The Unexplainable Fairy Godmother (The Inscrutable Paris Beaufont Book 1)

by Sarah Noffke

  So as she filed into an auditorium inside the observatory, Paris decided not to sit in the back. The space was impressive with stadium seating and a massive screen at the front. Hovering high up in the air were models of the solar system's planets circulating as they did in space.

  Once in her seat and surrounded by whispering students, Paris imagined she looked strange surrounded by women in blue gowns while she sat in the middle in her all-black clothing and sporting her blonde hair.

  She hadn’t been seated for more than a minute when chimes filled the air like soft music. From the side of the stage, a fairy godmother with the pink sash on her blue robes emerged out of seemingly nowhere. The professor had dark skin and one bright blue eye and one brown one. Her long dreadlocks were braided down her back and were the same grayish-blue color as everyone else’s hair.

  “For those new to my class, my name is Professor Joyce Beacon. Welcome to Astrology,” the woman said in an airy tone while looking out over the students.

  Paris wanted to laugh since this introduction was aimed at her, although the professor didn’t look at her directly but rather around the room as if searching for the newbie. It was evident to all that Paris was the new student, but she didn’t raise her hand to draw more attention.

  “February is going to be a very unusual month due to the many planets in Aquarius, creating a celestial equinox of energy,” Professor Beacon explained, launching straight into the lecture. “This hasn’t happened in such a way for over sixty years, which relatively speaking is a very short time for fairies, but still noteworthy for its rarity.”

  Paris didn’t understand half of what this woman was saying, but she worked to keep the confusion off her face, as well as the ever-growing skepticism.

  “What does this activity with Aquarius mean?” Professor Beacon asked matter-of-factly.

  Not a damn thing, Paris thought.

  Before any of the students with their hands eagerly raised could answer, the fairy godmother stated, “February is going to be a flurry of activity. For our charges, that means there are several more factors that you all will have to take into account when evaluating successful matches. Now I understand that all you first-years aren’t yet doing real matches. These rehearsal ones will prepare you, and having a unique situation like this with so many planets in Aquarius is also good practice.”

  Paris had to cover her mouth to hide her laugh. This woman couldn’t be serious. They weren’t really pairing up potential matches based on their zodiacs? These were seemingly intelligent individuals at Happily Ever After College. How could they put such stock into things? Then Paris realized that she should have expected this was what the class was about. It was astrology, after all.

  On the trek to the observatory, Paris had deluded herself into thinking they’d watch interesting shows in the planetarium at the back or study constellations through the powerful telescopes in the observatory. She wanted to convince herself that they’d study astronomy using the ideas of physics and mathematics and science to understand the actual chemistry between two people. Alas, it looked like the fairy godmothers were putting stock into a bogus science founded in zero fact.

  “It’s important,” Professor Beacon continued, “that when assessing matches, you always look at both your Cinderellas’ and Prince Charmings’ sun signs as well as their rising sign.”

  Oh dear, this class was going to be a true demonstration in restraint. Paris didn’t know how she was going to keep her mouth shut.

  “For those new to the class, who wants to explain where the two charts come from?” the professor asked the class.

  A round of hands shot into the air.

  “Yes, Rainbow?” The fairy godmother pointed toward the back of the auditorium.

  The universe was really testing Paris now. There was a student named Rainbow in the class? No doubt a name that was the product of two hippy parents who probably birthed their child in the river and cut her umbilical cord with a stone. A woman named Rainbow was exactly the type of person that Paris thought would follow astrology and not do certain things based on the moon's position.

  “The sun sign is based on one’s birthday,” Rainbow answered. “The rising sign is calculated by the precise time of birth, place of birth, and day, month, and year of birth.”

  “Correct,” Professor Beacon stated proudly and walked along the stage. “You should always read the full forecast for your charge’s month. Otherwise, you could miss something. If you disregard one of the signs, you might plan a date for them on a particular day due to their sun sign, but their rising sign might state that leaving the house at that time could prove grave for your charges. So to get the whole picture, you have to consider both.”

  To Paris’ surprise, she found her hand in the air. It was such a shock that she looked up at the extended arm, wondering how it got there.

  “Yes, Ms. Paris Westbridge,” the professor called on her.

  “So are you saying that two people born at the same time, place, and everything else would be the same person?” she challenged. “Or that if two people all have the same place, date, and year of birth, but are one second apart that they’d have entirely different star charts?”

  “It’s impossible for two people to both be born at the same place, time, and everything else since two people can’t occupy the same space,” the professor shot back, annoyance flaring on her face.

  “So they are born a few feet apart,” Paris offered. “Is that what shapes their life differently? Not different genetics or cultures or whatever else would affect them?”

  “This is not a topic of nature versus nurture, Ms. Westbridge. Regardless of upbringing, our sun and rising charts define us from birth.”

  “I simply can’t agree with that,” Paris argued. “How is it that the day I was born would have more of an impact on who I am rather than social and economic factors or hereditary or a ton of other factors?”

  The students in the class all leaned away from Paris as though not wanting to be associated with her by proximity. Maybe Professor Beacon was known for zapping challenging students with lightning spells or something.

