Upon the road towards the Wessin Bridge, the forest stirred to a gentle whisper.

All around me, the leaves danced beneath the warmth of the final weeks of spring.

As the sunshine flickered amidst the blooming foliage, the sound of Apple’s leisurely trots was joined only by the rustling of shrubs, the chirps of robins and the occasional scream in the distance as a hooligan was consumed by the deadly cockatrices which also lived in my forests.

Normally, that is.

Because right now … a moment of peace opted to visit me instead.

Within the light drifting between the shifting canopy, I caught dandelions floating by like sparkling feathers in the air. The gentle aroma of wild meadows was overcome by hints of earthen scents. And the colours of honeysuckle and jasmine bloomed like snatches of summer’s impatience.

Ohohohoho!

Indeed … it was utterly marvellous!

Despite the attempts of every ruffian so inebriated they didn’t keep their plans to darken my kingdom in the tavern corners where they belonged, the sun continued to seek my energising smile for nourishment.

Why, it was so peaceful that not even a fruit slime could be seen bouncing away!

… And that was possibly also just the slightest problem.

I peered hopefully around me.

Much to my confusion, I didn’t see a single substitute mailbox for the important task of improving my [Spring Breeze].

This was highly unusual. There were enough blackberries in the bushes that both Apple and Coppelia had agreed to a temporary truce as they only devoured my kingdom from their own respective side of the road.

In fact–

Far from competing with the fruit slimes, they didn’t have to compete with anyone.

Not a single hint of spotted fur, a wet nose or a bushy tail swept through the underbrush.

There were no fawns lifting their heads before skipping away. No squirrels hurriedly climbing the oaks with acorns dribbling from their mouths. No hedgehogs trembling before rolling into a ball. And not a single badger subtly making its way back into the many illegal holes in the ground.

There was nothing.

Nothing at all.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

“... Coppelia?”

“Mmh?~” My loyal handmaiden looked up from a shrub. She beamed and held out her palm filled with blackberries. “You want some? They’re tasty and not poisonous.”

I leaned slightly away from the blackberries, conscious of what happened to the last person who consumed berries harvested by her hands. Even now, I sometimes closed my eyes and saw tubes of vomit exiting a helmet.

“N-No, I shall pass, thank you … although I’m grateful you went straight to the important point.”

“They’re tasty?”

“Yes. But also that they’re not poisonous. Out of curiosity, how do you know with your constitution if they’re safe for princesses to eat?”

“Ah, that’s easy! You just have to know what to look for. You see, when picking wild berries, it’s important to carefully check to see if there’s any dead humans nearby.”

“I see.”

“... Sure you don’t want any? They’re better than what we buy from shopkeepers.”

I smiled.

“It’s fine. Thank you. It would be unbefitting of me to take what is available exclusively for my retainers and the garden critters of my kingdom. Speaking of which, I was wondering if you noticed that it seems a little … peaceful?”

“Oh, I noticed straight away. I’m already checking around me every 5 seconds.”

“You are? For what?”

“The explosion. Don’t worry, when everything catches fire, I’ll be ready.”

I was aghast.

“Coppelia! … Just because there’s a moment of quiet doesn’t mean it has to be immediately followed by something blowing up!”

My loyal handmaiden simply tilted her head and blinked.

I pursed my lips.

Then … I also peeked around me.

“... Do you think it’ll be man eating fire breathing death beetles again?”

“Nah, the ground’s too beat up here. They don’t like burrowing under roads. Even exploding carnivorous insects need to sleep.”

“I see … what do you think it could be then?”

Coppelia hummed in thought, all the while tossing blackberries into her mouth.

“Well, maybe you won? You do look all mean whenever a badger pokes its head out. At some point, even nature needs to get the point right?”

I shook my head at once.

Those who sought to nibble on the undefended leaves of my orchard were mysteriously absent, yes … but as amazing as I was, this was one of the few battles I couldn’t have won.

After all, small fluffy animals were drawn to me like moths to a flame.

No matter where I cast my gaze or how appalled my expression, I could be guaranteed a menagerie peering back at me.

It was only natural. As a beautiful princess, I lived a life of hardship with as many downsides as zero. But every now and again, that number briefly rose to one as the various critters of my kingdom sought to invade my personal space.

“Do not underestimate the resilience of badgers,” I said, my warning stark. “They can survive in all conditions and all seasons. More importantly, they can survive my scowl. They care as little for my displeasure as they do the wholeness of my orchard.”

Coppelia nodded.

Then, she plucked a budding peony from a shrub and stuffed it in her mouth.

“Well, if they’ve run away, it usually means something even scarier took their place. Small animals and weak monsters are pretty quick on the uptake when a new big guy comes along. Even if they can survive your scowl, I doubt they can survive a hungry manticore.”

“A hungry manticore would be a relief. They’re famously protective and organised with their habitats.”

“What if it’s a rotted ghoul blighting the land it shambles on?”

“That’s very unlikely. If the Grand Duchess entered my kingdom, I would know.”

“What if it’s a bewitchingly dressed dancer able to charm every animal in a forest while a magical floating ensemble plays in the background?”

