Nutmeg in Jewel Forest

by Poppy Collins

  “Ex … excuse me,” stuttered Nutmeg, desperately wanting to flutter away. “I’m so sorry to bother you, Madame. My name is Nutmeg… My sister Princess Primrose sent me.”

  Nutmeg quickly took the note out of her dance tote and pushed it into Madame Garnet’s hands.

  Madame Garnet read the note, folded it and popped it into the pocket of her red sequinned cardigan.

  “Ah yes,” she said. “I remember Primrose. Wonderful dancer and an excellent speaker, too.”

  “Exactly,” said Nutmeg with a timid smile. “I was hoping you could teach me to dance and speak just like Primrose. Please, will you help?”

  “Teach you to dance and speak like your sister?” asked Madame Garnet, frowning. “No, I’m afraid I will not do that.”

  Nutmeg’s heart sank. “Oh, please!” she cried. “I promise I’ll work harder than any fairy you have ever taught before.”

  “I will not help you to be as wonderful as your sister,” said Madame Garnet. “But I will help you to be as wonderful as Nutmeg.”

  “Oh, thank you!” cried Nutmeg, rushing up to the dance teacher and hugging her so excitedly she knocked the glasses off her pointed nose. “When can we start?”

  “Right now,” said Madame Garnet, replacing her glasses and waving her hand towards the centipede sitting at the piano. “Give Sebastian your music and we shall begin.”

  Nutmeg took the music from her bag and handed it to the smiling centipede. Then she changed into her pink satin ballet shoes and went to stand in the centre of the studio.

  As the music started, Nutmeg began to dance, just as she had in the breakfast room that morning.

  “Stop!” Madame Garnet cried, clapping her hands. “Stop! I didn’t tell you to dance. Please start again. This time all I want you to do is to walk towards me in time to the music.”

  Nutmeg frowned, but did as she was told. She took her position, and as soon as the music began she stepped forwards.

  “Stop!” Madame Garnet cried again.

  “What did I do wrong?” Nutmeg asked, confused. “Surely there’s nothing wrong with my walking? I’ve been walking since I was a baby fairy.”

  “Well, show me then,” said Madame. “You walked as if you had no idea where you were going. A princess needs to be able to lead. How can you expect any forest fairy to follow you if you have no idea where you are going? Try again, but this time imagine that the whole of Jewel Forest is walking in your footsteps.”

  Nutmeg did try again, and when the music started she held her head up high and strode towards Madame Garnet as though all the forest fairies and creatures were walking with her. This time she felt stronger and more determined. This time she felt like a princess.

  When Nutmeg got halfway across the room, instead of crying, “Stop!” Madame Garnet nodded to Nutmeg and said, “Now dance.”

  Without missing a beat, Nutmeg began to dance. She danced as if all the fairies of Jewel Forest were dancing with her. Her heart was racing, but unlike before, when she was unsure of whether she was supposed to twirl or sway, this time she knew in her heart exactly what was coming next.

  Once the music had stopped and Nutmeg had finished dancing, she stood in the centre of the room, breathless. My goodness, she thought to herself, I never knew I could dance like that.

  “Hmm,” said Madame Garnet. “Better. Now let’s hear your pledge.”

  Nutmeg took a minute to catch her breath and then began to recite it, relieved that she had woken up so early to learn it by heart.

  After delivering her pledge, Nutmeg was thrilled – she had been word-perfect! She looked around for Madame Garnet, who had wandered off to talk to Sebastian at the piano.

  Nutmeg felt very disappointed and coughed gently to attract Madame’s attention.

  “Excuse me,” said Nutmeg, “Madame Garnet? I’ve finished.”

  “Ah, yes,” said Madame Garnet, as though she had forgotten Nutmeg altogether.

  “I suppose it’s a bit boring,” said Nutmeg sadly, “but I have to say those words.”

  “Oh, it isn’t the words that are boring,” Madame Garnet replied. “You might as well have been reciting your fairy times tables. You’re saying the words, but you aren’t feeling them.”

  “I don’t understand. How can I feel them?” said Nutmeg, struggling to imagine how she could touch words after she had spoken them.

