A Grimm Warning (The Land of Stories, #3)(41)
“You two look amazing,” Alex peeped.
“Is that what you’re wearing?” Skylene asked. She and Tangerina exchanged a look that made Alex feel horribly underdressed.
“It is,” Alex said confidently, trying to rebuild her self-esteem. “You both said I should dress as I want to be remembered, right? This gown is elegant but simple and it does its job without being overly flashy and without stealing focus. That’s exactly what I’d like my reputation to be.”
The fairies just nodded. “It’s cuuute,” Tangerina finally said.
They weren’t convincing and made Alex feel more discouraged than ever. “I can’t do this,” she said, and sat on her bed. “I’m not cut out for this kind of attention or pressure. I’m the kind of girl who just wants to be at the ball, not be the belle of the ball.”
Tangerina and Skylene sat down on either side of her.
“You’ll have to excuse the kingdom,” Tangerina said. “The last Fairy Inaugural Ball was canceled when we discovered how destructive Ezmia was. It’s been a very long time since we had something or someone worth celebrating. We’re all just very excited, perhaps too excited.”
“I can’t imagine how over-stimulating all this must be for you,” Skylene said. “And I don’t think we’ve been much help. We may have given you the wrong idea about what tonight is truly about.”
“Then I shouldn’t dress how I want to be remembered?” Alex asked.
“Forget what we said about that, Alex,” Tangerina said. “Being a fairy means you must be true to the goodness in your heart, and nothing is truer than wearing your heart on your sleeve.”
“And the more honesty you show in your appearance, the more you will be remembered and admired for it,” Skylene added.
Alex thought about that for a few moments but wasn’t sure she entirely understood. “So I’m supposed to wear my feelings?” she asked.
“So to speak,” Skylene said.
“But if you truly believe this gown represents you, then you should have no regrets wearing this downstairs,” Tangerina said.
“We’ll give you a few moments alone to think it over,” Skylene said. “There’s no rush; come down whenever you’re ready.”
They each patted her on the shoulder and walked to the door.
“Oh, and Alex,” Tangerina said before leaving, “don’t think you’re not worth celebrating.”
The fairies smiled affectionately at Alex as they left her chambers. Alex stood before the mirror again, this time looking into her heart more than at her reflection.
In the past year Alex had experienced so many new phases in her life: living in a different dimension, learning magic, going on walks with boys, and being away from her family for the first time. Everything was as terrifying as it was exciting and Alex wanted her gown to reflect it all.
Alex closed her eyes and thought of the perfect thing to wear. She raised her wand and with a bright flash transformed her dress one last time.…
The main hall of the Fairy Palace was decorated to perfection. The usually golden arches and pillars had been bewitched to change colors as the night went on. A small band of enchanted flutes and strings played music by themselves in the corner. The hall had been cleared out entirely and was lined with tables of food and drinks.
There were hundreds upon hundreds of fairies and not one of them was alike: water fairies sprinkled in dew, garden fairies wrapped in leaves, fairies with large colorful wings, fairies that glowed like they were made entirely of light, and small fairies the size of insects. The majority of them stood around mingling, while others hovered in the air.
The Fairy Godmother was in the center of the party, playing hostess and greeting everyone who came up to her. She was wearing her finest robes, which sparkled like the night sky, and tonight the air around her also sparkled, as if her aura had dressed for the occasion.
Mother Goose and Lester were camped out by one of the drink tables, trying to avoid the other fairies at all costs. Mother Goose poured herself and the large goose goblets of punch and topped them off with a splash from her flask.
Tangerina and Skylene waited by the foot of the stairs for Alex to arrive. “I hope we cheered her up,” Tangerina said. “The poor thing looked terrified.”
“She’ll be down when she’s ready,” Skylene said.
“Oh look! Here she comes now,” Tangerina said, and pointed to the top of the stairs.
Skylene eagerly tapped the side of her glass until the room went silent. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we’d like to present the fairy of the hour,” she announced. “She is the youngest fairy to ever join the Fairy Council and the Happily Ever After Assembly, the only fairy clever enough to outsmart the Enchantress, and she’s the future Fairy Godmother! Please give a warm welcome to the one and only Alex Bailey!”
Skylene made a grand gesture toward the top of the stairs and the hall burst into applause. Alex walked down the stairs and the entire room gasped when they saw her gown. She was still wearing the white gown but it was now covered in thousands of vibrant live butterflies. The butterflies twitched and fluttered in time with Alex’s nervous heart but they never flew away.
Tangerina and Skylene were the first to greet Alex and rave about her new dress. Mother Goose and Lester raised their goblets in her direction from the drinks table. The Fairy Godmother smiled proudly up at her from the middle of the room. She met her granddaughter at the foot of the stairs, took her hand, and led her into the center of the hall.