Curse

Calaval · Feb 28, 2007, 11:41 AM // 11:41

The Red Shoes

Jyni Fox had long envied the beautiful dancers of Prince Bokka’s court and more so upon the day of the Festival of Lyss. Hidden behind a tree, she watched as the music played, how she longed to be like Tahlkora, Kehanni or Lilita as they danced joyfully with their suitors. How she yearned to be there with them and to catch the eye of a noble prince, all eyes would fall upon her, the unknown lady of grace.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as her dream faded and with her chubby hands Jyni wiped her face. Yet as her tears dried, Jyni came drawn to the sound of laughter and life and song but not from the festival came the singing but from close behind her.

Jyni tilted her head up to look at the stranger who had found her hiding place, and there she saw a slender, tall and shapely maiden smiling back at her. And already dancing was she to the beat of Festival of Lyss.

Jyni blushed and shook her head as the dancing maiden approached. “Come young child, come dance with me, ‘tis the day of dances is it not?”

Jyni’s face reddened as the beautiful dancing maiden spoke to her. Was she still dreaming?

"Would you care to dance?"

Jyni shrugged slightly at the dancing maiden and sat silent for a moment until the maiden offered her hand.

Smiling shyly Jyni accepted the dancing maiden’s hand and followed her into an open space far from the Garden of Seborhin. Following her dance steps, Jyni took note of how she moved and adjusted accordingly to suit her.

After a few moments had passed Jyni stopped to catch breath and stepped back for a second to observe the maiden before her. The dancing maiden wore a small red and green skirt with a leather red tunic yet as she danced her feet flashed as if they were on fire, her red shoes gleamed as she moved in graceful motion to the sound of the festival. But as the music faded, still the maiden danced and Jyni sat in rapture, watching her every move.

"I do apologise” said Jyni.“ I am afraid that I embarrassed you with my awkward movements - oh I'd love to dance like you!”

And looking back at Jyni the dancer smiled a vicious smile. “Take off my red shoes, put them on and your dream will come true.”

“Your shoes?” gasped Jyni. “No, I could never”

“Take them” laughed the red maiden “With no words, with no song, dance the dream of what you long”

Crawling forward Jyni slipped off the red shoes from the dancer and as the shoes fell from her body the dancer quietly laughed.

Jyni put the shoes up to her face and took a deep breath “How beautifully crafted they are” she whispered. Yet looking up Jyni found herself once more alone, the dancer had left as briskly as she had came. With the shoes in her hand Jyni called out but no reply came.

For an hour Jyni sat marvelling the shoes in her hands, “Oh to be like Tahlkora” she sighed. The festival was ending, and she could wait no longer for the dancer to return.

Onto her feet she slipped the red shoes and as she did Jyni jerked and jolted, her feet kicked up and to her astonishment Jyni found herself dancing. Yet her glee soon turned to despair, Jyni found herself unable to stop – the red shoes kept on dancing.

“Help me!” she cried “The red shoes, they cant stop dancing!” She danced into the darkness, unable to stop until the shoes came off. And blood fell from her feet as she jigged but to no words and no song, only horror.

And so Jyni Fox danced into the night and evermore.