The Cloud Castle

A GIFT FOR THE SONGWING

"Ariette!" exclaimed the Queen. "How did you get here?"
   Ariette bowed. "I ask your pardon, Your Royal Highness."
   "There is no pardon for DISOBEYING me," the Queen said sternly. Then she noticed the rest of us. "What are they doing here?"
   "Queen Nephele, please see what we have DISCOVERED," Galatea said, stepping aside to reveal the bird with the golden wings.
   "A SONGWING!" the Queen exclaimed in surprise.
   "He is responsible for everything, Your Majesty," Galatea exclaimed. "He eats the silver thread every night."

The queen was SPEECHLESS for a moment, moving her gaze from the songwing to the bundle of silver on the nightstand.
   "The fairies are still DREAMING," she said. She turned to Ariette. "And you were TELLING THE TRUTH."
   "Yes. I never lied to you," Ariette replied.
   "And I saw the dream of a sleeping fairy, and it was CAREFREE and HAPPY."
   The queen nodded, taking it all in. She put a hand on Ariette's shoulder.
   "I owe you an apology, Ariette. The Grand Council and I inflicted an unjust PUNISHMENT on you. For that I am TRULY SORRY."
   Ariette smiled. "The important thing now is that we have solved the problem."
   Queen Nephele turned to the songwing.
"You must LEAVE this place and stay away from our silver thread."

"Unfortunately, I CANNOT," the bird replied stubbornly.
   The queen's eyes DARKENED, but Ariette spoke up. "I have a solution."
   She took off her CRYSTAL and put it around the songwings neck.
   "Wear this, and your wings will shine in the sky like TWO SUNS," she said. "You will not need to eat our silver thread." "Thank you, kind fairy!" he said. "Now fly away, far from here!" Ariette told him. The mythical bird took off out open window, wings SHINING Colette gasped.
   "Ariette, what will you do without your crystal? You will LOSE all of your powers--- or worse!"
   Areitte nodded. "I know," she said. "But I gave my crystal FREELY."
   "You have such a BIG HEART," Galatea said, her eyes filling with tears.
   Queen Nephele looked at Ariette. "That was the crystal that you STOLE from the Color Theater, disobeying my orders."
   Ariette lowered her eyes. "Yes."
   "But you have PROVEN your innocence, so I will pardon you," said the Queen. "And not only that, you shall be rewarded for your GENEROUS HEART."
   The Queen produced a small turquoise pouch and removed a PENDANT from it. She handed it to Ariette.
   The fairy looked at it in disbelief. "This is the DIAMOND CRYSTAL! The BRIGHTEST crystal in the realm."
   "It is," said Queen Nephele. "And it belongs to the fairy with the PUREST, biggest heart. Nofairy deserves this more than you."
   Ariette put on the Diamond Crystal.
   "It will be my TREASURE. Thank you, my Queen," Ariette said, her eyes shining.
   Queen Nephele turned to us. "Thank you, strangers, for all your HELP." she said. "I ask forgiveness for judging you wrongly." 
   And then she SMILED for the first time since we had met her.
   "Your Majesty, there is something you can do for us," I began, and then I told her what had happened to Violet.
   "Ariette, may I borrow the Diamond Crystal for a moment?" Queen Nephele asked, and Ariette gave it to her.
   The Queen held the Pendant in front of Violet's face. Our friend closed her EYES. Then she opened them and smiled at us.
   "I feel like myself again," Violet said.
   "All is well," the Queen reassured us, and she handed the pendant back to Ariette.
   "Thank you from the bottom of my heart," I told the Queen.
   "We must celebrate!" the queen said. "Please stay and be our guests of honor in the HALL OF STARS!"