Let the Dance Begin

by Lynda Waterhouse

  ‘She’s delirious,’ another voice said as Cassie felt herself being lifted up.

  ‘Cassie, it’s me – Lexie, you’ve just had a nasty fall. I found this dress in a basket. I couldn’t resist putting it on.’ Then she gasped. ‘Oh Cassie, is this your mother’s dress? I’m so sorry. I’ll take it off right away’

  ‘You’re going to have a bump on your head,’ Shell said, peering at Cassie. ‘But there’s no blood.’

  ‘Shall I go and get help?’ Lexie asked.

  Shell and Cassie both said, ‘No!’

  ‘It was just the shock of seeing that dress.’ Cassie reached out and grabbed some of the fabric and sniffed it.

  ‘You said something about Sandrine …’ Shell said as she helped Cassie stand up.

  ‘Did I?’

  ‘You mumbled something about Sandrine having no right to send your mother away for so long. What did you mean?’ Shell looked serious. ‘Please, Cassie, I need to know.’

  ‘Leave her be, Shell. She was probably talking nonsense,’ said Lexie as she changed back into her overalls.

  ‘What I said was the truth,’ Cassie said softly. We said that we wouldn’t talk about our pasts, but I have discovered that Sandrine sent my mother on a secret mission to help save the dunes.’

  Words came flooding out of Cassie as she told them about the reason why she wanted to be at Sandringham and then about the two secret visits to the study. Lexie and Shell listened with awestruck faces.

  ‘When I read the missing pages I found out that my mother had been sent on a mission to visit all the dunes and learn the secret dune dances from around the world. I’d started to blame Sandrine, but reading those pages made me realise that Sandrine had no choice. She was faced with an appalling decision, and has always felt responsible for my mother’s disappearance.’

  ‘Then your mother got caught in the Great Sandstorm. Oh Cassie, I’m so sorry’ Tears welled up in Lexie’s eyes.

  ‘You have to promise me that you will not tell anyone about this,’ Cassie insisted.

  Shell’s voice quivered. ‘We will keep your secret, Cassie.’

  ‘Of course we will,’ Lexie agreed.

  ‘That clears up a lot of things,’ Shell said, wiping away a tear.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Lexie asked as she handed her a handkerchief.

  Shell blew her nose. ‘Just about how things are at the palace. Why Sandrine can be so moody sometimes, and the way that she treats Anagallis.’

  ‘You mean that she spoils her and lets her do exactly what she likes,’ Lexie said, ‘whilst the rest of us have to struggle along the best we can.’

  ‘You don’t understand what it is like for Anagallis,’ replied Shell. ‘When you are given everything you want it can feel like you aren’t really loved at all. It’s easy just to give things. Sometimes saying no to a demand is a sign of caring.’

  After a moment’s silence, Lexie stood up and said in a mock solemn voice, ‘From now on this place shall be known as the Secrets Cupboard!’

  They all linked arms. ‘The Secrets Cupboard!’ they chanted together.

  Shell helped Cassie tidy up the spilled boxes. ‘I knew you were hiding something from us!’ she said. ‘You’ve been so distracted lately. Lexie thought that perhaps you had a crush on Rubus.’

  ‘I did not say that! You said it!’ Lexie gasped.

  ‘Shell, you are impossible!’ Cassie grinned.

  Lexie held up Marina’s dress. ‘A prima dune dancer’s dress! I can’t believe I’ve been wearing it! It is beyond beautiful. Look at these tiny seed pearls and shells stitched together on the bodice, and the skirt is so light.’

  ‘You’re gushing again,’ Shell warned.

  ‘I just can’t help myself Lexie stroked the dress.

  She helped Cassie fold the dress carefully and put it back in the basket.

  ‘Just before we go, and as we are in the Secrets Cupboard, there is something I’d really like to tell you …’ began Shell.

  Just then, the door creaked open and Ella and a group of the younger sand dancers crept in. ‘We’ve come to help you out,’ Ella informed them.

  ‘My news will keep for another time,’ Shell said quietly.

  ‘That’s really kind of you,’ Lexie smiled at the little sand dancers.

  When Calluna came to check later on she was surprised at how much they had achieved.

