Music filled the ballroom, ceilings seeming to stretch on for miles. Lux Windsong never could have imagined such a thing, but here she was, dolled up in her white dress and preforming for the people who took pleasure in watching her people die.
Her mentors words rang in her ears.
we have to make them like you.
She hated every second of these fake smiles and quick notes, but deep down, she knew he was right. That was the only think pushing her to continue strumming on her new ivory violin. A gift from Coriolanus earlier that night.
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"She's incredible, it's she?"
Sejanus mentioned to his friend.
Coriolanus seemed distant, but quickly snapped back to reality once he heard his voice.
"What?"
Sejanus laughed, clapping along to the final song.
"You've been staring her down all night. Don't get your hopes up. That's my word of advice."
Coriolanus grimaced.
"What hopes to I have to get up? She won't last a minute in the arena."
The ballroom erupted into applause as Lux finished her last song, bowing deeply, arms outstretched.
"I can tell, Corio. You have faith in her. Why don't you go talk to her? If not she'll just be attacked my Clemensia, and you know it."
Coriolanus sighed, but eventually gave in. His grew more and more anxious as he approached the monument that was Lux, an aura about her drawing people in. He did in fact not want to be drawn in.
"You were fantastic."
Lux whipped around from her previous conversation, now practically bouncing in her heels.
"Dear lord, that was terrifying."
She said with a twang, completely wide eyed.
Coriolanus chuckled, glancing down.
"We'll you definitely didn't show it. If I didn't know better I would think you were..." his words trailed off.
"One of you?" The girl smirked.
He clicked his tongue.
"Care to join me? Help you wind down your nerves?"
Lux pulled her face into an exaggerated expression.
"Is the Coriolanus Snow asking me to a dance?"
"Not at all, Im just-"
The two talked over each other, words jumbling through the argument.
"What will people think? Why, I'd never-"
"Fine!" Coriolanus said with a wide grin, extending his palm.
"Will you- Lux Windsong, accompany me in a dance."
The fiery girl's eyes glowed as she placed her hand in his.
"Why of course." She replied quietly.
Classical ballroom music echoed against the marble walls as the two swiftly moved towards the center of the floor, still hand in hand.
Coriolanus felt his face redden as he placed his hand on Lux's waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her hands ever so close to his loose blonde curls.
"Do you know how to dance?" He questioned.
Lux scoffed.
"Do I know how to dance?"
Immediately after those words were uttered, a quick pain caused Coriolanus to wince. She had stepped on his foot.
"Of course I do." She smiled.
He took a sharp inhale through his smile.
"Then why don't I give a few pointers?"
Then night went on, and Coriolanus was half sure he had lost several of his toes, yet he had never been happier. Sejanus was great company at balls such as this, but Lux filled the drab celebration with newfound humor.
He never really noticed the stabbing pain in his feet, since he was too busy admiring the girls grey eyes.
The melodic song came to an end, and a cheerful, intense, blue grass tune began to ring through the halls.
Lux gasped, quickly turning to Coriolanus with what might be the worlds biggest smile.
"Oh Corio-"
"Absolutely not." He said with a laugh.
"If you want to be a good mentor, you have to accept mentoring."
Despite his best efforts, she dragged him towards the very center of the ballroom floor. If anyone wasn't staring at them, they definitely were now.
