At the very next table, a group of pixies had just finished a bike ride and were tucking into fruit skewers, all piled into an upturned pineapple.
Suddenly fun, poppy music drowned out the twilling flute, and five cheerleading fairies cart-wheeled into the café, grooving in time with the music, while a group of fairy and elf tots skipped in and sit down next to the Arty Fairies, who were dressed in quite odd and artsy fairy dresses, with brushes and paints spilling from their wicker baskets as they chatted and giggled with each other.
Right at the very same time, Harmony and Rhapsody appeared in a shower of stars just as Barnaby burst out of the bushes. It was fairy chaos! Everyone was delighted to see their friends and welcomed each other with hugs and hi-fives all around.
Rhapsody seemed even more excited than normal! “Hi fairies! Hi Elf the Fairy Cake Maker! Fairy good morning butterflies, ballerinas, cheerleaders.”
Just then the shy little gnome caught her eye. He had shuffled in behind Barnaby and was almost hidden behind the bushes. Even though they hadn’t been properly introduced, Rhapsody was always a happy and polite fairy, and she smiled as she welcomed him “And hello … er … Mr Gnome.”
The gnome seemed almost surprised to have been spoken to, and looked this way and that, giving a few grunts, but not really answering her at all. Perhaps he was a very shy gnome!
Elf was in a very upbeat mood as he welcomed all of his customers. “Fairy good morning friends and welcome to The Flower Pot Café! Fan-elfie-tastic day if I do say so myself. In fact, I did say it myself! I can feel it in my pointy ears and dancing feet that something special’s on its way!”
It seemed Elf was right … Harmony and Rhapsody’s wings gave another wiggle, the menu on the table gave a wiggle and the Cheerleading Fairies’ pom poms started shaking all on their own!
Elf was so surprised and couldn’t help doing a huge star jump. “Whoa … Harmony, Rhapsody … your wings are wiggling!” he said as his pointy shoes touched the ground again.
“My wings think something exciting is in the air, Elf the Fairy Cake Maker, but Barnaby thinks it’s just Spring!” giggled Harmony.
“Hmmm” said Elf. “Barnaby might not think there’s magic in the air, but his antennae seem to think differently!” and Elf pointed to Barnaby’s wiggling antennae. There certainly did seem to be more magic than usual in the air.
Maybe Elf had the reason after all. “One exciting thing to happen in Fairyland this morning is a visit by an old and very good friend of mine.” Elf stepped back and bowed to a very, very handsome and stylish young man who had been sitting quietly at a table behind him, reaching out a hand to draw him to his feet.
“Fairies, bees, elves and all magical creatures, I’d like to introduce you to my good friend … Prince Cobalt, ruler of Oak Tree Fairyland.”
As the guests at the café all oohed and aahhed at the young elfin-man in front of them with the lustrous, flowing cobalt-blue coloured Prince cape, someone whispered “he’s a real Prince!”, and Prince Cobalt bowed just a little bow before greeting everyone with a smile and a wave.
“Delighted to meet you all in your own very beautiful Fairyland!” he said, and as one, all of the Fairyland friends bowed and curtseyed to their royal visitor.
But even a Prince couldn’t stop Barnaby’s tummy rumbling like rolling claps of thunder, and as Barnaby stood up straight from his bow, everyone giggled at the rumbling, and Elf jumped to attention in front of his friends.
“From the noises coming from Barnaby’s tummy, we need to move on to important matters! My fairy friends, breakfast specials today are baby blueberry fairy cakes with sweetflower syrup; strawberry pancakes with a blackberry twist and raisin toasties with honey butter!”
Barnaby was licking his lips and rubbing his hands together at the same time. “We’ll have the lot thanks Elf! Big day today, hungry tummy ... oh and three Fruity-Slushies thanks!”
Tapping the request into his elfpad, a loud zing sent the order to the kitchen, and in an instant, Minuet the Dancing Fairy, wearing a beautiful glittery apron over her tutu, danced out ‘en pointe’ with a big tray in her arms.
She lowered it onto their flower table before greeting her friends happily. “Fairy hello Harmony, Rhapsody! Fairy hello Barnaby.”
