Well I re-wrote this, after like, eight months or so. Im way more skilled at this now, and hopefully you can tell. I think I have a fetish for random, unloved lesbian couples. Yeah, I know. Weird.
Disclaimer: If I owned DGM, your life would be H E L L.
Lavi stepped out of the carriage, careful not to scuff his shoes or catch the tail of his coat on the door. Once on to the cobblestones, he turned around and offered a hand to his date, Lady Lenalee, his cousin. They weren't courting, but it was customary to go to these parties with a date, even if she or he was a sibling. And Lenalee and he were raised like siblings.
They weren't as related as most cousins were*, but it didn't matter. Their parents were killed in a fire when they were young. Even money and power can't save you from a fate such as that. Lavi's father was his grandfather's son, as well as Lenalee's mum was his daughter. Bookman, as he was called, was British, and married a lovely British woman of his parent's choosing, and they had a son, Lavi's father. But his wife passed away shortly after her child was born, and Bookman remarried to the daughter of a Chinese lord, and had another child, Lenalee's mother. Lena's mother married early to a Chinese man, with the surname Lee, and they had a son, Kumoi Lee. And around fifteen years later, they had a daughter, Lenalee. Which made the young Lees three-fourths Chinese. But two years before that, Bookman's son had a son with his wife, who was Lavi. Sadly, when Lavi was three, Lena one, and Kumoi sixteen, a tragic fire burned down a mansion where Lavi and Lenalee's parents where staying, along with Bookman's Chinese wife. They all passed away. And so the three children were raised under Bookman.
Lenalee took her best friend's hand and bunched up her shirts, trying not to trip over them; she had done that too many times as a child, but now held the grace of a butterfly in her step. As she stepped onto the streets she heard gaps and had the feeling of eyes watching her. She giggled and smiled. They thought she was beautiful, she didn't quite agree, but she did love hearing it. She thought her hair, which barely existed at all atop her head made her face look too round, others thought it made her look sophisticated. Her long slender arms were covered in a dark green, silky fabric that showed off her neck nicely and fit her waist beautifully, and swayed when she danced or walked.
He took the arm of his 'date' and walked inside, whispering about how funny the old men looked and how fussy the old women were. He made her laugh every time. When they walked down the stairs, the man announced them.
"We present you: Lord Lavi Bookman, and his date, Lady Lenalee Lee, of Bookman estates!" The crowed fell silent for a moment to look at two of the most eligible people, who wanted absolutely nothing to do marriage to anyone whatsoever. Lavi was the only one who knew the real reason why his beautiful cousin refused all the marriage proposals, her over protective brother wasn't the only reason, although that was a key factor.
Lord Bak Chan, a Chinese lord insisted on asking her hand every time she saw him, and she politely refused every time. However, if he asked for a dance, she couldn't refuse, and her redheaded cousin just told her to go have fun. The party was being hosted by the Kamelots, who had a daughter at marry able age as well. She also declined every invitation thrown at her, but many of hers were to gain political power or wealth, not to say she wasn't beautiful, but he childish personally turned some people off to the idea. Her father didn't mind that she didn't want to marry, because that meant more of her for himself and his wife. And their many ecstatic relatives, including an estranged Earl who was part of some insane feud from a thousand years before with just about every family that existed nowadays.
Before Lavi really started to wonder where the host and her date, her uncle, Lord Tyki Mikk, when the announcer announced their arrival. The young girl and her not much older uncle strode in, radiating weath and power. Looking prim and proper as usual, Tyki smirked to the crowed of people below who cared to watch the stars of the party arrive. The childish girl wore a stunning purple dress that had layers of lace, purple of course, and short sleeves, fitting her nature perfectly. Her eyes flitted across the crowed. As searching for someone in particular, and when her eyes crossed the dancing couples, she looked satisfied and took her relative's arm.
"May I present the hosts of this ball, Lady Road Kamelot, and her date, Lord Tyki Mikk!" There was clapping and Lenalee took her place next to Lavi, who was watching the couple descend. Lenalee smiled sadly up at them, with a look only seen when she was looking towards Road. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, most people had stopped watching them and continued doing what they were before, either dancing or drinking, or talking among themselves.
"Lenalee!" A girl shrieked and flung her arms around the other girl's neck and hugged her with force. Lenalee giggled and hugged her back.
"Hello, Road, dear!" She said to the girl who was acting like they hadn't seen each other in years, except for they had last week. The smaller girl grinned, which was a sign that Road wanted something. And when Road wanted something, she got it. Always.
"C'mon Lena, dance with me!"
"Whoa, Road, wait!" She said as the girl was pulling her along to the dance floor. They danced though, with a mixed up steps of two girls dancing, with Road's arms around Lenalee's neck, and Lena's hands on roads waist.
There were whispers around them from the ladies and older men, the younger men disappointed they couldn't be dancing with one of them themselves.
"Aww, isn't that sweet?"
"It's a shame they get married so early…"
"Staying friends all these years…"
"Having a girl who is like your sister is wonderful, especially with that tragedy…"
Lavi saw his cousin and the lady dancing, and smiled. They looked so blissful together, and he heard the whispers of people. They just didn't get it. They weren't sisters, or childhood friends. Anyone with common sense, none of which had appeared so far, Lavi thought, could see that the two girls were in love with each other. At one point the saw them steal a shy kiss. It was an innocent romance, something hard to come by nowadays.
He sighed and stared up at the elaborate ceiling, and noticed someone come up beside him.
"Care to dance?" Well, he might as well have a little fun, too.
* If you didn't understand the family relationship between them it went like this: Bookman had two children, by different mothers- Lavi's dad, and Lenalee (and Kumoi)'s mum. Bookman's second wife, and his two children, and his son-in-law and daughter-in-law all died in the fire.
Sooo, how did you like the rewritten version? I think it was pretty good! And I didn't mention who asked Lavi to dance. Can you guess who it was?