Chapter 14: The Big Night
The day of the ball had arrived and the castle staff was scurrying left and right to prepare the ballroom for later tonight. It wouldn't be long before the guests for the ball would arrive. As for the fairies, they were up in Lapis's bedroom getting into their best clothes. All seven of them had their wings magically hidden from human eyes.
Steven was wearing a pastel pink suit jacket that had two tails which reached to the back of his knees. He also wore a white dress shirt, a deep pink bowtie with a dark pink rose boutonniere, pale pink pants and white shoes.
Stevonnie had on a pink dress that had a long skirt that hid her rose-colored shoes and a spaghetti-strap top that looked as if it were made out of rose petals. Her hair was fixed into a long braid held by a pink peony.
Peridot's dress was the color of daffodils with straps that were tied at the shoulders and had a fluffy hemline. She also had a sash with a sunflower and chartreuse yellow shoes.
Amethyst wore a lilac-colored, one-shoulder gown with a poofy skirt that hid her purple shoes. Her pale lavender hair was fixed up into a bun held up by a purple primrose.
Pearl had on a sea-green ballgown a tulle skirt that hid her pastel blue slippers and a daisy corsage on her left wrist.
Garnet's dress was majenta with a skirt that flowed more in the back than the front and ruched sleeves. There were dark fuchsia slippers on her feet and bright pink hibiscus in her hair.
"Okay, I'm ready." said Lapis who was sitting on her bed and covering her eyes. She had asked her friends to use their magic to make her dress and for it to be a surprise. So, with a whirl of their hands, a rainbow of fairy dust swirled around the blue fairy and then dispersed. Steven and Peridot helped her way over to the full-length mirror in her room.
"You can open your eyes now." the small, pink fairy announced.
Lapis uncovered her eyes and found herself wearing a blue halter strap ballgown with a tulle laced skirt that was covered with tiny flowers and butterflies. She had royal blue shoes with teardrop-shaped stones on her feet and a glittering tiara with a lapis lazuli stone in it that was held by the water lilies and forget-me-nots in her hair.
"Oh my gosh." she gasped when she looked in the mirror. "I love it."
"Alright, come on." Amethyst said as the fairies exited the bedroom. "We have a ball to get to."
"And I have a ball to crash." said Jasper who was watching the fairies through her viewing pool.
Outside the the doors to the ballroom, Lapis's friends stood side-by-side by three's so that Lapis had room to walk up to them. Amethyst, Garnet, and Stevonnie stood next to the left door while Steven, Pearl, and Peridot were at the right. Steven and Stevonnie each grabbed a door handle and pulled their respective door open to reveal Lapis who brightened the ballroom with her radiance. The ballroom guests gasped and stared in bewilderment as the young fairy walked gracefully into the ballroom. Her friends followed close behind.
"Wow." Jamie stuttered in awe, his face turning red. "You look... so... beautiful."
"Thank you." Lapis replied, blushing and smiling. "You look great, too."
The prince cleared his throat, held out his hand and asked, "May I have this dance?"
"Of course." the young fairy answered taking his hand.
Everyone made room on the dance floor as the royal musicians played a waltz number, and the handsome prince and the beautiful fairy danced gracefully hand in hand. The other fairies watched happily as the two dancers swayed, dipped, and twirled. Lapis was having the best time of her life. She felt safe and happy to be in Jamie's arms as she pressed the side of her face on his chest. However, she worried that this would be the last time they would be together and she could not hide her heavyhearted look from the prince.
"What's the matter?" he asked. "You look sad."
"I have to go back to the fairy world after the ball." the blue fairy admitted with tears forming in her eyes. "But, I honestly don't want to go because I am really going to miss you. Even though I don't belong in the human world, I can't help but wish I could stay with you. I love you."
The prince was deep in thought as the song ended and the ball guests applauded with pride for the lovely pair.
"Ladies and gentlemen." Jamie called, trying to get everyone's attention. "I have an important announcement to make. My parents believe that in this very room, I will find the perfect girl to be my bride. But, now I see that I don't have to make a choice because I already have found someone I love and who loves me in return. That someone is...Lapis Lazuli."
The crowd roared with applause as the fairy gasped and said, "What?"
"Lapis, I have felt a spark ignite within me from the very first day I met you." the prince continued on bended knee. "A spark that I thought I would never feel. Every moment that I'm with you makes me feel lighter than air. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you and I know you feel the same way. So, Lapis Lazuli; will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my bride?"
Lapis glanced over at her friends and they all gave her approving smiles.
"Yes!" she responded, overflowing with immense joy as she wrapped her arms around the one she loved. "Yes, of course I will!" Everybody rejoiced from the blue fairy's response.
Unbeknownst to Lapis and Jamie, someone was pouring a poison-like cocktail in their cups with the liquid that was already in them. Pearl didn't see who it was, but she did notice.
"A toast to my new bride." the prince said, raising his goblet high. Lapis and everyone else except for Pearl did the same.
"Jamie, stop!" The pale fairy cried out, desperately.
Jamie didn't even put the goblet to his lips before he was halted, but it was too late to stop Lapis. All it took was one sip and she suddenly felt a painful feeling in her chest and stomach. She released her grip on her goblet and it plummeted to the floor as if in slow motion, spilling it's contents.