Princess Charming

Chapter 5: Elliot

"I can assure you that this really is happening, Elliot."

"Why are you here? Why me?"

"Because every member of every household in the kingdom was invited to Princess Charmaine's balls. Yet you are the only person this side of the river of tears who isn't there."

Hundreds of questions raced through Elliot's mind, about his parents, about magic, but before he could chose one to voice, the man - his fairy godfather - held up a hand.

"I am afraid we don't have time for explanations. If we're going to get you to the ball on time, we need to act fast."

"Right. I'll go and change." Elliot started forwards, towards the staircase. He could do with a few minutes alone to try and process what was happening.

"No time!" The fairy screamed at him. "No time to change at all. We'll have to work with what we've got. Hmm..." They both looked down at Elliot's clothes. He couldn't even remember what colour they had been to start with. Everything he owned was now black and threadbare. The knees on his trousers had worn through last week and he hadn't had a chance to patch them up yet. This wasn't how he wanted to appear at the ball. But going in rags was better than not going at all.

"No, no no! I'm not sending you in rags. Stop thinking so much. You're jumping to too many conclusions. I can fix what you're wearing. Just give me a second to hear myself think!"

Elliot tried very hard to clear his mind, which became increasingly difficult as the fairy started to dance around the room, muttering under his breath.

This had to be a joke. Selene and Helios must be watching at the windows, laughing while Elliot was duped by a madman. Well, he refused to be their sideshow. Maybe he could take advantage of the family's absence and have a bath. If he cleaned it afterwards no one would know. As he took a step towards the stairs, a strange sensation washed over him; like a crisp breeze on an autumn day, or light spring rain.

He looked down. His rags were gone, replaced by a tailored cream suit in the softest fabric Elliot had ever touched. Red piping trimmed the trousers and buttons of pure gold gleamed at the cuffs.

Elliot turned back towards the fairy, catching sight of his reflection in the entranceway mirror as he did so; his face and hair was cleaner than it had been in months. Even his nails looked neat and manicured.

"What... How..."

"Magic, of course, do keep up. There, you look much better in that than you would have in one of your father's old suits. Now all we need is transport..." Muttering more to himself than to Elliot, the fairy walked through the house and out into the garden. Elliot trailed behind, still marvelling at his new clothes.

"You'll need a coach, six horses, a driver and two coachmen..." The fairy was surveying the garden as if he expected these things to be hidden in the undergrowth.

"We only have one carriage and my step-father has already left in it. Couldn't you teleport us there, or something?"

"Teleport? I'm a fairy, not a wizard. Besides, how would it look if you appeared magically in the middle of the ballroom? You'd be arrested for witchcraft before you could say bippity boppity boo. No, you need to arrive the traditional way, or appear to at least." The fairy checked a remarkably ordinary looking wrist watch and shook his head. "No. There's no time for a carriage; I'm not very good at them, at any rate. You'll have to arrive on horseback tonight."

"But we don't have any horses left."

"That's okay. A mouse will do."

"A mouse?"

The fairy gave him a withering stare. "It's a pity I'm not in need of a parrot, since I appear to have one before me. Yes, a mouse. Do keep up!"

"I can check the traps; there's one out back. I usually catch them then let them go in the fields before Lucifer has a chance to get them. I'll go now and look."

"Don't worry, I'll do it!" The fairy rolled up his sleeves and rolled his hands around each other like he was winding up a piece of string. The mousetrap soon floated into view, a plump, startled mouse trapped inside. "Perfect," said the fairy. He expanded out his hands and the mouse began to grow at an alarming rate. In seconds, it burst through the trap entirely, but it didn't stop growing until it was the size of a stallion. Its ears and stomach receded, its fawn coat turned inky black. Before a minute had elapsed, the most magnificent horse Elliot had ever seen stood panting before him. It would outclass even the King's prize racers.

"Go on, up you get!" encouraged the fairy.

"What about reigns? A saddle?"

"You won't need them. He's timid as a mouse and will do whatever you tell him. Mind he doesn't catch sight of any cheese though..." The fairy trailed off, looking mildly concerned.

Elliot had been a confident rider in childhood, but hadn't been on a horse since his mother had died. He mounted the mouse with some trepidation, but the magical mount remained steady beneath him.

"There now, you're all set."

"But what will my step-father say when he sees me?"

"Don't worry; I've applied a glamour that has subtly altered your appearance. Even a childhood best friend wouldn't recognise you now," the fairy said with a wink. "But don't fear, you're just as handsome as ever and you'll be back to normal at midnight. Which is incidentally when all of this magic will run out, so make sure you're back home before then. Now, go and have fun. I'll be back at the same time tomorrow for ball two!" Before Elliot could ask anymore questions, the fairy winked and faded out of existence.

{This chapter ended up being much longer than I expected, even after I cut loads out! What did you think? Do you like Elliot's fairy-godfather? Please let me know with a comment or a vote}