The Blue Fairy

Once upon a time there was a princess called Sapphire. She lived in a castle with many turrets, beside the river in the Royal Forest. Her father was the King and lived in a palace in the capital city, so rarely saw his daughter.
         He did lavish many gifts upon her though. Sapphire could ask for almost anything she wanted, and the king would provide it for his little girl. She had stables full of horses with lots of grooms to care for them and the finest riding tackle. She had an army of servants to clean the castle and answer to her every need. She ate only the finest food, prepared by the greatest cooks and their entourage of spit boys and scullery maids and kitchen hands. She had fine silk gowns and velvet cloaks and calfskin slippers. She had pearls and rubies and gold and a circlet to sit upon her bejewelled hair as a mark of her status.
         Princess Sapphire would go riding in the forest and take walks along the river. She would play croquet or tennis on the lawn or cards and billiards inside. She would play the piano and have dancing lessons in the ballroom. She would sit by the fire reading or doing embroidery.

Basically, the Princess had everything she could possibly want. Her world was just about perfect. Yet she was not content.
         “What am I missing?” said Princess Sapphire to the hangings around her four-poster bed as she lay awake at night. She asked this every night for many weeks, until one night she got an answer.
“I think I can help you there,” said a high-pitched but not unpleasant voice from just beyond the curtains.
         Sapphire threw back the curtains to see, hovering just by the window, a tiny blue lady with long silver hair and silver wings, and a wand in her hand.
         “Who are you?” said Sapphire, amazed but bold as ever. No one ever refused what she asked.
         “I am the Blue Fairy,” said the creature, “and I am here to grant whatever you wish. Princesses deserve a helping hand.”
         “But what could I wish for?” asked Sapphire. “I can already have whatever I want.”
         “I shall leave you to think on that,” said the Fairy. “I will return tomorrow night and you can make your first wish.”

So all that day Princess Sapphire wracked her brain, trying to think what it was she most wanted. She thought about all the things she already had. She didn’t need any more of that. Her father would buy her whatever she asked for, and she didn’t think a wish should be wasted on something she could have anyway.
         That night the Blue Fairy appeared out of nowhere inside the hangings of the Princess’s bed.
         “So, have you come up with a wish?” she asked.
         “I have,” replied Sapphire, “though I don’t see how you can possibly grant it.”
         “By magic of course,” said the Fairy. “I can give you whatever you wish for.”
         “Then I wish…I wish for a friend,” said Sapphire.
         “Very well”, said the Fairy. “A wise wish. It shall be done.” And with that, she waved her wand and disappeared again.

Over the next few days, the Princess thought that the Fairy had tricked her. No new friend suddenly appeared out of nowhere. No princess from a neighbouring kingdom came to visit her. But gradually she realised that something was starting to happen.
         One of the maids who cleaned Princess Sapphire’s rooms started becoming conspicuous. Instead of pretending she didn’t exist, which was what servants were supposed to do, the girl kept turning up wherever she went in the castle. She would be carrying on with her cleaning jobs, but would actually look at the Princess rather than lowering her eyes.
         Sapphire didn’t believe this was who the Fairy had sent her. The girl had probably worked there for years, and how could a servant be the long-awaited friend?
         Eventually Sapphire decided that she must address this bold servant.
         “Girl, what is your name?” she asked one morning when she found the same girl studying her whilst she re-stoked the fire.
         “Lapis,” said the girl, uncertainly meeting her eyes.
         “Why, girl, do you follow me wherever I go inside the castle?”
         “I just go where my work takes me,” said Lapis.
         Over the next few days, the two girls started to relax in each other’s presence. Sapphire rarely spoke to anyone her own age, and found it refreshing to be asking the girl about herself, rather than all the focus being on herself.
         She found out many things about the girl. Lapis was a little younger than the Princess, but in some ways had far more experience of the world. She had three younger brothers and two younger sisters, and always had to help her mother to look after everyone. Her father had died in an accident whilst felling a tree. She took the money from her job as a servant to her mother to pay for food and cloth to make the children’s clothes. Her younger brothers and sisters were starting to help do the chores and look after the house too.
         Lapis had so many skills, thought Sapphire. She knew about lighting fires and looking after babies and cooking food and carrying water and cleaning carpets. She might only be a servant, but the Princess had to give her a grudging respect for all the things she knew so much about.
         Eventually Princess Sapphire realised that she didn’t just roughly respect the servant girl, she had actually started to like her. She sought her out to talk with and gave her gifts of food and pretty things like ribbons and jewels.

