“The sugar parchment was the perfect shade of pink,” Raina said. “Princess Lolli has the best taste.” She flew over closer to Berry. “And I loved how there was a lollipop and an ice cream cone on the top. It’s so Princess Lolli and Prince Scoop!”
“As if you know him so well,” Berry said, laughing.
Raina stood up and put her hand on her hip. “Well, I know he must love ice cream. He is, after all, the prince of Ice Cream Isles.”
Berry laughed. “You’re right,” she said. She pulled some salt weeds from around a thin lollipop stick.
“Still, I am excited to go to the castle for the engagement party. I can wear my new dress!”
“I’m sure you’ll look great. But I can’t wait to meet Prince Scoop,” Raina said.
“I know!” Berry agreed. She poured fruit nectar around the lollipops stuck in the soil. “I have only seen pictures of him. I bet he is really nice. All the newspaper articles make him seem so special.”
Raina watered one of the smaller lollipops. “He must be special if Princess Lolli is going to marry him.”
“Sure as sugar!” Berry agreed.
The two Candy Fairies were working busily and didn’t notice that Queen Sweetie had landed nearby at Red Licorice Lake.
Berry tapped Raina’s arm when she saw there were two visitors. They both watched Queen Sweetie and another fairy walk around the red sands of the lake. “Lickin’ lollipops!” Berry exclaimed. “What do you think Queen Sweetie is doing here?”
Raina floated up to get a better look. “Who is with her?” she asked. “Should we go over and see?”
When the two fairies flew closer, they heard Queen Sweetie say, “This is the location.”
“I can see why Princess Lolli has been so sure about her decision,” the other fairy said. “This beach does have a certain magic to it.”
“Is this where Princess Lolli wants to get married?” Berry burst out. She couldn’t keep her excitement in any longer.
Queen Sweetie turned and smiled at the young fairies. “My daughter is very seriously considering this location,” she said. “What are your names?”
Raina hit Berry’s arm. Where are our manners? she thought. She quickly curtsied and bowed her head. Berry followed.
“I am Raina the Gummy Fairy,” Raina said.
“And I am Berry the Fruit Fairy.”
“Aha! My Lolli has spoken about you. It is a sweet pleasure to finally meet you,” the queen said. “I have heard many fine stories about you and some other young Candy Fairies.”
Berry’s face grew warm from the praise. She turned to look at Raina, who was glowing a cherry red. Princess Lolli has told her mother, the queen, about us! Sweet strawberries, this was the most delicious compliment ever!
“I am Amandine,” said the stylish fairy who had arrived with the queen. “I am the royal wedding planner.”
“Princess Lolli has decided to get married at Red Licorice Lake instead of at the Royal Palace,” Queen Sweetie explained. “She always loved Sun Dip on the shore of Red Licorice Lake when she was a young fairy.”
“Just like me!” Berry blurted out.
Raina poked Berry’s arm. She was speaking to the royal queen of the kingdom! It wasn’t polite to just spit out her thoughts!
Berry tried to cover for her outburst. “I mean, I think here would be a perfect place for a royal wedding,” she said very politely.
Queen Sweetie nodded and sighed. “Yes, it is quite beautiful. My daughter is very sure about what she wants. And we’re on a tight schedule! Lolli wants to be married under the Caramel Moon.”
“Which is just three months away,” Amandine stated with a worried brow.
The queen turned to Amandine. “Lolli was right. This will be a scrumptious setting for the wedding.”
“We’d better get back to Lollipop Landing,” Raina said, pointing over her shoulder. She was embarrassed to be listening in on the queen and Amandine’s conversation.
“We’re tending to the new rainbow-swirled lollipops,” Berry boasted.
Raina sharply drew her breath in. Berry was often bold and never shy, but her Fruit Fairy friend seemed to keep forgetting whom she was speaking to!
The queen turned and tilted her head. She regarded the fairies for a moment. “Large rainbow-swirled lollipops?” she asked.
“They will be when we’re done,” Berry said, full of confidence.
Raina wanted to crawl under the licorice vine next to her.
“Amandine, please hand me the wedding binder,” Queen Sweetie said.
