Love in the Little Kingdom

Love in the Little Kingdom Part 12

She felt a flash of annoyance at being disturbed but let it subside. Whatever had happened, the Wise Old Elf was a dear old friend.

"It's a shame that Ben isn't here." The Wise Old Elf said suddenly and Holly felt her pulse quicken at the mention of his name.

"Why's that?" She said, her brain suddenly spinning fast. What did the Wise Old Elf mean?

"He plays an excellent tuba. No-one has been able to replace his father with quite the same skill."

Her heart sank. He was talking about the elf band which was still arranging themselves on the barge off-shore.

"Yes it's shame." She said flatly. How much longer was this awful night going to go on for? It was miserable without Ben and now she had a whole future of this loneliness to look forward to.

She scanned the dark water beyond the noise and light of the boats. She wasn't surprised that Ben had decided not to come. It was poor taste of her parents to hold the ball out on the lake where Ben's dad had been eaten by Big Bad Barry, the giant, evil trout of the lake.

"There are times, Princess Holly, when fast, decisive action is necessary. When fishing for example, you might need to move quickly to land your fish or let it go to spare your rod." The Wise Old Elf talked on, still watching the elf band ahead of them. "At other times you need to be patient, hold your tongue and wait for the right time to present itself because all the best fishermen know that good things come to those who wait."

"Wise old Elf?" Holly turned to him quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

The Wise Old Elf winked at her.

"Here's another old Elf saying: 'Slow and steady wins the race'."

Holly frowned.

"I don't understand. What does that have to do with anything? We're not having a boat race, this is a ball."

The Wise Old Elf rolled up his eyes in exasperation.

"Fairies." He muttered, shaking his head. "What I am saying Princess Holly is that times change, people change and what was once impossible eventually becomes possible. When I was a young elf, fraternisation of any kind was forbidden between elves and fairies. An attitude that cost me a very dear friend." He glanced back at the party and Holly wondered what or who he was looking at. "But that changed, so who knows what the future may bring?"

"Ah, Wise Old Elf! I need you to come and settle and argument for me with Lord Maple."

"Coming, your Majesty." The Wise Old Elf called back to her Papa and left Holly's side with a stately bow. Holly turned back to the water and thought about what he had said. If she was the fisherman and Ben was the fish, did that mean she should quickly break it off and spare her rod or simply wait it out until she could reel him in? If slow and steady won the race, then should she take it slow and trust that she would get what she wanted in the end? The final thing he said about people changing their minds over time supposedly meant that she should wait for her parents to change their minds about her marrying Ben. She let out a frustrated sigh. Waiting patiently was just what fairies were the worst at! She turned back to the party, a new heaviness in her heart.