Magic Ballerina 13-18

by Darcey Bussell

  Holly’s eyes flickered to the wide archway that led through to the white and gold ballroom. The floor looked so shiny and the crystal chandeliers were glistening and twinkling. Flowers were being arranged in enormous vases fixed to the walls. What was going on?

  “Oh, you’re here! That’s brilliant!”

  Holly swung round to see her friend, the White Cat, dancing over towards her.

  “Cat!” she cried in delight as they hugged each other.

  “What’s going on?” she asked. “Whose is this palace?”

  “Questions … questions!” the White Cat laughed. “Well, first things first. The palace belongs to Cinderella and Prince Charming. And as for what is going on – well, today is the christening of their little baby, Pearl. Look, here she is now! Come and take a peep.”

  Holly followed the White Cat to the beautiful lacy cradle tucked in a little alcove. Baby Pearl was wide awake, her blue eyes shining as she looked at the silver rattle she was clutching.

  “Her favourite toy!” said the White Cat, throwing a smile at Holly.

  A small puppy suddenly hurtled by, wagging its tail and nearly tripping up one of the servants.

  “Max, you naughty thing! Get out from under everyone’s feet!”

  The White Cat chuckled. “Prince Charming bought the puppy for Pearl for when she’s older!”

  Holly was confused. Usually the shoes brought her to Enchantia if there was a problem to help sort out, yet everything here seemed picture perfect. Although, when she looked carefully, she could see that some of the servants looked a bit worried. She turned to the White Cat, raising her eyebrows. “So what is going on? What do you need me for?”

  “Oh, Holly, we’re all a bit fearful,” he began gravely. “You see, Cinderella can’t put out of her mind the dreadful events that took place at the christening of her friend Princess Aurelia.”

  Holly had met Princess Aurelia – or Sleeping Beauty – before and remembered her story: the Wicked Fairy, who hadn’t been invited to Princess Aurelia’s christening, had come anyway, crashing in furiously and wrecking everything with a curse about a spinning wheel.

  “Of course, every precaution has been taken,” the White Cat went on. “I mean, obviously none of the wicked characters of Enchantia have been invited to Pearl’s christening, but that is a problem in itself. You see, if the Wicked Fairy finds out that the christening is taking place and she has not been invited again, who knows what evil she might wreak?”

  Holly nodded thoughtfully.

  “Everyone has been instructed to keep the ceremony top secret, but—” the White Cat shook his head anxiously,”—you never know!” He leaned forward and spoke in a loud whisper. “Can you keep an eye out for anything suspicious?”

  Then, as quickly as his brow had furrowed, it cleared and he stepped back and smiled at someone approaching. “Your Highness, this is Holly, the human owner of the magic shoes.”

  Holly’s eyes widened as a beautiful girl with golden hair swept up on to her head stood before her. Cinderella!

  “Hello, Holly!” Cinderella smiled. “I’m so pleased to welcome you here.”

  “I’m pleased to be here.” Holly smiled. “And don’t you worry, I’ll be on the lookout.”

  “Thank you so much!” said Cinderella, before rushing off to welcome more guests.

  It was so exciting, seeing the people of Enchantia at the christening. Everyone had a gift for baby Pearl, and now that they were all set out on the creamy tablecloth of the ceremony table, Holly took a closer look. There was a sparkling fan, a charm bracelet, tiny white slippers with hand-sewn sequins, a beaded purse, and many other lovely things. There was just one gift left, wrapped in the shiniest paper of all, that hadn’t yet been opened.

  Just at that moment, Cinderella arrived at the table, looking worried. “Have you seen my Fairy Godmother, White Cat? I can’t understand why she’s disappeared all of a sudden.”

  “I’m sure there’ll be a perfectly ordinary explanation, Your Highness,” said the White Cat. “Maybe she’s just flown off to get something and will be back at any moment”

  “Yes, I’m sure that must be it,” said Cinderella. “And this must be her present.”

  Cinderella’s hand gestured towards the unopened present.