“... Yes.” I nodded as I peered ahead. “I suppose that makes for a very reasonable explanation.”

Coppelia smiled as she raised a hand to her brows.

All I saw was a colourful blur. Even so, I heard it before I saw it.

Music.

It was as boisterous as any which could be found in the corner of a tavern. A bright and optimistic melody which ruffled the leaves as well as any breeze. Except this tavern consisted of a forest. And all its inhabitants were now gathered as a mesmerised audience.

It was an astonishing sight.

A literal flock straight from a fable sat together, tails wagging as they enjoyed a rare spectacle.

Deer, hedgehogs, rabbits and all the missing fruit slimes sat together, joined by birds of every rainbow shade perched upon branches, their chirps lost to the sound of music.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

A lyre harp, a pan flute and a tambourine worked in unison, plucked, played and drummed by invisible hands as they floated in the air, their silhouettes immersed in a violet glow.

It was the same colour as the tiny tent pitched by the side of the road. A tent at risk of being physically swept away. The dangling leaves above it were more durable. So thin was its fabric, even the palest breeze was enough to cause its entrance flap to billow.

The owner clearly didn’t mind.

Her smile was as colourful as the songbirds in the branches above her. And also as much as her attire.

Painted in the shades of a twilight sky and dotted with sequin gemstones, it matched well with her hair. Flowing black as midnight, two elegantly braided strands fell upon bare shoulders as golden as the sands from which she hailed.

Here was a maiden who would have the inhabitants of my taverns tossing coins at her for a moment of her company.

They would need to offer more.

After all, her profession wasn’t one known for accepting insults.

A dancer from the Kingdom of Dunes.

A vaunted profession in the land where tales were first said to be born.

Whereas everywhere else, dancers were little more than jesters and drunkards, in the Kingdom of Dunes, they were amongst the most respected and oldest of careers, requiring arduous training as long as my own in being a princess. Often since they were treated as one.

Courtesans. Diplomats. Spies.

And very occasionally … performers in my forests.

Barefooted but with a curtain skirt, all her stomach was exposed as she danced on the spot, a pair of large circlets balancing upon her arms feeding ribbons of fabric as long as the tails of my dresses. As she moved, her long hair flowed behind her like black ink shifting upon a palette.

And her audience were my garden critters.

Naturally, I was shocked.

Why, this woman … she had mesmerised an entire section of my forest!

I … I could abuse this!

Such a unique power! If I could use it to keep the unwanted visitors of my orchard in place, then I wouldn’t even need my delicate gardening techniques! I could simply command the servants to hoist them to the other side of the kingdom!

However, just as I wondered why such a technique wasn’t already known to me–

Hrrpmh.

I realised it had a fatal weakness.

It was susceptible to horses.

Apple snorted. And then the spell was broken.

As though a brave and loyal tax inspector had entered a tavern, the music ceased, the instruments collapsed … and every patron darted or bounced away in every direction.

Within moments, all the colours which had gathered were no more.

Instead, they were now seen only in the attire of the dancer, her little tent, and also her smile as she offered not a hint of acrimony at being rescued from her audience of garden terrors.

For although her footwork had ceased, her performance had not.

“Greetings, customers!” said the dancer with all the professional enthusiasm instilled in her. Her arms elegantly spread out as she offered a deep bow. “Welcome to the Oasis of Dreams.”

I raised an eyebrow … all the more so as I took in the little sign pitched beside the tent.

Oasis of Dreams.

One time entry.

That was it.

No information. No price. No warnings.

My, wasn’t this quaint?

A dollop of mystery straight from the onset. And yet her skills couldn’t be denied.

The finest dancers were said to be able to charm kings and queens. She wasn’t quite there yet. But she was better than the energetic bards who innkeepers hired to ensure the rats scuttling in the ceilings weren’t alone in their efforts to promote insomnia.

And here she was by the side of a dirt road, entertaining an audience unlikely to pay her.

I tugged on Apple’s reins to bring him a little closer.

“Salutations,” I said with a polite smile. “My apologies for my horse disturbing you in your performance. It was quite lively. The hedgehogs seemed particularly impressed.”

The dancer bowed again.

“Thank you, dear customer! Praise from a stranger is a gift from unseen bonds. It’s my calling to offer my performances to all who may look upon them. This doesn’t exclude the animals of the forests, whose love of song and dance is inscribed into their every movement.”

“Quite so. I saw it even as they sat stock still. May I ask how you can charm them to such an extent?”

The dancer offered a tinkling, playful laugh.

Already I could hear a handful of the creatures peeking back from the edges of the underbrush.

“You could. But I’m afraid I wouldn’t be in a position to answer. The secrets of my craft are older and more guarded than any spell woven by mages … and also, I should add, quite a bit more precarious.”

I nodded, neither surprised nor disappointed.

After all, as certain as I was that I could learn the secrets of sand dancing in a busy afternoon, my ballet teacher would doubtless be less than impressed. That’d be awful. She was one of the few tutors who didn’t deem it necessary to impart knowledge via books to my head.

If possible, I wished to keep it that way.

“Oh? Then I wonder if what I’ve heard is true. It’s said that those who have learned to dance in the oldest halls keep their secrets so well that the finest are not even known, for they keep their art to none but themselves.”

