Dancing on Strings

Opening Night

Mai stood in her dressing room looking at her final makeup, touching a careful hand to her blue wig that was a dozen shades of blue and topped with jewels and flowers.

The skirts of her romantic tutu, falling below her knees, made of blues and whites to match the hair and the blue pointe shoes.

She glanced towards the clock on the table beside her and away again.

This was it.

The big night.

It wasn't the first time she'd been on stage this season.

She was succeeding beautifully as The Sleeping Beauty

She was dazzling in Swan Lake.

But this was the opening night for The Doll Maker.

This was different.

The audience would start to filter in very soon.

The men and women she spent her days with. Who she had grown up with. Who might recognise her.

...And that would destroy her reputation.

She drew in a sharp breath and stood up, hands on the table and there was a knock on the door that made her jump.

She whirled around and one of her servants, who remained watch outside her dressing room, looked in.

"The Black Rabbit is here, Your Highness," he said.

"What?" she snapped before realising why he was mentioning him. "Of course."

She took her cape from its hook and threw it over her shoulders, sweeping out with the servant and slipping through the back corridors, listening to the bustle and chatter of the audience as they arrived, making her way up to the box she would usually sit in when she visited the theatre as an audience member.

The doors opened and several sets of eyes looked her way.

The ones that jarred her the most were her own eyes.

The Fake Mai from The Midnight Troupe was back, now wearing one of Mai's most brilliant green gowns with her hair done up in jade. That same ribbon was now tied around her wrist and she looked at Mai with eyes that didn't look quite as empty as last time.

The others in the box, Kazimir, Dalton, Daphne, Henrietta and Joliette all looked around at her and Mai grimaced.

"I almost didn't recognise you," Henrietta said.

"That's good," she said, dragging her eyes away from the puppet and the others chuckled.

"Are you ready?" Kazimir asked.

"Of course," Mai said quickly.

He raised an eyebrow at her as Daphne stood up and walked over, hugging her tightly.

"You'll do wonderfully," she said gently, leaning back then grinning. "Like always."

Mai grinned at her. "Of course, it's hardly my first show."

"Exactly."

Mai looked around, avoiding eye contact with the Fake Mai who was watching her, but didn't see who she was after.

"The Black Rabbit isn't here?" she asked, as if he was hiding in the shadows of the box curtains that had yet to be drawn.

"He stepped out," Kazimir said.

"Kaz scared him out," Dalton corrected

"Ah, well then I'll go back," Mai said as Kazimir glared at his brother. "I just wanted to see that... her... it..."