Babette

  She was happy.

  Babette stroked her horse again before taking it to the stable. After that, she went to her room. Her stepmother had promised to go with her to Castle Town in the evening to order a wedding dress. She also needed a new ball gown.

  She couldn't wait.

  Finally, she would get married.

  She had waited so long for this and now the date was set. There would be a big ball at the castle to celebrate her aer's e. She also needed a dress for that. She was in a hurry. The ball would take p a week.

  In a week, she would be knoeter's fiancée. And soon afterward as Babette, Princess of Sonnenhof. Even as a child, she had dreamed of being called that.

  Babette did not love Peter. However, she saw the be of that marriage. She would rise in the hierarchy, gaiige and py an important role in politics. As a princess, she had more influen things than a daughter of a baron. Babette dropped on her bed. Soon all her dreams would e true.

  She didn't uand, why Peter did not seem to share her joy. So far, he had never shown anything but i. It was also a mystery to her why he suddenly walked around with women's jewelry. It was silly. Very silly. Ohey were married, she would match his wardrobe with hers. And she would make sure, that the silly jewelry disappeared.

  She wouldn't let him make a mockery out of her. It was her destiny to be a princess. The queen liked her. Everythi acc to her pn. Soon her dream would e true. All would be perfect... Except for one small thing. She was not allowed to have a wedding in the snow, but that was a small price to pay for fulfilling her wishes. Of her fate!

  Princess Babette von Sonnenhof.

  Didn't that sound wonderful?

  Yes, she was happy.

  Aer would be too.

  Agathe

  "And they unicated via letters?" The queen looked at her daughter angrily.

  "Right. During the interrogation, all the detaiold us, that they had coordiheir uprisings by mail. The uprisings in their capital were only the rgest. In the meahere were also minor riots in vilges, which could be quickly stopped." Cleo turned one of her mother's paperweights in her hand. A round gss ball. She sat at the Queen's desk, alking up and down her offi anger. "Was it possible to trace who received all the letters?"

  "Unfortunately, no. Apparently, the letters were always burned as soon as they were read. At the vilges, the posted soldiers were instructed to search the houses, they even started to do that at the capital of the elves, but nothing has been fou. We know from interrogations that they pnned more riots, but the prisoners refused to say more." Cleo saw her refle ihe crystal ball. She looked tired.

  "We have to stop the correspondeneither elves nor werewolves are allowed to unicate through letters. I don't want to risk the werewolves starting to rebel too. Even servants are no longer allowed to keep in touch with their families through letters."

  "That sounds very reasonable," Cleo agreed.

  "When will the prisoners be brought to justice? Shouldn't that have happened long ago?"

  "The day after tomorrow. The date ostpoo have more time to interrogate them."

  "Very good. Are you satisfied with the developments? You did a good job. I'm proud of you."

  iled. "I am very satisfied, mother."

  "I'm gd to hear that."

  "Did Julia write? How does she like it at the Academy?"

  "She writes letters to Peter. The two were already inseparable as children. It's a good thing that his rebellious character didn't rub off on her. For a while I was worried. But Peter will soon be married. Then he will e to his senses. Babette is a wonderful, reasonable, and polite witch. A good choice. As for Julia, among her servants is an elf... Do you have any s?"

  Cleo shook her head and put the paperweight ba pce. "If I had s, I would have chosen someone else. The elf seemed to me as particurly quiet and obedient."

  "Good. You've been w a lot i few weeks. Rest, Cleo. You deserve a break."

  "Thank you, mother. I think I'll travel to Fritz for a few days."

  "That sounds wonderful. Greet him from me. There are rumors that he has found a young witch with whom he gets along well? Maybe even more?"

  "I've heard about that too, but he hasn't said anything about it yet."

  "I would be happy for him."

  "Me too. But Fritz is married to his work. It wouldn't surprise me if it ended up being just a rumor."

  Peter

  It was quiet in Castle Tower strolled through the alleys and looked at the windows of the small shops. Two guards followed him for prote. He ighem.

  His mother wanted him to buy an e ring for Babette. Actually, she wanted a jeweler to e to the castle, as it was ary among the nobility and especially for the royal family, but Peter had insisted on going to Castle Town himself. He o get out of the castle, urgently.

  Away from his mother, away from her expectations...

  And above all, away from her opinion.

  He didn't want to buy an e ring and therefore decided to buy the first ring he saw. He had found what he was looking for at a street vendor who ss made of cheap, roughly decorated metal. He had bought a slightly bigger ring, as it was not ade and he hoped it would fit.

  He knew what ring size his 'fiancée' needed, as Babette's parents had told his mother the right size. Without a doubt, Babette expected beautiful, expensive ization. But she wouldn't get it.

  Peter ran his hand through his lengthening hair. His mother had mentiohat he needed a haircut. He disagreed. And now he was even more of a different opinion.

  He stopped at a jewelry shop. So far, he used his sister's jewelry, which she had not taken with her... Except for some bracelets that he had bought himself... He wore one of them on his wrist. pared to Julia's jewelry, it was b...

  He looked at the pretty jewelry ihe shop's window. Filigree neckces and bracelets with beads and gss pendants. Julia would like a lot of that. Nothing was crudely made or stuck out too much. The jewelry was discreet and looked slightly ented.

  Beautiful.

  The shimmer of the gss beads in the sunlight made them look like diamonds.

  Without hesitatioer ehe store. One of the s in particur caught his eye. A gss butterfly on a thin, silver . He wao send it to Julia.

  She would be happy about it.

  The seller was friendly and eagerly showed him the most beautiful pieces of jewelry. Anything a young girl would like, as Peter had mentiohat the neckce should be a gift.

  "How about this?" The seller, a young man wearing a colorful vest with gss buttons, held up a fine pearl bracelet. Peter wao ask him ter where these buttons were from because he liked them. "Any young dy would be happy about such a bracelet. Or how about a brooch? Or hair accessories?"

  "Hair accessories?" Peter got curious. "What kind of hair accessories?"

  "Hair clips, csps, and needles." The seller pulled out a box from uhe ter taining various hair accessories. Among them was a hair clip decorated with stars.

  Peter smiled. "It's all really pretty."

  "Isn't it? Is there something to your liking? The neckce with the butterfly? Or something else?"

  "Certainly."

  Marie

  Theo put the stuffed horse in a box and beled it. As soon as they arrived at the academy, he pulled Marie to the post office. An employee took the package from him a little ter. It would be sent out in the evening.

  "I wish that school year was already over." Theo sighed." Then we could give her the horse instead of sending it."

  "She'll be happy either way, Theo."

  "Yes, you're right."

  "Do you think she misses me?"

  "Definitely. But summer we will go home for a few weeks. Then you will see her again. Until the sed school year starts. I must get to my homework now. Go to the undry rooms. You will certainly be here. I just signed you off from work there for the way to town. I'm sure they're already waiting for you."

  "I'm hungry. We should have eaten something at the city."

  "I didn't have enough money for that. e on, we'll get you an apple from the dining room. There is always fruit there. You eat it before you go to the undry."

  "An apple is not lunch... And I missed that." The two set off. They passed the gardeners sweeping the sidewalk and some students sitting on the benches chatting. Two boys practiced fire magic with dles and drew patterns in the air with small fmes.

  Marie heard Theo's stomach growl loudly. "If it forts you. I also missed lund just get some fruit." She regretted not having enough moo buy something to eat at one of the stalls. But her pocket money was limited and her parents wouldn't send her anything until the beginning of month.

  "That is of little fort. Do you have a lot of homework to do? we py cards ter?"

  "Pia said it was a lot. But let's py cards ter."

  sasi