His Royal Ballerina

Chapter 6

"Who's he?" "Who's he?" Violet kept pestering Rose.

"He is the same gentlemen who returned my slipper outside the theatre," Rose replied and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, my dear...So he is the one!" she widened her eyes and forced Rose to tell her more about him. Since Rose had no other option, she told her how she met Thorn and even narrated the incident that took place in the public park.

"What? All this happened and you're telling me now?" Violet stared at her in disbelief.

"Anyways, so you say he can't feel any pain, are you sure? Is he fooling you? Have you found out why is it so?" Violet fired her with all questions.

"Do one thing, next time we meet him do remember to note down his details so you don't bother me with your questions," Rose remarked and descended the stairs.

"Why are you getting so cranky, I was just enquiring since I thought we were best friends," Violet explained and followed her downstairs.

"Hmm...Aren't you getting late for class?" Rose tried to change the topic by reminding her about the ballet classes.

"Girls, hurry up! You shouldn't keep Dame Petal waiting." Lady Oak yelled and ordered all of them to leave except for Rose; Dame Petal had informed her that Rose was barred from the ballet school for thirty days.

"Since you won't be practising today I have planned out some duties for you," Lady Oak stated as the last girl closed the main door behind her.

"Duties?" Rose paused and raised her eyebrows. "What kind of duties?" She asked looking perplexed.

Lady Oak moved aside and revealed a basket overflowing with dirty laundry. Rose looked at the basket in bewilderment; she never imagined that Lady Oak would give her the duty of washing dirty laundry.

"T-That...T-That is my D-Duty," Rose stuttered and pointed towards the basket.

"Yes my dear, now you will understand how I run this place," Lady Oak remarked nd crossed her hands.

"But I am a ballerina...washing the laundry is not what we do," Rose protested making a face.

"Ballerina or not, you are a young lady and a lady should know all the house work, now stop complaining and wash that laundry," Lady Oak replied and ordered her to carry the basket along.

Rose caught her breath and carried the dirty laundry out of the living room. "Eww...this really stinks!" she frowned and walked out.

While Lady Oak dusted the house, Rose finished washing the clothes and started drying them on the clothesline. As she continued drying each cloth, she noticed something funny. All the clothes were in the same shade of red. She was sure she had seen white colour clothes along with only one red clothe before she had washed them, but now all the clothes looked uniform

"Uh oh!" Rose gasped and realised that the red dye had spread on the other clothes. It happened because she had not separated the red cloth from the rest before washing. She knew it was her fault and that Lady Oak would get mad at her.

"This is why a ballerina should be kept away from housework," she reasoned in her mind and hurriedly hung the remaining clothes for drying.

She entered the kitchen and helped herself with the breakfast that Lady Oak had prepared for her. After feeling content, she walked towards the study room and saw Lady Oak sitting elegantly and playing the vertical piano. Rose slouched on one of the chairs and looked at Lady Oak in amazement. She waited for her to finish and then said, "I never knew you played so well."

Lady Oak turned and looked at Rose; she noticed how lazily Rose slouched on the chair in front of her. "And neither did I know that a lady like you slouches on the chair like that...now sit up straight," she sternly ordered Rose and waited till she sat decently.

"Have you finished your duty?" she asked Rose.

"Yes, Lady Oak!" Rose replied with a straight face.

"Hmm...so you liked the way I played?" she asked her and gently tapped the instrument.

Rose smiled in reply and walked towards Lady Oak. "Can you teach me to play?" she said and sat next to her. Lady Oak happily agreed and started teaching her the basics. They played for hours until Rose got bored. Lady Oak soon realised that Rose was feeling disinterested and would soon drop the idea of learning to play the piano.

"Hmm...I think I should stop now," Rose said and got up to leave.

"Rose, you haven't even completed the first page," Lady Oak reminded her and pulled her back to sit down.

"I can't get the correct notes...playing the piano is not meant for me I guess?" Rose sighed and complained.

"Practice makes you perfect, you shouldn't give up on anything that easily," Lady Oak explained and made her play the notes again.

