Dancing

As the two stepped inside the ballroom, Raquel was blinded by the dozens of shining lights. The gold linings across the room made it worse as they reflected the light making the room seem brighter.

It took Raquel a moment to adjust her eyes and when she looked down at the ball, she instantly regretted it.

What seemed to be an endless line of red around the room soon turned to a river of blood. It gushed all over her as the noise of murmurs and whispers turned to cries and screams.

You monster!

Stop the pain! It hurts!

Burn the witch!

Please spare us! Stop your rampage!

Agghhh!

Kill the demon! Stop her!

Smoke filled the air as houses burnt and people lay everywhere, dead or dying. She felt her blood go cold and her heart beat loudly when she suddenly heard someone beg for mercy.

A mother with her child cried before her, blood and tears across the mother’s face. She begged for her child to be spared but Raquel knew no mercy. Her arm came down and-

“-ness. Your highness?” A hand suddenly gripped her arm, bringing her back to reality.

Raquel realized she was breathing heavily, a look of concern on Ryker’s face as he stared at her. She turned away, finding herself outside the ballroom on one of the balconies.

“What happened?” Raquel asked, the right side of her face tingling.

“I don’t know. One moment you were smiling with me as we walked into the ballroom and the next…” Ryker paused for a second. “It was like you were gone. Your face went stiff and your body moved on its own. I don’t think anyone realized what happened but I brought us here in case.”

“I see…” Raquel murmured in embarrassment. “Thanks.”

She couldn’t believe her madness had acted up in the middle of her engagement party. She was lucky at least she had gotten out of it before something bad had happened…

“So…what’s going on?” Ryker asked with a slight tone of nervousness.

“Nothing much…” Raquel muttered, placing a hand over her mask. “Just having issues with my curse.”

She didn’t want to tell Ryker about her flashback. She couldn’t tell anyone, not even Nicole because they would realize what kind of monster she was. They’d see the blood on her hands like she did everyday, wishing she was dead too.

“Oh…” Ryker was quiet for a moment. “Do you want to head back inside?”

Raquel nodded, thankful that he hadn’t pushed the subject. She didn’t want to think about it or even begin to explain it.

The two walked over to the closed glass door, Ryker opening it for Raquel to pass through. As he did, the sound of music filled their ears, indicating- that the dances were to begin.

Raquel ignored the sound as she headed inside, knowing she wasn’t going to dance. Instead she looked around the ballroom to see who had come.

Most of the emperor’s council was there along with high ranking nobles and what looked to be a bunch of new faces. Raquel guessed they were debuting, seeing as her engagement party was pulling some of the most high ranking people in the empire.

Finally, her eyes landed on Lady Diana, who was seated next to the emperor. Where her mother was meant to sit.

Raquel clenched her fists as Lady Diana looked at her and smirked, bringing a red, feathered fan to her face. It made Raquel see red again.

She knew exactly what Lady Diana had done and wanted nothing more than to match up to the thrones and hack Lady Diana’s head off. But she couldn’t.

It would ruin everything.

“Would you do me the honor of having the first dance with me?” Ryker suddenly asked her.

Raquel turned to him, seeing he was holding a hand out. Raquel was hesitant. She’d never properly danced at a ball despite being forced to spend hours learning it. She didn’t even know if she remembered everything.

“I don’t know…I’m not much of a dancer.” Raquel mumbled. “It would be a disaster.”

Ryker smiled. “Don’t worry about it. My sister has two left feet and as her dancing partner, I’ve got a lot of practice making the ungraceful look graceful. Besides, it is our engagement party. We should at least dance to one song.”

Raquel was silent for a moment before nervously placing her hand in Ryker’s. “Alright…Maybe just one dance.”

Ryker nodded and led Raquel to the center of the ballroom. He then turned to face her, placing one hand gently on her waist as Raquel placed a hand on his shoulder. Around them couples murmured to themselves and Raquel was starting to regret agreeing to dance.

She didn’t want to be in the ballroom. It was just too-

“Just focus on me, okay.” Ryker murmured, bending his head a little to whisper into her ear. “Just pretend no one’s here and that we’re practicing for the wedding.”

Raquel smiled a little at the last comment. “You sound awfully excited to get married.“

Ryker opened his mouth to answer when the band ended their song and began the one for the waltz. As they did, Ryker straightened up and lifted their arms into the air.

They began to move, Ryker leading them through the dance. Raquel stepped on his foot a few times as she got used to the rhythm but not once did Ryker flinch.

Instead he kept going as if nothing had happened, keeping a straight face as they danced to the music.

Once she found her rhythm, Raquel forgot where they were and began to enjoy the music and dance. It was so carefree from what she typically did and she felt like she was flying.

It made her wonder if this was what made noble ladies enjoy such parties, other than building relationships with others.

But before she could figure out the answer to her question, the song came to an end and they stopped. Ryker pulled away, bowing to Raquel as she curtsied.

Raquel felt sad it had ended but was glad she had gotten to experience something so normal for once.