“Here, take this to wear in your hair,” said the Princess, handing Lapis a purple silk ribbon.
         “But I can’t take that, it’s yours,” said Lapis. “Anyway, people would stare. Girls like me don’t have silk ribbons.”
         “Well, maybe it’s about time you did,” insisted Sapphire. “I have far too many anyway. It will look lovely on you, and everyone will know that you are my…friend.”
As she said it, Sapphire realised it was true. She had made a friend. The Blue Fairy had promised that she could have anything she wanted, and the fairy had been right.

That night, the Blue Fairy came to visit Sapphire again.
“You see now that your first wish has been granted,” said the Fairy in her sweet little voice. “So now it is time to make your second wish. I shall return tomorrow night when you have made your decision,” and once again she vanished.
The next night, Sapphire made her wish. “I wish that I could give my friend something she really wants,” she said.
“Very well,” said the Fairy. “A wise wish. It shall be done.” And with that, she waved her wand and disappeared again.

Over the next few days the Princess looked for signs that her wish was being granted. She looked for anything new that might have appeared in the castle that she could give to Lapis. She tried to find out what it might be that her new friend really wanted. But Lapis always seemed so content with what she had. She didn’t need all the riches and possessions that the Princess wrapped herself in. Expensive cloth was of little use to a working family, and she would never have accepted money.
Eventually Sapphire gave up waiting and asked her outright. “If you could have anything I could give you Lapis, what would you have?” she asked.
Lapis thought about it for a few minutes. What she really wanted was her father back, but she knew that would be a silly thing to ask for. Things like that couldn’t and shouldn’t happen. Then an idea came to her.
“I know something I would really like,” she said. “I would like to have a holiday, and go to see the city.”
“That’s perfect!” said Sapphire. “I shall tell father I am coming to visit, and bringing a friend.”

When the time came for them to leave, Lapis met Sapphire in the stable yard with a small bundle of clothes under her arm. A group of soldiers and servants would be accompanying them. The Princess couldn’t travel alone and unguarded.
         A groom helped Lapis awkwardly onto a pony. “I’ve never ridden before,” she said, a little nervous but excited at the prospect.
         The journey to the capital took them three days. Each night they would stop at an inn. A groom would come to take their horses, and the innkeeper would supply the very best room and food for the Princess and her guest. Lapis had seen all the luxuries of the castle, but had never experienced them for herself. It was wonderful to have someone else place a good hot meal in front of you, and clear away the dishes afterwards, and to sleep on sheets that someone else had washed, with feather pillows and soft lamb’s wool blankets.
         Every mile however made Lapis more and more sore. She was not a natural rider. Her thighs hurt more than she thought possible, and the constant rocking up and down made her feel sick. Her excitement at reaching the city mixed with desperation for the ride to be over.
         Sapphire saw her friend’s discomfort, but looked forward to her joy when she finally saw the city.

When finally they reached the city gates, Lapis saw everything she had imagined and more. The city was surrounded by high walls of white stone, gleaming in the sunshine. The streets were paved in stone, and everywhere there were people, so many people! The people themselves were of all shapes and sizes, and some from far away with features she did not recognise. They bustled and flowed around carts and sedan chairs, buying and selling all manner of things she did not have names for.
         They rode up a vast main avenue that led from the gates to the palace. It was lined with houses built of the same white stone, every one different but somehow designed to match. Some were shops selling from open fronts, and others were alehouses. Lapis wanted to rush off and see everything. What was down those side streets? Where did the poor people live? Where did they grow their food? Was everything made from stone?
         But Sapphire insisted on pressing on to the palace. “We can see all that another time. We have as many days as we want,” she said. “But first, you must meet my father, and we can have baths and food and change our clothes.”

