Fairytales are taken extremely seriously in the Fairy Kingdom.  They are enacted regularly to keep them "alive" and Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm are honoured as great practitioners of literature.  Nobody in the Fairy Kingdom likes the tamed down version of fairytales (though they have some sympathy with Walt Disney's need to not upset its younger audience too much - the Kingdom's attitude is let the kids grow up first then let them appreciate the full fairytale). 

Children at school in the magical realm are encouraged to write their own fairytales.  Though the Kingdom is the only place anywhere where not only can children enjoy visits to their schools by published authors, but the local fairy godmother can drop in as well and explain her role in fairytales from personal knowledge!  Eileen did not do a lot of school visits (partially  because the Queen kept her too busy and also because Eileen simply didn't have the patience to cope with lots of questions).  However Hanastrew, when not on duty with the fairy squad, does visit and talks regularly about her work. 

The Palace grounds are superb with wonderful views as you'd expect but within those the Queen has her own gardens where she plants her own flowers.  Her gardeners don't really approve - they have been heard to utter many harsh comments about mere amateurs though funnily enough they don't tend to mention these in the royal presence.  The Queen wouldn't take any notice in any case.

Her Majesty finds gardening soothing after a tiring day  quarrellling either with the Council or Eileen and doesn't get as much time in her private patch as she'd like.  The Royal Household don't really approve of the Queen getting her hands dirty either but Roxannadrell loves it, partly because it is such a contrast to her "day job". 

She has grown many beautiful blooms, some of which she cuts and puts in the vases in her private quarters.  She's no flower arranger though tending to use the "plonk them all in the nearest vase" approach.  The Queen's garden consists of a small lawn (where she likes to sit on the regal deckchair) and a crown shaped border where she plants bulbs, heathers, annuals and so on.  She likes to plant for the differing seasons and never has the same flowers in her border twice.  Her gardeners think that a kind of showing off.

Eileen liked the obvious luxuries - her wonderful quarters, the magnificent menus and the glorious grounds, where on her rare days off she would spend a lot of time - but hated the restrictions.  Nobody working in the Palace is permitted to leave the grounds without the explicit say-so of the Queen (who also likes to know where people are going.  She claims it's a security measure.  Eileen believes it's just being plain nosey). 

Another pain is that if  you attempted to leave the Palace "unofficially", someone would spot you and inevitably report you (or they'd get moaned at and when your boss is the most powerful magical being in the Kingdom, well you don't chance getting the wrong side of them, do you?).  The Council spends most of the year at the Palace and Eileen didn't like spending a lot of time in their company either given they tended to be criticial of her criticism of them. 

The Palace followed a set routine.  Eileen had sympathy with this.  With so many living and working in the grounds, there had to be a routine to make the system work.  But she also felt it gave the Queen far too much of an opportunity to control more than she strictly needed to. 

All in all, Eileen was glad to go into exile (and would've been even if she hadn't met Derek).

Life in the Fairy Kingdom's villages generally doesn't change that much, which is how most of the villagers themselves prefer it.  Change is unsettling.  Humans are destructive parasites.  So the news that their beloved fairy godmother, Eileen, firstly changed her name to a human one and then went  and defected to marry a human male caused shockwaves throughout the entire realm.  It was generally considered the biggest news since Queen Gwendolyn was eaten alive by a conveniently placed dragon.  And most villagers understood the necessity of the dragon given the late Queen's tendency to cause scandals and to neglect her regal duties. 

Nobody understands Eileen's actions (and the Queen privately believes Eileen doesn't either!).  Eileen's marriage is likely to be the biggest cause of gossip for decades to come.  Not that Eileen herself would care.  She was the biggest source of gossip when in the Kingdom.  Everybody followed her dragon killing exploits thanks to the over enthuasiastic reporting by Roherum on the Fairy News Network.  Eileen herself disliked Roherum's style but saw the use of  having her actions reported.  It would hopefully gain her support, show the Queen and her Council she was serving the Kingdom despite Brankaresh's hints she wasn't, and even Eileen was not immune to a bit of praise now and again.

My top character is Eileen, someone for whom hypocrisy is something that happens to others, itself a gloriously hypocritical statement, but which sums her up well.  Eileen is very much a go-getter but she is honest, courageous and witty.   She hates abuse of powers (though will make full use of her own thank  you).  Her own character traits are enough to land her in it.  If anyone can argue themselves into a dangerous magical fight, it is Eileen.  Fortunately she is good enough to fight herself out of it again.

The Queen began life in the novel as someone aware Eileen is actually better at magic than she is (and not liking that much).  The Queen takes off as a character in my view when she allows Eileen to defect, stunning Eileen, who thought she was just going to be booted out, and horrifying Brankaresh who thought with Eileen's defection that was the end to one troublesome fairy godmother (either by execution for treason, his preferred option, or by just having nothing to do with the magical world ever again and having to make do with life on Earth).  The Queen's stubbornness here encouraged me as it confirmed the familial traits she shares with Eileen.  I think also at this point where the Queen is being manipulative the novel really takes off and Eileen is aware the monarch is going to do her level best to better Eileen.

Jenny, to begin with, is a whinger (though given her mother's tale and the consequences it is understandable) but she too takes off as a character when she stands up to Eileen and the Queen.  At that point I feel sorry for Eileen, beleaguered by both sides but I believe if you really want to know what your characters are really like, put them through absolute hell and see how they react.