Fire Emblem Awakening: My Story

The Coronation Ball

Anna
1 month later...

"1-2-3-step. 1-2-3-turn. 1-2-3-4... GAH!!! 3 NOT 4!!" I tripped over my own feet, falling to the hard marble floor with a thud.

Chrom's coronation ball was tonight, and I was less than not ready. There would be hundreds of fancy nobles along with all of the Shepherds and their families in attendance and I had no intentions of embarrassing myself in front of them. However, it was inevitable as Chrom was to lead the first dance. As his future bride, I knew he would choose me as a partner. He even told me to expect it!

I've danced with Chrom before, even at public events, but only during occasions where it would be appropriate for a general to dance with his tactician. What little knowledge on ballroom dancing I had seemed to escape me. Not that I could even call what I could do admirably.

This was also the night where Chrom and I would make our engagement public, even to the Shepherds. After months and months of hiding, it was finally time for us to come forward.

"Alright, let's try this again. 1-2-4... GAH! WHAT AM I DOING?! WALTZES DON'T EVEN HAVE 4 COUNTS!!!"

"Anna? What are you doing?" I heard my fiancé ask.

I spun around, surprised. "Gah! Chrom, don't sneak up on me like that!" I straightened my cloak. "And I'm dancing, to answer your question... Though I would hardly call this dancing."

Chrom cocked his head in confusion. "Uh, first off, nobody can sneak up on you. Second, why are you dancing? There's going to be plenty of that later."

I groaned. "That's exactly why I'm practicing! I don't want everyone thinking the king's bride is a klutzy, unrefined, unladylike woman!" As I said that, I tripped again.

Chrom sighed, picking me up off the ground. "The king's bride IS a klutzy, unrefined, unladylike woman. And I just so happen to love her with all my heart. Why are you being like this?"

I looked down. "I don't want to embarrass you... We are going to have to dance together, it's inevitable! And I do want to dance with you, I really do. It's just that...I don't know how. All the lessons Maribelle and Olivia have given me haven't helped me at all! When we dance... I'm just gonna trip and fall and embarrass you!"

Chrom sighed once again. Then, what he did next surprised me. He positioned me to stand straight and placed my left hand on his right shoulder. He gripped my right one and raised our hands. He cupped my right shoulder blade, positioning us in the correct waltz position.

"You can never practice correctly on your own, waltzes are always done in pairs." He began to lead the dance in a simple 3 step box waltz. "I'm the man, so I have to lead, you just follow along. We've been over this plenty of times before, nothing new." I stared in awe at him. He chuckled. "Your expression will have to change, though. Notice how I'm smiling the whole time? You're supposed to smile in a dance like this. And no, I'm not making that up. Remember to keep your posture straight."

We continued this for a few minutes. Then, he broke us apart. "There, you can get the gist of it. It's more simple than it seems. I was never really good at it as a kid, but after years of battle and swordplay, it trains you to get better at it. And if I can teach you, I must be good at it."

I giggled a little. "Yeah..."

He began to walk away. "We should go get ready. I'll see you at the ball."