The Pearl Fox

The Starlet

The blue marble pillars, entwined in icy and red jasmine flowers, had features of dancing light from the pool. A young woman sat on the glass rim of the pool, sipping green wine, looking at the display of rippling lights on the pillars that appeared like a ball with crescendoing dancers. The sounds of night wildlife added its natures' music to the animations of waltzing, silent sprites. She didn't think this was magical. It was just a weed, where the artistry of nature causes accidental enchantment. This wasn't much different to rain, wind, dawn and grass. She decided to play a game with the dancing lights. She focused on them, and gave them colours of magenta, lilac, crimson, jade, white, lapis and chartreux. She smiled to herself, for giving the reflected lights some colour. Frogs became noisier, as though they erupted in gossip after seeing the colourful lights dance on pillars. Then she had an idea. It came as quick as lightning, and she grinned at the notion. She clapped her hands, then the colours all changed, and exchanged, so that each little light sprite danced in changing colours as vivid as the aurora of the far northern skies. Now the frogs went silent. Each light burst in so many colours they resembled twinkling stars or irradiant rocks.

"Blood Rose?"

A girl waved from the top of the marble steps. Her friend Charsine.

She pointed at the lights of colour. "Come and see what I've made!" Blood Rose said excitedly, while admiring her work of magic.

Charsine lifted her long yellow skirts and rushed down the steps. She wore pearl slippers that were soft and soundless. No one could hear her coming or going. It was what she intended, but now she just called out to her childhood friend, and not here today to be indiscreet. Another day, and she will drift around the palaces like a ghost at nightfall.

"What is it?" Charsine ran to Blood Rose, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Blood Rose smelled of flowers as usual, with added spices.

"Look!" Blood Rose pointed at the colour changing light reflections on the blue pillars. Lavender, rose, honey, jade, white, crimson and lapis. "A ball fit for princesses." She took both of Charsines' hands and the girls twirled together. Their skirts lifted up. Blood Rose wore a dress of fuchsia, and her little stiletto heels clattered on the floor. They both stopped, tumbled and laughed. Charsine loved her dear friend but she didn't share her joy in basic magic like this. It was stuff for children. The light magic of spirits and animals.

"It looks wonderful Blood Rose," Charsine told her friend, keeping nice and cheerful so as not to prick her mood.

Blood Rose glanced at the lights, waved her hands, then all of the colours went out together. "Let's talk serious," she said smiling.

"About what?"

Blood Rose was considered the most beautiful girl in Luniapolis, the capital city of Diaphry. She had alabaster skin that was as pure as snow. Her long luscious thick hair was like velvet and the colour of jet. Her lips always plump and red like fruit berries. Yet her eyes were the most captivating of all. They were fiery red like molten lava rocks. Charsine loved her friend but sometimes the eyes of Blood Rose scared her. Demon eyes. Right now Blood Rose was feeling thoughtful and her eyes were redder than before.

"My friend," Blood Rose moved her black ringlets to tumble around her shoulders. "I want to invite you to a hunt."

Charsine was never keen on riding horses as she felt sore after a while. She never liked doing things Blood Rose did. When they were children, Blood Rose climbed trees, while Charsine sat on the flower beds with her dolls. Blood Rose was trained in archery and sword fighting. She did things that were too boystrous, and sometimes she wore trousers.

"Oh Blood Rose. Rosy, you know that I_"

"It will be fun!" Blood Rose interruped quickly. Charsine turned down hunting parties before but it was near time she went out for adventure. "You'll like it."