  And that was when Holly noticed the White Cat’s whiskers twitching. She frowned and felt her heart beating a little faster. The White Cat’s whiskers only ever seemed to twitch when magic was afoot. Could something be going on?

  As soon as Cinderella headed off, Holly turned to her friend.

  “What is it, White Cat? I noticed your whiskers, just now.”

  “I have absolutely no idea why they should be twitching. It’s all most confusing.” Just then, some majestic music struck up and the White Cat clapped his paws happily. “Oh, my glittering tail! The dancing has begun. My own dance is not till later on in the ceremony. I can’t wait!” he added, doing a light bounce into the air, criss-crossing his feet neatly, which made Holly smile, as Cinderella came rushing back in.

  “Prince Charming says I should open the Fairy Godmother’s gift!” she cried excitedly.

  The rest of the guests gathered round and the music faded into the background. Holly, too, rushed forward. If she had been brought here to Enchantia to help look out for spinning wheels and the like, then she must check everything to make sure she didn’t fail.

  Cinderella ripped off the shiny paper to reveal a jewelled box. The princess opened it and gasps filled the air. The gift inside was nothing like a spinning wheel – far from it. On a cushion of creamy silk lay the most beautiful tiara Holly had ever seen!

  Cinderella held up the tiara. “I can’t wait to thank my Fairy Godmother!” she breathed as the clustered diamonds and bright blue sapphires caught the light and glimmered and glittered like stars. “This is just the most gorgeous gift ever! When baby Pearl is older she will be able to wear it every day.”

  Cinderella smiled with joy at her guests. “Won’t she look stunning?”

  “Stunning!” came the answering cries.

  “I’ll just try it on myself,” the happy princess went on excitedly.

  Holly didn’t think it was possible for anyone to look more beautiful than Cinderella in the sparkling tiara.

  And, apart from baby Pearl, who had suddenly started to cry loudly, everyone was smiling and clapping their hands.

  “What a picture!”

  “Magnificent!”

  “Where is Pearl’s rattle?” asked Cinderella a bit crossly.

  Holly was amongst the people who hurried over to the cradle to look for it.

  “It seems to be missing, Your Highness,” said one of the servants.

  Cinderella raised her voice. “Missing! How can it be missing?”

  And as Holly slipped back to the White Cat, she noticed the servant blushing and quite a few people staring, wide-eyed. It was a shock to hear Cinderella talking sharply.

  “I guess she’s just in a bit of a state because her Fairy Godmother isn’t around,” the White Cat whispered, stroking his whiskers thoughtfully.

  That might be true, thought Holly, seeing Cinderella fling an irritated glance at the cradle, before walking off somewhere.

  It was quite a relief when the music struck up again because, for one thing, it drowned out baby Pearl’s cries, which were becoming louder by the minute.

  “Ah, here is Prince Charming!” said the White Cat, quickly changing the subject as the Prince went over to the cradle. “He will soothe his little daughter. He always does.”

  But this time, even Prince Charming failed to stop the baby’s loud howls and when Cinderella stomped back into the ballroom she cried out, “Will someone do something about that baby, for goodness’ sake!”

  There was a stunned silence.

  “Oh, my shimmering whiskers!” whispered the White Cat. “Why, oh why is Cinders acting like this?”

  Holly bit her lip. She had an idea why, but it seemed stupid, so she tho
ught she’d better not say it. Instead, she watched as Cinderella turned on the butler with a gathering frown.

  “Do you expect my guests to drink out of smeary glasses like those?” she shrieked.

  An uncomfortable silence fell upon the great hall and the butler clicked his fingers at the waiters to take the glasses away.

  The White Cat shook his head. “I cannot believe my ears!” he said to Holly. “I could see my own reflection in any one of those bright clean glasses. Whatever is the matter with Cinderella?”

  “And what are you looking at?” Cinderella demanded of Prince Charming in an ugly squeal.

  “Darling, I—” he tried to speak to her, but she stamped her foot.

  “Enough! Why does the music keep going quiet! Turn the volume up! And dance, for goodness’ sake! Anything to improve this dull party!”

  The guests all tried to obey, but their hearts clearly weren’t in it and their dancing was sad and flat.

