The Twelve Dancers

  by Kaitlyn Myers

Racing through the streets of London, Lauren quickly checked behind his shoulder to see if the police were following him or if his latest victim had decided to give chase after discovering that his wallet, pocket watch, and wedding ring were all missing. Naturally, he saw no one on his heels as he knew every alley and hiding spot that could easily hide his somewhat tall and stocky frame. 
 

It is no wonder that Lauren was one of the best thieves in London, affectionately named, “The Phantom,” by the newspapers and the townsfolk. The gentleman who had just lost his belongings to Lauren’s sticky fingers would not even know that he lost anything until he went to use or look at the items. By then, the black market would have his possessions, and the Phantom would have a fat stack of cash. Poor fellow! His wife will eat him alive for losing his wedding ring. Having never known his parents, Lauren did not pity them too much. 
 

On his way to the back alley to sell his fenced goods, Lauren passed Highwyn Dancing Academy. Known for the most beautiful and talented dancers, as well as the new rumors about the many gentlemen that have disappeared after entering its gilded doors, the massive building stretched into the sky like a looming giant, ready to swallow up the next unsuspecting gent to dare to grace its doors. 
 

Up ahead, an old woman was begging for her next meal. She was singing an old ditty about an enchanted kingdom, vain princes, and their curse to live trapped there alone until they learned their lesson. Lauren still had some coins from his last fence and dropped them into her cup.
 

 “Thank ye kindly, sir,” she croaked. 
 

“Not a problem,” he responded with a lift of his top hat.
 

 “Not a safe place fer an ‘entleman like you to be walkin’ round, at least not with all is goin’ on,” she said with a sly look.
 

 “Do you know what’s going on with the Highwyn Academy?” he asked, his curiosity piqued. 
 

“Only knows that Master ‘ighwyn is off’rin’ a reward to any man who can find out ‘ere his dancers go e’ery night and dance their shoes off,” she confided.
 

 “What kind of reward?” 
 

“Riches and such, I would guess,” she said and then added, “If you are goin’ to try fer the prize, you’ll need tis.” She reached into her dress and pulled out a dingy, red cloak. “Don’t look like much, but it makes the wearer invisible, which will ‘elp anyone, including the Phantom, get into tricky places.” 
 

“Thank you,” he said graciously with a mock bow, “You seem to know a lot about this. Do you know where Master Highwyn’s dancers go at night?”
 

“Maybe it ‘as somethin’ to do with the ‘chanted kingdom,” she explained.
 

“You mean the one you were singing about,” he asked, “I remember that old song, but I always thought it was a myth. Wasn’t the song about twelve princes who were banished to a beautiful enchanted kingdom without anyone else until they learned humility and the value of people, because they were so vain?”

 

“The one and the same,” she cackled and then added, “but it might not ‘ave anythin’ to do wit it to.”

 

“Well, I suppose I shall find out. Thank you again,” he said with another gracious bow.
 

 Then, he turned and decided that the Phantom would face the lion’s den tonight. 

Highwyn Academy had twelve young women, who were the most skilled dancers in London and regularly called upon to perform ballets and waltzes for the wealthy of London. Evangeline was one of those dancers and at eighteen she was one of the youngest. She went along with what her troupe wanted as they were more like sisters than competitors, but lately, she had felt uneasy.
 

Master Highwyn wanted to know why they were each going through a pair of dancing shoes in one night, and while it is not uncommon for dancers to practice hard, he insisted that the girls needed to rest more. Not that Gwen cared. The eldest of the troupe and the natural leader, she told the girls that it was none of his business what they did at night. 
 

Not that they did anything wrong, but it still bothered Evangeline. Especially after the men started showing up to unearth the “mystery of the shoes”, as most of them laughingly put it. She started as a hard knock sounded on the main door and reverberated in the foyer. 
 

“I have got to stop jumping at every noise,” Evangeline told herself, “If Gwen were here, she would no doubt call me a scared mouse and tell me not to be such a chicken.” 
 

