Friendship Dance

.

To Linda C.

..

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Imprint

.

Chapter One

Twink Flutterby and her friends sat perched on mushroom seats in the Great Branch, waiting for Miss Shimmery, their HeadFairy, to address the school.

Twink smiled happily as she looked around her at the other fairies. A new autumn term! She had had a good summer holiday, but it was glimmery to be back at Glitterwings Academy. The oak tree school felt like home.

‘I wonder what Miss Shimmery's announcement is going to be?' whispered Bimi Bluebell, her best friend. Both girls were sitting at the Violet Branch table. Other tables in the Great Branch had different flowers hanging over them, so that the long, spacious Branch looked like a colourful garden.

Twink shrugged. ‘The usual, I suppose – uniforms from tomorrow, and no high-speed flying!'

Her friend Sooze leaned across the mossy table with a grin. ‘Haven't you heard, then, Opposite? Miss Twilight said there's something special Miss Shimmery is going to tell us!' Sooze had lavender hair and pink wings – the exact
opposite
of Twink.

Twink's eyes widened. ‘No, I hadn't heard that! I wonder what –'

She broke off as Miss Shimmery herself appeared, hovering over the platform at the front of the Branch. ‘Welcome!' said their HeadFairy, her rainbow wings glinting like opals. ‘It's good to see everyone back. I've just a few things to tell you . . .'

Twink fidgeted as Miss Shimmery made all the announcements she'd predicted, and a few other ordinary ones besides: no bothering the water sprites in the school pond, oak-leaf caps required at all times . . . oh, when would she get to the interesting bit?

Suddenly Twink sat up straight. Miss Shimmery was taking her sparkle specs off! She only ever did that when she had something important to say.

The HeadFairy regarded the school with a slight smile. ‘Finally, I've a rather special announcement to make. As you may be aware, it's our beloved Queen's five-hundredth birthday in two weeks. There is, naturally, going to be a great celebration to commemorate this – and a student from Glitterwings Academy will be taking part in it.'

Twink and her friends glanced at each other, startled. None of them had dreamed the announcement might be something like this! The school waited breathlessly for Miss Shimmery to explain.

‘Fairies from seven other schools will be involved as well,' continued Miss Shimmery, her snowy hair gleaming. ‘Together, the eight students will perform the traditional Friendship Dance at Queen Mab's birthday celebrations.'

A thrill ran across Twink's wings. Who would the lucky student from Glitterwings be? One of the older girls, certainly. She twisted on her seat to look at the upper-year tables.

‘I bet it'll be Poppy Greenwing,' said Bimi in Twink's ear. ‘She's the best dancer in the school!'

Speculations buzzed about the Branch like bees. Poppy, sitting with the Sixth Years, seemed to think it might be her as well. Her cheeks were pink, and all her friends were whispering excitedly to her.

Miss Shimmery went on as if she hadn't noticed the stir her words had caused. ‘Now, of course, for such an important event, we must make sure that we choose the right student. The Friendship Dance creates a very strong magic. Which student will fit into that magic the best, and bring something to it that's needed?'

Twink frowned, uncertain what the HeadFairy meant. She made it sound like it wasn't about dancing at all.

Reaching into a small pouch at her hip, Miss Shimmery drew out a bright, gleaming orb. A murmur of surprise ran through the school.

‘A sparkle-seeker,' confirmed Miss Shimmery, holding it up. It shone in her hand like a tiny star. ‘We cannot leave this matter to chance; there are too many variables to consider. And so the sparkle-seeker will tell us which student to send.'

Twink gazed at the glowing ball in wonder. She had never seen a sparkle-seeker before; they were normally only used for solemn decisions concerning adults. This dance must be very important indeed!

With a flurry of her long sleeve, Miss Shimmery tossed the sparkle-seeker into the air. It hovered in place for a moment . . . and then slowly flew out into the Branch.

The fairies held their breath as the shining light circled this way and that. Sometimes it hesitated at a table, but it always moved on again, floating lazily about the room.

Poppy sat watching anxiously, but the glowing orb flew past her without even pausing. Twink and Bimi looked at each other, their eyebrows raised. If not Poppy, then who?

Sooze gasped. ‘It's heading this way!'

