Beautiful Flock

For some, fresh blooms symbolize heralding of spring, while others the longer warmer days, for me it’s the spring couture shows.  Very much like tulips, crocuses and daffodils the couture designers send out their best and brightest in order to attract the attention of all in view.  John Galliano, has mastered the art of grandstanding for the house of Dior, like a proud peacock he fans his tail feathers in a spectacle of, shapes, colors, and flourishments. 

High above our heads six birds soar, their wings flap and flutter riding the air currents.  Year round they wander the earth forbidden to touch the ground for fear of capture.  You see these are no ordinary birds rather six beautiful queens cursed by their wicked king, bound together into a beautiful flock.  Once a year when the kings’ magic is weakest and the night is longest these birds find their way to a remote crystalline lake and touch down. 

 First to touch ground is Lady Ellenora the youngest and strongest the six. As her claw touches the ground it turns into a magnificent satin shoe. 

 Her red feathers transform into a resplendent coat and crest a fanciful hat.  She stretches and walks around, “finally!” she chirps, “I thought he would never tire.” Lady Ellenora was the newest of the kings’ consorts.  She had only been in the court for eight months before being cursed.

 Second to land Lady Agatha, her wings flap furiously in order to slow her descent, upon landing they transform into a beautiful gloved hands her chest feathers into a glorious gray jacket and her crimson beak into a magnificent pout. The daughter of rich land owners, taking her was a tactical move for the king.  He envied the land and power her father possessed.   

On the day they celebrated Lady Agatha joining the court the king orders to the his men to seize the land and murder her parents.  Not a soul suspected the king's treachery and no survivors were left not even a child.  Stone cold Lady A became in upon hearing the grim news, and prayed for a painful death for her King.

 Third to land Lady Beatrice, as was her manner she makes little noise and fuss upon touching down. Only the faint sound of tears hitting her jacket, each tear turns to into a luminous bead, which adorns her slight frame with melancholy, and her sorrow a thin veil. 

 So saddened by the circumstances that led her to the court she keeps to herself and mourns.  You see she was madly in love with a young duke.  As customary for their rank they needed to ask the king for permission to wed, unions of any royal was a matter of the state, and only the king could allow or dissolve any such union.  Upon seeing Lady Beatrice the king denies the marriage and banishes the young duke to the badlands where death and disease were sure to consume him so it was in this manner Lady B, became enslaved by the king and her sorrow.

 Fourth was Lady Ping, an exotic woman she was a symbol of a truce between his majesty and the barbarian king of neighboring empire.  Although beautiful the king did not feel the same, her foreign look disgusted the king and this princess from a distant land was nothing more than a servant.  Rarely looked at or addressed, Lady P found solace by singing songs of her country.  Songs of beautiful green plains, majestic forests and mighty rivers, such a contrast from this gray gloomy land she had been sent to.   

 As she touches down Lady ping sings a song of rejoice.  Her red pout lyrically moves about and her pale blue feathers transmute into a sheer mist that lay over Lady Ping’s body.

 Fifth to land, Lady Anja as the most beautiful of the six she was favored by the king.  A delicate beauty she was the only one of the queens of his choosing.  In stark contrast she loathed the king for his brutality. It was Lady Anja’s scheme to murder him that led all six to be cursed.

 Lady Anja glides in so smooth, her toes turn to a fine shoe and she lifts her skirt as to not dirty the hem, he feathered crest into a crown of blue majestic petals.  “Are you well my sisters?” she asks.  

 “Georgina”, Lady Ping sings.  All of a sudden they hear the frenetic flutter of wings and see Lady Georgina.  Lady G, was the queen of a neighboring kingdom and upon conquering it the wicked king, he takes her as a queen executes her husband.  The new monarch drains the land of its natural resources and the inhabitants left to starve.  Saddened of the plight of her people Lady G mourns. 

Her blue feathers transform into adornments on her gown, her crest into a mask and beak into a beautifully turned up nose and vermillion lips and she finally lands.  “One, two, three, four, five, six!” she exclaims.

The six take seat and plot a way to destroy the wicked king.  They chatter and chirp into the night not able to come to and agreement and before they know it, the sun begins to shine and they feel the king’s power grow and all their finery erupt into feathers and they are off to fly around the globe again to try once more in a year’s time.

See the spectacle at: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2011CTR-CDIOR