Chapter 2 – The Storyteller
*Where am I?* Duck floated on the dark glassy lake through the thick fog and reeds. In the distance she could see a figure.
*Who could that be I wonder?* She swum closer and to her pleasant surprise saw that it was Mytho dancing on the lake surface. Delicately pirouetting with one arm above his head and the other on his heart; he leapt across the water.
*Oh Mytho, so graceful and so handsome* Duck watched in awe *maybe someday I’ll be able to dance a pas de deux with Mytho…*
He started to twirl towards her. Keeping perfect poise he approached the tiny yellow Duck.
*Oh my gosh! Mytho is coming over here!*
He extended one leg and bowed low in front of Duck. Frozen with delight and reverence she blushed.
“Why hello there little Duck!” an ominous aged voice echoed in her surroundings. The lake instantly vanished and was replaced with what seemed like black ink.
*Wha!? Who’s there?*
“Oh don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me already?” Duck looked back towards Mytho and in his place stood an old man with large yellow eyes like dirty clockwork cogs. His long white hair had a slight curl at the end and he wore heavy coloured robes with an oversized coloured feather hat.
Duck rolled backwards in absolute fright. The old man adjusted his ascot.
“My my aren’t we a bit jumpy? Hehe”
“Quack!” she immediately got up on her feet again.
“I wondered if you would remember me?” Duck gave a blank look, “well that doesn’t matter. I wonder how the prince is going hmm?”
“Qua?”
“Oh dear even you don’t know your prince? My oh my.”
*What? I don’t understand!*
“Perhaps if you followed the story you would understand. Little Duck.”
The man disappeared into the black lake.
“Now tell me the best story ever told! Won’t you little Duck?” Duck felt gravity fail her as she fell into the dark.
***
“No!” Duck rolled out of bed onto the floor with a big thud.
She wrenched open her eyes to see a rather confused Rue standing over her; she was dressed tidily in the school’s light blue uniform.
“Duck? Is everything alright?”
“Yup. Of course! Why wouldn’t it be? Heh-heh” she gave a weak smile.
***
Sun streamed in through the windows and across Mister Cat’s face. The ballet classroom was full of eager students all dressed in the compulsory blue leotard, white tights and hair tied up.
“Now class!” Mister Cat called across the room, “Today we shall focus on our basic positions!”
“Pssst!” Duck looked around to see a girl with bright purple hair, “hey! You’re new right?”
“Of course she is! Can’t you see she’s lost in thought? Oh isn’t it cute!?” another young girl with blonde pigtails and pink bows interrupted with a high pitch squeal.
“Um yeah, I’m Duck” A shadow cast over Duck.
“Miss Duck! I hope you weren’t talking in my class! Because if you were I will without hesitation drop you into the probationary class!” Mister Cat’s eyes pierced her soul with anger, “and if you do it again… Piqué and Lilie will join you in marrying me!”
