To them was assigned a suite of rooms in the Western side of the Palace. [[76]]
For some of the officers of both the Royal Households, as well as for those who, coming from a great distance, could not return the same day, special sleeping rooms had been erected in the Palace Gardens.
At this stage it has to be mentioned, that in addition to their other improvements, all the Prince’s newest flying carriages were fitted with fairy wireless. This enabled any of the drivers to send a message to the Prince whenever it was necessary so to do. And it was indeed fortunate that such was the case, for although it had been arranged that the Princess Wattle Blossom was to arrive the day before the wedding, within about half an hour of the time that she was to have landed, something happened which nearly prevented her from ever reaching the Fairy City at all.
To properly understand the story of what occurred, it is necessary to go back a little, and to remember that the malicious Desert Fairies had been twice defeated—once, when they had attacked the Prince and his followers whilst on their way to the Magic Well; and once, when they had tried to stop the making of the Lake which now encircles Fairy Island. They were very sore at having been thwarted in their spiteful efforts, and had resolved that if ever they got a chance, they would be revenged upon the Prince in consequence. Thus, though they were very secret about it, they were always on the lookout to do him harm.
For a very long time, nothing took place which gave them the slightest opening to put their wicked wishes into play. Then, by the merest accident, they learned that Prince Waratah was about to be married, and “putting two and two together,” they made up their minds to steal the Princess Wattle Blossom, and so rob him of his intended wife. And strange as it may seem, had it not been that the carriage in which she was travelling had its fairy wireless set in working order, the plot they laid would certainly have succeeded. Even as it was, her adventure was an exciting one; and, while it lasted, very, very trying.
How the Desert Fairies came to find out that the Prince was about to be married, was, to say the least of it, somewhat peculiar. [[77]]
One of the bronze-wing pigeons, carrying an invitation to a relative of the Prince’s Mother, who lived in Western Australia, had almost flown across the desert, when, to his horror, high above his head he saw the outstretched hovering form of a great golden eagle. Instantly he knew that he would be killed, but true to his trust, he slipped the invitation over his head, and letting it fall to the ground in the hope that it would be found and forwarded by another messenger, sped ahead as fast as his weary wings would bear him.
But in point of speed, even the freshest, swiftest bronze-wing pigeon is very slow compared with the mighty onrush of a powerful eagle, and almost before the Prince’s bird had time to try and escape, the eagle dropped upon his back, and with one stroke of his curved and cruel beak, struck the pigeon dead, and holding him in his strong talons, sped away and away until he was entirely lost to sight.
Now the card of invitation which the bronze-wing pigeon had let fall was picked up by a passing Desert Fairy. He immediately took it to the head of the tribe, who forthwith called his followers about him to consider the news. Having gained such an important piece of information as the invitation disclosed, they were put upon their metal to discover everything else about the marriage that it was possible to learn. By dint of much spying and listening they at last got to know the whole of the details. They thereupon decided to waylay the Princess on her journey to the Fairy City, and by all the means at their command, beat down whatever escort was provided, and carry her away.
In some respects they were luckier than they could have expected to be. Their great difficulty was how to bring the flying-carriage to the ground; for if they could not stop it, they could not capture the Princess.