Daisy Meadows                         

Rainbow Magic: Ruby the Red Fairy

Kirsty wanted to ask the fairy so many things. But she didn't know where to start.
  'Tell me your names, quickly,' said the fairy. She fluttered up into the air again. 'There's so much to be done, and we must get started right away.' 
  Rachel wondered what the fairy meant. 'I'm Rachel,' she said. 
  'And I'm Kirsty,' said Kirsty. 'But who are you?'
  'I'm the Red Rainbow Fairy - but call me Ruby,' the fairy replied. 
  'Ruby...' Kirsty breathed. 'A Rainbow Fairy...' She and Rachel stared at each other in excitement. This really was magic!
  'Yes,' said Ruby. 'And I have six sisters: Amber, Saffron, Fern, Sky, Inky and Heather. One for each colour of the rainbow, you see.'  
  'What do Rainbow Fairies do?'  Rachel asked.
  Ruby flew over and landed lightly on Rachel's hand. 'It's our job to put all the different colours into Fairyland,' she explained.
  'So why were you shut up inside that old pot?' asked Rachel.
  'And where are your sisters?' Kirsty added.
  Ruby's golden wings drooped. Her eyes filled with tiny, sparkling tears.  'I don't know,' she said. 'Something terrible has happened in Fairyland. We really need your help!'
  Kirsty stared down at Ruby, sitting sadly on Rachel's hand. 'Of course we'll help you!' she said.
  'Just tell us how,' added Rachel. 
  Ruby wiped the tears from her eyes. 'Thank you!' she said. 'But first I must show you the terrible thing that has happened. Follow me - as quickly as you can!'  She flew into the air, her wings shimmering in the sunshine.
  Rachel and Kirsty followed Ruby across the clearing. She danced ahead of them, glowing like a crimson flame. She stopped at a small pond under a weeping willow tree. 'Look! I can show you what happened yesterday,' she said.
  She flew over the pond and scattered another shower of sparkling fairy dust with her tiny, red wand. At once, the water lit up with a strange, silver light. It bubbled and fizzed, and then became still.
  With wide eyes, Rachel and Kirsty watched as a picture appeared. It was like looking through a window into another land!
  'Oh, Rachel, look!' said Kirsty.
  A river of brightest blue ran swiftly past hills of greenest green. Scattered on the hillsides were red and white toadstool houses. And on top of the highest hill stood a silver palace with four pink towers.
  The towers were so high, their points were almost hidden by the fluffy white clouds floating past.
  Hundreds of fairies were making their way towards the palace. Some were walking and some were flying. Rachel and Kirsty could see goblins, elves, imps and pixies too. Everyone seemed very excited.
  'Yesterday was the day of the Fairyland Midsummer Ball,' Ruby explained. She flew over the pond and pointed down with her wand to a spot in the middle of the scene. 'There I am, with my Rainbow sisters.'
  Kirsty and Rachel looked closely at where Ruby was pointing. They saw seven fairies, each dressed prettily in their own rainbow colour. Wherever they flew, they left a trail of fairy dust behind them.
  'The Midsummer Ball is very special,' Ruby went on. 'And my sisters and I are always in charge of sending out invitations.'
  To the sound of tinkling music, the front doors of the palace slowly opened.
  'Here come King Oberon and Queen Titania,' said Ruby. 'The Fairy King and Queen. They are about to begin the ball.'
  Kirsty and Rachel watched as the King and Queen stepped out. The King wore a splendid golden coat and golden crown. His queen wore a silver dress and a tiara that sparkled with diamonds. Everyone cheered loudly. After a while, the King signalled for quiet. 'Fairies,' he began. 'We are very glad to see you all here. Welcome to the Midsummer Ball!'
  The fairies clapped their hands and cheered again. A band of green frogs in smart purple outfits started to play, and the dancing began.
  Suddenly, a grey mist seemed to fill the room. Kirsty and Rachel watched in alarm as all the fairies started to shiver. And a loud, chilly voice shouted out, 'Stop the music!'
  The band fell silent. Everyone looked scared. A tall, bony figure was pushing his way through the crowd. He was dressed all in white, and there was frost on his white hair and beard. Icicles hung from his clothes. But his face was red and angry.
  'Who's that?' Rachel asked with a shiver. Ice had begun to form around the edge of the pond.
  'It's Jack Frost,' said Ruby. And she shivered too.
  Jack Frost glared at the seven Rainbow Fairies. 'Why wasn't I invited to the Midsummer Ball?' he asked coldly.
  The Rainbow Fairies gasped in horror...
  Ruby looked up from the pond picture. She smiled sadly at Rachel and Kirsty. 'Yes, we forgot to invite Jack Frost,' she said.  
  The Fairy Queen stepped forward. 'You are very welcome, Jack Frost,' she said. 'Please stay and enjoy the ball.'
  But Jack Frost looked even more angry. 'Too late!' he hissed. 'You forgot to invite me!' He turned and pointed a thin, icy finger at the Rainbow Fairies.
  'Well, you will not forget this!' he went on. 'My spell will banish the Rainbow Fairies to the seven corners of the mortal world. From this day on, Fairyland will be without colour - for ever!'
  As Jack Frost cast his spell, a great, icy wind began to blow. It picked up the seven Rainbow Fairies and spun them up into the darkening sky. The other fairies watched in dismay.
  Jack Frost turned to the King and Queen. 'Your Rainbow Fairies will be trapped, never to return.' With that, he left, leaving a trail of icy footprints.
  Quickly, the Fairy Queen stepped forward and lifted her silver wand. 'I cannot undo Jack Frost's magic completely,' she shouted, as the wind howled and rushed around her. 'But I can guide the Rainbow Fairies to a safe place until they can be rescued!'
  The Queen pointed her wand at the grey sky overhead. A black pot came spinning through the stormy clouds. It flew towards the Rainbow Fairies. One by one, the Rainbow Fairies tumbled into the pot.
  'Pot-at-the-end-of-the-rainbow, keep our Rainbow Fairies safely together,' the Queen called. 'And take them to Rainspell Island!'
  The pot flew out of sight, behind a dark cloud. And the bright colours of Fairyland began to fade, until it looked like an old black and white photograph.
  'Oh no!' Kirsty gasped. Then the picture in the pond vanished. 
  'So the Fairy Queen cast her own spell!' Rachel said. She was bursting with questions. 'She put you and your sisters in the pot, and sent you to Rainspell.'
  Ruby nodded. 'Our Queen knew that we would be safe here,' she said. 'We know Rainspell well. It is a place full of magic.'
  'But where are your sisters?' Kirsty wanted to know. 'They were in the pot too.'
  Ruby looked upset. 'Jack Frost's spell must have been stronger than the Queen thought,' she said. 'As the pot spun through the sky, the wind blew my sisters out again. I was at the bottom, so I was safe. But I was trapped when the pot landed upside down.'
  'So are your sisters are somewhere on Rainspell?' Kirsty asked.
  Ruby nodded. 'Yes, but they're scattered all over the island. Jack Frost's spell has trapped them too.' She flew towards Kirsty and landed on her shoulder. 'That's where you and Rachel come in.'
   'How?' Rachel asked.
  'You found me, didn't you?' the fairy went on. 'That's because you believe in magic.' She flew from Kirsty's shoulder to Rachel's. 'So, you could rescue my Rainbow sisters too! Then we can all bring colour back to Fairyland again.'

Rainbow Magic: Ruby the Red Fairy © Daisy Meadows, 2003. Published by Orchard Books