Chapter 9

“What are you doing?” Phina asked, startling Sera, who was hiding behind a bush near the castle gate. Confused about how Phina had found her so quickly, she decided to ignore her confusion and ask for help, since she’d been sitting there staring at the large, solid-looking, well-guarded gate for twenty minutes without any ideas.

“I’m trying to get into the palace to convince the king he should hold a masked ball so that Green can go to Ruby and they can fall in love again.”

Looking bemused, Phina said, “A complicated plan, and a bit difficult since you can’t exactly talk to King Bertram. Would you care for some help?”

“Yes please.” Sera bit her lip and tried not to look too eager.

“Right then. The easiest way to do this is to plant the idea in one of his advisors’ minds. I’ll do it for you today, but you’ll need to be listening in to learn it for yourself. First, we’ll have to be a lot closer. Hold my hand.” Sera looked cautiously at Phina’s hand.  Biting her lip, Sera grabbed tightly onto her teacher’s hand and closed her eyes.

With a “whoosh” and a lot of blue sparkles they appeared in a small closet crammed full of brooms and buckets and rags. As Sera took in her surroundings, Phina grabbed a bowl of water that appeared and tapped the surface lightly with two fingers. When Sera looked into the bowl she saw that it was a view of what must be the throne room, with its high ceiling and shining marble floor. It contained one pompous king, a mostly asleep prince and about a dozen dusty old men. Phina reached for the image of one of these and grabbed the image of his left ear. Sera managed not to jump but still cringed a bit when Phina handed the rubbery ear to her.

“Put this over your ear and don't fuss about it,” she said. “This shouldn’t take too long, so I expect you to pay full attention to what happens.”

Sera pulled a face, and then put it on her ear anyway. This done, Phina began to whisper to the bowl of water. “This is so dull, Sir Audley. If only something exciting and interesting were to happen, perhaps the prince would more readily agree to your plans for his future. Like a masked ball.”

Sir Audley frowned a bit and looked at his neighbor, who looked back at him blankly. “No, not him,” Phina said in her normal voice.

The old man’s eyes widened in sudden recognition and he looked around eagerly, almost joyfully. “Please don’t give me away. After you helped me get Adoria Annalina to fall in love with that merchant, I know you can persuade the king to hold a masked ball. I’ve got an apprentice to impress, so please do your best.”

Sir Audley smiled and without further ado stood up and said, “My lord, might I suggest that we hold a masked ball in honor of the princess? Perhaps if Prince Kennard were able to see Princess Ruby compared to other women of the realm, she would become more appealing.”

The king looked at his son thoughtfully, and then poked Kennard in the side with the royal scepter. “Kennard, wake up. In two days we’re holding a ball for you and the woman you are going to marry or I’m going to throw you out of the kingdom.” King Bertram sounded like he was about to laugh.

Now very much awake, Kennard’s eyes went wide and his hands clenched into fists. Sera noticed his brief glance at the open window on one side of the room. “Father, I’m not going. The princess has locked herself in her room for the past hour. She won't go willingly. And neither will I!”

The prince leaped up and ran for an open window, jumping nimbly over the sill. The king sighed impatiently and rang a small bell. Sera waited for the yells, thuds and thumps that let them know the guards had caught the prince. He rarely made it out of the palace grounds. “Sir Audley, you are in charge of getting the prince to go to this ball of yours. Sir Osric, you shall….”

Sera took off the ear and sighed loudly. “I can probably get Princess Ruby to go. Maybe. Can you get the prince to go?”

Phina smiled evenly and said, “A simple bit of coercion seems to be in order here. And you’re doing wonderfully so far, so I certainly think you can handle it. Where do you need to go?”

“Wherever the princess is, I suppose.” Sera grabbed Phina’s hand and with a “whoosh” and even more glitter than the last time they arrived neatly in a closet that proved to be for the royal bedclothes. Sera settled contentedly into a pile of pillows as Phina prepared a mirror for looking through. At least with mirrors it wasn't necessary to use the extra ears.

Even before she looked Sera could hear Sir Audley jump as Phina’s voice made itself known again. “The guards have already caught him, sir. Go to his chambers and I’ll tell you what to say to persuade him to go. And don’t argue with me,” Phina said as the man opened his mouth. “You’ll look like a fool talking to yourself, remember?”

Sera giggled. “You have to tell me how you know him sometime. It sounds like a great story.”

Phina smiled and nodded. They watched as the old man trudged up to the prince’s door, gave it three loud knocks and waited for the prince to yell “Go away, Audley!” before walking in anyway. The room was large, as one might expect for a prince’s room, with wide windows and cheery tapestries that were only a little bit stained. Most of the room was neat, except for a battered chest, full of odds and ends that spilled out onto the floor around it.

