“She Danced For Us”
Bokara held the entry flap open for Mirror Boy, for he and his brothers were very generous hosts, always ready to laugh and in general having a good time. From the inside of the tapestry tent came jovial greetings to Mirror Boy. But when the brothers saw the desperate look on his face, they fell silent and had questions in their eyes. Kilim, Ispahan, Tabriz and Bokara waited for him to speak.
“Was Tutu here? I don't see her, she must have left.” He shook as he stood there, his eyes filling with tears.
“Yes, yes”, said Kilim, “she danced for us and we truly delighted in her company, what a pink sweetheart she is and so very pretty and serious as well. She left before the rain started. I offered her a flight home, but she whispered that she still had to drop in to see Lady Rose. So she twirled out of here, her silver bell laugh still floating in the air for the longest time, but it suddenly stopped and I thought that it was rather odd.”
He Stood On The Steps
Ispahan, Tabriz and Bokara nodded in agreement. Mirror Boy left the Flying Carpets, thanking them; he rushed to the big Story-Castle of Lady Rose. Smells of warm chocolate and fresh baked hazelnut cookies greeted him when he got close to Lady Rose's home.
“Lady Rose, Lady Rose, are you home, is Tutu with you?” He stood on the steps leading to Lady Rose's castle. Through the glass of the entry door shone a soft light. Even the lacy curtain in the window of the door took on that soft glow, the intricate bird pattern almost coming alive. His stomach ached now, all knotted up. As he listened, little chirping songs drifted toward him through the closed door. He tried to hear if Tutu's voice was mingled in. It was not.
As the door opened, five little metal birds hovered in front of him, all talking at the same time in a sort of sing song. “Welcome, welcome to the Story-Castle of Lady Rose, the castle of the best stories in the world, stories that make you sing, make you cry, make you happy and make you laugh.”
The little birds were a family of five, mother Sing, father Song, son Sang and twin daughters Aria and Ditty. “Have you come to listen to a story?” asked Song.
Murals Decorated The Walls
“No, I would like to inquire if Tutu is here, she said to the Flying Carpets that she would go to visit Lady Rose, to show her the new dance number she had worked so hard to develop. Is she here?”
“We have not seen her today, it rained, so we would never expect her to come,” Lady Rose's melodic voice came from the inside of her Story-Castle, “but you come in and have some hot chocolate and some fresh hazelnut cookies. It is chilly out there, come in, close the door behind you please.” He stepped into the entry hall, flickering torches were lighting the large space around him, murals decorated the walls, they told stories lit by them. He moved toward where he knew the kitchen was, Lady Rose's favorite room.
“Lady Rose, I am so worried about Tutu, she went out before the rain started, and I can't seem to find her. She normally never stays out that late, it is almost dark and it is also wet. I do hope that she is safe and dry somewhere. Lady Rose, I love her so much, I don't want to lose her.”
“Now, now, she is probably just with one of her friends, you know how she is when she starts to show her new numbers. She told me yesterday that she had worked out a new spin flip.”
“Yes, she did, and she already has shown it to many of her friends, but she said that she would come here, and that was before the rain ever started.”
“That just is not like her. You can always count on her word. You take care now Mirror Boy” they all said in tandem.
“Well, I guess I'm going to walk around the fairgrounds a bit longer, then I have to head home to my Mirror House, maybe now she is looking for me. Although we would have passed each other. I can not stay for your delicious cookies Lady Rose, thank you much all the same, next time I will take you up on your offer. Bye bye then, to you too, family Bird.”
