The Story Traveller Read Free Page A

return and you must keep it safe. Don’t let anyone else touch it.’
    Lucy was so amazed, she could do no more than shake her head, though she did rather wonder how she would be able to hide anything so blue and so bulky.
    â€˜Now be off with you, and look for Cinderella. You’ll find you two have a lot in common.’
    â€˜Why’s that?’ queried Lucy. ‘My, you are the one for questions, but I think you know the answer to that, my dear,’ Twinkle said softly as she saw the look of pain start up in Lucy’s brown eyes. ‘I know you both have to deal with bullies.’ Lucy suddenly looked very helpless. ‘Yes, the FGMU knows about the bullying you suffer, Lucy, but we are sure you and Cinderella will be a great comfort to each other. Poor Cinders knows a lot about being bullied too.’
    Her voice was so gentle and kind Lucy almost started to cry, but then Twinkle added briskly ‘Now be off with you, Sugarplum!’ ‘Thank you, Twinkle. I hope we meet again soon,’ said Lucy, once more smiling, if a little tearfully.
    â€˜Oh, I’m sure we will, my dear.’ The fairy godmother once again spoke to the fairies in her basket and a cloud of them rose in the air. ‘Just follow your Fantasia of Fairies, Lucy. They’ll take you to where Cinderella lives. Now remember all the things I’ve told you, that’s a good girl.’
    Lucy waved a cheery goodbye, and ran to keep up with her little guides. As she listened to the fairies sweet singing, she tried to memorise all the instructions given her by Twinkle. But the one that lodged in her mind the strongest was ‘Don’t go into the Forest of the Furies!’

CHAPTER TWO –
Friends In Need

    As Lucy followed her guides, they passed banks of wild flowers. They were so pretty Lucy thought they would make a nice gift for Cinderella. Each time she stopped some of the little people came and tried to hurry her on. They pulled at her cloak, they flew into her hair and pulled it; but they were too small to hurt. Lucy just laughed and collected more flowers. Eventually some of the wee folk helped her, flying backwards and forwards, as they brought her one delicate flower at a time. When Lucy felt she’d collected enough she dropped a curtsey to the impatient fairies.
    â€˜Thank you, my little helpers. Now I’m ready to follow you without any more delays.’
    As they left the circle of birch trees and passed through the meadow into a pretty wooded area, Lucy realised they were never far from the forest. It seemed to follow them whichever way they turned. The odd cottage began to appear, and then more and more houses. Suddenly, as they turned a corner, Lucy saw the most beautiful sight. High on a purple-hazed hill was an incredible castle.
    â€˜Is that where the Prince lives?’ Lucy asked. Even though every little fairy said ‘Yes’ the sound was just a sigh on the breeze.
    The sun began to sink behind the castle and all the turrets, towers and walled areas glowed, as if made of burnished gold.
    Lucy then realised her guides had stopped. They all pointed at a large house a short distance away. In contrast to the sun drenched castle, this was dark and foreboding; it was also very close to the forest and obviously little sunlight reached the walls.
    â€˜That can’t be Cinderella’s home, surely?’ Lucy asked rather nervously. The place looked unloved and unfriendly. But every tiny head nodded in unison and then, with a minute tinkle of goodbyes, the fairies flew off. Lucy was alone again.
    â€˜Lucy Chase, you’re here to meet Cinderella, not the Ugly Sisters!’ she told herself and began to walk slowly towards a pair of huge rusty iron gates, which had obviously stood open for a great many years. They must have been quite magnificent once, with their rampant lions on top, but now they just looked as neglected and run down as the rest of the house and as