Valek and Yelena Go Undercover
Valek rushed into our suites with a wild look in his eyes. "Can you dance?" he asked me hurriedly.
I look up from botany books I had been studying. "Dance?" I said, feeling confused. Why would I need to dance?
"Yes. The Commander is having a ball. he is going against everything he has ever said about the opulence of the King, and having a party."
"He's never done anything like this," I said, perplexed. "The Commander doesn't seem like someone who would change his views lightly."
Valek's face darkened. "He isn't. I have no idea what gave him this idea, only that is something bad. Someone is influencing him. I know it," he brooded.
Trying to talk to Valek about conspiracy theories was pointless, so I gave up and turned to a more open topic. "Why would I need to dance?" I asked him again.
"Can you?" He countered, running a hand through his black curls.
"Does it matter? I still don't see why I would need to, because you won't tell me!" I cried, exasperated.
Valek glared at me, sapphire eyes snapping with annoyance. "You need to dance because the Commander has informed me that I must attend the ball. And what do we do at balls? We dance. And I need someone to dance with." He looked at me, making sure I understood. I most definitely did.
"Me?" I squeaked. "No. Definitely not. I need to taste the Commander's food! There's always food at a ball. You know that! I can't just go and dance!" I finished, outraged.
Valek waved a dismissive hand. "I have other food tasters for one night, and anyways, what you'll be doing with me will be far more important. You won't just be my partner for the dances. You'll be helping me look for trouble."
"The Commander does have guards for that, you know," I reminded Valek.
"Yes," he responded,"but with that many people around the Commander, the guards can't watch everyone. Besides, you and I would be in the crowd, in disguise. Did I mention it's a masquerade ball, so nobody will know who anyone is, friend or foe?"
I groaned and put my head in my hands. "I take it back. I don't want to know why."
Valek chuckled at the anguish in my voice, then turned serious. "So, do you know any dances?" he queried. "You will need to actually partake in the celebrations. I already know you have good foot work from fighting, and you're graceful as well." Here I blushed, though I knew that Valek meant it only as an assessment of my skill and not a compliment. Thinking it was anything more was folly. As I was thinking, I became aware that Valek was looking keenly at me, awaiting my answer.
"No," I said, and flushed again. "I never had a chance to learn." I felt coarse and uncultured, even though I knew that learning to dance was the least of my problems. Apparently, though, Valek did not agree. He grimaced, and then beckoned to me. "Well, come on. Stand up, Yelena, and come over here."
Confused, I did as he said. When I was close enough, Valek reached out and grasped one of my hands, which he set on waist. He then moved one of his own hands to my waist, and clasped our two remaining hands together. "Now," he said, just as the pieces clicked together, "we dance." And then Valek whirled me away, turning and stepping and lifting. At first, I was clumsy and awkward, stumbling over the unfamiliar steps. Then, I gradually began to realize that dancing had its own rhythm, like fighting, and settled in to learn. I found that I enjoyed dancing, and that Valek was an excellent partner, not that I was any judge. His strong arms lifted me high into the air on jumps and pulled me close for twirls. I felt his broad shoulders move under my hands, and when my face began to redden, it was not just from the exercise.
Not noticing my discomfort, Valek explained the history of dancing as we went along. It turns out that while Commander Ambrose only rarely sanctioned official parties, all high ranking personages in Ixia knew the popular dances if only for fun.
By the time Valek had finished teaching me the basics of dance, I knew that the General Kit couldn't dance to save his life but that he always tried the hardest dances and that the favorite dance in MD-6 was slower than one of the spirited ones designed to warm you up in frigid MD-1.
"You did quite well for a novice," Valek noted at the end of our lesson. "We'll keep practicing everyday until the ball, though." I nodded, happy. I had enjoyed the dancing and the heightened senses that came from being so near to Valek. As I turned to go to taste the Commander's evening meal, Valek called after me, "Yelena." I turned around expectantly. "After you taste the Commander's meal, go to the seamstress. You need dress for the ball, and a mask."
My face must have conveyed the shock I felt because Valek shook his head. "I know. That's why I'm worried." It was true. No one ever went without their uniforms. Who would when it was a crime? But here Commander Ambrose was, ordering everyone out of theirs without a second thought. I shook my head, unconsciously mimicking Valek, and trotted away to taste the Commander's meal, my mind spinning with questions.