Inside the Velmire Palace, the dining hall stood silent, save for the soft flicker of floating candles. A long table of dark wood stretched across the stone floor, crowded with platters of roasted meats and sweet nectar that no one seemed to touch. King Alaric sat at the head of the table, his crown casting a shadow over his tired eyes as he looked at his five daughters.
"You must eat," the King said, his voice a low rumble. "The journey to the Vebovarria Palace is long, and the Empress expects guests who carry the strength of our bloodline. We cannot have the princesses of Velmire appearing frail before her throne."
Arcelia, the eldest, kept her head bowed, while the second princess looked up with a curious frown. "Father, is the rumor true? Is the Empress truly holding this ball just for the Prince?"
The King exhaled, a heavy sound that seemed to carry the weight of the entire kingdom. "It is. The Empress is desperate. Her son, Prince Kael Valrenthessar, has no interest in women or the court; he only finds peace on the battlefield. She is holding this royal ball to force him to look at the daughters of the empire.
She hopes that if he finds a woman who can capture his heart, His Majesty will finally lay down his sword and accept his place as a future ruler."
He leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "That is why you five must look your best. You must use your beauty and your charm to impress him. If he falls in love with a daughter of Velmire, our position in the empire is safe forever."
The Queen nodded, her voice steady. "Charm is a weapon, my daughters. You will wear the finest silk, and you will speak with the grace of the stars. The Empress wants a daughter-in-law who can bring life back to her silent halls."
The conversation shifted then, turning toward the cold reality of politics. The King began to speak of the neighboring rivals who were already sending their own representatives to the Empress. He spoke of the vast wealth and the deep stone mines held by the Vebovarria family, and how Velmire's control over the food and the magic of the earth was their only leverage.
"If we do not win this alliance," the King warned, "the Southern Lords will surely move in. They are already whispering in the Empress's ear, trying to steal our trade rights."
Princess Liana, the youngest, shivered. Her hand went to her forehead, her skin looking pale under the golden light. "I just... the room feels very hot, Father. I feel a bit dizzy."
"Stop that nonsense and eat up," the King snapped, his voice cold. "You will not show such weakness. We leave in two days for the Royal Ball. The Cinder Gala is being prepared, and the competition will be fierce."
As they talked of the political ties and the danger of their rivals, none of them noticed a small, red-haired fairy peeking through the high window. Pip held onto the stone ledge, her eyes fixed on Liana. She saw the girl's trembling hands and the flush of a rising fever.
Pip's mouth curled into a devious, toothy grin. She knew Liana wouldn't be making any journey in two days.
"If the Prince needs to fall in love," Pip whispered to herself, her wings buzzing with a wicked energy, "then I'll just have to make him drink a love potion."
The moon hung low over the Velmire gardens, casting long, swaying shadows across the wooden floor of the gardener's shack. Inside, Aster was sprawled on his back, his mouth wide open like a barn door. He was letting out a series of rhythmic, rattling snores that sounded remarkably like a pig trying to play a trumpet.
The red-haired fairy, Pip, hovered just above his nose. Her tiny face was twisted in a look of deep horror. She pulled her lips back, baring her small teeth in a grimace of pure disgust.
"How can something so large be so... loud?" she hissed, her voice a sharp chime. "It's like a Balker beast that lives in the Cave."
Determined to wake Aster, she flew down and grabbed his left eyelid with both hands. She braced her tiny feet against his cheek and pulled upward with a grunt, her wings flapping wildly for leverage. The eyelid stretched, showing a sliver of eyeball, but the moment she let go to catch her breath, it snapped shut with a wet click.
Aster didn't even twitch; he just let out a wet snort that sent Pip tumbling backward through the air.
"Right," Pip muttered, shaking her tiny fist. "No more being nice. You asked for this, you big lump."
She flew back to the center of his chest and raised her wooden wand. The star at the top began to pulse with a dark, swampy green light. She took a deep breath, her wings fluttering with mischief, and shouted:
"Wart-Skin, Green-Belly, Heavy as Jelly!"
