Chapter 5

The next morning….

“Rose...Rose,..wake up, sleeping beauty.” Violet jumped on the bed and yelled in Rose’s ear.

Rose woke up with a start and went back to sleep again. She covered her head with the blanket and crouched like a frog in her bed.

“Just five minutes more…” Rose moaned from under the blanket while Violet continued jumping on her bed.

“Not today, Rosy dear…Guess what, Dame Petal is downstairs with Lilly.” Violet said in excitement as she pulled off the blanket from over Rose.

No sooner did Rose hear about Lilly, she sprang up, picked up her shawl and barged out of the room before Violet could follow her. She reached the railings of the narrow wooden staircase and bent down to see Dame Petal and Lilly seated with Lady Oak in the living room.

“Rose, we aren’t supposed to…” Violet raised her brows.

“Shh…I can’t hear if you keep yapping.” Rose hushed her to keep quiet and bent further to hear the conversation that was taking place between the three.

Lilly was like an elder sister to all the young ballerinas in the Royal Ballet school, out of all, Rose adored her a lot not only for her excellence in ballet, but because of her simplicity and beauty. Lilly had been in the school long before Rose and the others had joined. She was present at the time when Dame Petal brought little Rose to the Ballet school. Lilly was the first girl to introduce her to the other girls and offer a hand of friendship. She was very pretty, her blonde hair always tied in a bun revealing her delicate neck, her fair milky skin shimmering in the lights of the studio whenever she would danced, intrigued Rose a lot.

“She is leaving?” Lady Oak exclaimed in disbelief.

“She is leaving!” Rose screamed from top and left her grip from the shawl causing it to slip off and land over Dame Petal.

They all Looked at Rose who now froze in her place, Rose knew that it was too late to go unnoticed by Dame Petal. She stood there with her grey eyes wide open and waited for Dame Petal to scold her. But to her surprise Dame Petal ignored Rose and continued talking to Lady Oak, while Lilly gestured Rose with her light blue eyes to get back inside the room.

Rose understood and went back in the room; she looked at Violet and all the other girls who had gathered near Violet’s bed. They were all wanting to hear what was happening downstairs.

“Why has Dame Petal come here?” Daisy asked as she crushed Violet under her heavy arms that were resting on her shoulder.

“Of course to teach Rose a lesson.” Dandelion replied with a smirk on her freckled face.

“Give it a rest dandy…Rose tell us why is Dame Petal with Lilly?” Violet pushed Dandelion off her bed and asked Rose with curiosity.

“I think Dame Petal is sending her away.” Rose replied with a sad face.

“What??” they all yelled in chorus.

“I heard Lady Oak say, “what, she is leaving?” Rose mimicked Lady Oak and repeated the dialogue.

A girl giggled as soon as Rose finished mimicking.

“That’s not funny!” Dandelion remarked and stared at the girl who had giggled.

“So what now?” No sooner had Violet asked that, Lady Oak entered in and asked everyone in frenzy to report downstairs.

“Quick all of you, I want y’all ready in thirty seconds.” She said and rushed out wiping the sweat on her face with her apron.

All the fourteen girls hurriedly dressed and darted down the narrow stairs causing it to creak every now and then. They collected near the study room and stood in attention on seeing Dame Petal and Lilly in the room.

Dame Petal looked at everyone and cleared her throat. She started with explaining why and where she was sending Lilly since she knew Rose has already spread the news like wild fire. She told them with a straight face that Sir Woodland had separately offered Lilly to work with his theater after the event had ended. He showed his fascination towards Lilly’s graceful performance and requested Dame Petal to permit Lilly to join them. She said that even though they had failed as a group, Lilly had created her own destiny and that she would go ahead and pursue it. She ended the announcement and ordered the girls including Lilly to leave.

Rose waited for Lilly and sprang on her the moment she closed the door behind her.

“Lilly what’s going on…you can’t leave us like this.” Rose complained, clinging to Lilly..

Lilly lovingly smiled and stroked her head. She took Rose outside the quarters and into the garden. As they sat on a iron side bench, Lilly explained and said, “Rose…some or the other day we all have to leave the ballet school..” she paused and continued “ opportunities don’t knock on your door all the time.” she added.

“But I we will miss you Lilly, what will I do without you?” Rose protested as tears rolled down her flushed cheeks.

“You’re no longer a kid; you are a young and beautiful lady, Rose.” Lilly rubbed off the tears from Rose’s cheeks and made her look at her.

“I know you are a responsible young lady and will take care of yourself. You don’t need me,” Lilly explained and tried to console Rose.

“When are you leaving?” Rose asked as she held back the tears.

“This evening…” Lilly paused and caught Rose’s hand.

Rose immediately embraced her and buried her moist face in her chest. She held her tightly and in a shaky voice said, “I wish you could stay with me forever.”

Lilly gently pushed Rose and made her face her. “I have a parting gift for you!” Lilly said and looked around to see if anybody was spying on them.

“Can you keep a secret?” Lilly asked her with a grin.

“Hmm...” Rose replied feeling disturbed that Lilly was actually leaving and going away.

