Two Princesses + One Celebration = Awesome!
“BELLA!” Ivy and Clara shrieked.
Bella giggled at her friends’ faces. They were pink from shouting, and even Glimmer looked as if she was almost smiling.
“You sneak!” Ivy said. “When is she coming?”
“Tomorrow!” Bella said. “Violet’s staying at the castle all week, and she’s coming to our class party on Friday.”
“Ooh, yay!” Clara said. She clasped her hands together.
“My mom, dad, and I are meeting her at the end of the rainbow from the Foris Kingdom exit,” Bella said.
“Just when I thought next week couldn’t get any better,” Ivy said. She twirled a stalk of straw around her finger. “I can’t wait for Violet to get here.”
Glimmer added a soft whicker as if stating her opinion.
“This is going to be so much fun! You said you told Violet about your Pairing Ceremony,” Clara said. “Have you talked about auras yet? Does Violet know about Queen Fire?”
Bella shook her head. “Not yet. I told Violet the basics: that the aura appears on your eighth birthday. When the aura appears, you get to walk down a line of royal unicorns, watching each unicorn glow a different color until you both have the same aura glow color. I told Violet that mine is purple and, of course, sent her a million photos of Glimmer, but I haven’t told her about Queen Fire.”
Just saying the words “Queen Fire” left a bad taste in Bella’s mouth.
“Are you going to tell her?” Ivy asked, her voice soft.
It hadn’t been even a week since Bella had been up against the evil queen who ruled the Blacklands—a dangerous place that no one went near—and the Dark Forest.
“I think I have to,” Bella said. “Violet is family. Queen Fire is my”—she swallowed—“my mom’s twin sister. My aunt. I don’t want to keep a secret that big from her.”
Bella shook her head hard, trying to send thoughts of Queen Fire away. She knew she had to tell Violet—her younger cousin was three weeks away from her own Pairing Ceremony.
“No more talk of You Know Who today,” Clara declared. “We have lots of things to be excited about.”
Bella smiled. “We so do! A sleepover is a must this week. I want you both here as much as possible all week long.”
Just the thought of Violet visiting made Bella want to do cartwheels. Violet was one of her best friends, and they hadn’t had a week together in years. Usually they only saw each other during holidays or vacations. They had so much to talk about!
Violet’s parents had agreed to let the princess have a week off from her private tutor to spend time at Crystal Castle. Bella’s dad, King Phillip, had assured Violet’s parents that his niece needed to come spend time with kids her own age and the party would be good for her. The king and queen hadn’t wanted Bella to grow up lonely or without interaction with kids her own age, so that was why they had decided to have a small classroom in Crystal Castle.
“Did I mention how amazing this week is going to be?” Bella asked. She grinned, and they all cracked up. Laughing, the three friends high-fived.