“Hello, fairies,” called Topaz from behind the counter, “let me know if you need any help, won’t you?”
“Thanks, Topaz,” said Rosa. “We’re actually just here for some inspiration – we’re putting on the jubilee fashion show tomorrow. I hope that’s OK?”
“Absolutely – you are my best customers, after all!” Topaz grinned, and went back to serving a fairy-helper.
“Look, Violet, here’s a satin bolero with lace sleeves,” said Rosa. “We could make one in yellow spider-silk to go with the summer dress.”
Violet nodded as she stroked a super-soft scarf. “And we could make a dandelion-seed scarf, perfect for chilly evenings.”
“Brilliant idea!” Rosa clapped her hands, but then her smile vanished. “But we still don’t have an amazing final piece to end the show. . .”
Violet suddenly turned to Rosa. “Oh dear! What in fairyland will we do?”
Rosa and Violet could barely keep their wings flapping as they returned to Glimmershine Palace. They were exhausted from their morning’s shopping in Diamond Boulevard, but at least the shopping-storks’ nets were completely full of pieces to include in the fashion show. They’d bumped into lots more of their fairy friends, who they’d asked to be models – and they’d all been excited about being in the show. And Rosa and Violet were so pleased that Topaz had agreed to be a fairy-stylist, along with Ivy and Opal.
“Let’s go and get some starberry shakes for all of us, and then see how Buttercup and Bluebell are doing,” suggested Violet.
Rosa thought that sounded like a wonderful idea – starberries were known for their wake-me-up qualities, and they really needed that right now!
They popped into the palace’s kitchens, where the fairy-cook, Berry, slipped them four yummy clover cupcakes as well as the shakes. Then Rosa and Violet flew up to the fifth floor.
“How did you get on?” asked Bluebell. She was sketching in her notepad while Buttercup spread waves of glorious fabric across each of the studio’s tables.
“We got lots of stuff,” said Violet as she shared the drinks and snacks around. “And we found models and stylists to help in the show.”
“But we still don’t know what we’re doing for the final piece,” Rosa added, rubbing her forehead.
Buttercup went over to one of the moth-silk threads and unpinned some outfits. “We’ve made these pink-edged denim dungarees, an orange-print blouse and a petal-bottomed chiffon maxi-dress.” She whizzed over to the other side of the room. “And here’s a five-layered frill skirt and a dip-dyed rainbow wrap dress. But I don’t think any of them are right for the highlight of the show.”
The fairies looked down, silent. The outfits were gorgeous, but they needed something particularly special.
“Come on.” Bluebell jumped up from the glass table. “We won’t find a solution like this. And we’re the fashion fairy princesses, after all – I’m sure we can think of something!”
“Bluebell’s right,” Buttercup said softly, although she couldn’t help wringing her hands. “We mustn’t give up.”
Rosa picked up Bluebell’s sketchpad and turned it to a blank page. “How about a shower-sparkle brainstorm?”
The other fairies grinned. They liked the sound of that!
Bluebell pulled out a jar of shower-sparkles from a nearby cupboard. The fairy princesses sat themselves around one of the studio’s large tables, Bluebell’s sketchpad in the middle.
“Ready?” Bluebell asked, and the fairy princesses all nodded.
Bluebell unscrewed the jar carefully and flung up the contents over the centre of the table. The glistening sparkles hung in the air like spinning stars, and as the fairy princesses thought of ideas, they began to float down and settle on the sketchpad.
It was a magical sight as the four best friends’ ideas landed on the page. The sparkles formed glittering lines and colours – skirts, dresses, tops and blouses.
“Oooh, what’s that?” Bluebell asked, her blue eyes alight. She pointed to a dress with a long train made up of too many layers to count.
“That’s my idea,” said Rosa. “I suddenly thought about a special jubilee dress with fifty different coloured layers of silk to represent the fifty years of the king and queen’s rule. The silk would billow out in the air as the wearer flies.”
The other fairy princesses smiled. It sounded magnificent!
