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“My name is Waltz and I’m here to spread some happiness and magic!” With a snap, I conjure up a flurry of red petals above the audience.
It’s the usual opening, but it never fails to make the children smile. They love grabbing the flower petals, especially in the fall and winter when there aren’t any other flowers around. While the kids are distracted, I pull out a few of my puppets. A child yells, “Waltz, make them dance!” and I oblige, tapping two of the puppets and setting them to twirl around the audience in harmless loops. When they get close to the kid, I tug on the weak stream of magic and make the puppet reach out a flimsy hand to tap them on the shoulder. When the boy turns his head, the puppet has already moved to tap him on the other shoulder, inciting laughter from the neighbors around him. Soon everyone wants a touch from the magic puppets.
Seeing the kids in the crowd laugh soothes something inside me. Even the ones clothed in rags are smiling, and I marvel again at how simple and tenacious children are - even the simplest things can bring them joy. This particular trick had been one of Lucette’s favorites - she loved running away from the puppets as part of our game of tag. Since those games could get muddy, we always used the older, worn-out puppets. But that didn’t stop me from using all of them in our little puppet shows.
Lucette’s favorite had been a little princess doll that she had made herself, complete with red hair and a dress. Since we couldn’t sneak out of the palace, I’d use my puppets to tell her what I had seen that day - which often devolved into made-up stories where a red-haired princess, often named Lucy, got to go outside and have adventures with her best friend, Waltz. We probably did hundreds of different renditions in her room at the time.
Those stolen hours were one of the only things I looked forward to during those dark years. Seeing Lucette, seeing her smile and laugh and order me around in her most grown-up voice when I teased her kept my loneliness and pain at bay.
I did my first show in town a month after the Great War, when I was missing Lucette the most. The kids made me promise to come again, and again until I was able to make a small living out of them.
“Do the sparkly thing!” a voice calls out. Ah, I’ve let myself get distracted. Gotta focus.
I perform a few more tricks at the crowd’s demand. Despite the reminder to focus, I find my attention drifting to the edge of the crowd, where a small group in elegant clothing has stopped by.
Is that…Prince Rod? Then the blonde next to him must be Princess Emelaigne, and behind her must be -
I can’t breathe. It can’t be. She hasn’t stepped out of the palace since the war ended, and -
- but what if?
My small frame lets me quickly weave through the crowd to the royal siblings as I keep my entertainer smile anchored to my face.
be cool Waltz, be cool, I tell myself.
“And are those the princesses over there?” I ask, addressing Princess Emelaigne first. “It is an honor to have you in attendance! Please accept this humble gift.” With a snap of my fingers, I conjure up a bouquet of white lilies. Only then do I dare look at the hooded figure.
it’s her.
My heart pounds, waiting for her response. Does she remember this? Does she remember me?
She…she looks mildly surprised. But there’s nothing else, and a slight frown overtakes her face as I continue to hold out the bouquet.
Distantly, I hear Princess Emelaigne thank me. She takes the flowers out of my numb fingers. Prince Rod starts saying something about leaving.
Stupid. Hildyr’s magic isn’t so weak that it’d disappear after a few years. You know that firsthand.
And yet. And yet, this foolish heart of mine…
I can’t help but sigh a little. Burying my emotions, I slip back on the mask of an en entertainer and give Lucette a wry smile. I have to believe that she’ll remember me someday. I have to believe that Lucette is stronger than her mother’s magic.
One day…
I let my eyes linger on hers before they leave.
“I hope to see you again during my next show.”