  “Our sun charts are critically significant for explaining who we are,” the fairy godmother explained through clenched teeth. “You can’t argue that the sun isn’t important, right?”

  “Well, without it we’d all die, so no, I’ll give you that one,” Paris joked dryly.

  The professor sighed dramatically and planted her hands on her hips. “The sun is the center of our solar system and therefore the center of everyone’s universe.”

  “I don’t know much about science, but I think our solar system is in the universe, meaning that the sun can’t be the center of the universe,” Paris quipped, realizing she could shut up at any point, but the little nagging voice in her head wouldn’t allow it. She’d opened this can of worms and now was letting them wiggle out and do as they pleased.

  “My point is,” the professor seethed, “that it’s the sun that dictates the twelve signs as it is what moves through these constellations. Ignoring its impact on a person’s life based on that chart is negligible at best. A compatibility guide that didn’t take into account both the sun and rising charts could prove to have negative results when matching two people.”

  “So are you telling me, if a Prince Charming is a Capricorn, then I have to wait until his sun and rising charts are in alignment or something before introducing him to the Virgo?” Paris asked, earning many gasps from around the room.

  The professor grinned in reply. “You have much to learn, Ms. Westbridge. If you had done the proper studying on the subject, you’d know that those signs are rarely compatible. A Virgo’s rigid nature would never do well in a romantic relationship with a Capricorn’s ignorance of schedules.”

  “I can’t help but think you’re missing the point I was trying to make,” Paris remarked. “I simply don’t think we can dictate people’s future based on their zodiac. It’s not an exact science. I
mean, it’s not a science at all…”

  “Astrology is an age-old method that has been used for centuries to determine multiple factors about a person’s life,” Professor Beacon said smugly.

  “I’m not discounting that there could be validity to astrology,” Paris stated. “I simply think that blindly following something that could never be one hundred percent correct seems illogical. Instead, it should be more of a guide in making matches rather than seen as a guarantee. I mean, the weather forecast often tells us one thing but is off. If we lived and died by that, we might miss out on a not forecasted sunny day or not take an umbrella along even though we felt the rain in the air.”

  The fairy godmother narrowed her eyes at Paris. “You make some interesting points. I’m not saying that you’re right, but maybe we need to take into account other factors as well as compatibility charts. For now, you need to learn the fundamentals and fully understand astrology. Only then will I entertain such radical notions that you’re offering.”

  Paris nodded, feeling victorious. It wasn’t a total win, but it wasn’t a total loss. She’d voiced her opinion, and unlike with Professor Butcher, Professor Beacon had heard her. Paris hadn’t compromised her beliefs, and hopefully the more she learned about astrology, the more she could support or debunk its claims.

  For Paris, it was always about using logic, which she thought the strange practice ignored, but the only way to argue against something was to understand it. In truth, she didn’t think that astrology was altogether wrong. It simply wasn’t fact-based. Such things should be taken with a grain of salt rather than blindly sprinkled onto an entrée and eaten freely.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The headmistress and Mae Ling stood in the auditorium's doorway, watching the proceedings down below involving Paris and Professor Beacon. Willow had tensed when the new student had first spoken up, wondering what trouble Paris would bring on herself.

  To her surprise, the fairy had made some relevant points and in a way that wasn’t disrespectful. It did appear that the young fairy found it impossible to keep quiet and simply learn. Paris questioned everything, which had never been the way at Happily Ever After College.

  The students at the school were never the questioning type. Fairy godmothers and those training for the role were notorious for being accepting individuals who went along with what others told them. They didn’t rebel. They didn’t argue. They were polite, pleasant, and conforming.

  None of those traits fit Paris Westbridge.

  “I think that overall, Paris should be assessed positively for that round,” Mae Ling whispered.

  Willow brought her attention up to regard the head professor. “She challenged a professor in her first five minutes in the class, not knowing much about the actual subject matter.”

  “Well, sometimes those with an objective perspective, who know the least about something, are in the best position to pick it apart,” Mae Ling offered.

  “Maybe.” Willow drew out the word.

  “We both know that astrology is an archaic part of our curriculum,” Mae Ling continued. “Employing it in matchmaking has never been a success factor. Paris brings up an excellent point that it should be used as a guide, rather than a definitive method.”

  “Why are you so supportive of this new student?” Willow asked, having seen Mae Ling’s usual neutral manner shift with Paris’ arrival.

  “Nothing that we’ve been doing seems to work,” Mae Ling explained. “The love-meter keeps dropping. Enrollment is at an all-time low. Our graduates aren’t having great success out in the field. We can’t do much to make things get worse, and anything new we do has to be better than what we’ve been doing. I think that something needs to push us into the modern world.”

  Willow nodded, these words echoing the same thoughts in her head. Change was scary though. Everything that Paris stood for was the opposite of the fairy godmother principles. They were old, grandmother-type figures who were dainty and pretty and full of sugar and spice and everything nice.

  Paris Westbridge was dark and rebellious and probably full of salt and a lot of pent-up angst.

  “Look at the Dragon Elite,” Mae Ling continued. “That ancient organization of dragonriders was dated a couple of decades ago. Then one woman strides in there and shakes them up, pushing them into the twenty-first century.”