  ‘Just a bit of teamwork and a lot of belief and trust in each other,’ Shell told her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  ‘When a lot of sand has passed through the timer,

  it is easier to see the truth through it.’

  The Sands of Time

  Finally the night of the Harvest Moon Festival arrived. As the sun began to set, Silica Square began to fill up. A crowd was gathering around the platform that had been built for the dancers to perform on.

  Everyone was talking about the dancing.

  ‘Of course they won’t be as good as they were in my day’ an elderly sand sprite insisted.

  ‘I’ve heard they’re even better than before, which is amazing considering there are only twenty-five sand dancers at the school,’ said another sprite. ‘My daughter Alexsandra is one of the eight dancers that have been picked to dance today. I was one of the last sand dancers to perform at the Harvest Moon Festival.’

  And my daughter is Calluna – the senior sand dancer. She had better not let me down,’ a severe-looking sand sprite sniffed.

  ‘I’m sure she will do her best,’ Lexie’s mother, Viola Seacouch, said in a gentle voice.

  ‘Only perfection is good enough. Anything less is disgraceful and will not be tolerated!’ Calluna’s mother snapped.

  Cassie, who had overheard this exchange, felt sorry for Calluna. She must be constantly worried that she was not living up to her mother’s high expectations. Was this where her mean-spiritedness came from?

  ‘I’m just glad to see some dancing again at the Harvest Moon Festival,’ another sprite added.

  Cassie wondered if Euphorbia would be able to get the time off from the sand factory to come to the festivities. At least she would be pleased that Cassie wasn’t dancing.

  All conversation stopped as a group of silver dune bugs sped into the square. The occupants jumped off and began to clear the way for the large silver bug that was carrying Sandrine.

  As fast as quicksilver, a canopy was set up opposite the platform and, after a lot of fussing and handing round of cool drinks, Sandrine took her place on a throne under the canopy. She was wearing a long shimmering cloak and her white braids were piled on top of her head. She looked impressive as she nodded at the crowd.

  Then the dune bug carrying the Harvest Moon dancers from the dance school lumbered into the square. Everyone stopped to look at the sand dancers, and as they walked towards the stage, there was a spontaneous cheer. Madame Rosa and Mrs Sandskrit began to direct them to unpack their things.

  A familiar voice beside Cassie said, ‘Hope they can dance as beautifully as they look.’

  ‘Rubus, you are wearing a shirt!’ Cassie was pleased to see her friend, but shocked. She had never seen him like this before.

  ‘Wouldn’t be seen in Silica Square without one,’ Rubus said. ‘Might make the delicate sand dancers faint!’ He elbowed her in the ribs. ‘Besides, Euphorbia is here and she would give me such a telling-off

  ‘Where is she?’ Cassie felt very pleased that her aunt had come.

  ‘She’s with Lena Sealovage. ‘They travelled down together from Mite Cove.’

  There was no more time for talking as the crowd hushed around them. Sandrine was standing on the stage and began to address the crowd.

  ‘The Harvest Moon Festival has always been a special occasion for sand sprites. It is a time to meet up, to relax and enjoy each other’s company. As you know, the famous Sandringham Dance School has reopened and today we will see some of the finest dancers perform.’

  There was a big cheer from the crowd. As Sandrine walked
slowly off the stage the curtains were pulled back and the eight dancers stood in their positions. Nothing moved, apart from their costumes in the light breeze.

  Cassie felt a huge pang of disappointment that she wasn’t up there. She watched Lexie, Shell and Ella and felt pleased for them. She wanted them to dance their best and show everyone how good they were.

  The sand dancers performed their first set of exercises perfectly and everyone cheered. Mrs Sandskrit came on stage and announced, ‘After that demonstration of skills we will now attempt a short dance piece.’

  It was time for the interpretative dancing display.

  Cassie watched. It was beautiful as the dancers moved around the stage. They looked so free and fluid and relaxed, but Cassie knew that each step had been perfectly choreographed and timed.

  They were just completing the sand gliding and moving from some jumps into arabesques when Calluna made a miscalculation with her feet and stumbled. It was only a slight fault and few sprites would have noticed as she quickly righted herself and carried on.

  ‘The idiot! I’ll box her ears for that!’ Calluna’s mother hissed from the side of the stage. She pulled an angry face at Calluna, who tried her best to continue but seemed to get worse as she noticed her mother’s reaction.

