The Eagle left Thumbelina in the middle of a lovely meadow. However, the cold had started to spread across the meadow and soft drops of frost had covered the grassy ground. Thumbelina, no taller than a blade of grass herself shivered against the elements.

She began to walk towards the closest source of light she could see, which hopefully would lead her to some warmth.

The little mud mound under a grassy hill belonged to a little field mouse. The field mouse welcomed Thumbelina in with open arms. Since Thumbelina was famous for having helped many mice escape from several owl related deaths, Ana the field mouse was generous with her hospitality. Thumbelina's heart warmed as Ana regaled her with tales about the meadow she came from. She told Thumbelina about her late husband whom she lost in the battle with the owl that terrorized the meadow not so long ago.

"We won when Matthias slaughtered the owl, however, I lost Matthias in the process. But then I met Bartholomew and now we're trying to rebuild our lives in the aftermath of that battle." She sighed a little, discontent mixed in with resignation. "Bartholomew is wonderful but there is no one else I've admired more than Matthias. My heart will always belong to him. Our marriage was a perfect union. Matthias completed my life." Ana confided.

Thumbelina thoughtfully nibbled on a little walnut that Ana brought for her. It was important to find someone who completed her life. She too wanted to feel that way about her husband.

"Don't you want to marry, my dear? Surely there must be suitors out through your door!"

"Well... it's a long story. But Mother does want me to get married so she can make me a wonderful dress."

"All mothers do" smiled Ana.

"You should meet my neighbour, Theo. He's wonderful. Maybe you'll click!"

"N...that's...quite alright" Thumbelina's trust had been broken by Thaddius and didn't really want to be meeting anyone in her current emotional state.

"Oh don't be shy. You'll get along wonderfully! I promise!"

Thumbelina relented.

"Alright. I suppose."

------

Theo the Mole was a furry little creature and blindly sniffed around the house as he came in warily.

"I smell a new scent," he said

"Theo! Meet Thumbelina! She's on a journey and came in to stay with us for a little bit. I thought you two should meet" winked Ana. Then suddenly, she was gone.

Thumbelina awkwardly looked around as she tried to think of conversations with Theo but it was Theo who broke the silence.

"It must be tough being a thumb-sized human."

Thumbelina felt indignant.

"It's about as tough being a mouse without eyes."

Theo paused momentarily. "I meant no offence. I was merely offering solidarity with the feeling of inadequacy."

Thumbelina felt sorry.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude either."

"Yes, you did. But that's ok. Sometimes we do that when others hurt our feelings."

For the first time, Thumbelina truly felt the sadness climbing into her heart. Tears fell as Theo silently listened to Thumbelina cry.

---

Ana peered in later with milk and cookies.

"I've brought... where's Theo?"

"He left," Thumbelina said sorely.

"That's such a shame! I thought you two would be such a fine wedded pair!"

Thumbelina coughed, startled.

"Please stop! He's a mole! He spends all his time burrowing around in the dirt and never sees daylight! He doesn't even have eyes. It's frightening simply looking at him! Do you expect me to marry a mole?!"

Ana looked away awkwardly and suddenly Thumbelina realized that Theo was standing in the corner, with a handkerchief in front of him.

"I thought you might need a handkerchief."

Then, he turned around and left. Thumbelina felt the deep shame rise in her chest, her conscience shaming her.

I'm a bad person, she thought.

I don't deserve a prince, she thought.

---

The next morning, Thumbelina headed back home. On her way in, she looked at her old garden the flowers had started to look lacklustre and the greenery, unkempt. Weeds had started to grow around the rose bushes and vegetables.

She headed back into her house and saw her Mother busy taking tea out to someone.

"There you are! Go on and get dressed! You have visitors!"

Thumbelina was ushered into her room and Mother put on a lovely white velvet dress with bell sleeves and a lovely swishy skirt that swayed as Thumbelina walked.

This skirt is too nice for me. I look terrible in it, she thought.

My gait doesn't match the swish of the skirt at all, she thought.

Mother called her out and as she entered the room, Thumbelina saw who her guests were. There was an older looking Faerie with opalescent wings in a daffodil dress sitting atop the velveteen chair that Mother reserved for her most honoured guests. On the chair beside the faerie was a beautiful and radiantly exquisite looking Faerie with darkly shimmering wings. His face looked regal and his blonde hair as fine as spun gold.

"Thumbelina! Remember that story I told you about how I came to have you? This wonderful Faerie here is the one who gave you to me!" Mother gushed.

"It's so lovely to finally meet you, Thumbelina." the faerie smiled warmly.

"My name is Siana. This is my son Tomas. Your Mother saved his life and I am eternally grateful to her."

"Oh come now. They were just strawberries" gushed Mother.

Mother looked sternly at Thumbelina and spoke carefully.

"Siana is here to ask for your hand in marriage to Tomas."

Thumbelina, taken aback from the sudden proposal, looked at the stunning faerie prince. Tomas was just her size except he had the most beautiful shimmery wings while Thumbelina had this ill-fitting swishy skirt. His blonde hair fell in sweeping wave to the side of his face and framed his aristocratic face ever so gently. His piercing blue eyes gazed intently at Thumbelina and she could hardly breathe.

"Hello Thumbelina"

His voice was a melodious coo. It sounded smooth and svelte.

"H...hello my Prince" Thumbelina curtsied.

