seven

But it was possible. In fact, it was true. Sylva Bell was not allowed to go to the ball. It was the Fairy Way. Sylva Bell was so sad she cried fairy tears that covered the evening flowers with morning-time dew. Even Squeak tugging at her skirt and saying, “No lolo,” did not make her feel any better.

“What do you mean, ‘Don’t be sad’?” Sylva replied to Squeak, rather crossly. “You’d be sad, too, if you were one day too young to go to the ball.”

On Tuesday morning, Sylva did not even have fairy breakfast with her sisters. And this was a particular sacrifice on her part, because Tuesday fairy breakfasts are utterly delicious: lingonberry jam and wheat-berry toast; pomegranate juice poured over fresh-cut peaches; sweet oatmeal with sultanas and apples; blue hen eggs, medium-boiled; and prunes. Plus, that Tuesday, there was leftover blueberry cake.

“Apa!” said Squeak.

“Here’s some more,” said Sylva as she popped some cake crumbs into Squeak’s mouth. “But Clara will take care of you today. I’m afraid I need to go out for a while.”

Sylva flew sadly amid the fairy houses to the tip of Cathedral Pines, right at the top of Sheepskerry Island. She usually felt better there, for the pines were very high, and when the mist was rising, the sunlight streamed through the branches and made the whole thing look just like a dream. But today, even the chittering of the brown squirrels and the sweet, far-off whistles of the ospreys did not cheer her up. She sat down on the moss and sighed.

Just then Sylva’s best friend, Poppy Flower, flew up and landed lightly next to her. Poppy wrapped an arm around Sylva.

“I just heard!” said Poppy. “I am so sorry you can’t go to the ball, Sylva. You must feel dreadful!” She gave Sylva a tight hug.

Sylva just sniffed.

“It’s so unfair!” said Poppy. “To miss it by one day!”

“I know!”

“I’m not going to the ball either. I’m still too young.”

“Your birthday is ages away,” said Sylva. “Mine’s soon. But not soon enough.”

“Yes. That’s true. It makes it so much worse for you.” Poppy was a very good friend.

“It does!” said Sylva. “Maybe I could sneak in—just for a bit! No one would see me. I so long to see those diamond wings.”

“Sylva! You wouldn’t! Sneaking into the Fairy Ball would be a terrible thing to do. What would Queen Mab say?”

Sylva didn’t want to think.

“I won’t do anything like that,” said Sylva. “Not really.”

“Of course you won’t.” Poppy looked over at Sylva. “Promise?” she said.

“Promise,” said Sylva.

If only Sylva had not had to break her promise!