Rosa was staring hard at the paper. “But I think it needs something else. . .”
“I know. How about fifty different jewels around the neckline?” said Violet. “They could reflect multicoloured lights all around the wearer!” The remaining shower-sparkles that were still floating in the air drifted down to depict the jewels on the dress.
“It’s perfect!” said Bluebell and Buttercup together.
“The only problem is,” said Rosa with a frown, “where do we find such enchanted jewels?”
Violet grinned. “Jewel Forest, of course!”
“You’re right, and I’m sure the forest fairies would help us,” Buttercup said shyly. “But do we have enough time? We’ll never fly there and back in time for the show tomorrow.”
“We could ask the royal butterflies to take us – it is an important errand, after all,” said Bluebell.
Rosa was nodding. “But we need to get the dress and the other outfits made too. Why don’t you and Violet go to fetch the jewels, and Buttercup and I will stay here?”
Violet grinned. “Good thinking!” she said, and she and Bluebell rushed off to the butterfly stables at the rear of the palace.
Moments later, through the large studio windows, Rosa watched Violet and Bluebell sail off on two gorgeous butterflies. Their soft purple wings beat steadily, soaring into the sky.
Rosa turned to Buttercup. “We might just make this fashion show the best ever,” she said, her heart lifting with relief.
A knock at the door made the two friends jump. A little fairy-helper with ruby-red wings peered in. “A delivery for you,” she called. “Actually, no, wait, three deliveries!”
The fairy princesses took the packages from the helper, who was almost completely hidden by the parcels. “What do you think they are?” Buttercup asked Rosa.
“There’s only one way to find out!” Rosa replied. She set down one of the parcels on to a glass table and untied the long green ribbon, which held together an object wrapped in green crêpe paper. “Oooh, pearl bracelets from the mermaids in Glitter Ocean. The note says they heard about the fashion show and sent them specially. How sweet of them!”
Meanwhile, Buttercup was unwrapping a small red box. “Shell earrings,” she told Rosa, “from the sand fairies on Shimmer Island. They’re gorgeous!”
The third package was the most impressive of all. It was wrapped with silver-threaded cream paper and tied with a piece of red silk. Inside was a beautiful beaded necklace from the dream fairies. “The note says the beads are made from stone buried deep inside Dream Mountain,” said Rosa, “and that the rock beads will bring us good luck.”
“I do hope so!” said Buttercup as she began gathering silks for the dress.
They had such kind friends, Rosa thought, as she fluttered over to help Buttercup. Now that everything was coming together, she couldn’t wait for the show!
“That looks beautiful, Bluebell!” Rosa said admiringly. Her friend swirled around in a blue organza dress. The shimmering folds rested perfectly on the floor.
“Thanks, Rosa,” said Bluebell, grinning in front of the studio’s mirrors. The mirrors were angled in such a way that she could see every side of herself. It also made it seem like there were at least six of her! “Can you pass me the lavender corsage from the table?”
Rosa put down the outfit she was working on and plucked up the tiny piece of lavender, which was tied tightly with a piece of ribbon. She took a sniff as she passed it to Bluebell. It smelled wonderful �
� the lavender was sweet and soothing. “Wow,” Rosa breathed.
“On the way home from Jewel Forest, we found a whole bunch of lavender bushes in Pickleput Orchard,” Violet explained, and then winked. “And I may have added just a touch of fairy magic to make the scent last!”
Just after lunch, Violet and Bluebell had brought back the fifty jewels they needed from Jewel Forest, and Rosa had spent the whole afternoon using glitter glue to stick them to the gorgeous, multicoloured jubilee dress. Her fingers were sore, but she still had lots of the jewels to glue on! Meanwhile the other fairy princesses had to make a few finishing touches and then they could get an early night – ready for the big show the following day.
“That’s the dandelion-seed scarf done,” announced Buttercup, hanging it up on the moth-silk thread above her.
“And this is finished too!” Violet was holding up a stylish purple tweed jacket and shorts suit which had honeysuckle flowers dotted on the collar, sleeves and cuffs.
