Magic Ballerina 13-18

by Darcey Bussell

  Despite her reluctance, Holly unexpectedly found herself starting to smile. His excitement was infectious. “So what do you need help with?” she gasped as they stopped and the world spun dizzily around her.

  The White Cat smiled at her. “Sit down and I’ll explain …”

  “It all started this morning,” the White Cat began to tell Holly. “It’s exactly a year to the day since Princess Aurelia and Prince Florimund got married. The King and Queen are having a party this evening and the King has said that everyone who was at the wedding has to be there tonight to do the same dance that they did at the ceremony.

  “I’ve been put in charge of organising it. All the others arrived yesterday: the princes’s brother and two sisters; Princess Aurelia’s fairy godmother, Lila; the other fairies who were at Aurelia’s christening; Puss in Boots, Goldilocks, Bluebeard and his wife, Little Red Riding Hood, the bluebird, the enchanted princess and all the palace courtiers as well. We started practising the dance, but then suddenly, just a few hours ago, Red Riding Hood decided to go home.”

  “She just left?”

  Holly still wasn’t sure about being in this land, but she could feel herself being drawn more and more into the story she was hearing.

  The White Cat nodded. “All of a sudden. I found a note from her saying she’d decided to go home. The trouble is that means we are now one person short for the dance. I was just on my way to her house to try and persuade her to come back, but now the shoes have solved the problem. You can take Red Riding Hood’s place!”

  Holly felt a rush of excitement. So to help him, all she had to do was dance with the characters from her favourite ballet? That sounded OK to her!

  “I can’t wait to get back to the palace and introduce you to everyone,” continued the White Cat. “But I think we’d better just stop by at Red Riding Hood’s house on the way. I just want to check she’s all right. It’s not like her to let people down.” He pointed through the trees.

  “Her house is just over there. We could go by magic, but it won’t take us long to walk and I love the woods in autumn. Oh, Holly!” He rubbed her cheek with the side of his head. “I’m really glad I was the one to meet you and that you are the new owner of the shoes!”

  Holly stroked his fur. She was secretly beginning to feel quite glad she was the new owner of the shoes too!

  They started walking along the path.

  “So tell me about you,” the White Cat said curiously.

  “I live with my aunt and uncle. My mum and dad are ballet dancers.” Holly quickly told the White Cat about her life.

  “You must miss your mum a lot,” said the White Cat with concern.

  Holly nodded.

  “But I bet you have lots of friends,” he went on.

  “Um, not really,” Holly admitted awkwardly.

  “Why not?”

  Holly shrugged.

  The White Cat spun away, jumped into the air and touched his toes, before landing lightly. “Well, you’ve got me now!” He grabbed her hands and waltzed her down the path. Holly giggled. She didn’t think she ever wanted a friend other than her mum before, but the White Cat was so much fun.

  “So, tell me something more about you,” he said eagerly. “What do you like? What don’t you like? What are you scared of?”

  Holly blinked at all the questions. “Um, well, I like ballet. I don’t like school. What am I scared of? Not much really.” She thought for a moment. “I don’t like heights, I guess.”

  “I don’t like water,” admitted the White Cat. “I’m so scared of it. My brother, Puss in Boots, calls me a scaredy cat!” He looked around. “I know, shall we play a game on the way? What do you play in your world?”

  “Um … tag?” said Holly.

  “OK, I’ll be it!” said the cat. “I’ll count to ten.”

  Holly darted away through the trees to the left and scrambled up a bank.

  “Wait!” the White Cat called in alarm. “I meant down the path, Holly! Not that way!”

  But it was too late. As Holly reached the top of the bank, she realised that on the other side the bank fell steeply down into a swiftly-flowing river. In her surprise, she lost her balance. Her arms flailed and the next minute, she was rolling down the hill straight towards the water!

  The cold water made Holly gasp as she splashed into the river. She tried to tread water, gulping a mouthful of air as the current started to tow her along.

  “Help!”