“Okay then this is something that Dame Petal taught me after she felt I had learned everything that was there in ballet.” Lilly said excitedly and pulled Rose closer to her.

“You may think I am crazy but…you can control the surrounding with the power of emotions.” Lilly said and waited to see her reaction.

“Yes I know that!” Rose replied with a straight face.

Lilly was taken aback with the sudden reply that Rose ha given. She's never expected Rose to know about the mysteries of ballet. She raised her eye brow and stared at Rose. “How do you know about this?” Lilly asked her, sounding perplexed.

Rose then narrated the whole incident that took place the other night; she also told about how Dame Petal despised her and had remarked that she would never learn the true art of ballet. Lilly felt sorry for Rose and tried to motivate her. She told her not to give up and continue practicing. She also told her that she should not let anything come in the way of achieving her dreams.

‘Rose, don’t lose heart, try to develop it in you, because every ballerina has a gift in her.” Lilly said and got up. She walked back to the quarters and went upstairs to pack all her belongings.

Back in the Royal palace, things were a bit different…….

"Robin, you’re coming and that’s final…Case closed.” Thorn gave his finally words to Robin in the royal library. Robin and Cadbury were seated on their respective chairs and reading while Thorn walked around them in restlessness

“Case reopens, wouldn’t you say anything in my defense Cadbury?” Robin looked at Cadbury who was busy reading the scripts of an old dusty book with his magnifying glass.

“Uhmm…quiet you two, I am in the middle of something interesting.” Cadbury replied with his eyes still glued to the book.

“Oh, are you reading the book where the husband is the actual murdere and not the lady?” Thon said out loud purposely and glanced at Cadbury with a grin on his face.

“Thank you for ruining the suspense.” Cadbury replied with a frown and closed the book while Robin let out a laugh that echoed in the huge library.

“Thorn, I have said this a million times and I say it again, I cannot come to the carnival with you…Cadbury please tell him” Robin requested and hid his face behind the book he was reading.

“The young Prince is right; he can’t possible fool around in public, like you.” Cadbury explained and cleaned his glasses.

“Fool around?!” Thorn paused and continued, “Well, you can’t learn how to run a kingdom with only theoretical knowledge…you need to get out and experience it.”

“Thorn, that's easy for you to say! Nobody has seen you…it’s like you don’t exist in the royal Family.” Robin replied and latter realized what he said. He and Cadbury remained silent waiting to see how Thorn would react. To their surprise he just laughed and replied, “well isn’t that exciting, a prince that doesn’t exist.”

“Uhmm…why don’t you take Cadbury, he is after all your companion.” Robin suggested and looked in Cadbury’s direction.

Thorn rolled his eyes and fixed it on Robin, “He can’t move a step without complaining about his back.” Thorn whispered and saw Cadbury from the corner of his eyes.

“I heard that, Thorn.” Cadbury interrupted and raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry!” Thorn apologized and continued pestering Robin to accompany him for the carnival that was going to take place the coming weekend.

“The court is adjourned for now; we shall meet during the next hearing.” Robin quoted and got up to leave the library.

“And when is the next hearing my Lord?” Thorn asked coming in front of Robin and blocking his way.

“Look, mother!” Robin yelled and pointed to his right.

Thorn turned to see in the direction that Robin pointed, but then soon realized that he had fallen for Robin’s trick after noticing a chamber maid instead of his mother. Robin had escaped by then leaving Thorn alone in the company of Cadbury.

“Master Thorn, we should be leaving as well…your class starts in an hour.” Cadbury reminded Thorn and escorted him out of the royal library.

Later that evening…….

The girls quarters was busy with Lady Oak shouting and rushing to complete all her chores. She was going mad with the thought that all the responsibility of grooming fourteen young ballerinas would fall on her again. This was true since Lilly had taken half of the responsibility while she was around and now that she was preparing to leave Lady Oak could think nothing, but worry over how to manage the girls all by herself.

“What are you looking at?” Lilly asked Rose as she packed her suitcase.

“Nothing!” Rose replied and bit her lips.

“You ladies will be fine without me…and you do remember what I told you, right?” Lilly said and lifted her suitcase.

“Hmm…” Rose sighed back and just looked at her as she walked out with the heavy suitcase in her frail hands.

“Aren’t you coming to see me off?” Lilly asked her from over her shoulder.

Rose lowered her head and accompanied her with the rest as they left the quarters and walked with Lilly till the gates of the Campus. It looked more like a wedding procession with Lilly in the front and all the other girls following her silently.

As they reached the gates of the campus they noticed Dame Petal standing outside her steam car dressed in fine clothes. She opened the door and made Lilly sit inside. The steam car started and Lilly looked out of the window for one last time and waved out to all the girls. She shed a tear as she said goodbye to her friends and Lady Oak.

All the girls stood there till the car faded out at a distance. Violet and Rose held each other’s hands and walked back to the quarters. On the way they sat at the foot of an artificial fountain and recollected their times spent with Lilly.

After sitting for quite some time, Violet got up and nudged Rose to accompany her back to their quarters. Rose refused and told Violet that she would prefer to stay out a bit longer before heading back.

