On the other side of the moat, Sophie was marvelling the School for Good.
She had awoken under red and yellow lilies that appeared to be having an animated conversation. Sophie was sure she was the subject, for the lilies gestured gracefully at her with their leaves and buds. Their matter seemed settled and the flowers hunched like fussing grandmothers and wrapped their stems around her waist. With a gentle tug, they yanked her to her feet and Sophie gazed out at a field of girls, blooming gloriously around a shimmering lake.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The girls grew right from the earth. First heads poked through soft dirt, then necks, then up and up until they stretched their arms into fluffy blue sky and planted delicate slippers upon the ground. But it wasn't the sight of sprouting girls that made Sophie marvel.
It was the fact that they all looked exactly like her. Flawless complexions, silky hair and impeccable etiquette. They all wore downy dresses of peach, yellow and white like a batch of Easter eggs. Sophie had waited her whole life to fit in. And here she was, surrounded by girls she hoped she'd become quick friends with.
Teams of three glitter-winged fairies each flew to their assigned student and served them honey-bush tea, picking misshapen leaves out of their hair, before taking their luggage and idly chatting.
Sophie's fairies tinkled with laughter and joy at the fact that they were helping to serve her and in return Sophie complimented them and thanked them for their generosity. The fairies blushed brightly, in awe at Sophie's princess curls and beautifully bright eyes.
In the distance, sweet bells rang out from the spectacular pink and blue glass castle across the lake. The teams of fairies all grabbed their girls by the shoulders, hoisted them into the air, and flew them across the lake towards the towers.
When the fairies brought the girls down in front of the glass castle, they let go of their shoulders and let them proceed freely. Sophie thanked her fairies and looked back across the lake. Where's Agatha?
The crystal water turned to slimy moat halfway across the lake; gray fog obscured whatever lay in the opposite banks. If Sophie was to ever see Agatha again, she would need a way to cross over that moat.
Sophie's fairies chimed cheerfully for her to continue moving forward. Mirrored words arched over the golden gates ahead:
The School for Good
Enlightenment and Enchantment
Sophie caught her reflection in the letters and hurriedly combed her fingers through her slightly messy hair. First impressions were everything.
Moving forward, Sophie glanced up at the frosted castle doors, emblazoned with two white swans. But as the doors opened and fairies herded the girls into a tight, mirrored corridor, the line came to halt and a group of girls circled her like sharks.
They stared at her for a moment and she gulped. Sophie met their stares as a few fairies buzzed to get the mass moving, but most just perched on the girls' shoulders and watched.
Finally, one of the girls stepped forward, with waist-length gold hair, succulent lips and topaz eyes. She looked almost like a twin of Sophie.
"Hello, I'm Beatrix," she said sweetly. "I didn't catch your name."
"That's because I never mentioned it. My name is Sophie." she smiled warmly at Beatrix and met her hard gaze.
The corridor was silent and you could hear a pin drop. After a few agonising seconds, Beatrix smiled back and took Sophie's arm.
"Hello Sophie. Welcome to the School for Good. The legendary school for beautiful and worthy girls destined to be princesses." Beatrix laughed, a tinkly sound, and soon the inner circle of girls surrounding the pair were giggling too.
Beatrix guided Sophie to the front of the crowd, both girls' fairy teams buzzing behind them.
The girls stood, postures perfect, at the very front and a floating, seven-foot nymph moves aside to reveal a foyer so magnificent Sophie lost her breath.
"Welcome, New Princesses," The nymph addressed the growing mass. "Welcome to the School for Good."
YOU ARE READING
Purely Wicked (discontinued)
RomanceEvery four years two children are stolen away from Gavaldon, never to return. Most children fear being taken to the School for Good and Evil. But not Sophie... She has dreamt all her life of being a princess and believes the school could be her chan...
