Chapter Twenty-One: Dance Like No One Is Watching

  Why didn’t you tell me I would have to dance? As Lord Thomas led him to the ballroom, Einar in tow, Elijah screamed—he hoped—in his head at his hyperventilating Guide, who herself was barely containing her own screams.

  It’s a goddamn ball! Balls have dances, you should’ve known that. Do they really not teach you how to dance in your uncivilized world, or are you the uncivilized one?

  We dance there, just not how you’re expecting, Elijah thought, and, of course, the Guide was able to see what he was thinking, and she recoiled in his mind at what she found.

  That’s not dancing, that’s just movement, like how you danced at the cast—oh, that’s why you danced like that!

  You said you wouldn’t judge me for that!

  I did not, Guide Amanda bristled, and if I did, then I lied, because that was the worst dancing I’ve ever seen and now you’re going to embarrass yourself in front of all the Lords and Ladies, and whatever you were planning to do, you’ll have to throw out the window. The first dance is always between the hosting Lord and his paramour. Since the hosting lord, Lord Penrose, is indisposed, Thomas shall be the one leading it, as he is next in line, so you’ll be in front of everyone dancing terribly.

  Can’t you just guide me through it? I thought that’s what you do!

  I can’t teach you to dance! It’s impossible, especially since you have no time to learn, she groaned. Well, let’s just hope you don’t embarrass yourself too much.

  Yeah, let’s hope, Elijah sighed.

  The ballroom stood in front of them, and while massive, it seemed a miniscule version of the one in the princess’ castle, with a few tiny differences: it was full of tables, people, and food. The aromas of the delicacies spun through Elijah’s nose sweetly like the words of a sweet mistress on her lover’s ear, but, just like a mistress, it couldn’t catch his attention enough from the panic clawing at his chest as the heir led them to the forty or fifty foot long empty circle in the middle which he assumed was the dance floor. As soon as they stepped in, the Lord and Ladies all oohed and aahed at the sight of the princess, and he heard more than one murmur about her dress which caught the light in a decidedly pleasing way. Her bangles jingled softly as he moved on the dance floor, like an intro to what would follow.

  Then the music started.

  And the seconds passed like a crawl as the orchestra on the left hand-side of the room played a slow, mournful, loving tune, and the Lord pressed one hand to Elijah’s waist, the other in his own hand.

  “Are you ready, your highness?”

  “Let’s get this over with,” he replied with what he hoped was a flirty wink, trying his best to keep calm, relaxing his feet, knowing he was about to fail miserably and leave everyone with a distasteful impression of the princess.

  In front of him, the prince began to move, backwards and forwards, foot in front of foot, and Elijah stumbled around hoping, hoping just to find his footing.

  Left foot forwards! Lift your left hand! Twist! Left foot back! His Guide screamed in his ear, and he obeyed her as best he could, following the steps of the dance clumsily, but at some point he hit the right note, and he knew it because his muscle memory began to kick in.

  His dance grew smoother, his steps more automatic as his body responded to the dance it had done hundreds of times in its life, and Elijah was able to simply watch it instead of forcing it into places it shouldn’t be. His brain told him the move and his limbs responded with a familiar certainty. Strangely, even Elijah was starting to remember the dance, and he’d never done it before, but sometimes, he found himself even whispering the next move before it came upon.

  Back and forth the Lord and princess went, surprisingly graceful as they moved slowly, and the princess allowed himself to relax, losing himself in the feeling of another dance, forgetting anyone watching, forgetting the problems of Advantia.

  “This is nice,” he told the Lord before he could stop himself, and Thomas beamed at her, his cheeks flushing slightly.

  “It is,” he replied. “Everything is nice with you, your majesty.”

  Even a man who disliked Lord Thomas and his antics would have blushed at his words, and so Elijah found himself looking down shyly as the dance continued to its final moments.

