Followers

Thursday 18 June 2009

MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #154: The Dancing Prince


Dio's Challenge


Write a story about a famous being, (that being can be either real or the product of imagination, for example George Washington, Scoobie-Doo, or Zuess).

The challenge is to write a story that explores a previously unknown facet *ahem* of that character's personality (For example, George Washington actually was the Joe Izuzu of the Founding Fathers, or Zeuss was secretly afraid of thunderstorms).

NOTE: the facet is previously unknown because you just made it up.

For this challenge, try to pick a subject who should be well known to everybody, or whose history is easily Googled.

Examples:

Joe Izuzu is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDK8BYS2d9s

Scoobie-Doo is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XR5CAo8J2g

(Scoobie-Doo is the dog).

While I have comedy in mind, yours can be funny or serious, your choice. Either Prose or Poetry is acceptable too, though this one will be much easier as prose.




Sometimes life just goes the wrong way no matter how hard you try. The problem was I was born in the wrong family. Mother was a queen and father, well he happened to marry her. They were probably in love otherwise I wouldn’t have had a sister and two brothers, although they didn’t really turn out the way mother wanted them too.

Anyhow they sent me to the best schools and I got everything a future King would get, although I didn’t ask for it, it was just put on a plate for me.

“Yes, but your highness, what was it that you really wanted?”

“I don’t have to want anything. I am giving this interview just once to be able to say the truth of the matter. I have made my terms quite clear.”

“Yes, your highness. The record of this interview will be locked in a safe and after fifty years from now, or upon your death will be made public.”

“Thank you, yes that is what I want. So here it is the real truth about me. I know everyone thinks that I am a nature lover; preserving landscapes and protecting rare animals. That makes it good for the public opinion. The truth is that I suffer from hay fever, and have to shut myself away through the summer months to avoid the pollen in the air. I have only seen rare animals in the zoo and that is the beginning and end of my interest.

My real love is the theatre.”

“That is no secret, sir, you often attend royal performances.”

“No, no, you do not understand. Not just theatre where plays and shows are performed. I love the dance.”

“You mean musicals.”

“No, not exactly, but sort of. You see throughout my life I have had the privilege to travel, see other cultures, other countries and it was then I eventually met my destiny, my life’s ambition. When the newspapers say I am on a tour saving wild animals and environment, it is good for publicity. The truth of the matter is I am following my life’s hobby and taking private lessons at the Bolshoi ballet in Moscow. It all started some years ago when I was at school and they chose me as the star of the school musical. I remember the feeling I had the first time I was dressed for the part. I was given ballet tights and shoes and shown the basics. Of course I was only 8 years old at the time but I will never forget the feel of being on the stage and the centre of attention for all. Of course it wasn’t made public. Discretion was the rule for a member of the royal family.

My father then sent me to a terrible school, to teach you to be a man. I became one, but I so missed the culture at my previous school. It was then that the Bolshoi ballet company visited our country and I attended one of their performances. My destiny was sealed. Being a prince I sort of impressed them and I made a return visit to their country. It was then that I was granted a secret wish to have lessons. At first they just did it for the money, but discovered I had talent.”

“You mean you were engaged for a performance.”

“Oh yes, no problem. Under all that makeup and costumes my incognito was sure. For a small financial sum, the ballet group kept quiet about it. Being a prince is all very well, but all that environment rubbish and meeting all those foreign politicians, holding stuffy conversations and being nice to everyone. What a load of rubbish. On the stage I can forget my problems. A dying swan is much nicer to hold and throw up in the air and catch her again then walking through fields of flowers polluting the air with pollen and causing a running nose and eyes. The springs I make in my performances, they are not to be compared. My Russian ballet professor always said how light I was on my feet, and my long legs gave me such a wonderful movement. Did you see Swan Lake performed by the ballet company when they visited our country ten years ago? That was a triumph and no-one recognised me on the stage. What a little bit of make up and costume can do.”

“This is indeed a revelation your highness. Are you still dancing?”

“No, no, my dancing days are over. We male dancers have to call it a day eventually. As the years go bye, the joints just don’t do it any more and springing around on the stage does get a bit risky. You know I got married again, the biggest mistake I made, but I had to keep mother happy. Too much talk in the newspapers. My wife found my ballet tights once in my clothing cupboard. I told her that they were a present from one of the visiting ballet companies to our country. I am still not sure that she believed me, but she is enjoying her new job too much as a Prince wife to risk any problems.

So that is my confession. Please keep the details to yourself; we don’t want a major crisis developing in the Kingdom at the moment, especially as things are now calming down a bit. Mother has not had an easy life with her children; one day the details can be printed in a book for future generations.”

“Of course, your highness, you may remain assured that this interview remains under cover, until the day comes.”

“And it will only be printed in Russian.”

“Da, I mean yes sir.”

And with those closing words Prince Charles of England said goodbye to the Russian journalist. That evening his wife was visiting her mother, and Prince Charles spent a very quiet evening reading through the various reviews on his dancing talent and perusing his album of photos.


For more Click here

No comments:

Post a Comment