Dancing on Strings

Rehearsal

"And one and two and three and four and down and up and start again. And one and two and three and four and down and up and next group please!"

Princess Mai, second child and Princess Royale, lowered her arms and followed the rest of her group back around to the back of the rehearsal hall, Susanne giggling and pointing out Louise to her as one of their fellow ballet dancers almost lost her balance and Madame gave her a withering look.

"Almost done for the morning, ladies and gentlemen," Madame called instead, watching the next group dance across the room. "Miss Meg, mind your arms! Strong legs, Monsieur Alec."

She glanced at the clock then quickly looked to the pianist.

"Monsieur Roberto, just quickly, coupe jete manege, please. Merci. Two at a time please! Ready? Coupe jete. 3 and go."

Mai stepped up with Susanne as they watched Alec and Benjamin circle the room with flying leaps, spinning fast and throwing their legs apart in the air in wide splits.

Alec was tiring faster than Benjamin that morning; they could see how he wasn't pushing himself as usual.

When he and Benjamin stepped off the centre, Mai went first followed by Susanne, spinning to build her speed before launching into the air, legs out straight as a ruler, in front and behind, arms out, matching the beat Madame made with her voice to keep them in time.

"Very nice, Miss Susanne. Ba. Da. Op. Ba. Arms, Your Highness!"

Another turn around the room and she and Susanne walked off as Johnny and Zet took their place, circling the hall with powerful leaps and tight turns, Johnny stepping off first, leaving Zet to fly around the hall once more on his own, where he changed his steps at the last moment, steadied himself and launched into a 540 jump, tumbling through the air and settling gracefully to one knee, hand out to Mai as the others in the hall laughed and clapped.

"No one likes a show off," Mai said with a sneer.

"Ah, but everyone likes a show," Zet said, grinning at his sister before he ducked her swat to the back of the head and rushed away to join Alec and Benjamin.

"Alright, final minute!" Madame called soon after as the last pair finished, "Turns or fouettes, one minute before we finish for the morning. Coda, Monsieur Roberto, thank you."

Six dancers moved into the centre and started the final exercise to the bounce of the music, practicing jumps or spinning in sharp turns or whipping one leg out to the side to whirl them through the fouettes.

Mai and Zet took spots as they became free, both spinning faster and faster, trying to outdo each other until the final bar and Madame called an end to the class.

"Thank you everyone, that is it for this morning!"

Everyone as one – save Mai and Zet – turned and curtsied or bowed, thanking her and their pianist before moving to the walls to collect their things.

"Schedules are up, please check them right away! Your Highnesses, if you join me."

Mai and Zet glanced at each other than grimaced in unison and hurried over to join Madame.

"Both of you have been called back to the palace so your schedules have been removed for today," Madame said as she examined a small pocket notebook.

"What?" Mai said as Zet groaned. "But we have so much still to rehearse. I still have four solos to mark through, and I've barely had time to look at the pas with Romeo."

"I can't help it," Madame said simply, "You've been called. Royal duties come first for the royals of our land. Now both of your hurry and change."

"Ugh," was the undignified response of the royal pair before they turned and collected their things.

They waved goodbye to their fellow classmates, who all bowed and curtsied to them, including the teacher and pianist, bidding the royals farewell for the day and Mai and Zet hurried out of the studio, Mai quickly untucking her petticoat from her bloomers – which were far too short to be considered acceptable as not only did she display her ankles but also her knees when she wore them and revealed almost all her stockings – and letting the petticoat fall into place, back down to mid-calf.

"They knew we were scheduled major rehearsals today," Zet said, irritated as he quickly pulled off his ballet shoes, Mai sitting down in the middle of the hall to undo her pointe shoes – pulling her feet in to avoid tripping up a pair of set designers who were passing, the men bowing to them as they passed.

"They just had to ruin it, of course they did," she said, glancing to the end of the hall as their servants appeared, hurrying towards them with heavy capes, ready to hide their clothing that was simply not appropriate for members of the royal household.

They passed everything to their servants, donned the capes, pulling up the hoods and stepped into outdoor shoes before they were ushered out into the snowy streets beyond the grand theatre towards a waiting carriage.

They were folded into the plush velvet and gold interior, blankets placed on their laps to keep them warm after the shock of the cold when they hadn't even had the chance to cool down from practice, then the servants hurried to a smaller, open topped carriage ahead before they they all set off, returning to the palace that rose gold and white up above the city, enclosed in its own beautiful landscape of winter gardens and cultivated forests where the courtiers could easily ignore the world beyond their gardens walls. 

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Next Up: I think I'll upload more more chapter today so that will be in an hour or so when I'm home from work

Art By: Google Gif

Also:

HAPPY WORLD BALLET DAY!!!

This is the only reason I wanted to start the book on this day lol Companies around the world are hosting live rehearsals and special behind the scenes footage today to celebrate all that is ballet and since ballet is our dance of choice in this book it only seem appropriate lol

(I apologise to all ballet dancers for this book in advance. I shall try not to write anything stupid lol)