Chapter 10

It was the morning before the ball when Sera worked up enough courage to tell Green about the ball. Phina insisted that Sera could not tell him about the fairy goddaughter part of it which made everything harder and caused more than a little sulking on Sera’s part. The more time passed, the more Sera couldn’t help but keep looking at the chest where Green’s clothes for the ball were stowed, and she had taken to keeping the mask in her pocket as a reminder.

Clearing off the breakfast table, Sera absently watched through the window as Green went to the barn. If she was going to persuade him to go to the ball her only chance was before he went out to the fields. When Green came back into the house for his lunch, Sera took her chance. “Did you hear about the ball for Princess Ruby this evening?” she asked.

Nodding solemnly, Green cut some bread. Sera tried again. “Wouldn’t it be nice if you could go? I’m sure she’d like to see you again.”

“Balls are for nobility. I’d stick out. And I’m not sure the princess wants to see me again.” Green sounded downright glum. He finished slicing the bread and put the cheese on top.

Taking a deep breath, Sera said, “What if I could get you into the ball? If I could, and if I could get you proper clothes, would you go?”

Green gave her a skeptical look and continued making his sandwich. Sera noted with alarm that all he had left to do was cut it in half and wrap it in a handkerchief. As he raised the knife to slice it she blurted out, “I saw the princess and she wants to see you at the ball more than anything!”

The look she was given was a combination of confusion and mistrust, but most of all hope. “Did she really say that?” he asked quietly.

“I swear on my parents’ tombstones. She misses you.”

Sera held very still under Green’s scrutiny, not daring to let her gaze fall for a moment. Her face was as serious as she could make it, and she didn’t even budge to wipe away a mud splotch on her skirt. Finally Green said, “If you can manage to get me into the ball and keep this from the gossips I’ll go.” He took his sandwich and headed out the door.

She smiled widely and yelled after him, “Don’t worry! I’ll set your clothes out on your bed and Phina will take you in her carriage! Everything will work out just fine!”

Doing a silent jig in the kitchen was all the happiness Sera allowed herself to show. She pulled the suit of clothes from the chest she had stowed them in and fished the raven mask from her apron pocket. Leaving everything neatly set out on Green’s bed, Sera left the house and ran for the village. Phina would have to help with the rest of the details.

Entirely out of breath when she arrived, Sera walked into the mayor’s house and went straight to Phina’s room. Bursting in, she declared, “Almost there. All I need is a dress that doesn’t make me look like a stray dog.”

Phina had been reading, and she carefully set the book down before speaking. “I’m not entirely sure what you need a different dress for, but here goes.”

With a snap of her fingers Sera’s dress changed into a slippery pink mess of frills. Sera glanced in a mirror, winced, and said sheepishly, “I thought I might go to the ball as a servant or something to make sure that things go smoothly.”

Phina chuckled and clapped her hands. The pink horror changed into a neat purple dress that almost reached the floor, like the gown of a proper young lady. “Is there anything else you need me to do?”

Sera looked around the room nervously, trying to think of anything that Phina needed to do for her. “Well, I don’t know. I guess I just thought that you would be there to fix things if they went sour, and....” she trailed off. Phina had never actually said that she was coming.

“So I’m supposed to come to the ball as well?” Phina asked gently. When Sera nodded sheepishly, she said, “Fortunately for you I was already planning on going. I’ve also made an invitation so the guards shouldn’t question us. Remember, it’s important to not assume that the person you’re working on will simply do exactly what you want without asking.”

Getting up from her chair, Phina clapped her hands again and her own clothing changed into a delicate blue gown. Her hair wound itself into an elegant knot and the bouquet of white flowers on the table twisted and bent until in a puff of golden smoke they formed a silver mask that gleamed proudly on the plain wooden table.