  The White Cat had reached the top of the bank. Holly could see he looked terrified, but he didn’t hesitate. He bounded down the bank on all fours and launched himself into the water, swimming like a tiger. Grabbing hold of the back of her leotard in his mouth, he pulled her swiftly back.

  “You saved me!” cried Holly as he dragged her out on to the bank.

  “Oh, my glimmering whiskers!” he gasped. “I thought you were going to drown!”

  “You were so brave.” Holly put her arms round him in relief and hugged him hard.

  “Thank you!”

  The cat licked her face with his rough tongue. “You’re very wet. I hope Red Riding Hood has some clothes you can borrow. Come on!”

  It only took them a few minutes to reach Red Riding Hood’s little wooden cottage, but when they got there they found, to their surprise, that it was all closed up.

  “I wonder why she isn’t here?” said the White Cat looking puzzled.

  “Maybe she called in on some friends on the way back,” Holly suggested. She was very cold and had started to shiver.

  The White Cat noticed. “I’ll find her later. Right now, we’d better get back to the Royal Palace and get you some dry clothes. I’ll take us there by magic.” He held his long tail in his hand and swished it around in a circle on the ground. Then he pulled Holly into the circle. “Get ready!” he cried. His whiskers twitched. Silver sparkles flew off them and suddenly they were whizzing away!

  His magic set them down in a large walled courtyard in front of a beautiful palace with pointed turrets and pearly white walls.

  “Welcome to the Royal Palace!” declared the White Cat.

  “Oh … wow!” Holly breathed, looking round.

  There was a group of dancers talking near the front door, a band of musicians, and servants setting out tables in the afternoon sun.

  “Wait here a minute.” The cat bounded energetically into the palace and reappeared a few seconds later with a long velvet cloak. He wrapped it around Holly. “There, that should warm you up!”

  “Thanks,” she said gratefully, snuggling into it. She couldn’t stop staring at the dancers across the courtyard. They were all characters she knew from the ballet of Sleeping Beauty – the fairies, the bluebird, Puss in Boots, Bluebeard and the enchanted princess. A few of them had noticed her arrival and were pointing.

  One of the fairies ran over. She had dark brown hair caught up in a diamond tiara, a lilac tutu and glittering wings.

  “Hi I’m Lila, the Lilac Fairy – Princess Aurelia’s fairy godmother. Are you the new owner of the ballet shoes?” she asked.

  Holly nodded. “I’m Holly.”

  “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here.” The fairy’s face was worried. She turned to the White Cat. “We’ve got a real problem, Cat.”

  “I know, Lila,” he said airily. “But don’t worry. The shoes have solved it. Holly can dance Red Riding Hood’s part.”

  Lila shook her head. “No. You don’t understand.” She lowered her voice. “Goldilocks has gone too!”

  “What?”

  “Sssh,” Lila said hastily as several of the other dancers looked round at the cat’s loud exclamation. “I’ve been keeping it secret. No one else knows yet, but I found a note five minutes ago saying she’s gone home.” She lowered her voice further. “I’m really worried. They can’t both just have decided to go home. Oh, Cat. I think the Wicked Fairy might be to blame.”

  “The Wicked Fairy?” Holly joined in.

  The White Cat looked horrified. �
��The Wicked Fairy is the one who tried to spoil Aurelia’s sixteenth birthday, by making her prick her finger on a spinning wheel that would make her sleep for a hundred years,” he explained.

  Lila bit her lip. “Look, I think trouble is afoot here, but I need to ask the King something before I say any more. Wait here. I’ll be back in a moment.” She ran inside.

  The White Cat frowned. “I wonder what she’s going to ask the King. Hmm, I think I’m going to go in and find out. You stay here Holly, I’ll be back very soon.”

  And leaving Holly in the courtyard, he hurried inside too.

  The minutes ticked by. Holly watched the dancers starting to practise the dance that was performed at the end of the wedding in Sleeping Beauty. It was a lively dance with lots of skipping and galloping and turning round in pairs. As the music played, Holly could feel her feet itching to join in. She was sure she could do it …

  She was just edging closer when Lila came hurrying out of the palace. “Where’s the White Cat?”

