The Untold Stories of Forbidden Love

CHAPTER III - ❝ Dance with Me ❞

"May I have this dance?"

"You may." Elissi responds, as she takes his hand. They make their way to the ballroom and the music begins. As they dance, their friends stare at them, pressed up against each other, giggling. The two of them give their friends death stares, making them look away in embarrassment.

"Have you seen the princess around?" Perseus says to start a conversation.

"Ahaha, do you even know who she is?" Elissi responds, not wanting to reveal her status, fearing she will scare him off.

"No, I have yet to meet her, why do you ask?"

"No reason, haha."

Back in the dining area, Violet, Howl, and Ryder find themselves in quite a pickle. There is an obvious tension between the three children. At the same time, Howl and Ryder ask, "Violet, may I have this dance?" Startled, Violet gets out of her chair and hurries away.

"Howl, look what you've done! You scared her off." Ryder says in an angered tone.

"Me?! Ryder it was most certainly your fault!" Howl says, shocked. As the two are bickering, Violet is approached by a rather gentle fellow.

"Violet? Whatever is wrong?" A soft voice asks. Violet looks up to see Asher-Timothy giving her a worried face.

"Howl and Ryder just asked me to dance. At the same time! Can you believe it?"

"Wow Violet, I never took you as a social butterfly, loved by all men."

"Stop it Asher! There really is only one person I want to dance with..."

"Whoever might that be?"

"You.." Violet mutters quietly, blushing.

"Well, may I have this dance?"

"Of course, sir." He escorts her to the ballroom where everyone is dancing. Howl and Ryder stop their bickering, watching Violet and Asher-Timothy dancing. They both scowl as they sit back down, reeking of jealousy.

Meanwhile, Elissi and Perseus find themselves struggling to have a conversation..

"I never asked, but what is your name?" Perseus says, curiously.

"Well.. uhm.. You can call me El." Elissi replies, hesitantly.

"It's lovely to be acquainted with you El, I'm Perseus."

"As in Perseus Scott?! Scott, the family of Dukes and Duchesses?"

"Ah...yes..." He coughs, trying to hide his face as he turns a bright shade of pink.

"How nice. You seem of great nature." Perseus continues to blush, turning almost red.

"I.. uhm.. heh... thank you very much.." Elissi smiles as the dance comes to an end. She curtsies, he bows, they part ways, maybe forever.. Elissi's friends immediately swarm her with questions:

"What was that all about?"

"Who was he?"

"He's the duke, he asked for a dance, that's all it was." Elissi responds, in the calmest way possible. But, was that it? Even she didn't know. A few moments before, Violet and Asher-Timothy were laughing, as they too were dancing.

"Earlier, I saw you go under the table covers. Is there a reason?" Asher-Timothy says, trying to strike a conversation.

"Haha, yes. I was hiding from Howl, that biscuit stealer." She responds, blushing the tiniest bit. They both share a laugh.

"After this dance, I can get you more, if you'd like?"

"There's no need, I've had my share of biscuits."

"Okay, if you insist. Well, how was your evening?"

"It was quite alright, but I certainly enjoyed sharing this dance with you." She says as the dance comes to an end.

"It was my pleasure." She curtsies, he blushes while she isn't looking, then bows. They say goodbye and regroup with their friends. As soon as Violet reaches her friends, she begins to tell them everything..

"He's a great dancer, and he made me smile, even after the biscuit incident!" But as she continues, Elissi approaches and all the attention goes to her as she too asks a bunch of questions. The boys, surprisingly, are also talking about the eventful night.

"Hey Perseus, Asher-Timothy! I see you two got some dance partners." Howl says, teasing them a bit. Ryder helps him by giving them a sly look. They play around and lightly punch each other in the arm.

They all had a wonderful night, but they didn't know if they'd ever see each other again. Although that thought roamed freely, they all had to leave and get some rest. Violet and Elissi went to bed thinking about what had just happened, wondering if they'd ever meet again, maybe in a dream..