The Clockwork Princess

12 Meeting the maker.

They returned to the metal cage room kept rising through all the floors until finally it stopped at the very top. The princess was relived when she stepped out onto solid floor.She looked 'Who is it?' shouted an old cranky man's voice. 'Descartes? Caligari? Is that you? You know I hate being interrupted when I am working'

'No farther it is us, Olympia and Coppélia we have brought you something very interesting for you' said Olympia.

'Interesting eh? Well bring it over' said the voice. The wooden manikin stood back and bowed its faceless head.

The princess and the others walked round the corner. At a workbench stat and old leathery man. He was so old and wrinkled that he looked like a group of old leather purses sewn together. His hair was white and all over the place a sheep who emerged from hundreds of holly bushes after being chased by a very hungry wolf. Over his long thin hooked nose were a pair of black glasses. He tilted his head as the princess approached.

'From your foot steps I would say you're a young woman ohh

he paused 'you tick like one of my mechanicals. Come closer'

The Princess walked towards the old man and held still while he touched her face.

'Who are you?' said the old man tilting he head back. around, the ceiling was much lower here and in places made of glass pointing to the sky. The room was a workshop, messy full of cogs, and tools and partly built things. A wooden manikin with no eyes but a long nose stopped them from passing further into the workshop.

'We were rather hoping you could tell me' said the Princess. 'You see I think I am Princess Amelia-Elizabeth, but I'm not' she added.

The blind watch maker felt the princesse's arms.

'People thought you were real, how curious, how successful' He was clearly pleased.

'I think from the sound of your clockwork you have a question'

'Yes,lots. Why did you make me, why am I here? Am I real?' .

'Your here for the same reason I make all my creations are here, because what came before you was successful' answered the bind watchmaker turning back to his work.

The Princess was clearly confused.

'Do you know what makes me the most successful watchmaker in Manchester? You know how I make my machines? I make something like something else. If it is successful if people like it in the museum or people buy them in the shop I make more like them. Sometimes they are a bit different. Child I couldn't see how to make a clock. I thought I would be a failure all my life but I realised it didn't matter. All I need is other people to see how good something is and I can follow what they like.'

'What happens if you build something silly like a wardrobe that can dance'

'It doesn't matter how silly it is. What matters if it is successful or not. Success everything, nothing else matters' the blind-watchmaker said.

'Then why did you make me?'

'Because you were successful' the watchmaker said as he returned to work.

'But why was making me successful?' the princess

'Princess' said the blind watchmaker 'I Iike you a lot, your one of my most successful dolls, a true miracle, but I promised not to say. I'm sorry. I would like to help you but I don't break my promises. Oylmpia, I'm tried now, please show our guests out'

The Princess was clearly shocked but went with Olympia back to the cage to go back to the museum. The others sadly followed the Princess and got in with her.

'It's a pity we couldn't stay, I had so much to ask him' the rat said.

'What can you do now?' asked the cat 'Perhaps you could hand yourself in to the King's horses and Kings men' he suggested.

'Perhaps you could go find the Turing Fairies' Coppelia suggested.

'Who?' signed the flying boy

'The Turing Fairies aren't they the machine fairies?' said the rat.

'If your worried about being real then they have the power to turn you into a real person' Coppelia said enthusiastically.

'Really?' said the Princess interested 'anyway I found out all I needed from the Blind Watchmaker, except who I am' the princess said with a smile.

'You don't know who the kidnapper is' the rat said.

'Oh I do know that' the Princess said . The Flying boy and the rat looked at each other in surprise. The Princess lent over to Coppelia and whispered a question in her ear.

'He's in his father's cloud factory on the island of Sky.' Coppelia said.