Notes: Part of the songs Masquerade and Don Juan from Phantom of the Opera appear in this chapter. The segment from Don Juan has been slightly rewritten for this story. Also, the following chapter takes its title from another song, and the lyrics of that song will be featured in the chapter. I have no ownership of the songs or Phantom of the Opera whatsoever. Now…
Chapter XX: The Show Starts…
A gray dormouse smiled at himself in the mirror.
No one was around to see him, so it was safe for his teeth to be seen.
He looked over his outfit with self-admiration; he had gotten the idea from an Overland book he had read once, on a day of no significance. He wore a long, brown-&-red cape, and a brown vest and red shirt. Brown breeches were on his hind legs, and he wrapped a red, silk mask, which was made from a bit of a handkerchief, around his face; the silk covered the proportions of the rodent's head easily.
"Seal my fate tonight," he hissed tonight. "I hate to have to cut the fun short…but the joke's wearing thin, and this game's one I must win. Let the true masked ball begin…"
With a chuckle, he exited the dressing room.
The Marmoreal ballroom was magnificent; everything sparkled a vanilla color, the turquoise and white tiles set in a chessboard pattern on the floor. It was a circular room, with a staircase at one side that led up to a balcony, atop which were visible some people (and animals) chatting with each other excitedly, sipping from cups of maarond, a traditional drink usually served on Danksderim Day. People in costumes that were all the shades of the rainbow swirled about; none were the sort found on Frighetnacht, most made of ornate dresses and suits, with colorful masks upon their faces.
As he moved to the edge of the floor, he spotted his "partner-in-crime" nearby. He was dressed in a black homburg hat, cape, and jacket, with a black domino mask over his eyes. At one side he wore his letter-opener saber. He heard "Russ" approach, but did not turn to look at him.
"She hasn't arrived yet," he said flatly, and then looked the double-disguised rodent over. "You look dashing."
"And you look like you're going to a funeral."
The lizard laughed.
"If you aren't careful, it might be suitable for your own, kitten."
"Please, Creole…not here…" hissed the gray male.
Bill shrugged and turned away again. He smirked, ears directing their attention to the band, playing a fast-paced, yet elegant tune. The dancers swirled and swooped like birds (considering many of them were flamingoes, this was a more accurate analogy than one would expect).
"Masquerade!" they sang. "Paper Faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you! Masquerade! Every face a different shade! Masquerade! Turn around! There's another mask behind you!"
Oh, the irony, the gecko thought.
At that point the ballroom doors opened.
"Aha!" the gray dormouse whispered. "There she is!"
Bill turned to look.
The Hatter entered first, dressed in an elegant suit of scarlet, with a mask, gloves, and boots of dark blue. Instead of his usual hat, he wore a different top hat, this one matching his gloves and mask. Alice, meanwhile, wore and inverted sort of costume; her mask, gloves, and shoes were crimson, but she wore a lovely party gown of deep blue. Without hesitation, the two headed for the dance floor.
The March Hare entered next. He was fidgeting and fussing with his bow tie, dressed in a green tuxedo. He jabbered mindlessly, trying to get the tie to work right, but it kept coming undone, much to his dismay.
Finally, Mallymkun entered.
She wore an elegant dress of brown, with red lace trimmings. A brown mask covered her eyes, adorned with the red feathers of a cardinal. Even at such an event, she was not without caution; her belt, with her blade and scabbard, was wrapped around her slender waist.
It was a simple costume, but simplicity does not equal lack of beauty; sometimes the simplest things are the best.
To the gray male, she looked positively gorgeous.
The lizard grinned.
"I suppose I'll leave you two to your own devices then," he said simply, and ascended the stairs.
His back turned to the lovebirds below, he frowned darkly.
The Cheshire Cat – in – disguise may have missed the murderous glare of the Mad Hatter as he walked past them, but he had learned to stay observant of such things.
If something went wrong, he needed a back-up plan.
He glanced at the ballroom chandelier as he arose; it was really just a prop chandelier, only raised on certain occasions, and relatively lightweight; a rope held it up, rather than a chain. The pulley that allowed for the lowering and raising of the chandelier was up on the balcony area, where he was headed.
He paused as he moved, and smiled.
Perfect…
Below, the two dormice looked at each other for a moment.
"You look beautiful," said Russ.
Mally shrugged.
"It's nothing…"
Compared to yours…
He smiled softly, as always, and held out one arm.
She took it immediately.
Elsewhere, the Mad Hatter glared at them over Alice's shoulder.
I'll show her who you are, he thought darkly. Very, very soon…
Neither noticed him; they were to enraptured with the other.
"You dance wonderfully," whispered Russ.
Mally shivered slightly.
"Thank you," she said. "I studied with Tarrant."
Russehc raised an eyebrow, barely visible through the eye holes in his mask.
"How does a man teach a dormouse to dance?"
"When that man is the Mad Hatter, he does so easily. All you have to do is copy him; we never danced together."
"Have you ever had a partner…to dance with, that is?"
She blushed.
"A few…none of them were very good."
"How bad were they?"
She smirked as they spun in a wide circle.
"One of them left me with blistered toes by the time we were finished. My paws were sore for a week…"
Russ chuckled.
"Well, then I hope the only blisters you'll get are from dancing too much with me, not from my own paws…"
Mally smiled and shrugged in response.
"What was his name?"
Mally bit her lip in thought.
"…Fawlknen? Flockner? I really don't remember…I just remember that I wasn't particularly impressed."
"You seem hard to impress at all…I hope I'm doing something right."
Mally smiled wider.
"You have no idea."
Russ chuckled again, and the two were silent.
"Masquerade!" sang the band, as they concluded their song. "Burning glances, turning heads! Masquerade! Take a look at the sea of smiles around you! Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds! Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you!"
As the band finished, all dancing stopped. The White Queen herself, dressed in a white feathered mask with silver beads and a white party dress headed to the center of the room.
"All right!" she said. "The dance is over! Please, everyone head for the dining room for the feast! The meal will be served shortly!"
Muttering and gabbering, everybody headed for the dining room.
Well…almost everybody.
Bill, on the balcony, and Russ, on the floor, exchanged a glance. Bill nodded, and gestured toward the band.
Mally was about to follow when an arm caught her own. She turned, curious, towards Russ. The music began again…this time it was a soft, haunting, but somewhat "spicy" melody, like a waltz on a floor of fire.
Russ smirked, unseen by Mally due to his mask.
"They can wait."
"But, the Queen…"
"Will understand, I'm sure, Mally. I've prepared a little surprise for you, and I have a question to ask…"
Mally raised an eyebrow, hoping the flutter of excitement she had was at least somewhat surpressed.
"What would that be?"
Russ smiled.
"To quote an old poem, 'will you, won't you, will you, won't you…won't you join the dance?'"
"…Again?"
Russ smiled a bit wider behind his mask.
"Yes. One more dance."
Mally sighed.
"Very well. What are we dancing to?"
Russehc's grin was so wide it now revealed his teeth; it was lucky for him the mask remained in place.
"It's a piece I wrote myself. I call it..."