nine

Wednesday at the Bell fairy house was spent in Fairy Ball preparation, and there was more of the same the day after. Sylva could take no more of choosing between curly hair or straight, coral bangles or shell cuffs, silk wraps or satin. Luckily, Poppy stopped by the morning before the ball and took Sylva by the hand.

“Come on, Sylva, let’s see what we can find on the beach today,” said Poppy.

And so the two best friends went for a long walk on the Shoreland Trail. The beach was beautiful that day; cool and empty, it belonged to the sea alone. As they walked and Sylva felt the sand under her feet and looked out at the wild white waves, her troubles began to fall away. The water can do that for a fairy.

Sylva thought about going to the ball next year. She began to picture herself in a gown of forest green, to match her name. “I’ll put shells in my hair, Poppy, and sea glass on my dancing slippers. I’ll twirl and spin and everyone will say what a lovely young fairy I am. Ooh, and maybe Tink will even come see me at my first ball.”

“I’m sure she will, Sylva,” said Poppy, though she was fairly sure Tink would do nothing of the kind.

“And you’ll look nice, too,” said Sylva.

“Of course I will,” said Poppy. “And we’ll have diamond wings.”

“Clara says that the diamond wings are made of moonglow, and it’s only the Narwhal’s Tusk that turns the glow into jewels. The Narwhal’s Tusk must be really magical.”

“It’s the strongest magic on Sheepskerry Island. Maybe even in the Wide World.”

“That’s why Queen Mab takes it out just once a year at the Fairy Ball.”

They both thought about that for a while. Next year did not seem so very far away anymore, and that cheered them up a lot.

“Let’s collect some decorations for Clara and Rosy and Goldie,” said Sylva. “They might like shells for their hair—”

“I’m not sure, Sylva. . . .”

“—and starfish for their dancing shoes.”

“Haven’t they chosen all their own decorations already? Goldie must know just what she’s wearing.”

“Of course she does, but I know I would like it if someone did such a thing for me!”

Poppy wasn’t so sure, but the two best friends scoured the Shoreland Trail for all manner of treasure.

They found three hermit crabs, two of whom agreed to act as shoe buckles for one night. They collected heaps of sea glass, some of it the rarest shade of deep blue. And the mermaids, usually so greedy, took pity on the two little fairies and gave them a bucket filled with ropes of tiny seed pearls. “And you don’t even have to bring them back,” they sang.

The sun was going down by the time Poppy and Sylva had finished their treasure hunt.

“Come on, Poppy! Let’s get home before dark so we can show my big sisters what we’ve done for them!”