"Hey, look!"
Clopin rolled his eyes and looked. "It's a bird."
Ravenna smiled. "Ah, but it is so much more. It's a tiny, frail creature, and yet it has so much life, so much energy. It's an earthly creature, and yet it can soar above our heads, above the clouds, and touch the moon. It has so many stories to tell, if you only listen."
Clopin looked at Ravenna in wonder as she knelt down, her plain green skirt fanning out around her. Holding out her hand, she whistled a bit. "Here, little bird. Come tell me your tales, sing me a ballad of the sights you've seen."
The king was startled when the bird took flight and alighted on her finger, whistling a merry tune. Ravenna giggled, whistling back, and the bird replied.
Clopin knelt next to her, curiosity overwhelming him. "What is it saying?"
Ravenna smiled. "He says he is delighted to meet the King of Argot, and wishes us good day. He also says he heard my singing."
"As did I."
With a blush, Ravenna patted the bird's head. "Oh?"
"Yes. You are a...fair singer."
Ravenna looked away. "No need to be tactful around me. I know I can't sing."
"No, no, you misunderstand me. I think you're a good singer. You had just better hope you can dance."
"I've never tried before."
Clopin looked at Ravenna in disbelief. "Never?"
"Well, I always assumed I was too clumsy to manage it properly."
"Well then," said Clopin with a shrug, "We shall have to find another dancer."
At the heartbroken expression on the poor girl's face, Clopin changed his mind.
"…or…Someone could teach you."
"I'd like that. Would you teach me?"
"Well, I am the best dancer in the Court…aside from Esmerelda and Josette."
Ravenna smiled prettily and kissed the bird's head, then let it fly away. She watched it go with a wistful expression. "Sometimes," she whispered, "I dream that I will grow wings and fly away from here…to a place where I'll fit in, and be loved."
"You are loved here. Josette thinks of you as a little sister."
Ravenna pressed her lips together. "I am older than Josette."
"But you are young at heart, which comes of being born and raised outside of Paris."
"I suppose."
Clopin stood suddenly, took Ravenna's hand, and pulled her to her feet. "Come with me."
And this is how our tale begins…
Clopin rolled his eyes and looked. "It's a bird."
Ravenna smiled. "Ah, but it is so much more. It's a tiny, frail creature, and yet it has so much life, so much energy. It's an earthly creature, and yet it can soar above our heads, above the clouds, and touch the moon. It has so many stories to tell, if you only listen."
Clopin looked at Ravenna in wonder as she knelt down, her plain green skirt fanning out around her. Holding out her hand, she whistled a bit. "Here, little bird. Come tell me your tales, sing me a ballad of the sights you've seen."
The king was startled when the bird took flight and alighted on her finger, whistling a merry tune. Ravenna giggled, whistling back, and the bird replied.
Clopin knelt next to her, curiosity overwhelming him. "What is it saying?"
Ravenna smiled. "He says he is delighted to meet the King of Argot, and wishes us good day. He also says he heard my singing."
"As did I."
With a blush, Ravenna patted the bird's head. "Oh?"
"Yes. You are a...fair singer."
Ravenna looked away. "No need to be tactful around me. I know I can't sing."
"No, no, you misunderstand me. I think you're a good singer. You had just better hope you can dance."
"I've never tried before."
Clopin looked at Ravenna in disbelief. "Never?"
"Well, I always assumed I was too clumsy to manage it properly."
"Well then," said Clopin with a shrug, "We shall have to find another dancer."
At the heartbroken expression on the poor girl's face, Clopin changed his mind.
"…or…Someone could teach you."
"I'd like that. Would you teach me?"
"Well, I am the best dancer in the Court…aside from Esmerelda and Josette."
Ravenna smiled prettily and kissed the bird's head, then let it fly away. She watched it go with a wistful expression. "Sometimes," she whispered, "I dream that I will grow wings and fly away from here…to a place where I'll fit in, and be loved."
"You are loved here. Josette thinks of you as a little sister."
Ravenna pressed her lips together. "I am older than Josette."
"But you are young at heart, which comes of being born and raised outside of Paris."
"I suppose."
Clopin stood suddenly, took Ravenna's hand, and pulled her to her feet. "Come with me."
And this is how our tale begins…