  The dance ended, and Madame Rosa and Mrs Sandskrit appeared on stage. They assembled all the dancers, who stepped forward and curtseyed. Everyone clapped and cheered.

  Then the crowd fell silent as Sandrine rose slowly from her seat on the platform opposite the stage. Her face was expressionless, but her presence was commanding.

  Then she began to speak, and her face relaxed into a smile. ‘The dance school has been closed for seven long years but, as I watched that wonderful display, it seemed as if the sands of time had been turned back and that the Great Sandstorm had not blown, bringing with it such destruction and devastation. Let us take a moment to remember all those sand sprites who perished that day’

  Everyone bowed their heads.

  ‘And now it is time to move forward. Seven long years of hard work and rebuilding have restored our beautiful dunes and now we have our sand dancers back!’

  Everyone began to cheer and clap as Sandrine nodded and continued. ‘I would like to thank Madame Rosa and her staff for all their hard work.’

  ‘Don’t forget the sand dancers!’ Lexie’s mum called out.

  ‘No indeed. These young sand dancers have been a source of pride to me. I must admit that when I was holding the auditions, I was not sure if we had the talent, but these shining sandbeams have proved me wrong.’

  Madame Rosa curtseyed. ‘I would like to thank you, Sandrine, for repealing Rule 623 and allowing us to, once again, devote our lives to dancing.’

  At the far corner of the crowded market there was some jostling and Cassie spotted Thassalinus roughly pushing his way through the crowds. Another sand farer was by his side. He was leaning against Thassalinus and he was gasping for breath.

  ‘Make way, make way’ Thassalinus bellowed.

  The crowd stopped grumbling and the wave of disapproval turned into something else as they realised that the sand farer must have returned from a long and dangerous journey. Rubus rushed over and supported his arm. The sand farer nodded his thanks.

  The crowd parted like marramgrass in the breeze to allow them to make their way towards Sandrine.

  As he approached the Supreme Sand Sprite, the sand farer seemed to draw on his last reserves of energy. He pulled away from his helpers and stood tall and proud before Sandrine.

  He bowed low. Then he began to cough and sank to the ground.

  ‘Water,’ Sandrine ordered.

  Thassalinus handed him a flask. ‘Take a drop of mollusc mead. That will put some fire in your belly’

  The sand farer gratefully took a sip.

  Thassalinus bowed to Sandrine. ‘I found this poor soul this morning wandering around the outskirts of Dreamy Dune. He refused to rest and insisted that he had to speak with you at once. He told me that he could not rest until he had passed on some information. Only then would he be able to return to his home dune.’ Thassalinus helped the sand farer to his feet.

  ‘I have some important news,’ he informed Sandrine.

  Sandrine took control. ‘Put him on a silver bug. We will go at once to the palace and hear your news!’ She turned to the crowd. ‘Continue with the celebrations.’

  The crowd sighed with disappointment. It had been seven long years since a sand farer had returned to Silica City, and they were hungry for news.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘Time and tide cannot go back.

  Go forward!’

  The Sands of Time

  No one moved from the square. Sand sprites huddled in groups whispering about what they had just seen. The sand dancers sat on the stage. Half an hour had passed since Sandrine had swept the sand farer away.

  ‘He must be bringing some really serious news,’ Cassie said, as she helped Lexie take off her dancing slippers. ‘Are you sure your leg is all right?’ She had noticed Lexie wince with pain.

  ‘I hope so. It’s just some muscle strain. I pulled something on the last Dune Bug Jump of the dance.’

  ‘You must look after yourself, Lexie. You’re always running around after other sprites, taking care of Shell and Ella. Don’t neglect your own health,’ Cassie warned.

  Lexie smiled. ‘You’re all my friends. Ella is so young, and Shell – well, she’s naturally bossy. Where is she?’

  ‘She hopped into Sandrine’s silver bug,’ Cassie replied.

  Lexie laughed. ‘Shell can talk herself into anywhere – she is a natural leader.’

