Elowen silently cursed herself for not attending more parties with Brennon. They'd arrived at the small cottage that the family owned in Cyra to prepare for the ball that night. It was only then that Elowen discovered that the measurements that Brennon had taken to the dressmaker were two years old.

The dresses, while gorgeous, were a hand length too short and showed a scandalous amount of leg. She had hours before the ball and she had nothing to wear.

Her father sent her into town and told her to try the dress shops. He gave her an entire pouch of gold to find a solution.

The countess said that Elowen had horrible luck, especially since her daughters' dresses would be too small for the tall girl. If the dresses weren't so fine and intricate, Elowen might have tried to add a layer herself, but the silk was too intricately printed for her to find something on her own to match it.

So here Elowen was with only two hours until the ball walking into yet another dress shop to beg. She'd already been told the task was impossible by multiple shop owners. Finally one of the women told her that if Trix couldn't fix it then no one could.

Elowen found Trix's Fancies on the edge of the city. She knocked on the door as she pushed into the little shop. Above her a bell tingled and Elowen stepped into a warm and cozy store with dozens of shelves filled with glass jars.

A tan Saharite girl no older than sixteen wore a gorgeous robe and skirt and stood in the center of the shop. A woman with dark brown skin and short curly hair was adding diamonds to the cone of onyx braids on the girl's head.

"Beautiful," the woman said. "You will be the bell of the ball, Ava. It's just a shame you couldn't convince your sister to come here. I would have loved to meet her."

"I'll take a piece of jewelry back for her to wear so she isn't stuck in Cyran jewels," the girl said. "Bash disappeared this morning like always, so it's a shame Nia wanted to sleep in."

The woman turned at that moment and looked at Elowen. There was something warm about the woman and Elowen immediately trusted her.

"I wasn't planning on taking more customers today," the woman said. "But seeing as darling Ava was my last appointment, I think I can squeeze in a walk-in. Who are you darling and what do you wish?"

Elowen cleared her throat. "I'm the daughter of the Earl of Nene, and unfortunately my brother gave the wrong measurements to my dressmakers and the skirts came out too short. Is there any way you can help me? My father will be so disappointed if I miss the ball tonight."

"You're Elowen de Nene?" The girl smiled. "My brother Bash says that your family hosts the most luxurious parties in Nene."

The woman wiped her hands on her white skirt. "I am happy to help a daughter of Lyrena. She was my friend once."

Elowen was surprised to hear her mother's name. Most people didn't remember her mother. They only knew her father or her stepmother.

"She knew you?" Elowen was curious.

"Yes," the woman said. "There was a time when we were as close as sisters. Then she left our order and abandoned her duties because she fell in love. I don't blame her, but we missed her dearly when she was gone."

"Your order?" Elowen didn't know much about her mother at all.

"She means the fairies," the girl said. "Your mother must have been one of Trix's sisters."

The woman, Trix, gave the girl a stern look. "Avangelique, if you cannot hold your tongue, I shall have to ask you to leave." Then she turned to Elowen, "Yes, child, your mother and I served at the behest of the fairy empress as her handmaidens and fulfillers of magic. Sadly, our sisters and our order were all wished away by one in our number who wished to no longer be bound by our rules."

Elowen stared at Trix in shock. "My mother died because she was a fairy?"

Trix nodded solemnly. "Few of us remain. I believe the empress's son to be alive, but the dark member of our order has hidden him well. Without wish magic from the fairy isle, I cannot find him, and the kingdom remains cursed."

"There are really other fairies?" Avangelique asked. "I thought they all died."

"We were all bound to the empress," Trix said. "When she fell so did her cohorts. I just happened to be additionally bound to her son. Mona hasn't killed him so I live. I have little magic since our source is destroyed but I can still harness the plants of the earth for little wishes."

She looked sadly at Elowen. Trix looked at her with almost pity. Then she walked over to Elowen and took the dress pouch from her arms.

Trix snapped her fingers and the dresses flew in the air and onto three mannequins that appeared before them. The first dress was full-skirted with a high lace collar with embroidery to look like crackling ice. The second had a deep V-neck and was fitted so that it looked like fire molded to the wearer. The third was a swooping deep purple with twinkling silver stars embroidered on the skirt in the midst of a galaxy.

"Beautiful craftsmanship," Trix said. "But they came from Lyrena's works so I suppose they would be spectacular. She could always breathe life into the fabric."

Elowen's breath caught. "My mother made these dresses?"

"Each and every one," Trix smiled. "Someone has altered them a little, but not much. Your problem was they were too short, right?"

Elowen nodded and watched in shock as Trix touched the bottom of the ice dress and the bottom extended until the dress was the perfect length for her height.

"How did you do that?" Elowen asked.

Trix walked over to her counter and pulled out a vial of something green and glowing. She chugged the contents and then touched the second dress to extend it.

"Herbs and plants still have magic," Trix said. "It's not very powerful but I curate a garden to have enough magic for little problems. It can't grant large wishes, but little requests like this are easy."

