Dance of Ciprahn

Chapter Eleven

The suspense was too much for Cass. She couldn't bear to see T dancing with some other woman — laughing and having a good time. It gives her chest a painful wrench that feels vaguely like lovesickness. It was enough. She had met a real-life Prince and he was kind enough to let her vent and cry on his shoulder. She rises from her seat and turns to leave. "Ah, but where are you going ma'am? Do you not know that we must dance?" Cass turns towards the voice. 

 T looks at her and is grinning his stupid boyish grin. The spotlight erupts like a hidden land mine and bombards her with light. She is momentarily blinded as her eyes adjust but when she recovers she sees T still looking at her — with every eye turned on her. The other girls stare daggers at her with envy. Cass is frozen in her tracks terrified and exhilarated and about to have an anxiety attack. She feels like she is going to faint or throw up out of desperation when suddenly a lone voice proclaims "Whooo! You go girl!" She sees Jo in the distance waving her arm frantically. That breaks the spell and Cass cracks a smile. Stupid Jo. Always got my back. Sheepishly Cass makes her way through the crowd towards T. His calm, confident smile is all that keeps her going forward. Otherwise she wouldn't have been able to make it through the sea of sneers and haughty looks. If she is with T she feels she could face almost anything. She reaches him at last and he pauses looking at her face then turns. 

Speaking into the microphone he speaks "And now let the festivities commence!" He offers out his hand and she takes it gingerly. She thinks of herself as the worst dancer in the universe, and when Jo had one time secretly videotaped her dancing by herself in her room she wanted to cry when she saw the video. A passionate spirit music stirs that is exotic and lascivious. Her heart races and she feels T place his hand on her shoulder blade as she places one hand on his shoulder. She hadn't realized how tall T was — she has to look up to see his face. Slender from a distance she could feel his muscles through his shirt, sinewy but strong like a swimmers body. For his quiet strength he is gentle in leading her. Instead of jerking her this way or that his body seems to suggest moving this way or that and she would choose to follow. 

Their bodies quickly moved in harmony as minute muscles and synapses fire and adapt to one another. Their spirits resonate, much like how pitches will harmonize when syncing up to the same note but octaves apart.  Cass fights back a smile as they dance marveling at how perfectly their bodies move together; yin and yang, sun and moon, man and woman. They seem like one organism with a shared body, spirit and mind. T is such a gracious dancer that he even makes her seem like she knows what she is doing. He even looks like he is showing her off. They stare deeply into each others' eyes until they are utterly lost in one another. They look until all else seems a blur and dissolves into mist. Time and space alter and there is only this moment. Cass' hand tightens around T's. She notices T holding back a smile. 

She also thinks she sees him sweating and nervously swallowing. Very subtly. She again rests her head against his chest and closes her eyes. They glide through dance floor spinning and whirling with reckless abandon. Cheers and scattered applause are audible in the distant background. She becomes attuned to each minute change in T's body — every small move and spasm. Their body chemistry is remarkable — dance soulmates from the very start. Both are heavily breathing. The audience is taken aback at their skill in dancing and the couple seem like professionals. Cass has never had an experience like this in her life. She wants to hold him and never let go and she feels his pleasure in dancing with her as well. Finally the music reaches its final crescendo and he dips her in a fantastic dip. They pause there like statues staring into each other's eyes and breathing deeply — reveling in the magnificent experience they have just gone through.