Chapter Four
Aglaia flew to her room as fast as she could without being conspicuous. Reaching her room, she asked her maid to prepare a bath for her. Since fairies younger than twenty did not have their powers yet, they had personal maids to do the magic that they need, so long as they deemed it reasonable.
After taking a bath, Aglaia thanked the maid and let her attend to her other duties. After making sure the maid was gone, she whispered a few words that her mother taught her before she dies. Instantly her dress changed, becoming less glamorous than the other. It was almost rags to a fairy's eye but to the human eye, it was a dress fit for a queen of a very rich kingdom. She repeated the spell and the dress became simpler.
She thanked her mother silently for the spells she taught her. Her mother taught her a few simple spells that would work, as long as the being that muttered the words had fairy blood. Even the slightest drop of it would trigger the spell. These spells were all over the land, but they were almost forgotten. They were discovered long ago and were supposedly the results of many centuries' work. It was a shame few people remembered it at all.
Aglaia wore her fairy cloak to hide her dress and flew to her aunt's chambers. She would understand and would try to protect her if anyone asks for her.
She knocked on the door. "Aunt Sophronia?"
The door opened and her Aunt let her in.
"I'm going out again."
"What? Do you know how much trouble I went through to cover up for you the other time you went out?" Sophronia sighed, defeated. "How long will you be gone?"
"Until midnight."
Sophronia nodded briskly. "And where, pray tell, are you going this time?"
"I have met a prince!" Aglaia smiled excitedly, wondering how her aunt would react to this piece of information.
It was very hard to describe how Sophronia actually reacted. Her eyes sort of fluttered and then widened, and her jaw dropped. "Whaaat?"
"Well he asked me to dance actually. Isn't it wonderful?"
"Aglaia, do you have any idea why fairies and humans never get together?" Not waiting for her answer, Sophronia continued, "It's because they're a bad mix. When fairies and humans get together, there's always trouble. That's why most fairies tend to stay as far away from humans as possible. Contact with them will result to nothing but bad things."
But Aglaia could not be dissuaded. After pleading Aglaia again and again to stay, Sophronia realized that nothing could stop her from going. Sighing, she nodded in consent. "But don't be running to me if something goes wrong."
Aglaia hugged her aunt tight and kissed her goodbye. Before she could go, her aunt took off the cloak and looked at her dress. She shook her head and muttered a spell. Instantly, the dress became more elegant, much similar to the first one Aglaia conjured up. "You don't even conjure up a dress fit for you." Sophronia said gruffly and put the cloak back on. "Be careful now."
"Thank you." Aglaia unfolded her wings and flew away.
~~~
Leopold bowed in what seemed like the hundredth time. Where was she? Maybe she wasn't coming. Maybe she haven't heard about it. But that was impossible. He made sure that everyone in the kingdom knew about the ball.
He looked around the room again for a flash of her brown hair but to no avail. She wasn't here. She wasn't coming.
Just as he turned around, a voice whispered, "Your Majesty." It was so soft that it was almost inaudible. Leopold turned around and found himself staring straight at Aglaia.
She curtsied. He knew he was supposed to bow or do something, but he was too busy drinking in the sight of her.
"You know, your majesty, it's impolite to stare at your subjects so." The corner of her lips lifted up in a faint smile.
He smiled and hastily bowed. "I thought that you agreed not to call me 'you majesty'."
"You told me not to, but I never agreed." Aglaia smiled, but complied nonetheless.
Leo smiled and held out his arm. "May I have the honor of this dance?"
~~~
"Where are you from Aglaia? I have realized that I do not know anything about you but your name. You must be from around here or you would not have known about the balls." The ball was almost over and they were walking outside in the gardens.
Aglaia looked at the ground. Should she tell him? She trusted him, but they have known each other for only a fortnight. Her instincts were never wrong, but she should still be careful.
"I am from around here." She answered vaguely.
Leo wrinkled his brow, as if deep in thought. "Have you just arrived? I don't think I have seen you before."
"No, I just did not go out much." Aglaia looked around worriedly, in search of a distraction that would steer the conversation away from her. She heard Leo laugh behind her and realized she had left him behind in her agitated state.
"You look like a startled deer. Very well, let's move on to a different topic. But someday I will discover everything about you." Leo smiled at her and led her to a bench.
Aglaia smiled faintly, relieved, and sat down. Leo's promise to discover everything about her didn't make her panic as she thought. In fact, it was kind of gallant of him. Just thinking about it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter.
Someday I will discover everything about you.
