The rest slowly joined in the dining while making their best effort to display fine manners. Graciously they passed the trays of food to each other, with continuing side glances at the Lynex’s disgusting consumption.
It wasn’t long before the Magistrate emerged onto the dance floor, and with his arms in the air he boomed in a thunderous welcoming voice, “MY GREETINGS TO ONE AND ALL, AND WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL SENTINEL APPRENTICE’S BALL. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE FUN TONIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE MANY HAVE ALREADY FINISHED OR ARE SOON FINISHING YOUR DINNERS, SO WE WILL START THE DANCE. TONIGHT SHOULD BE A VERY MEMORABLE OCCASION FOR ALL OF YOU. AND BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THE MUSIC, IT IS MY SPECIAL PLEASURE TO ALSO ANNOUNCE THAT THROUGH MY OWN BRAVE AND DILLIGENT EFFORTS, I HAVE CORAGEOUSLY FOUND AND RETURNED THE BOOK OF GALEEKY BACK TO THE SENTINELS.” The room exploded in applause and the magistrate again held up his hands, quieting the assembly. With a broad smile he then continued. “NOW, OUTSIDE IN THE HALL WE HAVE A CAMERA SET UP AND INVITE ALL OF YOU, AT YOUR LEISURE TO HAVE YOUR PICTURES TAKEN. AND SO WITH NO FURTHER ADEW, SHALL WE DANCE?”
Loud applause once more echoed through the ballroom and the smiling Magistrate marched back to his table.
“That horrible person!” cried Emalynn. “He took all the credit for recovering the Book of Galeeky. What a disgusting self-centered bum!”
Benevolently the Lynex nodded, “I know, I know, with all of the Lynex’s great achievements this sort of thing happens to him all the time. I will just have to try and be more like him and follow his benevolent example of forgiveness, bearing the injustice of the world as mercifully as he does.”
Across the hall a wide door flew open and out drifted fifteen dwarfs, dressed in blue suits and carrying chairs along with musical instruments. One dwarf stood atop a rolling baby grand piano shouting orders, as five other dwarfs tugged on ropes that stretched tight to the piano legs. Reaching the edge of the dance floor, the band began setting up their staging area, while everyone stared at two dwarves erecting a white banner strung between two tall poles. “DWARF HARMONIC ORCHESTRA,” read the sign in big bold red letters.
“How wonderful!” exclaimed Emalynn, her grin demonstrating her delight. “I’ve heard that they’re fantastic.”
“Yes indeedeedoo they’ve quite the reputation,” said Mr. Pitts. “They’re well known for playing a variety of favorites. From the dimension of the modern they play jazz, country and rock. And from the dimension of charm they play fairy, leprechaun, and giant’s polka. But of course a real giant’s polka would leave a wake of destruction.”
“Oh everything is so breathtakingly romantic. The room, the dinner, and now the Dwarf Harmonic Orchestra,” sighed Emalynn, dreamily looking at the Lynex with icing from his chocolate cake smeared across his cheek.
The band began to warm up by tuning their instruments, and a conductor soon stepped up on a small wooden stool, holding his truncheon high up in the air.
“A-one and a-two, enn’ eh-three, hit it guys!” he shouted.
Soft and smooth, a beautiful melody resonated throughout the hall, and apprentices from the circle of tables arose and crowded onto the dance floor.
Mr. Pitts looked at the Lynex and Emalynn. “I believe that’s a fairy’s waltz,” he said. “Why don’t you two give it a go?”
Emalynn smiled and turned towards the Lynex. “Jacob should we dance?”
In a flash the Lynex ducked under the table disappearing under the over-cropped tablecloth. Taken aback by his odd behavior, Emalynn’ face turned bright red and she glanced across the table to make sure Susan and Henry weren’t watching. Then quietly she bent down low and whispered, “Jacob, I know you don’t know how to dance, but you don’t have to hide. If you don’t feel like dancing just say so. I’ll understand. But please come out now, you’re really embarrassing me.”
Hurriedly the Lynex popped back out with a wide grin. “I’m ready to dance now!” he eagerly exclaimed.
“Oh—okay,” said Emalynn, showing a puzzled expression. She then smiled and stood up, putting her hand on the Lynex’s left arm, and happily the Lynex held out his chest escorting her onto the dance floor. Apprentices throughout the room began to stare.
“Oh look,” said Emalynn, blushing bright red, “everybody’s watching us. It must be my gorgeous dress they’re looking at. I noticed when we arrived that I do stand out above all the other girls.”
The two stopped in the middle of the dance floor and faced each other.
“Oh isn’t this just perfect Jacob! I love romantic dances!” exclaimed Emalynn.
The Lynex smiled and then looked down at his feet as Emalynn’s eyes followed his. It took only a flicker of a second for her eyes to widen, her mouth to drop open, and her face to turn pale, while the Lynex proudly lifted his foot and displayed his beautiful glistening red ruby slippers.
“I’m ready to dance now!” exclaimed the Lynex in a shrill voice.
“NOOOOOOO…” screamed Emalynn.
“TAP DANCE SHOES, TAP DANCE WITH GREATNESS!” shouted the energized Lynex, pleased with her surprised reaction.
