Of Smiles and Swords…

~O~

Unnoticed, she stood by and watched as the subject tried and failed. Again and again, the steps somehow beyond the capabilities of the mind that sought to master them. Yet in other, slightly more practical things, the footwork was solid and even shaded towards the theatrical.

So why was it that dancing was so difficult?

And why was it so important to solve this riddle?

Silent and still unnoticed, she took her leave. It was time to speak with a master to see if one idea might have merit…

~O~

Soleil grimaced as she lay on the floor, victim yet again to her own klutziness. Whenever dancing was involved, her coordination and rhythm vanished as though the hard won skills and body control were merely a phantasm of her imagination and not the product of years of training. Put a sword in her hand and she could smile and swing with the best of any blade master, but take it away and she floundered like the merest neophyte.

When the door to her private practice opened, she glanced over forlornly. No smiles here, not when it could be yet another person come to find her secret. With the way things were spiraling out of control, it would be a wonder if everyone in the army didn't know by the time the war concluded.

The figure that stepped lightly into the room brought a wry grin as she considered that her shame lay concealed for at least one more day. Corrin already knew and had yet to spread that knowledge. Instead, the princess had used it to attempt to alleviate the awkward passes that Soleil hinted at presenting her.

Soleil hadn't seen her in private since that glorious moment where the princess had declared that a lady would rather be courted than flattered. She rather wondered what would bring said lady back into her presence.

Her eyes drifted downwards and took in the sword tightly grasped in one hand and her grin widened.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company today? Hopefully not a desire to see me make a fool of myself again."

While the princess flushed and frowned, Soleil grinned. Much as Corrin might wish it otherwise, the swordswoman enjoyed flustering her and seeing the color rise to tint her elfin features. The flush on her cheeks was so adorable!

A mild cough brought her back from the fantasies that threatened to indulge her mind in adult daydreams.

"Actually, I believe it has more to do with me not humiliating myself with sword play. Your father intends to teach me dueling with accompanying music. I requested that you be my partner in this foray, if you wouldn't mind?"

Surprise flashed through Soleil's mind and must have reflected on her face. Corrin blushed and glanced away, suddenly shy and uncertain.

"Well…" As much as she would love to drag out her answer, just to observe the rosy hues rise and fall upon her visitor's face, Soleil understood that in this moment there was a certain vulnerability. Her answer could move things forward, or cast away any hope that she might have of courting the lady before her.

"As long as you're certain that you want my aid, how can I deny it?"

Corrin's face lit up, and Soleil blushed at the sight. "Just name the time and the place, my lady."

Perhaps it was a bad habit to grin and blush, but as Corrin set forth the days and time of their meetings, Soleil couldn't help but smile.

She could work with this.

~O~

The first lesson…

He watched with a patient eye as the two parried and swirled their way across the stage. He could remember how much impatience there had been buried under the enthusiasm that his little girl had exhibited when she'd first taken up a blade…

Now she tempered that with a thin veneer of patience, likely to crack if she lost focus. However, her focus at present held true, the sword in her hand holding the cue to each step in the dance that she unknowingly took part in.

He wondered when she would finally catch on.

Smiling indulgently, he understood that it might take a while.

After all, she was her father's daughter. And he'd taken ages before he'd learned the true dance of the heart.

He could only hope that she'd be a quicker study than he had been.

~O~

AN: Short follow up to 'Dancing Left Feet'. A work in progress and hopefully one that you all can enjoy. Happy New Year to all of you in Fire Emblem fandom.