Ribbons Book Novels & Stories

She ran her fingers along the spines, the gold lettering cool against her skin. Drawn in by the sheer volume, she hesitantly pulled a book from the shelf, a slim volume bound in dark blue leather. The title was etched in silver: The Royal Grimoire of Sacred Oaths. She opened it, her eyes skimming the ornate calligraphy, the intricate diagrams filled with arcane symbols.

Katelyn had mentioned them, and now Glee couldn’t recall. “Chapter seven,” she said to herself, thumbing through it, trying to think. Still connecting the— Glee stared at the polka-dot hair ribbon marking the place, the one she’d used yesterday to tie the pretty bow into Katie’s hair. Michelle Brooke’s old dotted ribbon which Kate had left here for her to find. Chapter seven, page twenty-nine . . . Lifting the worn book, her lashes began fluttering behind her crystal lenses as she read the paragraphs:

“Don’t get too comfortable. I’m taking it back next year.” Roman laughed. “We’ll see about that.” The crowd laughed with them. I couldn’t stop looking at the ribbon. I still couldn’t believe this was the mysterious Royal Ribbon everyone had guarded like the kingdom’s greatest treasure. The more I stared at it, the more little details I noticed. One felt letter sat just a little higher than the others. A ribbon tail curled where the glue had dried thicker than intended. Glitter continued drifting off every time Roman shifted it in his hands. It was… Absolutely ridiculous. And somehow… I loved it.

Did not have enough pieces to assemble it into anything coherent. But she noticed it. And the noticing sat with her, quiet and persistent, in the way that things sit when you have filed them under I do not know what this is and the folder will not quite close. "Anyway," Ana said again, and the word was doing real work this time — carrying her back to the surface, sealing whatever had almost opened. She touched the ribbon around the books with one fingertip, a gesture so brief and light it might have been accidental. "Bruno and I have been doing it for some years now. I thought it might help with his reading."

Something we could choose. Roman slid a leather-bound book across the table. I opened it and gasped softly. Inside were sketches, clippings, photos of dresses, flowers, venues—pages and pages of possibility. “You’ve been busy,” I murmured, flipping through. His eyes glinted. “When I want something, I don’t wait around.” I brushed my hand over a sketch of a white silk gown with lace sleeves. “You’re serious about all of this.”

Right? I walked towards the neatly dressed bed slowly and picked up the envelope. I’ve loved red ribbons since I was a kid; that was partly why I dyed my hair red, so I could match the aesthetic of the ribbon. But whoever made this envelope didn’t know that, right? Because only my family did, and maybe a few friends. I untied the ribbon on the envelope by pulling the other side of it; it opened, and I gulped when the content of it came into sight. I emptied it on my bed and just stared. An electronic drawing pen, a Mac drawing pad, and some… chocolates?

No one moved. Not because we were afraid. Because after everything we'd been through... We had finally found it. I took one step forward. Then another. A breeze stirred the grass. Something white fluttered beneath the old tree. Not a bird. A ribbon. It had been tied around a cradle carved from oak. Empty. Inside the cradle lay one last thing. A small leather book. My name had been pressed into the cover in faded gold letters. ARIANA Before I could reach it...

She was exaggerating because his steps and words had always been slow and weird. "W... what are you doing?" she stuttered, refusing to show her bravado, leaving. She looked at the cuffs, twisting her hand further, but it only hurt her wrist. "Showing you how a pervert behaves." He slid his hand behind his pocket. "Don't try anything silly with me. You'd regret it." She gasped, choking on her last words when she saw him slowly slipping out a black ribbon. If she was not wrong, this was the ribbon she had used to tighten her hair on the day they kissed. Or was she wrong? What would a man like him be doing with a ribbon?

After a little distance, I opened the bag. Everything remained. I closed it. I continued walking. Then checked again. Still there. Good. I found the books while looking at ribbons. I was not buying ribbons. Looking was free, and there were several shades of blue I intended to look at thoroughly. The neighboring stall sold used things. Candlesticks. Belts. A cracked mirror. A painted box without a key. A cup dented badly enough that I wondered what had happened to the person holding it. And books.

Sabrina. She pulled the length of ribbon off the box and removed the lid. Inside was a layer of pastel violet tissue paper, and for a brief moment she remembered the black camisole and panties Creighton had given her. She pushed the paper aside and gasped. Inside was the dark burgundy dress she had admired back at Marie Marchant’s dress shop. The rhinestones glistened in the sunlight, making her feel giddy and excited. She lifted it out and glanced in the box at the items that lay waiting her discovery.