twelve

All night long, Sylva worked hard. She had to move the jewelry off the dressing table so she could use it to do her work. “I’ll put it all back, Squeak, don’t worry.”

Sylva knew just what would suit Clara’s outfit best. She sewed six bright pieces of sea glass on the neckline of Clara’s turquoise gown.

“Doo!” said Squeak.

“Oh, do you think it’s pretty?” asked Sylva. She sewed on two more.

“A-dah!” said Squeak.

“Yes, I’d say it’s perfect, too.”

Next, Sylva looked at Rosy’s cheerful pink gingham dress a long time. It was fresh and sweet and not too fancy, just like Rosy.

“Rosy doesn’t think she’s as pretty as other fairies,” Sylva whispered to Squeak. “But I think she’s the loveliest of them all.”

Sylva wanted to do a good job for Rosy. She was planning to save the hermit crabs for Golden, but she noticed that they both had a little pink sheen to their shells, so she tied them onto Rosy’s dancing shoes. It was fiddly work, as the hermit crabs weren’t used to being shoe buckles, and they were rather snappish.

When it came to Goldie’s dress, Sylva knew she’d have to get it just right. Golden’s dress quite took her breath away. It was pure white, whiter than the snow just after it falls. The top would show off Goldie’s pretty shoulders. And the skirt! Well, it was made of the softest down feathers and looked as if it could float away.

“This will be so beautiful when Goldie gets her diamond wings!” said Sylva in a hushed voice. “What could I possibly do to make it more beautiful still?”