The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Here it is! My third story! I'm pretty excited to get this fic started, even though this will also have a sad ending. Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago nor The Steadfast Tin Soldier! They belong to Lego and HC Andersen respectively. There. Now let's get this story started!
Chapter 1: The Soldier and the Ballerina
It was on a beautiful moonlight night when our story began…
A little boy eagerly opened his birthday present, excited to see what he got.
"Soldiers!" He cried ecstatically.
Lined up in neat rows like a real cavalry, twenty-five soldiers stood tall, ready for their orders.
The boy already took a liking to his new present. He lined them up on a table in the nursery and even gave each and every one of them their own unique names, like Lloyd and Zane. But when he got to the very last soldier, he noticed that this one was very different.
He only had one leg.
The toymaker made all of the soldiers from one tin spoon he melted down to fill the molds. But there wasn't enough to complete the last soldier so he stood on one leg. Yet, he was steadfast on his one leg just like his brethren with their two.
The boy settled on a slightly outlandish name for such a peculiar soldier.
Kai.
And so, he had Kai placed on the corner of the table in his nursery, away from the other soldiers but he still stood on his one leg as steadfast as can be.
But don't think he'll be forgotten.
It's always the different ones who stand out…
It's been a few weeks since the boy received the tin soldiers and he would play with them every time he had the chance and Kai had his fair share of being played with like all the soldiers.
Aside from his one leg, he didn't look any different from his brethren.
He proudly stood with his simple yet becoming red uniform, hints of brown hair could be seen from under his tall military hat, and he kept his trusty musket at his side.
But it was the times when he was left alone that he preferred.
When the boy would leave for supper or bedtime, Kai would stand on the table, taking in all the sights and playthings that surrounded the nursery.
The most striking of all was a magnificent palace on the center of the table. In front of it was a lake that was actually a mirror so the castle was reflected on it, like a surreal work of art. Swans made of wax were placed on top so it appeared that they swam upon the reflective surface.
But to Kai, the most beautiful thing of all was…
…her.
In front of the palace was a beautiful little ballerina.
Unlike Kai and the other soldiers, who were simply made of molded tin and paint, the ballerina was made with so much painstaking detail it must've taken the toymaker years to finish her.
The most notable was her detailed tutu made out of the most delicate silk, muslin, and organza in vibrant shades of orange like the sunset.
The bodice with a sweetheart neckline was decorated with delicate and intricate trims made of golden threads that shimmered when struck by light.
The short dainty skirt itself was adorned with transparent layers of tulle in varying orange and red hues and accented with sparkling golden lace and glitter so it looked like she was dressed in hot passionate flames.
Her skin was colored in a light olive hue that made her stand out from all the other dolls in the nursery. Her hair that had the color of sand and ending above her shoulders was adorned with a crown of red carnations.
Even her eyes could captivate all who'd lay their own eyes on her. They were a bright blue just like a clear summer sky. There was even a tiny dot right at the outer edge of her right eye that seemed to be intentionally painted on the make her even more distinct.
But what was most eye-catching of all was the sequin roughly the size of her face that shone in gold like the sun wrapped around her waist by a string of very tiny beads.
If the little ballerina were human, then all men who would lay eyes on her would fall in love in an instant.
However, she was but a little toy.
And so was Kai.
"She's the most beautiful girl I have ever seen…" Kai mused out loud.
He knew they were just meant to be for she had only stood on one leg like him.
But what he didn't know was that she had two legs the whole time. She stood on the tip-toes of one foot in a dainty pointe shoe with a delicate ribbon wrapped around her ankle and held the other leg up so high Kai couldn't see it from where he stood so he presumed the ballerina also had just one leg like he did.
Even the way she had her arms outstretched appeared as if the beautiful creature was actually reaching out to him as if they were meant to be together, not that Kai minded.
'Surely it's destiny that has brought us together,' the soldier thought, 'but alas, she belongs in a palace as grand as hers while I share a plain box with the other soldiers. That's no place for her. But the least I can do is try to get to know her…'
Thus, every time he was placed on the edge of the table, he would always gaze at the gorgeous dancer and she would remain perfectly still with her arms outstretched towards him while both stood on one leg.
Eventually, the soldier learned that the ballerina even had a name.
One day, Kai observed a little girl he assumed to be the sister of the boy who received him and his fellow soldiers on his birthday playing with some dolls in front of the palace. While admiring the tiny dancer, the girl called her Aria.
"Aria…" The one-legged soldier whispered.
It was simple yet beautiful.
Every time he stood on guard, he would always gaze at her and in turn, Aria would gaze back at him with eyes like the summer sky.
It was strange.
Whenever their eyes gazed right at one another, Kai felt something in his chest. It was warm yet there was no source of heat to cause such an unusual phenomenon but he didn't care much for it as long as he gazed upon Aria standing on one leg just like him.
Was it love?
He wouldn't know for sure because he was still new and had yet to explore so many emotions but seeing Aria reaching out to him on her one leg filled the soldier with the warm comforting feelings within himself he wished he could be with her forever.
But Kai still had his duty as a soldier to protect his home and loved ones.
And he will protect Aria from any danger come what may…
And that's the first chapter!
The next one may feature Aria's perspective on their first 'meeting', what she thinks of Kai, & we'll see the troll (or Jack in the Box) who'll be inspired by the Overlord.
So what do you think?
Tell me in your reviews!