  “He went after you,” replied Holly, surprised.

  Lila looked alarmed. “I didn’t see him. Oh, no! We have to find him!”

  She ran inside the palace. Holly raced after her. “What’s the rush? He said he’d come back.”

  But Lila was too busy calling for their missing friend. “White Cat! Where are you?” Holly spotted a piece of paper on the floor.

  “What’s that?” She picked it up.

  I’ve gone home. Tell them to cancel the dance.

  From the White Cat.

  “Look!” Holly gasped. “But the White Cat wouldn’t just leave!”

  “Of course he wouldn’t,” said Lila. “Oh, Holly, this is dreadful. I think the Wicked Fairy has kidnapped him – along with Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood.”

  Holly’s stomach felt as if it was full of icy water. “Why? Because she wants to ruin the party?”

  Lila nodded. “Look, I’m going to tell you a secret,” she said in a whisper. “I told King Tristan about it a while ago. He asked me not to tell anyone else, in case people got worried. However, when I asked him just now he said I could tell you and the White Cat. He’s hoping you can help. You see, the Wicked Fairy has a very good reason for wanting to stop the dance from happening.”

  Holly’s heart was pounding. “What is it?”

  “Well, you know the prince broke the Wicked Fairy’s curse when he woke Aurelia by kissing her?” Lila asked.

  Holly nodded.

  “The truth is he only half broke it,” Lila sighed. “Being Aurelia’s special fairy godmother, I knew that the wedding dance had to be repeated at sunset today, exactly a year on from the wedding. If it isn’t, then the Wicked Fairy’s curse would fall again and everyone would go back to sleep. And this time there would be no one to save us. We wouldn’t ever wake up.”

  Holly stared at Lila. “But that’s awful!”

  Lila nodded. “I’m sure the Wicked Fairy thinks that if enough people disappear, then everyone else will realise that she’s up to something, panic and leave before sunset.”

  “So the dance won’t happen and then her curse will fall,” said Holly. “Oh, goodness.” A thought crossed her mind. “But how can you be sure it is her?”

  “When I was with the king we used my magic to look at her castle. We saw Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks trapped in the tallest tower. It won’t be long before the White Cat’s taken there too.” Tears filled Lila’s eyes. “Oh, Holly, I don’t know what to do!”

  Holly’s mind whirled. A picture of the White Cat filled her head. She remembered the fear on his face before he bounded into the river to save her. Now she had to be as brave and save him — and the others.

  “We have to go to the Wicked Fairy’s castle and rescue them, before anyone notices they have all gone,” she declared. “How do we get there?”

  “We can use my magic,” said Lila, “but I don’t know how we are going to get them out of the tower.”

  Holly thought for a moment. “Could we take a rope ladder?” she suggested.

  “That’s a brilliant idea!” exclaimed Lila. “There’s a rope ladder in the store cupboard in the cellars.” She ran off and came back a few minutes later with a coiled-up rope ladder. She took Holly’s hands. “Are you ready?”

  Holly nodded determinedly.

  Lila waved her wand. “Then let’s go!”

  Lila’s magic whisked them away in a cloud of purple sparkles and set them down behind a tree in the grounds of a forboding grey castle.

  Holly peeped out. “Look, there’s the White Cat!” she hissed, seeing her friend looking out of the tallest tower. “Oh, Lila let’s go to the tower and then you can fly up there with one end of the ladder.”

  But just as she said this, the castle door flew open. A big fairy dressed in tatty black clothes stomped out. Holly and Lila quickly shrank back behind the tree.

  The Wicked Fairy had cruel dark eyes and a long warty nose. Her grey hair was piled on her head and there was a long black wand in her hand with a crystal ball at the top. Lizards dressed as footmen scampered around her. She flicked her wand. Immediately, there was a flash of green smoke and a carriage appeared. Instead of horses there were four more lizards pulling it.

