For the ones who've been wanting more.
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As Baron had expected, he found the wand stuck in a flowerpot, the humans obviously thinking it was some sort of decoration. Honestly, the fairy was lucky someone hadn't bought the thing.
When Belinda was reunited with her wand, she squealed with joy and threw her arms around Baron's neck, and Baron lightly patted her back as Muta rolled his eyes. "Oh thank you so much Baron!" she cried. "You totally saved me!"
"You're welcome Belinda," he replied, unable to be angry at the fairy. Even after all the trouble she'd caused him over the years, it still warmed his heart when he performed a good deed.
Wiping her eyes, she stepped back. "Okay, well, let's go someplace a bit more private." With a wink and a wave of her wand, the trio was showered with sparkles before they reappeared back at the refuge. "So," she folded her arms across her chest, her golden wand dangling from her hand, "what's your wish Baron?"
Dusting off his jacket, Baron shook his head. "Once again Belinda, I don't have one."
"Yes you do. Everyone does. Either you tell me," she stepped up and prodded him in the chest with her wand, "or I'll find out for myself."
"Then I wish you luck. Muta, Toto will take advantage of you if you lie in the open."
The large cat rolled from his back to his stomach. "Never again," he panted, pushing himself up with his front legs, only to slide back down. "I'd rather walk."
Baron smiled, then tipped his hat to Belinda. "Good day Belinda." He turned to walk to his house, but he almost collided into the yellow-haired fairy. She was angrily tapping her foot, her arms still folded as she glared at him.
"Give me your hand," she commanded.
"Belinda..."
"Just do it," she said irritably, holding out her own hand. Sighing, Baron switched his cane to the other hand and started to do as she said when she shook her head. "Gloves off."
Narrowing his eyes, Baron pulled the white glove off his right hand, exposing fur-covered fingers. Growing impatient, she reached forward and seized his hand in hers, knocking his top hat off with her wand. He started to protest, but she silenced him when she pressed her wand to his lips, so Baron had to relent.
"Close your eyes, and I want you to just let your mind wander. Don't think about anything particular, just... relax."
Baron closed his eyes and did as the fairy asked. He felt her squeeze his hand, and then a light pressure as she placed the star-shaped end of her wand onto the back of his hand.
So, Baron let his mind wander. He first thought about Belinda, and how silly and futile this was. But, after a moment, his mind drifted to someone else, someone with brown hair...
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As I buttoned the teal cloak at my neck and secured the iron mask to my face, I peeked out, waiting for my opportunity. It came when the Cat King shouted, "Whoever's next better not stink, got it?!"
All the other performers took steps back, but I strode forward and stopped in front of the Royal table, and my heart skipped a beat.
Haru was dressed in a pale yellow gown; a frilly collar wrapped around her slender neck and split sleeves ran down her arms. On top of her head was a small crown in the shape of a fish. However, despite the initial awe that I hid so well, a grave feeling swept through my heart as I realized she was a light brown cat, complete with triangular ears and padded paws. Her dark brown hair hung loosely at her shoulders, much more flattering than her high ponytail. But perhaps what really broke my heart were the tears slithering down her furry cheeks.
"Your Majesty, I promise that I will make the young lady smile," I boldly proclaimed, standing my ground.
The King's advisor bent down and whispered, "Shall we try him?"
Smiling smugly, the King replied, "Sure. Why not?"
Taking that as my cue, I approached the crying princess. "Excuse me." She lifted her head at my voice, but it was clear in her eyes that she did not know who I was.
I held out my hand. "Would you… care to dance?"
She shook her head. "Oh no, I'm a meowsy dancer—oh!" She clapped her hand over her mouth. "No, now I'm even starting to talk like a cat!" she murmured anxiously.
I did not relent. Her eyes looked upward toward mine. Lowering my voice so the King couldn't hear, I murmured, "Just trust me."
As if in a trance, Haru slid her dainty paw into my outstretched hand, her brown eyes brimming with innocence and trust for me, and I gently led her around the table and to the floor. I guided her unsure hands to their proper positions: one on my shoulder, the other clasped tightly in mine. When the musicians began to play, I led her around the dining room, dancing in circles. I twirled her beneath my hand, threw her out and pulled her in, cradling her back as I took her into a dip. However, I kept my eyes carefully focused on her crown; couldn't have the King throwing me out for becoming too 'friendly' with his future daughter-in-law.
Out of the corner of my mask, I could see her staring at my face. She must have doubted her humanity for a moment, because she gasped as whiskers sprung out of her cheeks.
