“Good morning, Princess Bella,” Frederick said. The stable manager was fixing a gold nameplate on one of the stall doors.
“Morning,” Bella said. “I hope Glimmer was a good girl last night.” She stopped near a stall door and peeked inside at one of the royal unicorns.
“Perfect as always,” Frederick said.
That made Bella grin.
“But if you’re looking for her,” Frederick said, “she’s not in her stall. Ben took her out for a walk with Princess Violet.”
That feeling came back deep in Bella’s stomach.
“Oh,” she said. “Um, okay. I’ll go find them. Thank you.”
She turned around and walked out of the stable. Bella walked over to the dark-brown fence that made up the riding arena. She climbed the fence and sat on the top board. Glimmer, Violet, and Ben were nowhere in sight.
I’ve never cared if Ben took Glimmer out of her stall, Bella thought. I wouldn’t even mind if he rode Glimmer, even though he’s not allowed because she’s matched to me.
Bella didn’t know why, but she was annoyed that Glimmer wasn’t in her stall. It kind of felt like Violet had taken something of Bella’s without asking first. Bella sighed. She knew she was being silly, but she couldn’t stop how she felt. She wasn’t mad at Ben, but she was irritated with Violet. The walk was probably Violet’s idea, Bella thought. She put Ben on the spot. He probably felt like he couldn’t say no to a princess.
Bella’s shirt pocket vibrated. She reached inside and pulled out her Chat Crystal. It flashed two colors: pink and purple.
The princess let out a tiny sigh of relief. Ivy and Clara were coming. Having her friends around would get Bella out of her bad mood.
Just relax for a minute, she thought. It’s not like Violet took Glimmer out alone. That would be a reason to get mad.
Bella tipped her face toward the cloudless sky of Crystal Kingdom. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose and a slow exhale out through her mouth. It was something her mom did to relax, and she had shown Bella. The princess took a couple of deep breaths and listened to the tweeting birds, chattering squirrels, and occasional neighs from unicorns talking to each other.
“It’s just so crazy that you’re from Foris! We have lots to talk about.”
Bella opened her eyes at the sound of Violet’s voice. Her cousin, Ben, and Glimmer headed her way. Ben waved with his free hand—the other held a rainbow rope attached to Glimmer.
“Good morning, Bells!” Violet said. She climbed the fence boards and sat next to Bella.
“You got up really, really early,” Bella said. “I went to look for you, and my mom said you had left way before I came downstairs.” She gently elbowed her cousin. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“Yeah, Vi,” Ben said.
Vi? Bella thought. It had always been Bella’s nickname for her cousin.
“I didn’t want to wake you,” Violet explained. “I peeked into your room before I went to breakfast. You were snoring so loud—it sounded like you really needed sleep!”
Ben grinned, looking from Violet to Bella.
Bella felt herself blush. She looked down and stuck out her hands to rub Glimmer’s nose. The unicorn walked right up to Bella and thrust her nose into the princess’s hands.
“Aww,” Violet said, scooting closer to Bella. “You’re blushing. I didn’t mean to embarrass you! You snore supercute!”
Bella nodded. “I know!” she finally said with a smile. It was no big deal. Violet didn’t have an ounce of meanness in her. She wasn’t making fun—right?
Glimmer moved her head out of Bella’s hands and craned her neck toward Violet. The unicorn nudged Violet’s arm. She squealed, hopped off the fence, and threw her arms around Glimmer.
“You’re the cutest! Lucky you, Glimmer. You’ve got the best match in all of the kingdoms.”
Bella smiled at the compliment.
“I hope it’s okay that I asked Ben if we could take Glimmer for a walk,” Violet said.
“Oh, um . . .” Bella stumbled over her words. “Of course.”
Violet looked up at her cousin. “Are you okay? Is that a problem?”
Bella shifted her eyes from Violet to Ben to Glimmer, then smiled. “Of course not! I’m really happy that Glimmer likes you so much.”
The second part of that is true, Bella thought. But the first kind of isn’t.