Instantly his shoes began striking the marble floor, and before Emalynn could move an inch the Lynex was circling around her, tapping out a fantastic melody that echoed through the ballroom. His arms were swinging in motion with his body and his feet gracefully moved up and down so rapidly that they were a single blur. The dance came to an abrupt stop and awed apprentices began gathering around them. Emalynn remained frozen holding both hands over her face. The band quickly caught on to the Lynex’s grand performance, and began to accompany him with a lively jazz piece. Grinning with his cheeks stretched out to maximum capacity, the Lynex tapped a beat that matched perfectly to the accompaniment, while slowly Emalynn lowered her hands, exposing a beet red face. Ruthlessly the Lynex continued to circle around her, until at length the music came to an end. With a flair of dramatic showmanship he took his performance up several more notches by wildly tapping about the dance floor to end his performance with a staggering grand finale; over the crowds head he flipped, until landing on his knees and sliding back towards Emalynn throwing his arms out in an ostentatious gesture of admiration. In response Emalynn’s nostrils flared wide open like an enraged horse. Without saying a word she pointed her nose up and hastily marched off the dance floor back towards their table. An immediate rush of apprentices enveloped the Lynex, and they began zealously shaking his hand, introducing themselves as each one personally complimented him on his incredible footwork. The music soon started again with an ensemble of beautiful fairy melodies, while a dozen girls smothered around the Lynex supplicating him for the next dance. Noblely he held up his hand shaking his head and refusing all of their offers. He then walked off the dance floor back towards their table to rejoin with Emalynn.
“The prince will be happy with that performance,” he gleefully thought to himself, floating towards their table with harmonic taps.
Susan and Henry were still on the dance floor, and Mr. Pitts had since moved to another table, merrily chatting with a group of sentinels. Emalynn sat by herself, red faced, alone, and with her arms folded.
Merrily the Lynex approached, tapping his feet. “Emalynn would you like to boogie-woogie?” he asked.
“Your slapdash tapping has ruined the dance for me!” she angrily replied, turning her head away. “I have never been so humiliated in all my life! You’ve managed in only a matter of moments to destroy my entire evening, so why don’t you go dance with all those girls I just saw you with.”
“You are in no mood to dance?” asked the Lynex, finding it hard to believe. “But I thought you were looking forward to this?”
“That’s right Jacob, I was looking forward to this! And all because of you, you’ve ruined everything!” she turned to face him again and began to cry with an angry glare.
“Well I have something to help you then. Jacob Frost never comes unprepared,” touted the Lynex, as he squatted down and reached under the table grabbing his bag.
“Oh why don’t you just go Jacob and leave me alone!” she exclaimed, looking away and wiping her tears.
“Only a great prince would have the means to please like the Lynex,” replied the Lynex. He quickly stood up prepared to offer her his next big surprise.
“I SAID GO AWAY!” she furiously shouted as she turned her head back and once more widened her eyes in shock. “NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” she screamed.
Pleased with her enthusiasm, the Lynex hollered back, “YES! I JUST KNEW YOU WOULD LIKE IT!”
Proudly he placed his Leprechauns fiddle under his chin and started to fiddle a merry tune. The enchanted music instantly pulled Emalynn into a conquered trance, and her incensed expression relaxed to a childish smile. Without delay she jumped to her feet and began to tap her shoes up and down, and within ten beats of the music she was already stomping jig. Around the table she whirled tossing up her dress and pausing every other twirl to throw up a leg with a wild kick. Excitedly the Lynex stepped up on his chair and then climbed to the tabletop, where he stationed himself for another grand performance. He set his feet straddling a chocolate cake, and with all his great ability he began working the fiddle to produce harmonic tunes that reached out across the ballroom to instantly snare the attention of one and all. Drawn into the enchantment of the fiddle’s powerful hold, everyone at once began tapping their feet. Within seconds the entire ballroom was full of stomping maniacs, drifting their way towards the Lynex and gathering in clumps around his table. Sentinels along with their apprentices were kicking up their heels. Even the Magistrate himself pranced about slapping his hands against his knees and flinging his legs high into the air. The Dwarf Harmonic Band had also come to a stop, as band members eagerly began to mingle in with the dancing crowd. Mesmerized in the deep Leprechaun fiddle’s trance, the throng concurrently flailed their feet, echoing loud slapping stomps throughout the grand ballroom that sounded like a herd of cows stampeding out the two-step.
Effortlessly the gifted genius of the Lynex’s hands continued to traverse the strings producing more and more festive fiddle compositions, while the disjointed dancers flailed wildly about in their formal attire. For nearly two hours the gruesome ordeal continued, without so much as a minute’s break, until finally the Lynex’s fatigued fingers gave out and he relaxed his grip, bringing his hypnotic music to a sudden halt. Stylishly he placed the fiddle down to his side, and the exhausted dancers collapsed onto the floor. Drained of all their energy they laid silent and motionless, as if they had all breathed their last breath.
“IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE ALL TUCKERED OUT SO I SHALL CALL IT QUITS FOR TONIGHT. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY MAGNIFICENT PERFORMANCE,” shouted the gleeful Lynex, taking a bow to the quiet crowd.
He hopped down from off the table and placed his magic fiddle and rubies slippers back into his bag. After slipping on Jacob’s shoes again, he approached Emalynn who was nearby, sprawled out on the flat of her back.
“I knew you were in the mood to dance,” he said happily, as he drew closer and stood over her.
Worn out past exhaustion Emalynn looked up at him, unable to move. In a faint whisper she mumbled, “You’re not Jacob! You’re the Lynex! I don’t know how or why, but you’re not Jacob!”
Disappointed with her astute deduction the Lynex replied, “Yes you are right, only the greatest lynex could ever dare to impersonate the prince. Jacob asked me to take his place and attend the dance as him, and to use my prowess and great charm to make you happy. He gave me this to use,” replied the Lynex, pulling the transformation locket’s leather strap over his head and holding it out.
Jacob’s form began to fade and the smiling Lynex became visible, dressed in an oversized suit. “He commanded me to wear it. Oh by the way, did I mention that I am the only one great enough to impersonate the prince?”
Emalynn lifted her head for only a moment and stared at the Lynex in disbelief. She then dropped her head back on the hard floor and closed her eyes, too weak to say anymore.