Jamie came back 10 minutes later, carrying his guitar. Ellie turned of the music and Jamie started to play. They all started singing. The contrast gave an incredible sound. Soft, loud and sweet. It was amazing. It was as though they had all be singing their whole lives. Professional and experienced, but also young and new. The lyrics were a beautiful mix. The chorus of maravish sounded strangely hypnotizing, while the English words were somehow comforting and normal. When the song ended, they all heard a loud clapping noise coming from the door. The trio turned, and stared in horror at what seemed to be most of the maravish royal household.
"Sorry your majesty!" Lottie said immediately, doing a wobbly curtsy and blushing furiously.
"It's ok, Charlotte." The Queen smiled, "I must say, I never knew you could all sing so well."
At this, even Ellie blushed slightly. She looked like she had been given a trophy.
"We'll finish painting now." Jamie said.
"No, no. That won't be necessary." The king said.
"Really?" Ellie beamed.
"Yes. No more of this though." The king said sternly.
"Yes, your majesty." Lottie and Jamie said in unison. These words made Lottie's heart sank, though she knew it had to be said.
The three teenagers were flown to Paris the next day to pick up the dresses for the maravish ball.
"This is going to be weird." Ellie said, giving Jamie a sideways look.
"Yes. But at least it means we get to wear these beautiful dresses again!" Lottie smiled.
"Well, we better hurry." Jamie said, pointing to his watch, "the ball is tomorrow and we have to be back to do all the preparations."
Ellie picked up an all-black dress that had tiny shining sapphires on the neckline.
"That'll do." She muttered, fading it carelessly and putting it into a box.
Lottie carefully looked at the dresses on her rack. Then, a sudden gleam of light shone if one of these dresses as if it was glowing. It was peach, with sheer, sparkling sleeves and a small frill around the waist and gold thread on the hem. It was perfect. There was a label on it that read 'Chika'.
"Wow..." Lottie breathed.
"Chika? Weird." Ellie laughed.
"It's a Japanese name. It means falling petals." Jamie said.
Lottie took the dress of the rack and went to try it on. It fitted perfectly, the fabric shining in the bright light of the dressing room. She carefully opened a white box, which twinkled in the lights. The box contained white pumps with a tiny kitten heel. They had a small opal on the toe which looked like it had all the colours of the rainbow reflected on its sparkling surface. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a princess.