Falling Snow

Chapter 5

The first thing they did in the morning was practice. All morning, they practiced the dance newly choreographed by Madam, set to perform that night in front of the emperor. Xue thought the time she spent in Fei Xian Ge learning a new dance was hard, but this was a whole new level. She used to have days maybe even weeks to prepare for a new performance. But in here, she needed to learn a new dance fast and well. After all, her job was to perform for the royals, the quality and the quantity of dance was going to be different.

After the morning practice, Madam called the six girl to a private discussion, but they could easily guess what it was all about.

"Tonight, you are going to see the royal family and important people of the court. They are the ones you should keep an eye on. Being a spy is a subtle work, everything needs to be natural. You can not shine to bright, but you also can not be buried. Remember my warning, it is going to help you keep you heads on your shoulders." Madam said seriously. Even though she whispered, she still had the kind of voice that could make the dancers shook in fear. Sure enough, a dancer beside Xue was shaking her hands under her sleeves. Although the movement was small and only for a few seconds, but Xue could still noticed it. After so many years of practicing to tell the emotion of others, she was quick on catching things like this.

But Madam didn't notice. After she dismissed them and instructed them to get ready, she disappeared through the curtains that separated the rooms. As Xue walked back to the dressing room, she was trying to think of how not to attract attention. Nothing good ever came with unwanted attention, they were dangerous just like mistakes. Besides, if she were to get out of this spying thing, she needed to stay low. It may not be able to last long, but she had to try.

She didn't wear as much rouge as she would normally wore at a performance, and she didn't put on any jewelry. But she quickly noticed that everyone else all had some sort of hairpin and accessories, and the lack of it would surely attract attention. So she simply put on a silver snowflake pin on the side of her long, flowy black hair.

When she was brushing her hair, she couldn't help noticed that the girl who was just beside her when Madam called them in private was staring in her direction. What was her name again? Xue remembered, it was Hua, one of Mei's friends. She always followed Mei everywhere.

Right now, Hua seemed to be very nervous. Xue remembered that she was shaking before, and now, she looked like she was on edge. Hua kept looking at her, fiddling her fingers. She looked like she wanted to come her way, but couldn't make up her minds.

After a few seconds, just as Xue was about to get up and left with Lian, Hua finally came over, slowly and quietly. She stopped just in front of her and whispered with indecisiveness. "Xue, I was wondering that if you would do me a favor, I know I used to treat you badly back at the house, but I was just following Mei, and I was scared to defy her. I hope you will forgive me." She said with a shaky voice that was so unlike her before, she must be really nervous and afraid of the up coming performance. When she was asking for forgiveness, Hua carefully avoided eye contacts, as if the mere gaze of her would make her crumble.

Lian laughed behind Xue. Of course she didn't believe that, or planned to suddenly forgive her. But Xue never blamed Hua for her actions back then. Everyone was choosing sides, it was either with Mei, or being picked on by her. "I understand, and I don't hate your for your action at the house. It is a new beginning for all of us. Now what do you want me to do?" Xue said with such calmness, Lian almost tripped and fell on her, with her face expressed such shock and surprise.

"Thank you so much! It's just that I know I am not as pretty as the rest of girls, and I am not as good as Mei and you when it comes to dancing. I was wondering if you could lend me one of you hair pieces, as first dancer, you must have many beautiful accessories. If I could borrow one for this one time, I could be noticed." Hua said eagerly and excitedly, as her voice slightly raised and her eyes sparkled.