“My lords and ladies of the five realms,” chanted the Herald, “Allow me to present Queen Dentaire of the City of Light!”

Four fairies dressed as ballet dancers entered the hallway. They twirled and flew into the air like floating feathers in advance of the Queen who arrived, flanked by her little white mice, and Tooth Fairy Mariel, who was wearing her familiar raspberry beret and a red, white and blue ball gown.

Queen Dentaire was dressed in a sparkling ball gown of shimmering silver that made her appear taller than she was. Her fairy wings were streaked with silver and gold and on her head was a tall wig of the finest, woven dental floss that you ever did see. Small crystal teeth and pearls were mixed within the wig, which when the light caught it, sparkled like a rainbow.

As the Queen waltzed along the carpet, waving at the crowd with a paper fan, the ballet dancers jumped and spun ahead, throwing gold and silver glitter into the cheering crowd. The little white mice walked obediently behind, and each of them carried a piece of cheese.

“Ah, so that’s how they train their mice then,” remarked King Stepney. “I thought as much!”

“Oh, now this is just overkill!” said Queen Clement as the royal spectacle proceeded towards them along the carpeted aisle. “She wants to upstage us, as always!”

The motor car started to roll down the street just as Edna, fuelled by adrenaline and without thinking, jumped into the driver’s seat with Shilling just behind her.

Pulling down her motoring goggles she grasped the wheel with one hand and tried to pull on the handbrake with the other, but she lacked the strength. Shilling perched herself on the passenger seat whilst Lenny had flown to the front and was now sitting like a bonnet ornament on the radiator. 

His mouth was open and his tongue blowing in the wind.