WRITING PROMPT: Dancing Lessons
Setting: World of Crystal Chronicles On the road transition from evening to nighttime, near Jegon River. After the defeat of Veo Lu's Golem…
Main Characters: Lora, Tobias.
Secondary: Trista, Puck and Mog. (Maybe involving Kima and Jasper Nens)
It's been a few days since we left Shella and collected our first drop of Myrrh. Now we're three days' travel until we reach Port Jegon to reach the Fum Plantations, a rich farmland inhabited mostly by the Clavat tribe. The land beyond is mostly wilderness and few dared to venture beyond the miasma stream there. However, despite the multitudinous dangers that still await us, there is beauty. Precious moments. Times of laughter and peace amidst the dark swirling storm. This is one of those times I am glad to record, much to my cousin's dismay. Haha, I still get a chuckle out of it.
On the road to the eastern Jegon port, Lora and her caravan of five were hoofing it at record pace. Kima and her brother Jasper were waiting at the port for them. They had split temporarily to make better time. It was late evening and the sound of crickets and distant wolves howling in the distant hills were all that could be heard, apart from the mild conversation and the fire flickering in their lamps. Lora was walking alongside Helon, the caravan's beast of burden, holding the bridle to guide the large, blue creature. It was quite difficult for him to see at night, but not for Lora's expert vision. Tobias was sitting in the back of the wagon dining on a meager meal of leftovers from the previous night. Trista and Puck were keeping watchful eyes on the left and right of the caravan. His lance in hand, Puck sharpened his gaze, watching for enemies; his ears listening for any suspicious sounds. Trista was more laid back as they had not seen hide nor hair of monsters since they left.
'Maybe we scared them off.' She thought.
"Hey Lora." Tobias stuck his head out of the wagon. "How much further till our next rest stop?"
"We're not far. Just hang on a little longer." Lora replied.
"Come on, Lora… my feet are killing me! We've been walking all day." Trista groaned.
"We have to make good time, Tris. Since they gave us that list, we must make record time reaching the caves. Years fly by faster than you think and you've got some of the best pair of eyes this caravan has." Lora said. She wanted to make a good example out of her cousin. Trista always tried skimping out of important duties, a common trait of most selkies. Having her trek a while might do her some good. If Lora can do it, so can Trista.
"Well, how come Tobias can't take turns? I swear, you've been more soft on him than the rest of us." Trista replied.
"We're almost to our destination, there's no need for that." Lora then wondered, 'I've been soft on Tobias? He pulls his weight!'
They came to a clearing near the Jegon river. It was a open shore surrounded by trees and river grass. You could even see the other side of the river, save for a few protruding rocks. The ground was solid and there weren't a lot of rocks, it was mostly sandy. The sun was no longer visible at this point. The last hints of orange and red were fading into dark blue. One by one stars began to sparkle, beginning their long-awaited herald of the full moon.
"We're here everyone!" Lora announced, causing Trista to drop to the ground on all fours.
"Oh! Thank you…" Trista kissed the ground in delight.
"Hah! We sure made great time today. We should make it to the port in a couple a' days!" Puck said. He set his lance on the side of the wagon and removed his steel visor helmet. He let out a sigh of relief. Having that clunky armor on all day takes it out of you.
'It always pays to be on your guard, as my father says.' Puck thought.
"Alright! Well, I'll go get some firewood." Tobias said.
"Don't forget your crystal~" Lora said.
Tobias dug inside around the neckline of his tunic revealing a faintly glowing piece of a crystal. "Thanks, Lora." He smiled at her. This gave Trista an idea.
"I'll go with him. It's best to take four pairs of eyes and hands than just one." Trista interjected.
Lora was surprised by this comment. "What for? Tobias is perfectly capable… Besides! What happened to wanting to take a break?" She exclaimed as she unhitched Helon from the wagon.
"Don't worry your pretty head cousin." Trista caught her cousin in a playful headlock and began annoyingly rubbing Lora's head. "I'll look after your lover boy." Tobias blushed at the comment.
Lora struggled free of her cousin's grasp. "Alright…" She sighed." …but be careful. We don't want to get ambushed again."
