Magic Ballerina 13-18

The White Cat and Lila’s magic whisked them away. A crowd of dancers rushed towards them as they landed in the courtyard.

“It’s Red Riding Hood!”

“And Goldilocks!”

“Where have you all been? We were just getting worried about you!”

The hubbub of voices rose.

“We’ll explain later!” the White Cat exclaimed. “But the sun is about to set and we have to do the dance now!”

Holly realised there was music playing and the tables around the courtyard had now been laid out with plates of food and massive jugs of fruit punch. A trumpeter rang out a loud fanfare.

“Quick! Into your positions!” cried the cat. “There’s no time to waste.”

Everyone dashed to stand around the courtyard, hands held elegantly, faces turned expectantly to the palace doors. The door was opened by a page and the King and Queen stepped through.

The crowd all bowed.

Holly joined in with the White Cat and Lila. She didn’t have a clue what she was doing, but it was just so amazing to be here, watching everything.

The King looked in their direction. Lila nodded at him as if to say it’s all right. Holly saw him breathe a sigh of relief and his mouth moved in a silent thank you.

With a beaming smile, he led the Queen to where two golden thrones had been set. As they sat down there was another fanfare and Princess Aurelia and Prince Florimund appeared in the doorway.

Holly caught her breath. The princess had long dark wavy hair and big blue eyes. She was very beautiful. The music changed and the princess ran into the centre of the courtyard and turned a pirouette. With a leap, the prince was by her side. He took her hand and they began a graceful pas de deux. In the final moments, the princess turned with incredible speed on her pointes, moving round the courtyard and finishing with a dramatic dive towards the floor. The prince caught her and then Aurelia danced away, beckoning everyone to join in. The music changed again becoming bold and lively.

They all formed a circle and began to dance the graceful dance that Holly had seen them practising earlier.

The White Cat pulled her into the dance too. Holly eagerly joined in. With one hand holding the White Cat’s and the other extended elegantly out to the side, she ran and skipped, ran and skipped. He turned her under his arm and then they all jumped to the side …

Suddenly the sun set. There was a bright flash and silver sparkles rained down from the air. “What’s happening?” cried Princess Aurelia in astonishment.

Lila smiled and ran forward to clasp her hands. “It’s your happy ever after!” she said.

The music rose in volume. The White Cat hugged Holly. “We did it! We stopped the Wicked Fairy!” Holly laughed with delight. All around her were happy laughing people, dancing. Prince Florimund was swinging Aurelia round. Lila was dancing with Bluebeard, the King and Queen were joining in too. Holly had never known anything like it. The White Cat swung her back into the dance. “So are you glad you stayed and helped?” he cried as they skipped joyfully together.

“Oh yes!” exclaimed Holly. It seemed strange now to remember that she hadn’t wanted to, and just at that moment she felt her feet tingling. She looked down. Her shoes were glowing. “I must be going back,” she gasped. “I will come here again, won’t I?”

The White Cat nodded. “And I’ll be waiting to meet you when you do. We’re friends forever now!”

Friends. The word rang through Holly’s head.

The last thing she saw was everyone waving and smiling at her and then a cloud of bright colours surrounded her and she whirled away.

(#ulink_a61fd270-80e4-5224-b1f7-7434b4dfd494)

Holly landed in her bedroom. “Oh my goodness,” she breathed. “I’m back.”

Her eyes flew to her clock. She felt like she had been in Enchantia for hours, but just as the White Cat had promised, no time had passed here at all.

She sank down on the floor. “You really are special,” she murmured to the shoes as she took them carefully off. “Thank you for taking me there!” Shutting her eyes, she relived the last minutes before she had left. The amazing dance, seeing everyone so happy, watching everyone smiling at her and waving her off, and then looking into the White Cat’s green sparkling eyes as she was whisked away.

I’ve got a friend, she thought, hugging herself. A real friend.

She felt a pang and realised that she was really going to miss the White Cat now that she was back in the real world.

As she got changed the doorbell rang downstairs and her aunt called up to her. “Holly! Someone’s here to see you.”

Holly went halfway down the stairs and found Chloe standing in the doorway. Holly stopped dead. She’d forgotten all about her ballet class and the row.

Chloe looked uncomfortable. “Um. You dropped this from your bag, Holly.” She held out one of Holly’s pink ballet shoes. “Madame Za-Za asked me to call by with it because I only live a few streets away.”

Holly’s aunt took it. “It was kind of you to walk round with it,” she said. “Would you like to come in for a while?”

Chloe shook her head abruptly. “Thanks, but I think I’ll head off.”

“Wait!” The word burst out of Holly. She hurried down the rest of the stairs. Still glowing from her adventure, she wanted to make amends. “Um … thanks.” She felt herself blushing. “Thanks for bringing my ballet shoe round. It was really kind of you.”

Chloe looked stunned. “That’s all right.”

“Maybe … maybe I could walk back with you to your house,” Holly suggested hesitantly.

Aunt Maria smiled warmly. “That’s a good idea.”

Holly held her breath. She wouldn’t blame Chloe for saying no, but suddenly she knew she really wanted her to say yes.

Chloe paused, but then to Holly’s relief gave a tentative nod. “OK.”

The two of them left the house. “I’m sorry about how I acted earlier,” Holly apologised. “I was in a really bad mood. I shouldn’t have said those things.”

“It’s OK,” said Chloe awkwardly. “I just thought you might want to be friends.”

“I do!” The words came out before Holly had a chance to think. “If … if you still want to of course.” She gave Chloe a hopeful look.

Just then, a gust of wind blew through the branches on a nearby tree. A cloud of leaves fluttered down, catching in their hair. Their eyes met and they both giggled suddenly.

Chloe face relaxed into a grin. “Come on, my house is this way!” She twirled round happily in the leaves. Holly laughed and joined in.

The two girls spun down the street together, the golden leaves decorating their hair.

(#ulink_ad412b2b-2e0e-57e3-b9e3-0e832f1ca7fd)

This lively move means ‘step of the cat’ because it’s light and quick – just like a cat.

1. Lift your right leg to the side, pointing your toe and bending your knee. Place your pointed toe just above your left knee.

2. Hold your right arm out in front of you and your left arm out to the side at shoulder-level. Then bend your left knee and jump lightly into the air.