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Courtly dotted her brush in the pink, glittery facepaint, bringing it up to Ashlynn’s face. “Now, close your eyes,” she demanded, and Ashlynn obediently did so. Courtly swished the brush across an eye, going up and down in a diamond shape. She brought her hand back down and switched the color to light blue.
“You don’t… you don’t think anyone will make fun of me, do you?” Ashlynn asked quietly as Courtly approached her again. She hurriedly continued, “I just don’t want anyone at school to laugh at me.”
“Make fun of you? Never.” Courtly created a heart over Ashlynn’s other eye. “No one would ever make fun of you, Ashlynn, because you’re a hexcellent person. Everyone at school loves you.” She swapped out her color for green. “Laugh at you though? Maybe. But that is what you get when you’re dressed like a jester.”
Ashlynn smiled a little, set somewhat at ease. “I guess it won’t be a problem. You dress like this every day.”
“Oh yes, the best part of being a jester is certainly the costume,” Courtly crowed, grabbing more facepaint. “It’s certainly better than any princess dress. Other than yours, of course,” Courtly gestured to Ashlynn’s dress that was currently lying on the bed. “I think your dress is charming. But being a jester gives you much more freedom of mobility to jump around and have a fun time!”
Ashlynn giggled. “That does sound fun.”
“Oh, it’s a blast. I’ll have to teach you how to do a cartwheel once your costume is on. And a handstand!” Courtly clapped her hands with excitement. “There are so many things that you need to learn, Ashlynn, you’ll love it.” She grabbed her brush again and finished Ashlynn off with a yellow clover on her cheek. “Your paint is done!” the jester hummed, reaching for a mirror. “Would you like to see it?”
“Yes, please. I’ve always wondered what I would look with facepaint on.” Ashlynn reached for the mirror, but Courtly held it back for a moment.
“I should warn you, you look pretty silly. They’re all beautiful colors on you, but it’s very different from normal makeup.”
The princess smiled kindly. “I can’t wait to see it.” She reached for the hand mirror and held it up to her face, taking in the pigtails, bright sparkly colors bedazzling her eyes and cheeks, and lipstick arranged on her lips in a heart. Courtly waited nervously for her reaction. Jester makeup was something that people either loved or they hated, and she so wanted Ashlynn to love it. But seconds later, Ashlynn broke out into a pearly-white grin, and she started laughing and laughing. Her laughter rang like bells in the air and, enchanted by its sound, Courtly joined in too, until both girls were laughing hysterically, a pair of jesters for the day who were perfectly, absurdly in love.