The Dance of Fate🔊

There was a little town named Veilwood nested in the lush greens of the southwestern valley. Its inhabitants, nearly two hundred in number, lived a peaceful life, farming during the day and entertaining themselves with stories by the elderly in moonlight. Sheltered from the rest of the world, the town knew nothing of the advancing civilization nor the wars waged on foreign soils. They explored happiness in cohesion, celebrated seasons with enthusiasm, and guided their younger ones with wisdom passed on through generations.

In Veilwood lived a young woman named Myra. With emerald green eyes reflecting the heart of the woods, and curly hair that basked in sunlight's glory, she was a vision to behold. She had a heart full of hope and a soul that danced to the rhythms of nature. Her story was as unique as she was; unlike most, she wasn't born into the Veilwood life, but was found as a baby, swaddled in a woven blanket under the ancient oak by the riverside.

Myra grew up loved and cared for by Hannah, a wise and kind widow who never had children of her own. The bond they shared was more profound than any blood relationship. Myra inherited not just Hannah's strength but also her passion for peculiar arts. This encompassed dancing, which wasn't a common practice in Veilwood.

Myra danced every dusk before the setting sun, creating silhouettes of tales untold. She believed that she held a connection with the wind and the earth. Every step she made caused the wind to twirl and the leaves to rustle. The rivers hummed in rhythm with her dance. Myra could feel an energy resonating from within, further fuelling her passion.

One dull evening, as the monotonous chit chats filled the air, Myra's dance unfolded a mysterious tale under the crimson sky. Unexpectedly, her dance didn’t summon the wind nor the rustle of leaves. Instead, the ground beneath her vibrated slightly, and before the startled gazes of the townspeople, a golden anklet emerged from the earth.

Dumbfounded, she picked it up; it was sculpted with intricate designs of the sun and the moon, with tiny bells that rang deeply melodious. Her heart throbbed with a peculiar connection to the anklet as if calling out to her. Hannah, quietly watching over her, insisted she should keep it safe. She knew it bore significance.

Myra heeded her words. She wore the anklet while dancing every evening, and every time, the anklet chimed to her steps; the wind and the leaves performed their symphony, and the town was awed by the magic of her dance. Her dance seemed to have become livelier, and her spirit, more profound.

Months passed, and the day of the annual Harvest Festival dawned. Junko, an outsider attending the festival, gravitated towards Myra's dance. Her moves struck him as familiar, and the anklet she was wearing solidified his hunch. He was a wandering minstrel, and among the numerous folk tales he learned across his journey was the story of a prodigious princess, cast away by fate, who narrated her destiny through her dance.

Junko revealed the truth about Myra's birth. She was not abandoned; she was the lost Princess Kyoto. Upon hearing this, Myra danced, letting herself get swayed by the revelation. The anklet chimed as she enacted her story, narrating her longing, solitude, acceptance, and, now, her true identity. Overwhelmed by emotions, the people of Veilwood danced along, their joy radiating through the night.

Myra couldn’t be more grateful to Hannah, who emphasized the importance of learning the art of dance. Now knowing her true lineage, she chose not to abandon her home of Veilwood or be a princess in a distant land; she resolved to continue her passion for dance among the people she loved and who raised her, continuing her tale of fate.

Her dance euphoria spread far and wide. Dancers from neighboring regions visited Veilwood to learn the 'Dance of Fate.' Myra's legacy lived on for generations, marking the beginning of a dancing tradition in Veilwood, turning this secluded town into 'The Dancing Valley'.