VISION ||ONE-SHOT BOOK||

Dance

The ballroom was a sea of colors.

Erik watched from the sides, standing guard all by himself while the others in the dancing crowd flurried across the floor. It reminded him of blossoms in the springtime. Shiruu was there too, her hands on the arm of a gentleman. She seemed breathless. It was probably her fifth dance of the night already.

He is keeping count after all for particular reason.

In all of his years as a part of King Nihiro Takashi's order of knights, he had never seen a ball of this scale; tides of blue, pink and gold skirts, a choir of musicians and an orchestra sweeping the air with rich string tones.

He had to say it really isn't his style.

After all, as one of the greatest knights of Nohaku, dallying on the dance floor would be untoward for the honor of both the knighthood and his lady Shiruu's bloodline. He was uninterested in the ladies who giggled as they passed by, cooing at him underneath their flapping fans. He had his duty of being on guard and that was all that he cared about. 

He would not engage in superfluous things like dancing.

Or perhaps there was no one Erik wanted to dance with except Shiruu.....but he shooed the thought out of his mind, as that was far beyond the realm of possibility.

When the previous music ended, marking the start of another one, he watched as another man sidled up to Shiruu. It was none other than Ayato, the one known as the greatest swordsman in all of Nohaku, along with his handsome looks to boast about.

Shiruu extended her gloved hand which Ayato took in his arm, bowing as he kissed it.

Erik felt his neck growing hot. It was certainly his uniform -- the stuffy blue broadcloth was much too itchy and tight on him. He took a quick look around just to be cautious in case and then gave one last look to Shiruu before heading out to the balcony.

________________________________________

Erik leaned over the railing, a cool breeze blowing over the top of the rose garden below the balcony. He pulled his collar, feeling the breeze soothing his skin.

He felt much more at ease, listening to the chirping of birds in the garden, smelling the aroma of different flowers decorating the royal garden. Stars decorated the night sky. The peace was a welcome reprieve from the buzz and clamor of the ballroom.

And a welcome distraction of the agitation he felt in his chest when looking at Shiruu smiling at Ayato and those other men. 

But no matter, he kept telling himself that it is entirely indecent to engage in any sort of affectionate display with Shiruu. After all a lady like her should follow the rites of courtship with someone of upper statuses and background in the society.

A good amount of minutes later, Erik heard the music fade to an end thinking that it was surprisingly short. He wondered whether Shiruu would be having another dance with Ayato, when a voice from behind managed to startle him.

"What do you think you are doing? Neglecting your duties?"

He would know that voice, that gait and air of superiority anywhere. He turned around. There she stood, dressed in her ballgown, her long, silver hair tied into an elegant knot.

He quickly bowed. "Apologies milady. I just came out to get a bit of fresh air and would have returned shortly."

She shook her head, her earrings glittered against her jawline. "No, not that duty. I mean your duty to dance when there's a shortage of gentlemen."

Surprised, he gave her another bow. He guessed that explained the women who kept giggling while walking past him. "Apologies milady. I was not aware that my presence was needed in such a fashion. In fact, I was under the impression that doing so would be considered....improper.."

She sighed and leaned next to him in the balcony railing. He was conscious of how improper this was -- him alone with the lady he served sharing the same space --but Shiruu had always been like that. She has always dismissed the hierarchy that he tried so fastidiously to heed.

"The impropriety is otherwise. What would Xavier say if he knew you were being so uncouth as to neglect the needs of the ladies in a ball like this?" She asked, sighing again.

Erik couldn't resist rolling his eyes, recalling Xavier's jolly laugh and cheeks tinted red from alcohol. "I would hope that Sir Xavier would encourage your forgiveness, milady. But if there is anything I can do to rectify my ways, then please do inform me."

Shiruu turned to face him, hand on her cheek. She was grinning. "Why yes Sir Erik. I think there is something you can do. I do so love to dance, something that I discovered tonight."

His heart skipped a beat. He realized what she is trying to imply and suddenly felt lightheaded. He tried not to smile too widely as he extended his gloved hand out to her.

"Then milady, would you grace me with a dance?"

She smiled back at him, accepting his hand with her own. "That would be my pleasure."

Erik couldn't help but think that her hand felt proper fit in his. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and they remained there, enjoying the cool fragrant air of the balcony, swaying by the drifting melody of the waltz.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________