Dancing

Every time she thought she had gotten it right, Lady Rose would click her tongue.

"Again."

Nnenna gritted her teeth and kept going.

At first, her mistakes were obvious. She stepped too hard. She moved too stiffly. Her spins were shaky, her footwork uneven.

But gradually… something changed.

Her movements grew smoother.

Her body started to remember the rhythm on its own.

She no longer had to think about every step, her feet just moved.

Even when she nearly stumbled, she recovered without completely losing balance.

Even when Lady Rose threw in unexpected turns or slightly altered the rhythm, she managed to keep up.

She was improving.

But Lady Rose's face remained unreadable.

"Again."

The sky darkened more and more. The late night breeze cooled her overheated skin. Yet, Lady Rose still wasn't satisfied.

Nnenna was better, so much better, but not good enough.

Not yet.