Princess Mara's first royal party smelled of icing, oranges, and rain.
In the Party Palace of Sprinkleford, paper chains crossed the ceiling. Silver plates shone on long tables, and warm buns steamed in baskets.
Mara stood in her yellow party dress, holding her welcome card. Her knees felt fizzy, like lemonade.
She had one job. She had to smile, ring the little bell, and say, "Welcome, friends."
But Mara had eaten raspberry jam at breakfast. A red spot still sat between her front teeth.
Everyone will see it, she thought.
⁂
The pantry door opened with a squeak. Theo, the baker's son, stepped in carrying a blue satin box.
"Your Royal Highness," he said, then grinned. "I mean, Mara. This was in the party cupboard."
Inside lay a toothbrush with a pearl handle and a tiny golden crown.
"Perfect," said Mara. "A princess cannot welcome guests with jam teeth."
She lifted the toothbrush. It twitched.
"Did that move?" Theo whispered.
The toothbrush sprang from Mara's hand and landed on the cake table.
"At last!" it squeaked. "A party to clean!"
⁂
The toothbrush whizzed across a plate of buns. Sugar vanished in neat white stripes.
"Stop!" cried Mara. "That sugar is part of the party!"
Theo grabbed a napkin and made a net. Mara held out the satin box.
The toothbrush darted between them, scrubbing sprinkles from biscuits and stars from paper hats.
Then it saw the tall jelly crown in the centre of the table.
The crown wobbled red and gold, with candles ready to shine.
"No," Mara said. Her voice came out small.
"A crown too sticky, a smile too shy, clean them both before guests arrive."
The toothbrush shot towards the jelly crown.
Mara forgot her wobbly knees. She ran.
Her shoes slapped the sugared floor. Theo slid beside her with the napkin wide open.
"Left!" shouted Theo.
"I know!" shouted Mara, though she did not.
She leaped, caught the toothbrush by its pearly tail, and held tight.
The jelly crown trembled. One candle fell, but Theo caught it in his hat.
For one bright second, nobody moved.
Then the toothbrush began to hum.
It pulled Mara's hand towards the cake table.
Under the tablecloth, a small silver door glowed in the floor.
Mara stared. Theo stared harder.
The door clicked open by itself.
From the dark little stairway came the sound of clapping.