"Careful, Haru. Don't lose yourself." I twirled her around beneath my hand once more. "Believe in who you are." Replacing my hand on her lemon bodice, I tilted my head down so my eyes could finally meet hers, a smile spreading across my mouth. "I said so before, didn't I?"
She gasped, her mouth formed into a small 'o'. "Then you must be—"She lowered her voice and, in a childlike manner, she asked, "Baron?"
I winked in response, and her eyes lost their glaze and brightened once more to their brilliant selves. However, our dance was cut short and the music screeched to a halt when the King shouted, "Stop right there pal!"
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A jolt of electricity shot through Baron's fingers, spread to all of his limbs, and a croaked yowl escaped his lips as he jerked his hand away. "What was that?" he asked, gaping in astonishment at the singed fur on the back of his hand.
Belinda blew the smoke away from her wand. "Don't worry, it only hurts for a few minutes," she said, polishing the end on her blouse and dodging his question. When she was satisfied her wand was clean, she grinned almost wickedly. "But now I know your wish."
Narrowing his eyes, Baron rubbed the back of his hand, breathing through his mouth to avoid the scent of burned hair.
He didn't like that smile. It usually meant she had a 'lightbulb moment', as she called it, that the world could surely do without. Frankly, her little 'moments' had landed him with worse than electric shocks and scorched hands.
Suddenly serious, Belinda knelt down and picked up his top hat. Dusting off the white silk, she held the hat to her chest and whispered, "Do you trust me?"
Did he? She was a good fairy, after all, with a kind heart and a desire to help others. That was her job. And none of her half-brain schemes nor sob-story performances could change that.
"Yes."
She chewed her lip. "With all your heart?"
"I always have."
"Say it."
He sighed. "I trust you with all my heart, Belinda."
Her smile returned, though it was much softer this time. Waving her wand through the air, she cast her spell:
"With a wave of the wand and flick of the wrist,
Grant this selfless cat his wish."
Baron, expecting the wand to lightly touch his forehead, as it always had, was surprised when he found gold sparkles raining down into his fur, coating him in gold, and her voice resounded in his acute ears.
"Blonde hair, green eyes,
A heart with a steady beat.
Seven days and true love's kiss
Will make this transformation complete."
Baron's skin tingled almost pleasantly as he felt the sparkles harden and meld together to form a casing of gold. Tiny pinpricks throughout his body became hard jabs, but he clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, an attempt to block out the pain.
He couldn't remember her spells being this painful. Come to think of it, he didn't even recognize her chant.
What did she mean about the blonde hair and green eyes? Would her spell take one week to come into effect? And true love's kiss... What did that mean? From experience, he knew it wasn't real. It was a myth, a fairy tale, something that simply did not exist in reality. True love's kiss indeed.
After a moment, the pain faded away, and Baron blinked several times, and saw that Belinda had her wand pressed into his chest, where his heart was located, but when he opened his eyes, she pulled it away.
She then clapped her hands together. "Well, my work here is done," she said brightly, turning to go. Before she could, Baron took a fistful of her dress. She turned back around and looked into his steely green eyes. "Can I help you?"
"That's it?" he asked dubiously.
She nodded. "That's it."
"But nothing happened."
Smiling, she tapped him lightly on the chest. "That's the best part." Prying his fingers from her dress, she fluttered her wings a little and stepped back. "The thing about wishes based on a heart's desire is that they take a while to come into effect," she explained, tapping the star of her wand in her hand, filling her palm with gold glitter. "Yours will show up around tomorrow morning, give or take a few hours, you know. Oh! I almost forgot!" She tapped his hat once, and the silk, cream-colored band around it turned brilliant red, even more vibrant than his maroon vest. "You'll thank me later. Well, I have to go. I'll see you around, Baron."
He waved, and she threw the glitter into the air, showering herself in the sparkles, then she was gone in a dazzling array of lights.
Fingering the new red band, Baron shook his head and strolled toward his house, poking Muta's snoring form with the toe of his foot. He stepped inside, hung his hat, coat, and cane on his rack, grabbed an apple, and trudged upstairs. Belinda always took so much energy out of him that he could hardly keep his eyes open.
Slipping his feet out of his shoes and unbuttoning his vest, he crashed onto his bed. The apple rolled out of his hand, and before he knew it he was out like a light, dreaming of dancing the night away with a beautiful girl with dark eyes in a yellow dress.
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