Violet in Jewel Forest, page 3
The fairies walked cautiously through the forest holding hands, taking care to avoid tripping over the tree roots. The night animals had started to come out and the fairies could hear strange noises that even Buttercup couldn’t identify. It was so dark now that each fairy could barely see the fairy in front of her. Violet led the way, but she was in such a hurry that she stopped looking at her feet and tripped over a mound of earth.
“Violet, Violet, are you OK?” Buttercup cried, rushing to her friend.
“No!” sobbed Violet, staring at their surroundings. “Look where we are.” Everything around her seemed very familiar, but not in a good way.
“I don’t understand,” said Buttercup, helping Violet to her feet.
“Don’t you recognize anything?” she asked. “We’re back where Sycamore dug up Primrose’s crown. We’ve been going round in circles.”
As Violet went to search for the bag she had dropped when she fell, Rosa, Bluebell and Buttercup talked together sadly. Violet was right. Despite all their efforts, they were back where they had started and were no closer to finding their way to the Tree Palace.
“I really don’t think we should carry on,” said Rosa. “We could end up getting ourselves even more lost than we are now.”
“You’re right, Rosa. Let’s find a sheltered spot to wait until morning,” said Bluebell. “There are lots of soft leaves around. We could make hammocks.”
“How about underneath that glitter-berry bush?” said Buttercup.
Rosa and Bluebell nodded and the three of them set about finding lots of soft leaves to make themselves comfortable hammocks.
Violet found her bag, and returned to her friends to help them set up for the night. She felt dreadful for leading the fairy princesses out into the forest, only for them to be lost in the dark. She opened her bag to see if she had anything to make the fairies’ shelter more comfortable, and as she rummaged, her hand caught hold of a velvet box. It was such a shame that she wouldn’t get to wear her new tiara to the coronation. She opened the box and in the dim light of the moon she managed to read the words printed inside the lid:
Release your inner sparkle!
“How could I have been so stupid?” said Violet to herself, but loud enough for the other fairies to hear.
“Don’t blame yourself, Violet,” said Rosa. “You just wanted to help your friend. You are very loyal and brave, and we would never call you stupid, even if your bravery does get us into a bit of trouble from time to time.”
“No, but I am stupid,” said Violet, clapping her hands together with excitement. “We all are! We’ve been carrying the answer to our problem around with us!”
“What do you mean?” asked Rosa, confused.
“Our inner sparkles!” said Violet. “All this time we’ve been looking for lights to guide us, when an even brighter light has been with us all along. Put on your tiaras – we don’t have much time.”
“Of course!” said Buttercup excitedly, reaching into her bag and taking out her tiara. Rosa and Bluebell quickly did the same.
The four fairies lifted up their tiaras and placed them gently on their heads.
In a fraction of a second the whole forest was filled with a beautiful rainbow of light made from the four different colours of the fairy friends’ tiaras. The magical light was even brighter than daylight.
“Can anyone see anything they recognize?” asked Violet, squinting at the bright light.
“Over there,” said Bluebell, pointing towards a beautiful emerald tree with ruby roses climbing up its twisted trunk. “I think there was a tree like that near the skyway.”
The fairies headed towards the glittering tree. They were moving quickly now that they were able to see where they were going, and it wasn’t long before Violet called out, “I’ve found it! I’ve found the skyway!”
Rosa, Buttercup and Bluebell fluttered towards their friend’s happy voice and the four fairies raced along the leafy skyway as fast as their tiny wings could carry them.
“I just hope it’s not too late,” said Violet breathlessly. The fairies looked at one another in concern. They were relieved to be on their way back, but what if Primrose had already told the king to cancel the ceremony? There was no time to lose.
“Where is everybody?” said Bluebell, out of breath, as the fairy princesses zoomed into the Tree Palace. Earlier in the day the sweeping staircase had been packed with excited forest fairies arriving for the coronation. Now the grand entrance was completely empty.
“They must be in the Great Wood Hall already,” said Rosa, looking at her watch. “The ceremony is supposed to start any minute now.”
“But it can’t start without the crown,” said Bluebell worriedly.
“Quick,” said Violet, pulling them into the little alcove, “in here!”
Violet ran her fingers over the wall to try and find the ear-shaped knot Nutmeg had shown them. When she found it, she bent down and whispered into it, “Take us to Primrose, please.”
Once again the panel in the wall slid to the side and folded into a spiral staircase, just big enough for the fairies to climb. The fairies rushed up the stairs, which twisted and turned until the fairies fluttered out into a beautiful wood-panelled room with a high ceiling and jewel-glass windows. Violet thanked the staircase quickly before it vanished into the wall, and was immediately greeted by an excited Nutmeg.
“You made it!” Nutmeg cried. “Look, Primrose, I told you they would come back safely.”
“Thank fairyness you’re all right,” said Primrose. “It’s so dark out there, I was scared that you had become lost or had fallen.”
“We did both,” said Violet, smiling at her fashion fairy friends. “But we found the squirrels and we made it back with your crown. I hope we’re not too late.”
Nutmeg and Primrose squealed with excitement and buried the fairies in hugs and kisses.
