Ome and Kehi

       The ballroom was crowded with a thousand people, a long strip of marble cleared for a dance floor. The scene was lit only by an extravagant chandelier, hanging perilously above the guests' heads.
       Two dancers made their way slowly across the floor, heels clacking against the hard surface. They were Ome and Kehi; rivals from different countries. The two nations had feuded all their lives, and only now were they being united in marriage of their two mostg precious individuals.
       She, Ome, swung away from her partner, arm flung out wide and hair whipping around her face. She moved back, making long elegant steps, and as she did he, Kehi, murmured to her:
       "We are rivals." Away, and back again. "Bred to be deadly enemies." Hey were closer now, waltzing across the ballroom floor, ignoring the stares of the surrounding guests. "This marriage is just a ploy to stop the fighting, endless fighting."
       He led her across the room, eyes on her face the whole time, while she looked ahead as was custom. "But you are like none I have ever met," he continued, his voice low and seductive. They stopped, and she moved back, his hand raised, her fingers barely grazing his. She twirled, her skirts flying. "You are.." One revolution. "Beautiful." Two. "Kind." Three. "Charming." She moved in again, and he placed both hands on her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck.
       They spun slowly across the ballroom floor, their faces only a hair's breadth away. His voice somehow dropped lower, and above the music it was hard to hear, but she heard every word.
       "We're enemies, but I can't help but love you."
       As he closed his eyes, hers narrowed in what could only be disgust, while her mouth curved into a sadistic smile.
       "How coincidental. I can't help but hate you."