Friendship Dance by Titania Woods Page B

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

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    Chapter Two
    Early the next morning, Twink set off with Miss Shimmery to make the long journey to the palace. A large brown hawk stood outside the tree waiting to carry them.
    Twink gulped when she saw that the entire school had assembled on the front lawn to wave her off. She was glad that she’d already said a private goodbye to her friends and Teena – it would be impossible now, in front of such a crowd!
    â€˜Three cheers for Twink!’ bellowed Madge, the school Games Captain.
    â€˜Hip, hip, hooray!’ chanted all the students, clapping their wings together. ‘Hip, hip, hooray!’
    Twink’s cheeks burned. She could hardly even look at poor Poppy, standing with the upper years! ‘Miss Shimmery, are you sure the sparkle-seeker didn’t make a mistake?’ she whispered as they settled on to the hawk’s smooth, muscular back.
    â€˜Quite sure!’ laughed Miss Shimmery.
    The hawk took off with a sudden rush of wings. Glitterwings grew smaller and smaller below them, until its autumn leaves were only a brightly coloured dot on a miniature green hill.
    â€˜Don’t worry, Twink,’ added the HeadFairy, looking over her shoulder. ‘The sparkle-seeker knows things we can’t see. There’s a reason you were chosen, I promise you.’
    It still seemed very strange to Twink, but if Miss Shimmery was satisfied, then she supposed she should be, too. Meanwhile, the autumn morning was crisp and sunny – a perfect day for a flight. Twink gave herself over to enjoying the rhythm of the hawk’s wing strokes, and the cool tickle of the breeze in her hair.

    Even so, the flight took a long time, and Twink was relieved when Miss Shimmery finally pointed to a lush wood in the distance. ‘That’s Royal Wood. The palace is right in the centre of it – there, in that clearing!’
    Twink blinked as the hawk glided downward. Why, this was just an ordinary clearing, with a few spreading bushes in it. Where was the palace?
    The bird touched down with a graceful hop, and Twink and Miss Shimmery flew off his back, landing on the grass beside him. Immediately, a portly fairy with light blue wings came fluttering over.
    â€˜Madame Shimmery!’ he cried, clicking his heels together and kissing Miss Shimmery’s hand.
    Madame Shimmery? Twink stifled a giggle.
    â€˜Maximus, how lovely to see you,’ said Miss Shimmery. ‘And may I introduce Twink Flutterby, the