  No wonder, thought Holly. Who wants to dance in such an unhappy atmosphere? The fairies tried their hardest to raise everyone’s spirits, flitting and fluttering around in a series of light leaps.

  But Cinderella even found fault with that. “I’m off!” she announced.

  “B-but where are you going, Your Highness?” asked one of the fairies.

  “To my room!” cried Cinderella, pushing over a display of lilies and leaving behind a scattering of broken china and sad bent stalks.

  “Oh, my glittering tail!” the White Cat said in horror. “Without Cinderella, the ceremony cannot continue. Whatever are we going to do?”

  As the guests milled around uncertainly and Prince Charming tried to comfort baby Pearl, Holly decided she must tell the White Cat what she was thinking, however silly it sounded.

  “You know, I think it’s the tiara, Cat,” she said. “Cinderella started acting differently the moment she tried it on.”

  The White Cat’s eyes widened. “You know, you could be right. She did.” His next words came out quickly. “The Wicked Fairy … This must be her doing! Let’s take a look at the box the tiara came in. There might be a clue in there.”

  They hurried over to the long table and opened the box.

  “Look!” whispered Holly, pulling out a single brown feather. “What’s this?”

  “An owl feather!” the White Cat breathed. He gasped and his fur almost seemed to stand on end.

  “What’s wrong?” Holly asked him fearfully.

  “Oh, my glimmering whiskers,” he answered a little shakily. “I’ve been so busy worrying about the Wicked Fairy, that I completely forgot about any other possible villains, like Von Rotbart!”

  Holly’s heart missed a beat. Von Rotbart was the evil magician in the ballet Swan Lake. He had a hideous owl-like face and was very powerful.

  “He leaves an owl feather whenever he is working his evil magic,” the White Cat explained. “The tiara must have come from him.”

  “But why?” asked Holly.

  “Let’s see if we can find out just that,” replied the White Cat, beginning to turn slowly, the tip of his long tail brushing the floor, leaving a perfect circle. “Let’s take a look at Von Rotbart’s castle,” he murmured.

  From out of the circle came a mist. Holly stared as the mist swirled round and round. She felt her eyes drawn in. Forming inside it was a picture of a fairy in a sparkling dress trapped in an underground dungeon, tears rolling down her kindly face.

  “I knew it!” the White Cat cried as the mist faded and the scene before them disappeared. “Von Rotbart has captured Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.”

  “We have to rescue her!” Holly exclaimed.

  Just then, Cinderella came marching back into the room, her eyes gleaming with fury.

  The White Cat took hold of the end of his long tail and swished it round again. “We must leave quickly before she notices us,” he said, pulling Holly into the circle he’d made, and she saw his whiskers twitch until silver sparks flew off them. “Here we go …”

  The White Cat’s magic set them down in a small copse of trees.

  “This is as near to Von Rotbart’s castle as I dare bring us,” he said, looking straight ahead. “It’s possible that the evil magician will be able to use stronger magic than me whilst in his own castle, so we would be helpless against him inside. We must be very careful.”

  Holly followed the White Cat’s gaze and saw a gigantic steel-grey castle, its dark turrets and towers poking into the clouds, iron bars at its dull windows. Then she shivered as she caught sight of Von Rotbart with his menacing owl face, appear at the doorway. It looked as though he was about to fly off somewhere.

  “Look! There he is! Now’s our chance. We can free the Fairy Godmother!” Holly was already rushing forward, but the White Cat put a paw on her arm.

  “There could be servants or anyone inside. We need to stake out the castle … think of a safe way to get in,” he shuddered. “Otherwise we might find ourselves trapped there too!”

  Holly heaved an enormous sigh and as she dropped her head despondently, her eye caught sight of something twinkling inside a small shrub.

  “What’s that?” In a moment, she was beside the shrub, and a second later she was waving a golden wand triumphantly in the air. “Look!”

  “It’s the Fairy Godmother’s wand,” cried the White Cat. “She must have dropped it.”

  “Can we use it to magic her here to us, instead of us going inside to her?” Holly asked eagerly.

