Our Dance

She never thought after all these years, that she'd have these feelings again. Let alone have them reciprocated....

 

The evening was cold, the purple skies reflecting the essence of the approaching winter. She walked off her coach, looking up and smelling the chill that has now embraced her cheeks. Her heart pounds at the thoughts that have been racing in her mind. “He will be here tonight,” she thought. Him. The one who has taken her breath away more times she has every imagined possible. Times where she has been both enraptured by his demeanor, and yet unknowingly appalled, because he knows he does this to her. But tonight it does not matter. She has prepared herself. “He will be here,” she reassured herself.

 

Oh yes, he is here. Yet she does not see him. In the distance amongst the shadows he has been waiting, wanting to see her first as she stepped off her carriage. The look of her beauty, her innocence has captivated him for years. As a young man, he admired the older woman, 15 years his senior. She had wanted him, he reminded himself, although he never knew her true feelings. There were glances, a touch of her hand from time to time, but never, never did they have a true understanding of their feelings for one another. He just knew. And he knew that she knew. This widow he has loved for so long, wanting to love, for most of his life. Although she is older than he, she has a child-like essence about her. She is beautiful to the core, and his longing to be a part of that will finally come to fruition tonight. He will make sure of this.

 

He watched her silently, his heart pounding thunderously, wanting to grab her and take her away. He knew though that this was not the time. But, tonight…everyone will know of their love. “Even she will realize this”, he thought.

 

The warmth of the air inside the castle was rugged and airy, with hints of cinnamon and burnt wood from the fireplace through the air. She removed her cloak, allowing her long brown hair to flow out around her. Many young women were around her, greeting her with the proper respect elders in their country are shown with. “Elder” she thought sadly. “I am still a young woman, but a widow by status…” she reminded herself. It was the thought that tonight, this big night, was intentionally the night a young man of the manor she was presently at was to find his suitable partner, lover, wife. And he will be here. She looked around in discontent. They will dance, they will gaze, they will fall in love. Her heart began to hurt. Oh how could she stand this torture of her love for a man she feared may never glance at her again after tonight.

 

Only she did not know of what true fear was going to take over her….

 

Then she heard it: The sweet song of the violin play, along with the pianoforte, as she watched all the young women around looking for the potential suitor who has come to claim one of them as his own. She watched intently as the party took full circle around the large oak floor, waiting for the guest of honor to take one of these women onto the dance floor. She quietly lowered her head. 

 

 

 

Then, in an instant, she heard the lowered whispers of the guests. He was here. She looked up as her pulse instantly quickened. His beauty took over her. His eyes, dark brown, his hair and curly with ringlets, with a hint of a beard, and the smell of cedar and sandlewood came across the room as he gently walked between the guests. 

 

She looked up, and their eyes met. He was waiting for her. His stare was too much for her. His eyes were intimidating, she quickly lowered her head again, trying not to hear the whispers of the others. Before she knew it, as she looked up again, he was standing in front of her, staring deep down into her eyes. The tears welled up quickly in her. “The time has come”, he whispered. This was no young man. This was a man. Her man. Her suitor, her love, the one who has haunted her dreams for so many years, but felt wrong for feeling such feelings, for she was much older than he. For he was a man now; and he has come to claim her. The boundaries will be broken tonight for all to see.

 

The music became clearer, the ritual dance has begun.

 

He took her hand as it shook, and kissed it as he bowed to her in submission. What she hadn’t understood was his longing for her, his dreams that haunted him of her, his obsession with wanting to take her away from everything. And now, the moment has come. All will know. All will understand. All will watch as they dance.

 

Onto the dance floor, he gently took her into his arms, and began to dance. She could not look at him, for her vulnerability was too much for her to bear. She felt him staring still. His dark eyes, so masculine, so romantic. Staring into her soul, as the passion flowing through their body, hearts and spirits were finally becoming one. The circled about, her flowing gown covering his feet, their arms clenched together, their hands bound. She looked up into his eyes, and felt her feet go out from under her. The power he had over her, the power his eyes alone had over her, she knew he was hers, and she was his. 

 

The violin and pianoforte continued as they gently swayed back and forth on the hardwood floor, all in wonderment, watching as these two soul mates who have been pining secretly for one another, have now joined themselves, bound together forever. Soon no one was there. It was only them, still staring into each other’s eyes. Slowly their mouths came closer, feeling their warm breaths upon one another, and he took her mouth, her body, her soul, into his.

 

No one can take away their dance. For this was just the beginning…

Reviews

[ElJays Nicholas]

You have a pleasant ethereal quality to your writing. Very imaginative and romantic.

[An owl on the moon]

Such a beautiful, passionate story of love, flowing with a deep, emotional music throughout. Enjoyed the richness of your story very much!