"But what use is it to me?" Rose protested as she half-heartedly pressed the keys.

"A lady should know to play the piano...you girls will soon settle down someday," Lady Oak said and continued, " Imagine how embarrassing it would look if your in-laws ask you to play and you simply say you couldn't?"

Rose giggled and got up, she hugged Lady Oak and said, "You think a lot Lady Oak...if what you say is true then I would rather marry someone who despises music. "

"Rose, where are you going? Come back here," Lady Oak yelled at her as Rose opened the main door and rushed out in haste.

"It's snowing!" Rose yelled back and called out to Lady Oak who just stood by the door and admired the whole garden that was now covered in snow.

Somewhere in the dark side of the palace, an old man walked the lonely passage that led to King Bluejay's chamber. He walked past the stained French windows that blocked the sunlight from seeping in and entered inside the chamber

"How are you my King?" he bowed and drew the curtains.

"Please..." the King requested and gestured him to close the curtains. The old man smiled and drew back the curtains. "It pains for me to see you like this," the old man smirked and bent down to face King Bluejay. King Bluejay was Prince Thorn and Prince Robin's father. He was a frail old sickly man. He had spent his years lying like a vegetable on the bed. He was physically paralysed and could only move his mouth and eyes to communicate.

"Hawkeye my friend...I deserve this suffering," King Bluejay replied and looked at the butler who entered with a tray in hand.

"Your majesty, Prince Thorn has a letter for you," the butler announced and read it.

"Ahh another one of his requests to meet the King...doesn't he get tired writing endless letters from France?" Hawkeye interrupted the butler and looked at King Bluejay with a smirk on his face.

"Excuse me Sir, but the letter isn't from France..." He paused and cleared his throat, "Prince Thorn is in the palace, he arrived a few days back with his companion." he added and wrinkled his nose.

"What?" King Bluejay exclaimed in horror and dropped his jaw.

"He has returned..." Hawkeye whispered and pulled the letter from the butler's hand.

"Give him the same reply," Hawkeye ordered and gestured the butler to leave.

King Blujay turned to face Hawkeye and said in a low voice, "Only you understand why I keep myself away from him." A tear rolled down King Bluejay's eyes as he saw the butler close the doors behind him.

"Yes your majesty, only I know the truth," Hawkeye replied and clenched his teeth. He was not happy about Thorn's arrival; he rolled his eyes and left the king's chamber in haste.

He marched in anger and went towards his room. It was private and no chambermaid or butler could enter it. Hawkeye was the Queen's elder brother and also one of the royal ministers in the King's court. He was an old man with a prominent crooked right eye. He always wore black and walked the Palace freely as if it were his. He played with the minds of his sister and the King and influenced them with all his wicked advice. It was Hawkeye who had advised his sister, Queen Sparrow to send prince Thorn away while Prince Robin could be groomed to become the next King. It wasn't a difficult task to convince the Queen since Thorn was not her son. Though she loved them both equally Hawkeye had managed to force her into sending Thorn away by stating that he could harm her baby Robin, as everyone knew that Thorn was unaware of what pain meant.

Hawkeye shut the doors behind him and pushed all the books from over his table. He cursed and pulled his hair in utter disbelief. A white dove trapped in a golden cage flapped her wings as she saw her master destruct the room in anger.

"Why has he come now?" Hawkeye caught the cage and stared at the white frightened dove.

"My plans were working so well and here he comes to spoil it all," he continued and flung the cage towards the wall. The white dove cried and shivered in fear.

After throwing his anger on the bird, Hawkeye composed himself and looked around the room. His room was filled with books and bottles. These books were not just any books but books that preached about black magic.

Hawkeye was a wicked old man with wicked old thoughts; he practised the f*******n dark arts secretly in his room. Hence he never allowed anyone, but himself to enter it.

Hawkeye sat on the windowsill and looked out. He opened a book and flipped through the pages randomly. His thoughts were somewhere else. He shut the book and closed his eyes, he was now recollecting the past, he went back to the memory he had buried long ago.

"Thorn, see what I got for you," Queen Heron approached little Thorn from behind and closed his eyes.