“Once Ivy and Clara get here,” she said, “do you want to talk about the Pairing Ceremony?”
“Um . . .” Violet’s eyes were on the driveway. She hesitated, then looked at Bella. “Maybe later, if that’s cool? I’d really just love to hang out with you and your friends.”
“Okay, sure,” Bella said.
Suddenly a carriage appeared at the driveway of the stable. The doors opened, and Ivy and Clara climbed out. They stopped, looking in different directions for Bella. The princess wanted to shout at them, but she didn’t want to scare Glimmer. Ivy spotted Ben, Violet, Glimmer, and Bella, and tapped Clara’s shoulder. Both girls waved and hurried toward Bella.
“Hi, Violet!” Clara said when she and Ivy reached Bella and the others. “Finally! You’re here!”
Clara gave Violet a huge hug before the princess could even introduce her cousin.
“Welcome to Crystal Kingdom!” Ivy said, hugging Violet next. “I’m Ivy, and this is Clara. We’ve heard so much about you from Bella. It’s so great that you’re here!”
Violet’s fair cheeks flushed. “I’m so happy to meet both of you! Bella has told me tons of stories about her best friends.”
“I didn’t even get to tell you more about the party,” Bella interrupted. Ivy and Clara didn’t even say hi to me, she thought. The princess had thought that bringing Ivy and Clara over would improve her mood. Instead she felt even grumpier.
“Oh my gosh,” Ivy said. “Bella! Total fail in the hosting department!”
Everyone laughed. Except Bella.
“We can tell you everything,” Clara said. “You don’t even know about the class sleepover.” She clasped her hands together, grinning. “Bells, would you like to do the honors and start telling Violet about the party?”
Bella placed a hand over her stomach. She hadn’t planned it, but she needed a break from everyone—even though Ivy and Clara had just arrived. “Um, actually, I’m not feeling very well.”
“What’s wrong?” Ben asked, his eyes darting back and forth as he looked at Bella and the rest of the girls.
“Nothing major—my stomach is just a little upset. I think I need to go back to the castle and lie down,” Bella said.
The princess climbed down from the fence, and Clara put an arm across Bella’s shoulders.
“I’ve got Glimmer,” Ben said. “I’ll take her back to her stall. Feel better, Bella.”
Bella thought she saw a look of annoyance flicker across Violet’s face.
Ivy tipped her head in the direction of the castle. “Can you walk? Or do you need to sit down somewhere softer than the fence?”
“You can sit on my jacket,” Clara said. She started to shrug out of her dark jean jacket.
“Oh, no!” Bella said. “Thank you, Ivy. That’s so sweet, but I can walk. And I want you guys to stay here and have fun in the stable. I’m just going to be lying down and watching TV.”
“As long as you’re sure you’re okay,” Violet said, “I’d like to hang out at the stable. Plus, it would be awesome to get to know you guys.” She looked at Clara and Ivy. “We don’t want to bother Bella if she wanted to take a nap or something.”
“True . . . ,” Clara said. She scrunched her eyebrows together like she always did when she was worried.
“What if we at least walk you back to the castle?” Ivy asked. “Then we’ll have our Chat Crystals and we’ll be there in two seconds if you message u
s.”
“That’s more than enough, guys. Thank you,” Bella said. “And I’m okay to walk by myself.”
Before her friends could argue any more, Bella gave them a little wave and walked away from the group.
She felt guilty and a little sad at the same time. She had never lied to her friends before. She had already lied to Violet about not caring that the Foris princess took Glimmer for a walk. Now Bella had just lied again to Ivy and Clara when she had told them she wanted them to stay behind.
With every step, Bella actually started to really feel sick. She had been sure that Violet would come back to the castle with her. Once, Bella had gotten a stomach bug during a spring vacation while her family was visiting Violet and her family. Violet had refused to stay away from Bella, even though she could have gotten sick too. She helped the kitchen staff bring Bella chicken noodle soup, crackers, and bubbly water.
