Wendy is well mannered.

Well, that was an understatement.

Always polite, always respectful. Exceptionally civil even when faced with a spit of absolute rudeness. Her chivalrous nature made people swoon and hearts melt. If she could make heads turn with just her attentiveness, she outshone any knight in shining armor. No need for a white horse either.

Then again, when everything zeroed down to those pining after her dearest eldest sister's affection… It became a test of patience, for that matter. She also knew that it was not an easy test to pass with flying colours. Like a stacked maze, Wendy needed to find not only the fastest route, but the safest. Her reputation was at stake after all, something she knew was so easy to shatter despite being fairy of the Fall.

Wendy clenched her jaw at the thought, pursing her lips at the fact that the week leading up to the Harvest ball this year was more of a nightmare than any test of patience or restraint. More cruel than overseeing the Harvest Festival itself!

The Harvest ball was the highlight of her season as it marked the end of Fall. The festival itself celebrated everyone’s fruits of hard labour and the last warmth of the year before the dark cold. Despite having marshalled years of the festival, Wendy still found it a trial. For every year, the same problems arose. From realm residents that were still clueless about the order of things, to unruly individuals and uninvited guests…that thankfully Seulgi and her ravens always kept a lookout for.

She guessed it was natural for some things to go awry despite all the alternative measures she put in place with her assistants and the host kingdom. If another disastrous scenario of a bunch of drunkards pulling down tents were to happen…

Oh, but those were small problems! What was truly making her fidget on her feet was the flood of suitors that had lined up and were following her dearest eldest around.

A week before the Harvest ball, Irene had surprised everyone, announcing her arrival to Reve’s court, knowing the gracious King would be more than happy to have the presence of the Winter fairy so early in his kingdom. An auspicious sign of a shorter winter to come. And with the Harvest festival already in full swing, suitors from various kingdoms and realms swarmed to Irene like an army of fire ants. All fighting for a taste of her sweetness.

Wendy could handle Irene’s suitors anytime of day. But this year, with Irene telling her to be on her best behaviour…It was driving her up the wall. She usually pulled all sorts of tricks to keep Irene’s suitors away, her beloved very well knowing she was the mastermind behind all the pranks that befell on anyone that approached her.

Thus, best behaviour meant Wendy could only use her magic for festival duties, and keep her hands and her snarky, witty comments to herself. Everything was putting her on edge, even Irene's placating goodnight kisses! Wendy knew she had to control herself…because what was at the end of this ordeal was a hundred fold more satisfying than she could ever imagine.

She huffed and puffed, causing a loud snort to chortle out from her youngest sister. Cool gray eyes narrowed onto brown eyes twinkling in absolute amusement. Wendy made a face, offering the best smug smile she could muster in the situation at hand. The Summer fairy that stood beside her held a hand to her face, her white teeth flashing between laughs,

‘Look at you!’ A playful slap to the shoulder, ‘I can practically see the steam rising from the top of your head.’

‘It’s not something to laugh about Yeri!’

The two fairies stood at the top balcony of Reve’s palace’s Great Hall, looking over the marble balustrade to the crowded hardwood floor below. Guests from the five realms mingling with dignitaries, music and chatter all around. The acoustics of the Hall was amazing despite the high ceilings, volumes easy on the ears.

Though Reve’s Palace was extravagant, luxurious interiors with walls littered with gold gilded stucco ornaments, it still could not match up to the two fairies. Wendy and Yeri didn’t think too much of their clothes until their presence was announced at the ball.

All of them were hit by yet another surprise by Seulgi when she gave them their clothes for the ball. Instead of the usual long flowing dresses dyed in their representative realm colours, they were dressed in blacks and whites trimmed with gold. Their tops and skirts were lined with crystals and gems, bodices ornately decorated, knee length black boots polished to shine and shimmer.

With everyone else dressed in their Sunday’s best, one trying to outshine the other, their simple monochromatic outfits stood out from all the glitz and glamour. It didn’t take them long to realise that they were attracting way too much attention and decided to quickly move out of everyone’s zealous gaze.

They were not one to hold superficial conversations either.

‘You should have stayed downstairs with Joy,’ Yeri chuckled, ‘She’d know how to keep you distracted.’

‘I don’t need to get distracted.’ Wendy leaned against the balustrade, peering over, ‘I need to focus.’

The Fall fairy swatted the hand that came up to slap her shoulder once again,

‘You're distracting me!’ She hissed, ‘Stop laughing, you promised to help me, Yeri!’

‘I didn’t promise you anything. I just said I’ll accompany you.’