"Mother...I can't see anything." Little Thorn playfully escaped from his mothers hold and turned to face her.

Queen Heron placed a red rosebud in his tiny hands and smiled looking at his perplexed expression.

"What is this?" Little Thorn innocently asked his mother.

"This is a rosebud, my dear," she replied and asked him to hold it straight. She touched the delicate rosebud with her long fingers and hummed a sweet enchanting song. No sooner did she hum, the red rosebud slowly bloomed and transformed into a beautiful flower. Little Thorn jumped in excitement and hugged his mother, he always felt happy when the Queen displayed her magical tricks to him.

Thorn pulled his mother around and played with her in his room when suddenly the doors opened and everything changed.

"You are to be arrested by the orders of the King," Hawkeye the young minister commanded and gestured the royal guard to take her away.

"Mother!" Thorn grabbed the queen's gown and refused to let the guards take her away from him.

"I will be back my dear." Queen Heron assured little Thorn and left the room with the guards marching on either side of her.

Hawkeye stared at little Thorn and remarked, "Oh the little Prince is all alone."

The queen was sent to appear before the royal court. She entered the massive court and stood in front of the King and his legal advisors. Everyone present in the court stared at the Queen and waited for the prosecution to begin.

"Queen Heron, daughter of King Edgar and the respected queen of England has been accused of practising the f*******n dark art," One of the legal advisors, announced loudly for the whole court to hear.

The spectators gasped and looked at each other, Black magic was a f*******n art and anyone found practising it was termed as a worshipper of the devil. King Bluejay sat on his golden throne and glared at his wife.

"Is it true that you harnes knowledge of magic?" He asked and silenced the court.

Queen Heron innocently looked straight in his eyes and said, "Yes my King...I do, but not to harm any living soul.'

The spectators whispered again and started discussing. The King fumed on hearing the Queen's reply. "You have deceived me and the country by hiding the fact that you practise Black magic."

"No my King, you have mistaken. What I practise is pure and has no near resemblance to the dark arts," Queen Heron tried to justify her actions and pleaded King Bluejay to free her from the false accusation.

"Hawkeye has seen you do it many times...your actions are no longer hidden from us. You are a threat to the King and the people of England, hence you shall be punished for your sins," The Legal advisor remarked and turned to face the King.

"Do you have anything to say in your defence?" King Bluejay asked her with a straight face.

"My lord, I haven't sinned...my God is the witness and I shall answer only him," she replied and stunned the whole court.

The king fumed with rage and announced in a harsh tone, " The Queen Of England has been found guilty of practising the dark arts..." he paused and continued with a deep breath " Hence she shall be sentenced to death." He finished and walked away from his throne while the whole court cheered and agreed to his decision.

Queen Heron's eyes glistened as she tried to control her tears that were on the verge of rolling down her pale cheeks. She was shattered and heartbroken that her King failed to Believe and trust her, but what made her feel even sadder was that she wouldn't be near her son to tell him bedtime stories nor hug him tight and say how much she loved him.

The court was adjourned for the day; The guards came and chained the queen. They turned and waited for her to walk ahead. She carried the weight of the heavy iron chains in hands and walked slowly out of the court.

"Going somewhere?" Hawkeye asked as he stood in front of her.

The queen ignored him and looked away; she knew he was the one who had corrupted the King's mind. "Don't worry about the prince...I will take good care of him." He said with a wicked smile on his face.

The queen crunched her brows and looked at him angrily, "I won't let you do anything to my son," she said and walked away.

"I won't be doing anything..." he paused, "it will be your doing after all." He whispered and rolled his crooked eyes in satisfaction.

Little Thorn waited silently in his room for his mother but in vain. He ran across the huge Palace and called out to his mother but got no reply. As he continued to search her, he was stopped by Hawkeye.

"Missing your mother, are you?" He asked little Thorn and smiled at him.

"Where is mama?" little Thorn asked with tears in his eyes.

"I know where she is...but promise me you won't tell anyone that I sent you there," He said and told little Thorn that his mother was outside the palace with the Guards.

