Chapter Ten

“Thumbelina? Thumbelina, wake up. Please. Please wake up.”

When Thumbelina opened her eyes, she found herself lying on a wooden floor under a blue sky, with her husband bending over her worriedly. He broke into a relieved grin and drew her into his arms.

“Cornelius!” she gasped into his shoulder. “What happened?”

The Prince shook his head. “I still don’t know,” he admitted. “I just woke up, myself.” He flushed, embarrassed. “The biggest defeat in generations of my people and I slept through it.” He looked at Thumbelina. “But don’t you know what happened? The Unseelie – they’re gone! Was it you? Did you defeat them?”

Thumbelina didn’t answer right away; instead she looked around. They seemed to be on the deck of a ship sized for small animals; she could feel that they were moving but somehow it didn’t feel like they were floating on water. She was bursting with curiosity to know where she was, but she didn’t have to wait long.

“Thumbelina!” exclaimed Cecil, appearing suddenly beside Cornelius. “How about this ship Grundel got for us, eh? Isn’t she a beat? Not exactly seaworthy but airworthy enough, right?”

“Airworthy?” repeated Thumbelina in surprise. She climbed to her feet and ran to the rail. The ship – it was the same one they had spotted upon their arrival at the mountain, she realized – was flying. Far below them was a lot of green that she knew must be the tops of trees. But then she remembered something far more important. “Cecil!” she cried, flinging herself upon the bat. “Oh Cecil, thank you.”

“He fetched us both out of that mountain,” Cornelius spoke up, not knowing to what Thumbelina was really referring. “He flew back and found us and carried us both out of there.”

“Found your rock, too,” added the bat, pulling the Queen’s diamond necklace out of his vest and handing it to Thumbelina.

“How is this ship flying?” she asked the bat as she took the diamond.

“Look again,” replied Cecil with a chuckle, pointing over the side. This time Thumbelina leaned way out and discovered the means of their locomotion: hundreds of Pesties, all supporting the ship from below as they flew through the air. Buzzby flew alongside, like a prison warden keeping his charges in line.

“But why are they carrying us?” Thumbelina asked in wonder.

“Because,” replied Jacquimo, strolling up to the group, “our green ami is very persuasive.” He pointed to the prow. There, standing stoically at the helm, one hand on the wheel and the other gripped tightly around the neck of an abnormally large, petulant-looking Pestie, was Grundel. “He found their leader, you see,” added Jacquimo. Thumbelina laughed and clasped her hands together.

“But Thumbelina,” urged Cornelius, “do you know what happened to the Unseelie? Are they gone? Did you defeat them?”

“Oh yes, Cornelius,” Thumbelina smiled back at him. “Yes, I think so.”

“But how?” The swallow and bat echoed him with “Yes how?”s of their own.

Thumbelina paused, then held out the diamond. “Our secret weapon,” she said, grinning. “It was too flashy even for the Unseelie.”

After Thumbelina explained in more detail what she had done, Cornelius took the diamond from her, folded the chain, and tucked it away in his tunic. “Well I think under the circumstances Mother won’t mind having it back.” He grinned. “In fact, Father may want to put it on show in the Palace. Where are the Nixies?” he asked suddenly, noticing the absence of their blue-skinned companions.

“Alas, they did not wish to fly with us,” replied the swallow.

“They swam home,” interjected the bat. “They did drive off all of the Kobolds though.”

“That’s too bad,” said Cornelius, a little deflated. “I wanted them to meet – Jacquimo!” he cried, stricken. “Where are the Fairies?”

To his and Thumbelina’s surprise, Jacquimo and Cecil both laughed. “No worries, mate,” Cecil said. “They’re all safe and sound. Them and all the other Light Fey those Unseelie had holed up in that Mountain. Leprechauns and Brownies…so many notes to take. I ran out of room in my journal,” went on the bat sadly, spreading his wings - which the Fairies could now see were covered with notes, sketches, and diagrams.