Harmony was surprised to see her. “Fairy Minuet! Hello to you too … you look busy.”
“Just helping out Elf. Do you know, he’s got a feeling that something special’s going to happen today, and you know Elf and his feelings!”
Harmony nodded knowingly. “I think there might just be a little something in the air,” she giggled at Barnaby’s look which was very, very close to a roll of his bee-eyes. “Apart from pollen, Barnaby! Let’s enjoy our breakfast. Today could be a busy day!”
Everyone was excited except, in the corner of the café, looking very grumpy as he sat on a mushroom, his elbows on his knees and his fists squashed into his cheeks, the little gnome was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “Baby blueberry heartycakes and strawberry smoothies. You think we could get something decent to eat in the only café in Fairyland! What about something gnome-like … less healthy and less fairyish … a gnome burger with fairyland fries and … extra fries on the side!”
CHAPTER FOUR
Back at the Fairy Queen’s castle, the ruler of all magical creatures was carefully reading the twirly letters formed by her flower quill as it finished writing a letter all on its own. The Fairy Queen picked up the note and read it through a final time before nodding with a smile. She slipped the paper into the fairy mail envelope, and the fairymail rose up in front of her and waited, its wings quivering in excitement, barely able to contain itself.
The Fairy Queen picked up her royal wand, that sparkled with diamonds and rubies and emeralds, and waved it over the fairymail so that a tiny shower of fairy dust sprinkled magic all around, telling the Fairymail where the letter had to be delivered in her musical and very royal voice. The Fairymail gave a little curtsey, raced towards the window, darted outside then flew along the pathway, its wings fluttering madly. It zipped along Blossom Lane, then stopped, twirled in excitement a few times, turned left, then flew away into the distance.
Not very long later, the fairymail flew into Fairyland, where it flittered and fluttered around flowers, hovering, skipping over mushrooms, dancing around the signpost, then out in the direction the sign was pointing to – The Flower Pot Café.
The customers were all chatting when the Fairymail appeared, looked around, then saw Harmony and Rhapsody, and flew towards them, giving a little fairymail-flutter before it gently landed on their table, its wings disappearing with a tiny puff of magic fairy dust. Elf skipped over as Harmony picked up the fairymail.
“I just knew something special was going to happen today and this might be it!” he said. “Quick, open it Harmony!”
Harmony carefully opened the fairymail, slipped out a sheet of handmade paper that smelt like a whole garden full of roses, and with awe and excitement, exclaimed “It’s from the Fairy Queen!”
All of the customers gasped and opened their eyes wide in wonder, and there were curtsies and bows given from everyone at the mention of their ruler’s name. Harmony held the fairymail so both she and Rhapsody could read it together, and as they realised what the words on the page were telling them, they grew more and more excited.
“There’s going to be a wedding!” squealed Rhapsody in delight.
“And not just any wedding, it’s a ROYAL Fairy Wedding! It’s between an Elf Prince and a Fairy Princess!” read Harmony.
“But there’s a mystery!” continued Rhapsody.
“A mystery?” Elf and Barnaby exclaimed together.
“It’s a Surprise Royal Fairy Wedding!” answered Harmony.
“A surprise?” said Elf, “but … what kind of surprise? Does it say who’s getting married?”
Rhapsody was confused as well “Harmony … how can there be a Surprise invitation to A Royal Fairy Wedding … doesn’t
it really need an actual prince and a princess?”
“A bride and a groom?” added Barnaby.
Harmony shook her head slowly. She was confused too. “The Fairy Queen is the most magical fairy in the whole world. She must know that somewhere nearby there is a Prince …”
“And a Fairy Princess,” added Rhapsody
“Who will be getting married in 10 sleeps’ time!”
Elf the Fairy Cake Maker had a great idea. “Hey Prince Cobalt … the surprise wedding is between a Prince and a Princess! You’re a prince! Is it your wedding the Fairy Queen has invited us to?”
But the Prince shook his head and smiled. “Wedding? Mine? Think I might know if I was getting married Elf! Doesn’t that require a proposal … and a ring and … well, a bride!
