"By the way..." Rosetta finally opened her mouth to speak.
"That air-head back there was Vidia... one of my *friends*." She said in a sulky tone.
The emphasis placed on the word 'friends' didn't sound very friendly though.
"Haha, I figured as much." Zenith replied with a light chuckle, though the atmosphere still felt a bit tense.
Below them, Pixie Hollow unfurled like a living tapestry.
Fairies darted about in every direction, but they all slowed mid-flight as Zenith and Rosetta glided past them.
"That's him..." A fairy whispered to her companion.
"I was there when he arrived last night, it was so dazzling!"
All around them, the fairies whispered in hushed tones.
Their gazes were directed toward the wingless sparrowman that was floating in the ethereal blue glow.
...
Rosetta didn't seem to be bothered by the wave of attention.
If anything, she seemed a bit proud, her chin tilting up slightly as she guided Zenith through the Hollow.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
The Sewing Room was located in a small hollow near the base of the Pixie Dust Tree.
Its entry way was framed by a curtain of cascading willow strands.
The curtains parted with a whisper as Rosetta led Zenith into the sewing room.
Inside, dozens of fairies flitted between looms, spinning fabrics woven from spider silks.
Their fingers danced over materials made from petals and leaves with practiced ease.
"Hey everyone, Rosetta's here!" A fairy called out after seeing who it was that had come to visit.
Her shout sent a ripple of attention through the room.
Dozens of sewing-talents paused mid-stitch, their eyes filtering toward the entrance.
The atmosphere in the room instantly buzzed with excitement.
"Hey Rosetta, what kind of style are you looking for today."
"Hi Ro, we have a bunch of new designs that you can try out."
"Rosetta, do you mind being a model for my new dress."
The sewing talents hovered around Rosetta like hummingbirds drawn to nectar, their eager chatter drowning out Zenith's soft greeting.
It was obvious that Rosetta was very popular among the sewing-talent community.
"Haha... Settle down guys." Rosetta laughed.
"It's not me who'll be needing a new outfit today," she said as she gestured toward the previously ignored Zenith.
All eyes turned toward Zenith at once, who was standing silently behind Rosetta.
The sewing-talents gasped in unison, only now did they notice the other fairy in the room.
...
Before he could offer another greeting, a slender pixie with pine-green colored hair swooped before Zenith.
Her fingers eagerly traced the air around his shoulders as if taking invisible measurements.
"My stars!" she gasped, circling Zenith with wide-eyed fascination.
"These proportions! This silhouette!"
"We could do something revolutionary with this canvas."
This time, it was Zenith who had become the center of attention, the sewing-talents crowded around him excitedly.
Rosetta smiled, feeling rather amused as Zenith shot her a helpless glance over the sea of chattering fairies.
He sighed, resigning himself to his fate as he was swiftly carried away by the tide of excited sewing-talents.
...
The curtains to the changing room parted slowly as Zenith emerged.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the room instantly fell into complete silence.
Even Rosetta's wings had stilled mid-beat.
Zenith was draped in fabrics made of pristine white petals and silk.
The high-collared tunic accentuated his shoulders, while the fitted leggings and boots emphasized the lean strength of his frame.
Silver-threaded embroidery traced delicate vine patterns along the seams, a simple design, yet it created a mesmerizing contrast against the snowy fabric.
"So... how do I look?" Zenith murmured, brushing a hand down the front of his tunic.
The silence stretched for a beat longer before the sewing-talents erupted in excited chatter.
"Wow, he's so handsome!"
"This is definitely our greatest work yet!"
"It's a masterpiece!" exclaimed a fairy, wiping a tear from her eye.
...
Rosetta's lips parted soundlessly, then closed again, her throat suddenly dry.
'I think I've fallen in love.' she thought, unable to look away.
Zenith turned toward her with a smile.
"Rosetta?" His voice snapped her from her daze.
"H-huh... Ah, yes! this outfit definitely suits you!" She stuttered as she slowly hovered closer.
Rosetta took deep breaths to slow her rapidly beating heart; her demeanor slowly shifted back to her usually poised self.
"You're the picture of elegance," she murmured, daring to brush a fingertip along his embroidered cuff.
Zenith chuckled at Rosetta's reaction, from the dazed look in her eyes he was absolutely sure at this point.
This pixie no longer had a small crush on him, she'd already fallen for him... hard.