A Magical Friend (3 page)

 

‘Of course,' said the pony, tossing her head. ‘All ponies can talk, but only special humans can hear us. I'm Princess Stardust, seventh foal of the Queen and King of Chevalia. What's your name?'

‘Pippa,' she answered. ‘I'm the . . . second child . . . of the MacDonald family . . . of Burlington Terrace.'

‘Have you been sent to help us?' Stardust's voice trembled.

‘Help you?' repeated Pippa.

‘To find the missing horseshoes,' said Stardust impatiently. ‘If the eight magical horseshoes aren't found and returned to the Whispering Wall in time for sundown on Midsummer Day, then Chevalia will be lost for ever. Quick! Jump on my back. I'll take you to the Castle to meet my mother and father.'

Excitement and fear fizzled through Pippa. She was on a secret island with talking ponies and she was going to meet the Queen and King! She'd only ridden a few times – and never bareback. But here in Chevalia, anything seemed possible. Pushing aside her fears, she swiftly vaulted on to Stardust's back.

‘Hold on to my mane!' called Stardust.

As Pippa sank her hands into Stardust's silky mane, the pony spun round and galloped across the beach towards the trees.

 

 

‘We'll cut through the Wild Forest,' Stardust neighed. ‘It's out of bounds but it's the quickest way home.'

Pippa caught a glimpse of eight tall turrets rising above the treetops. The turrets disappeared as Stardust entered the Wild Forest. Pippa shivered as the dark woods swallowed them too.

 

Chapter 3

 

There were lots of ponies in the forest, all with tangled manes and dirty coats. They were playing chasing games and having such fun Pippa almost wished that there was time to stop and meet them. But Stardust thundered on, dodging bramble bushes and jumping over fallen trees. Pippa sat firmly, gripping with her knees and ducking to avoid the low-hanging branches. The Wild Forest was on the side of a hill and, as it grew steeper, Stardust slowed. She was breathing noisily and her sides were heaving.

‘Stardust, stop and let me walk,' Pippa called out, concerned.

‘It's too dangerous for you,' panted Stardust. ‘The forest is filled with quick-stick mud that would swallow you whole.'

Pippa gulped. She didn't like the idea of being eaten by mud.

‘But don't worry,' added Stardust. ‘I know the way!'

A little while later, the woods began to thin. Stardust sped up as they broke through the trees and came out on the edge of a large, grassy plateau. On the opposite side to the Wild Forest was a range of hills. To the right, at the other end of the plain, Pippa saw a wide road, a collection of buildings and a Sand School, where a group of ponies was gathered. Stardust started to gallop across the plain towards the hills when one of the ponies, waddling on stubby legs, noticed her.

‘Princess Stardust! Come here at once!' she bellowed out.

Stardust pretended not to hear, until the pony broke away from the group and galloped after them.

‘Oh, horseflies!' Stardust exclaimed, pulling up and waiting.

‘Who is it?' Pippa asked curiously, as the stocky, brown pony hurried towards them.

 

 

Stardust rolled her eyes. ‘Mrs Steeplechase, our nanny. She's just taken my brothers and sisters to school. I should be there too.'

Mrs Steeplechase stopped in front of Stardust, her nostrils flaring angrily.

‘What do you think you are doing? The Wild Forest is
strictly
out of bounds.'

‘Sorry,' Stardust apologised. ‘I thought school had been cancelled because of the emergency. I was looking for the missing horseshoes but instead I found Pippa. She's been sent to help us. Isn't that fantastic?'

Suddenly Mrs Steeplechase noticed Pippa.

‘A human girl!' she snorted with alarm. ‘And what's she doing riding on your back as if you were just any old pony? Get down, girl. You can walk the rest of the way.'

‘But –' said Stardust.

‘Don't argue,' said Mrs Steeplechase fiercely. ‘She might be dangerous. I dread to think what Queen Moonshine and King Firestar will say about this. A girl indeed!'

