really uncomfortable. The men whispered furiously, hands held in front of their mouths like schoolgirls, and occasionally they would either nod or shake their heads so vigorously that the judge's powered wig almost fell off.
The door opened, and Fairy Godmother and the Beast reentered the chamber. The men jumped to their feet.
"I have made my decision," Fairy Godmother announced. "Miss Lightfoot, His Highness the Beast has the right to accompany you, as Beauty is his key to victory over the Evil Witch. Thus, I will allow him to go."
Melinda groaned with dismay.
"However, your concern too is valid, and it will be in no one's interests if his appearance is a burden. Therefore, I will put a spell on him to restore his true form for three days. Both of you must work together to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch back to us before the magic wears off." Fairy Godmother turned to the Beast. "There is a caveat to my aid. You cannot allow Beauty to see your true form while you are in Miss Lightfoot's world. If she does, the Evil Witch can change the conditions required to break her curse."
The Beast's voice grumbled, "I understand."
"Further note that if you fail to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch back in three days, the division between our worlds will grow weak against the magic beacon the Evil Witch set when she left the Fairy Tale World. Once the beacon is firmly established, she will be able to flit in and out of
your
world, Miss Lightfoot, and will undoubtedly use her formidable magic to bring misery upon everyone. Nor will I be able to stop her, since the people of your world believe in tragic endings more readily than happy ones, and I will not be able to enter your world at will."
This was getting worse and worse. Not only was she going to cause misery in the Fairy Tale World, she was going to bring the chief creator of all heartaches and troubles to hers. How was she going to live it down if the Evil Witch cursed her friends, coworkers, neighbors and students? Life was already difficult enough; people didn't need more complications and curses.
And what about herself?
Melinda had always imagined that there was a Prince Charming out there for her, even though they hadn't met yet. With the Evil Witch running around free, the probability of her own happily ever after was nil. The Evil Witch didn't seem like the grateful type.
"Miss Lightfoot, I have also decided to give you a bit of magical help in your quest." Fairy Godmother gestured at Melinda's watch, and stardust shimmered briefly across the gap. "Your time device will tell you where the Evil Witch is so long as the sun is up. The Evil Witch is exceptionally powerful in your world, and I'm afraid my magic simply isn't strong enough to help you during the night, when my influence is at its weakest. When you're ready to return with His Highness the Beast, Beauty and the Evil Witch, make sure to be in the same room with them. Then tap the time device three times and say 'Happily ever after'. Understood?"
Melinda nodded.
"Now, Miss Lightfoot, you must promise to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch to our world within three days."
Melinda mounted a stand next to the prosecutor and raised her hand. "I swear to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch to your world within three days."
"Very well." Fairy Godmother nodded. "I wish you luck."
All the air left Melinda's lungs, suffocating her, and darkness swarm over her vision. She felt her legs crumble beneath her.
The last thing Melinda saw was Fairy Godmother's gentle smile as everything went black.
*** *** ***
Melinda gasped and blinked, trying to focus on a white blankness far from her. After a moment she realized the whiteness was actually a ceiling. The bedside lamps glowed soft gold, and she was...she felt the soft sheets under her palms and noticed the half-read
Beauty and the Beast
storybook lying face-down on the bedside table. The clock said 10:00 p.m. Right about the time she'd fallen asleep and entered the fairy
The door opened, and Fairy Godmother and the Beast reentered the chamber. The men jumped to their feet.
"I have made my decision," Fairy Godmother announced. "Miss Lightfoot, His Highness the Beast has the right to accompany you, as Beauty is his key to victory over the Evil Witch. Thus, I will allow him to go."
Melinda groaned with dismay.
"However, your concern too is valid, and it will be in no one's interests if his appearance is a burden. Therefore, I will put a spell on him to restore his true form for three days. Both of you must work together to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch back to us before the magic wears off." Fairy Godmother turned to the Beast. "There is a caveat to my aid. You cannot allow Beauty to see your true form while you are in Miss Lightfoot's world. If she does, the Evil Witch can change the conditions required to break her curse."
The Beast's voice grumbled, "I understand."
"Further note that if you fail to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch back in three days, the division between our worlds will grow weak against the magic beacon the Evil Witch set when she left the Fairy Tale World. Once the beacon is firmly established, she will be able to flit in and out of
your
world, Miss Lightfoot, and will undoubtedly use her formidable magic to bring misery upon everyone. Nor will I be able to stop her, since the people of your world believe in tragic endings more readily than happy ones, and I will not be able to enter your world at will."
This was getting worse and worse. Not only was she going to cause misery in the Fairy Tale World, she was going to bring the chief creator of all heartaches and troubles to hers. How was she going to live it down if the Evil Witch cursed her friends, coworkers, neighbors and students? Life was already difficult enough; people didn't need more complications and curses.
And what about herself?
Melinda had always imagined that there was a Prince Charming out there for her, even though they hadn't met yet. With the Evil Witch running around free, the probability of her own happily ever after was nil. The Evil Witch didn't seem like the grateful type.
"Miss Lightfoot, I have also decided to give you a bit of magical help in your quest." Fairy Godmother gestured at Melinda's watch, and stardust shimmered briefly across the gap. "Your time device will tell you where the Evil Witch is so long as the sun is up. The Evil Witch is exceptionally powerful in your world, and I'm afraid my magic simply isn't strong enough to help you during the night, when my influence is at its weakest. When you're ready to return with His Highness the Beast, Beauty and the Evil Witch, make sure to be in the same room with them. Then tap the time device three times and say 'Happily ever after'. Understood?"
Melinda nodded.
"Now, Miss Lightfoot, you must promise to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch to our world within three days."
Melinda mounted a stand next to the prosecutor and raised her hand. "I swear to bring Beauty and the Evil Witch to your world within three days."
"Very well." Fairy Godmother nodded. "I wish you luck."
All the air left Melinda's lungs, suffocating her, and darkness swarm over her vision. She felt her legs crumble beneath her.
The last thing Melinda saw was Fairy Godmother's gentle smile as everything went black.
*** *** ***
Melinda gasped and blinked, trying to focus on a white blankness far from her. After a moment she realized the whiteness was actually a ceiling. The bedside lamps glowed soft gold, and she was...she felt the soft sheets under her palms and noticed the half-read
Beauty and the Beast
storybook lying face-down on the bedside table. The clock said 10:00 p.m. Right about the time she'd fallen asleep and entered the fairy
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