Dancing on Strings

Forever and Always

She was half way through the campgrounds when it hit her.

It was like a prowling beast.

It crept up on her.

It should have hit much sooner.

When she heard the news.

But no.

Her mind had locked down on it and she had come up with her own idiot plan of sneaking around a stupid circus when what she should have done was gone to bed like everyone else and left the hunt to her father.

Because now she had some sort of answer that didn't make any sense.

And the knowledge, that her sisters were missing, that they couldn't be reached with the powers of her kingdom's mighty army or her king's far reaching command and that, even if she figured out how to save them, she might not come back with them.

The weight of that knowledge hit her like that wild bullet had found its mark.

She started crying.

She just stood there in the middle of a cluster of tents, the silent moonlight her only companion as she stood with her fists clenched by her side, her body trembling through her silent tears, her teeth ground together as she stared in rage at the snow that was soaking into the ends of her gown.

The Black Rabbit's shadow loomed up behind her eventually and his hands gently closed on her shoulder.

"Aw My Lady," he said, his voice pained as he bent down, pressing his lips to the back of her head. "Come, sit with me for a while. I'll get you something to drink."

Mai was silent for a moment, then drew in a sharp breath and he turned her around, one hand sliding down her arm until his fingers interlinked with hers and he led her back into the depths of the campsite.

He stopped outside a huge black and silver tent and drew the curtain aside for her.

"Go on, it's much warmer in there," he promised, before looking behind her. "Come on then!" he called.

Mai looked over her shoulder to see whom he was talking to.

The four mechanical birds darted out of the darkness and flew over her head and into the tent.

Resting a hand on the small of her back, The Black Rabbit pushed her gently through and dropped the flaps closed behind them, warmth instantly enveloping them.

Mai looked around as he passed her by.

Well, she had found his tent.

As suspected, it was one of the biggest. To one side, dressed in shadows, there was a large bed, covered by heavy quilts and blankets, layers upon layers of them to combat the cold of sleeping outside.

Against the fabric walls were bookshelves and more tool cabinets.

On nearly every surface there was a small mechanical creature. Birds, cats, rabbits, dogs – even ladies in golden dresses and gentlemen in silver suits.

And, where The Black Rabbit was walking to, there was an area with a sofa, a few armchairs and an actual fireplace and chimney set into the wall of the tent, with an actual fire. How that worked, Mai didn't know but at that moment, she didn't care. She just went to where The Black Rabbit indicated.

She took a seat on the sofa, opposite the fire, and he moved to stand behind her as he draped a blanket around her shoulders, leaning around her to curl the cover tight before moving away. She listened to the clink of china for a moment before he returned with a cup that he set on the small table by the arm of her sofa. It was a cup on hot chocolate and plate of tiny, tiny cakes.