“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the best magician of them all?” asked Lady M for the nth time. “A six-year-old girl named Tiara,” answered the mirror every time she asked the question. She was not surprised, in the least.
Lady M had chanced upon Tiara performing complicated magic tricks on the roadside. All her life, she hadn’t been able to master some of the tricks the little girl could perform. Lady M went to the market square every day and hid behind the big banyan tree to silently observe the girl perform one unique trick after another. The thoroughly entertained audience tipped the little magician generously at the end of each performance.
Lady M observed Tiara for a week and learned everything there was about her. Tiara used to live alone with her ailing mother and was performing around the streets to build up a coffer for her mother’s treatment. Never having seen her father, Tiara was adamant to find him one day to reunite their long-lost family. Tiara’s hapless circumstance instigated Lady M’s devious mind. One day, she walked up to Tiara with an offer. Of course, it came with a caveat.
Lady M promised Tiara to mentor her to become the world’s youngest and best magician, and earn the money she needed for her mother’s treatment if she came to her magic palace, and travelled with her doing magic shows. Tiara’s eyes lit up briefly before a pall of gloom descended on her. Lady M’s caveat was that in exchange for the favour Tiara had to sever ties with her mother. With a heavy heart Tiara agreed. After all, she needed the money for her mother’s treatment.
Watching the family’s happy reunion, Lady M stomped off angrily to her room and slammed her door shut. Seething in anger, she asked the mirror again.
Comments