  Willow nodded proudly. “Sophia Beaufont—the first female dragonrider in history. You’re right. If it weren’t for her, the Dragon Elite would still be living in the Dark Ages. Maybe it does take new blood to reenergize an old school. We’ll have to wait and see. However, I fear there are only two ways that someone like Paris can take us. Either up and to better places or down and farther away from our goal.”

  Mae Ling agreed with a nod. “She has two more classes and an exam set for today. Then we make our final decision. Let’s keep an open mind.”

  Willow drew a deep breath. She was trying to stay open to these changes although they were challenging her on every single level. Evolving at the college was scary, but failing with her mission as headmistress was terrifying.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  By the time lunch rolled around, everyone at the college had heard about the Cotillion class incident. These rumors had circulated fast and were now pretty far-fetched.

  “I heard you threw the textbook at Professor Butcher while you recited it verbatim,” Christine said beside Paris, having joined her again for the meal. It made Paris feel comforted, thinking that the other woman was sitting with her because they were becoming friends and not because she was some sideshow that she wanted firsthand information from.

  Paris laughed, cutting open the yeasty roll and slathering butter across it, in the very naughty fashion of buttering and eating bread. “I didn’t throw anything at her except insults about how outdated the whole method of these manners was. I mean really, am I supposed to put a book on my head next and stride around the class to show I’m a proper lady?”

  “Well, no, that’s next week’s lesson, I’m pretty certain, and you’ve already tested out of the class,” Christine offered in a hushed voice. “I think that’s the first time someone did that.”

  “I wasn’t as lucky to test out of ballroom dancing or astrology,” Paris related.

  “Oh, you might start to enjoy those,” Christine stated. “Wilfred is a nice instructor and astrology can be fun although Professor Beacon takes it way too seriously.”

  “That’s what I told her.”

  Christine nearly dropped her fork filled with leafy greens. “You told her that? What did she say?”

  Paris nodded. “She said, I made some interesting points but that I needed to learn the fundamentals of astrology before I could discount them.”

  “Wow, you’re already shaking things up.”

  That was the part that scared Paris. She hadn’t been at Happily Ever After College long and already felt like a bizarre change agent. “I will say,” she began in a whisper. “That most, like Willow and Professor Beacon, are fairly level-headed. They could have told me to suck it up and accept things, but they seemed open to my opinions.”

  Christine nodded. “Most fairy godmothers are very understanding. It’s a trait that makes us successful in our role.” Her gaze traveled down the table to a group of gossiping girls led by Becky Montgomery. “Of course, there’re always exceptions to this.”

  “What’s the bully’s story?” Paris indicated the brunette.

  “Oh, her family has been funding the college since the beginning,” Christine explained. “They have deep pockets and throw money at their problems. If one of theirs gets in trouble, there’s a donation. If Becky doesn’t make the grades, they donate. The college has hit hard times, and most are aware of it, so I don’t think the Board is in any position not to be swayed.”

  “That’s sad,” Paris grumbled, never having liked it when people bought their way into something or out of it without earning it fully.

  “What’s sad
is that no one ever stands up to Becky,” Christine whispered. “I’ve wanted to a ton of times, but it isn’t my nature. Then yesterday you threw a pie at her face, something we’ve all wanted to do a thousand times.”

  Paris laughed. “I didn’t really throw a pie at her face like some slapstick clown bit. I dropped one on her head and only because the tray of brownies sitting beside the pie would have done physical damage. I wait until someone deserves it before I make them pay painfully.”

  Christine giggled with her, shaking her head. “You’re not like anyone here.”

  Paris nodded, not sure how she felt about that.

  “Totally true,” a woman across from Paris stated. “I heard a rumor that you were supposed to go to jail, but your uncle is a detective and cut this deal for you.”

  Sighing, Paris realized that was the other reason most were whispering up and down the table and pointing at her. “Well, he didn’t buy my way in here, but yes. I’m the bad sort that your mom warned you to stay away from.”

  “So what, you make it here, or you go to jail?” Christine asked.

  Paris nodded. “I’m afraid so. The college, as you said, has fallen on hard times, and I’m the result of desperation.”

  “Did you kill someone?” the woman across the table asked.

  “Yes,” Paris retorted sarcastically. “I’m a murderer, and you have to sleep down the hall from me.”

  The woman looked suddenly ill.

  Christine laughed, slapped the table, and broke the tension. “She’s joking. Obviously, Paris isn’t a murderer.” Giving her a suddenly serious look, Christine tilted her chin to the side. “But seriously, what did you do?”

  “I punched a giant who stole someone’s lunch money,” Paris stated. “And I was in the wrong place at the wrong time a few dozen times. Trouble has a way of following me around as you’ve already witnessed. But I’ve never done anything really bad, not in my opinion anyway. When I see something I don’t like, I speak up about it, and usually, that’s to someone who doesn’t want to hear my protest. They throw a low blow, I counterattack, and then we’re both carted off to the Fairy Law Enforcement Agency, also known as FLEA. Then the whole thing repeats itself the next week. It’s all very boring.”