  A thought landed with a splash in Cassie’s head, like a pebble in the middle of a rockpool, as memories of Shell flickered in her brain – on the silver dune bug overloaded with luggage, helping herself to food, expecting things to be done for her …

  Cassie felt a sharp tap on her shoulder. When she turned round she saw that it was Shell – only she was wearing a silver cloak like the one Sandrine wore.

  ‘Sandrine wants to see you,’ she whispered as she began to lead Cassie by the arm towards a silver bug.

  Cassie looked carefully at Shell and then dropped her head saying, ‘As you wish …’ She started to follow Shell. Then she stopped and finished,‘… Anagallis?’

  Shell stopped. ‘There’s no time for asking questions.’

  Lexie screamed. ‘I do not believe this! I think I really am going to faint now’

  Cassie and Shell steadied her.

  ‘That is why you did not want to talk about the past!’ Cassie said. ‘You are Anagallis. I’m sorry, Shell. I’ve said so many awful things about Sandrine, without even knowing her. I know now that she wasn’t being spiteful and that I was wrong to blame her for my mother going away’

  Lexie blushed. When I think of all the nasty things we’ve said about Anagallis too …’

  ‘I said a few things about her myself,’ Shell laughed.

  Cassie nodded. ‘I recall something about her being as fat as a barrel and not being interested in dancing.’

  ‘I knew that I would be treated differently if everyone knew who I was. I wanted a chance to prove myself. As soon as people know you are Sandrine’s daughter, everything changes,’ Shell explained.

  Cassie nodded. After all, she had intended to keep the fact that she was a Marramgrass a secret until Rubus had made that impossible. Then she smiled to herself, thinking about how Calluna would react if she knew she was being so mean and spiteful to the Supreme Sand Sprite’s only daughter.

  ‘We’ll talk about this later, but you really do have to come to Sandrine now’ Shell took Cassie’s arm.

  From out of nowhere Euphorbia and Rubus appeared beside her.

  ‘She’s going nowhere without me,’ Euphorbia warned.

  Rubus stood by Cassie. ‘Me too.’

  ‘Sandrine has only asked to see Cassie,’ said Shell.

  Euphorbia stomped her stic
k down hard dangerously close to Shell’s toes. ‘Listen to me, young lady, and don’t think I have forgotten for one minute the trick you played on me at the auditions. You have no right to tell me —’

  Cassie interrupted. Aunt, let me introduce you to Anagallis, daughter of —’

  ‘I know who Anagallis is,’ Euphorbia cut in, then she turned pale. ‘Oh I see – you are Anagallis.’ She curtseyed.

  Rubus laughed. ‘Nice trick to play on us. Of course I guessed it ages ago. Ouch!’

  Cassie had kicked him. ‘You did not.’

  Shell sighed impatiently. ‘We’re late already. Come along if you must.’

  They all crammed onto the tiny bug. Groups of sand sprites stood around staring at them.

  ‘Haven’t you got sand to be shifting?’ Euphorbia waggled her stick at them as they sped past.

  At the palace they were shown into a small chamber where Sandrine was lying on a couch sipping a cup of sage tea. Her face was pale but her eyes glowed. She stood up when they came in.

  Shell stepped forward. ‘Here’s Cassie.’

  Sandrine put her teacup down and looked at Cassie. ‘I remember you from the auditions. You had that fierce Marramgrass look of determination in your eyes.’

  Euphorbia curtseyed and added, ‘A fine quality for a sand dancer to have.’

  ‘Indeed.’ Sandrine smiled. ‘Good to see you again, Euphorbia Marramgrass. I have had many good reports about your excellent work at Mite Cove. Your dedication has helped keep the sand clean and pure.’

  Euphorbia gave a curtsey of appreciation.

  Sandrine’s voice turned more serious. ‘I have some news … about Marina.’

  Cassie let out an involuntary gasp.

  ‘Cassandra. I have brought you here to tell you that the sand farer has reported a possible sighting of Marina. He is certain that he glimpsed Marina through his telescope. She was dancing in a dune many continents from here. She seemed well and in good spirits. The sighting was a few months ago but it appears to be a good lead. The sand farer knew your mother and father well. He could not reach the dune safely as it was a particularly inaccessible one, so decided to make his way back here as swiftly as he could. I do not want to say too much at this point, but I am sending a large sand galleon to investigate at first light. There is no time to be lost.’