The Captain and His Lady (A Fantasy Short Story) √

There is only you.

Emma sighed as she watched the other girls dancing with their partners. At age sixteen, Emma had thought she might be asked to dance. But none of the boys standing by themselves had come up to her. Her chest clenched with sadness as several of the girls without partners, walked right up to the remaining boys and asked them to dance. Emma had tried to be bold, but none of the boys wanted to dance with her. They had blown her off. They said they didn't feel like dancing. But here they were, accepting dance offers from the other girls.

"Emma?" She turned and smiled weakly as Michael came towards her. Michael had been indulging dance offers all evening. Emma had thought about asking him to dance, but she didn't know if he would think it was weird.

"Why aren't you been dancing?" Michael asked, standing beside her.

"No one wanted to dance with me," Emma replied in a small voice.

"What?! That is absurd. I want to dance with you. Come on."

Emma's heart jolted in her chest as Michael took her by the hand, leading her to the center of the dancefloor. Michael turned Emma and caught her against his chest. He grinned when she squeaked in surprise.

"People are staring," Emma said as Michael placed both his hands on her hips and gently moved them to the music.

"Let them," he replied, locking his fingers behind her back. "It's their fault for not dancing with you. Now they are forced to watch you with me."

"But . . . You don't feel weird dancing with me?"

"No . . . Do you?"

Emma shook her head. She most certainly did not feel weird about dancing with Michael. She had been worrying about what he might feel, not what she felt. What did she feel?

"You look lovely tonight," Michael said with the utmost sincerity. "N-not that you don't look lovely all the time . . . You know what I mean."

Emma blushed, "You're supposed to say that," she replied, shrugging. "You're my best friend."

"Emma . . . I know, but I have a confession to make."

Emma froze, as did Michael, but for different reason. Michael froze because he did not know if he was confident enough to confess his feelings. Emma froze because she did not know what her best friend might tell her. If Michael told her that he met someone and that he was in love, her heart might crumble. Sure, she wanted the other boys to dance with her, but she knew that her heart remained with Michael.

"I can't stand the thought of someone else dancing with you," Michael said, walking backwards, bringing Emma with him. "And if I am being honest with you . . . I told the other mates to not dance with you . . . Because you're my best mate."

Emma looked at their clasped hands, unable to speak. Michael brought her to a corner, behind a pillar. He pulled Emma gently towards him, placing her hands behind his back.

"I've waited for so long to tell you how I feel," he whispered, encouraged by the blush of Emma's cheeks. "I can't sit back and watch you grow more beautiful every day, and not have my chance. I know you might think that I am rather popular with the other girls, but . . . There is only you. It's always been you."

Suddenly, a tear slipped down Emma's cheek, and Michael wondered if he had said something wrong. She closed her eyes and looked away. However, a hope sparked in Michael's chest when he saw the start of a smile. And not just any Emma-smile. Her brightest and most joyful smile.

"Emma?" he said with a soft, nervous chuckle. "Say something, please."

Emma turned her gaze to him, her smile shining in the dim dancing-lights. She bit her bottom lip, a nervous tick Michael had often observed. When she began to move her hands out of his grasp, he froze.

"You're my only captain," Emma whispered, moving her hands to lock them behind Michael's neck.

Michael's heart leapt and he grinned. His hands found Emma's waist as he pressed his forehead to hers. Their noses touching. He held her tight, unwilling to let her go.

***

The two foxes, yelping and nipping playfully at each other. If there had been anyone else in the forest, they would have most certainly heard the loud yapping. It echoed through trees. It was as if two young children had been set loose and were hard at play. The moon lit the forest with silvery beams.

Captain Michael, alpha of the duo, halted when a strange scent entered his snout. He growled low, arching his back. The fur on the back of his neck stood on end. His gaze met that of Lady Emma, his beta. Knowing precisely what he was thinking, Lady Emma, flanked him and kept alert. A twig snapped, causing the pair to look in that direction. What they saw surprised them, but they were able to calm down put down their guard.

"Captain," said Jackson, one of the men who crewed the Red Fox. "We've found the medicine woman you seek. She waits aboard the Red Fox."

Captain Michael nodded and glanced at Lady Emma. He saw her agreement in her eyes. They had long been waiting for this day, and perhaps this strange medicine woman could help them. Captain Michael barked once, letting his crew member know that he could take them to the woman.

***

Michael and Emma danced the night away, never once leaving the comfort of the other's arms. Michael rested his chin on Emma head, which was against his shoulder. Her eyes were closed as they swayed to the soft music. He could not stop smiling. The night had turned out much better than he had expected. Michael had not known that he would confess his love to Emma. He acted out of impulse when he saw her frown and furrowed brow.

And now, having told her how he felt, learning that she had been feeling the same way, Michael never wanted her to belong to anyone but him.