Prince Kennard was older than Sera had thought, about Phina’s age, really. Not surprising, as that was the same age as the princess he was supposed to marry. Slumped in a window seat, he looked like Barton Barkeep when Sera had broken a stack of a dozen plates.

“Remind him about last spring’s feast,” Phina told Sir Audley. The old man raised his eyebrows, but still approached the sulking prince.

“Your Highness, a masked ball won’t be half so bad as you think. Remember the feast last spring? How Princess Emma was allergic to the apples and was confined to her bed for the rest of the trip?” Sir Audley frowned at the prince. “Don’t think I didn’t know what you did. No poisons for this one, however non-fatal.”

Kennard turned as far away from Sir Audley as he could. “She’s too quiet. Besides, no one compares to your daughter and she’s gone.”

Sera was confused by the tiny smile that appeared on Sir Audley’s face. With a quick harrumph he said, “A masked ball is best, my lord. With everyone's faces hidden you can avoid the princess all you like without seeming too rude.”

Kennard’s face brightened, and he jumped up from his seat. “Why didn’t I think of that? You’re a genius, Audley!” He moved away from the window and began putting away something that looked suspiciously like rope.

Sir Audley sighed and bowed. “Always happy to help, my lord.” He exited quickly. Sera noticed that he avoided looking toward where Kennard was now stashing some kind of toxic-looking purple chemical.

“Well, now it’s your turn, Sera. How are you going to persuade the princess that going to the masked is the best thing for her?” Phina sat down on a pile of blankets.

“That’s easy,” Sera said. “I’ll tell her that Green’s going.” Phina didn’t exactly look convinced, but she nodded in agreement anyway.

Peering cautiously out of the closet, Sera found the hallway empty. “Which room is hers?” she asked.

“She’s staying in the red room. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on you,” Phina said.

Creeping into the hallway, Sera began to look for the red room. It wasn’t hard: the princess had been placed very close to the prince’s room and the door was a lovely cherry red. Swallowing, Sera pushed the door open as quietly as she could and slipped inside.

It was a sea of pink and red frills inside, severely ornate, probably to impress any visitors. Ruby was curled up on her bed, facing the door. When Sera entered she sat up with the start and said, “Who are you?” Her eyes were bloodshot and teary, and her hair fell glumly down her back. Even with that, she managed to look graceful.

“I’m Sera, Green Beanwell’s ward. Please don’t call for the guards,” Sera pleaded.

Ruby sniffled. “Of course not. Did Green send you?” she asked hopefully.

“Not really, no. Sorry. But I do have a way you can see him again! You see, there’s going to be a masked ball for you in two days, and I think I can get Green to go.” Sera waited nervously for the princess’s response.

Ruby looked unconvinced, to say the least. “How on earth would Green be able to get in?”

Sera stared out the window, thinking hard. If only Phina could swoop in and be all fairy-godmother-y. Perhaps the only way out was to tell the truth. And Phina had said that she was allowed to tell a subject who she was in emergencies. “I’m your fairy godmother. Well, actual fairy goddaughter. I’m still in training,” she explained. “It’s my job to ensure a happy ending for both you and Green, and if you don’t go to the ball it won’t work.”

Ruby sighed glumly. “Of course I would get the apprentice. My sister Diamond got godmother-of-the-year, and I have a child who can’t even do magic properly yet.”

“How did you know I can’t do magic?” Sera asked.

“I talked with my sister’s godmother’s apprentice at the wedding.”

“Well, I might not be able to use magic but Phina can,” Sera said. At least Ruby had believed her.

“Phina?”

“Alexia Seraphina, my teacher. She’s the real fairy godmother. If she helps will you go to the ball?” Sera pleaded.

Sighing again, Ruby said, “Having someone a bit more experienced would make things better, I suppose. Since you’re so sure that this will work, I’ll do it. I’ll go to the ball. Now please leave me alone.” With that, Ruby laid back down on her bed.

Sera sighed and then left quickly. Racing back to the closet, Sera heard a guard coming around the corner. As soon as she opened the closet door, Phina grabbed her and they were gone in a puff of blue smoke.

Safely away in a clearing far from the palace, Sera flopped against a tree and said, “No problems whatsoever. Kennard is going to the ball and Ruby is going to the ball. It’s all taken care of.” She leaned her head back and sighed contentedly.

“What about Green?” Phina asked softly, a wry smile twitching into place. Sera groaned and began banging her head against the tree.

Author's Note

Are there too many slow points in this chapter? How's the transition between this chapter and the last?