Trista was giddy! She never got many opportunities to be alone with Tobias, to figure out just who this guy is that formed with partner-no, this relationship with her dear cousin. She wasn't at all interested in the man for she had her own beloved, however he was pleasing to look at, by her standards. As Lora went about the business of giving Mog, the caravan's moogle, much needed attention, and with Puck winding himself down, the pair went to go collect firewood. As the two walked a good distance from the caravan, Trista pinned Tobias against a tree.
"Alright, spill it." Trista narrowed her gaze on the bewildered Tobias.
"Trista? What are you doing?" Tobias was caught slightly off guard. He wasn't intimidated in the least, of course, she only cornered him. She had no threat to her actions.
"I want to know the truth. How is it you got so close to my cousin in such a short time? What exactly did you talk about that night before we left Cedon?" Trista said.
"What…What's it any business of yours on what goes on between me and Lora? You know enough, I love her and she returns her affection for me. In any case, you advocated it." Tobias retorted.
~!
He had a valid point. Trista let out a disappointed sigh, backing off from Tobias taking a few steps away picking up a few twigs. "You know… I do think you two are perfect for each other." Trista realized how uncomfortable she may have made Tobias feel. "I'm sorry for prying."
"Listen… I love Lora. I wasn't so sure at first… as we traveled and helped one another, I don't know. Time just has a way with things like that, I guess. You're forgiven, by the way." Tobias shrugged and began diligently searching for firewood nearby.
"I guess what I mean to say is I'm really happy. For both of you. She's happy now. She finally has someone who won't leave her in the dark. Please never leave her side." Trista stood up, arms full of sticks, looking at Tobias with a beautiful smile.
"I don't plan on it." Tobias returned with a smile of his own.
Meanwhile, back at the campsite, Lora had put Mog to bed in the wagon. Helon had eaten his fill of the nearby grass and fruits and found a soft patch of dirt to bed down in. Puck gave a long yawn. He had already washed up and the group had supper earlier that day. It was time for this warrior to hang up his armor for the night.
"I'm off ta bed. Good night Lora." He hopped in the front of the wagon to write a bit in his journal before going to bed.
"Good night Puck." Lora replied.
By now the moon was beginning to shine brightly over the smooth, slow-running river. It looked enticing to go for a quick dip, but from experience Lora knew better. Just as sure as she'd hit the water more of those slimy, scaly water creatures would grab her and pull her down to the depths. She shuddered at the thought… Were it not for Mog and Tobias, she would never have made it back to Cedon alive. She sighed, with a slight smile.
'Tobias…'
She closed her eyes. He thoughts drifted to his image that night…
He held up the lantern as her terror-stricken face met his gentle, emerald eyes. He held her in his arms, pulled her close and whispered to her, 'It's okay. You're safe now.' It calmed her down greatly. She hadn't remembered such warm and loving arms since that man…
Jun Po.
He was long out of her memory now. Tobias was the only one she could truly depend on now. She blushed slightly.
Rustle, snap, crack!
Lora snapped out of her dreamy daze. She heard movement coming from behind the wagon. Trusty racket in hand, she rose to her feet and was prepared to defend her caravan.
"…come on, stop whining!"
The sound of light conversation immediately put her at ease. It was Trista and Tobias.
"Ah! We're back." Tobias greeted as he walked toward the small stone pile Lora had constructed for the campfire.
"Took you two long enough! You startled me." Lora said.
"Well we would have gotten here quicker if Trista pulled her weight." Tobias gave a slightly irritated look at Trista who donned an innocent expression.
"Aww, come on Tobi~ I've been working hard all day!" She fussed, sarcastically sounding like a spoiled child. "Surely you didn't mind carrying MY portion of the wood! You need to remember, I'm a lady! I'm very delicate~" She showed off her fair skinned arm to prove her nonessential point.
Lora was slightly amused by this and held back a chuckle.
That's Trista for you, 'Tobi'~. Lora thought to herself.
Tobias just rolled his eyes and grinned at Lora. Turning his attention back to the pit, he began putting the wood into the stone circle.
"I'll get the fire." Lora said as she headed to the rear of the wagon.
Trista, seizing her opportunity, finally sat down and stretched her tired calve muscles. She had been walking a good portion of the day and this was all worth it. She gazed up at the rising moon, stars blinking bit by bit as they appeared in the night sky. The sound of the running river and the creatures singing their routine nightly chorus put her mind at ease.
