Emilie of the Royal Heart

Chapter 43: The Prince Also Loves a Dance, But Not Today

 Elias gave a short laugh as they reset their starting positions for the new dance. Emilie frowned at him. He didn't share the joke and she was a little offended so she peered at him with expectant eyes but he wasn't looking at her, so she gave in and spoke up.

"What was that laugh for, your imperial excellency?"

Analeigh had whisked away to the quartet to tell them to change their musical selection to something appropriate for this dance. Elias slowly brought his gaze back to Emilie.

"Of course this is your favorite dance," he explained in good humored exasperation, though she didn't feel any more enlightened.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she challenged, "what's wrong with the Midnight Lovers?"

"This is Aurora's favorite dance too."

"Oh."

The quartet started up and Analeigh gave them the count in. Elias clasped his arms behind his back as did Emilie. The strings dotted out a thin melody that was easy enough to see the invisible shape off. Emilie stalked toward him in a strictly choreographed manner, reserved and cordial. When it came his turn to stride toward her, it looked like he wasn't going to stop and she half-gasped on the final step as his gaze pierced into her, arms falling out to her sides. Elias raised an eyebrow at her, but she saw through to the slight smile he held on his full lips. It was a smile that said this might be Aurora's favorite dance, but dancing it with him was going to have a stronger effect.

"Arms up, you're about to miss the next section," Analeigh cautioned.

Emilie and Elias both glanced at her and then back to each other. They almost missed the beat when it came, but they managed to whip their right arms into the space between them as if in the midst of a swordfight and not a elegant dance. Their forearms made a cross and their palms nearly touched, but stayed apart as they made slow circles around each other to the sway of the music.

She longed to keep watch on her own steps, but Elias' eyes ensnared her so completely, looking at anything else but him wasn't possible. Even so, it was easy to stare back at him. As they shifted across the polished floor, Emilie watched the light shift across his silvery taupe complexion, coloring it in veils of honey hued sunlight. In one sway and turn of their dance, she spotted two little pale freckles hiding among the hairs by his left ear.

"I want to kiss you right now," Elias told her.

Emilie snapped her head around, eyes darting for Analeigh and for the quartet, horrified they may have heard, but the musicians were preoccupied with their sheet music away in the corner and Analeigh was sitting on the sidelines now. When Emilie sighed in relief, she turned her head back to Elias.

"You can't say that here!" she panted.

"Why not? Because you think they can hear me from opposite sides of the room or because you're afraid you'll oblige me?"

Emilie choked and fumbled her next step on the dancefloor as she started, "I-"

The doors flew open. She whirled her head around, dropping her hand from Elias'. The music stopped playing. Analeigh shot to her feet.

"Your majesty!" she curtsied as Aurora walked into the ballroom, "we're in the middle of Lady Emilie's dancing lessons for Deisym Unification Day."

"I can see that," Aurora said, clearing his throat as he approached Emilie and Elias.

Was it at all possible that some crazy royal who used to live here decided to build a trap door on the exact panel of the floor under Emilie's feet? She sincerely hoped so, but imagined that she wouldn't be disappearing down a chute into the basement anytime soon. No, she would have to stand upright between Aurora and Elias without the emergency extraction. Her hands got clammy and she chewed on her lip, eyes leaping back and forth between the two of them as Aurora halted in front of them.

"W-would you... um... your highness..." Analeigh called out to Aurora in his stiff silence as he took in what was a very obvious situation before him, "now that it seems like you're available, would you like to step in as Lady Emilie's dance partner for a dance or two? The Emperor was graciously extending his free time to do the same."

"I'm sure he was," Aurora sighed, his gaze flitting over to Emilie. His eyes called to her, but they quickly moved away before they could say too much. He straightened his maroon waistcoat and he announced, "I would love to stay for a dance, but I'm sorry to say that I'm here for my brother."

Elias pursed his lips and said, "you are?"

Aurora nodded, "yes, you're supposed to be in Kaslindia for the holiday, not Fellen. So now we've got to figure out something to tell Kaslindia because they were expecting their Emperor to visit."

"You're making it sound like I didn't give any notice. I sent them a letter explaining everything," Elias insisted.

"If you sent a letter, it was much too late as they haven't received it. The Prince of Kaslindia was rather disgruntled when he heard of your plans to visit Fellen instead of Kaslindia. It might come across as offensive if we don't devise a proper excuse-"

"I wrote them," Elias furrowed his eyebrows, "because I already knew this would be an issue, so I sat down and wrote him personally. I am not an inconsiderate ruler and I know how to manage the kingdoms. I don't appreciate this trying to insinuate that I didn't take care of this when I know that I wrote-"

"Elias, the post," Emilie burst out in realization. It took Elias a second to switch gears and look down at her. He frowned.

"What?"

"The two fastest horses and your best postman," she reminded him, "you must've written the letter on time, but the post couldn't deliver it quickly enough."

Elias hung his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, "oh, I think Emilie's right, Rory."

Aurora's gaze batted back and forth between the two of them and Emilie could tell he was dying to know what other secret information might there be between the two of them. Little of this showed to anyone else though, so Emilie made sure not to expose him.

"Even if that's the case, we will need to discuss what's to be done," he noted.

"Yes, of course," Elias nodded, then turned to Emilie and said, "I hope to see you again on the dancefloor."

Emilie curtsied with a shy smile.

The Emperor headed for the door, but Aurora lingered for a moment. Emilie could hardly bear his curious eyes on her now. She swallowed hard, unsure of what he was going to do, but worried that it would put her in a difficult position.

"I'll see you later tonight," he said, like he often did when he was busy. Aurora stepped toward her, touching the side of her neck and kissed her cheek.

He did it often. It was nothing special. It wasn't a move designed to show Elias that he was the only one who could kiss her in public, it was just the thing he did. Emilie let her eyes flutter shut even though his touch left her as soon as she felt it. He squeezed her hand and then he let go. Her eyes flashed open after him, but he walked away with Elias and the doors of the ballroom closed behind them.

After a few minutes of silence and Emilie looking stupid in the middle of an empty dancefloor, Analeigh got up from the sidelines and strolled over to her.

"Emilie, I really do have something to tell you. I had to wait until the Emperor and the Prince left though because... well, you'll see. We can continue your dance lessons afterward because I know you'll want to hear this right away. Come sit down," she said, taking Emilie's arm and pulling her toward the seats.

Emilie followed her and sat down on one of the chairs, but her bewilderment made her feel like there was nothing holding her up.

"I don't understand."

Analeigh nodded, "yes, I know it's confusing, but I promise you should hear this."

Emilie tapped her fingers together, feeling a bit scared that Analeigh might confess her undying love and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to take it, "I'm in a bit of a bind already, I don't know that-"

"It's about your mother."