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[ritaxis]

"Where?"  Katie asked, all befuddlement.  It wasn't her birthday!

The Mustard Fairy stamped her foot once, sighed, and turned right around in a whole circle before she answered.  "We'll take this from the top.  You are Katie, are you not?"

"Uh huh,"  said Katie.

"You say that so doubtrfully, as if you were not sure.  You are Katie?"

"Yes."  Katie was beginning to be a little afraid of the Mustard Fairy.

:Good.  We've established that.  You are Katie, who eats mustard every day, sometimes three times in one day.  And I am the Mustard Fairy.  Every time you eat a mustard sandwich with cheese, you are honoring me and my reign, and demonstrating your loyalty.   Are you with me?"

"I think so," said Katie, not at all sure that she was.

"As Mustard Fairy, I am the Queen of Condimentia, the Continent of Condiments.  I have powers of authority, grace, and potency.  I am disposed to honor my loyal followers who regularly consume mustard.  That means you, as you will recall, because of the mustard sandwiches with cheese."

Katie nodded doubtfully. 

"And to reward you, I am taking you back with me to my country, where we will have a big party and give you presents."

"But it's late in the night,"  Katie said. 

"Not in Condimentia!"  The Mustard Fairy's friends chorussed.

"Is it on the other side of the world?"  Katie asked.

The Mustard Fairy frowned.  "We don't need to go into that," she said.  "Let's go!"

Suddenly Katie was surrounded by the small people.  There seemed to be many more of them than there were a minute ago, though she couldn't pick out any that were actually different people.  They pushed and pulled in a way that was both gentle and rackety and she found herself out the back door on the little patio. 

Standing on the patio was a strange object.  It looked like half a coconut shell, but it was as big as a living room chair.  Standing next to it was a horse -- at least it looked rather like a horse -- but a rangy, tall, pale horse, which looked almost hairless except for its rough tail and short spiky mane. 

"Don't just stand there, climb in," said the Mustard Fairy.