So they continued all the way up the main avenue to the high citadel and the King’s palace.
         Lapis was amazed by the palace. She was used to the castle, with its walls and turrets of grey stone. But the palace almost glowed in the finest white marble, with massive windows shining like mirrors in the sun. So much glass, and so many chimneys, and pillars and statues everywhere. In the central courtyard in front of the grand entrance stood an enormous fountain. It was like a pond in it’s own right, shooting water into the air to fall in glinting droplets into a marble basin, only to overflow and fall down another tier, till it reached the final basin seven levels below. She gazed around in wonder as a palace servant dressed in blue and gold livery took her pony.
         Guards in the same livery led the party through the grand front entrance of the main palace building. They entered a marble entrance hall the full height of the building with a window to the sky in the roof. Then through tall double doors with patterns picked out in metal studs straight into the king’s audience chamber.
         All of the servants and guards bowed or curtsied deeply and stayed down, as Princess Sapphire rose and approached her father.
         “Welcome, my daughter,” said the King, as he kissed her on the forehead. “And where is this friend you have brought to meet me?”
         Lapis looked up at this, and saw the King dressed richly but simply in a fine wool jacket and red velvet cloak.
         “Father, I would like you to meet my friend, Lapis,” said the Princess.
         Lapis stepped forward and curtsied again.
         The King looked astonished. “This is your friend?” he demanded. “But she is a poor servant! My daughter does not make friends of servants. A good serving maid is never heard and rarely seen, let alone engaged in conversation! My daughter should have the rulers of other lands as her friends. You are of an age that you should be bringing foreign princes as suitors for my approval, not telling me you have made friends of peasants. Send her out of the palace immediately!”
         Sapphire turned to Lapis, and found it hard to meet her eyes. “I am sorry,” she said in a small voice. She turned to two of the other servants. “Find a room for her, and some food, and show her the city.”

So Lapis left the palace with the other servants. They had been to the capital with the Princess before and knew the city well. They found a room she could share in the servants quarters around the back of the palace, and fetched a good simple meal from the kitchens.
         Over the next three days Lapis saw all she could have hoped to in the city. With the others, she walked along the avenues, stared at street performers, listened to storytellers, marvelled at the massive houses and eyed up expensive fabrics and foods that were on sale everywhere. They wandered the back streets where the houses were made from timber like her own, and the gutters stank of waste, and the people glanced around as if they trusted no one.
         She saw everything, but thought how much better it would have been to see it all with Sapphire. After three days, she had had enough of the bustling city and longed to be home once again where her family would be needing her.
         The next morning Lapis and a few of the other servants left the capital to begin the ride back to the castle. This time she shared the back rooms and stable lofts with the other servants, and ate the simple food she was used to.
         When she finally got home Lapis told her brothers and sisters about all the exciting things she had seen in the city, but didn’t mention Sapphire at all.