  “A princess must learn to speak from the heart,” Madame Garnet explained. “When you feel something very deeply, it will spill over into your words. Ask yourself, do you really want to be a princess?”

  “Oh, I do,” said Nutmeg, knowing in her heart that there was nothing in fairyland that she wanted more.

  “Now say your pledge,” said Madame Garnet, smiling.

  Nutmeg began to recite her pledge, this time feeling each word deep in her heart, and as she continued she realized that she wasn’t just saying words. She was making a very important promise.

  “There,” said Madame, when Nutmeg had finished. “Now I think you know how you can feel words.”

  Nutmeg was about to agree when Madame clapped her hands once again. “I think that’s enough for today,” she declared. “Be here the same time tomorrow and we shall continue your training.”

  Nutmeg returned to Madame Garnet’s Academy the next day and each day after that. She worked hard in her lessons and even harder when she got back to the palace. Today was her last lesson.

  “Please,” cried Nutmeg, having just finished her dance in Madame Garnet’s studio. “Please can I perform my dance one more time?”

  “Nutmeg, there is no need,” Madame Garnet replied. “You are ready for the ceremony tomorrow.”

  Madame Garnet looked at her student and smiled warmly. After their first meeting, Nutmeg had indeed worked harder than any fairy she had taught before.

  “But Madame…” pleaded Nutmeg.

  “No, my dear,” said Madame. “We have done quite enough for today. Go home and get a good night’s sleep. Remember what I taught you and I know you will be wonderful.” And with that, she swept out of the studio.

  Nutmeg changed out of her ballet shoes very slowly. Unlike Madame, she was not sure she would be wonderful. The ceremony was due to take place the very next day and she still didn’t know what she was going to wear.

  “Hello, Nutmeg,” said a sweet voice behind her. “Ready for the ceremony? You must be so excited.”

  Nutmeg spun round to see her good friend Willa standing in the studio doorway. Nutmeg nodded weakly and then looked down at her feet.

  “Why Nutmeg, whatever is the matter?” asked Willa, putting her arm around her friend. “I called in at the palace to see you, but Primrose told me you would be here. She told me you had been working very hard.”

  “I have,” said Nutmeg, “and Madame Garnet has been so kind, but I’m just so worried that I’m going to mess everything up. And I still have nothing to wear for the ceremony.”

  “Oh, that isn’t a problem,” said Willa cheerfully, “I know just the place – and it isn’t far from here.”

  “You do?” said Nutmeg, feeling hopeful. “Where?”

  “Enchanted Gowns by Esme,” announced Willa proudly. “Esme is a genius. All her gowns are made of silk from the jewel moths that live in Jewel Forest. She gets orders from all over fairyland.”

  “Really?” said Nutmeg excitedly. “Can we go there now?”

  “Follow me,” said Willa, grabbing her hand. They sped out of the academy and on to the skyway. “We must hurry if we want to catch Esme before she closes.”

  Nutmeg fluttered her tiny wings as fast as she could as she clung to Willa’s hand. They zoomed higher and higher into the twinkling branches. Nutmeg thought she was going to have to ask her friend to slow down, as she couldn’t quite keep up, but then they reached the very top branches of the trees and Willa
stopped beside an enormous eagle’s nest. The nest was built from twinkling diamond twigs that glimmered in the light from the setting sun.

  “Here we are!” said Willa.

  “Where?” said Nutmeg, puzzled. She couldn’t see a shop anywhere.

  Willa led Nutmeg around the nest until they reached a magnificent crystal shop window, built into the side. As Nutmeg looked in the window, she knew Willa had brought her to the right place, because displayed inside were some of the prettiest dresses she had ever seen.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t been here before,” said Willa, pushing open the door. “It is the place to get the sparkliest dresses in fairyland.”

  “I haven’t really been that interested in dresses,” said Nutmeg. “Well, not until now, anyway.”

  As Nutmeg entered the little shop, she gasped. Everywhere she looked she could see roll upon roll of brightly coloured fabric. The soft light from the diamond-nut chandelier in the centre of the ceiling made the fabric shimmer prettily, but that wasn’t what made it pretty or unusual. As well as shimmering, each of the fabric rolls appeared to glow with a warm light from within.