I have to remember that Vi doesn’t have friends like I do, Bella thought. She took in a deep breath, trying to fight back tears. She wished Clara and Ivy wouldn’t have stayed back with Violet, but the princess didn’t want her friends hanging with her if they didn’t want to.
The princess had also guessed that based on how fast Ivy and Clara had bonded with Violet, they, too, would stay behind.
One minute, Violet was the cousin that Bella loved and adored. The cousin that Bella was happy to share Glimmer with. The cousin that she wanted Ivy and Clara to love.
So why did these little flickers of New Violet keep coming up?
A couple of hours later, Bella woke up on the living room couch. She’d actually fallen asleep not too long after she’d curled herself in a blanket. She blinked, and her cousin and two besties were sitting on the floor in front of her. The girls were surrounded by shopping bags. Bags of every color and shape stretched from the fireplace to the couch.
“How are you feeling?” Violet asked.
“What is all this?” Bella asked at the same time.
“You go,” Violet said.
“I feel totally fine,” Bella said. “I guess I just needed a nap!”
Queen Katherine walked through the living room toward the kitchen. “How do you feel, sweetie?”
“Perfect, Mom,” Bella said.
“Well, I came over to check on you and you looked so peaceful. I cast a sweet dreams spell, so I hope you had good dreams,” Queen Katherine said.
“Mom!” Bella said, yanking up the blanket to cover her face. “Sweet dreams spells are for little kids.”
She started giggling, and so did Violet and her friends.
The queen blew Bella a kiss, started laughing, and walked out of the living room.
“So, where did all of this come from? What’s inside the bags?” Bella asked, sitting up and stretching.
In the moments before she had fallen asleep, she had thought through everything that had just happened. Bella knew she had to keep reminding herself that her cousin didn’t have a unicorn and she didn’t have friends like Ivy and Clara.
Plus, knowing Ivy and Clara, they had probably thought they needed to sort of chaperone Violet, since she was company and Bella was too sick. Bella didn’t want to spend another second thinking about what had happened earlier. She was ready for a fresh start with Violet. She owed it to her cousin to give her another chance. Now, she was just excited to be with Violet and her friends.
“We were hanging out at the stable,” Clara said. “I was talking to Ivy about the Crystal Kingdom Magic Market, and we both needed new outfits and sparkly jewels for the party. We had heard about a sale. Plus, Violet had never been to our amazing market!”
“You guys went to the market?” Bella asked slowly. Her friends and cousin had gone shopping? Without her?
“We called your mom to ask permission and to see if you were awake,” Ivy said. “But Queen Katherine told us that you were still asleep.”
“I mean, I’m glad you were able to go,” Bella said. “But couldn’t you guys have waited until tomorrow so we all could have gone together?”
Clara made an apologetic face. “Sorry, Bells, but there was something I really wanted for the party, and I wanted to make sure it was still there. You really didn’t miss anything, so don’t feel bad! I bet we can even go back tomorrow if we want.”
Bella didn’t even want to hear the word “shop.” Violet was not making a fresh start very easy!
“Want to go to my room and watch TV?” Bella asked, changing the subject. She got three nods in return. The girls piled their bags out of the way in the living room and dashed up the stairs after Bella.
In Bella’s room, Ivy claimed the window seat, curling her legs beneath her. Clara plopped into Bella’s brown-and-pink polka-dot beanbag chair. She pushed it next to Bella’s bed and sank back into the cozy chair. Violet and Bella sat down on Bella’s pink couch.
Just smile, breathe, and don’t get upset. They thought you were sick. They had to go today. Bella turned on the big TV screen and scrolled through her list of recorded shows.
“Ooh, wait a sec!” Clara said. “We need to explain the party to Violet. Can we do that and then start a show?”
Bella and Ivy nodded. This time, Bella really did want to tell her cousin all about Friday’s party.
“Yes, let’s!” Ivy said.
“Clara, you start,” Bella said.
Clara grinned. She did a little dance in her seat. “Violet, you already know that Ivy and I go to school here with Bella, right?”
“Yes,” Violet said. “Doesn’t your dad work here, Ivy?”