Rosa had her tongue stuck out in concentration. “Just this one last jewel to go,” she said finally, gripping a tiny ruby in a pair of wishbone tweezers. “There, finished!”
The four fashion fairy princesses stood back and looked at all their creations filling up Studio Sublime. What an honour it would be to show them all off tomorrow! All the outfits looked fantastic, but the fairy princesses agreed that the final jubilee dress was simply breathtaking.
“I love how all the jewels light up the studio!” said Bluebell as the others all nodded.
Rosa felt a warm glow of pride. It was worth spending all those hours gluing them on, she thought.
“We should get to bed,” Rosa said, taking one last look at the dress over her shoulder before turning off the lights.
Even in the darkness the jewels from the dress shone like stars.
Tap, tap! Tap, tap!
Rosa sat up in bed. She’d been trying to get to sleep for hours, but all she could think about was the fashion show. “Who is it?” she called.
“It’s me, Violet.” The fairy princess’s dark curly hair poked around the door.
“And me.”
“Me three!”
Rosa blinked as Bluebell’s brown bobbed head appeared below Violet’s and then Buttercup’s head popped up above.
“We’re way too excited to sleep,” Violet explained as the three fairy princesses fluttered into the room, all wearing their nightgowns.
“My mind’s full of fabrics and outfits and jewellery!” added Bluebell.
Rosa couldn’t help but grin at her friends. “I feel the same, but we have to at least try to get some sleep before tomorrow.”
Buttercup perched on the corner of Rosa’s pink four-poster bed. “I thought we might go for a walk,” she said in her soft, feathery voice. “It might help calm us down.”
Suddenly a walk seemed like the perfect idea, and by the look of the sky through Rosa’s window, it was a lovely mild evening. She jumped out of bed, wrapping her pink cloud-cotton nightgown around her heart-print pyjamas. “You’re right – let’s go!” she agreed.
The fairy princesses were soon skipping through the palace’s glittering doors and along the cobbled drive.
“Perhaps we could go and see the catwalk in Paradise Square,” Buttercup suggested as they all linked arms and stepped daintily over the stones. The fairy princesses loved to fly, but sometimes it was nice to slow down and walk together.
“Oooh, yes, it should be up by now,” said Violet.
“Look there – I think I can see it.” Bluebell was pointing to something glistening in the distance.
As the four friends got closer, they could see just how majestic the fashion catwalk was. The long, delicate walkway was made entirely of crystal. As it caught the moonlight it made the whole of Paradise Square light up.
“It’s magical,” Rosa breathed.
“I bet it needed a giant heap of fairy magic!” said Violet, laughing.
Bluebell was tiptoeing across the pavement, looking down at the Paradise Square stones – some empty, some filled with fairy names. “Just imagine,” she said. “This time tomorrow, our names could be here!”
“Oh, I do hope everyone likes our outfits,” said Buttercup.
“Do you know, I really think they will,”Rosa said, putting her arms out to her friends.The fairies stood silently for a moment, their arms around each other, watching the gentle glow of the beautiful catwalk.
As the moon’s light began to fade, the fairies made their way back to Glimmershine Palace. The four best friends were all yawning as they reached the grand front door.
“Did you have a nice walk?” asked the fairy-helper at the door.
“Yes, thank you,” Violet replied. “And now we’re really ready for bed!”
“Would you like me to arrange for some daisy-milk to be brought to you?” the helper suggested.
“Yes, please!” the fairy princesses said at once.
It wasn’t long before they were all tucked up in bed in their separate quarters, sipping hot, sweet daisy-milk from wing-handled butterfly mugs. Rosa put her empty mug on her cherry-tree nightstand and sank into her soft peacock-feather duvet. She drifted off to sleep, feeling calmer – and surer than ever that tomorrow’s show would be as wonderful as they hoped.