  “What makes the fabric glow like that?” asked Nutmeg, gently touching a roll of bright orange satin.

  “That would be jewel-moth magic,” chimed a voice behind her. “And you must be Nutmeg.”

  Nutmeg spun round. The voice had come from a pretty fairy with silver-grey hair who was standing next to Willa.

  “Hello,” said Nutmeg, admiring the fairy’s softly glowing purple gown. “You must be Esme. I was hoping you—”

  “Would be able to find you a dress?” Esme finished. “But of course! Willa has explained everything! Let me have a good look at you.”

  Esme swept over to Nutmeg, her purple skirt trailing behind her.

  “Hmm … a crowning ceremony, and a dance,” Esme said under her breath. “We will need something extra special, I think.”

  “Do you think you have anything?” asked Nutmeg, a little worried.

  “I have just the thing,” said Esme, walking to the front of the shop and taking a magnificent gold dress down from the window. “Why don’t you try this on?”

  “It’s beautiful.” Nutmeg sighed sadly. “It’s the most beautiful dress I have ever seen, but I am so clumsy I just know I will trip over that lovely long skirt.”

  “My dear,” replied Esme mysteriously, “you must trust the magic of Esme and the jewel moths. Try it on.”

  Nutmeg fluttered to the changing room, slipped the dress over her head and looked at herself in the crystal mirror. It fitted perfectly and the glowing, flame-coloured fabric made her shimmering orange wings look even more fiery.

  “How does it look?” asked Willa, fluttering up and down impatiently.

  “I love it,” said Nutmeg, pulling back the changing-room curtain. “But I can’t possibly wear it. It reaches the floor even when I stand on tiptoes.”

  “Why don’t you try to dance in it and see?” exclaimed Esme, smiling.

  “OK,” said Nutmeg doubtfully. “But I really hope I don’t break anything.”

  Nutmeg found a space in the middle of the shop and began to dance, taking care not to trip. It wasn’t until she had finished her second twirl that she noticed something very strange was happening. As she moved, the gold fabric appeared to glow even brighter and changed colour from gold to red through all the shades of autumn. But that wasn’t all that was special about it. Instead of tripping over the long skirt, the delicate fabric followed Nutmeg’s every movement, as if commanded by magic!

  “It’s amazing,” said Nutmeg, leaping across the shop, the long dress billowing gracefully behind her. “I feel I can do anything wearing this.”

  “What did I tell you?” said Esme proudly. “Please take the dress as my gift. The colour looks wonderful on you, and you make it move so beautifully.”

  Nutmeg changed out of her magic dress and quickly chose a bright pair of ruby rose shoes to go with it.

  “Thank you so much for helping me,” said Nutmeg

  “It was an honour,” said Esme happily. “I look forward to welcoming Princess Nutmeg the next time you visit,” she added with a wink.

  Willa and Nutmeg left the shop, Nutmeg carrying an enormous shimmery shopping bag.

  “Oh, Willa,” said Nutmeg, squeezing her friend’s arm. “Now I really am ready! I know my pledge, I am sure of my dance, and I have the most wonderful dress in all of fairyland. Perhaps my crowning really is going to happen after all.”

  “Of course it is,” said Willa, smiling. “All you need is a good night’s sleep. Nothing can stop you from becoming a princess now.”

  “Ta-dah!” said Primrose, leading her nervous sister over to the tall crystal mirror in her Tree Palace bedroom. “Well, what do you think?” she asked excitedly.

  Nutmeg opened her eyes and looked at her reflection. For a moment she couldn’t say anything.

  “What is it, Nutmeg?” said Primrose, picking up her glittering comb. “Don’t you like it? We still have time to change it.”

  “Oh, Primrose!” said Nutmeg, taking in her glossy, tamed nut-brown hair and gorgeous new dress. “Please don’t change anything. Thank you so much.”

  Nutmeg wrapped her arms around her big sister’s neck.