  Back and forth, side to side, front to back, spin. Each move delicately intertwined as they spun on the floor, the Lords and Ladies watching the enrapturing dance. The strings hit their crescendo, the song reaching its climax, the dance reaching its end…

  And Elijah’s eyes widened as he realized what would happen next.

  His body spun down as he fell into Lord Thomas’ arms in one graceful, practiced, move. Then the Lord bent down, smiled at her, and Elijah closed his eyes, wishing the moment were already over, powerless to change the inevitable.

  The kiss was strange, surprisingly smooth and gentle as the Lord moaned slightly. Yet the princess was trying not to gag, feeling sick to his stomach as the man—boy, really—kissed him like he was the most precious thing in the world.

  Just enjoy the moment, the Guide laughed uproariously. Enjoy his wonderful kiss. Many women would give an arm and a leg just to kiss him.

  I’d give him money to not kiss me.

  As soon as the kiss started, it was over, but to Elijah, it felt like hours. When Lord Thomas finally pulled away, the princess fought the effort to wipe his mouth, winning but balling his hands into fists at the feat of willpower.

  The Lords and Ladies erupted into cheers.

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  As the applause reached his ears, Elijah couldn’t help but smile at the claps and whistles, and Lord Thomas, kneeling, pressed his lips to her hand, and spoke soft words.

  “All for you, Amand, all for you.”

  This time, the princess did gag.

  By now, the ball was in full swing, yet the dances had stopped. Now, was the time, as the Guide had put it, for mingling, insulting, and cheating your way to political power. Most of the dances would occur after this moment, and if Elijah wanted to fulfil his promise to the Lord, now would be the time to do it.

  For the last five minutes, his arm had been entangled with the Lord’s as Thomas led him around, almost showing him off to the people watching.

  “I must speak with the others,” Elijah whispered in his ear. “Will you let me go for a few minutes?”

  “I shall miss you,” Thomas winked in reply before unhooking his arm and grabbing a glass of champagne from a walking butler. “Don’t stray too far; these Lords are cannibals.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  Head for the group of Ladies. The Lord may make their shows of strength, but it is always the women who hold the strings. Push their buttons, and they may be the ones to force their husbands to support the Penroses.

  Nodding in response, Elijah swished his dress as he walked to the group of five ladies all chatting amicably. One of them, a blonde twenty year old, caught his gaze and smiled.

  “Look who’s decided to join us,” she pronounced with a glint of humour in her eyes. Elijah liked her immediately. “Are you here to show off your fancy dress or your status above us?”

  “Well, now that you mention it, maybe I am,” Elijah responded.

  “We were just speaking on Lord Thenrr,” a dark-haired middle aged woman who looked more snobbish than a British scholar interrupted. “I heard he was courting Lady Andrea of the house Rosethorn, but Lady Jynn is of a different impression.”

  “Aye,” Lady Jynn replied, also a dark-haired woman of about forty years. “Lord Jonn Rosethorn himself told me his daughter was single and looking for a boyfriend.”

  “Girlfriend, my sources say,” a fourth woman said.

  “Yes, but your sources are misleading, Lady Arianna” the snobby woman interrupted. “Lady Andrea is as straight as a parallel line.”

  “Oh, you just wait,” Lady Arianna replied. “Before the month is out she’ll announce her courtship with another woman.”

  “How about the Lord Penrose?” Lady Jynn said. “I hate to change the subject, but we have the princess here in front of us.” The Lady turned her gazer to Elijah and sneered a little in disdain, although she tried to mask it with a winning smile. “Surely the woman courting the Lord-heir knows the happenings of the mysteriously disappeared Lord.”

  “Unfortunately, that is not the case,” the princess replied. “I have no knowledge of where Lord Penrose has disappeared to. I would ask that you show the heir to the Advantian throne a little courtesy.”

  Lady Jynn reddened, and Guide Amanda chuckled.

  You don’t need to beat them up about it. If you’re going to convince them that you are right, then you must build a bridge between you both. Something that makes you and Lord Thomas enticing to them.