"Why don't you two take a little walk in the garden? It's the most lovely weather outside. Siana and I can chat about wedding plans!" Mother generously offered space for the budding romance.

Wedding plans? Isn't...isn't it moving a little too fast? Has it been decided already? Should I say something-?  thought Thumbelina.

She was unsure how to react, given that her guests were gazing upon her intently and she didn't want to insult them in any way. Faerie folk had sensitive tendencies and most certainly did not take lightly to insult.

Tomas took Thumbelina by the arm and glided up into the air, temporarily giving Thumbelina flight with his gentle touch.

As they flitted from flower to flower in the garden, Tomas smacked the stamen of each flower viciously. Thumbelina looked at Tomas with distress, saying nothing.

Finally, when Tomas had decided he had, had enough, Thumbelina asked "Why did you do that?"

"Just because." He responded belligerently. "They're just flowers. Besides, I'm pollinating them. They should be thankful."

It made sense. Prince Tomas intimidated Thumbelina and she didn't want to make him uncomfortable with pointed questions.

"I've heard a lot of good things about you from my Mother."

Thumbelina offered awkwardly.

"Ah yes. My Mother can be quite the horn tooter." He laughed. His laugh sounded like the tinkling of bells. Lovely and magnetic at the same time.

"Forgive her incessant praise and boasting."

"Oh, it's absolutely nothing at all. She just loves you very much."

"Yes well, she could afford to love me a little less. Do you know what I mean? Sometimes it feels like I don't have a brain of my own."

Thumbelina knew what he meant. "Are you eager to get married, Prince Tomas?"

He looked bored by the question.

"I mean, it's something you do, isn't it? Is there something to be excited about?"

Thumbelina was in awe of his practical repose. Unlike Thaddius, he was insightful and understated.

A real prince.

---

Upon their return to the house, Thumbelina learned that the wedding day had already been decided. Mother tittered about excitedly, finally being able to realize her dream.

Tomas gave her an engagement gift. A pair of sheer, opalescent wings encrusted with the tiniest deep green emeralds around the edges.

As Thumbelina unfurled her wings, she finally felt like a true princess. She knew that Tomas was her Prince.

"You must be careful. Since you are not of true faerie blood, those wings have a limited lifespan. They will require you to be within at least a 10km radius of me in order for you to use them and I will need to renew their bond with your blood every year on your name day."

Enthralled with her wings Thumbelina offered a deep curtsy to her Prince.

"Your gift is too kind for someone like me, my Prince," she said.

---

In the dark of the night, Thumbelina heard a pecking noise at the outer window. She peered out her box and saw the Eagle. It came back to her!

Thumbelina went to greet her wonderful Eagle and it bowed its head to her as she pet it with great love.

Then, with a great swoop, the Eagle picked up Thumbelina in its strong grasp and flew high into the sky. Thumbelina shrieked with fear, watching the ground below her fall away. Her house became nought but a tiny speck on the aerial landscape.

The Eagle gently placed Thumbelina on the highest tree on the tallest mountain and perched itself beside her.

'Thumbelina' it spoke.

Thumbelina was shocked. Its beak did not move. Surely Thumbelina must have hallucinated that sound.

'You're not dreaming. I am here to give you a choice.' It spoke in the deepest, most soothing voice.

"A choice? What for?"

"You must not marry that Prince. He will clip your wings and give you fake ones. He will take what is truly yours and replace them with hollow versions of gifts. Come with me instead, I will give you what your heart needs."

"My...my heart needs? My Mother said I must get married! I don't think I really have anything I need. I just... I just want to be home."

The Eagle gazed upon her intently.

"Will you not regret it?"

"Tomas is a good and dutiful Prince. He will treat me well, unlike the others. I can be a Princess beside my real Prince."

"A Prince that wishes to leash you."

"I won't be leashed!" Thumbelina replied indignantly. "It's a choice I've made! I want to be with Tomas. For better or for worse! Now take me back!" she commanded the Eagle. "This place is cold and frightening!"

The Eagle heaved a sigh. Within seconds it looked like it lost 20 years of its life.

"If... that's what you wish."

"That is what I wish." she retorted firmly.

---

And so the Eagle took Thumbelina back to her old walnut bed. It dropped her off and spoke to her in a soft and mellow voice.

"I will not be back Princess. Know that I have truly loved you and waited for you."

"Eagle... must you leave?"

"Yes. I cannot stay."

"Will you be back?"

"If you intend for it to be so."

And with a single flap, it soared and flew out the window.

Thumbelina's heart felt a little empty as she saw the Eagle vanish into the darkness.

As she sank back into her warm walnut bed and silk sheets, she dreamed about her wedding with Tomas.

---

⏁

The Eagle flew for many years, patiently waiting for its mistress to call it back but it heard nothing. Finally, unable to carry on any longer from sheer exhaustion, it rested its weary wings on the balcony of a lovely cottage. The garden was lush and beautiful and the birds sang in lovely voices and it reminded the Eagle of the first time it met its heart-mistress. The mistress of the cottage spied the Eagle on her balcony and came out to greet it.

"Eagle, you look exhausted. You must drink. Where do you come from?”

"Thank you, Mistress. My heart-mistress has wished me away. So I wait for her to call me back someday.”

Moved by the dedication of the Eagle, the woman took the Eagle into the cottage to give it sustenance. She told the Eagle of her ability to write powerful words and so the Eagle shared the story of Thumbelina with the woman to pen the words of his heart.