Aglaia flew to her room as fast as she could without being conspicuous. Reaching her room, she asked her maid to prepare a bath for her. Since fairies younger than twenty did not have their powers yet, they had personal maids to do the magic that they need, so long as they deemed it reasonable.
After taking a bath, Aglaia thanked the maid and let her attend to her other duties. After making sure the maid was gone, she whispered a few words that her mother taught her before she dies. Instantly her dress changed, becoming less glamorous than the other. It was almost rags to a fairy's eye but to the human eye, it was a dress fit for a queen of a very rich kingdom. She repeated the spell and the dress became simpler.
She thanked her mother silently for the spells she taught her. Her mother taught her a few simple spells that would work, as long as the being that muttered the words had fairy blood. Even the slightest drop of it would trigger the spell. These spells were all over the land, but they were almost forgotten. They were discovered long ago and were supposedly the results of many centuries' work. It was a shame few people remembered it at all.
Aglaia wore her fairy cloak to hide her dress and flew to her aunt's chambers. She would understand and would try to protect her if anyone asks for her.
She knocked on the door. "Aunt Sophronia?"
The door opened and her Aunt let her in.
"I'm going out again."
"What? Do you know how much trouble I went through to cover up for you the other time you went out?" Sophronia sighed, defeated. "How long will you be gone?"
"Until midnight."
Sophronia nodded briskly. "And where, pray tell, are you going this time?"
"I have met a prince!" Aglaia smiled excitedly, wondering how her aunt would react to this piece of information.
It was very hard to describe how Sophronia actually reacted. Her eyes sort of fluttered and then widened, and her jaw dropped. "Whaaat?"
"Well he asked me to dance actually. Isn't it wonderful?"
"Aglaia, do you have any idea why fairies and humans never get together?" Not waiting for her answer, Sophronia continued, "It's because they're a bad mix. When fairies and humans get together, there's always trouble. That's why most fairies tend to stay as far away from humans as possible. Contact with them will result to nothing but bad things."
But Aglaia could not be dissuaded. After pleading Aglaia again and again to stay, Sophronia realized that nothing could stop her from going. Sighing, she nodded in consent. "But don't be running to me if something goes wrong."
Aglaia hugged her aunt tight and kissed her goodbye. Before she could go, her aunt took off the cloak and looked at her dress. She shook her head and muttered a spell. Instantly, the dress became more elegant, much similar to the first one Aglaia conjured up. "You don't even conjure up a dress fit for you." Sophronia said gruffly and put the cloak back on. "Be careful now."
"Thank you." Aglaia unfolded her wings and flew away.
~~~
Leopold bowed in what seemed like the hundredth time. Where was she? Maybe she wasn't coming. Maybe she haven't heard about it. But that was impossible. He made sure that everyone in the kingdom knew about the ball.
He looked around the room again for a flash of her brown hair but to no avail. She wasn't here. She wasn't coming.
Just as he turned around, a voice whispered, "Your Majesty." It was so soft that it was almost inaudible. Leopold turned around and found himself staring straight at Aglaia.
She curtsied. He knew he was supposed to bow or do something, but he was too busy drinking in the sight of her.
"You know, your majesty, it's impolite to stare at your subjects so." The corner of her lips lifted up in a faint smile.
He smiled and hastily bowed. "I thought that you agreed not to call me 'you majesty'."
"You told me not to, but I never agreed." Aglaia smiled, but complied nonetheless.
Leo smiled and held out his arm. "May I have the honor of this dance?"
~~~
"Where are you from Aglaia? I have realized that I do not know anything about you but your name. You must be from around here or you would not have known about the balls." The ball was almost over and they were walking outside in the gardens.
Aglaia looked at the ground. Should she tell him? She trusted him, but they have known each other for only a fortnight. Her instincts were never wrong, but she should still be careful.
"I am from around here." She answered vaguely.
Leo wrinkled his brow, as if deep in thought. "Have you just arrived? I don't think I have seen you before."
"No, I just did not go out much." Aglaia looked around worriedly, in search of a distraction that would steer the conversation away from her. She heard Leo laugh behind her and realized she had left him behind in her agitated state.
"You look like a startled deer. Very well, let's move on to a different topic. But someday I will discover everything about you." Leo smiled at her and led her to a bench.
Aglaia smiled faintly, relieved, and sat down. Leo's promise to discover everything about her didn't make her panic as she thought. In fact, it was kind of gallant of him. Just thinking about it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter.
Someday I will discover everything about you.