Rosa rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked at the bright sunshine flooding into her room. It was the day of the fashion show! She leapt out of bed and went over to her dressing table to tie back her long hair – it was already hot, and today would be a very busy day. Rosa remembered being exhausted last night, falling asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow – but this morning she felt rested and full of energy. It was the best night’s sleep she’d ever had, she realized, thinking back to dreams of cupcakes and ponies and flying with her fairy princess friends. It must have been the daisy-milk! Rosa thought.
She dressed quickly – in some practical pink leggings and a butterfly-print shirt – and flew over to her window. Through the pink-tinted glass she saw fairy-stylists making their way to Paradise Square and little fairy-helpers rushing around on errands. The sky was dotted with hummingbirds carrying messages back and forth, and the paths were full of carriages holding the fashion-show equipment. The whole of Sparkle City seemed to buzz with excitement – everyone was busy getting ready for the show. Speaking of which, she should do the same!
Rosa flew out of her wing of the palace and along the corridor. She knocked on Violet’s, Buttercup’s and Bluebell’s doors in turn. Her friends sounded very sleepy – she guessed they’d slept just as deeply as she had – but soon they were all dressed and inside Studio Sublime.
“I still can’t quite believe we’re putting on a fashion show – today!” said Bluebell. “I so hope the king and queen will enjoy it.”
“As well as everyone else in Sparkle City!” Violet reminded her.
Buttercup beckoned in several fairy-helpers, and went over to help them as they started gathering up the things they needed for the show.
“Let’s get everything down to Paradise Square,” Rosa directed. “Then we can work out which outfits we and all the other models will wear.”
The fairy princesses gently unpegged the clothes, putting them all safely inside dress bags. Rosa took extra special care as she placed the jubilee dress inside a bag, making sure none of the jewels got caught on the layers.
“These are all for the fashion show,” Bluebell said to the fairy-helpers. “The carriages at the palace entrance are waiting to take them.”
The helpers nodded and flew out of the room with quick beats of their tiny wings.
Soon the studio was empty. The fairy princesses fluttered down the five flights of glass stairs inside the palace and skipped towards the last carriage that remained. They didn’t want to fly, and tire themselves out for the show, especially as it was such a warm day.
The friends piled into the turquoise carriage and made themselves comfortable on the soft sponge cushions inside. “To Paradise Square!” Violet called to the matching turquoise-blue ponies at the front of the carriage. They whinnied, did a quick dance of their hooves, and with smooth flaps of their wings trotted off.
“Hurrah!” the fairies shouted as they zoomed along quickly. They were off to the show!
Rosa felt her heart skip a beat as they approached Paradise Square. It looked completely different from last night – now it was full of fairies and helpers getting everything ready. In the hot bright sunshine, the crystal catwalk had a dazzling glow. The models and their outfits would really shine on this, Rosa thought!
As they emerged from the carriage, the fairy princesses saw fairy-helpers sprinkling fairy dust around the edges of the square. Moments later, little white toadstools began to spring up from the pavement.
“It’s the seats for the audience!” Bluebell said, bouncing down on the one nearest to her and squealing with excitement as it sprang back to shape. “You should try them out,” she said to her friends.
“They look great,” Rosa said. “But we don’t have time – we need to go and work out what each of us is wearing!” She fluttered towards a floating rainbow curtain that hid the far end of the catwalk. Through the curtain was the backstage dressing room – which looked far bigger than it did from the outside! Fairy magic, she guessed! Inside, all their outfits hung along one wall, and some of the fairy models were sitting next to each other, getting ready in front of mirrors. Ivy, Opal and Topaz were combing the models’ hair and polishing their wings. Everyone was chatting and smiling, the air filled with the sweet smell of flowery fairy-spray and shimmery wing-dust.
Rosa felt a shiver of excitement run down her spine. This was incredible – their very own fashion show!
Violet was already over by the outfits. “I’m going to wear this one!” she said, pulling out the purple tweed jacket and shorts and holding them up against her. “I mean, if that’s OK with everyone?”
Rosa in Sparkle City Page 2