“To answer your questions, I’m going as myself and your uncle will be my escort. That’s how we’ll get him into the palace. You are going as my maid. And,” she waved a finger in warning, “if someone from Tolerable asks where I am, I’m visiting a friend. I don't want any gossips thinking things about me and Mr. Beanwell.” Phina’s look said there would be no arguments with this plan.

Sera performed her best curtsy. “Yes, my lady,” she said with a smile. “You look absolutely lovely. My lady,” she added, trying to remember her manners.

Phina blushed and smiled. “Thank you. Now, Ruby is upset. I'm going to make sure she ends up in the clearing we usually use, and you are going to reassure her. Don’t make a mess of your dress.” With that she picked up her book and sat down again.

Sera grumbled the whole way. It was so irritating to have to constantly be running around fixing everything. Almost as bad as fixing all the accidents she caused, and it could be so bewildering how Phina always seemed to know about these sorts of things. It certainly didn’t help Sera’s mood that she stepped in two mud puddles and got her hair tangled in a bush.

The princess was there when Sera arrived, sitting on a fallen log. Ruby looked horribly disheveled, with her dress wrinkled and her nose red. Sera stood silently for a moment, catching her breath and straightening her own dress nervously behind a tree. When she felt she it was neat again, she marched forward and sat down beside Ruby.

“What seems to be the problem?” Sera used her most adult voice.

Ruby sighed and looked away. Sera rolled her eyes at this childish behavior and said, “I’m supposed to help you, and I can’t do a thing unless you tell me what’s the matter.”

Ruby burst out crying. Panicking a bit, Sera looked around for something to use as a handkerchief. Finding a lacy yellow one in her pocket, she handed it to Ruby and resisted the urge to jump back a few feet. Comforting distraught people had never been something people in her family did well.

When Ruby finally stopped bawling Sera asked “All better?” in her best babyish voice, making Ruby laugh a bit.

“Yes, a bit.” Ruby hopped up and began to pace. “It’s that King Bertram. Just because my father needs this alliance it doesn’t mean he can just order me to marry Prince Kennard like that. I’ve barely even seen the prince since I arrived. Did you know that he tries to run away every other day?” she said, waving her hands about.

Sera nodded, smiling dryly. “Everyone in Tolerable knows that the prince isn’t supposed to leave the palace unless under guard, so of course he tries to escape. Sometimes he makes it as far as the village. It’s lots of fun to watch the guards catch him.”

Ruby clapped a hand over her mouth, shocked. “My parents would never do such a thing. Besides,” she giggled a bit, “with seven children it would be a bit hard to keep us all locked up at once. It would be like wishing away a patch of weeds in a garden patch.”

Sera smiled and asked, “What were you were saying about King Bertram?”

“Oh, yes. Well, I overheard him say to one of his advisors that Kennard was going to marry me if the king had to chain him to a pillar. It was awful to hear that, but then he said that ‘the princess is going to accept or I’ll keep her here until she does.’”

Sera was stunned. How awful was King Bertram that he would do such a thing? It was very confusing to think of the king as being so mean. “Are you sure that’s what he said? Or maybe the king was simply tired of fighting with the prince and said something he doesn't mean?” she asked.

Ruby thought for a moment. “Perhaps. I hope so, but the king is so harsh.”

Sera shrugged, and Ruby started to cry again. Sera looked around uncomfortably, and then steeled herself. She stood up, walked to the sobbing princess, grabbed her wrist and said, “You are going to go back to the palace and take a very long walk in the garden. You will get ready for the ball. You will have a wonderful time. The prince will avoid you and you will avoid the prince and everything will work out perfectly.”

Once she finished her speech Sera realized that princesses were not normally ordered around by orphan girls and pulled back sharply. Ruby’s mouth dropped open, but she recovered herself and did as she was told, walking back to the palace. Thank goodness, Sera thought. If that little talk had taken much longer neither of them would be able to get to the ball. She began to run back to the farm. There was still time to wash the dishes before the ball.

Author's Note

Is Sera too much of an adult in this? Is there an increase in tension?