Thomas and The Ice Queen

Chapter One:

It was Winter on the Island of Sodor; all the engines were working hard despite the cold weather. Gordon was pulling the Express, Percy was delivering the mail, and Thomas was busy on his Branchline, with his faithful coaches Annie and Clarabel. One day at Tidmouth Sheds, Sir Topham Hatt came to see the engines. He had exciting news. "There is to be a special visitor coming to the Island of Sodor for the celebration of Sodor Day. The Queen herself will be arriving along with the Princess from Brendam Docks to spend the weekend here on Sodor and they'll especially need one of you to take her to Knapford, where the celebrations will take place." He paused impressively. The engines were surprised and a little confused. "But Sir." said James. "The Queen doesn't have a daughter, only a son." Sir Topham Hatt just laughed, "It's not the Queen of England James. It's a Queen from overseas coming to see how the railway runs." The engines were astonished, they were indeed excited to meet this queen. "I think I should take the Queen," said Henry. "I am the strongest after all." "Pah!" said James. "I should take her; I'm a splendid engine and a splendid engine should take someone with the upmost highest of royalty to Knapford." "Maybe I could take her." said Thomas. But the bigger engines just laughed. "Oh, Little Thomas," said Gordon, in a boastful tone. " You are not an important engine. Important Engines are strictly entitled to take someone as royal as a Queen." "Well, that's not true!" protested Percy. "Thomas has taken Sir Topham Hatt to meet the Queen before." "But Sir Topham Hatt is well-known around Sodor, Little Percy," boasted Gordon, "So he hasn't taken someone like the Queen, unlike me. I am the fastest, strongest and most important engine here by far. So, I should take the Queen." "Now then," announced Sir Topham Hatt, "The engine who I will have to take the Queen is...Gordon." The other Engines were crossed, they all wanted to take the Queen for Sodor Day. Thomas on the other hand, was a little upset and snuck away to shunt some troublesome trucks for a train he was to take to Wellsworth.

Later, Emily came to see Thomas shunting in the yards. She noticed how sad Thomas was and wanted to see what the matter was. "Hello Thomas, is everything ok?" "I suppose." said Thomas, shunting a few tankers for Henry's heavy goods train. "Is there something bothering you?" "Gordon is going to pull a Queen from overseas to Knapford for Sodor Day, and I really wanted to do it. He even goes as far as calling me a 'Little Engine' who's not important to take someone as royal as a Queen." Emily was saddened by Thomas' refusal to take the Queen, and she was very upset at Gordon for calling Thomas a little engine. "Don't let Gordon get to you Thomas, he's just a big engine who believes that he's allowed to belittle others because he pulls the Express." "Emily's right Thomas." said Edward as he came in with his coaches. "Gordon may be a boastful engine, but even Percy knows not to let his boastfulness get to him as well." " And who knows," added Emily. "Maybe you might be able to take the Queen some time." Thomas knew Edward was right as he puffed away to collect his goods train to Brendam Docks.