Forgotten Dusk

Two

Corianne

Mother and Father were laughing to the point of not being able to breathe when they came in the door. "What's so funny?" I ask.

"Nothing, just that you have picked up on the family tradition of living to annoy that Samoses," Mother says with a laugh. I role my eyes. So what I like to annoy Evangeline?

"You need to dress for a formal event," Father says a few minutes after he stopped his laughing fit.

"What kind of formal event?" Clara asks.

"A ball."

" No!!!" I whine, "Please not another one of those! We aren't even considered royalty. Why can't we just have crazy parties? Not a ball."

"Go," he says.

I look through my closet and finally decide on a simple red ball gown that opens in the front, right above my feet, so I won't trip over it. I wear black boots with 4-inch wedges. Father taught me to dance when I was 10, and everyone says I'm good at it, though I don't enjoy it. I braid a red ribbon into my thick hair, and walk out of my room. I'm startled to see Shade standing there. "Why are you here?" I ask.

"Mother wants to speak to you."

" Oh." I find Gisa downstairs sitting on one of our couches. "Yes?" I say quietly. She smiles and gestures for me to sit next to her. I do. She doesn't speak, but instead threads a needle with black thread and embroidered a large rose on the bottom of my skirt.

"There. Mare and Cal are waiting for you outside," she tells me. I find them with no trouble and climb into their transport. Clara is next to me in a short blue dress with white flats. She smiles when I climb in. We ride in silence. When the transport stops, I climb out in a hurry. I don't want to talk to my parents. Clara asked me to keep our departure a secret. We will build a team that will be able to survive in the wilderness through the journey to the Lakelands.

The ball is boring, as most are. Shade and I dance once, but I soon recognize my best friend in the crowd. Chris's parents, Kilorn and Cameron Warren, are close friends with my mother. We danced through two songs, but then decide to raid Father's pockets. We get two shiny silver coins, each of us taking one. When I turn around, my parents are dancing. I smile. Everyone says they fell in love in a moonlit ballroom when Father taught Mother to dance.

A silver-haired teenager is standing beside me. His gaze falls on me. He smiles. "Would you like to dance?" he asks. I nod my head, and he smiles. " So, you're Calore's daughter, " he murmurs. I raise an eyebrow. "I mean I've heard my father talk about you once or twice."

" Oh. Sorry if I don't know you," I remark.

"You wouldn't. We're just visiting my aunt, Evangeline. Do you know her?"

I laugh softly. "Yes, I believe I woke her up at 2:00 with an outrageous lightening storm."

"That was you?"

" Yes. I'm Corianne by the way."

"I'm Ty. Do you want to dance again?"

I really don't, but agree anyway. I suddenly realized that my parents are the only other people still dancing besides us. This song is short, and when it's over, I ask, "Do you enjoy sparing?"

He grins and I follow suit.

"In the field at dawn," I whisper.

A/n Is anyone reading this a Heartland fan? If so, comment on what character got one of the Heartland names!