A Magical Friend (4 page)

‘Your Majesties,' said Mrs Steeplechase, rising slowly. ‘Princess Stardust has found a stranger on our island. A human.'

‘So I can see,' said the Queen, her brown eyes resting on Pippa. ‘What is your name, child? And where do you come from?'

Overcome with shyness, Pippa stuttered her name.

‘P-P-Pippa MacDonald. From Burlington Terrace.'

‘Isn't it brilliant!' said Stardust. ‘Pippa's been sent to help us find the missing horseshoes.'

A surprised murmur rippled round the room. Baroness Divine stepped forward.

‘No human has ever set foot on Chevalia before. How can we trust her?' she demanded shrilly.

‘She's a pony lover,' said Stardust indignantly. ‘Only a true pony lover can find Chevalia and understand our language.'

Queen Moonshine stared at Pippa, making her squirm inside, but she stood tall, hoping the Queen would see that she had nothing to hide.

 

 

‘Chevalia is a very special place. It relies on horse and pony lovers from around the world to keep it alive,' the Queen said in a low voice. ‘Their love is captured by the eight magical horseshoes that hang on the Whispering Wall. Once a year, the magic in those horseshoes must be renewed by the Midsummer sun or it will fade. If that happens, then our beautiful island will sink into the sea.'

Pippa gulped. Now she understood why Princess Stardust was so sad that the wall was bare.

‘This is a time of grave crisis,' Baroness Divine continued. ‘Midsummer Day will soon be upon us but the magical horseshoes have disappeared. How did you get here? Who told you that Chevalia needed help? How do we know we can trust you?'

 

Chapter 4

 

The Royal Court was so silent that Pippa was sure everyone would hear her heart thudding.

‘I didn't know Chevalia needed my help,' she answered truthfully. ‘I was on holiday with my family when a magic wave scooped me up. Rosella and Triton rescued me and they brought me here.'

The ponies stared at Pippa in awe. An excited murmur rippled around the regal room.

‘The human girl saw Rosella and Triton – but why? They never show themselves to humans.'

The Queen stamped a hoof for silence.

‘There is an old legend that tells of a human girl who comes to Chevalia in its time of need. The seahorses brought you here, so I believe you are that girl.' She touched Pippa on the top of her head with her muzzle. ‘Welcome to Chevalia. Good luck with your quest. If there is anything you need, then please ask.'

‘She needs me,' Stardust said, trotting forward.

Mrs Steeplechase frowned.

‘Hush,' she chided. ‘You may only speak to the Queen when she speaks to you.'

‘But Pippa is
my
pet! I found her. Besides, how else will she find her way around the island?' Stardust insisted.

The Queen smothered a smile.

‘I'm sure we can find Pippa a good guide,' she answered. ‘Perhaps your big sister Crystal –'

‘I'd really like Stardust to help me,' Pippa said bravely, interrupting the Queen.

The Queen looked uncertain.

‘Let Stardust help,' the King said. ‘It will be good for her to have some responsibility for a change.'

‘Very well,' said the Queen. ‘You'd better start straight away. Time is running out.'

‘Thanks, Mum,' whinnied Stardust. ‘Your Majesty,' she added hastily, when Mrs Steeplechase glared at her.

As Stardust and Pippa left the Court, Cinders started complaining.

‘It's not fair,' she whispered loudly, so that Pippa could hear. ‘Princess Stardust gets everything. I want a girl too. I've wanted one much longer than she has.'

‘Hush,' said the Baroness. ‘Better things come to those who wait.'

‘What does she mean?' asked Pippa.

‘Don't pay any attention to her – she's always been jealous of the Royal Family,' said Stardust. ‘Come on. Let's start searching for the missing horseshoes.'

Stardust used the same hidden door they'd entered the Castle by.

‘Where are we going first?' asked Pippa.

‘Mane Street,' said Stardust. ‘It's where everyone hangs out.'

‘It doesn't sound like a very good hiding place,' Pippa said doubtfully.

‘Exactly!' said Stardust. ‘If I were hiding something that's where I'd put it because no one would think to look there. Hop on my back. It's so much fun when we gallop together.'

‘But what about Mrs Steeplechase?' asked Pippa.

‘Horseflies to Mrs Steeplechase! Mum and Dad didn't tell you not to ride me, did they?'

Pippa didn't need a second invitation. She loved riding Stardust and her mouth stretched into a wide grin as she vaulted on to her back.

Mane Street was the wide, grassy road on the Plateau that they had crossed earlier.

‘That's my school,' Stardust said proudly, as they passed by Canter's Prep School for Fine Equine. ‘Miss Huckleby is the best teacher ever. You should hear her read
Black Beauty
.'

Stardust's school was a blue, wooden building with window boxes overflowing with colourful flowers and tubs filled with carrot sprouts.

‘The carrots are for snacking on,' Stardust said, pulling up two and giving one to Pippa.

Crunching on their carrots, they peered
in through the windows, where a class of
ponies was starting a maths lesson.

Stardust giggled.

 

 

‘Look at Honey admiring her sparkly hoof polish. She's my third big sister. The grumpy-looking pony wearing the boring wooden tiara with the acorns is Cloud, my second big sister. My eldest sister is Crystal. She's left Canter's now. She's going to be Queen one day and she never lets us forget it!'

Cloud turned to the window with a scowl, and Stardust quickly pulled Pippa away.

‘Don't let her see you,' she said. ‘She'd want to know why I'm not in school and there isn't time to explain.'

They crept round the back of the school, passing the Sand School Pippa had seen earlier, and a green field where some tiny ponies were learning to trot. Stardust barely glanced their way, but Pippa held back, sure she saw something glinting in the long grass at the edge of the field. Could it be one of the missing horseshoes? She hurried over and was disappointed to find it was just an ordinary old horseshoe.

Pippa's eyes grew wider and wider as Stardust pranced along Mane Street pointing out all of her favourite shops. Pippa noticed that all the shoppers were looking at her too!

‘That's the salon where I go to have my mane and tail washed. They have gorgeous strawberry-scented shampoo. And look – Dolly's Tea Rooms. You should taste their buckets of hot carrot juice. Delicious!' Stardust said, smacking her lips. ‘And there's Mr Gems. He sells the nicest jewels ever.'

It reminded her of the high street back at home, only Mane Street was much prettier, with beds of sunflowers decorating the pavements and tiny silver horseshoes strung from the old-fashioned street lamps. Everywhere was spotlessly clean – even the silver water troughs had been polished until they shone. The street was packed with ponies and Pippa was amazed to see so many different types. There were well-groomed ponies, stocky working ones and scruffy little Shetlands. Everyone seemed very quiet, mostly talking in whispers. When a pony whinnied with laughter, it earned them a glare.

‘It's been like this since the horseshoes went missing,' sighed Stardust.

 

 

Pippa was beginning to doubt that they'd find any of the golden horseshoes here. There were too many ponies and not enough hiding places. There was a funfair at the end of the street, though. That looked like a more promising place to hide things.

‘Shall we try in there?' she asked.

‘That's where I'm taking you!' Stardust said excitedly. ‘You should see the merry-go-round. It's rainbow-coloured with tiny flashing lights. It's so pretty. And the ghost train is really scary. It's even got Night Mares.'

‘Night Mares?' asked Pippa. ‘What do you mean?'

‘The Night Mares are spooky-looking ponies. They've lived here for ever, even when Chevalia was just a tiny lump of volcanic rock and not the magical island it is today. I've never seen one but everyone says they're really mean.' Stardust shivered. ‘Do you want a ride on the ghost train? It's great fun.'