A vast expanse of greens, browns and blues spread out below Daisy as she flew higher and higher, dodging the leaves and branches of the treetops and flying into the sapphire-blue sky beyond. She was only new to flying and she loved it!
Far off in the distance, the tall grey spires of a human city sliced the sky. Just the sight of them sent a shiver up Daisyâs spine.
She turned to the small green beetle who flew by her side.
âWhat do you think, Vu? Is it time for a break?â
Vu chittered that it was time for something much more important than a break.
Daisy shielded her eyes and looked up. The sun was directly overhead.
âYouâre right,â said Daisy. âItâs time for lunch.â
Vu chittered happily as they headed back to where they lived with Daisyâs family in the base of a tall gum tree.
Daisy landed in the leaf litter outside the kitchen door. A buzz of excited voices floated through the window.
She flung open the door and hurried in, almost bumping into her sister, Maggie, who was pacing back and forth across the kitchen floor, wringing her hands and babbling incoherently.
âOh, Daisy!â cried Maggie, grabbing her by the shoulders. âItâs so exciting . . . and nerve-wracking. I donât know what Iâm going to do.â Her face took on a greenish tinge. âActually, I think I might faint.â
âSit down for a moment,â said Nen, leaving the salad she had been preparing and steering her eldest daughter towards the kitchen table.
âWhatâs going on?â Daisy asked. She sent Vu to eat with Maggieâs ladybird, Nelli, then joined her dad and sister at the table.
âMaggieâs been chosen to be a contestant in the Songbird Festival,â said Nen.
âBy Queen Jasmine herself,â added Efa in his proud, fatherly tone. He handed Daisy a message scroll.
It was an official notice from the Fairy Messenger Service. Daisy unrolled the paperbark and read.
Daisy grinned as she looked at her sister then to the invitation and back again.
A personal invitation from the queen! How exciting!
She studied the scroll again. âWhatâs a duet?â she asked.
âItâs where two voices sing together,â explained Efa.
âThat should be a snap for Maggie,â said Daisy. âSheâs always singing with the magpies.â
âBut Iâve never sung for an audience,â groaned Maggie. âThe whole forest has been invited to watch and I only have this afternoon and tomorrow to prepare. The day after that is the rehearsal and the Festival.â She buried her face in her hands.
âCheer up, feather brain,â said Daisy, putting her arm around Maggieâs shoulders and resting her head against her sisterâs. âIâll help you practise. With your natural talent and my organisational skills youâre sure to win.â
Maggie groaned even louder but Daisy didnât pay any attention â she had just re-read the final sentence on the message scroll:
âHer Majesty Queen Jasmine will award the most talented performer a momentous prize.â
Daisyâs imagination took flight as she wondered what the momentous prize could be. Would Maggie become Queen Jasmineâs personal musician? Would she win a treasure trove of instruments? Maybe she would become the singer in a band of fairies and travel all over the forest . . .
Whatever the prize, Daisy was sure that Maggie would win it. After all, she had Daisy to help her.
A ll through lunch, while Nen and Efa chatted and Maggie picked at her food, Daisy made plans for how she would help Maggie prepare.
The salad was delicious but Daisy hardly noticed, barely stopping to chew in order to finish as quickly as she could.
âCome on, Maggie,â Daisy urged. âWith only today and tomorrow, we really need to get started.â
Maggie glanced down at her almost-full bowl. âMay I be