“You’ve heard well. And while I cannot confirm or deny this, I hold no regrets to say that my name is very much well known. I am Amissa the Benevolent. Have you heard of me, dear customer?”

“I haven’t. I know few dancers and even fewer who would ply their trade in a forest. It is a strange place to practice your craft. Are you perhaps stopping on the way to important business?”

The dancer’s smile blossomed as she gestured all around her. The circlets swung effortlessly upon her arms, followed by a trail of ribbons.

“My business is right here, amidst the leaves, the fading spring and the watching deer.”

I leaned away slightly so I wouldn’t be hit.

“Is that so? … Then you do yourself a disservice. Although the deer are doubtless appreciative of the distraction, they also lack the hands needed to applaud. You’re unlikely to earn the accolades you deserve by the side of a muddy road in a forest.”

“True, which is why I also have my tent.”

She duly pointed at it.

A tent so small that it could do nothing but hold whatever wardrobe of instruments and clothing she possessed.

“I see … and what is the purpose of this tent … ?”

“It’s as the sign says, of course! This is the Oasis of Dreams. And for travellers who wander past, whose hearts are heavy and bodies are weary, I extend an invitation. Inside my tent, they may offer what applause they wish in return for the paradise I provide.”

“How very mysterious. And what is the cost of this vague service … again, by the side of the road?”

“Free.”

“Free?”

“I don’t charge money. The joy I offer is a gift, as are the smiles of my customers.”

Hmmmmmmmm.

A beautiful dancer loitering on the side of a muddy road like a common highwayman. Check.

A mysteriously pitched tent scarcely large enough for one. Check.

A vague service with absolutely no cost involved other than a somewhat telling warning that entry was a one time only affair. Check.

I gave it a moment’s thought … and then I nodded.

So!

Very!

Suspicious!

“Uwaah~” Coppelia nodded, highly impressed. “I wonder how many corpses are in the tent.”

“Hm?” The dancer gently lifted a hand to her ear, the lie already playing on her lips. “My apologies, dear customer, but I didn't quite catch those words.”

“My loyal and very similarly minded handmaiden expressed her curiosity regarding what paradise may be found within your tent. It appears somewhat stuffy in there.”

“Do you think so? Perhaps from the outside. And yet within, there’s more than enough space for one to find all the peace of mind that is ever needed.”

Interesting.

I wondered which blunt instrument she favoured for inducing peace of mind in her customers.

“... Very well!” I said, smiling with a clap of my hands. “I admit my curiosity. Especially in regards to ensuring all regulations are being followed. If you’re not selling goods or services, then you’ve no need for any trading permits–but there are laws regarding public safety and common vagrancy I still need to take into account.”

The dancer merely gave a bat of her eyelashes.

“Curiosity is the boon of life. It is what drives all hearts towards the next endeavour. Would you like to enter the Oasis of Dreams?”

“No, but duty compels me to investigate. What will I find inside?”

“As I said, paradise.”

I pursed my lips.

A moment later, I dismounted from Apple and gave him the finger point to tell him that if the highly suspicious woman tried to murder me, he should immediately proceed to eat her hair.

He snorted.

I nodded. It was enough for me.

Thus, happy that all instructions were clear, I promptly made my way to the tent.

The woman didn’t move from her spot as she happily gestured for me to enter. I obliged by tugging at the very edge of the entry flap … and then peeking inside.

Much to my surprise, the dancer certainly wasn’t lying.

It was significantly larger on the inside.

Even more to my surprise, there wasn’t a single corpse or blood stain.

Instead, it was a veritable pavilion filled with more carpets and cushions than could be found in a typical basement in the Summer Kingdoms. A rectangular table sat in the centre, adorned with silver tableware, jugs and cutlery. Over it was a brightly lit chandelier, its candles unneeded against the light which seemed to pour through the fabric of the tent.

An unexpected sight. But nothing compared to what I saw as I stepped away.

Because much to my chagrin … I found that the tent from the outside was now as big as it was on the inside.

A white pavilion greeted my eyes, its fabric so bright it reflected the sun.

The same sun which beat down upon me with all the force of a kitchen halfway through their daily quota of baking everything I wanted in my mind despite my preferences changing daily.

It was hot.

So very hot.

Yes … just like the sand beneath my boots.

I turned around.

Gone was the muddy road, the oak trees and the scent of wild grass.

Instead, only a handful of palm trees existed to shield me from the unremitting heat … as well as an enormous pool of glimmering water as blue as purest sapphire, ringed by a smattering of reeds.

An oasis.

In the desert.

With the only breeze coming with a sound like the draft from a chimney.

All of a sudden, the dancer appeared behind me.

The smile she wore was as comely as the one she displayed just a moment ago under the leaves of my forest. Her attire, exactly as it was, now matched the brightness of the sky.

In fact–

There was just one thing different about her.

Her dancer’s legs were no more.

Instead, a lightly swirling gust of visible air swept like smoke beneath her hips.

“Welcome, dear customer!” said the djinn, smiling with unabashed joy. “To the Oasis of Dreams!”