With Out of the Ashes in the beta-reader stage, I have returned to working on the next Twinkle Dingle story (tentatively titled “A Fairy Excellent Adventure”). It’s a prequel to Don’t Piss Off the Fairies, and tells the story of how the whole mess with Nellie’s family came about. Today, I will share a small excerpt from “A Fairy Excellent Adventure.”
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“The Queen is Summoning us,” Cloverflower said. “Come on!”
She grabbed my hand, and before I could use my own Magic, she *popped* us both into the Clearing. I was surprised to find it empty except for the Queen, sitting on her Throne – not even her Attendants were in Attendance to Attend her. We flew closer, landing in front of the Queen, where we waited for her to address us.
She stared at us silently for a Very Long Time. I shifted from foot to foot, not knowing what else to do while we waited. Cloverflower stood still, but she toyed with her dark curls; she shrugged when I glanced at her. Had we done something wrong? But I could think of nothing, and the Queen had never been hesitant in calling attention to a fairy who had misbehaved.
Finally the Queen cleared her throat and spoke. “Flutterglow, You were the last Seedling, and now there are None in the Seedling Nursery or the Sprout Garden. Is this correct?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I was the last,” I said, scrunching up my face. The Queen knew this already, why did she ask me?
The Queen drummed her fingers on her Throne. “Cloverflower, have We Promised a Seed to anyone lately?”
Cloverflower shook her head. “No, Your Majesty. None have been promised, unless you have done it in secret.”
I clapped my hands over my mouth, trapping a giggle inside.
The Queen frowned at me, but said nothing. She continued drumming her fingers, the tap-tap-tapping reminding me of the time a woodpecker took up lodging in a tree near my home. Finally the Queen stopped drumming, and said the Most Astonishing Thing I Had Ever Heard.
“As there are No More Seedlings or Sprouts, and No Seeds Have Been Promised,” the Queen said, “it is Time for Us to Blossom an Heir.”
I gasped, and Cloverflower did as well. A new Prince or Princess? This was amazing news, and I wondered why we were being told now, alone in the clearing.
Cloverflower recovered to ask first, “Your Majesty, we are pleased and excited by this news! But why have you told only the two of us, alone here in the clearing?”
“Because We need your Assistance, and due to the Nature of what We ask, We Cannot Command you. You must do it of your Own Free Will,” the Queen explained.
Cloverflower and I exchanged glances; my friend nodded almost imperceptibly.
I said, “What do you need us to do?”
The Queen said, “In order to Create a Royal Fairy, Stupendous Magic is Required. We need the two of you to Gather this Extraordinary Magic.”
I grinned, clapping my hands as I spun in the air. This would be a Very Important Mission, and I was already excited to begin!
(the rest is in the book!)
Words © C.C. Naughton. Twinkle Dingle art by Kayla Matt.
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