With a sudden, magical poof, a giant, warty
green frog—the size of a large dog—materialized out of thin air and landed directly on Aster's chest with a wet squelch.
"CROAK!"
The sound was like a bass drum exploding in the small room. Aster's eyes flew open, but all he could see was a massive, slimy green chin and two bulging golden eyes staring directly into his soul. The weight was crushing the air out of his lungs.
"GACK—!" Aster's voice died in his throat. He panicked, his arms flailing wildly as he tried to push the cold, damp creature off him.
"Get it off! Get it off me!"
With a desperate heave, he rolled sideways. The giant frog slid off his chest and hit the floor with a heavy thud, while Aster scrambled into the corner, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.
Pip doubled over in the air, her tiny wings shaking as she let out a shrill, sharp laugh. She clutched her stomach, pointing her wand at him. "Look at you! You're shaking like a leaf over a little toad!"
"A monster like that?!" Aster shrieked, clutching his chest. "That thing is a monster! It nearly flattened me! Why are you in my room, you crazy little bug?"
"Watch your mouth, gardener," Pip snapped, finally catching her breath, though her eyes were still dancing with laughter. "I'm here because we have a crisis. Princess Liana has a fever, and she's too sick to go to the Vebovarria Palace. If the Prince doesn't pick a bride from our kingdom, the Empress will look to our rivals, and this garden will be turned into a pile of rocks."
Aster stared at her, then looked at the giant frog, which was currently blinking at him. "And why is that my problem? Take your giant pet and go jump on a lily pad! I'm trying to sleep!"
"Don't be stupid," Pip said, landing on his knee and looking up at him. "The Queen was kind to my people when we had no home. I'm giving back that kindness by making sure the Prince picks one of the sisters. But I need a human to carry my magic into the ballroom. Someone the palace guards won't recognize as a man."
Aster sighed, rubbing his face. "Look, why would I help you? I just want to pull weeds and sleep. I don't want to go to a palace and talk to a tyrant prince."
Pip leaned in, her expression turning sly. "If you help me... I'll use my magic to help you with the garden. I'll make the soil so rich the plants will grow themselves. I'll help you plant the rare seeds your grandfather loves. You won't have to lift a finger for a month."
Aster was about to lie back with his hand on his head. He paused and looked at Pip, asking, "Are you sure?"
The fairy Pip answered with a cute expression, "Yes!"
But Aster just looked away and smiled. "Psh, in your dreams."
The fairy Pip flew to Aster's shoulder and sat down. "I could do it. A garden that grows itself? You could spend all day napping."
Aster looked at his right shoulder, seeing the fairy. Her face was full of sadness. She said "please" as she made a cute, begging face.
Aster finally said, "Fine. It's a deal. Do all my chores every day. But how do you expect to get me in?"
Aster thought about how an invitation is always important before you can enter. He stopped and looked at Pip. "There are guards at the gate. They check invitations and shout the names of every guest. How will you handle that? And in fact, I am not a woman. You can see that, right? I'm a man."
Pip didn't look worried. In fact, a slow, devious grin spread across her tiny face. It was the kind of smile that made the hair on the back of Aster's neck stand up.
"Oh, don't you worry about that," she chirped, her eyes glowing with a mischievous light. "I have a very special plan for your 'look.' When you walk through those doors, everyone will be looking at you."
Aster saw that evil smile and felt a sudden, cold shiver. He pulled the blanket up to his chin, his face twisting into a look of pure dread. "Why are you looking at me like I'm a science project? Pip? What is the plan?"
Pip just giggled, a sound like glass breaking. "You'll find out in two days. Just know that you're going to be the most beautiful girl in the room."
"What?! I never agreed to—"
But before he could finish, Pip flicked a pinch of sparkling dust into his face, and his world faded back into a dreamless sleep.