The queen took the large purple book and leafed through its pages. Then she looked at the fairies and smiled. “Aha! I knew your names sounded especially familiar,” she said. “It just so happens that is the next item on my list. I need to find a fresh crop of rainbow-swirled lollipops for Lolli’s wedding bouquet. I am supposed to find Berry and Raina. What a coincidence,” she added with a smile.
“Something swirled!” Berry blurted out again.
Raina glared at Berry. Where are her manners?
But Queen Sweetie just laughed. Raina thought it was the sweetest laugh she had ever heard. “Indeed,” the queen said. “And you two fine fairies are the ones Princess Lolli said to ask to make her bouquet.”
“Lolli thought the swirled lollipops could be both ‘something sweet’ and ‘something swirled’ for the ceremony,” Amandine said.
“Sweet-tacular!” Berry said.
“It’s the ‘something twirled’ I’m worried about,” Amandine said, frowning. “So many details . . . so little time!”
Queen Sweetie smiled. “Don’t worry, Amandine,” she said. “Everything will get done.”
Raina thought Princess Lolli was just like her mom. She curtsied. “This would be a tremendous honor, Your Majesty,” she said.
“Then it is all settled,” Queen Sweetie declared. “Lolli wants to carry five rainbow-sweet swirled lollipops.”
“Your Majesty,” Amandine said gently, “we have to return to the castle now for a meeting with Olivia.”
Berry really couldn’t contain her enthusiasm. “Olivia Crème de la Crème?” she asked.
“Berry!” Raina scolded.
Once again the queen showed only a smile. “Yes, Olivia Crème de la Crème is making the wedding dress. Do you know her work?”
“Of course.” Berry swooned. “The most exquisite dress designer from Meringue Island! I love her designs! She’s the designer I would pick if I were a fairy princess bride.”
Raina gasped. Berry really had spoken out of turn this time. Raina felt her face grow redder than a strawberry at harvesttime.
“Yes, she’s a talented artist,” Queen Sweetie remarked. “I must get back to Candy Castle. But I hope to see you at the engagement party in a few weeks. Thank you again, Berry and Raina, for making the bouquet.”
“Thank you for the honor,” Raina called out. She wasn’t about to forget her manners!
As Queen Sweetie and Amandine flew away, Raina and Berry stood on the shores of Red Licorice Lake feeling a bit shocked and incredibly proud. They were going to be part of the honored tradition of ‘something swirled’ . . . and create the bride’s bouquet!
Raina’s shoulders relaxed as she watched the queen fly off toward the castle. She turned to Berry. “Can you believe Princess Lolli chose us for one of the wedding traditions?” she said to her friend.
“Those lollipops need to be wedding perfect!” Berry exclaimed.
Dipping
The very next day a sugar fly arrived in Chocolate Woods and buzzed around the chocolate oaks. The tiny fly flew among the tall trees until she spotted Cocoa, who was spreading cocoa beans in her flower garden.
“What’s the good word?” Cocoa asked as she took the note. The fly buzzed happily and sped off without waiting for a reply.
Right away Cocoa realized that the note had the Candy Castle seal on the outside of the envelope. Her heart beat faster. Yesterday she had gotten an invitation to
the engagement party—all her friends had. Could this be a wedding invitation? Her wings fluttered and her hands shook as she opened the envelope.
Cocoa squealed. “Hot chocolate!” she exclaimed. The sugar fly’s note sent her straight up into the sky. She was glad that no one else was around. She covered her mouth with her hand. She was surprised at her loud holler.
Cocoa wanted to share her news with Melli first. She sped off to Caramel Hills hoping to find her. If Cocoa didn’t tell this news soon, she would burst!
In a flash Cocoa was at Melli’s house.
“Melli!” Cocoa yelled. She was out of breath from her fast flight, but she had to get her news out. “Guess what? I am something dipped!”
Melli looked up at her friend. She wrinkled her forehead. “You got dipped? By whom?” She checked her friend from wing to toe. “Are you okay?”
Cocoa laughed and shot back into the air. She turned flips. “Yes!” she cried. “I am more than okay!” she sang out. “I am something dipped!”
