Dancing on Strings

Defying Reality

Finally, the last act was announced.

It was the fortune teller from the poster.

She dressed in deep purple and golden stars with a flowing veil that covered her face.

Everyone fell completely quiet as she took her seat and held up a set of cards.

Carefully she laid them out before her, one deliberately placed after another until they were all set.

"You need not ask your questions out loud," she said.

Her voice was soft and warm but low and wise. It was impossible to guess her age without seeing her but her hands appeared smooth and graceful.

"All you need do is raise your hand and I shall tell you something of your future. I may be blunt. I may be cryptic. It all depends on how much you are allowed to know. But ask anyway, I shall answer to all.

Everyone glanced at each other, seeing who would go first.

Geneviève's hand shot up.

"Your Highness," the fortune teller said with a bow of the head before she reached for a card and flipped it over. "Be mindful of that which tastes so sweet it is like loving the gods. Do not let it pull you into the darkness."

"HHuh?" Genevieve said, raising an eyebrow and frowning.

"Keep it in mind, Your Highness."

A young woman raised her hand tentatively.

"Lady Aulten. You shall become engaged to Mr. Ranson in the New Year. No need to worry, my dear, as soon as he is back from his business in the New World, you shall be his first call."

There was a burst of excitement and a gentleman quickly raised his hand behind her. Somehow she knew.

"Mr. Kingsley. Your investment was a wise choice; windfall shall come your way in exactly forty-eight days."

And so she continued. A few predictions were cryptic, most were straightforward. Very few were distressing.

In the end, everyone but Mai had their fortune told.

Zola nudged Mai when the last person finished their predictions and she grimaced. She didn't want to hear that she might not ever perform on stage, but she held up her hand regardless and waited.

The fortune teller looked at her for a long, long time.

There was a single card left on the table in front of her and she slowly turned it over.

"Your Highness," she said calmly, "You have no future."

Mai stared at her.

"Excuse me?" she snapped as everyone looked between them.

In the row behind, her father slowly leant forwards, watching the lady below.

"I do not see your future," the fortune teller said simply. "I see mist and fog and stardust and it blocks my view. Will you let me see your palm?"

"What? My palm?" Mai copied, glaring.

The lady held out her hand and Mai just stared at her.

"Go on, Mai," Geneviève said, looking at her, "It's just a bit of fun."

Mai stared at her then glanced at the rest of the crowd who were waiting for her to leave her seat.

Letting out a harsh sigh, she got up and awkwardly clambered past her siblings in her huge dress, popping out from the row onto the steps and sweeping down to the alabaster wall.

There was a hidden gate within the wall and, after a moment, she found the catch and swept out onto the stage, stopping before the woman and looking down at her.

"Your palm?"

Mai shoved her palm forwards the fortune teller took it with careful hands – as if she were handling a priceless diamond.

"Ah... not so clouded," she said, her voice too low for anyone but her and Mai to hear.

"What?" Mai said, her voice matching hers automatically.

"It is not that your future is not there... it is just not normal. It is not the near future I expect for a princess."

Mai's mind flicked to her dance. "Yes well... I'm not the most normal of princesses."

"So I see. You have a challenge in front of you... and you may not make it out the other side."

A chill ran down Mai's spine. "What does that mean?" she muttered.

"We don't all survive the war, my dear," the fortune teller said gently. "Sometimes the most important people are the ones who have to be left behind. You may be the one to end it all or you may fall from grace. If you succeed, beauty awaits to close the final chapter. I cannot see the outcome but I look forward to watching."

She released Mai's hand and Mai just looked at her, frowning, confused.

"I don't understand," she finally said.

"You needn't for now," was the reply and the fortune teller stood. She curtsied to Mai, then to the crowd before collecting her cards and simply walking away. 

~~~

Next Up: Monday

Art By: Something to do with The Night Circus. 

I must say, I rather liked writing this chapter lol. The characters/acts were quite fun to write on the fly. I've never read The Night Circus (Believe me, I have tried - never go into it) but I do know that it is a book to read if you want to see masterful world building; hopefully, this circus has some good world building/imagery in it too since this is the type of stuff I'm not very good at writing lol

And look! A chapter on time for once! That's been a while!