Chapter 7

Lucy carefully brushed the numerous tangles out of Claudia's long brown hair. "AAAAHHHH!" she screamed. "Don't pull so hard you little tramp!" she screeched at Lucy, purposely ducking and squirming so Lucy would tug on her hair unwillingly. "I'm sorry, I'll do better next time" Lucy had to force out through her teeth as politely as she could. Claudia huffed in anger and snorted. Lucy continued to brush and style her hair.

She was currently getting her stepsisters ready for the ball. They were both squeezed into tiny corsets – much to Beatrice's displease. She couldn't fit into hers – and were wearing HUGE – and I mean huge – puffy dresses, with mountains upon mountains of fabric for the skirts and big puffy sleeves. They could barely walk in them. Of course their dressed were decorated with an excessive amount of glittering jewels of all colours, and large stupid ribbons.

Beatrice's dress was an ugly shade of dark yellow, and Claudia's was a vomit green colour, that looked like someone had threw up then made a dress out of it. Lucy had spent four hours of screaming and slapping trying to get them into them, then another two hours doing Beatrice's hair, and was now working on Claudia's. They were both going for the six-foot-tall-gem-covered-look. They were both wearing very thick layers of make-up with huge splotches of eye shadow the same colour as their dresses, and far too much lipstick. They looked completely ridiculous.

Two hours later Lucy finished with Claudia's hair. She looked in the mirror, turning her head from side to side then turned up her nose. "It will do" she huffed. "Anyways, I looked stunning in any hairstyle I have and any dress I wear" she twittered. "They men will be falling at my feet they'll be so blinded by my beauty. They'll be begging to dance with me" she giggled. "The prince will fall in love with me the minute he lays eyes on me, and then he'll ask me to marry him and I'll be a princess!" she squealed. Yeah Lucy though rolling her eyes. You'll be completely stunning, but not in the way you hope…I think they'll be blinded for an entirely different reason…

Lucy bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. As for the prince…I seriously doubt it. Beatrice flounced in. "Don't be idiotic Claudia" she huffed. Wow Beatrice used a word larger than FOOD. "He's obviously going to fall head over heels for me" she crowed. "In your dreams" Claudia sneered. "Once he sees my incomparable beauty, he won't be able to think about any other woman except me". They started to scream at each other, squabbling. Lucy sat down on a stool, crossed her legs, and held the hairbrush until they were finished.

A loud clap broke their argument. Lucy, Claudia and Beatrice turned to see Hilda standing at the doorway, dressed in a just as huge, puffy dress – which was bright orange, which was sore on the eyes to look at but at least it was a little better than Claudia and Beatrice's dresses – with the same six foot hairstyle, same extravagant make-up, hands on hips, scowling and looking just as ridiculous as Claudia and Beatrice.

"What are you girls doing?" she snapped. Claudia and Beatrice stopped fighting and stared at the ground. "Proper young ladies don't squabble like children" she barked. "You'll never catch the prince's eye at this rate". "Sorry mother" Claudia and Beatrice chorused. Hilda smiled. "But of course, no one there will be as pretty as you two. The prince will have a hard time choosing" she said.

"Well he'll choose me of course" Claudia and Beatrice both said in unison. They glared at each other. "The carriage will be here soon. Lucy, get out. Since you clearly don't have a dress you won't be going" her stepmother said coldly. Claudia and Beatrice snickered. "Why should a peasant go anyways? She's not important" Claudia said. "Imagine, the prince might actually be in her presence" Beatrice sneered. "He'll have to hold his nose to bear with her stench". They both laughed loudly. "Excuse me Your Highness" Claudia simpered, mimicking Lucy. "Would you mind holding my broom?" They burst into peals of laughter, Hilda joining in. Lucy decided it would be best to leave.

She climbed down the cold stone steps into the cellar. She made her way towards her dresser and knelt down in front of the bottom drawer. She slowly opened it with a creak. Inside was the only thing she had left of her mother. It was her mother's favourite dress. She lifted it up from where it had been folded up for 9 years. It was a simple dress. The skirt was pink with white petticoats, with small pink bows lining the hem. The bodice was pink as well, with a white ribbon tied around the waist which criss-crossed around the back then joined again at a bow right on her chest. It was strapless, and showed just a bit of cleavage.

It was accompanied by too pink shoes with a small heel and a pink ribbon for hair. Lucy quickly slipped it on over her head and slid her feet into the shoes. They fit perfectly, and so did the dress. Lucy brushed out her hair and tied it back in a side ponytail with the pink ribbon. She left her invitation from Natsu in her drawer. She wouldn't need it if she was going with her stepfamily.

The noise of horses hooves met her ears as the carriage pulled up outside. She heard her stepsisters and stepmothers muffled voices as they made their way to the door. She bolted up, ran up the stairs and raced into the hallway. "Wait!" she cried out. Her stepmother and stepsisters turned, and their mouths fell open in shock. Lucy cleared her throat. "You said I could come if I had a dress" she said, clenching her hands together behind her back.

Her stepmother swallowed. "Yes…I did…" she said. "But mother she can't come!" Claudia and Beatrice shrieked. Her stepmother held up a hand and silenced them. She walked slowly towards Lucy. Lucy was getting a bad feeling. Her stepmother looked her up and down. "Well, you have a dress, so there is no reason why you can't come" she said. Lucy's face lit up. "Really?" she breathed. Her stepmother suddenly lashed out and before Lucy could stop her she ripped a huge piece of fabric off Lucy's dress.

