Princess in Disguise (21 page)

Annie threw off her everyday gown as the tiny flower fairies struggled to lift the heavy garment into the air. Ducking, she slipped into the new gown, adjusting the long slashed sleeves lined with silver and the heavy, embroidered skirt. Although from a distance
the embroidery looked like an intricate design, up close it was a series of detailed interlocking flowers and butterflies.

“And now for your hair,” said Sweetness N Light. “Fairies, the brush!”

Annie braced herself as the fairies fluttered around her head, brushing her hair, arranging it around a silver circlet and tucking individual flowers into the curls. “Is Liam getting ready?” she finally thought to ask. “Do my parents know it's almost time?”

“Yes, yes, we've handled everything. There,” Sweetness N Light said as she tucked one last blossom into place. “You're all set. Oh, good. There's a mirror. Step over here and see how you look.”

Annie followed the fairy's directions, but stopped partway when she realized that Sweetness N Light was taking her to the magic mirror. Even before she spoke, the mist in the mirror swirled and the face formed. Annie was surprised. It was the first time she had ever seen the face smile.

“Ooh! A magic mirror!” said Sweetness N Light. “I've heard about those. I'm going to ask it a question and I bet I know the answer! Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest maid of all?”

“If you mean which girl who cleans is the fairest at games, that would be Maeve in the kitchen. She never cheats at jacks. But if you mean who is the most beautiful girl in the kingdom, that would be the princess
Annabelle. No one is more beautiful than a bride on her wedding day, especially this one.”

“That's so sweet!” exclaimed Sweetness N Light. “Come along, fairies, we must escort our lovely bride downstairs.”

They had all turned away and were headed to the door when the mirror muttered, “I had to say it. If I hadn't, she might have started to sing again.” Annie smiled, but she was the only one who seemed to have heard it.

Sweetness N Light stopped at the door. “Buttercup, go see if they're ready for the princess in the great hall.” After the little flower fairy had zipped away, Sweetness N Light turned to Annie, saying, “We need to arrive at just the right time so you can make your grand entrance without having to wait. Ah, here she is now. What took you so long?”

“Sorry,” the little fairy replied. “Moonbeam said to tell you that they'll be ready by the time the princess walks down all those stairs.”

Annie didn't care if the fairies thought she was slow; she practically flew down the stairs, stopping only when she was standing outside the door of the great hall. Gwendolyn, Snow White, and Ella were already there, dressed as bridesmaids in silver-gray gowns with blue flowers in their hair. They all looked beautiful, but what was so gratifying was that they seemed to think she did as well. They all smiled and
made appreciative sounds, but no one dared speak, for the great hall was full and the procession was about to begin.

Although she was at the end of the line, Annie was able to see some of the things the fairies had done to the hall. There were flowers everywhere, from the blooming cherry trees growing in the corners to the violets nestled among the rushes that covered the floor. Wisteria vines clung to the columns and spread across the walls, their blooms hanging like fragrant grapes overhead. Lilies and rosebushes grew beside the tables that had been pushed against the walls, their heady scents mingling with those of the wisteria and the cherry blossoms to create their own perfume. Annie could swear she saw butterflies fluttering around the flowers and hummingbirds like living jewels darting from one welcoming bloom to another.

Sweetness N Light was standing in the doorway. At her signal, a whole flock of nightingales began to sing just as Gwendolyn took the first step into the great hall. Annie followed her friends, but it wasn't until she entered the hall herself that she was able to see Liam waiting for her by the dais. A light mist filled the hall, and Annie gasped when she saw why. The fairies had created a rainbow at the far end of the room, placed so it would frame Annie and Liam.

Annie's eyes glistened with tears as she walked slowly up the aisle. It was the most beautiful wedding
she had ever seen and far surpassed anything she could have done herself. She smiled at her guests, spotting Lizette and Grimsby, Rose Red and Yardley seated behind Liam's father, King Montague. All of the princes who had tried to kiss Gwendolyn awake when she had been cursed were there as well, smiling back at Annie. Even Prince Digby, Gwendolyn's first suitor, seemed to be in a cheerful mood.

The fairies had done even more than she could have imagined. Any shred of resentment for their former mischief vanished, replaced by delight in what they had ultimately done. And then her eyes met Liam's as she stepped up beside him and she realized that the very best part of the wedding had been with her all along. As long as she had Liam, the rest was all just decoration.

With Liam at her side, gazing into her eyes, the wedding seemed to fly by in a beautiful blur. Before Annie knew it, the local priest was declaring them husband and wife and they were turning to face their family and friends. Suddenly dozens of white doves shot out of large woven-reed baskets to fly in a swirling loop overhead, then out the open windows. The nightingales began to sing again, and Annie saw more than one person dab tears from their eyes.

Within minutes Annie and Liam were standing alongside the bridesmaids and her parents in a formal receiving line. Her uncle and aunt, King Daneel
and Queen Theodora, were the first to congratulate the bridal couple, along with Annie's cousin, Prince Ainsley.

Moonbeam was the next in line. “I have to say, this was the most fun I've had in ages! Oh, I know you said that helping your friend Mertice would be your wedding gift, but I just couldn't help myself. I had to make that gown because I knew exactly what you needed to wear, my dear. And I was right! It looks perfect on you. The only catch is, you're going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight. Just kidding!” she exclaimed when she saw the horrified look on Annie's face. “A little fairy godmother humor!”

Although Annie laughed, it wasn't very convincing. Magic didn't work on her, but even so …

“Are you happy, my dears?” Sweetness N Light asked, stepping in front of Annie and Liam. She peered into their eyes as if their answers were of vital importance.

“Very happy,” Liam said, squeezing Annie's hand. “Thank you for all you've done.”

Annie remembered how important appearing to be happy was to Sweetness N Light. She demanded that all the fairies in her garden be happy, and made their lives miserable if they didn't act like it.

“Yes,” Annie said, glancing at Liam. “I've never been happier.”

And it was the truth.

THE TALES OF THE FROG PRINCESS:
The Frog Princess
Dragon's Breath
Once Upon a Curse
No Place for Magic
The Salamander Spell
The Dragon Princess
Dragon Kiss
A Prince among Frogs

Fairy Wings
Fairy Lies

TALES OF THE WIDE-AWAKE PRINCESS:
The Wide-Awake Princess
Unlocking the Spell
The Bravest Princess

A Question of Magic

The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker

Text copyright © 2015 by E. D. Baker

Map copyright © 2015 by Kimberly Bender

All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means, (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

First published in the United States of America in March 2015
by Bloomsbury Children's Books
Electronic edition published in March 2015
www.bloomsbury.com

Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Bloomsbury Children's Books, 1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Baker, E. D.
Princess in disguise / by E. D. Baker.
pages     cm
Summary: When everything starts going wrong on Annie and Liam's wedding day, Queen Karolina decides that they need the help of her fairy godmother, Moonbeam, but a magical fog keeps messengers from leaving so Annie and Liam themselves set out to discover who ruined the wedding, and why.
[1. Fairy tales. 2. Princesses—Fiction. 3. Magic—Fiction. 4. Disguise—Fiction.
5. Weddings—Fiction. 6. Characters in literature—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ8.B173Pt 2015       [Fic]—dc23       2014024657

eISBN: 978-1-61963-574-6

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