“Something dipped?” Melli asked. And then, like a mint on a dark night, Melli’s face lit up. “You were asked to do ‘something dipped’ for the wedding ceremony?”
“Yes!” Cocoa said. “I just got a sugar fly message asking me to make the chocolate dip. Princess Lolli and Prince Scoop have decided to dip strawberries at the ceremony.” She leaned in closer. “I read in the Daily Scoop that they like to eat chocolate strawberries together. I guess that is why they chose chocolate strawberries for the ceremony.”
As Cocoa tried to catch her breath, she noticed that Melli was standing in front of a barrel of caramel. She had a basket of apples next to her, and she was carefully dipping each one. Melli’s mouth was wide open. Her friend seemed to be frozen.
Suddenly Cocoa realized what Melli was doing. She was practicing her dipping! Melli was working on the dipping technique she was supposed to be doing with Princess Lolli. And maybe secretly hoping “something dipped” would have been caramel apples. Cocoa’s wings felt heavy as she sank down to the ground. She wished she could take back her words. She should have chosen to share her news differently. Her own dipping news had hurt Melli’s feelings.
“I guess they didn’t want to dip apples?” Melli whispered. “Or anything caramel.”
Cocoa reached out to hug her. “I am so sorry, Melli,” she said.
Melli backed away. “It’s great news for you,” she said, sniffling a little. “You will definitely get to go to the wedding now. Raina and Berry will be there too, because of the bouquet.” She sighed. “I guess Dash and I can watch the procession with the rest of the fairies who aren’t invited.”
“Oh, stop!” Cocoa said. “There is still ‘something twirled.’ ”
“Maybe,” Melli said, biting her lip.
“Sure as sugar, Princess Lolli is not going to forget you!” Cocoa exclaimed.
Melli hung her head. “She already has forgotten.”
Cocoa pulled Melli over to a caramel log and sat her down. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“She canceled two meetings with me,” Melli said. “I understand she is busy planning a wedding in such a short amount of time. But Caramel Moon is three months away. The time for caramel dipping is now.”
Cocoa felt terrible. With all the swirling news of the royal wedding, Melli’s favorite activity and festival was being overlooked.
The two fairies sat quietly for a long time.
“Do you think Princess Lolli will be different when she’s married?” Melli finally asked. She looked down at her feet. “Maybe Candy Kingdom and the Candy Fairies won’t be as important to her anymore.”
“That would never happen,” Cocoa said.
A cool breeze blew through the leaves of the trees above them. Cocoa didn’t know what to say. Things around Candy Kingdom were going to change. She had never thought about what life would be like—for them—after the wedding.
“Maybe you should come to the castle with me,” Cocoa said, trying to lighten the mood. “Maybe you will be more in the wedding spirit if you come. I need to pick up something from Tula.”
Melli wasn’t sure that was the answer, but she didn’t want to be alone in Caramel Hills. Maybe Cocoa was right. If she went to the castle, maybe she’d get swept up in all the wedding excitement and feel a little bit better. Even if she wasn’t invited. . . .
“Okay,” she said. “Let’s go.”
Relieved, Cocoa reached out her hand to Melli. Her news was much sweeter when Melli was happier.
When they arrived at Candy Castle, there was lots of commotion in the Royal Gardens.
“Look!” Cocoa exclaimed. “There’s Princess Lolli! And Tula, her special advisor, was with her.”
“I haven’t seen her since the engagement was announced,” Melli said, flying up to get a better view.
“She looks the same,” Cocoa noted.
Melli studied the princess. “I don’t know,” she said. “She seems different.”
The two fairies flew in closer.
Princess Lolli was surrounded by a group of advisers. They all seemed to be trying to get her attention.
“Did you forget about the meeting with the Sour Orchard Fairies, Princess?” Tula asked her.
Princess Lolli nodded. “Oh, sweet sugar,” she sighed. “I did. Tula, please send my apologies to Lemona and the others.” She turned to leave.
“Wait!” another adviser called out. “What color, Princess Lolli?”
“Deep pink or light pink?” Tula asked.
