A Life Beyond the Mirror

Chapter 9

"WAKE UP!" Hali shouts, shaking me awake. I jump looking around but its only her and I in the room.

"What's wrong?" I panic, thinking something had happened.

"We need to get ready for the ball! We only have a few hours!" she shouts excitedly pulling me to my feet and to the room across the hall. The large bedroom was much like the rest of the castle, white marbled walls with large bed and a small red sofa, where three women waited for us, perched on the edge, almost uncomfortable. They stand as we enter the room. "This is Elenor, Harima and Greta. They will be helping us get ready." I nod at them each in turn and offer them an awkward wave.

"Thank you." I smile. Elenor was a tall, slender woman with a crimson wave of hair flowing down past her hips in an intricate plait. Harima was a shorter woman with jet black hair and piercing violet eyes and Greta was the smallest. She was small framed, with bright white hair wrapped into a bun. The first thing I noticed were her shimmering wings. Moving slowly and gracefully as if they had a life of their own. Her pointed ears sticking out from her hair and twitching when she returned my smile. All three wore royal blue toga style dresses. The royal colours.

"Please sit." Elenor gestures to the chairs in the middle of the room. Her voice melodic and calming. Me and Hali sat side by side, Hali doing her little happy dance as the ladies immediately surrounded us and started touching our hair. Brushing it out and placing rollers in.

"Weird. I automatically thought that it would be magic." Hali chuckled.

"Somethings you just have to do the old-fashioned way." She smiled. Grimacing when Harima brushed a little too hard.

"So, what will happen?" I asked. "At the ball." I clarify.

"Well, People arrive early some people even arrive at noon. There is food, dancing and then when the sun starts to set all the guests head outside and starts the pollination. Then the party continues."

"What's the pollination?" She sighed as if it were obvious. Which it is, sort of is, except for the fact it's an event not a natural occurrence.

"It would be easier for you to see it." she said, closing her eyes and relaxing as Greta picked up her hands and began shaping her nails. "So, Rowan told me what happened." She said jiggling her eyebrows at me opening one eye to gauge my response. My face takes on the colour of a radish. "I knew you weren't going to step back. I knew you liked him." She said competitively, like she had won a marathon, clapping at herself for her foresight.

"It just got kind of out of control." I shrugged, my cheeks flaring even more. She jolted forward both eyes snapping to me. Harima jumping to follow her movement.

"Rowan said you were pinned up against the wall making out. Like, full on 'this is leading somewhere' making out. Neptune only knows what would have happened if he hadn't interrupted." She smiled, knowingly and the ladies behind giggled. My cheeks started to burn; I think my whole body has turned a darker shade of red at this point.

"It's just so hard to stay away from him! I don't know what to do. This is completely uncharted territory." I cover my cheeks trying to hide the embarrassment seeping from them.

"He really likes you." She said, settling back into her chair, closing her eyes again. "I've never seen him act this way, and I have known him since we were guppies."

"How do you know?"

"Well for one, he can't stop looking at you. Ever. Two, he arranged all of this." Gesturing to the dresses hanging to the side and the ladies behind us. "For you." She points at me, to drive the point home. "And three, the way you two were last night. You fell asleep and he just pulled you in tighter. Like he didn't want to let you go." Her voice full of emotion. A little flutter started in my chest and the ladies behind all sighed in unison, reminding me they were there. This conversation was a little too public for my liking. "He didn't have a reason to stop the wedding before. But now he has. He's been stuck with his 'duty' for too long." The ladies gasp as if they just realised who were talking about. Oh no.