Thorn thanked him and ran outside the palace. He came out and witnessed a huge crowd that had gather outside, he saw his mother standing on the execution platform. A heavy build man in black mask was holding a sword in hand. Little Thorn realised something bad was going to happen, his tiny eyes searched for his father, he noticed him watching the whole scene from above the palace balcony. Little thorn raced towards the platform to meet his mother but was stopped by the guards who were guarding her.

"Let me go..." He yelled and caught the king's attention.

The king was surprised to see his son outside the palace. He flinched and called his guards. He wanted to tell them to take his son back to the palace; he never wanted him to witness the execution of his mother. But no sooner did he call them; Hawkeye appeared from behind and stopped the King.

"Let the Prince see it, your majesty," Hawkeye said and pulled King Bluejay to a corner.

"What are you saying Hawkeye...he is my son," the King replied in disbelief.

"I know he is you son...but he is her son as well, she may have rubbed her dark powers on the poor kid to take revenge on you," Hawkeye explained.

"How is it going to help, if what you say is true...he is too small to witness this," the King replied looking worried for his son. "We should have done the usual practice of hanging the guilty not cutting off the head!" he added.

"I am saying this for your and his safety, the darks powers will leave Prince Thorn only when he is made to see the execution of his mother." Hawkeye poisoned the King's mind further.

"Hawkeye are you sure we should do this?" the King asked in a sad tone.

"Trust me...this is the only way to defeat the dark powers that have possessed the young Prince," Hawkeye replied and succeeded in convincing the King. They came back to the balcony and looked at the crowd that had gathered to watch the execution. Little Thorn was standing near the guards and calling out to his mother. Queen Heron was horrified to see her son; she looked around for Hawkeye and spotted him standing near her husband. He looked back at her and smiled wickedly

"Didn't I tell you that it would be your doings and not mine?" He whispered.

Queen Heron closed her eyes and prayed for Thorn. She asked God to protect him in every possible way. She was sad that her son was made to watch her being executed. She knew his little heart wouldn't be able to bear the pain of his mother's death.

"Any last words?" the executioner asked her before he could swing the Sword of justice on her delicate neck.

"Forgive me, Thorn. I won't be coming back," she said in her gentle motherly tone and looked at her son for the last time. She closed her eyes and bent on her knees; the executioner raised his sword and beheaded the queen right before Thorn's very own eyes.

An ear-piercing scream escaped Thorn's mouth as he witnessed the death of his beloved mother. He collapsed on the ground in utter shock and drifted into a state of unconsciousness. The guards hurriedly carried him back into the place and placed him in his room. The King and Hawkeye rushed down to the Thorn's room in haste.

"I told you he won't be able to bear it," the king yelled at Hawkeye and stroked Little Thorn's wet cheeks. He looked at his son lying on the bed unconscious and felt guilty of what he had done.

"Didn't you see it...the dark powers left your son with the death of the queen?' Hawkeye explained animatedly and rolled his crooked eyes. He kept his bony hands on the King's shoulder and continued, "You and the kingdom both are safe now,"

"And what about my son?" the King asked in anger.

"Your son is free...but I must warn you he may lose something in return," Hawkeyes replied and frowned.

"What do you mean?" the King asked looking perplexed.

"The dark forces were too strong...I am afraid they might have taken a part of Thorn with them when they left his body," Hawkeye remarked and looked at Little Thorn, pretending that he was concerned for him.

The King felt shattered and rushed out of the room he couldn't see his son in that condition. He knew he was the main cause of it and hence felt guilty and left him alone in the company of the guards and Hawkeye.

Hawkeye ordered the guard to leave and sat next to little Thorn, he waited patiently for the little Prince to open his eyes. After hours of waiting Little Thorn opened his eyes and looked around the room. His eyes fell on Hawkeye who stared at him from a distance.

"Are you in pain prince, Thorn?" He asked him softly.

Little Thorn hung his head down and broke into tears; Hawkeye held him tightly and whispered in his ears. "Don't weep little one...you cannot change what has happened," He said and stroked Little Thorns hair. "The King will be-head you as well if he finds out that you cried," He said and fooled little Thorn.