The loud ripping noise echoed through the large hallway. Lucy gasped in shock and looked up at her stepmother in horror. Her stepmother smirked. "How silly of me" she said sweetly. "I am so sorry my dear". Claudia and Beatrice were at her side in seconds. Claudia ripped the left side off her skirt while Beatrice ripped the bodice and bow to pieces. Lucy stood back, holding the ripped pieces of fabric in her hands, so shocked she was speechless. Claudia and Beatrice smiled sweetly at her. "Oh no Lucy! Your dress! I guess you can't go to the ball after all" Claudia sneered. Then they all started laughing while Lucy stared at them with wide eyes. No…

"Come along girls, we've wasted enough time with inferior matters" her stepmother said as she flounced out the door, Claudia and Beatrice right behind her. "Oh and Lucy" her stepmother said. "I'll expect supper and a spotless house when we get back" she said. The door slammed shut, the bang echoing, leaving Lucy standing there in the rags of her dress. She clenched the fabric of her dress in her hands as tears began to drip, sliding down her skin. "How could they…My mother's dress…" she whispered, before she collapsed on the white tiles of the hallway, burying her head in her arms as sobs raked her body.

•••

Half an hour later, Lucy was still curled up on the cold floor. She had stopped crying, but she lay motionless in sorrow. I won't be able to see Natsu again…So much for my first ever ball…And my dress…My mother's dress…It was all I had left of her… Lucy stared at the ceiling blankly. Then her eyes snapped wide as she had an idea. She sat up quickly, rubbing her red eyes. That just might work…I can go to the ball… She grinned in triumph, standing up. After all, who needs a fairy godmother? She raised one of her keys. When you have spirits?

"Open! Gate of the maiden! Virgo!" she cried. The pink haired maid appeared in front of her. "Do I need to be punished princess?" she asked bowing. Lucy sweat dropped. "No Virgo, I need you to bring me a dress. And shoes" Lucy asked. "Right away princess" Virgo replied. She disappeared the reappeared after a few seconds. "Is this suitable princess" Virgo asked as she held up a dress. Lucy gasped in awe. It was the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen in her life.

The skirt was a very pale blue, with crisp white petticoats underneath. A thick darker blue ribbon was tied around the waist, tied in a bow at the left with more blue ribbon trailing out from beneath it. Another trail of blue ribbon came out the back. The bodice was the same colour as the skirt, split at her lower back, leaving her back bare, and climbed up her front re-joining behind her neck. It was accompanied with two long pale blue gloves, the same colour as the skirt and bodice, that ended between her elbow and shoulder with a blue ribbon. (It's the dress in the profile picture)

"It's beautiful Virgo" Lucy breathed. Virgo smiled. "Shall we see if it fits?" Lucy nodded vigorously. The dress fit like a glove. Lucy twirled, laughing with joy. "Oh, I almost forgot" Virgo said. She knelt in front of Lucy and pulled out two glass slippers. They sparkled and shimmered as light danced across their surface. They had a slightly bigger heel than her pink ones, and a sparkling glass heart decorated the toe. "Glass slippers?" Lucy asked. Virgo nodded. "They're specially made in the spirit world, so they'll only fit you" Virgo said as she slipped them onto Lucy's feet. They were weirdly comfortable. "Are you satisfied princess?" Virgo asked. Lucy nodded. "Thank you so much Virgo" she said.

Virgo nodded "My pleasure. Oh, but princess, there is something you should know. There's a problem in the spirit world at the moment, so your clothes will disappear at midnight and you'll be left in what you were wearing before" she said. Lucy frowned in concern. "What problem? Can I help?" she asked. Virgo smiled and said "No, it's just a little glitch; it will be fixed by tomorrow". Lucy nodded "Ok Virgo, I'll be careful". "Have fun" Virgo replied and she disappeared back to the spirit world.

Lucy raised another key. "Open! Gate of the giant crab! Cancer!" she yelled. Cancer appeared, snapping his scissors. "What do you need me for ebi?" he asked. "I need you to do my hair Cancer" Lucy asked. "Sure thing ebi". A few minutes later, Lucy's hair was tied up in a simple bun with two long pieces of hair framing her face, tied back with a string of blue beads. Cancer had also given her daggling diamond earrings. "Thanks so much Cancer, I love it" Lucy said happily. "Anytime" Cancer replied as he disappeared back into the spirit world.

Lucy jumped up and down a little to get her excitement. She couldn't wait to get to the ball. She quickly hurried to the cellar and put on her diamond heart necklace. It was the perfect finishing touch. She grabbed the invitation Natsu gave her and slipped it into her pocket. Lucy raced to the doors and flung them open. Then she froze on the stone step. Crap! How was she going to get to the ball? The carriage was gone! Lucy looked up and saw a beautiful snow white horse with a golden bridle and reins standing at the bottom of the steps. A note was attached to the bridle.

Lucy cautiously approached him and slowly stroked his nose. He seemed friendly and calm. Lucy pulled the note off and flicked it open. It said:

This is Snow. He'll disappear at midnight too, so be careful. Good luck, Virgo

Lucy smiled. "Thank you" she whispered. She pulled herself up onto the saddle, being careful not to wrinkle her dress, and grabbed the reins. "Come on Snow! To the castle!" Lucy cried, snapping the reins. Snow whinnied then galloped off, Lucy barely able to stop herself from screaming with excitement.