“He is a groundskeeper for the castle,” Ivy explained. “I brought Clara to the castle with me one day because I just knew that she and Bella would get along.”
“The three of us totally clicked,” Bella said. “We were best friends so fast. My mom and dad saw how happy I was once I’d made friends with Ivy and Clara. That’s when they got the idea to invite other kids to have school in the castle.”
“But I’m the odd one,” Clara said, giggling. “My parents work in town at Crystal Bank and Crystal Kingdom Inn. I sneaked in because of Ivy.”
They all laughed.
“Ooh, that’s right. Your parents don’t work here,” Bella said, teasing Clara. “I’m kicking you out of our classroom!”
Clara stuck out her tongue at Bella.
Grinning, Ivy rolled her eyes. “So we have seven other people in our class, including Ben. He’s a little older than us, so our tutor, Ms. Barnes, gives him higher-level work. The other six kids are our age—eight.”
“My parents didn’t even tell me about the party,” Bella said. “Ivy, Clara, and I all found out at the same time. Ms. Barnes said that we got the entire week off and on Friday, the class was invited to come to the castle.” She took one sip of soda and then another.
“Ms. Barnes didn’t get super specific,” Clara added. “All we know is there will be a movie, music, and desserts.”
“Oh! Add a giant wooden platform to that list,” Bella said. “I watched some construction workers this morning. It looks like they’re building a dance floor or something.”
Violet’s eyes widened. “I would be way too nervous to dance in front of your class. I don’t know any of them.”
“You know Ben,” Ivy said. “Everyone in our class is friendly. You’ll fit right in.”
“Totally,” Clara said. “I wish you could go to school with us! Wouldn’t that be the best, Bella?”
“The best,” Bella echoed, her tone a little flat.
“Bells,” Violet said, “is it okay if I go get us some snacks?”
“Sure,” the princess replied. “Use my intercom if you want to reach the kitchen staff.”
But Violet stood. “That’s okay! I’ll just run down there and be right back.”
“Ooh, I want to pick out snacks!” Clara thrust up her
hand for Violet to grab.
“Me too!” Ivy jumped up. “Be right back!” she said over her shoulder to Bella.
Giggling, the girls ran out of the room and down the hallway, leaving Bella sitting alone in her room.
“Ugh,” Bella said aloud. She pulled the purple pillow from under her head and placed it over her face. The princess squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block all the Violet! Violet! Violet! Violet! thoughts that wouldn’t quiet down in her head. Suddenly Friday felt very far away.
5
Stable, Dinner, Sleep, Repeat
As the Friday class party got closer, Bella felt as if she and Violet were growing further and further apart.
The same routine played out every day since Violet’s first day at Crystal Castle. Violet always managed to be up before Bella. The princess had even set an alarm so she would wake earlier, but over the past four mornings, this one included, Violet had been awake and dressed, and had either eaten breakfast or been in the process of eating when Bella had reached the kitchen.
Every time Bella asked Violet what she wanted to do, Violet had the same answer: Go to the royal stables and visit Glimmer. Not that Bella ever wanted to stay away from Glimmer, but she was starting to feel as though Glimmer was Violet’s unicorn and not hers.
Ben always helped Violet groom or feed Glimmer when Bella’s cousin came to the stable without Bella.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, Ivy and Clara adored Violet. Bella had started to come up with more excuses not to hang with the three girls because she felt like an outsider with her own best friends. She didn’t know what her cousin was up to at the moment. Actually, she hadn’t seen Violet for a couple of hours.
“Five more minutes,” Bella said to Glimmer.
Bella had taken Glimmer from her stall and released her into one of the castle’s grassy pastures. Gentle sunlight beamed down on them, and it was a cloudless day in Crystal Kingdom. A light, warm breeze blew back Glimmer’s mane as the white unicorn nibbled on grass. Bella wanted—no, needed—to talk to someone, so she had taken Glimmer outside where no one was around to hear her talk. She was sitting in the pasture, knees drawn up to her chest.
Green with Envy Page 3