Amphibious

I clear my throat and signal the announcer. He lifts his arms to silence the chattering crowd, “The prince has reached a verdict!”

I climb onto the stage and face the audience, Belle follows me, she approaches the table with the prizes, there is a sash and a crown for Ella, and a few smaller tiaras for those who took category prizes, I’m not sure why we do category prizes, they really don’t mean anything.

“Bring the competitors out!” The announcer shouts.

The girls take their places in a line across the stage. Ella is shining like the moon on a clear night, I can’t take my eyes off her. She blushes and smiles as I catch her eye. When the girls have all taken their places and stand in quiet anticipation I step forward.

“Your most beautiful competitor is Goldilocks Diamond!” A little shriek of delight escapes the obnoxious troll in sheeps skin and she steps forward grinning wildly and waving as the audience cheers.

She curtsies low before Belle who places the first tiara upon her golden hair. She blows a kiss to the audience and shouts, “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

She takes her place back in line smiling brightly as the announcer gives her a bouquet of flowers. Her face is flushed with delight and the yellow daffodils compliment her locks quite well.

“And your most touching speech goes to Lille Havrue!” A young girl with brown wavy hair draped down her back comes forward smiling. She is barely old enough to have entered the competition but her speech was quite beautiful.

She is so small she barely has to bow for Belle to reach her brow. A delicate tiara is secured to her head and when she looks up she seems to be glowing with joy. She gives a large smile to the audience who hoot and holler for her and then turns on her heel and takes her place back in line as the announcer fills her arms with a bunch of water lilies.

“The Princess’ choice, picked by my sister Belle is: Thumbelina Diamond!” Belle picked Thumbelina as her favorite contestant because she was the most entertaining for us.

“Really?” Thumbelina yells stepping forward. Belle approaches her with a tiara and she kneels, “Wow, oh wow, oh wow!”

She stands and her eyes dark to look up as if she can almost see the glint of the tiara upon her brow. “Oh thank you your highness!”

She squeals, curtsying to my sister. She takes her place back in line and is bestowed with a bouquet of lilacs as she waves to the audience, “Hi Jack! Hi mom!” She shouts loudly and giggles.

“And now,” I say as a smile begins to perk the corners of my lips up a little bit higher. I look along the line of hopeful girls wanting their name to be called but my eyes rest on Ella, the only one who has not looked at the audience yet, but has trained her eyes on me ever since setting foot on the stage.

“The girl who has won my heart; the girl who will be at the ball where I will announce who is my intended. The girl who I may, on that day, promise my heart to before hundreds of witnesses:” I pause for a moment as the whole world holds its breath, awaiting my answer, “Ella Woodsman.”

I look at her and she smiles like an angel. My heart beats faster as she steps forward and walks along the side of the stage waving at the audience as she glides before them. A man jumps to his feet and begins screaming her name. A young boy about Belle’s age is beside him shouting, “Ella!!!” And yelling at the top of his lungs. The whole audience roars for her, little do they know that I have already made my decision and someday she will be their queen.

Ella reaches Belle, they curtsy to each other. Ella holds out her hand for Belle to place a delicate gold chain around her wrist. I see Belle’s eyes widen and she looks up at Ella and then back at me. I feel my heart sink as I remember that my ring is on Ella’s finger, and I did not tell Belle about our little encounter.

I swallow and nod reassuringly at Belle. She blinks and turns quickly back to Ella with a big recovery smile. I feel the relief wash over me, I don’t think anyone noticed her hesitation except me, and maybe Ella. Belle finishes securing the bracelet and I see her hand graze across the ring on Ella’s finger and linger on the ring for a moment.

Ella drops her hand and smiles brightly at my sister. Belle turns and walks to me, she raises an eyebrow while her back is to the audience and I smile guiltily. Ella approaches me and curtsies before me until she rests on the ground, her neck inclined so her head is bowed.

I take the final tiara, an artifact crafted of diamonds and gold and gently place it on her hair. She smells of fresh flowers dancing in the breeze around a lively gurgling brook. Her eyes graze up until they rest on mine and a little smile paints her cheeks a soft pink. She stands and presents her hand. I take it and, bending low, gently put my lips onto her knuckles without taking my eyes from hers.

I straighten and, still holding her soft hand tightly in mine, guide her across the stage one last time. The audience gives a roar of approval as we return to where we began our promenade. Ella gives a low curtsy to the audience and then the announcer steps forward.