  Primrose laughed and gently pushed her sister away. “Careful, Nutmeg,” she said. We don’t want to mess up your gorgeous dress!”

  Nutmeg gave a little giggle and took another look in the mirror. Primrose was right – her dress was beautiful. The long, flame-coloured skirt glowed and changed colour with her slightest movement, thanks to the jewel-moth magic woven into it.

  “Well, this is it,” said Primrose, smiling and turning to her sister. “I’d better get going so I can take my place next to Father.”

  Nutmeg watched as Primrose fluttered out of her room, and then she turned back to the mirror. She smoothed a stray strand of hair and was just about to follow her sister down to the Great Wood Hall when she heard a noise.

  She fluttered over to her window to see where it was coming from, and heard it again – a sad cry coming from the forest.

  “Oh, no,” said Nutmeg, listening to the whimpers. “It sounds like someone is hurt.”

  The cry sounded once more, louder this time.

  There it is again, Nutmeg thought. But the ceremony is going to start any minute. Perhaps I can go and see what’s wrong once it’s over.

  “No, someone in the forest needs my help,” said Nutmeg out loud. “If I hurry, maybe I can find out who it is and make it back before I’m too late.”

  Without another thought, Nutmeg fluttered out of her leaf-shaped window and down to the forest floor.

  Nutmeg fluttered her shimmering wings as hard as she could and took off in the direction she thought the sound was coming from.

  I must be getting closer, thought Nutmeg, pausing for a moment to catch her breath. The cries are definitely getting louder! I do hope they aren’t too badly hurt.

  As Nutmeg flew, she noticed the trees and bushes were getting closer together and it became harder and harder to pick her way through without snagging her gown on twigs and thorns.

  “Oh, bother!” Nutmeg muttered under her breath as she untangled the hem of her dress from a holly bush. She carried on fluttering through the entwined branches when she heard the cry again.

  I think it’s coming from Crystal Creek, she thought. If I can just get through these last few bushes, I’ll be able to see who is calling for help.

  Nutmeg pushed through the glistening brambles that lined the banks of the creek, and looked across the sparkling water. At first she couldn’t see anything out of place, but then she heard the sound – louder this time.

  Her eyes shot to a quivering ruby rose bush on the other bank of the rushing water. Just above the shiny leaves, she spotted the head
of a baby deer, whose legs were caught among the bush’s sharp thorns.

  “Stay where you are,” cried Nutmeg to the frightened deer. “I’ll be right there.”

  Nutmeg rushed towards the deer, but in her haste she didn’t see the overhanging branch of a jade tree. Her wing knocked into it and she tumbled through the air, landing in a heap at the bottom of the muddy bank.

  Without thinking about her dress, or the ceremony, Nutmeg sprang up and rushed over to the deer.

  “Hello there,” said Nutmeg as she landed gently at the deer’s side. “Please don’t be frightened – I’m here to help you.”

  The deer struggled, getting itself more tangled among the thorns.

  “Please don’t,” Nutmeg pleaded. “You’ll only get yourself more stuck…”

  The deer turned its head towards Nutmeg and, seeing her nervous face, began to struggle even more.

  Oh dear! thought Nutmeg, backing away. I came here to help and instead I’m just making things worse.

  Then she realized in a flash what she needed to do. The poor deer isn’t listening to me because it doesn’t believe I am speaking from my heart, thought Nutmeg. I have to make it see that I really can help it.

  Nutmeg walked back towards the struggling deer.

  “Please stay where you are,” she said, in a gentle but firm voice. “My name is Nutmeg and I am here to help you. You must let me try.”

  As she spoke, she placed one of her small, delicate hands on the soft fur at the back of the deer’s neck and began to stroke the creature very gently.

  The deer looked into Nutmeg’s hazel eyes and could see that she meant every word she said and would do everything she could to free it. The little deer stopped struggling.

  Once Nutmeg was sure the deer was calm, she reached into the bush and began to untangle its long legs, ignoring the sharp thorns tearing at the sleeves of her dress.

  “There you go,” said Nutmeg as she unhooked the last branch from the deer’s back leg. “Do you think you will manage to get home from here?