Chapter Three: Adorned

"Do come in Catherine," the Fairy said, her young voice quite surprising to Catherine, for almost sounded no older than twelve. "It is so nice to see you again. But we must hurry. Show me the quilt I left you," Fayette, the youngest of the elder fairies said. Catherine took out the quilt and passed it to her. There were ninety eight stars upon it.

"Dear, you must sit down and with the last of the material, add the two remaining stars," Fayette instructed, "For Caraboose will soon be on her way, and she knows that if she can stop you cursing two more children, then she will grow in power." Catherine, with much distaste for Caraboose, sat down and began sewing straight away. Soon enough, the quilt was finished and it was as beautiful as anyone could imagine it to be. Fayette took the quilt and waved her hand over it and the stones began to shine like stars.

"Go into the village and just after the entrance you shall find two children playing. Call them over and ask them to look at the quilt. As they do so, you must touch the little boy first, and he will loose one of his senses, but as the girl tries to run, you must throw the quilt over her and embrace her, for this shall lift your curse. Caraboose is on her way here, now hurry," Fayette said, leading Catherine back outside. As they left the cottage, Fayette looked up and saw heavy storm clouds quickly racing across the sky.

"Hurry Catherine, here she comes. The quilt will protect you from her, but you must hurry." Fayette nudged Catherine who began running through the forest towards the village. Soon, the sun was blocked out and lightening was rumbling in the heavy clouds. Lightening flashed here and there through the forest, but none of it came close to Catherine as she continued towards the village. As Catherine entered a clearing between the forest and village, lightening strcuk very closely to her. Knowing that this was Caraboose's doing, she took the quilt and wrapped it around her and put it over her head. As lightening continued to strike very close to her, Catherine bravely kept running towards the village. As she arrived, she saw the two children Fayette had said would be there/

"Children, dear children, do come here a moment," Catherine called. Doing as they were bid, the little boy and girl came over and Catherine knelt before them. She took the quilt off of her back and showed it to them. "What do you think of this my children?" she asked.

"It's very pretty," said the little girl as she looked at the many stars across it.

"And it is very well made," said the boy, who seemed to eye the stones set into it.

"Thank you my dear," said Catherine, brushing the boys cheek. As she did so, the boy seemed to get a little light-headed, and was then struck dumb. He tried to say something, but then ran away in terror. As the little girl, his sister, went to follow, a bolt of lightening and fire announced Caraboose's appearance.

"This time Catherine, there are none of my sisters nor nieces to protect you or this child." Caraboose looked at the child. "Melinda, the one hundrenth of the children to be cursed. Well, if she is dead, there is no ending your curse." Caraboose smirked with triumph as she raised her hand to strike Melinda down with a bolt of lightening, but Catherine, heeding Fayette's words, threw the quilt over the little girl and embraced her. Melinda seemed to faint in Catherine's arms just as Caraboose released the bolt of lighteing. It struck the quilt, which started to sparkle with the many gemstones sewn into it.

"My curse is forfilled Caraboose. Back to darkness with you," Catherine said in an angry and defensive tone. The quilt, it's magic complete, threw Carabooses' lightening back at her, and she was zapped with her own magic. With a shriek and flash, Caraboose was gone. Catherine took the quilt off of Melinda to see if she was alright.

"Can you hear me child?" Catherine asked.

"Of course I can lady," Melinda answered.

"Can you see me?" Catherine continued.

"Of course I can ma'am," Melinda answered again, looking confused. Catherine smiled with relief and sent her to fetch her brother. A few minutes later, she came back with him.

"What can you I do for you ma'am?" he asked her.

"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Catherine said, and sent them on their way home.

Returning to Fayette's home, she was much surprised to find not only Fayette, but Faida, Elle and Breena waiting for her.

"Hello my ladies," Catherine said with a deep curtsy.

"Greetings Catherine. Well done, you are free of the curse, and we have someone who wishes to meet you," Elle said. With a wave of hr hand to her sisters and great aunt, they turned and waved their wands to form a large lilly. From the lilly came the queen fairy. Catherine instantly bowed low to her in deep respect.

"Hello Cathrine, my poor child. You have suffered these many long years because of my wicked sister. But for all your bravery, knowledge and hard work before and during the curse, we wish to gift you," the queen said.

"My lady, there is nothing in the world I can think of that you would offer me for cursing one hundred children," Catherine said sadly.

"But you haven't dear child. As the last child was cursed, your love for them was woven into the quilt and protected them. Now that the curse is over for you, the curse is over for them as well. Their senses have been restored. And to reward you for everything, we wish to make you a fairy like us," the queen offered.

Catherine, who was too stunned to speak, simply bowed. Elle stepped forward and with a wave of her wand, restored Catherine to her physical age before she was cursed. "My gift, dear child, is to restore you to your youth, before you were cursed, for no woman should live the leangth of her life with such burdons."

Faida was next, her wand waved and Catherine felt a sudden lightness. Looking down, she saw she was wearing nurses' robes, but of the finest quality that could not be given to a royal nurse. And coming from her back were a pair of deep aquamarine wings. "My gift to you, dear child, is the physical form of the fairy, for it is I who bless it upon all," Faida said.

Breena stepped forward and tapped Catherine upon the head. Catherine saw in her mind a beautiful house waiting for her in a nice location in a forest close by. "I have built you your home and put the proper magic around it, so you may do your magic from there," Breena said. Lastly was Fayette and the queen, who adorned her with a small tiara of gold with saphires.

"Our gift is your fairy tiara, that it will always bring you respect and honour as one of us," the queen said.

"That we, the oldest and youngest of the elder fairies, announce you one of our family," Fayette added.

And so it was for many years to come that Catherine lived in her house in the forests. She was visited many times by the princess Aurora until she was crowned Queen, and had her own children. Catherine was invited to all the ceremonies, and each time, although expected, Caraboose did not turn up. Catherine continued to aid and help children, either by taking them in, blessing them and by helping mothers or nirses who were not as skilled at parenting. But for Catherine, she could not think of anything else that would make her happy, and lived a very long life looking after children. After all, the fairy do live extremely long lives, and they always do what they enjoy.