Chapter Text
EVANGELINE FOX HAD always believed in love at first sight, happy endings, and fairytales.
All throughout her childhood, when her parents were both alive, Evangeline treated fairytales as if they existed once upon a time. Of faraway lands with magic growing beneath the soil, floating in the sweetened air, and glittering in words and stories. Valenda of the Meridian Empire felt magical when Caraval hosted its magical games for the week.
But Caraval’s magic was not Evangeline’s favorite. It was the feeling before one shared their first kiss with their love, the feeling one gets after reading a feel-good book, and the feeling of wishes come true.
And tonight, Evangeline’s wish would come true. Luc Navarro would be at the Soul and Love, the one matchmaking event that promised finding true love and never-ending happiness.
Removing the hot thongs from her rose-gold hair, Evangeline ran her fingers through her done curls.
A knock on her door averted her attention from her blue eyes to the slender woman who became her stepmother, Agnes Tourmaline.
“I need you to run to the Satine District and pick your and Marisol’s orders from Minerva's Modern Wear,” Agnes said with a dismissive look. “Leave now if you don’t wish to be late to tonight’s event.”
Evangeline glanced out the window where the blue sky was singing with birds. But she could see that the sun was arcing close to the horizon. She turned back at Agnes.
“I thought the orders were picked up yesterday,” Evangeline said.
Agnes crossed her arms. “No, I told you yesterday to pick them up on your way back from that ghastly shop, but you didn’t listen.”
Her father’s shop wasn’t ghastly. “I don’t remember you—”
Agnes shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. Go pick up the orders.” Then she left her doorway, leaving her door open.
Before the sun lost its reign over the sky, Evangeline snatched her capelet and ran out with her satchel. The streets were filled with people carrying their dresses and suits over their shoulders, reserved carriages parked by walkways, and dazzling banners notifying the public about the most anticipated party of destiny. Fortunately, anywhere in Valenda was easily accessible through the use of sky carriages.
Jumping inside one, Evangeline peered through the window where she got a better picture of the city. When she was a child, her parents—Maximilian Fox and Liana Fox—pointed out all the various districts and landmarks of Valenda. They’d take her to each of them, except the Spice Quarter, and show her all sorts of interesting things that felt like magic.
The trip lasted less than half an hour but by the time she reached Minerva’s Modern Wear, the sun casted pink colors over the sky. The path was teeming with last minute pick-ups, but they had carriages to take them back home. Pushing herself, Evangeline snaked around moving bodies and burst into the cozy shop.
“Two orders for Evangeline Fox and Marisol Tourmaline, please!”
The lady behind the counter studied Evangeline before telling her to wait. Several eyes in the waiting area stared at her. It never felt like shame to have people stare at her pink hair. It was the one thing she was emboldened by. When the lady returned with two plastic bags containing the ordered dresses, Evangeline paid immediately and left.
The sun had disappeared under the horizon and the moon shone its bright silver spotlight across the city. Inside the sky carriage, Evangeline took a peek of her dress. Her eyes widened at the gray color. This was not the color she chose. She could have turned back and asked what happened to the one she chose but time was ticking.
The color wasn’t important. But when she arrived back home with her curls unkempt, Agnes had a wicked smile on her face.
“Hurry up and change. Marisol is in her room.”
Marisol waited in front of her mirror as she finished putting blush on her cheeks. Her brown hair was curled to the tips, shining like the gloss on jewels. Her eyes caught Evangeline’s reflection in the mirror. She turned around with a charming smile.
“Evangeline, you’re back!”
“I have your dress,” she said, crossing the room to hand her dress over. “I’ll change quickly. Your mother is eager to leave.”
Marisol smiled. “I am, too. Though she hopes I’m paired with a respectable young man, I hope I get whoever will cherish me. And loves my cakes.”
Evangeline laughed. “It’ll be a magical night for sure.” If Luc was chosen for her. If Luc was her true love. Because Evangeline was in love with him from the moment he walked into the shop and comforted her after her father passed away. “I hope I have someone as kind and generous as…” She paused and shook her head. “It’d be a dream to fall in love tonight.”
“Thinking about tonight makes me nervous.” For a split second, the excited gleam in her eyes vanished and uncertainty replaced it. “My mother is waiting for us. Let’s change.”
In her bedroom, Evangeline removed the plastic wrap from her ordered gray dress. It was supposed to be pink like her hair. But the dress was grayish blue like cloudy skies on a damp day. The off-the-shoulder gown was made tulle, a lot of tulle , starting from her bodice to her tiered skirt. It was beautiful but surprisingly too much for such an occasion.
It was not the gown she had originally ordered. It was supposed to be all silk and rosy pink with a sweetheart neckline, a lace corset, and embroidered flowers and foxes all around her skirt. A gown worth falling in love with.
When Evangeline left her room in her grayish-blue tulle gown, Agnes avoided meeting her eye. Marisol walked out in a white gown with lace-cut flowers stitched onto the lace fabric over her full skirt. Compared to her, Evangeline was a sad winter while Marisol was a dreamy spring. Agnes grinned from ear to ear.
“You look beautiful, Marisol,” she said, her voice sweet. “You’ll catch the hearts of all the young men there.”
Marisol blushed. “I only want one, Mother.”
“I’m only thinking ahead,” Agnes said. Then she turned to Evangeline with little excitement. “The carriage is waiting for us outside.”
Agnes grabbed her capelet and headed to the door. Marisol looked over at Evangeline and her eyes widened. “Oh! Evangeline, your dress… it’s …” She extended her hands. “Huge!”
“Yes, it is,” Evangeline said, looking down at herself. “I feel like a cloud.” A rain-filled cloud . “I thought something different from what I usually wear would be nice.”
Marisol nodded. “I wish I was brave like you. I can’t imagine myself wearing that.” She followed her mother out the door. Evangeline pretended the small comment didn’t sting. If she had the choice, Evangeline certainly wouldn’t have chosen this dress either.
In the carriage, Agnes still avoided meeting Evangeline’s eyes. A crazy but not-so-crazy thought sprung in her head. Agnes had planned for Evangeline to pick up the dresses on the very day of the Soul and Love so that Evangeline wouldn’t have the chance to exchange hers with the one she really ordered. Since her father died, Agnes had never been maternal towards Evangeline. Or even her daughter, Marisol.
Agnes would be capable of doing this. Marisol was her daughter and she always put her before Evangeline who was allowed to do most things Agnes frowned upon. Agnes had to approve of the men who wished to court Marisol, Evangeline didn’t need her approval. Marisol had to stay a certain distance from a young admirer while Evangeline could close the distance enough to touch elbows with someone.
Evangeline looked away from Agnes and out the window where the buildings and streets were all lit. At first it surprised her that the ball wouldn’t happen at Elantine’s Palace but at Idyllwild Castle in the University Circle.
The moat reflecting the starry sky caught her attention first before the steep bridge and the formidable towers. Vines crawled over the front of the castle and flowers glimmered on the parapet. Her nose wrinkled at the sweet smell. The carriage stopped and Agnes hopped out first before helping down Marisol and leaving Evangeline to walk out on her own.
But Evangeline didn’t mind. Her eyes sparkled on the possibility behind those gigantic doors that opened to a candlelight glow. This was where she would find her true love.
All she had to do was follow her heart.