tushanshu_logs | Day without a Night

Entry tags:

Day without a Night | The Midsummer Ball

Characters: Everyone
Date: August 21st
Location: Courtyard of Public Opinion
Situation: The Midsummer Ball and a Solar Eclipse
Warnings/Rating: None

"Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire,
I do wander everywhere,
Swifter than the moon's sphere;
And I serve the fairy queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be:
In their gold coats spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In those freckles live their savours:
I must go seek some dewdrops here
And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear."
― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

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Valdis followed his lead, moving almost as if this had been choreographed after all. At the indication, she turned out into a perfectly controlled spin, her dress flaring out around her.

"When you've lived as long as I have, you pick up a few things," she returned, "Out of boredom if nothing else."

Though she didn't find ballroom boring. It was a useful skill to possess in certain circles.

Devin caught her hand as she spun to the edge of his reach, drawing her back.

"There are worse things to fill your spare time with. It generally requires a partner, however," he noted wryly. "How many men have you ended up leading despite tradition, I wonder."

She smirked, "To ruin?" She turned back into him, catching his other hand so that they faced each other and twisting her hips as she stepped across with one leg before twisting it back, "More than I cared to count."

"I had meant across a dance floor," he remarked lightly, not wishing to weight this particular moment down in the way the two of them often ended up doing. They had dark pasts, and too much in common. "But I suppose those things are not mutually exclusive."

"Many men aren't necessarily aware that they are being led," she replied, "But I do enjoy a good dance, and there are times when not having to be the one to worry about what comes next is quite pleasant."

Another twist and then she turned back into him.

He used the turn to draw one of her legs behind his, shifting his weight from one foot to another before releasing her again.

"That does tend to require a certain amount of trust," Devin said, the slyness in his expression belying the attempt at innocence in his tone when he pulled her back for a dip.

Valdis moved with him, dropping her leg when released and shifting around into the dip, one brow arched at his comment.

"I'm a very trusting person," she replied, "Because I trust everyone to act according to their nature."

A dip, however required more trust than perhaps other dance maneuvers, because she was off balance and had to rely entirely on him. It wasn't exactly a position she liked, but none of that would show on her face, though he probably knew anyway.

"Wise as ever, Lady Valdis."

Devin wouldn't have even thought of dropping her, and not only because she would probably kill him. It would be very uncouth to let her fall. He pulled her back up, his hands beneath her shoulders, maintaining tension for a breath.

"Step lively," he said, sly, and slid away. Thank all the gods she wasn't pretending to be a redhead this time around.

She winked at him, faced him briefly then stepped away. She grabbed the side of her dress, stepping out though the slit in the side for the fancy footwork. Barely keeping an eye on him, but mirroring all the same, whipping the skirt back and forth with the movements.

It wasn't a perfect mirror - they'd actually have had to plan this ahead of time for that to happen - but it didn't need to be. Those kedan still on the dance floor gave them room as they moved.

If Devin hadn't practically trained himself to be averse to enjoying himself, it might be more of a smile on his face, rather than a smirk. He got close enough to brush a hand across her shoulder, a signal to draw back together. "I think we're giving people a show again," he remarked, pitching his voice so only she would hear him. "But this is much better than a waltz."

A misstep here or there didn't matter much in the overall show, besides, Valdis could tell that Devin was enjoying himself, ever so slightly, and that was worth more than perfection.

At the light touch, she turned and backed up a few steps, then turned again, one foot forward to lean into his space, arms slightly back.

"Let's just hope it doesn't give the wrong impression," she replied, her tone matching his, "But yes, much better than a waltz."

Devin slid one foot back into a lunge, then straightened again. "Perhaps it's fortunate you decided to throw this little soiree after the Foreigner festival," he said wryly, hooking one leg and then the other around hers.

It was a sensual style of dance, yes, but they weren't exactly looking at each other longingly, or leaving lingering touches anywhere especially worthy of gossip. It was a demonstration of skill, more than anything. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done this without an ulterior motive, if he ever had.

"If you fear for your reputation, however, feel free to slap me and walk away," he added, only half-joking.

"Fortunate indeed," she agreed, "but that won't stop them from writing."

She followed suit, flicking her leg around his and then back again. It was nice to show off skill, especially without connection or the romantic kind of fire that most expected from the tango.

"If I cared about reputation, I wouldn't have asked you to dance." She replied, "Besides, we'd never get along in that manner, surely most people are smart enough to realize that."

"I'm not sure if I should be honored or insulted," he scoffed, clearly teasing about the threat to her reputation, or lack thereof.

He directed them into a spin, then began to circle around her. "You'd never stoop so low as me, no," Devin agreed. Relationships were banned, anyway, even if there were some chance. "If they choose to gossip, on their own heads be it."

"Perhaps somewhere in between the two," she commented once the spin had completed. Valdis moved opposite him, circling for a few steps, before turning in to walk toward him.

"Royalty tends to keep to itself," she agreed, "So they can gossip all they like."

That wasn't entirely true, Dante hadn't been royalty, but she had meant in general.

"That seems the most equitable," Devin agreed. He wouldn't mind either extreme, to be honest. Being seen as a scoundrel wouldn't be problematic; he was already an asshole.

He was also very glad that Valdis wasn't sporting her redheaded disguise, or there would be no tango to speak of. The idea of it was making him a bit pensive, so he set those thoughts aside. "One would hope we don't overshadow the party as a whole, in any case. Having been to more balls than I'd like, this isn't bad," he commented, meeting her again.

"I'm glad you're having fun." Valdis smirked and then turned, raising one arm and expecting him to take her hand. He might try to deny it, but she could tell that he did, however slight it might be.

Devin did as she expected, again settling a hand above her waist to guide her forward. His expression hadn't changed, but there was a definite shift in his demeanor at the comment.

Confusion, as much as a subtle stifling of any enjoyment she might be sensing from him. "Everyone needs a little entertainment now and again," he said casually.

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Day without a Night | The Midsummer Ball

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