“But where – “

“Your parents are below,” Jacquimo interrupted Cornelius. “They have been waiting for you. We thought you would revive better in the open air.”

Cornelius heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Jacquimo,” he said. He started for the cabin doors, but then changed his mind and headed for the prow instead. Smiling, Thumbelina followed him.

Grundel’s wide stony face broke into a grin when he saw the Fairies approaching. “Eh, Fairy Prince, you wake from nap? Ees fighting bad not-Fairies too much, you have lie around all day like mold on log?”

Cornelius laughed and punched the toad in the arm. “I just woke up to make sure you weren’t eating anybody,” he replied, and then pulled a sneer at the Pestie, who was watching him warily. “Although I could always make an exception.” The Pestie grumbled, but couldn’t help casting an apprehensive look at the big toad.

Thumbelina stepped forward and to the toad’s surprise fluttered up to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for all your help, Grundel,” she told him. “You are extremely brave, you know.” The toad, unable to reply, merely grunted in response, though he darkened visibly and had to look away. Grinning, the Fairies took each other’s hands and went to see the King and Queen.

Epilogue

“Colbert, don’t fuss so. I’m quite all right.”

“Well I apologize. It just isn’t…proper, you know.”

Tabitha tutted and arranged a silk cushion as best she could on the bench of the small boat. “Colbert, my love,” she said, “finery isn’t only found in fine places. You should know that.” She turned then and smiled at the ferryman. “Wouldn’t you agree, dear?”

Grundel took her hand and gave it a gentlemanly kiss, and she blushed becomingly. “Si, ees true,” he replied. “It must be, if you are here.” Tabitha tittered and Colbert shook his head. Grinning, Grundel released the Queen’s hand, dipped his punt back into the water, and burst into song.

On the bank of the pond, Cornelius and Thumbelina stood together, watching the moon reflect on the water, while Buzzby groomed himself a few inches away. The pond lay within the boundaries of the Fairy Kingdom, and the Prince and Princess had been delighted when Grundel decided to set up house there. Since he wasn’t keen on performing in the Palace, Tabitha agreed to travel to the pond for his performances – once the Queen had heard him she’d needed no further persuasion.

Thumbelina had encountered Berkeley Beetle a few days after their return to the Vale, as he was founding a new nightclub nearby. Receiving his fine new wings had made him quite friendly towards her, and he had agreed to take a message to Grundel’s family to let them know where the toad now lived, in case they wanted to see him. They hadn’t made an appearance as of yet, but then, as Berkeley reported, they were scheduled to appear in London next month.

Speaking of London, Cecil had decided to head back there to work on getting his recent findings on mythological beings published. He’d promised to come back as soon as he could.

Jacquimo, as always, could be counted on to drop by frequently with news of Thumbelina’s mother, of the Jitterbugs, and of happenings in Paris.

As Cornelius had predicted, King Colbert took the diamond and put it on display in the Palace. It had, after all, helped defeat seven powerful Unseelie, although Thumbelina herself was credited with the triumph. Thumbelina was proud of the surge of interest the young Fairy girls had in hearing her tell of her adventure over and over again, and she hoped that one day, Fairy women might train for combat alongside the men.

Of course, she also hoped it would never actually be needed.

Story completed March 2007. Thumbelina belongs to Don Bluth Studios. The Spiral Riddle is ©Cloud Kingdom Games and can be found in their book "Lair of the Sphinx". "À la claire fontaine" ("At the clear fountain") is a French children's song. The opera Grundel sings is from the Italian opera "I Lombardi" (or "I Lombardi alla prima crociata," "The Lombards On the First Crusade") by Verdi. "I Lombardi" was first performed in 1843 so I know it's not early enough for Thumbelina, which supposedly takes place in the 17th century. I don't know when "À la claire fontaine" was written, so it may also not be early enough. If I can deal with this so can you. ;)