  “But I’m not here to insult anyone here, I’m merely here to enjoy the wonderful company of all the nobility of Advantia,” Elijah promised. “I wish not to quarrel but to gossip, to delight in the talk of my fellow women.”

  “Sounds like bullshit to me,” the friendly woman—Lady Lina—said. “But it’s a bullshit we can all get behind, eh?”

  Lady Jynn nodded. “I can contain myself for a few hours if that’s what you wish. Still, I burn with curiosity over the matter of Lord Penrose.”

  “I do as well,” Elijah admitted, “But I have heard a rumour. One that may just change the hierarchy of all of us.”

  “And what’s that?” Ms. Snobby—I like that name!— turned up her nose, her upper lip rising slightly in condescension once more. “Are you finally getting married to your failing Lord boyfriend?”

  “No,” the princess replied. “Because I do not have any need to. The Penrose’s will bring themselves back. I have heard a rumour from deep in the castle that the Lord himself is returning with an enterprise that will shake every Lord and Lady settled around this room. And if you are lucky and sponsor it in time, then maybe, just maybe, you shall rise just as they will.”

  That’s a fine lie, but it’s still a lie, Guide Amanda protested. You’re digging yourself a hole you can’t get out of.

  Trust me, this will work.

  My trust in you is wearing thin.

  Yeah, but you always say that!

  Because it’s true. You don’t know what you’re doing, you’re not a princess, and you’ve never even been in Advantia!

  You’re the one who said I shouldn't use reason to persuade.

  But I didn’t tell you to lie to people.

  Yes, you did.

  Ignoring the Guide, Elijah watched as each of the ladies pondered what he had said, wondering if they could trust the princess or not.

  “I find the idea entertaining,” Lady Jynn admitted. “But I’m not sure I can trust the woman who dates one of the said Lords. This may be in your best interests.”

  “It may,” Elijah admitted. “But if I lie to you, then won’t this be worse for me than you? The Penroses would fall harder than ever, and I would receive the disdain of the nobility. Is that really what I want?”

  Listen to yourself, Amanda! The Guide shrieked. You’re right that you’re wrong. If you do this, the world will implode around you eventually!

  Implode away, I say.

  Fuck you.

  I’d love to.

  Leaving the Ladies to their thinking, the princess turned away, leaving them with one last reminder.

  “Sometimes a gamble is the only line between rags and riches. I bid you goodnight and may you all have the wisdom to listen.”

  As he walked away, the Guide grumbled inside him, some words intelligible while others clearly just barely contained curses and screams.

  Do you know what you’ve done? She asked.

  Talked to the Ladies?

  Stop fucking around! This is serious! You may have just put the Penroses on the line, your own future standing as Queen on the line for a lie that you did not need.

  Look, can you please just believe in me for once?

  Oh, yes, I believe in the one who has no experience versus the person who does have experience and has been hired to Guide them.

  Elijah grinned. Would you still Guide me if it wasn’t your job?

  Of course not. I wouldn’t even be able to. Plus, I’m actively losing your brain cells just by talking to you, the Guide chuckled.

  You said what?

  Look left. Now.

  Scowling, Elijah obeyed, looking left to where he saw Lord Thomas whispering urgently to a maid, who herself looked distraught and scared. After a moment, Lord Thomas fled the room through a door on the far left, and the Guide screamed at Elijah.

  This is your chance to find out what’s going on. Follow that bastard!

  Finally, we agree on something.

  Must be the end of the world then!

  Once again tuning the pesky Guide out of his mind, he walked—sprint!. Elijah walked quickly to where Lord Thomas had exited, one thought in his mind.

  I’m gonna find you, Lord Penrose.

  For those of you waiting for the chapter yestaerday, I apologize. Yesterday a power outage hit a big part of Europe and so I was left completely without electricity. Due to that, I was not able to release a chapter.