“You’re just in time. I was about to go and tell Father everything,” Primrose said, her eyes shining. “You must tell us what happened while you finish getting ready.”
As the fairies slipped into their glittering gowns, Violet explained to Primrose what had happened and why Sycamore had stolen Primrose’s crown.
“Poor Sycamore!” said Primrose. “He must have been so hurt that I hadn’t invited him. I honestly meant to, but it must have just slipped my mind with all the other arrangements. Nutmeg, run outside and ask one of the fairy-flyers to hurry to the squirrels’ home with a formal invitation.”
“No problem,” said Nutmeg. “Just make sure you don’t start without me,” she added as she fluttered out of the room.
“Violet,” continued Primrose, “you’ve been so brave. I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you.”
“It wasn’t just me,” said Violet. “I would never have had the courage to head out into the dark forest without my friends beside me.”
Primrose nodded. “Thank you, fashion fairies. I am so grateful to each of you.”
“And there’s no need for you to repay us,” said Rosa. “It was an honour to have been able to help you and be a part of your special day.”
As Rosa spoke, beautiful music could be heard coming from the Great Wood Hall. The ceremony was about to begin.
“Well,” said Primrose, smiling, “perhaps you wouldn’t mind helping me one more time.”
She fluttered to a tall wardrobe in the corner of the room and took out four magnificent jewelled cloaks. There was one in each of the fairy princesses’ favourite colours.
“I was wondering if you would agree to wear these,” said Primrose, handing a cloak to each of the fairies, “and do me the honour of standing with me during the ceremony as my official fairies-in-waiting.”
“Oh, Primrose!” said Violet, throwing her arms around her friend. “Of course we will!”
Violet, Buttercup, Rosa and Bluebell fastened the cloaks’ delicate clasps around their shoulders and put on their tiaras, releasing a rainbow of light, just as Nutmeg slipped back into the room.
“Wow!” said Nutmeg. “Those are the most beautiful tiaras I’ve ever seen! Are you ready, Primrose?”
Primrose nodded and the four fairy princesses took their places behind Primrose and Nutmeg as they walked gracefully through the double doors and into the Great Wood Hall.
With the crown safely back where it belonged, the ceremony took place without a hitch. Violet, Rosa, Buttercup and Bluebell stood behind Primrose and her sister, and were thrilled to get a front-row view. They sang the forest fairies’ sacred song, with a little help from Nutmeg, and cheered as the forest fairy king lowered the diamond-nut crown on to his daughter’s bowed head.
When it was over, an orchestra of forest fairies with beautifully carved wooden instruments played a bright and happy tune as glittering leaves fluttered down from the ceiling.
“You did it,” whispered Violet to Primrose as they filed out of the hall. “You’re a princess now. How do you feel?”
“Wonderful,” answered Primrose, grinning from ear to ear. “I would never have managed it without you. You are such good friends.”
“We princesses need to stick together,” said Bluebell, giving Primrose’s arm a friendly squeeze.
“Look!” said Buttercup, pointing at a timid-looking tree squirrel standing outside the hall. “I think that’s Sycamore.”
Primrose ran over to her squirrel friend and gave him a big hug. She knew that Sycamore was very sorry for having taken her crown and she was sorry herself for not remembering to invite him. Primrose took Sycamore’s paw and the pair of them led the fairies out of the Great Wood Hall and out into Jewel Forest. The forest looked more magical than ever with twinkling fairy lights and glow-worm lanterns hanging from every branch of the glittering trees. There were tables covered in silk tablecloths and decorated with flowers. Among the flowers sat carved wooden plates piled high with forest fairy cakes and jewelled fruit treats.
The celebration was one of the most fun parties the fashion fairy princesses had ever been to. Everyone admired their new tiaras and asked where they had got them from, and the fairy princesses told them about Hazel and her wonderful shop in Sparkle City.
As the fairies were dancing to the beautiful forest fairy music, Violet spotted the rest of the tree squirrels, with neatly combed tails, arriving for the party. She excused herself from her friends and went to speak to them.
“Hello, Conker,” said Violet timidly. “I would like to apologize for chasing you earlier. Here.” Violet held out the emerald nut she had found in the clearing.
“Thank you,” said Conker, taking the nut. “You are clearly a very loyal friend,” he said, smiling, “and one I would like to have for myself. Would you like to dance?”
“Oh yes, please!” said Violet, leading Conker over to the leafy dance floor. “We fairy princesses love to dance.”
The fashion fairy princesses danced with the squirrels and the forest fairies until it was almost morning, when they fluttered back to Nutmeg’s room in the Tree Palace. As they climbed into their silky leaf hammocks, a sleepy Nutmeg, who was so tired she could barely flutter into her own bed, yawned loudly and said, “I’m so glad you came. Please promise me you will come to my coronation when it’s my turn.”
The four fairy princesses smiled at one another.
“Of course we will!” said Violet. “As long as you promise not to let your crown out of your sight.”
The fairy friends laughed together as they drifted off to sleep and dreamt of all of the exciting adventures they had shared in the glittering forest.
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First published in the UK by Scholastic Ltd, 2014
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Text copyright © Scholastic Ltd, 2014
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Poppy Collins, Violet in Jewel Forest