Thorn held back his tears and asked in a shaken voice, "What am I supposed to do...I can't stop my tears.' he felt frightened and shuddered with the thought of getting beheaded by his father.

"Let me tell you a little secret..." he lifted Thorn in his arms and continued, "I can take away your pain if you want to, in that way, you'll never cry." Thorn looked at him with a blank expression. Hawkeye realised the prince didn't understand what he meant and hence explained to him in simple terms.

"I can stop you from crying forever and then the King will never behead you," Hawkeye explained and put him down.

Thorn fell for his wicked tricks and agreed to let Hawkeye take away the pain from him.

Satisfied that his plans had worked, Hawkeye closed the doors and chanted the unholy, dark magical words. He ordered the prince to cry in pain as much as he wanted and slowly touched his soul. He continued chanting the words and pulled out a part of Thorn, an emotion that Thorn was fooled into giving up. He pulled out the emotion of pain from Thorn's soul and stopped at the last drop of tear that rolled down Thorn's cheeks.

"You can now sleep..." Hawkeye said and made Thorn sleep. Thorn did not realise that Hawkeye had not only taken the pain but also taken the memory of his mother and everything that Thorn knew. He erased all of his memory that night and left the room with a laugh that echoed in the gloomy palace.

Hawkeye was pulled back from his thoughts with the constant fluttering of the white dove in its cage. He got down from the windowsill and lifted the cage. After placing it back he looked at the dove and said, "There is no reason for me to be afraid of Thorn...he won't be the King anyways because my sister's son is the future King of England,"

"Ha-ha and I thought my plan would fail...silly me what harm can a prince without pain do to me?" He reasoned and walked out of his room.

It was true Prince Thorn couldn't harm Hawkeye nor stop his plans from making Prince Robin the future King because he had no memory of what Hawkeye had done to him. After Hawkeye stole his pain, Little Thorn woke up as a Kid with no memory. He forgot that he had a mother who loved him and that she was now no more. He even forgot what pain felt like. The King was sad on realising that Thorn had forgotten everything and was a kid that felt no pain, Hawkeye told him that it was the side effect of the dark powers. He convinced the King into marrying his sister so that Thorn wouldn't feel the absences of a mother.

And that's how Queen Sparrow came into the picture and adopted Prince Thorn as her own son. Unlike her wicked brother, she was kind and loving towards Thorn. She gave birth to Prince Robin two years later and continued loving the two equally.

Thorn sat in the serenity of the Royal chapel with his eyes fixed on the flames that danced above the exquisite candle stand. Thorn was anticipating a reply from someone he hadn't seen for a decade. He sat there motionless, lost in deep thoughts. The flames reflected in his crystal clear eyes before the doors creaked open and distractedThorn from his thoughts.

Thorn blinked and turned sideways to see the silhouette of the butler who walked in causing his footsteps to echo till he reached Cadbury.

"The King doesn't wish to see the Prince." The butler announced and stood in silence.

"Never mind...I will try again later," Thorn stood up and walked out of the chapel after the butler bowed and made way for him.

Cadbury clenched his fist and stared at the butler. "I can't believe these are the King's words," he remarked and followed Thorn.

Thorn had not seen his father since the day he was sent to live in France under the watchful eyes of Cadbury. During his stay in France, Thorn wrote plenty of letters requesting to meet his father, but they all had the same answers, No. The constant replies never stopped Thorn efforts to continue writing, hoping that someday he would get a positive reply. Thorn was not the kind of person who would give up on anything. The King did not wish to see him for reasons unknown to everyone in the palace except for the King himself and Hawkeye the wicked minister.

"Look out Cadbury!" Thorn screamed in excitement as he threw a snowball at him. Cadbury was startled at the sudden attack of snowballs on him. He frowned and brushed out the snow on his shoulders but soon smiled when he noticed how peaceful Thorn looked opening his arms out to embrace the first shower of snowflakes.

"Be by his side my lord," Cadbury whispered as he stood outside the chapel and watched him in delight.