Rosa in Sparkle City (3 page)

Rosa and Violet could barely keep their wings flapping as they returned to Glimmershine Palace. They were exhausted from their morning's shopping in Diamond Boulevard, but at least the shopping-storks' nets were completely full of pieces to include in the fashion show. They'd bumped into lots more of their fairy friends, who they'd asked to be models – and they'd all been excited about being in the show. And Rosa and Violet were so pleased that Topaz had agreed to be a fairy-stylist, along with Ivy and Opal.

“Let's go and get some starberry shakes for all of us, and then see how Buttercup and Bluebell are doing,” suggested Violet.

Rosa thought that sounded like a wonderful idea – starberries were known for their wake-me-up qualities, and they really needed that right now!

They popped into the palace's kitchens, where the fairy-cook, Berry, slipped them four yummy clover cupcakes as well as the shakes. Then Rosa and Violet flew up to the fifth floor.

“How did you get on?” asked Bluebell. She was sketching in her notepad while Buttercup spread waves of glorious fabric across each of the studio's tables.

“We got lots of stuff,” said Violet as she shared the drinks and snacks around. “And we found models and stylists to help in the show.”

“But we still don't know what we're doing for the final piece,” Rosa added, rubbing her forehead.

Buttercup went over to one of the moth-silk threads and unpinned some outfits. “We've made these pink-edged denim dungarees, an orange-print blouse and a petal-bottomed chiffon maxi-dress.” She whizzed over to the other side of the room. “And here's a five-layered frill skirt and a dip-dyed rainbow wrap dress. But I don't think any of them are right for the highlight of the show.”

The fairies looked down, silent. The outfits were gorgeous, but they needed something particularly special.

“Come on.” Bluebell jumped up from the glass table. “We won't find a solution like this. And we're the fashion fairy princesses, after all – I'm sure we can think of something!”

“Bluebell's right,” Buttercup said softly, although she couldn't help wringing her hands. “We mustn't give up.”

Rosa picked up Bluebell's sketchpad and turned it to a blank page. “How about a shower-sparkle brainstorm?”

The other fairies grinned. They liked the sound of that!

Bluebell pulled out a jar of shower-sparkles from a nearby cupboard. The fairy princesses sat themselves around one of the studio's large tables, Bluebell's sketchpad in the middle.

“Ready?” Bluebell asked, and the fairy princesses all nodded.

Bluebell unscrewed the jar carefully and flung up the contents over the centre of the table. The glistening sparkles hung in the air like spinning stars, and as the fairy princesses thought of ideas, they began to float down and settle on the sketchpad.

It was a magical sight as the four best friends' ideas landed on the page. The sparkles formed glittering lines and colours – skirts, dresses, tops and blouses.

“Oooh, what's that?” Bluebell asked, her blue eyes alight. She pointed to a dress with a long train made up of too many layers to count.

“That's my idea,” said Rosa. “I suddenly thought about a special jubilee dress with fifty different coloured layers of silk to represent the fifty years of the king and queen's rule. The silk would billow out in the air as the wearer flies.”

The other fairy princesses smiled. It sounded magnificent!

Rosa was staring hard at the paper. “But I think it needs something else. . .”

“I know. How about fifty different jewels around the neckline?” said Violet. “They could reflect multicoloured lights all around the wearer!” The remaining shower-sparkles that were still floating in the air drifted down to depict the jewels on the dress.

“It's perfect!” said Bluebell and Buttercup together.

“The only problem is,” said Rosa with a frown, “where do we find such enchanted jewels?”

Violet grinned. “Jewel Forest, of course!”

“You're right, and I'm sure the forest fairies would help us,” Buttercup said shyly. “But do we have enough time? We'll never fly there and back in time for the show tomorrow.”

“We could ask the royal butterflies to take us – it is an important errand, after all,” said Bluebell.

Rosa was nodding. “But we need to get the dress and the other outfits made too. Why don't you and Violet go to fetch the jewels, and Buttercup and I will stay here?”

Violet grinned. “Good thinking!” she said, and she and Bluebell rushed off to the butterfly stables at the rear of the palace.

Moments later, through the large studio windows, Rosa watched Violet and Bluebell sail off on two gorgeous butterflies. Their soft purple wings beat steadily, soaring into the sky.

Rosa turned to Buttercup. “We might just make this fashion show the best ever,” she said, her heart lifting with relief.

A knock at the door made the two friends jump. A little fairy-helper with ruby-red wings peered in. “A delivery for you,” she called. “Actually, no, wait,
three
deliveries!”

The fairy princesses took the packages from the helper, who was almost completely hidden by the parcels. “What do you think they are?” Buttercup asked Rosa.

“There's only one way to find out!” Rosa replied. She set down one of the parcels on to a glass table and untied the long green ribbon, which held together an object wrapped in green crêpe paper. “Oooh, pearl bracelets from the mermaids in Glitter Ocean. The note says they heard about the fashion show and sent them specially. How sweet of them!”

Meanwhile, Buttercup was unwrapping a small red box. “Shell earrings,” she told Rosa, “from the sand fairies on Shimmer Island. They're gorgeous!”

The third package was the most impressive of all. It was wrapped with silver-threaded cream paper and tied with a piece of red silk. Inside was a beautiful beaded necklace from the dream fairies. “The note says the beads are made from stone buried deep inside Dream Mountain,” said Rosa, “and that the rock beads will bring us good luck.”