  The Wicked Fairy cackled as she climbed into it. “Take me to the Royal Palace!” Picking up the reins, she lashed them down on the lizards’ backs. “Onwards, you fools!”

  The other lizards fearfully leapt up behind her and the carriage set off down the drive.

  “Come on!” Holly said as soon as it had disappeared from sight. She raced to the tower with Lila flying overhead.

  “Oh, my shimmering whiskers!” The White Cat called down from the window. “It’s Holly and Lila!” Two girls joined him, one in a red cloak, the other with long blonde ringlets.

  “We’ve got a rope ladder,” Holly called. She saw a strange look flicker across the cat’s face.

  “Oh, but …” his voice trailed off.

  “What?” The cat hesitated and then shook his head. “Nothing.”

  Lila flew up to the window and passed one end inside. “Quick!” As soon as it was secure, she flew down with the other end. Holly held it steady.

  The White Cat helped Red Riding Hood over the sill and out of the window. She climbed nimbly down. “Thank you!” she gasped, jumping the last few metres.

  Goldilocks came next. “We’re free!” she said her blue eyes shining. “Thank you!”

  “Come on!” Holly urged the White Cat.

  He started to climb over the windowsill and then he hesitated.

  “What’s the matter?” she called as he climbed back inside.

  “I … I can’t do it. I didn’t tell you, but I’m not just scared of water. I’m scared of heights as well! You’ll have to go on without me.”

  Holly looked at him in dismay. “But what about when the Wicked Fairy comes back?”

  “Don’t worry about me,” he said bravely. “You have to get back before people realise we’re all missing. Go!”

  Holly shook her head. “No way! I’m not leaving you.” She swallowed hard and then did the only thing she could think of – she started to climb the rope.

  “Holly stop it!” he shouted anxiously. “You’re scared of heights too!”

  Holly ignored him. Gritting her teeth, she climbed higher and higher. Not daring to look down she stared at his shocked face. Her heart was pounding and her legs were shaking, but she had to get him down from there. “If I can do it, so you can you,” she gasped as she got near to the window.

  But just as she spoke, her foot slipped. With a cry of alarm she grabbed hold of the rung she was on with both hands. Her legs dangled free. With one bound the White Cat was out of the window and racing down the rope ladder towards her head and arms first. At the same time, Lila shot into the air.

  The White Cat reached Holly first. He held her hands on to the ladder as she found the lower rung with her feet.

  “Thank you!’ she said weakly, gazing i
nto his green eyes.

  Lila appeared beside her. “Come back down. I’ll go behind you. If you slip again, I’ll catch you.”

  Holly slowly backed down the rope ladder, Lila behind and the White Cat above. When they all reached the bottom she sank on to the ground, her legs too shaky to hold her up. The White Cat collapsed beside her and she stroked his soft fur.

  His eyes blinked up at her. “You know for someone who says they don’t have any friends, you’re very good at being one, Holly.”

  Holly blushed.

  Lila danced forward. “I’m just glad you’re both safe.”

  “It was so scary,” said Goldilocks.

  “Thank you so much for rescuing us,” said Red Riding Hood.

  “We’d better get back,” said Lila. “I just hope the others haven’t realised we’ve all gone. You three go with the White Cat. I’ll fly up and untie the ladder and follow with my own magic.”

  The White Cat helped Holly up as Lila flew to the top of the ladder, but just then a loud shriek tore through the air over the sound of carriage wheels.

  Holly gasped. The Wicked Fairy was coming down the drive!

  “No!” the fairy shrieked, her wand raised and pointing straight at them!

  Holly and the others froze in fear. The Wicked Fairy yanked the lizards to a stop and jumped out. “I saw you in my crystal ball!” she cried, her black eyes burning as she brandished her wand. “I saw you trying to escape. Well, you won’t!” She pointed the wand at them again. “With this wand’s strongest power, I banish you all to my highest …”

  She broke off as the end of a rope ladder came flying down from the sky and conked her on the head. “OW!” she shrieked.