Trix fixed the last dress and snapped her fingers. The ice dress appeared on Elowen's body. She was amazed at how well it fit now. Her hair was twisted up into an elaborate style and fine dancing slippers appeared on her feet that matched the dress.

"Fairy silks don't wear or tear," Trix said. "I believe your mother originally made that dress thirty years ago, and look how good it looks on you, Elowen."

"She looks fabulous," Avangelique said. "Any suitor would be lucky to have you, Lady Elowen. Do you have your eye on anyone in particular?"

Elowen blushed. "Not really. I met a nice guy recently but he's spoken for."

"What man wouldn't want to snatch up the beautiful daughter of the Earl of Nene?" Avangelique asked.

"Prince Fletcher de Cyra," Elowen's heart beat fast just saying the name.

Avangelique's eyes grew wide. "That would be a problem seeing as he's betrothed to my sister."

Elowen felt very foolish and it wasn't because she admitted to having a crush on a prince. The fact was here she was babbling on and on in front of Princess Avangelique de Sahar and she hadn't realized it.

"Yes," Trix said. "That is a problem."

Avangelique looked at the fairy very oddly. "What do you mean?"

"Mona worked hard to send the Saharite royals into exile," Trix said. "She won't like that they've ignored her curses to return together. She might retaliate."

"You mean with magic?" Avangelique squeaked.

Suddenly the girl looked very frightened. Elowen wondered what curse Avangelique was under. Had it affected her life at all?

"Get your sister to wear this," Trix held out a pair of golden teardrop earrings. "It should at least save her from the most malicious of Mona's tricks."

Avangelique slipped the earrings into a small bag at her side. Then she twisted a pearl bracelet on her arm.

"I know I already have a curse that not even you can usurp," Avangelique said. "That evil fairy can't hurt me more than she already has."

Trix led Avangelique over to a case of jewelry that Elowen hadn't seen when she first entered the store. The princess picked out three more pieces and put a gold necklace around her own neck.

Elowen eyed the jewelry with wonder. All of it was exquisite and so delicate it looked like it might fall apart with one touch. Her eyes specifically fell on a tiara made of diamond and gold filigree. It was the most beautiful thing Elowen had ever seen.

"You have good instincts," Trix said. "Fairy blessings are good for that, Elowen."

"Fairy blessings?" Elowen frowned.

"You received a kiss on the forehead from the fairy empress," Trix said. "That birthmark is her blessing. It means you will be able to understand a great many things. Some people with the mark even have intuition or other powers."

Trix waved her hand and the tiara appeared on Elowen's head. It was no heavier than a headband and stayed secure when she moved.

"That crown has a unique gift," Trix said. "Your eyes will not be led astray by magic and your heart will guide your wishes."

"You look like a fairy, Elowen," Avangelique said. "Minus the wings of course."

She didn't feel like fairy. The dress made her feel exposed and on display before the princess. The tiara was the only part of it all that felt right. 

"You may keep the tiara after the balls," Trix said. "It's owner has no more use of it."

"Oh, you should have it back," Elowen said. "I wouldn't want to take it from you."

There was something deep in her eyes like roiled sorrow. The crown was more than a piece of jewelry. After all it was magic and somehow it filled the former fairy with sorrow.

Trix shook her head. "It belonged to the fairy empress. You'll have more use for it, Lyrena's daughter."

"We'd better get going if we want to go to the ball," Avangelique said. "Thank you so much Trix."

Elowen thanked the fairy and walked outside with the princess. The streets were packed with carriages all heading the same direction.

It was at that moment that Elowen realized how far she was from their cottage. She wouldn't be able to make it all the way back there and then arrive at the ball on time.

The sun was already sinking. The ball was starting soon. Even without the carriage traffic, her family had probably already left without her.

Avangelique frowned out at the road. "I didn't realize it would be this bad. Usually Cyran balls are so dull. Guess everyone's come out to see the future queen."

"They did invite everyone," Elowen said.

The princess walked over to the carriage parked behind Trix's shop. The coachman frowned but he didn't stop Avangelique as she removed the two white horses from their reins and led them to the road.

"Can you ride?" Avangelique asked. "They have side saddles and we can take the sidewalks. It'll be much faster and we won't be late."

Elowen gawked at the mounts. "You want me to go with you?"

"Why not?" Avangelique grinned. "I've ridden in rougher terrain. Lorenzo and I ride any chance we can get."

"But you're a princess," Elowen said

"Barely," Avangelique swung over the horse and let her skirt and robe hang as she sat ladylike on her mount. "Now, are you coming or not?"

Elowen looked at the long stretches of carriages. Brennon would be so disappointed if she missed half the ball because she waited in line like a commoner.

The nagging feeling she needed to be at the ball was only increasing with every moment she stood in the street. She needed to see Fletcher.

So she puffed up her courage and mounted the other horse. Then she followed the princess, galloping to the castle for the ball.