“You are all invited to the dance which will take place at sunset tonight! Please be there to support your winners, all of whom will be honored at the dance! The Prince and the Princess will be leaving for the palace now, please stay seated until they are gone so as not to cause them any problems reaching their carriage. If you were one of the four girls crowned please meet me on that side of the stage. Thank you!”

I look at Ella one last time, her eyelashes flutter and her eyes soften. I blink and smile, then turn and follow Belle off the stage; nothing we can do, we must head back to the palace.

As soon as we step off of the stage Belle turns around and gives me a dirty look. “What?” I ask.

“We’ll talk when we get in the carriage,” She mutters.

Her arms cross and I walk behind her as she struts to the carriage. The footman gives her his hand to help her up but she ignores it and walks right by. “Sorry,” I mutter to him, “She’s in a bit of a grouchy mood.”

The footman nods and goes back to his place at the front of the carriage. I climb in and close the door behind me. Belle is sitting by the window, arms and legs crossed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she snaps.

“About what?” I ask.

“You know what!” She scowls, “I thought we were close!”

I laugh, “We are close Belle.”

“No! You didn’t tell me! What’s with the secrecy?? Who is that anyway?” She whines.

“I’m sorry Belle, I was going to tell you but it slipped my mind,” I grin.

“Well then tell me!” She squeals.

“What do you want to know?” I ask.

“Everything!” She giggles, her demeanor changes on a dime; her eyes brighten and she leans forward on the edge of her seat, ready to hold on to my every word.

“Okay, okay,” I laugh, “Well, that was Ella Woodsman; I met her our first night in the village. I had gone for a walk and I ran into her at a well. We talked a while and then we danced for a bit; and then I gave her my ring.”

“She’s awful pretty,” Belle sighs.

“She’s like an angel,” I agree.

“Do you love her? Is that why you gave her the ring? Cause you wanna marry her?” Belle asks excitedly.

“Well, yes; I guess so. Yes, I do love her-I think,” I say.

“You think?” She asks, confused.

“Well I did just meet her; but I think I could grow to love her more than anything-more than myself even,” I whisper.

“More than me?” Belle pouts jokingly.

“That won’t be hard,” I laugh.

Belle punches my shoulder and we laugh.

Lille Havrue

“What’s your name?” The girl beside me asks as we sit at the honored guests banquet table.

“I’m Lille, and you are?” I smile.

“Ella, Ella Woodsman, this is Thumbelina and Goldilocks,” She gestures to the two girls sitting beside her chattering away.

“Thanks,” I say, as my eyes wander over the lively crowd, “Congratulations on winning.”

She blushes, “Thanks, I think you should have won.”

“Me? Never! I don’t even think I deserved an honorable mention…”

“Nonsense, your speech was remarkable. What a whirlwind though, I’ve hardly have time to think until just now.”

“A lot’s happened,” I say distantly. There’s a man standing on the edge of the crowd staring at me.

He is large and fat and ugly. He reminds me of a very dead rat. His eyes have a nasty glint to them and his clothing is old and gnarly.

“What’s wrong?” Ella asks snapping me out of it.

“Oh, nothing, I just saw someone I thought I knew,” I shrug.

“Do you have any family here?” She asks.

“Sort of, my parents are part of a traveling circus so I live here with my aunt while they’re away,” I say.

“Is she here?” Ella asks.

“No, but she was at the contest,” I smile, “Do you have anyone here?”

“Yes,” She smiles, “My father, two brothers and sister,” She scans the crowd, “Just there!”

She points at a knot of people. A man carrying a baby girl in shabby but warm clothes and a boy about my age pointing out different people to a smaller boy who clutches his hand. There’s a woman standing near the man.

“Is that your mother?” I ask pointing.”

“No,” She says, “But I believe she may be soon.”

“Don’t even suggest that Ella!” Goldilocks shrieks from across the table, “I wouldn’t be caught dead being Jack’s sister!” Her nose wrinkles in disgust.

“Jack’s not that bad,” Thumbelina offers.

“Yes he is!” Goldilocks moans.

“He’s better than you,” Thumbelina mutters.

“Excuse me!” Goldilocks snaps.

As the two begin to bicker, Ella’s insistence at getting along better begins to sound farther and farther away. I’m looking intently at the table-there’s a rat staring up at me. He sits on his hind legs and looks up at me with an odd expression. His head is cocked slightly to the left and his whiskers twitch. He looks familiar.

I blink and he scurries forward to stand at the edge of the table and sniff me. I lift a shaking hand and he hops onto my palm. He sits back and patiently waits until I’ve lifted him to my eye level. He blinks and I blink back.