Violet left her and headed back to the quarters, while Rose got up and went in another direction. She walked in the garden that stretched far and wide. The campus was a very huge land that housed many arts schools, quarters, and practice theaters. The Royal Arts Academy was basically an academy for learning all sorts of art; the Royal Ballet School was just a part of the many schools that was in its campus.

Rose walked past her ballet school and the campus library, lost in her own thoughts. She failed to notice how far she had gone until she saw the sign board on the right that said “Music is Devine.”

“Oh! I think I have entered the west side of the campus.” Rose exclaimed on realizing she had walked too far.

Just as she was about to turn and head back, she heard a lovely melody that filled the air around her. The music was captivating and forced Rose to follow it. She soon forgot about Lilly and unknowingly entered the area that belonged to the Royal Music School.

It was not a single instrument that was being played but many instruments together. It was an orchestra that had enchanted Rose. She unknowingly danced and twirled as she crossed a tiny decorative bridge and went over to an open ground. The ground was covered in blanket of fresh green grass and random patches of daisies. Rose was enjoying the music when suddenly all the instruments stopped and only the violin continued to play.

Rose opened her eyes the moment she heard the melodious sound of the violin. She recognized the tune and looked around in search of the musician who played it.

“Thorn!” she took his name in her mind and kept looking around for him. She tried hard, but could not find him. Just as she lost all hopes of finding him, she heard a different tune. It was funny but she felt the tune was teasing her in some way.

“Thorn, which note are you playing?” the music teacher asked Thorn sternly.

“Pardon me, I forgot” Thorn replied and bit his tongue as the other students around him giggled.

“Should I turn the page for you?” a young lady with a metal flute offered to assist Thorn.

“Thank you but I have it all up here.” Thorn tapped his head and smiled at the lady.

“And I hope you get it all out here.” The teacher interrupted and tapped Thorn’s violin with his stick.

“Of course sir!” Thorn hurriedly replied and returned back to playing the previous tune.

“What are you doing?” Rose thought in her mind as she heard the sudden change in the music.

Thorn was busy playing the tune that he was asked to play, but suddenly stopped playing it on noticing Rose , she was out in the garden searching for him. She had failed to notice that the orchestra was seated right inside an artistic gazebo behind her.

Thorn looked in her direction as Rose stood with her back towards them. The teacher raised his eyebrows and cleared his throat.

“Thorn, where is your attention?” the teacher yelled at him.

“Pardon me sir!” Thorn apologized again keeping his eyes fixed on Rose.

Thorn stared at Rose and wondered why she had ventured into their vicinity. He played and watched her as she looked high and low in all the directions except behind.

He soon realized that Rose had come looking for him, he chuckled as she sulked, causing his Violin stick to slip off his hands.

“Oh no Pardon me…” he apologised and bent to pick it up.

“Again…not this time.” The teacher frowned and got up in anger.

“The class is over for today.” The teacher announced and left the gazebo.

Thorn left right after the teacher and approached Rose from behind. He went closer to her and played the violin behind her.

Rose was taken aback at the sudden tune and turned to see who had startled her.

“Good evening!” Thorn greeted her as he swung the violin behind his back.

“Thorn, I knew it was you…where were..” she stopped and saw the other students coming out of the gazebo with their individual instruments in hand.

“Oh! You were right behind me..” she mumbled and looked at her feet.

Just when Thorn was about to speak, Violet approached and called out to Rose. “Rose what are you doing here?…Lady Oak is looking all over for you.” Violet said as she gasped for air after running.

Thorn looked at the two as they ignored him and continued talking about Lady Oak. Since Rose and Violet were the second eldest after Lilly, it was now their duty to take over Lilly’s duties.

“Oh, how rude of me, Violet this is Thorn..” she pointed towards Thorn and continued, “And Thorn, this is Violet.” she added.

They both acknowledged each other and shook hands.Violet kept quiet and looked at Thorn in amazement, she wondered why Rose had never mentioned about him earlier.

“Rose , are you planning on visiting the carnival this weekend?” Thorn asked Rose with a straight face.

“Uhmm…I’m not sure.” Rose hesitated and scratched her head.

Yes we are…” Violet hurriedly replied.

“That’s wonderful…Hope to see y’all soon at the carnival.” Thorn replied excitedly.

He stood there and watched as Rose and Violet disappeared from his view.

“Who said we are going to the carnival?” Rose asked Violet and looked at her from head to toe.

“Who wouldn’t want to go…when someone so agreeable asks you out?” Violet said in an animated tone.

“Correction he didn’t ask me out, he asked if we were planning on going out.” Rose stated and nudged her with her elbow.

“Whatever but I am not going to miss the carnival for any lame reason.” Violet replied and held Rose’s hand.

“Hmm…I heard the Royal family might pay a visit to the carnival.” Rose said and sighed.

No sooner had she said the word Royal family, Violet left Rose’s hand and looked in another direction. There was something going on in her mind. She suddenly felt uncomfortable and walked with Rose without uttering a single word.

“What happened to you?” Rose enquired on noticing how quiet Violet had become.

“Nothing!” Violet replied and looked at the setting sun as they walked back to their quarters.