At that, Wendy just rolled her eyes, exhaling noisily as she assessed the situation before her. Thankfully she could pinpoint her sisters easily due their simple yet outstanding outfits. Joy had her shoulders exposed, a white fitted corset hugging her chest, black skirt flaring from her hips. Her deep black hair cascading behind like a waterfall, head adorned with a baby’s breath pearl crown. Her own crowd of suitors hovering around her like bees to a flower.

Seulgi had her hair parted and pulled back into a low bun. A sheer modest long sleeved black top with a gold trimmed white bodice. Finished with a simple white pleated skirt. With her rapier hanging from her waist, there were no questions as to why her own crowd of admirers stayed a good distance away.

There, just a few steps away from the sentinel was Irene, whose timeless beauty radiated like the sun amongst the crowd. Similar to her sisters, her body was fitted with a white bodice decorated with gold embroidery, her black blouse cutting a deep neckline, shoulders covered by short puff sleeves. Her short black tulle skirt spotted with gems that sparkled underneath the Hall’s chandeliers. Topping it off was a gold wreathed flower crown and simple pearl earrings that caught the light at every turn of her head. Dark hair loose with ends curling slightly.

The Winter fairy’s brilliance caught Wendy’s breath every time she laid her eyes on her beloved. If it made her heart a ticking time bomb, she knew everyone else’s had already exploded.

With all eyes already on her sisters due to their beauty, coupled with their elegant outfits, the crowd of people surrounding her beloved only grew bigger. Wendy inwardly thanked Seulgi who decided to stay by Irene’s side as they went around giving their greetings and good wishes. Suitors stayed a good clear distance just at the sight of the sentinel. She wanted to accompany her beloved, but decided against it. With her patience thinned out over the week, she knew her hand would have sent a suitor flying across the room the moment someone approached Irene with flowers in hand.

Keep it cool, Wendy. As cool as her beloved was.

The Fall fairy knew Irene could hold the ground perfectly on her own. Her prowess unmatched and those that believed otherwise…would probably not see the next light of day. Then again, when it came to social gatherings, Irene entertained everything that was thrown at her. Wendy could say her beloved was as civil as she was in these settings.

‘Goodness Wendy, what is the point of this? If you keep on staring at Irene, you’re only going to end up burning a hole in her.’

Wendy pulled back, eyebrows scrunched up, teeth clenching and utterly amused at what her youngest said. She shushed the Summer fairy with a wave of her hand,

‘I’m not going to burn a hole in her, that’s your specialty.’ A finger to her lips, ‘I’m keeping an eye on her.’

‘Everyone knows she loves you.’ Yeri rested her elbows on the bansister, propping her face up, ‘To the ends of the world and back. She’s not going to just fancy some random bloke.’

‘She loves us, Yeri.’

‘Ugh. This is ridiculous. You and Irene are equally ridiculous. Both of you owe me more than a buffet of Fall treats. I want a feast.’

Wendy chewed on her lip and nodded, her gaze never breaking away from Irene. She would follow her beloved to the ends of the world and back as well. Her heart skipped a beat when Irene glanced up in her direction, their eyes briefly locking before electric blue slipped back down to a conversation.

She felt it. They both felt it.

Their relationship was not a secret nor was it public knowledge. They kept their love between themselves, their sisters and the primordial forces. Both of them saw no need to make a statement, so not everyone was keenly aware that they loved each other unconditionally. The downside was the suitors on both sides, eager to please, vying for mutual affection.

In the public’s eye, the Fall fairy knew she was just seen as an overprotective younger sister, much like her other three sisters, coming to her eldest sister’s defence without batting an eyelid. Skinship was normal, the banter familial…

Wendy drew in her lips further, her skin prickling.

Tonight was truly a test of tolerance.

‘Is she planning to stay there until the ball is over?’

Irene kept her eyes forward, Seulgi’s question hard on her ears despite the light music in the Hall,

‘Is she still up there?’

There was a moment of silence, the Winter fairy knew the sentinel had taken another look to reaffirm where Wendy was, before her soft voice answered,

‘Yes. Watching you like a hawk.’

A chuckle and Irene held her smile,

‘I can feel her gaze.’ She shifted slightly in her seat, a weird sense of excitement gnawing in the pits of her stomach, ‘Ever since we entered the Hall.’

‘Hm, we’re all looking out for you. Especially with the hungry crowd gathering…’

Irene glanced briefly to her left to find Joy giving a look or two at her before resuming her animated conversation with a guest. She felt a small smile creep across her lips and she straightened further in her seat, hand sweeping back a lock of hair,

‘Should I g