  The White Cat shook his head. “Only the Fairy Godmother can make magic with her wand,” he said sadly. Then his brow suddenly cleared. “But, of course! We could dance to make her appear, Holly! All you have to do is dance some of her steps. That is how the magic works!”

  Holly looked at him in dismay. “Oh no! I knew I should have paid attention when Madame Za-Za taught us the sequence of steps.”

  She thought for a moment. Could she do it? She had to! There was a small silence, before a feeling of determination came over Holly. “I think I know what I could do, though.”

  Turning out her supporting foot and keeping her leg quite straight, she raised the other leg behind her, making sure her knee didn’t drop and lifted her arm to frame her face. Then, with a brave smile she began to count inside her head as the White Cat watched her curiously.

  Holly held the position without flinching for a count of twenty, and just when she thought she’d collapse, there was a flash of golden light.

  “Yessss!” cried the White Cat.

  Standing before them was Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.

  “Thank you so much,” exclaimed the Fairy Godmother.

  “We wondered where you were, so we came to find you!” gabbled Holly. “It’s such a relief that you’re free.”

  “For me too,” said the Fairy Godmother. “But, tell me quickly, I’ve been so worried. Has Cinderella touched the tiara?”

  Holly and the White Cat exchanged anxious glances and the Fairy Godmother’s hands shot to her mouth. “She has put it on, hasn’t she?”

  The White Cat nodded forlornly. “She is not … herself. It’s awful.”

  “Then we must hurry.” The Fairy Godmother turned pale. “When Von Rotbart captured me, he was so proud of his evil cunning, that he couldn’t resist telling me what he’d done – how he’d slipped the beautiful present in amongst the others, so that everyone would assume it was mine.”

  Holly and the White Cat listened as the Fairy Godmother carried on with the tale.

  “Whoever touches the tiara is compelled to wear it, and won’t be able to take it off. And that’s when the evil magic begins. It makes the wearer more and more horrible and mean, until their heart eventually turns completely to stone.”

  The White Cat’s paws flew to his face in horror. “Oh, my glittering tail!”

  “But why?” asked Holly, feeling fury mounting up inside her. “I don’t understand how Von Rotbart could be so cruel. Why would he do all this?”

  “Beca
use he is jealous,” the Fairy Godmother explained. “Jealous and angry, that Prince Charming married Cinderella and not his own daughter, Odile. Von Rotbart offered him her hand in marriage some time ago, but the Prince turned him down. Now he’s even angrier at not being invited to the christening ceremony.”

  “So what can we do?” asked Holly fearfully. “Is there any way we can break the spell?”

  “The only way it can be broken,” replied the Fairy Godmother, “is if the dance of the Spring Fairy, the Summer Fairy, the Autumn Fairy and the Winter Fairy from Cinderella is repeated precisely. The magic of the dancing will melt the princess’s hardening heart and release her from the enchantment. Even then,” she said with a catch in her voice, “it might not be strong enough to break the spell.”

  “What if I were to join in with the dance to strengthen its magic?” asked the White Cat, catching the Fairy Godmother’s hand in his paw and looking at her earnestly. “I know the steps very well,” he added.

  “Yes, that would definitely help,” she said. “If one of the fairies falters or gets a step wrong, then the magic won’t work, so it would be good to have someone there as a backup.” Her face turned grave. “Oh, and there’s one more thing. The dance must be done before sunset.”

  “Oh, my shimmering whiskers!” exclaimed the White Cat in a panic, looking up at the sky. “Then that means we’ve got less than half an hour to get back and organise the dance! Come on! We must go immediately!”

  The Fairy Godmother waved her wand, leaving a trail of glitter in the air, and in a flash, the three of them were whisked away to the palace.

  As soon as they were set down in the grand hall, Holly could feel an uneasiness in the air. The guests were chatting and eating and drinking. A few were even dancing, but it wasn’t natural. It wasn’t … right. Everyone was tense, apart from one strange man who seemed to be ignoring the atmosphere and was enjoying himself, tapping his foot to the music and smiling around.