Dancing with the Princess

For Writer's Cramp. Prompt: The last time I saw Mom was 15 years ago.

The last time I saw Mom was 15 years ago.

I remember reaching out to her, held back by a stranger with his hand covering my mouth, as a girl not much younger than myself ordered her guards to kill my Mom. It took me years to forgive him, but I came to the realization that he saved my life by muffling my screams, pulling me back behind his stall, and leaving me tied and gagged between his crates of fish till she was gone.

No one survived the wrath of Princess Violette, daughter and only heir to the Great Admiral Gideon. A spoiled little brat she was, and from all that I can see she still is. Oh, she rarely orders people killed in the middle of the street anymore for offenses like my dear departed mother slowing her carriage to the annual Noble’s Masquerade. Trampled by her carriage maybe, but not beheaded in broad daylight and shoved into the ocean any more.

No, now she is a woman, and a mighty elegant one at that. Like every other woman here tonight, she wore a large fluffy gown of silk and a beehive hairdo encapsulating a magelight orb within her brunette tresses. Her orb and dress both shone with hues of blue to reflect her nation, a navy dress and teal orb. The silver mask perched over her eyes shone with reflections of the other ladies orbs, green and red, yellow and purple.

Princess Violette might even be considered pretty, if she ever deigned to smile. I’ve never seen her wear anything other than a frown or a thin line between her cheeks. I wonder, does she realize why that poor young man she’s dancing with is sweating so profusely?

“It do be quite rude staring at a lady, while you do be dancing with anotha.” My dance partner, the Lady Elayne said. Her eyes were narrow slits behind her orange mask. While she was of high enough status to attend the annual masquerade, her mask didn’t shine like the new ones did; she was obviously reusing it from a previous year.

“My apologies, madam. I am but a moth that can’t help watching the flames go by.” I replied, sweeping my partner around in a spin that took her breath away for a bare moment. While she may be offended that I wasn’t giving her my full attention, I was most certainly making her look good in front of the other noble families. I didn’t usually want to draw attention to myself, but for tonight it was a necessity.

“Oh my. You do be a man full of surprises.” Her hand tightened upon my shoulder. “What House did you say you do be of again?”

“I didn’t say.” I replied before spinning her around again, and turning my attention back to Princess Violette and her partner.

He’s lucky she chose him as her partner for such a short waltz. While he wasn’t a bad dancer, he came close to stepping on her feet twice. I doubt he’d have been able to avoid stepping on her for much longer. He gave her a deep bow, then walked away with as much haste as he could without seeming rude.

“That do be a dangerous one to watch.” Lady Elayne said as we separated. “Best not look, and hope she do be not looking herself.”

“That’s actually the point.” I bowed before her, and was rewarded with a look of shock from Lady Elayne at my words. I walked off before she could find her voice. Just as I knew would happen, a delicate white gloved hand came to rest upon my shoulder before I’d taken five paces.

“You are quite the dancer.” said Princess Violette. “I would have you for the next.”

“You may have a dance then, Princess.” I took her hands in mine, and we began to move to the music. Back and forth, I twirled and lead her through the most complex waltz I could with the music we had. One moment our hands were clasped together in front of the orb within her hair and I was biting the inside of my cheek; the next mine were running down her spine toward the small of her back.

I could feel the power follow my hands, and judging by her gasp I’m sure she felt something. I twirled her around within my arms, running the tips of my fingers across the length of both her arms, and along to the back of her neck.

“No one has ever danced with me like that before.” she whispered as we stepped apart at the conclusion of the song. We still clasped hands, and it seemed every eye was upon us. No one would dare dance with her like that, for fear they would mess up and step on her toes or worse, drop her. “I would dance with you again!”

I raised her gloved hands to my lips and gave them a bloody kiss. The blood that had been filling my mouth as we danced dried, and pulled a little bit of me out, before the magic found the path I’d traced to the orb within her hair.

“I’m afraid another dance is not possible, Violette.” I whispered. “Goodbye.”

I looked into her eyes one last time as they bulged, and though Princess Violette wanted to call for my head for my refusal, she found she couldn’t do anything anymore. I stood there, staring into her eyes until the orb within her hair noticeably dimmed, before I turned and strode away. I didn’t need to look back to see that the lines I had traced upon her arms, neck, and back had become visible strings and were tightening.

I didn’t need to watch, only listen to the crowd as they screamed at the fate that befell the Princess, the blood that sprayed upon those that were too near.

This day was 15 years in the making.