Chapter 12 - Part III: Silvermist

Queen Clarion returned to the water talent, who clearly had a look of total confusion on her young face. "Do you know why you are here, Silvermist?" the queen asked.

"No, Your Highness, I don't," the water talent replied.

"In testimony to me, both you and Vidia revealed that you made a comment to her. I believe it was 'Out for a brisk morning drag?' Am I correct?

"You are, Your Highness," the water talent affirmed.

"I see. Now why did you say that, Silvermist?"

Sil tried to think about why she was motivated to say those words. It was embarrassing to admit to her queen that she was enjoying watching Vidia get dragged around by the thistles. Ultimately, she told the truth.

"So you believed Vidia was in a difficult situation? That she was actually being dragged, against her will, by the thistles?"

"Yes, Your Highness," she affirmed again.

"Why did you say it?"

After a brief pause, in which Silvermist looked over at Vidia, she answered, "Because Vidia has always been mean and nasty to me and the other water fairies. And I remembered what happened when we were set to take spring to the mainland and she admitted to setting up Tinker Bell to catch the thistles. I thought she was being very awful to her."

"I see. And you thought that by making fun of Vidia's predicament you would undo all of her nastiness?"

"Uh…, no."

"Did you think it would undo the damage caused at springtime?"

"No."

"Did you think it would improve Vidia's alleged difficult situation?"

"No, Your Highness."

"So why did you say that?"

Silvermist thought about it again. "Because it was fun."

"Fun? Fun to be as nasty as Vidia?" the queen asked.

Silvermist was struck by that notion. It had never occurred to her that she was acting just like Vidia. "I…I just wanted her to know that we didn't appreciate being treated so badly by her?"

"And do you think you made that clear when you said 'Out for a brisk morning drag?'"

Silvermist thought about the question and had only one conclusion, "No. No, I didn't. I was just being rude… to have fun at her expense."

"I see. Now your complaint against Vidia was that she willfully knocked you off your feet and into the water, is that correct?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the water talent affirmed once more.

"Did she do this before or after you made your comment?"

"After."

"Do you think your nasty comment to Vidia may have been why she knocked you into the water?"

"Oh, I know it was. She was just being mean!" Silvermist glared at Vidia when she answered.

"After you had said something nasty to her?"

"Yes, after I said what I…, oh," finally Silvermist understood. "She was mean to me because I was mean to her."

"That is correct," the queen confirmed.

"Vidia is responsible for her own actions. And you must be held responsible for yours. What you did yesterday provided a catalyst for Vidia to knock you into the water."

"She didn't have to knock me down," Silvermist said trying to defend herself.

"This is true. She didn't, but did you expect her to do otherwise?"

"No, I mean, Yes. I mean…, well I thought she was in too deeply with the thistles to do anything about it," Silvermist admitted, both to the queen and to herself.

"So you took unfair advantage of the situation to act badly thinking there would be no repercussions from Vidia because you were under the impression she was too involved with the thistles to be able to retaliate. Am I correct?"

The young water talent fairy hung her head in shame. "You are correct, Your Highness."

"Do you believe that Vidia would have done the same had you said nothing?"

"No she would not have," Silvermist had to admit.

"Could you have acted better in that situation? Maybe helped Vidia or called for help?"

"Yes, I could have, Your Highness."

"Silvermist, you are as responsible as Vidia for what happened at the brook," the queen admonished. "Your provoked Vidia, and she responded. It was a response that would not have occurred had you done nothing. Worse, you assumed that Vidia was in a difficult situation and you did not offer to help or seek out help on her behalf as a proper fairy should."

Water talents were more emotional than most fairies and were prone to crying when other talents would not. This was the case with Silvermist as tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Silvermist, for your improper actions and inactions yesterday you are to be punished accordingly. First, you are not allowed to participate in any water talent work or recreational activities of any sort for the period of two weeks. Second, since the tinkers are behind by one full day and will also be occupied repairing their homes, you are to spend those two weeks driving the mouse carts to make deliveries for them. Do you understand this sentence?"

"Yes…, yes, Your Majesty, I do," Silvermist said through watering eyes.

"Very well, you are dismissed. Report immediately to Fairy Mary in Tinker's Nook to begin your mouse cart duties."

Silvermist bowed to her queen and flitted out of the room, still pouting a bit.

Next Part IV: Tinker Bell