"Much better than the eerie silence of home…" Trista said her thoughts aloud causing a twinge of curiosity from Tobias. He never really asked nor cared to ask exactly what her life was like before the caravan, other than what Lora told him. His memory reminisced back to the day they left Cedon earlier this year to look for Myrrh.
'So, where is your family from? Well… your aunt, uncle and cousin that is.'
Tobias asked Lora out of mere curiosity.
'Oh~ they're from Leuda. They figured life would be better closer to family. I'm glad. I never see my extended family.'
"Hey Trista…" Tobias arranged the wood in the pit.
"Hmmm?" Trista gave a hum.
"How come you never joined the Leuda caravan? I mean, you were old enough." Tobias was intrigued now. Lora sauntered over holding two pieces of flint.
"Well… Leuda is so far removed from the mainland. We really haven't a lot of need for myrrh as the rest of the world does as the miasma stretches thin there." Trista said as she laid back on the ground, stretching her arms above her head. She then made the most unusual noise as she stretched out.
"What in the world was that?" Tobias asked.
"Aw, come on. Don't tell me you don't do that too." Trista raised an eyebrow.
"I do it all the time." Lora struck the flint together, sparks started the fire.
"I've never heard you sound like that since we've travelled together." Tobias looked at Lora.
"Well…maybe not all the time." Lora looked off.
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes until Trista got up, dusting herself off. "Well, I'm heading in for the night. I'll see you two in the morning." Trista said. Lora stopped her and brushed a spot of dirt off her cousin's back. "Thanks."
"No problem. Good night." Lora said.
"Night, Tris." Tobias said.
The two sat back down by the newly formed campfire, and watching Trista as she stepped up the hill back to the wagon.
"Don't stay up too late you two." She said with a wink. With that, she hopped in the wagon. Tobias just rolled his eyes.
'Good grief.' Tobias thought. "Your cousin is a handful." He said.
"Yeah." Lora chuckled. "She's something else."
The pair enjoyed the light of the fire. The warmth was a welcome gesture to the cool air lingering about, however Lora was getting a bit antsy. She had something on her mind that she had been wanting to get off in some time since they had confessed their feelings for each other. She wanted to grow their relationship one of the only ways she knew how. Of course, knowing Trista, she would try and interrupt or spy on them. She had an idea.
"Um… Tobias?" Lora was a bit fidgety.
"What's up, Lora?" He was reclined back, his legs straight out in front of him. He looked over at her.
"I want you to meet me at the shoreline at midnight. There's… something I want to talk with you about." She said in a low voice, careful to be sure not a word travelled on the wind. Lora tried to hide her nervousness.
"Ah, alright? But… why not just tell me now?" Tobias blatantly asked her.
"Well… it's… very private. I don't think the others should know. My cousin has a bad habit of being nosy." Lora said.
"I know." Tobias recalled the events prior to the going-away celebration a month or so ago. It seemed like an insult, but she knew her cousin would never let her live it down if she found out what she planned. She loved her cousin but sometimes, she has a bad habit of popping up at the wrong time.
"Alright, midnight it is." Tobias said and then rose to his feet. "Well, I'm going to head in for now. See you then."
"Ok. Don't forget." Lora looked longingly at him.
"I won't." He gave a gentle peck on her lips and headed to the wagon.
Lora was restless. She didn't feel drowsy in the slightest. All she could think about was her conversation with Tobias. He took the bait. Talking was the last thing on her mind. She had something else in mind, something she was extremely passionate about above most things in life. She went out near the shore and looked out over the streaming river. Waiting for her Romeo to appear at midnight.
(DANCING LESSONS PROMPT)
It was finally time. The moon is full and bright tonight. A few flickering embers floated above the smoldering campfire. Lora's heart was pounding in her chest. She was but a few feet from the sandy shore of the river. She still had on her day clothes. Tonight would be different than any other. One of the most memorable for her and Tobias. If there was one thing that she could use to help further their relationship, it was dancing. She always loved to dance. She did the traditional dances selkies usually do to show their spirit and passion. Her kind made use of acrobatics and twirls to dazzle and entrance. However, this was going to be different. She felt romantic and decided she'd do something only as intimate as only her and her father shared.