“I do hope so!” said Buttercup as she began gathering silks for the dress.

They had such kind friends, Rosa thought, as she fluttered over to help Buttercup. Now that everything was coming together, she couldn't wait for the show!

“That looks beautiful, Bluebell!” Rosa said admiringly. Her friend swirled around in a blue organza dress. The shimmering folds rested perfectly on the floor.

“Thanks, Rosa,” said Bluebell, grinning in front of the studio's mirrors. The mirrors were angled in such a way that she could see every side of herself. It also made it seem like there were at least six of her! “Can you pass me the lavender corsage from the table?”

Rosa put down the outfit she was working on and plucked up the tiny piece of lavender, which was tied tightly with a piece of ribbon. She took a sniff as she passed it to Bluebell. It smelled wonderful – the lavender was sweet and soothing. “Wow,” Rosa breathed.

“On the way home from Jewel Forest, we found a whole bunch of lavender bushes in Pickleput Orchard,” Violet explained, and then winked. “And I may have added just a touch of fairy magic to make the scent last!”

Just after lunch, Violet and Bluebell had brought back the fifty jewels they needed from Jewel Forest, and Rosa had spent the whole afternoon using glitter glue to stick them to the gorgeous, multicoloured jubilee dress. Her fingers were sore, but she still had lots of the jewels to glue on! Meanwhile the other fairy princesses had to make a few finishing touches and then they could get an early night – ready for the big show the following day.

“That's the dandelion-seed scarf done,” announced Buttercup, hanging it up on the moth-silk thread above her.

“And this is finished too!” Violet was holding up a stylish purple tweed jacket and shorts suit which had honeysuckle flowers dotted on the collar, sleeves and cuffs.

Rosa had her tongue stuck out in concentration. “Just this one last jewel to go,” she said finally, gripping a tiny ruby in a pair of wishbone tweezers. “There, finished!”

The four fashion fairy princesses stood back and looked at all their creations filling up Studio Sublime. What an honour it would be to show them all off tomorrow! All the outfits looked fantastic, but the fairy princesses agreed that the final jubilee dress was simply breathtaking.

“I love how all the jewels light up the studio!” said Bluebell as the others all nodded.

Rosa felt a warm glow of pride.
It was worth spending
all those hours gluing them on
, she thought.

“We should get to bed,” Rosa said, taking one last look at the dress over her shoulder before turning off the lights.

Even in the darkness the jewels from the dress shone like stars.

 

Tap, tap! Tap, tap!

Rosa sat up in bed. She'd been trying to get to sleep for hours, but all she could think about was the fashion show. “Who is it?” she called.

“It's me, Violet.” The fairy princess's dark curly hair poked around the door.

“And me.”

“Me three!”

Rosa blinked as Bluebell's brown bobbed head appeared below Violet's and then Buttercup's head popped up above.

“We're way too excited to sleep,” Violet explained as the three fairy princesses fluttered into the room, all wearing their nightgowns.

“My mind's full of fabrics and outfits and jewellery!” added Bluebell.

Rosa couldn't help but grin at her friends. “I feel the same, but we have to at least
try
to get some sleep before tomorrow.”

Buttercup perched on the corner of Rosa's pink four-poster bed. “I thought we might go for a walk,” she said in her soft, feathery voice. “It might help calm us down.”

Suddenly a walk seemed like the perfect idea, and by the look of the sky through Rosa's window, it was a lovely mild evening. She jumped out of bed, wrapping her pink cloud-cotton nightgown around her heart-print pyjamas. “You're right – let's go!” she agreed.

The fairy princesses were soon skipping through the palace's glittering doors and along the cobbled drive.

“Perhaps we could go and see the catwalk in Paradise Square,” Buttercup suggested as they all linked arms and stepped daintily over the stones. The fairy princesses loved to fly, but sometimes it was nice to slow down and walk together.

“Oooh, yes, it should be up by now,” said Violet.

“Look there – I think I can see it.” Bluebell was pointing to something glistening in the distance.

As the four friends got closer, they could see just how majestic the fashion catwalk was. The long, delicate walkway was made entirely of crystal. As it caught the moonlight it made the whole of Paradise Square light up.

“It's magical,” Rosa breathed.

“I bet it needed a giant heap of fairy magic!” said Violet, laughing.

Bluebell was tiptoeing across the pavement, looking down at the Paradise Square stones – some empty, some filled with fairy names. “Just imagine,” she said. “This time tomorrow, our names could be here!”

“Oh, I do hope everyone likes our outfits,” said Buttercup.

“Do you know, I really think they will,”Rosa said, putting her arms out to her friends.The fairies stood silently for a moment, their arms around each other, watching the gentle glow of the beautiful catwalk.

As the moon's light began to fade, the fairies made their way back to Glimmershine Palace. The four best friends were all yawning as they reached the grand front door.

“Did you have a nice walk?” asked the fairy-helper at the door.

“Yes, thank you,” Violet replied. “And now we're really ready for bed!”

“Would you like me to arrange for some daisy-milk to be brought to you?” the helper suggested.

“Yes, please!” the fairy princesses said at once.

It wasn't long before they were all tucked up in bed in their separate quarters, sipping hot, sweet daisy-milk from wing-handled butterfly mugs. Rosa put her empty mug on her cherry-tree nightstand and sank into her soft peacock-feather duvet. She drifted off to sleep, feeling calmer – and surer than ever that tomorrow's show would be as wonderful as they hoped.