Geoffrey dashed across the sparkling marble floor and threw open a small
door a bit to the left of the big golden front ones. I caught a glimpse of
sky, a bit of green, then the door was shut again. I grinned. I liked that
imp.
I flew up the white marble stairs, and paused on the landing. There was one hall leading straight ahead, and two balconies on either side of the hall downstairs, lined with doors. highly polished lightly colored wood, with golden handles, they all looked the same. And they were all closed.
"That's all right." I thought, glancing down the hall in front of me. "The prince's bedchamber won't be there." I had to find his bedroom... but that could take days, this palace was immense. I had better start looking, now.
I flew down the main hall, passing a couple of chattering servants. The prince's bedroom would most likely be in a tower. So I had to look for stairs... but there were too many staircases, wide sweeping arcs going up one way, a gilded spiral staircase over there, a short flight throughout that door... there was no way I could find the right tower within a reasonable period of time.
I landed softly on a cream and gold carpet, and slipped inside a slightly open door. It seemed to be an unused parlor. I closed the door and ducked into a shadowy corner.
"Aparro" I muttered. I appeared, apparently out of thin air. I reached into my sash, a thick pink thing, made out of satin ribbon, and pulled out a small light blue book. My smooth sash had looked as though it couldn't contain ANYTHING, let alone a small book, without it at least making a lump. But I in actuality had an apple, a small scroll of blank paper, a quill and bottle of purple ink, and my Fairy Godmother in Training certificate, in case I needed proof that I was snooping around with good cause, were I --- heaven forbid --- caught. It was one of the major advantages to godmother magic, we were excellent at storing things.
The flowery gold writing on the cover read "Whatever Shall I Do?: A Fairy Godmother's Guide to Handling Difficult Situations". It was a most useful book, containing instructions on how to handle almost any situation one might run into on the job, from betrothed royals who hate each other to removing spell remains from your dress. I flipped it open, and searched through the index, looking for "locating" or something of the sort.
"Location --- changing" No.
"Location --- creating" No, might be useful, but I would prefer the location the prince already uses.
"Location --- finding" Yes. Page 113.
I flipped to page 113, and read:
"When one is in a predicament in which one must find a specific location that is unknown to one, one's best chance of finding desired location would be to use a patented Searcher. Directions should come with one of these useful devices, however, if not, one is usually safe with setting the device to "location" then entering the proper name of the desired location and any information about the whereabouts of said location.
"If one is unable to procure a Searcher one's choices may be more time- consuming and difficult, however it is almost always possible for one to find the desired location within a reasonable amount of time and a reasonable amount of energy.
"If it is possible, one should disguise oneself to resemble the majority of the people who would know the location of the location which one desires to find, and attempt to get a person to reveal the location."
I skimmed the rest of the category. A disguise would probably work best in my case. I should have thought of it before. I could disguise myself as a palace servant, pretend I'm new, and ask for directions to the prince's quarters as if I'm on an errand.
I slipped the book back inside my sash, where it appeared to dissolve or disappear. The satin was undisturbed, still shiny and smooth as ever.
I waved my wand over myself, picturing the servants clothing I had seen in the kitchen and hall. Sparkles surrounded me, and I was suddenly dressed in a servant's white uniform. I brushed a few off of my shoulder and skirt, and tapped my wand three times. It disappeared, and I slipped it into my blouse.
I pushed a few strands of my honey-colored hair out of my face, and slipped back across the room and into the hall.
"Let's hope this works." I muttered.
I flew up the white marble stairs, and paused on the landing. There was one hall leading straight ahead, and two balconies on either side of the hall downstairs, lined with doors. highly polished lightly colored wood, with golden handles, they all looked the same. And they were all closed.
"That's all right." I thought, glancing down the hall in front of me. "The prince's bedchamber won't be there." I had to find his bedroom... but that could take days, this palace was immense. I had better start looking, now.
I flew down the main hall, passing a couple of chattering servants. The prince's bedroom would most likely be in a tower. So I had to look for stairs... but there were too many staircases, wide sweeping arcs going up one way, a gilded spiral staircase over there, a short flight throughout that door... there was no way I could find the right tower within a reasonable period of time.
I landed softly on a cream and gold carpet, and slipped inside a slightly open door. It seemed to be an unused parlor. I closed the door and ducked into a shadowy corner.
"Aparro" I muttered. I appeared, apparently out of thin air. I reached into my sash, a thick pink thing, made out of satin ribbon, and pulled out a small light blue book. My smooth sash had looked as though it couldn't contain ANYTHING, let alone a small book, without it at least making a lump. But I in actuality had an apple, a small scroll of blank paper, a quill and bottle of purple ink, and my Fairy Godmother in Training certificate, in case I needed proof that I was snooping around with good cause, were I --- heaven forbid --- caught. It was one of the major advantages to godmother magic, we were excellent at storing things.
The flowery gold writing on the cover read "Whatever Shall I Do?: A Fairy Godmother's Guide to Handling Difficult Situations". It was a most useful book, containing instructions on how to handle almost any situation one might run into on the job, from betrothed royals who hate each other to removing spell remains from your dress. I flipped it open, and searched through the index, looking for "locating" or something of the sort.
"Location --- changing" No.
"Location --- creating" No, might be useful, but I would prefer the location the prince already uses.
"Location --- finding" Yes. Page 113.
I flipped to page 113, and read:
"When one is in a predicament in which one must find a specific location that is unknown to one, one's best chance of finding desired location would be to use a patented Searcher. Directions should come with one of these useful devices, however, if not, one is usually safe with setting the device to "location" then entering the proper name of the desired location and any information about the whereabouts of said location.
"If one is unable to procure a Searcher one's choices may be more time- consuming and difficult, however it is almost always possible for one to find the desired location within a reasonable amount of time and a reasonable amount of energy.
"If it is possible, one should disguise oneself to resemble the majority of the people who would know the location of the location which one desires to find, and attempt to get a person to reveal the location."
I skimmed the rest of the category. A disguise would probably work best in my case. I should have thought of it before. I could disguise myself as a palace servant, pretend I'm new, and ask for directions to the prince's quarters as if I'm on an errand.
I slipped the book back inside my sash, where it appeared to dissolve or disappear. The satin was undisturbed, still shiny and smooth as ever.
I waved my wand over myself, picturing the servants clothing I had seen in the kitchen and hall. Sparkles surrounded me, and I was suddenly dressed in a servant's white uniform. I brushed a few off of my shoulder and skirt, and tapped my wand three times. It disappeared, and I slipped it into my blouse.
I pushed a few strands of my honey-colored hair out of my face, and slipped back across the room and into the hall.
"Let's hope this works." I muttered.