The Swan Prince

Chapter two

The next several weeks were a whirlwind blur of rehearsals, class and sleeping. It was now only a day to the show and the teachers were in a hectic, mad panic in order to get everything ready for the gala. The Vaganova Prix, the ballet competition which the school hosted each year, was also beginning a week after the gala, and students from around the world had already begun to fly in in order to compete.

All hands were needed in order to pull everything together, so I was helping to send the new arrivals in the right direction from their arrival in the reception.

The front desk at the academy was imposing, with its heavy walnut facade and gold gilding. The white walls and thick piled carpet oozed a business-like atmosphere, along with some severe paintings of people whose names I couldn't pronounce, that hung on the walls. Gentle piano music played from hidden speakers and several well-used sofas were spread out in what seemed to be the waiting area. The lady at the front desk, Sharia, was equally sharp and cold, with a shrewd gaze and brisk tone. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight bun, in contrast to her pale skin - Sharia's entire form seemed to be in various shades of black and white.

Suddenly, a cold gust blew through the room, signaling someone entering, and I shivered - was July, but the chilly evening air made it feel too cold for it to be summer. A young man lugged a heavy suitcase behind him and I turned to get a form and pen, as it was rather obvious that he had come to sign up for the Prix.

"Can I have your name please?" I asked, not looking up, as I was in a hurry, Sharia was taking messages and asking me to deliver them.

"Dimity." Said he.

"Surname?"

"Seminova."

"Alright, could you fill in these details please, then head that way." I said guesturing to my right - towards the guest dormitories.

Dimity took the form and began to fill it in. "Do you work here?" He asked, rather bluntly. "You don't seem dressed for office work."

I looked at myself self-consciously; I was still wearing my warm-ups over the leotard that I had worn to class that morning and my hair was pulled back into a ballet bun - I looked as though I had walked straight out of class.

"No." I admitted, "I study here, where do you study?"

"At Pern, a school in St Petersburg."

"Oh." I said. "That's quite far away, do you do lots of competitions?"

"Yes, as it's hard to get known by other schools and companies out there if you don't, you should too. I'm going to the Prix de Lausanne next." He said haughtily."And I'm going to win."

He finished filling his form in.

"Thanks." I said, "I guess I'll see you around. It was . . . nice meeting you."

"You too." He said and shook my hand.

As soon as he walked away I wiped my hand on my trousers and sighed. The boy was rather annoying and was very nosy and there was this slippery eel feeling about him that I couldn't shake off.

Just then Madame Osaka rushed up to me, her hair in a frazzle and glasses lop-sided.

"Elysia," She huffed, out of breath. "You need to come and practice. The gala's tomorrow."

"What?" I exclaimed. "I thought that it was the day after."

"It's been moved forwards - you need to come now."

I ran to the dorms and quickly got changed into my costume - I needed a dress rehersal and this was all that I was going to get - it was already very late; past dinner. I pulled my headpiece on and ran to studio A5. On the way, I saw many other people similarly attired and I chuckled slightly - at least I wasn't the only one that had been caught unawares.