Princess Sapphire meanwhile stayed at the palace for several weeks. Her father was determined for her to learn how a young lady should behave in a courtly manner, and meet lots of other young nobles. She had lavish private dinners and received distinguished guests. She was introduced to wealthy landowners and the King’s most loyal supporters amongst the aristocracy. She studied maps of the kingdom and its neighbours. She danced with princes and lordlings.
         The King clearly thought that his daughter had gone wild out at the castle in the forest, and needed taming again. He wanted her to be the perfect lady around court, to charm all his important guests and impress the young gentlemen with her manners and beauty.
         The days passed quickly, and gradually Sapphire thought less and less about the friend she had arrived with. There was so much to do. She missed her usual life in the castle and the forest, but the excitement of the royal court was growing on her. There was so much colour, so much life, so many people. She relished the social life, the finest of everything, and the company. It was so different to the life she knew.
         It was wonderful to talk to people her own age. They came from all the neighbouring lands, and the noble families of the kingdom, and everyone wanted to talk to the Princess. There was laughter and dancing and games, all conducted in a polite and courtly fashion.
         But though Princess Sapphire was introduced to wealthy young gentleman after wealthy young gentleman, and accomplished young lady after accomplished young lady, none stood out to her. The conversations she had were very superficial. All they seemed to talk about was how profitable their lands were this year, or what the latest fashion in dress fabrics was, or whether a young lady was a graceful dancer. She soon started to realise that all these people were simply trying to curry favour with the royal household, or to make political manoeuvres, or to bask in their own superiority. Sapphire herself had been able to ask for everything she wanted all her life, and had spent most of it relatively isolated in a castle, and yet these lordlings started to bore her. They were interested in nothing but their own fortunes, and she knew that one day she would have a country to run, and a duty to her people. Her father had taught her that much. These were not friends, but merely acquaintances or associates or hangers-on.
         Her father had invited many princes and other young aristocrats who were evidently suitors. He was trying to line up possible husbands for her. But not one of them caught her eye. They all skimmed over the surface. Plenty were handsome enough, and plenty were excellent dancers, but none of them were interesting enough to marry. One day he called her to the throne room to talk about it.

“Daughter,” said the King, “it is about time you chose a husband. There are many fine young men in the court at the moment. Surely one of them would suit you? All are very rich, and most come from families that are worthy of becoming royalty. An alliance by marriage with one of our neighbours or supporters would strengthen the position of this kingdom and our royal household greatly. Whom would you choose?”
         “Father,” said Sapphire, “I can marry no one that I have met here in court. All of them are fine young men as you say, but there is none that I would wish to spend my lifetime ruling this kingdom with.”
         “Think hard about this, daughter,” warned the King. “One day you will be Queen, and you cannot rule alone. Yours is a great responsibility, and one that requires your marriage. You put us all in danger if you make this land appear weak. I do not ask that you love the man, just that he is worthy of you and in the best interests of this kingdom. Think hard, and return to me tomorrow with a decision.”

The next day Sapphire returned to the King’s presence. Her heart was heavy, and she steeled herself for the worst.
         “So my daughter, what is your decision?” asked the King.
         Princess Sapphire drew herself up and poured out all her conviction. “Right now, father, I cannot and will not marry anyone I have met. It is not only that I do not love any man, but there is none here whose opinions and motives I respect enough to have him rule alongside me. For the moment, I shall have no husband.”
         “You defy me!” the King erupted. “You dare to say that you will not do what I have asked of you? You are my daughter, and this is my kingdom, and you will obey me!”
         “It is my life, and it will be my kingdom, and I will do what I see is best for it and for me,” retorted Sapphire. “One day I hope you will understand.”
         “I will not force you to marry,” said the King, “but I think it is time you left the court. You will return to the castle and think on all you have seen and all I have said. One day I hope you will understand that it must be as I have said. But I will send you away until you have seen sense.”

So the very next day, Princess Sapphire and her entourage left the palace and rode down the avenue and out of the city. The three day ride gave the Princess a long time to think over what her father had said. But nothing could change her certainty that she had made the right decision. She couldn’t be tied to one of those foolish boys for ever. None of them was ready to rule her country.
         When she got home everything was just as if she had never left. She had new dresses in the latest courtly fashions, but nothing else had changed. Except for one thing.
         In all her time at court, Princess Sapphire had just about forgotten that she had arrived at the palace with a friend beside her. Before, she had seen Lapis everywhere she went in the castle, and often made the effort to encounter her, and perhaps invite her to share in a meal or a walk. But now she was nowhere to be seen. Sapphire looked carefully at each of the maids she spotted sweeping floors or stoking fires or carrying laundry. But nowhere did she see sign of the girl who had been her friend.
         Sapphire didn’t go and look for Lapis. She could have found out where she lived easily enough, but didn’t want to intrude on her family. She felt like she had treated the girl badly, and didn’t want to face up to her. So the Princess continued her lonely existence, and pondered the things her father wanted from her.

