A/N: Thanks for the reviews! For the lovely guest who asked for more Zax, it's not possible to bring them together right now because of how the story works. But at least one half of the duo is in love! Warning: One or two naughty bits.
Captain Max was unhappy as he put on his ceremonial uniform in preparation for the ball. He'd been the one to tell the pretty gypsy girl to keep away from Passionara, but that was for her own safety. He couldn't stop thinking about her, and had said as much to Captain Dean in his last note by carrier pigeon. But he knew poor Captain Dean was in no mood for idle chat. He'd sent a message saying "For my own safety I can't go back to Morcara. Am hiding out in the Horrible Forest. It's fine; that killer wolf's dead. But if you should see Queen Constance while you're out and about, you might like to tell her I'm dead as well. Just to keep her off my back." Max sighed. It was painful being in love with a distressed woman who didn't love him back. Oh well. It should be a good ball, especially later when everybody had gone to bed and the officers got to eat all the leftovers in the Officers Mess and get drunk. Pity they'd have to get up at stupid o'clock the next morning to salute dear Prince Caleb and his choice of bride, but Big Mac had stolen a supply of so-called magical herbs from the forest that were said to cure hangovers.
Alicia and Louise had to spend almost an hour in the ladies' room making themselves look good after their wild ride with Noel. Then they'd gone into the ballroom. The footman had got both their names wrong, and when they'd gone over to speak to Prince Caleb to apologise to him for being late, he'd said sharply:
"Did I actually invite you two to dance with me?"
They shook their heads.
"Then get back and wait over there with the other wallflowers."
They were really crushed but still hoped he might ask one of them to marry him before the ball was over.
"Sumptuous event" cooed one visitor.
"Yes" replied the other, "I declare Prince Caleb's balls are getting bigger every year!"
Ethan was in despair. He couldn't think of anything else he could to do make Sophie smile. He'd made her a hot drink, and had done quite a lot of her cleaning tasks for her. She'd whispered "Thank you" but her voice had been indifferent.
Suddenly he heard a slow tapping at the door. He went to open it. An old lady and a cat were outside.
"Oh please, this is such a vile night, could my little kitty and myself come in to get warm?"
"Come in and welcome. And I'll give you some soup, bread and brandy and your cat a little milk. Come and get warm by the fire now."
"Such kindness deserves a reward!"
Ethan jumped nervously at the flash that followed. Two attractive women stood there, one with a wand, the other looking a little disorientated.
"I'm Elle, your Allocated Enchantress and this is my trainee, Honey."
"Oh. Well you can still have the food and brandy."
"Ethan, if you give away the brandy you'll be beaten when they get back", Sophie snapped out of her fog of misery to warn him.
"We're fine, Ethan. Don't waste precious time asking how we know your name. Now, Sophie."
With that Elle turned her back completely on Ethan.
"Would you like to go to the Reception and meet Prince Caleb?"
"I don't trust you. You played a mean trick on me before."
"No tricks this time. And I know you don't have an invitation. Here…"
Elle handed Sophie a genuine invitation, just like the one she'd been tempted to steal from Alicia.
"You're really kind, but I can't go looking like this."
Elle waved her wand, and sang a little song as she performed the changes:
"To attend the Grand Reception you must really look the part,
You can't go in just anything, like some worn-out old tart,
I don't quite know the togs for chatting up a future king,
But as far as I'm concerned, it's something like this sort of thing…
(As she sang, she waved her wand several times. Sophie stood there in a beautiful creamy ball gown with white-gold trimming, plus jewellery including a little white- gold tiara. Honey jumped up and down in delight.)
"A little bit of this, a little bit of that,
You ought to have a coachman, darling, I'll enchant a rat.
Some slippers made of glass, be careful with on that grass,
You won't impress the Prince if you go sprawling on your *ss."
She turned her attention to Ethan:
"Ethan, darling, will you nip downstairs and bring Abelard and Heloise up for me?"
Ethan was very protective of his two white mice and asked nervously:
"You won't hurt them?"
"No, dear, they won't even be traumatised. Oh, and after that, can you go in the garden and get a really big pumpkin?"
Ethan nodded happily. He was delighted for Sophie. Off he sped.
He stood in the garden, beaming at Sophie, even though she'd told him not to crush her dress when he'd tried to hug her earlier. It was because of this that Elle added a little caveat to the magic.
"Now, here's something to remember, Sophie. You must leave that Reception before the stroke of Midnight. If you don't, you'll look pretty damn stupid because all your magic will fade away and you'll be in rags and barefoot sitting on a pumpkin."
Sophie took this in briefly but was far too excited to dwell on it.
"How can I ever thank you enough?" she said.
"You can't, so don't even try. Off you go, then."
"Have a lovely time, Sophie darling" Ethan added. She nodded off-handedly.
The coach rolled away easily over the snow. As soon as the coach was out of sight, Elle said to Ethan:
"Well aren't you going to ask me, sweetheart?"
"Ask you what, Madam?" said the ever-polite Ethan.
"Bless you, you can call me Elle. Aren't you going to ask me why, as it was you who was so kind to me, that it was actually Sophie I rewarded?"
"It did occur to me. But I love to see her being happy."
"Ah" said Elle, and sang once more:
"Prince Caleb isn't right for her, he's selfish and he's mean.
She'd have some dreadful problems if she were his future Queen.
She needs a little help from me to truly see the light,
And that is why I'm making sure her story ends just right-"
(Between singing, she whispered in Ethan's ear. He began to chuckle happily.)
"A little bit of this, a little bit of that,
A lot of crafty tricks to prove that Princey is a rat.
She'll soon be having qualms about his lack of charms,
And she'll come running home to you and fall into your arms."
"Oh, that's brilliant!" grinned Ethan.
"Well, let's be on our way. You, trainee! Come and hold hands with us. Your time has come, and you are going to the ball!"
Ethan's gasp of amazed delight was drowned out by Honey's excited squeals as Elle threw her cloak over all of them and they vanished.