Ale stood before the castle gates. She clutched her plain brown ticket tight.
The turnstile clicked loudly. It swallowed her card whole.
She marched past a statue. Ale tried to puff out her chest like the stone figure.
A paper hat landed on her head with a soft thwack. She blinked.
Ale spun in front of a mirror kiosk. She waved her arms wildly.
The glass just reflected her frown and the crumpled ticket. No magic appeared.
A sudden gust of wind whipped a sparkly pink cape from a rack. It draped over Ale’s shoulders.
The cape flowed behind her like liquid starlight. Strangers tipped their imaginary hats.