As Twink and her friends watched open-mouthed, the sparkle-seeker drifted towards them. It was even brighter up close: a tiny, pulsating whiteness. It circled the Violet Branch table as the fairies sat very still, hardly daring to move.

It stopped over Twink's head.

Twink peered up in confusion, waiting for the star to move on. But it stayed where it was, gently turning. Amazed whispers burst out across the Branch.

‘Twink!' hissed Bimi, grabbing Twink's arm. ‘It's chosen
you
!'

‘But –' Twink could hardly speak. Her face felt on fire. The sparkle-seeker
couldn't
have chosen her. Why on earth would it?

‘Twink, please come forward,' said Miss Shimmery.

In a daze Twink fluttered to the front of the Great Branch, with the star bobbing along after her. Surely there had been some sort of error, and Miss Shimmery was going to tell everyone so and try again?

Instead, the HeadFairy smiled warmly at her. ‘The sparkle-seeker has chosen,' she said. ‘Well done, Twink.'

‘But – but Miss Shimmery, this has to be a mistake,' stammered Twink. ‘I'm only a third-year student!'

Miss Shimmery shook her head. ‘Age has nothing to do with it. You'll bring something to the dance that is needed, and that no other student can bring. Now, with your permission, I'll write to your parents this evening by special night-moth. If they say yes, then you'll leave for the palace tomorrow. You'll stay there for two weeks, to practise the dance and then perform it at the celebrations.'

Two weeks?
Twink opened her mouth and shut it again. But that was so long!

‘Only if you agree, though,' said Miss Shimmery gently. ‘Are you willing to go to the palace and represent our school, Twink?'

Twink's thoughts tumbled like autumn leaves. Go to the palace and dance for Queen Mab? On the one wing, it sounded like the most thrilling thing in the world . . . but on the other, it sounded more than a little scary. Just a few minutes ago, she had been looking forward to a nice, ordinary term with her friends – and now this!

Biting her lip in uncertainty, she looked out at the school. At the Snowdrop Branch table, her younger sister Teena was staring at her wide-eyed. And a few tables along, Twink's friends were smiling broadly at her. ‘Say
yes
,
Twink!' came Sooze's piercing whisper.

Laughter rippled across the Branch. Even Miss Shimmery smiled. ‘Well?' she asked.

Twink took a deep breath. Above her, the star still shone, casting a bright light across her features. ‘All right,' she said. ‘I'll do it!'

Twink's parents gave their permission gladly, and a few hours later, Twink found herself repacking her oak-leaf bag. It felt very strange to be the only fairy packing!

‘Twink, you're so lucky!' breathed a pointy-faced fairy called Mariella. ‘Imagine going to the palace! Of course,' she added, flipping back her silvery-green hair, ‘my parents are
very
close to Queen Mab, so
I
wouldn't be that impressed . . . but you
must be over the moon!'

Twink hid a smile. It was just as well that Sooze hadn't overheard, or she'd have teased Mariella about her grandmother, who had been one of the Queen's cleaning fairies.

‘
Are
you excited, Twink?' asked Bimi when it was time for glow-worms out. She and Twink were sleeping in the larger of the two loft-spaces in Violet Branch this term, along with a clever fairy called Pix.

Twink sighed, snuggling down into her mossy bed. Her oak-leaf bag sat on the floor beside her, packed and ready for the journey the next morning. At her side, her bedside mushroom looked bare and empty.

‘Yes, of course,' said Twink. ‘It's just . . . well, I'm going to miss everyone, that's all. Two weeks is
ages
.'

‘I know,' said Bimi sympathetically. ‘We'll miss you too, Twink . . . especially me! But you'll have a brilliant time. The two weeks will fly past!'

‘And it's not like you could really say no,' pointed out Pix drowsily from the next bed. ‘Imagine it –
Sorry, Your Majesty, but I'm too busy at school to dance at your party. Maybe next time!
'

The three fairies giggled. Pix was right, thought Twink. She
had
to agree to such an important event, whether she'd miss Glitterwings or not.

But maybe the time would pass quickly, as Bimi had said. Twink hoped so. Going to the palace sounded glimmery . . . but not as glimmery as being with her friends.