She walked over to the door with dread, since their only visitors lately had been gentlemen who watched them with their piercing eyes. It was not that she minded people watching her, she was a dancer after all, but she did mind men watching her in her room all night. 
 

Master Highwyn seemed to think it was a great idea though, as he did not want to watch the girls all night, since he claimed that he needed his beauty rest. When their slippers were first worn out, he locked their bedroom suite at night, thinking that they left the room. But since it continued even with the doors and windows bolted, he gave up and left the door unlocked. 
 

The men usually slept in the hallway where they could see inside their bedroom. It was such an invasion of privacy. Evangeline kept begging Gwen to just give up tricking the men and sneaking out to dance, but Gwen could be so stubborn at times and would not budge. Finally reaching the gilded front door, she sighed and pushed open the door.
 

Bam! The door opened a little too forcefully, smacking a tall and stocky gentleman on the back of the head. 
 

“Ow!” he cursed as he turned around. 
 

“I am so sorry!” she exclaimed. 
 

What was Evangeline going to tell the other girls? She had just knocked the poor gentleman with the door.  She shut the door, which banged with a thud of finality. She hurried him into the kitchen, where she grabbed a cloth and ran it under cold water before giving it to him. She studied him while he pressed the cloth to his head. 
 

He was tall and stocky with a full suit and top hat. Although he looked like a gentleman, she could see that some of his suit was threadbare and had been patched carefully so as not to show the holes. It was work that their seamstress would have applauded. Icy blue eyes, sandy hair, and an intelligent look topped off the dashing stranger. 
 

“Does that feel better?” she ventured after realizing she was staring at him, and he was staring back. 
 

“Yes, much better. Thank you,” he admitted. 
 

“Would you like to meet the rest of the dancers? I am Evangeline, the youngest.”
 

“It would be my pleasure.”
 

“I will introduce you to Master Highwyn too,” she added.
 

She led him into the dance studio, where the troupe was stretching after their workout. After introductions were made, she waved goodbye to the girls and led Lauren, which was the gentleman’s name, to the office where Master Highwyn was balancing the books. She introduced him, and Mr. Highwyn got one of the maids to set up the hallway. Then they all gathered into the dining room for a late snack and he ate and drank heartily. It was an amusing party, and afterwards they all retired to their rooms and Lauren to his hallway watch. 
 

She bid him goodnight and then waited for Gwen to offer the sleeping draught. Evangeline felt terrible as she did every time it happened, but how could she refuse when there were handsome princes just waiting for her to dance with them? Evangeline and all the troupe would sneak off to an enchanted kingdom every night to dance with dashing princes. Gwen would pull the swan by their large mirror and it would slide to reveal the secret passage to the enchanted kingdom. 
 

For some reason as the passage opened that night, Evangeline felt a chill run down her spine. She did not feel right about Lauren, but Gwen seemed to think it was fine, and everyone followed her. They walked past the mirror into the passage. They walked through the silver forest, and Evangeline jumped when she heard a branch crack. 
 

“Did you hear that?” she asked the girls.
 

They all said it was nothing and moved on. Evangeline heard another branch crack in both the gold and diamond forests. She jumped, but Gwen said that she was just being paranoid. It was music honoring them for the clever trick they played on yet another man. Evangeline did not think so, but then they saw the princes, and all her fears were forgotten. 
 

Will, the youngest prince, was waiting for her. There were twelve princes, one for each dancer. For being so close to each other in the troupe, they were all very possessive of the princes. Gwen always danced with the eldest named Liam. He seemed smug, but he was a prince, so Evangeline figured he had a right to be. She also thought that he was smitten with Gwen, but Gwen never confided in her, so she was not sure. Will seemed to struggle with their boat that night.
 

“Have you gained some weight since last night?” he joked.
 

 Once again, Evangeline’s fear heightened, but she shrugged and laughed off the rude comment. She had learned that sometimes Will and the others made rude comments, but a lot of rich people did that, so she had learned to not let it bother her.
 

