Once upon a Nursery Rhyme

For Want of a Nail

For Want of a nail
The Shoe was lost
For want of a shoe
The horse was lost
For want of a horse
The rider was lost
For want of a rider
The battle was lost
For want of a battle
The kingdom was lost
All for want of a nail.

Connie had woken up in a fractious mood and was being naughty, things came to a head when I asked her to pick up her toys, which were scattered around her room, she didn't want to, she wanted to colour in. I tried cajoling, she wasn't having any of it. I got cross with her, this in itself was unusual on two counts, one Connie was normally an amenable child and two I was usually unflappable and easy going, except this morning.

This morning I was tired, I had been having trouble sleeping, since George's proposal I knew I had a big decision to make, my mind kept turning it over and over, should I stay here at least until Connie was of an age to be left or until we found Clara, if we ever did, or should I turn my back on her to go where my heart wanted to be, in Dreamland with George, it would mean leaving Connie, like her mother, although at least she could visit me, but Henry would think I had vanished like Clara because I knew I couldn't tell him, over and over they went in my mind resulting in a lack of sleep.

As I told her off, I quoted

"For want of a nail Connie" she stopped what she was doing and looked at me puzzled, I repeated the rhyme and explained by doing the small things straight away it makes life easier now and in the future will prevent bigger problems, for example I told her, I was going to take her to the play park (emphasis on 'was') but if your toys are left out we won't be able to go, if we pick them up after our nap we won't have time to go.

She stared at me for a long time then grudgingly she started to pick up her toys, I decided to meet her half way and helped her to tidy up.

"Well done" I commended her "you have saved the kingdom" she smiled at me but I don't think she really understood, so I said cheerily

"Time for our nap and then we can go to the park" Connie went willingly

We arrived at the top of a mountain, (I was quite pleased about that, I didn't feel like hiking up the mountain) and we saw many soldiers breaking camp. A man on a grey stallion rode toward us, I recognised him from Clara's description, if I was right it was the Duke of York, his horse appeared to be Limping,

"Friend or Foe" he barked

"Friend Sir" I replied

"What are you doing here? This is no place for women and children, not at this time"

"I'm a friend (sort of) of the lady you spoke to, she had a baby with her"

"She was a lovely lady, very gentle" he softened, "have given her problem a lot of thought, very interesting, do you know if she got it sorted? I haven't seen her but I presume you have"

"Actually Sir, I don't know her, I have never met her myself, but I know of her, she is Connie's mother and Henry's wife" I admitted

"Henry? He is the scientist no?" He interrupted

"That's right, Clara kept a note book, that has helped me get to know her, she spoke highly of you Sir, I think you helped her"

"I'm glad to have helped even a little, but I am a little unclear, um you said you were a friend?"

"I'm am, after a fashion, I look after Constance, she is Clara's daughter, the baby you saw, Clara, the lady, is missing, not long after she spoke to you in fact, she mentioned she was going to try something and that's all she wrote. I think she must be stuck somewhere. "

He looked puzzled "how can that be? And how did you get here?"

"It was the baby, Connie here, that was the one affected not Clara, it is Connie who travels and takes people with her, people like me, and her mother Clara"

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear" he muttered " that changes everything, I will have to go back to the drawing board, bother it couldn't have happened at a worse time. Oh dear"

"Whys that Sir?" I was curious about the reason for all this activity

"Kingdoms being threatened, happens every now and then, just had word, my battalion are needed at what is going to be a decisive battle or all will be lost. I wish they will let me be but duty is duty, now, I really must get going, it doesn't help that Silver here has decided that today she will start Limping. Oh bother it"

I was put in mind of the rhyme, I glanced at Connie

"Would you allow me to look at his bad leg?"

" what? Oh yes, leg, yes of course" he was flustered, I lifted the horses leg finally, it really hampered me not growing up in the country and sure enough , his horseshoe was missing a nail.

"Sir, you need a blacksmith before you leave, fixing the nail is a small job it won't take long"

"No time, no time, very important we must leave immediately "

"Wait, if the blacksmith replaces the nail, then Silver will keep his shoe"

"Jolly good but we really must go"

"If Silver loses his shoe, you would most likely be thrown, what would happen then?"

I could see the cogs slowly turning,

"Ah, I think I see where you are coming from, I could be injured or worse"

"Then who would lead these men into battle?"

"Oh dear, that would be terrible "

"Hmmmm, and you did say it was to be a decisive, if you were delayed due to Silver Limping or worse you didn't arrive what would happen?"

"Disaster, we would lose our Kingdom to the Black Kingdom. " he changed from indecision to decisiveness

"Right, where is the Blacksmith, quickly now"

Not only did the Duke get Silver's shoe fixed, he took the time to have all the horses checked, Connie watched the proceedings with interest.

Then he was able to safely ride into battle, I heard the Duke arrived in time to save the kingdom. I was happy to return a favour done to Clara and who knows, maybe the Duke would now be able to give his attention to working out how to reverse Connie's condition, so all in all it was a job well done.

Later we were able to go to the park because Connie had picked up her toys straight away, I hoped she had learned a good lesson.