(A/N: to my favorite people… you should be proud of me… I learned from Cathy and when someone was grabbing my hands, I pulled one away and cried "care to tango?" and did just that! But he was my cousin, so there was no kissing going on there. Another proud moment wasted on a relative.)
After Char went back to his own room, I sort of stood there gaping like a buffoon at the window. He told me that he would see me in the morning, but I didn't think he would have to wait that long because I'd be having dreams about him. Letting out a silent shout of triumph, I moon-walked across the floor and shook my hips about.
"My first kiss! Ooh, my first kiss! With a PRINCE! Woo… woo… WOO!" I sang tunelessly under my breath. My energy seemed boundless, until I collapsed in an exhausted heap on my bed and slept a dreamless and very restful sleep. The next morning I woke up right before sunrise, smiled at the fact I was in a comfy bed, snuggled down deeper, and went back to sleep.
"Cathy," someone whispered right next to my ear. "Cathy!"
"AH!" I screamed as I saw two gigantic eyes staring down at me. Naturally, I sat up, whacked the person in the face with my forehead and crumpled down again. "Oops," I moaned, "sorry Michelle. But what on Earth were you doing whispering right over me?"
"Sorry," looked down sheepishly while rubbing her cheek. "I just thought you might want to get up before the council started."
"Do we have to go to that? And how come you know about it and I don't?"
Michelle sighed. "We'll be called as witnesses, most likely, at some point or another. And my father told me because he's here."
"Oh." I felt dizzy and sat up slowly, leaning on my elbow. "What are you wearing?"
She was dressed in a glittering periwinkle gown. In her hair she had woven small blue flowers and around her eyes was glitter.
"Do you like it?" She asked, blushing.
"You look like a fairy princess," I said nodding. "Why so dressy?"
"We must look nice before the council." She looked at the rumpled jeans and shirt at the foot of the bed distastefully.
"Ooh, do I get to dress up too? Or will I be confined to my happy Earth clothing?" I nearly clapped in excitement.
"Naturally, the former." Michelle started pulling me forcefully out of bed. "We must get you dressed and ready."
I had never really dressed up in my entire life. My stepmother was against spending money on dresses and such without good reason.
"If you ever get a date to prom," she would squawk at me, "then we'll get you something nice."
Take that stepmother dearest!
Michelle took my hand.
"Ready?" She asked.
"Sure," I grinned.
She said something under her breath and I felt myself flying. And then I felt myself slamming down into a squashy armchair.
"Welcome to Lucinda's Lingerie and Lovely Laces… oh, Michelle, it's you again? You don't like your dress?" Then the older fairy turned and saw me. "Oh! The cursed one! What can I do for you?"
"I think my spine is broken," I moaned, rubbing my back. "I want to write my will before Michelle flies us back."
Michelle glared at me. "She needs a dress. And some make-up."
Lucinda's eyes lit up. "Of course!"
Two hours and forty-three seconds later….
"I still don't understand why you get a blue dress and I'm stuck with this white thing. I feel like a bride." We stood in my room. I looked at my ridiculously lacey skirts and spun around. "And I still don't know how ridiculous I look!"
"Look in the mirror," Michelle sighed, sick of my complaining. "And I don't know what's wrong with you. You look amazing."
I cringed as I stepped in front of the mirror. And then I stopped cringing, gaping instead.
"Well now you don't look amazing. You look like a simpleton in a gorgeous dress."
I straightened up. "Wow," I looked at myself again. My long sandy hair fell over my shoulders, woven with small white rosebuds and my face was every bit as lovely as Michelle's. Lucinda had managed somehow to make my eyes look… beautiful. See, I have gray eyes. Boring gray eyes lined with sandy lashes. I am not beautiful. But I looked really quite lovely right then. But I did look like a bride. Crystal jewels hung at my throat, looking like diamonds and beaded my dress as well.
I giggled. "I feel pretty! Oh so pretty! Pretty and witty and straight!"
"Gay, Cathy, it's gay. Gay meaning happy."
"Oh." I blushed.
There was an important sounding knock on the door. Michelle bid them come in. A pompous-looking man in puffy shorts and tights stood in the doorway. A ridiculous mustache lined his upper lip, curling idiotically at the sides.
"His Majesty King Charmont requests the presence of the Lady Michelle and Commoner Cathy." He rolled up the parchment he had been reading from and looked at us from his pouchy eyes. "Please follow me," he turned and led the way. I watched his strangely elevated butt bounce on every other step. Soon my head started bobbing along with it. Michelle, noticing, slapped my shoulder rather roughly, so I stopped.
At the end of the hall, I could see two imposing wooden doors closed to us but from them an authoritive voice could be heard.
Our fat guide knocked on the door and it opened to reveal rows of people listening to a judge-like figure dressed all in black as he debated the possibilities. Before them stood Chelmak and Cyrillianna. My heart swooped and I entered.
(A/N: Sorry it's short. And not really all that brilliant either. The next chapter should be a wee bit funnier and longer. AND I HIT A HUNDRED REVIEWS! Sorry, that still makes me happy-wappy happy-doo.)
