Flights Of Fancy....

All Scattered On The Winds...

Well, Dear Readers, We are deep in the Dog Days of Summer, the temperature is hot and the air is sultry and it is difficult to gather the energy to work at anything requiring effort! But even though very little has been accomplished on any of the building projects this week, I was able to grab my camera and record a few Very Interesting Little Things! To begin with, way back in the Spring I attended the Sturbridge Miniatures Fair, and as is usual, I came home with a wonderful selection of mini items, most of which had Never been on my "list" at all! I guess I just have poor impulse control... but could You have resisted this Tiny flying Fairy Horse? In the above picture you can see that he has found his way to the Cloud Palace.....

He flew right around the sitting area 

where Hamish Harry was telling Lady Lavender a story...

(I think she was momentarily distracted..!)

But the Fairy Horse just flew past and circled around to where 

the Snail-Racing Fairy was calling out to him....

Can you see him down there on the Window ledge? No?

Well, the Snail-Racing Fairy was trying to show off

 the Treasure he had found way up on the Distant Briar Moor...

But so far he hadn't been able to find anyone 

who was excited about his big old Rusty Key....!

But that is not what you are wanting to hear about.....

You are probably wondering, Dear Readers, What has become of 

all the Little Travelers we last saw at the Castle...!

Well, I can tell you that the Little Dreamer had found 

Old Meg in the Castle Kitchen....

And Old Meg had been very clear with her!

"You must return the way you came..." she declared.

"You must go back through the doors you entered and Only Those Doors!"

"You will find your Sister waiting, 

and Guard Ian will return you to the Gates of Time."

"But you Must Remember this..." she warned....

"Do Not Look back!"

The Little Dreamer was properly alarmed... 

and turned to leave the way she came....

But right away she began to worry that she couldn't remember 

Exactly Which doors she had passed through! 

And how far back did she mean...?

But she headed back through the doors to the Stables....

Hoping she would know the right doors when she saw them!

And meanwhile, Marmalade has been watching Father Alban at his easel.

She thought that if she just came closer she could see how it was 

that he mixed the colors to paint so beautifully!

She didn't want to bother him....

She just wanted to see how it was done... 

so Someday she could try to paint things herself!

And then she remembered that she was supposed to be looking for the Wizard...

And she wanted to show Buttercup what she had found!

She turned and headed back into the Great Hall.

"I wonder where everybody is..." she thought 

as she passed through the empty hall!

Well, Buttercup and Tiny Bear were enjoying the Exact Same Great Hall...

But from a different Time!

And the view from the Gallery was Marvelous...

 except for the Dogs down below!

"How will we get past them...?" wondered Tiny Bear nervously.

"Oh that is simple...!" declared Buttercup.

"Hang on Tiny Bear..." she called... and Leaped over the wall....

Well, of course... Fairy Bears can fly so easily! 

Tiny Bear had forgotten that!

They circled around the Hall while deciding which door to try next....

But they had not noticed that they were not alone in the Great Hall!

Lady Athena had seen all the comings and goings through the holes in Time.....

 and the visitors that passed through her rooms without so much as a by-your-leave... 

And she thought the Wizard should be informed!

And she knew where to find him!

 

 

He wasn't far......

He was stuck in a Moment of Frozen Time 

in the Castle Council Chamber.....

But before she can get to him....

Buttercup and Tiny Bear have followed the stairs down to the cellars...

There is a Door at the bottom of the stairs... 

and they decide to have a look inside.... 

just to see if by any chance the Wizard is there....

Only to discover that he is Not!

"Oh help!" said Tiny Bear... in a Tiny voice!

"Oh my!" said Buttercup in a Very Admiring voice!

(She was not at all afraid of Dragons!)

"Hello, I am Buttercup," she said politely.

"We are looking for the Wizard...." she added hopefully.

"Would you know where we can find him?"

"Ahhhhhh...." said Slitherwing.... 

"As it happens I was going to see him myself..."

"I can take you there...." he said, eyeing Tiny Bear slyly.

"Why don't you climb on my back..." he suggested....

"My wings are bigger, we can fly there so much faster that way..." 

and he grinned a Dragonish grin that was not really nice at all!

But Buttercup was not at all deterred..... 

she had always wanted to ride on a Dragon!

And in no time at all it seemed they were off and flying through the night sky!

Soaring high above the Chimneys and roof-tops!

The landscape below was not at all familiar....

 

 

And Buttercup had hardly any time to wonder where the Wizard might be...

When suddenly the Dragon gave a nasty twist to his body....

 

And tossed them into the air....!

Buttercup was able to catch herself and fly.....

 

But Tiny Bear could not fly at all....!

And Buttercup has not yet realized he has fallen off!

"Oh Help!" thinks Tiny Bear as he plummets....

And suddenly, from out of Nowhere.....

A tiny Flying Fairy Horse swoops under Tiny Bear.....

And carries him swiftly away!

It all happened so fast... 

Buttercup did not see it at all!

And before he could even catch his breath, Dear Readers, 

Tiny Bear was being dropped into an empty chair in the Cloud Palace!

Certainly a softer landing than he had expected!

As soon as he could catch his breath, Tiny Bear sat up and looked around.

He recognized the Cloud Palace... he had been here before!

"Thank you for catching me... Whoever you are!" he said.

"My name is 'Thistledown'" replied the Tiny Fairy Horse...

"And it was my pleasure!" he added politely.

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you do not mind too much

if I Leave my Flights of Fancy with you here..... 

and our Little Travelers

All scattered to the Winds!

(To Be Continued....)