chauncey-Oberon's face was poppy-red. ‘No, he's just being nice. Your Majesty, I – I
made
Twink take me along, but only because I wanted to impress you. I didn't really care about helping the wasp Queen at all!'

‘Perhaps not, but you are still the one who saved her,' pointed out Queen Mab gently. ‘Is that not true?'

‘I suppose, but –' Chauncey-Oberon scuffed at the ground. ‘No, it was really Twink,' he admitted in a low voice. ‘She had the idea of both of us trying the magic together. I would never have thought of that.'

‘Ah!' said the Queen, smiling at Twink. ‘Friends working together – great things can happen as a result. I am indebted to you both for saving my sister monarch. The two of us still have much to discuss . . . and much to learn from each other, if we can ever mend our bridges.'

There was a pause as the sadness returned to the Queen's face. She sighed. ‘Our relations with the wasps are the reason why I requested the Friendship Dance today – and to be performed by schoolchildren, for it was a child who first showed me that perhaps wasps and fairies
can
be friends.'

She nodded solemn thanks to Twink, who felt her cheeks catch fire.

With a graceful arm, the Queen motioned the other dancers forward. ‘I don't know if the wasp Queen and I will ever see eye to eye, but I greatly wish for us to be able to. It is my dearest hope that magic might now succeed where diplomacy has failed.' She turned to Chauncey-Oberon. ‘Are you well enough to dance?'

He nodded firmly, his injured wing still hanging by his side. ‘Yes, Your Majesty.'

The Queen's gaze turned to the rest of the children. ‘Then please . . . may we have the Friendship Dance?'

The dancers faced each other across the courtyard, just as Maximus had taught them. Twink saw the same worried look on every face. What if they made a mistake, and the magic didn't happen?

‘And begin,' instructed Maximus. The cricket band struck up a graceful tune.

Twink started to dance. As one she and the others dipped and twirled . . . and as they performed the intricate steps, Twink could feel for the first time a slow, deep magic beginning to gather.

The dance brought them all together, girls and boys, with their various friendships criss-crossing like golden threads. The sparkle-seeker had done its job well, realised Twink. Each of them, through their friendships with each other, had brought something to the dance that was essential – even Chauncey-Oberon, by healing the wasp Queen!

As the eight of them danced and spun, Twink could feel the magic growing stronger. Suddenly bright, golden sparkles whirled around them, spreading out through the crowd like ripples in a pond. Faces relaxed as old friends clasped hands, and new ones smiled at each other.

Twink's heart skipped. The magic was working! But would it be enough to mend things between the two monarchs?
Oh, please, please let it help
,
thought Twink fervently.

Finally the dance ended, and she dipped into a curtsy. Chauncey-Oberon bowed. An expectant silence fell over the courtyard as the last note from the cricket band faded away. Twink held her breath. She knew that everyone was waiting for the same thing: a sign that the wasps had felt the dance, too.

And then slowly, the magic began to fade – until it was as if the glow it had cast over the crowd had never been there at all. The dancers exchanged an unhappy glance.

With a rustle of golden wings, Queen Mab flew forward. Though she tried to hide it, Twink could see the disappointment on her face.

‘Thank you, you've all done very well,' she said softly. ‘I – I suppose it was foolish of me to have such high hopes –'

She broke off at a sudden humming noise. The crowd gave a single loud gasp as the leaves above them parted and a small group of wasps appeared, flying low over their heads.

‘The wasp Queen!' someone cried.

It was really her! Twink caught her breath as the regal insect landed beside her, with several buzzing attendants in her wake. A small golden crown sat on her head, and there were tiny red jewels on her wings.

The wasp Queen nodded gravely to Twink and Chauncey-Oberon.
Thank you for healing me
,
said her dark eyes. Then she looked at the other dancers.
And thank you, too.

Suddenly Twink knew, beyond a doubt, that the magic had worked. She clasped hands tightly with Tilli. Stripe was hovering to one side, looking just as excited as she felt.

Queen Mab flew forward. ‘Greetings, Your Majesty,' she said to the wasp Queen.

The insect monarch bowed her head. For a long moment, fairy Queen and wasp Queen regarded each other – two very different creatures who both longed for friendship.

‘Thank you so much for coming,' said Queen Mab, a smile beginning to spread across her face. ‘We have a great deal to discuss – but for now, please join the party as an honoured guest.'