Her fear did not subside until they were dancing. How she loved to dance! They danced waltzes and performed country dances. Will was an excellent partner. Although somewhat stocky like Lauren, he was graceful and spun Evangeline around until she saw stars. They all drank, or tried to. For some reason, all the girls’ cups were empty when they raised them to their lips. 
 

The princes did not seem worried about the discrepancies. They explained that the enchanted kingdom sometimes changed, seeming to have a will of its own. They danced until dawn when their shoes were nothing but scraps of fabric and then went home and slept for a few short hours. When they returned, Gwen checked to make sure Lauren was there and still snoring, which he was. All was well, and Evangeline slept thinking about the wonderful dances.

​

Lauren loved being invisible. When it was time to retire, he sat on the cot in the hallway, and Gwen brought him out a glass of warm milk that he pretended to drink. He did not trust her enough to actually drink it, especially since that is how people in the streets drugged unsuspecting victims. Luckily, he wore a thick neckcloth that sopped up the milk greedily. 
 

Then he pretended to fall asleep and watched the girls leave through the slits of his eyes. He followed the dancers and planned to do it again for the next two nights since he did not have to give Highwyn the account until the third day. He enjoyed messing with them. They were so confused when their drinks were always empty. 
 

He scared Evangeline too, when he broke off the branches. He did not mean to be so loud, but needed proof. Proof was vital if Highwyn was to believe him. So on the third night, after he followed the dancers once again, he took a golden cup and went to Highwyn with his findings. 
 

Highwyn was stunned when Lauren told him. He could not understand how no one knew about this tunnel. He called all the girls in and demanded to know the truth. Gwen stood proud and defiant, and for a second, Lauren thought that Highwyn would have to drill the truth out of them, but Evangeline spoke up about the enchanted kingdom. 
 

Lauren did not expect Evangeline to speak up. She was so young and seemed to like dancing with the prince she called Will. Lauren really had to resist stealing from the so-called princes. They were so proud and acted as if the dance troupe were there to serve them. No wonder those girls had holes in their shoes every morning. Evangeline seemed embarrassed about their trickery and refused to make eye contact with both Master Highwyn and him as she told about their nightly escapades.
 

“And now for your reward,” Highwyn stated, “You may choose one of the girls to marry, and you can keep the items you took from the forest.”
 

“What?” Lauren exclaimed.

​

Lauren did not know that marrying one of the girls was part of the reward. He had no idea how he was going to support a dancer. Not only that, but would the girl approve of his thievery? He didn’t plan on getting a job since he had no education and honestly liked being the Phantom.
 

So he replied, “I am sorry, but I am not able to marry one of the dancers.” 
 

“Nonsense,” Highwyn said, “I will make sure you and whatever dancer you choose will be well provided for.” 

 

Lauren knew that he had no other choice but to pick a girl. He thought about Gwen. She had tried to trick him, but she did have a cunning and intelligent face. She was strong in every sense of the word and had auburn hair and green eyes that sparkled with mischief. He also thought about Evangeline, the angel who knocked him with the door. Evangeline was tall and muscular, but very feminine and graceful with honey brown colored hair and a sweet, innocent-looking face.
 

So he said, “I choose … Evangeline.”
 

Evangeline was shocked. Sure, she liked him, but she did not even really know him, and she always thought she would marry for love. Plus, she was so young and felt the rest of her life and dreams slip away. She knew that Highwyn would give her no choice though, and supposed she could do worse. Most of the dancers would end up marrying wealthy socialites, but she had never wanted that for her life and maybe he was a hard worker. So without a better option, Evangeline decided that Lauren was the best choice to marry.
 

Highwyn agreed, and preparations were made. The two had a lovely wedding and were provided for until the academy shut down. Lauren tried to quit thieving but eventually went back to it, and Evangeline continued to dance her heart out with her troupe. The rest of the dancers eventually found husbands, and the curse was lifted after the princes learned humility. And they all lived happily ever after.  

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About the Author

Kaitlyn Myers grew up in South Bend and graduated from Riley High School. 

Currently, she attends Colorado Christian University, where she studies Industrial Engineering. 

In her free time, she enjoys writing fantasy and historical fiction.