“Ew!” Goldilocks shrieks as her eyes land on the rat, “Get it away!”

I jump at the sudden noise and drop the rat to the floor. He scurries off into the crowd and hides in the sea of bodies. 

“Why would you touch that!” Goldilocks screams, “It’s disgusting!”

“It wasn’t too bad Goldie, be nice,” Ella chastises.

“It was a rat Ella! What kind of weirdo picks up a rat!” Goldie yells.

“I thought it was kinda cute,” Thumbelina offers.

“Thank you Lina,” Ella nods, “Now Goldie, I think you should apologize to Lille, she was only trying to help the poor creature. He was lost.”

“Why should I apologize she’s the one who touched the filthy thing!”

The voices grow dull in my head as the rat pops back out of the crowd. Everyone and everything feel very far away as I look at the rat. He cocks his head and smiles at me. And-maybe I’m imagining it-he beckons me with his tiny finger before he whips around and scurries into the crowd followed by his little tail.

I stand without a word and begin following him. I feel he knows something-some dreadful secret-and he wants to share it with me. But he can’t share it here because it’s only meant for me. 

I push through the throng of people and catch a glimpse of something thin and pink dodge through the feet. I pick up my pace and follow him to the edge of the human mass. I see the tip of his tail whip around the corner of the bakery shop and into the alleyway beside it. I begin running faster after him. He stops, turns around and looks at me, smiles, and then begins bounding away as fast as he can.

I laugh and begin sprinting after him. I forget where we are, in fact, I don’t even notice when the alleys turn into trees and the pavement turns into dirt. The rat twitters delighted noises before me and I leap after him laughing. My arms stretched-I feel free. We stop in a clearing and he turns around. 

I’m breathing hard and I drop to my knees, I don’t know how long we’ve been running, and I’m not sure where we are but I feel an elation deep within that I’ve never felt before. Like my muscles are all lightness and my eyes are bright with a deep knowledge that cannot be articulated.

I giggle and lay flat on my back looking up at the sky, I suddenly realize it’s very late. I sit up, “You shouldn’t have brought me so far from home little friend,” he cocks his head, “I best be going now, thank you for showing me this place; it’s quite pretty.”

I stand and brush my clothes off. As I begin to walk forward I stop. There is a dim sound in the back of my brain-I’m not sure if I’m imagining it or not. It’s a little sound at first like the rain or my father’s voice but then it grows into the sound of the sea or a meadow on a bright spring day or the wind blowing through a canyon. I breathe in the sound and I breathe out the sound. It begins to tug at me from my toes to my fingertips. I feel a deep yearning coming from deep within my core to hear the music.

I turn around and begin walking toward it, the rat follows me. I speed up my steps as the music gets closer. The music, beautiful music, I have to find the music. I break out into a jog as my head flips this way and that way, jerking to find the music, beautiful music, I have to find the music.

I jump over a log and begin running, the sound grows fainter for a moment and I stop, my hands shaking. There is a silence and suddenly my heart feels hollow and my bones feel empty. I look around panicking, yearning for the sound, wishing it had found me. And then it begins again. With a leap my heart begins to beat again and I rush after the music, beautiful music, I have to find the music.

I sprint as fast as I can, jumping rocks, ducking vines and always beside me the rat runs after the music, beautiful music, we have to find the music. I see a building and feel the music coming forth from it, beckoning me near, drawing me in to the music, beautiful music, I have to find the music.

I throw the door open and jerk my head around until my eyes land on a staircase. I begin to climb to the music, beautiful music, I have to find the music. I throw open a door and bolt through a hall. I can feel the music coming from the other side of the door at the end of the hall. I need the music, beautiful music, I have to find the music.

I reach the door and jiggle the handle, it’s locked. My heart begins to panic and I yell at the top of my lungs, “Please let me in! Please!” I pound on the door with my fists, “Please give me the music! Beautiful music! I have to find the music!”

It seems an eternity I pound on the door. At last, my arms weak and tired I swallow and step back. The music is blasting in my ears now, but I need more of it, I need it to consume me and I know it will not unless I get through the door. I back up and run at the door slamming my side against it. I cry out with pain. I back up and throw myself at the door again, and again, and again, and-

The door opens and I fall to the floor sobbing. The music washes over me. It takes away my pain, it takes away my sorrow, my tears fall freely and I know that I am where I belong, with the music, beautiful music, I found the music.