Pippa's heart sank. She hoped that the King and Queen weren't as unfriendly as the royal nanny. Pink with embarrassment, she slid down from Stardust's back.

‘Don't mind Mrs Steeplechase – she's all whinny and no kick. Mum and Dad will be thrilled to see you,' Stardust whispered reassuringly. She began to mimic Mrs Steeplechase, walking stiffly after her, copying the way Mrs Steeplechase's large bottom was swinging from side to side.

Giggling quietly, Pippa followed Stardust over the Plateau and along a winding path. After a while, the path opened out at the top of a hill. Pippa stopped and stared.

Ahead of her, nestling among the other hills, was Stableside Castle, the biggest castle she'd ever seen. Its white stone walls sparkled like pearls in the bright sunlight. Eight flags, each a different colour but all decorated with a golden horseshoe, flut
tered from the tall turrets, and the enormous wooden drawbridge was lowered, as if to welcome them.

‘That's my turret,' Stardust said, pointing her nose at the smallest one, which was topped by a pink flag, waving in the breeze. ‘It's got the best view in the whole castle.'

A group of horses was clustered around the drawbridge with cameras slung round their necks, obviously waiting for someone to arrive or leave.

 

 

Mrs Steeplechase tutted. ‘The ponarazzi are still here then! We'll have to take the secret path and go in through the back way or else the girl's picture will be all over the island by tomorrow.'

‘They're always trying to take pictures of the Royal Family,' said Stardust.

‘No talking and hurry up,' Mrs Steeplechase said sternly, as she trotted down the hill towards a small door concealed in the Castle's walls.

Pippa's stomach churned uncomfortably as she followed behind Mrs Steeplechase. Stardust's hooves crunched on the white gravel at the base of the Castle wall, and Mrs Steeplechase turned to Stardust.

‘Try to trot quietly, child,' she said.

But Stardust took no notice of the rotund nanny and continued to clatter beside her, not seeming at all worried that she was in trouble.

The hidden door led into a large courtyard with a stage on one side, backed by a huge, stone wall. The wall was bare except for eight iron nails sticking out of it forlornly. Stardust blinked back a tear.

‘That's where the golden horseshoes should hang,' she whispered.

A wave of sadness hit Pippa and she had to catch her breath. She glanced around and saw piles of silk ribbons, rosettes and flowers strewn across the ground. It was as if the courtyard had been abandoned suddenly. A small, chestnut pony was sweeping them up. A trail of black hoof marks led to the door they'd entered by. Pippa stared at the marks. Something about them bothered her but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

‘We were decorating the Castle for the Midsummer Ball,' Stardust said, nodding at the ribbons. ‘But now no one has the heart to get things ready. It's only a week away and it takes ages to prepare everything, especially the food for the banquet.'

Mrs Steeplechase trotted across the courtyard to a wooden door guarded by a black pony wearing a red sash. Grandly, the pony bowed his head, then nudged open the door.

‘This is the Royal Court,' Stardust whispered, as they entered a large room full of perfectly groomed ponies with gleaming coats and polished hooves.

One by one they fell silent, staring at Pippa with wide eyes as she walked across the room. Pippa felt very small as she made her way nervously through the crowd. All of the ponies wore brightly coloured sashes and some were decorated with jewels. A chestnut pony, with bulging eyes, a square nose and emeralds in her mane, gave Pippa a particularly mean look. Next to her, a smaller pony, with the same shaped nose and eyes, gave her an identical, hard stare.

 

 

‘That's Baroness Divine and her daughter Cinders,' whispered Stardust. ‘No one likes them. They think they're so much better than anyone else. Cinders shouldn't even be here. She should be at school, like me.'

Mrs Steeplechase stopped in front of a beautiful palomino pony with a long, white mane and tail, and her companion, a large, copper-coloured pony. Stiffly, she bent one leg, bowing her head to the ground. Stardust copied, leaving Pippa standing awkwardly between them. Unsure what to do, Pippa curtsied as if she were greeting her ballet teacher.