They laughed together, as Rhapsody squealed and jumped up in the air, twirling around and around. “The Fairy Queen wants Harmony and me to organise the wedding!”
Sliding over from his little table in the corner of the café, the little gnome wanted to see what all the fuss was about. “What did the fairies get Mr Bee? What’s happening?” he asked Barnaby the Bizzy Buzzy Bee.
“Bizzy buzzy broomsticks!” Barnaby answered delightedly. “There’s going to be a Surprise Royal Wedding in Fairyland!”
CHAPTER FIVE
Twirling their wands together, the fairies disappeared, then a moment later, reappeared in the Snuggery – their beautiful little pink and purple bedroom that was cleverly made out of a hollowed space inside the old fairyland oak tree. Rhapsody was still holding the fairymail.
“Oh Harmony, there’s so much to organise!” she exclaimed.
“We need to make a list,” Harmony, the more practical fairy, decided. “Magic fairy wand so dear, please make a pen and paper appear!”
And in a burst of stars, a fairy pen and beautiful piece of pale purple parchment, perfectly matching Harmony's dress, appeared on the little table in front of them. Harmony sat down and started to write, as Rhapsody danced around their little bedroom in excitement.
“We’ll need performances fit for a fairy princess!” said Harmony.
“Whoever she is!” added Rhapsody.
“Singing and dancing!” continued Harmony.
“And fairy food, scrummy treats that look delectable and taste delicious - that melt in the mouth!” drooled Rhapsody.
“The sweetest nectar for the bride and groom,” Harmony giggled.
“Whoever he is!” sighed Rhapsody, the romance of the wedding making her feel quite smiley and happy!
“And the tastiest water collected from early morning dew drops on fern leaves … freshly squeezed juice of baby oranges and mangoes!”
Rhapsody suddenly stopped and plonked her wand down on the dressing table. “It’s such a huge job Harmony – oh dear, we only have 10 sleeps! How are we EVER going to organise this in time? Where do we start?”
Harmony looked down at her list, and then added a few more words. “A guest list! The first job should be to send invitations by fairymail to all of Fairyland’s magical friends!”
“Royal invitations … they’ll need to be very prim and proper … like this!” Rhapsody picked up her wand again and twirled it at the table, where an invitation appeared in stars. But Harmony looked at the invitation carefully and shook her head.
“Perhaps a bit prettier Rhapsody … a bit more Fairy Princessy and a bit less Royal!”
Rhapsody twirled her wand again and the first invitation disappeared, another one taking its place. They looked together.
“That’s much prettier, Rhapsody. Now what about the words?” As Harmony spoke, she twirled her wand at the same time, and words came to life on the invitation.
You are invited to attend
A Surprise Royal Wedding
Between …
Harmony paused and the words stopped writing.
“It would be much easier if we knew who the bride and groom were!” but she went on:
Between a Fairy Princess and an Elf Prince!
But then again she stopped, both fairies realising they needed an extra special place to for the wedding to take place.
“Harmony, where are we going to hold the wedding? It needs to be SO beautiful!” questioned Rhapsody.
Harmony had a very dreamy look on her face as she thought of the most magical setting. “We have the perfect little Chapel in a garden very close by!” said Harmony gently.
Rhapsody jumped up and down in excitement, knowing just where her fairy friend meant. “Honeysuckle Chapel in Granny Love’s garden! But it’s in the real world – the human world! Do you think Granny Love would lend it to us, Harmony? How would we ask her … the Fairy Queen’s law says we are not allowed to be seen by big people.”
“It is a fairy special occasion, and I’m sure the Fairy Queen would allow us to speak to Granny Love just this once,” answered Harmony.
Rhapsody was so excited she could barely keep both feet on the ground as a zillion questions flew around her mind. “And who will we ask to perform? We don’t know who the Prince and Princess are, so we’re going to need lots of different kinds of songs and dances to make sure we have some of their favourites!”
“The Snow Pixies from the gorgeous snow-capped mountains dance beautifully … oooh and the ballerinas! The Fairy Princess …” Rhapsody paused, frowning slightly under her jewelled mask, and wishing she knew who the Fairy Princess was. “Well whoever she is, she must love fairy ballet!”
