What’s a carrot doing inside my shoe?”
Faybelle Thorn, daughter of the notoriously wicked Dark Fairy, turned her high-top sneaker upside down. A half-eaten carrot fell out and landed on the plush carpet. The corner of Faybelle’s lip curled in annoyance. “I certainly didn’t put it there.”
“Oops. Sorry.” That familiar response came from Faybelle’s roommate, Bunny Blanc, daughter of the famously late White Rabbit. Bunny had the annoying habit of munching on carrots while working on her thronework. Without looking up from her MirrorPad or her hextbook, she’d toss the carrot tops at the compost bin, but they’d often end up in other places. Yesterday Faybelle had found one in her sock drawer.
“I don’t know how you can stand eating those things all the time,” Faybelle said as she laced up her shoe.
“Carrots are delicious,” Bunny told her. She collected the carrot top and dumped it into the bin. Then she grabbed her book bag and scurried toward the door.
“You know what I think is delicious?” Faybelle asked, a cool tone in her voice. Bunny stopped in her tracks and spun around.
“Turnips? Cabbage? Beanstalk roots?”
Faybelle raised a single eyebrow. “I think dark magic is delicious.”
Bunny’s eyes widened. Her gaze darted to the wall, to a painting of the Thorn family crest. In the center of the crest, the motto Doers of Dark Magic wrapped around an evil-looking eye that seemed to follow Bunny no matter where she stood in the room. The painting was intimidating to some and inspirational to others, depending on what side of the magical world one stood. “You can’t eat dark magic,” Bunny said, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced.
“A dark fairy can do whatever she pleases with dark magic,” Faybelle coolly informed her.
Bunny’s nose twitched. It thrilled Faybelle to see that her little “dark magic” comment had stirred uncertainty in her roommate. Of course, Faybelle would never use dark magic to hurt Bunny, or any other student at Ever After High. Causing harm to others could get her expelled. While at school, it was best to follow the headmaster’s rules—or, at the very least, appear to be doing so. But every once in a while, a reminder was needed. Faybelle was no ordinary student. And that fact should never be forgotten—not by her roommate, not by anyone.
Faybelle’s mother was the Dark Fairy, the one who hadn’t been invited to the celebration after Sleeping Beauty was born, and thus had cursed Sleeping Beauty to sleep for one hundred years. The Dark Fairy was royalty in the fairy world, and it was Faybelle’s destiny to one day wear her mother’s crown and become the most villainous of all fairies. It was, in Faybelle’s opinion, a glorious destiny, and it filled her with pride.
So, as she looked at her Wonderland roommate, she smiled most wickedly. “In the future, I suggest you keep your veggie snacks on your side of the room.” Her eyes blazed, and both beds rose off the floor, just a little reminder of her magical powers.
“Sure, okay.” Bunny gulped. “You’re right. I’ve been kind of messy. Oh dear, is that the correct time? I’m going to be late for a very important date.” And off she went, as quickly as she could. Who could blame her for wanting to make her escape? Rooming with the daughter of the darkest of dark fairies was a bit unsettling at times.
Bark, bark.
Faybelle reached down and scooped a small fluffball into her arms. The creature was a wiggling, wagging, wet-nosed Pom-Pomeranian puppy named Spindle. These were the moments when Faybelle allowed her icy exterior to melt, for she loved Spindle with all her heart. This might have surprised some, but being a villain did not mean that Faybelle was incapable of love. Quite the opposite. Faybelle felt things deeply, and she loved her family with the ferocity of a fairy. Fairy hearts might be smaller than human hearts, but they beat with a rhythm that is powered by magic. Fairies are capable of love without measure.
But so, too, are they capable of the darker emotions, also without measure.
She kissed Spindle’s head, hugged him, and laughed when he licked her cheeks. “That’s enough, little one,” she said tenderly. “I’ve got to finish getting dressed. It’s a busy day, as usual.” She set him on her bed. He stretched onto his tummy, watching while Faybelle finished tying her sneakers.
Shoes in place, Faybelle walked over to her vanity, carefully stepping over a turnip top along the way. Aside from Bunny’s tedious habit of eating raw vegetables, there was nothing wrong with Bunny. But Faybelle couldn’t understand why the headmaster had chosen such a weird pairing for roommates. Why not select someone who, at the very least, was part of Faybelle’s story? Like Briar Beauty, who Faybelle would someday curse to fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years. Or, if not a character from her story, why not choose another villain’s daughter, like Lizzie Hearts or Ginger Breadhouse? Or, even better, why not another fairy? At least a fairy wouldn’t have a stupid collection of Wonderland teacups. A fairy wouldn’t gnaw on roots and tubers! And a fairy would understand the importance of wing care.
If I ran this school, things would be totally different, Faybelle mused. She’d have an entire floor of the dormitory all to herself, as a future ruler rightfully deserves. Once she took her place as the Dark Fairy, she’d come back to Ever After High and change things. That will be a glorious day.
But in the meantime, she had other things to tend to. Like her duties as the Cheerhexing Squad captain. Today was a very important day for her team. They would begin to learn a new routine for the regional tournament next month, where all the high schools in the fable districts would compete for the title of Cheerhexing Champions. Before Faybelle rose to the ranks of captain, the Ever After High cheerhexers had a losing streak that spanned generations. Faybelle was determined to bring home the golden trophy and place it in the trophy case in the Ever After High Grimmnasium.
Faybelle stood in front of her mirror. She pulled her shimmering blond hair into a high ponytail and chose a headband with a thorn ornament to hold her teal bangs in place. She inspected her reflection to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Her cheerhexing uniform included a shimmering skirt, a T-shirt with the letters EAH, and midnight-blue leggings. The pom-poms were already tucked into her equipment bag. There was only one thing more to do.
She unfolded her wings.
Fairy wings are unique in the winged world. Neither made of feathers like a bird’s wings nor stretched skin like a bat’s, they are more akin to butterfly wings. Each wing is made of overlapping sections that are ultrathin. When light shines through, the sections act like prisms, casting brilliant colors and sometimes even rainbows. When not in use, the wings are folded and flattened against the back. Fairy clothing was tailored to include wing holes. Faybelle’s wings were so iridescent they complemented any outfit she chose.
Faybelle glanced out the dormitory window. The morning was pleasantly sunny, the sky as blue as the icing on a thronecake. A perfect day for practice. She searched through the bottles, perfumes, and cosmetics on her vanity. She used many products to keep her wings healthy. After showering, she’d treat them with a leave-on conditioner, to keep them glossy and supple. “Oh, there it is,” she said as she grabbed a bottle. Then she reached over each shoulder and spritzed her wing tips with sunscreen.
“Always be proud of your wings,” her mother had often told her. “They set you apart from the rest of the fairytale world. They are the symbol that you, my darling daughter, are made of magic.”
I certainly am, Faybelle thought. With a satisfied smirk, she tucked Spindle in the crook of her arm and headed out to begin what she hoped would be another villainous day. And she made sure that her wings were proudly displayed for all to see.