One day, Princess Sapphire was riding her horse beside the river, close to the village below the castle. In the distance she spotted a figure on the river bank. As she got closer, she saw that it was a kneeling woman, crying, with a small child on her lap. Sapphire slowed her horse, dismounted and walked over to the woman. It always paid to look after your subjects.
         “Woman, why are you crying?” she asked, peering at the little boy.
         “It’s my son,” muttered the woman. “He swallowed something he had picked up, and now he is very sick, and I’m scared that he’s going to die.” She said this very steadily, but Sapphire could see the anguish in her eyes.
         “Lift him up here,” said the Princess. “This man here will take him on his horse and ride fast to my physician.” She gestured to one of the guards with her. “He will do whatever he can for your son. You can ride with me and I shall take you to him as soon as we arrive.”
         So the second guard helped the woman onto Sapphire’s horse behind her, while the first guard galloped away with the boy. When she reached the castle, Sapphire sent the woman with a servant to find her son and the physician. That evening Sapphire was told that the boy had gone home with his mother. He was still weak but would make a full recovery.

That night, Sapphire was taken by surprise when the Blue Fairy appeared. She had almost forgotten all about her and about her last wish.
         “Your second wish has now been granted,” said the Fairy. “I shall grant you one third and final wish.”
         “But how?” asked Sapphire. “The trip to the city was a disaster. I thought you had failed to grant my wish.”
         “You wished to give your friend something she really wanted,” said the Fairy. “The woman you met today was your friend’s mother. You saved her brother’s life, and that was something she really wanted,” she said. “So you have one more wish. I shall return again tomorrow night,” and she disappeared again.

The next night, the Fairy came again, and Sapphire was ready.
         “I wish,” said the Princess, “for my friend back. I wish for Lapis to forgive me and for my father to see reason.”
“Very well,” said the Fairy. “A wise wish. It shall be done. I shall return to you just once more when your wish has been granted.” And with that, she waved her wand and disappeared again.

After a couple of weeks, Princess Sapphire built up the courage to go and see Lapis. She asked the physician where she could find the home of the boy he had treated and his mother, implying that she wanted to check on his progress.
         She came to the house on the edge of the village. It was made from wood with mud and straw on the walls and a thatched roof. Sapphire stood for a moment at the corner of the fence, watching three chickens scratching in the dirt. It took a lot of courage to step through the gate and knock on the plain wooden door.
         “Come in,” called a woman’s voice from inside. Sapphire opened the door hesitantly. The Princess had never been so unsure of her own welcome.
As she pushed open the door and peered inside, she saw the woman she had helped sitting on a four-legged stool, stitching up a hole in a shirt. The little boy was playing with a wooden horse on the dirt floor. When the woman saw the Princess, she immediately got to her feet and curtsied.
“My lady, this is a great honour,” she said. “But why did you come to my humble house? You could have sent word from the castle. My son is well and recovering his strength, thanks to you my lady,” and she curtsied again.
“It was not your son I came to see,” said Sapphire, “though I am glad to see he is well. I am looking for your eldest daughter, Lapis. Where might I find her?” she asked.
“She is down by the river, doing some washing,” said the woman. “She works at the castle. I hope she hasn’t displeased you,” she added with a frown.
“No, nothing like that, I just wish to speak with her” Sapphire assured her. So the Princess left the house, receiving another curtsy on the way out.

Down at the river she finally found Lapis. The girl was kneeling on the bank, scrubbing clothes on a board in the water.
         “Lapis?” said Sapphire uncertainly. Lapis glanced at her, then continued her scrubbing. “Lapis, look at me,” she tried again.
         The maid slowly rose to her feet and turned to face the Princess. “My lady,” she mumbled, bobbing a curtsy.
         “Lapis, look at me,” said Sapphire again. This time, the girl lifted her head, but didn’t quite meet the Princess’s eyes. “I am not my father,” she said. “I don’t care where you come from, or who your family are, or how much money you have, or whether you can ride a horse, or whether you speak like a lady. I was wrong to let my father send you away. You are my only true friend, and I miss you.”
         Now Lapis met her eyes, and Sapphire could see the tears building there. “I’ve missed you too,” she whispered. “I was hurt when you abandoned me, but I know you are a good person. You saved my brother.”
         The two girls hugged, and stood like that on the riverbank for a long time.

