“Bella?” Bella’s bedroom doorknob turned, and a girl with braided blond hair peeked inside. The girl smiled when she saw the princess. “Good morning.”
Bella, sitting up in the middle of her already-made bed, grinned. “Lyssa! Oh, I thought you would never get here!”
The older girl looked at Bella’s wall clock. The clock had a baseball-size pink crystal surrounded by twelve smaller crystals. Two light beams shot out from the center of the big crystal and formed clock hands.
“It’s just after eight,” Lyssa said, laughing. She smoothed her gray skirt and teal blouse with pearl buttons. “I usually get here at this time.”
Fourteen-year-old Lyssa had been Bella’s handmaiden for more than a year, but she was more like a big sister. It was Lyssa’s job to help Bella dress, get to the castle’s schoolroom on time, complete all her homework, and assist Bella in any other way she might need.
Bella hopped off her bed and threw her arms around the older girl. “I know, but today’s special!”
“Really? Spill!” Lyssa said, hugging Bella back.
The princess let go of Lyssa and looked up at her. “Ben said . . . I get to ride Glimmer today!”
“Oh, wow! Bella, this is so exciting!” Lyssa took Bella’s hand and squeezed it. “Now I know why you already made your bed.”
Bella nodded. “I already washed my face, too. I was waiting for you to come and help me pick out riding clothes before breakfast. Would you?”
“Hmmm.” Lyssa tapped her cheek. “I don’t know. . . .”
Bella made puppy-dog eyes at Lyssa.
Lyssa laughed. “Okay. I mean, I guess I’ll help you.” She flipped up the nearby light switch and opened Bella’s closet door.
Both girls entered the walk-in closet. The bright-pink walls with a glitter top coat always made Bella feel cheerful. Racks of shoes were lined up along the walls, and Bella’s clothes spun on rotating display racks. A crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling cast tiny rainbows on the walls.
“Here are your clothes for riding,” Lyssa said. “You’ll need a pair of riding pants.”
“How about the black ones?” Bella asked.
Lyssa grabbed the pants and long socks, and the girls moved to the boots.
“I think these will be perfect,” Lyssa said. She held up a black pair of tall boots.
“I love them,” Bella said. “It was so cool of Mom and Dad to get me riding clothes when I got Glimmer. Otherwise, I’d have to ride in jeans and sneakers!”
“That wouldn’t be too bad, would it?” Lyssa asked.
Bella slipped into the socks and pants. “I didn’t think so, but Ben said I had to wear a shoe with a heel. And not a high heel. A boot heel. I’ll have to ask him why today. He did say jeans were kind of tight and uncomfortable for riding.”
Lyssa walked over to Bella’s T-shirts, nodding. “That makes sense. What color shirt, Bells? This will be a day you’ll remember forever! Fashion choices included.”
“Ummm.” Bella rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Purple! I want to match our auras.”
Lyssa handed Bella a purple tee with a glittery heart in the center and a jacket with pretty buttons. She held it up with a flourish, and Bella grinned.