'Poppa's ballroom dancing…'She said and then smiled. It wasn't common for selkies to do something so unorthodox to their tribe, but her father wasn't just any selkie. His love for dancing and his charm rubbed off on his daughter. She finally gets to share it with the man she loves. She finally gets the chance to put those personal father-daughter lessons into practice! Lora's heart was racing, she felt the thrilling emotion course through her.
Step, step, step…
Lora turned to see a half-sleepy Tobias walking down to the shore, making sure to not trip over any of the tree roots that snaked along the ground. The rest of the caravan were out cold. Just what Lora wanted.
"So… we're finally alone." Said Tobias. He set his eyes on his beloved. There she was, silhouetted by the moonlight. The outline of her figure was dimly aglow; it's as if they were stumbling into some fantastical dream.
'Heh, good thing I'm not dreaming.' Tobias thought to himself.
"Yes." Lora said. She bit her lip. "W-we hardly ever get a m-moment like this these d-days." She stuttered. She never stuttered. This was all new for Tobias, but naturally, being the gentleman he is…
"Lora? Are you okay? Should I get you a blanket?" Tobias asked with concern in his voice. It was a bit chilly.
'Ugh, he's so dense!' Trista thought to herself as he peeked at the couple from the wagon, hearing everything the two said. Unbeknownst to Tobias, she was a light sleeper. She nudged Puck awake. No sense in enjoying the show by yourself. Puck was not usually one to care about certain matters, so he didn't pry. However, this is caravan life. It wouldn't hurt to take notes on a bit of romancing, and… spy on your friends.
"N-no. I'm fine." Lora looked down at her feet. She hid her hands behind her back and began twiddling her fingers.
"It is a bit cold out, are you—." said Tobias, until…
"Dance with me Tobias." She cut him off. Breathing a sigh of relief, she felt as if a huge weight was lifted off her chest.
Tobias was flabbergasted! She never really asked much of dancing out of him, but for some reason, this didn't seem like her usual selkic footwork lessons. He just played along anyway, to see what exactly she wanted from him this night. Considering he had recently begun to tap into his selkie-half, doing a few basic steps was no barrier for him anymore.
"Oh, ok." Tobias began to get into the beat he played in his head, shuffling his feet and stepping in the selkic fashion. He figured it just be another lesson, but…
"No…stop." Lora shook her head. "N-not like that."
"Lora? What's gotten into you?" Tobias was beginning to confirm his suspicions, but he was still a bit confused. If this isn't what she wanted to do, then…. 'What?' He wondered.
"Come here. Stand in front of me." Lora held out her hand. Her head was still slightly inclined to the ground. Her hair was barely covering her eyes.
"Oh… okay." He said, though not sure exactly what she was up to. Since their confession, about a month or so ago, nothing seemed to change too much. That all was about to change tonight. He took his place, standing directly in front of her. "So, what's up?" He asked.
"Take my hand." She said, then he put his hand into hers. She slyly locked her fingers in with his. Tobias blushed. "I… I want to try something new. Just follow my lead."
Tobias nodded in response.
Taking his wrist in her free hand, she guided his hand to her bare waist. She shivered at the touch of his palm over her cool, fair skin. She then put her hand on his shoulder.
"T-Tobias." She breathed softly.
"Oh, you go tiger." Trista whispered to herself.
"He seems to be a bit green. I've done this many times." Puck whispered in response.
"Shh, shh, shh! It's getting good." Trista shushed her friend.
Tobias was certain his own heart was about to make a grand appearance, given the loud thumping he felt in his chest. Hearing her say his name pass through her moon-kissed lips just made it worse.
"N-now, look down. Make sure your feet are in line with mine." Lora instructed. Albeit that wasn't the first thing he noticed as he corrected his stance. Lora obviously noticed his eyes on her, but just shrugged it off. "Okay, n-now look me in the eyes." She said. They locked their gazes on each other. "Don't fret it." She tried to sound collected. "It'll get easier as you—we go along."
Tobias just returned with a nod.
-W.I.P-
(This is a fanfic of a fanfic… I guess? Anyway, I couldn't leave Sparrow87's fanfic alone. I like her work so much, I figured I'd give my hand a try at her most enjoyable story. I do not claim her characters and story as mine. All credit goes to the original author. Any and all critique is welcome.)