Chapter Four - The Ballroom

Rose laughed blissfully. She looked so happy to be sharing her passion with Max.

"Come on!" She grinned, leading her by the hand to the center of the ballroom. Max felt a warm feeling of affection rising up in her chest. She could see herself getting attached to this incredible woman. Rose was such a wonderful person in every way. Max just wanted to keep her safe and happy.

Even if it meant losing it all.

She faltered. She had been hired to kill her. That was the goal. That was the plan. That was what needed to happen. She needed to protect herself and her sister.

Mel could protect herself. No. She couldn't think like that. She had to provide for her sister. Mel's a strong girl, she can handle things on her own.

She sighed, shaking her head to clear her mind. Her thoughts muddled and messy. She hated this feeling, yet she loved it. She found joy in every moment she spent with Rose.

Rose reached out, taking Max's hand in her own and placing it around her waist.

"Wh-" Max began.

"It's how you Waltz." Rose explained matter-of-factly. Nonetheless, she was visibly flustered, unable to meet Max's gaze.

Max smiled softly, subtly pulling her waist closer, their torsos pressed together.

"You gonna teach me or what?"

Rose nodded, her plump lips pressed together in embarrassment, her heart fluttering inside her, unbeknownst to Max, who was bust trying not to trip.

The odd pair seemed to float across the floor, like flowers in the breeze amidst a sea of grass, Max struggled to keep from trodding on Rose's toes, succeeding only in bumping her cushiony chest into Rose's face, not that it was a bad thing in Rose's eyes.

"Sorry-" Max mumbled, embarrassed. "I'm so bad at this."

"You're doing fairly decent for a first timer, don't worry." Rose assured her, equally flustered.

"Really? My aching feet say differently." She chuckled

"Should we stop?"

"If that's alright with you, my lady."

Rose nodded, seeming crestfallen as she pulled away from Max. The two women walked down the hallway, chatting and laughing. They seemed quite at ease with one another, and it was clear to anyone who saw them that the pair was a match made in heaven.

As they reached the duchess's room, Max bowed slightly, preparing to part ways.

"Wait..." Rose's gentle voice spoke up quietly. "Would you stay a while longer?"

Max nodded, desperately trying the hide the excitement bubbling up in her chest. "As you wish."

Rose brightened, ushering the taller woman inside as she habit the door behind her, jumping up onto her bed and patting the spot beside her. As Max sat down, the mattress sank under her weight, as if she were sitting on a cloud. She had never slept on anything other than a rough woolen cot with a thin, rough sheet.

"This feels... incredible.." She grinned.

"Haven't you slept on a proper bed before?" Rose asked, puzzled.

"Not really, I could never afford such lavish furniture, and the servants quarters are full of hammocks."

Rose frowned. "I hadn't realized the conditions were so terrible. I'll get someone to decrease the taxes right away."

Max blinked slowly. She really cared about the people in poverty. Rose sat at her desk, elegantly writing a decree, sealing it with wax and leaving it on her nightstand.

She turned, smiling up at Max with wide eyes.

"Now that that's settled, we can talk some more."

Max smiled, shaking her head.

"It's getting dark. I should go."

Rose reached out, grabbing her hand.

"But I don't want you to." She murmured quietly.

Max turned to face her, intense gaze meeting kind eyes.

Rose leaned closer, placing her hand on Max's chest as Max brushed Rose's hair out of her face, letting her hand rest on her cheek. Wrapping her other arm around her waist, Rose parted her lips slightly, tilting her head to the side, as if to kiss her.

Their eyes met, breaths quickening, hearts racing as they leaned in closer.

And then Max turned away. She pulled her hands away from Rose, taking a step back.

"This is wrong." She said coldly, her heart aching.

"What?" Rose whispered, astonished and unsure how to react.

"This. We just met. We're both women. It's wrong." She repeated, mentally crying out in frustration. Why did she always have to push people away. She wanted to grow closer to her, but she couldn't. She needed... distance. Not love.

"I thought you-"

"No." She said sternly. "We come from two different worlds. You're royalty, I'm nothing but a poor peasant."

Rose's eyes welled up with tears.

"Apologies, my lady." She said, bowing slightly to hide her own tears as they began to form. She blinked away all signs of emotion, turning away in pure self-hatred.

"I-"

"I will return to serve you in the morning." Max interrupted, turning on her heel and walking away, shutting the door behind her.

Rose was left alone in her dark room, watching the sun set as tears pooled around her feet.

Max stood, her back pressed against the door, crying silently into her hands as she listened to Rose's muffled sobs.

As the two women lamented their two days of true love at first sight, they struggled to remind themselves that homosexuality was unacceptable. It was a sin in their day and age.

And there was nothing they could do about it.