The very next morning, Princess Sapphire sent a long letter to her father with a messenger. She explained that she would not marry unless she could see that it was in the best interests of both herself and the kingdom, and that none of the posing suitors she had met so far was suitable, but that she would continue to consider the matter. She also told him that she would not accept the way he had treated her friend. True friends were few for members of the royal family, and friendship should be cherished whichever quarter it came from.
         A few days later, to her great surprise and apprehension, the King and a small retinue rode up to the castle gates. How he had suspended court matters at such short notice she couldn’t imagine.
         The gates were opened, and the King was met by servants and grooms, and by his daughter, who awaited him on the steps to the tower from the courtyard. She didn’t descend the steps to meet him, but waited till he climbed up to her.
         “My daughter,” he said, “let us go inside. I have much to say to you.” Sapphire followed him into the private royal chambers, fearful of what he might say.

Once they were seated on wide cushioned chairs, facing each other across a small table, the King asked the servants to leave them alone, and began his speech.
         “Daughter,” he said, “it seems I have underestimated you. I have been fearful of having no heirs. I saw your stand as defiance and folly, that you would hold out to spite me, and let our kingdom rot when you are old and barren and the nobles war over who is to inherit your throne. I thought you were playing a childish game, and not seriously considering your future and the future of the kingdom.” He sighed. “But now I see that you have the kingdom’s best interests at heart, with sound reasons for accepting none of the suitors who came to meet you. I see that your heart is pure and that you will marry wisely and rule wisely when the time comes.”
         They spoke at great length, and eventually reached the subject of Lapis. Sapphire was telling her father about a walk she had taken the day before. “Then my friend…” she began, and tailed off, glancing up at the King.
         “Ah yes, your friend,” said the King, with an emphasis on the last word. Sapphire held her breath.
         “I should like to meet this friend of yours,” he said. “It seems she has taught you some important things, and helped to shape the girl I now see before me. This friendship brings you in touch with your subjects. You argued your case for her well, and stood by your conviction, and that is what will make you a wiser ruler than I,” he said, gravely.

That evening Princess Sapphire brought a nervous Lapis to meet the King in the castle audience chamber. They both curtsied, then the Princess stepped to one side and the maid remained in front of the King with her head bowed.
         “I am going to do something that a king rarely does,” he said, from the grand chair that stood on a platform at the end of the room. “I wish to apologise. I misjudged and misspoke when I first met you, and hope that you will pardon my error.”
         Sapphire did not hear what passed between her father and her friend over the next few moments. When Lapis curtsied and left the chamber, he nodded to her that she might leave and follow her.

“Lapis?” said Sapphire uncertainly once they reached an anteroom off the hall.
         Lapis turned to face her, eyes glistening. “It is a heavy burden you bear,” she said, “but I will be here whenever you need me. You are my friend, and I forgive you.”
         At those words, Sapphire wrapped her arms around her friend and cried.

The next night, the Blue Fairy appeared again.
         “Your third wish has been granted,” said that delicate voice, “and you will not be seeing me again.”
         “Thank you,” said Sapphire. “You have granted all of my wishes, but not in ways I expected. It really is magic.”
         “But I have done nothing,” said the Fairy. “All of your wishes you have granted yourself. You made them happen, by allowing yourself to take the chance. None of these things needed my magic; they have all come from you.”
         Sapphire pondered those words, and started to see that the fairy was right. She had made a friend, given her friend something she really wanted, and received her forgiveness. But the Blue Fairy was gone, and Princess Sapphire would never see her again.