Authors: Chloe Ryder
Princess Ponies 2
With special thanks to Julie Sykes
Contents
Extract from Princess Ponies 3 - The Special Secret
Early one morning
, just before dawn, two ponies stood in an ancient courtyard, looking sadly at a bare stone wall.
‘In all my life this wall has never been empty. I can’t believe that the horseshoes have been taken – and just before Midsummer Day too,’ said the stallion.
He was a handsome animal – a copper-coloured pony, with strong legs and bright eyes, dressed in a royal red sash.
The mare was a dainty yet majestic palomino with a golden coat and a pure white tail that fell to the ground like a waterfall.
She whinnied softly. ‘We have so little time to find them all.’
With growing sadness the two ponies watched the night fade away and the sun rise. When the first ray of sunlight spread into the courtyard it lit up the wall, showing the imprints where the golden horseshoes should have been hanging.
‘Midsummer Day is the longest day of the year,’ said the stallion quietly. ‘It’s the time when our ancient horseshoes must renew their magical energy. If the horseshoes are still missing in eight days, then by nightfall on the eighth day, their magic will fade and our beautiful island will be no more.’
Sighing heavily, he touched his nose to his Queen’s.
‘Only a miracle can save us now,’ he said.
The Queen dipped her head regally, the diamonds on her crown sparkling in the early morning light.
‘Have faith,’ she said gently. ‘I sense that a miracle is coming.’
Pippa MacDonald blinked sleepily and stared around the unfamiliar room. For a moment she didn’t know where she was. She remembered going on holiday to the seaside with her family, but this wasn’t their holiday home. The bed next to hers was huge, with a straw duvet and a horseshoe-shaped headboard decorated with rosettes. And fast asleep in the big bed was a pony – a Princess Pony!
All at once Pippa’s memory flooded back. She
had
been on holiday, until two enormous seahorses had whisked her away to the island of Chevalia, a magical world inhabited by talking ponies, where no human had ever set foot before. Time existed in a bubble there, and Pippa wouldn’t be missed at home, for no time was passing in her own world.
There she’d met Princess Stardust, and learnt that Chevalia was in grave danger. Eight golden, magical horseshoes used to hang on an ancient wall in the Castle courtyard. Once a year, on Midsummer Day, the horseshoes’ energy was renewed by the sun. But the horseshoes were missing, and if they weren’t returned by Midsummer Day then Chevalia would be no more.
Pippa had been amazed to learn that she’d been brought to Chevalia to find the magical horseshoes. Yesterday, after a long, exciting and dangerous search, she and her new friend, Princess Stardust, had rescued one horseshoe from the foothills of the spooky Volcano. But there were still seven more to find and there were only five days left until Midsummer.
Quickly, Pippa got up and looked for her clothes. She’d hung them on a chair the night before but now in their place was a new outfit – a white top patterned with pink and blue horseshoes, a smart pair of pink jodhpurs and some matching sandals. Thrilled, Pippa put the new clothes on, then borrowed one of Stardust’s combs to untangle her dark, curly hair.
Stardust was still fast asleep.
‘Wake up, lazy hooves,’ Pippa said, gently shaking her.
Princess Stardust opened her eyes, yawned and closed them again.
‘There’s no time for sleeping in,’ said Pippa. ‘Chevalia is still in danger.’
‘I was having the most wonderful dream,’ mumbled Stardust. ‘I had a pet girl.’ Her eyes flew open and she sat up. ‘It was true!’ she exclaimed. ‘I really do have a . . .’
Pippa scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.
‘I mean, a new special friend,’ said Stardust hurriedly. ‘Today’s a very special day – we should get ready.’
Stardust went to her dressing table and combed her long, white mane. Then Pippa placed Stardust’s pink jewelled tiara on to her head, between her ears. Pippa smiled as she adjusted the sparkling tiara into place.
‘Let’s get going then,’ Stardust said excitedly.
Stardust’s room was at the top of the eighth turret in Stableside Castle. They hurried down the tower’s spiral ramp to the ground floor and were just heading towards the dining room for breakfast when Stardust’s big sister, Princess Crystal, appeared, going in the opposite direction.
Crystal had an apricot-coloured coat with an inky black mane and tail and a white blaze running down her face. She was extremely pretty and spent many hours making sure she looked her best.
‘Hurry up,’ she whinnied impatiently. ‘There’s a family meeting in the courtyard.’
‘A family meeting about what?’ Pippa whispered to Stardust.
‘We’re always having family meetings,’ she said vaguely. ‘I’m starving – are you? What about breakfast?’ she called after Crystal.
‘You should have thought about that when you were sleeping in. It’s a good thing you’re not going to be Queen one day.’ With that, Crystal trotted ahead, towards the courtyard.
Pippa put her hand on Stardust’s side.