Hours later, Twink looked around the courtyard with a happy smile. The cricket band had started up again after the wasp Queen arrived, and hadn't let up since. The party had taken on a magic of its own as fairies and wasps danced together, cavorting long into the night.

And at the centre of it all, the two Queens sat side by side on a pair of richly carved chairs, deep in earnest conversation.

‘You've done very well, my dear,' said Miss Shimmery warmly. As it turned out, Twink's HeadFairy had been at the party for hours, and had witnessed her arrival with the wasps – though she'd chosen not to interfere.

‘Thank you,' said Twink, her cheeks turning pink. ‘I – I know that Chauncey-Oberon and I shouldn't have gone off without telling anyone, but –'

‘It can't have been an easy choice, but given the circumstances I think it was probably the right one,' smiled Miss Shimmery. ‘Now enjoy yourself, because tomorrow it's back to –
oh
!'

She broke off as Maximus, flushed from fizzy dew, spun her on to the dance floor. ‘Come, Aurora, let's dance the night away!' he shouted.

Twink burst out laughing as she watched her HeadFairy and Maximus whirl away together under the shining crystals. What she wouldn't give for one of those human cameras, so that she could show all her friends back at school – they'd never believe her!

Tilli, Snow and Jena appeared through the crowd, with Stripe buzzing merrily above their heads. To Twink's delight, the other dancers had been glad to get to know her friend, with Snow in particular cooing over his soft, downy fluff.

‘I can't believe it's almost over,' sighed Snow now.

Looking around, Twink remembered in amazement that she hadn't really wanted to come – and now she wouldn't have traded her time at the palace for anything.

‘Oh, I'm going to miss you lot!' cried Jena, throwing her arms around them. ‘I feel like you're my little sisters.'

‘Yes, very little!' laughed Tilli, patting the diminutive Jena on the head.

‘Show some respect for your elders,' said Jena, pretending to be offended. ‘Isn't that right, Stripe?' The wasp buzzed loudly, bobbing in the air.

The boys came over then, and Twink saw that Chauncey-Oberon's wing had been bandaged by one of the Queen's doctors. ‘Here,' he muttered, shoving a glass of sweet dew towards Twink. ‘Um . . . can I talk to you?'

‘All right,' said Twink in surprise, accepting the dew.

‘I just wanted to say sorry,' blurted out Chauncey-Oberon when they were in a quiet corner of the courtyard together. ‘I – I've been a real moss brain towards you, Twink. I've said some awful things over the last two weeks.'

‘Well, what I said was pretty awful, too,' pointed out Twink, remembering the terrible words she had flung at him in the wasp Queen's chamber.

‘Yes, but at least
you
had a reason,' retorted Chauncey-Oberon. ‘I didn't have one at all – I was just jealous. The Queen knew you instead of me, and – and you seem to make friends so easily, when I don't have any
. . .
' He trailed off, his pointed ears reddening. ‘Anyway, I really am sorry,' he muttered.

‘But you
do
have a friend,' burst out Twink. ‘I mean – I'll be your friend, Chauncey-Oberon, if you let me.'

His eyes widened, and then suddenly he smiled – a real smile, not a sarcastic one. It changed his whole face, and Twink found herself smiling back.

‘Really?' he asked.

‘Yes, of course!' said Twink. ‘Besides,' she added, ‘I don't see how we
couldn't
be friends, after all that's happened today.'

‘No, I suppose not,' said Chauncey-Oberon. His smile grew even wider. ‘You can't really go into a wasps' nest together and not
become friends, can you?'

‘Absolutely not!' laughed Twink.

‘Will you write to me at White Cloud?' asked Chauncey-Oberon as they headed back to the party.

Twink nodded vehemently, her pink hair tumbling about her face. ‘And you have to write to me at Glitterwings.'

‘I will!' he grinned. ‘I've never had anyone to write to before – it'll be glimmery.' Suddenly Chauncey-Oberon ducked his crimson head. ‘Um – can I just ask you one favour, though, Twink?'

‘What is it?' she asked in surprise.

He smiled shyly as the party whirled around them. ‘Would you call me Chaunce?'

.

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Berlin, New York and Sydney

First published in Great Britain in 2009 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

36 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QY

Text copyright © Lee Weatherly 2009

Illustrations copyright © Smiljana Coh 2009

The moral right of the author has been asserted

This electronic edition published in September 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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A CIP catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 4088 1353 9

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