“What about rainbow?” a taller adviser asked.
Cocoa and Melli watched as Princess Lolli looked at each adviser. Cocoa was sure that Princess Lolli would give a quick reply.
But she didn’t.
In fact, Princess Lolli turned without answering and flew off to the castle.
“Why isn’t Princess Lolli talking?” Melli asked. “I have never seen her not give her answer in a sure way.”
“I don’t know,” Cocoa said, full of concern.
“You see. I told you!” Melli said. “Everything is going to be different.”
Cocoa frowned. Princess Lolli had never been forgetful or not sure of herself. Cocoa had never seen her like that before.
“Princess Lolli has changed,” Melli told Cocoa. “I knew this would happen. First she canceled our caramel meetings. Now she doesn’t even sound like herself. And I’m sure she is going to forget all the Candy Fairies!”
Cocoa wondered what was happening. She put her arm around Melli. “Well, we’ll have to wait and see,” she finally said sadly.
A Little Salty
Berry, you are making me nervous, pacing around,” Raina said. “Please sit down.”
The fairies had gathered at Red Licorice Lake. They were dressed in their fancy outfits for the royal engagement party at Candy Castle.
The fairies were especially fluttery tonight. Everyone in the kingdom was buzzing with excitement. The engagement party was going to be a magical evening!
Berry smoothed out her skirt. “I just pressed my new sugar silk dress!” she exclaimed. “I can’t sit!” She spun around, allowing the deep purple folds in her dress to open and swirl around her. “I want to look positively perfect for the party.”
“Everyone is going to be looking at Princess Lolli, not you,” Raina muttered under her breath. She was sitting on a blanket brushing Melli’s dark hair. She was going to put the Caramel Fairy’s hair up in a fancy style with a new sugarcoated clip.
Cocoa shot Melli and Dash a look. What had just happened between Raina and Berry? Ever since they had arrived, the two friends had been snipping at each other. Cocoa wasn’t sure what had happened, but they were definitely not getting along. Maybe something sour was going on with the lollipop bouquet they were making.
“How are the lollipops coming along?” Dash boldly asked Berry.
Cocoa’s eyes widened. Leave it to Dash to speak exactly what was on her mind!
“Fine,” Berry snapped.
>
“Okay,” Raina replied.
There was a heavy silence in the air. Dash, Melli, and Cocoa all stared at one another, not sure what to say. Berry and Raina had worked on many candy projects together and never argued.
“What is going on with you two?” Dash bravely said. “You have been barking at each other, and things don’t feel right between you.” She eyed her friends carefully.
“What do you mean?” Berry burst out.
Raina didn’t say a word and concentrated on Melli’s braid.
“Everything is fine,” Berry said. “The bouquet will be sweet as sugar when the wedding comes.”
“We hope,” Raina added.
Her comment made Berry start to boil. “The stems will be thicker!” she shouted.
“If the rainbow color stays,” Raina said through gritted teeth.
Oh, sour sticks, thought Cocoa. This is worse than I thought.
Melli quickly changed the subject. She didn’t like it when her friends fought. “Do you think we’ll get to meet Prince Scoop?”
“Oh, I hope we get to talk to him!” Cocoa exclaimed. “I’ve been reading all the articles about him, and he sounds delish.”
“That is a quote from the Daily Scoop,” Dash said, giggling. “There was an article about Prince Scoop being ‘delish.’ There will be so many fairies there. I wonder if we’ll get near the royal couple.”
“I’ll bet Princess Lolli will be pretty busy with all those royal fairies from Ice Cream Isles,” Melli muttered.
“Did you read that article about Queen Swirl?” Berry perked up. “She sounds like a double dose of fancy.”
“That doesn’t sound like Princess Lolli,” Dash said, wrinkling her nose.
Raina stood up and admired Melli’s hair. “All done,” she said.
“Melli, you look delish!” Cocoa said.
“I wouldn’t mind things just being the same,” Melli said. She peered into the mirror that Raina handed to her. “I wish we were going to the castle to visit with Princess Lolli. We might never get to do that again.”
A Royal Wedding Page 2
