Crowns ~ Smosh

Six

Gasps of wonder filled the air as the princes and princesses descended into the portal.

"Amazing," Mari breathed as she looked around, taking in her surroundings. 

"Pinch me," Joshua said. Ericka reached over and dug her nails into his arm. "I didn't mean literally!" He snapped at her and she just giggled.

"I'm dreaming," Matthew sighed, turning slowly to take in everything around him.

"Then I'm having the same dream," David replied, reaching up to touch one of the leaves on the nearby tree. 

"What do you think-" Wes started.

"-that is?" Shayne finished, the twins eyes locked on a golden structure in the distance. 

"Let's find out!" Damien exclaimed and he grasped his older twin brothers by the hands and started to pull them forward, towards the glittering structure. 

They had to get on a boat, and as soon as they were all seated the boat began to move magically through the crystal water, taking them closer and closer to the golden building.

"The trees are gold and silver!" Olivia cried out.

"It's just like in the story!" Courtney agreed. 

"Look at all the flowers!" Keith called, pointing towards the shimmering beds. 

"It's so pretty!" Ericka exclaimed as they finally reached the golden structure, which was now recognized as a pavilion. Each of the children stepped out, walking into the open grassy area underneath the golden pillars.

"It's just like Mother's dance pavilion," Mari stated, running her fingertips across the nearest pillar as if she couldn't believe that it was real. 

"Oh, I wish we had some music," Olivia sighed, glancing around the open space. It was magical. Some of the gold flowers opened, dropping golden dust across the engravings of instruments in the gold. As soon as the dust touched the carvings the instruments came to life, pounding out a tune. 

"Did you see that?" Noah asked, tugging at Mari's hand. She could only nod, her mouth gaping. 

"Well come on!" Keith urged. "Let's dance!" And each of the children stepped forward, dancing to the same song, but on their own beat. 

It was wonderful to watch. Twelve different bodies, all swirling and whirling together as one, dancing to a song they barely even knew. They let the music fill their souls and let their feet guide them as they leaped across the floor, spinning around each other in actions of pure bliss.

"Come on Noah," Mari said as they moved to dance past each other. She snagged his hand. "Dance with me!" Smiling, the youngest brother allowed himself to be led by his oldest sister. They danced together, but at the same time they were apart. The only thing connecting their dances was their hands, laced together as they spun around the open space. Except maybe they spun a little too quickly, because their dance stopped abruptly as Noah tripped, skinning his knee on the gold that resided there. 

"Something like this always has to happen to me," Noah groaned, holding his bleeding knee. Mari kneeled next to him, examining her youngest brother's wound. She smiled at him and helped him get to his feet.

"I thought you were dancing beautifully," She said, as brushed off some of the dirt from his shirt. "Come on now, let's wash it off."

Mari and Noah walked over to the fountain that sprayed showers of wonderful crystal water. Mari dipped the edge of the nightgown into the water that resided there, letting the fabric soak up some of the water before moving the dripping gown over to Noah's knee. She didn't even have to touch the injury. When the water dripped onto the open wound, it began to heal. The skin repaired itself and the blood cleared, leaving both Mari and Noah frozen in shock.

"How did it..?" Noah asked in obvious wonder as he examined his knee.

"I... I don't know," Mari responded, also gazing at Noah's knee with a mild uncertainty. Noah laughed and reached over scooping up a handful of the magic water.

"Matthew and I could use this all the time!" He laughed and Mari couldn't help but giggle too. She then took her younger brother's hands and pulled him back towards the others and the joined the dance as if they had never left. 

They danced the night away, and soon their movements were becoming less crisp and more of them ended up on the ground than they would like to admit. 

"Wow," Damien laughed, as he glanced at his shoes from his place on the ground. "I actually wore out my shoes." 

"It's a sign you know," David said, helping his younger brother to his feet.

"Of what?" Olivia questioned, stopping the movement of her feet so she was stopped next to the two boys. 

"That we've danced enough for one night," David said, and slowly each of the spinning princes and princesses slowed to a stop.

"He's right," Mari agreed. "We better go home before the Dukes see that we're gone." 

"Oh, I hate to leave," Wes sighed and Shayne agreed. "I could dance forever and ever and ever!"

But all good things do come to an end it seemed, for soon enough the children were back on the magical boat, moving slowly through the waters away from the golden dance pavilion. Each of the princes and princesses felt a sinking feeling in their hearts as they left it behind them. The last thing they wanted to do was return to the harsh reality of their world, but each of them knew that they had to leave, and so they did. But each of them secretly turned back around to gaze at the pavilion longingly. 

The ascended the spiral staircase that brought them down into this wonderful world. The portal started opening as soon as the first royal pressed their shoes to the first stair. They walked up the stairs slower than they would like to admit, all mourning the thought of actually leaving. But they all did, and Mari walked Noah to his bed, brushing the hair from his face as he settled himself into bed.

"Did you like your birthday after all?" She asked him.

"Yes," He responded with a yawn. "Thanks, Mari." She smiled at him before walking towards her own room.

"Goodnight, boys," She said as she blew out the last candle lighting up their room. She finally settled into her own bed and fell asleep as soon as her cheek hit her pillow. She dreamed of dancing through golden flowers. She dreamed of a world with out Dukes controlling her every movement. She dreamed of a world with her mother still in it.