Harmony continued: “and in case the Prince is from the country, some bootskooting … and perhaps Elf could do an awesome jazz number for us!” said Harmony. “And Bubbles the Beach Fairy and the Fairy Mermaids … and I know Barnaby and Wizzy will want to perform.”
“There are the Butterflies and the Caterpillar, and us of course! I’ve always wanted to dance for a Fairy Princess! Sounds like the perfect list of performers, Harmony! I’ll write the invitations.”
“And I’ll send a Fairymail to The Fairy Queen asking permission to speak to Granny Love!
As they worked, the pile of wedding invitations grew bigger and bigger until finally, exhausted, they said together “wands down”. The invitations were finished!
“I think that’s it, Rhapsody. We haven’t missed anyone out. It’s time to head to the land of sleepy dreams! We’ll send all of the invitations by Fairymail in the morning!”
“Fairy good night, Harmony.”
“Fairy good night, Rhapsody.”
As the fairies sang their goodnight song, magiced into their fairy nighties, brushed their teeth and carefully put their wands away, the sun slowly dipped below the fairyland horizon. They curled up in their pretty pink and purple beds and closed their eyes as they drifted away into the land of sleepy dreams.
CHAPTER SIX
After circling the other side of the world while Fairyland was in darkness, the sun was ready to shine again as Elf and Barnaby walked towards each other from their homes with giant toothbrushes in their hands and still looking a bit sleepy.
Elf yawned loudly as he passed by his friend. “Morning Barnaby!” he mumbled through his wide open yawn.
Barnaby caught a whiff of Elf’s morning breath and jumped back a few steps. “Whoo-ey!” he said, waving the morning smell away “Good morning to you Elf the Fairy Cake Maker!”
The same woofy morning breath whooshed out with Barnaby’s 'good morning', and Elf jumped back. “Woo-ey to you to!”
Both looked a little put out as they crossed in the middle of the garden, but after the sound of running water and ‘brusha brusha brusha’ mingled with the early morning birdsong, they both bounded back into Fairyland, much sprightlier, a ‘ting’ of confidence ringing from their teeth.
“That’s better! Always feel better with sparkling clean teeth!” smiled Elf with a gleaming grin at his friend.
Barnaby was ready to start the day with a game. “Elf … I have a new trick I learnt in my sleep. If the fairies want performers for the Royal Wedding – perhaps t
hey’ll pick me! It’s called walking the pretend tightrope!”
“What’s a tightrope my bizzy buzzy friend?” Elf queried.
“A rope that’s stretched tight between two objects like, like ... two trees, stretching right across a big river!” replied Barnaby.
Elf was impressed. “Wow – you’re going to do a trick across a big river?”
Barnaby shook his head. “Er, no Elf. That’s why it’s called a PRETEND tightrope! Watch the master at work … imagine the tightrope pulled right across Fairyland … see me walk … I’m pretending there’s a river below me …”
Barnaby dramatically walked across the pretend river, swaying, teetering precariously, almost falling, finally making it to the pretend other side.
Elf was impressed, but keen to show his skills too. “Wow, great balancing Barnaby! How about this? Will this get me a job?”
He cart wheeled, walked on his hands, spun and pirouetted across the imaginary tightrope, much to the dismay of his black and gold friend, whose happy smile dropped as he saw how brilliant Elf’s dancing and acrobatics were. Barnaby mumbled: “Bet he can’t collect sweet nectar as well as me!”
Elf laughed. He had heard Barnaby’s mumbles. “You’re right Barnaby, you have so many fantastic skills and you are definitely the best sweet nectar collector in the whole of Fairyland! Come on, no falling into a grumble bush. Time to dance the sleep away!”
While Elf and Barnaby danced, in the snuggery, Harmony and Rhapsody were both still sleeping when the sound of gently ringing fairy bells lifted them into the world of wide awake. Yawning, Rhapsody suddenly realised what was ahead of them!
“Oooh Harmony, time to get up! Come on, we need to send the invitations to the Surprise Royal Fairy Wedding by fairymail!”