Authors' Note: So, I'm really, really, really sorry about the lateness of the update -- and that there's not tons of chapters to make up for it. There's a whole slew of real life stuff that got in the way (a car accident, moving to London for the semester, among other things), but I won't go into a dissertation about it. Suffice it to say, real life got in the way of me keeping my update schedule against my will, and since I don't think things are going to really calm down any time soon, I'll say that I'll try to update as quickly as I can, but I can't really promise a set schedule. I'm sorry, guys.
Anyway, they're the same ages here (fifteen and nineteen). A little more brotherly fluff here. Note that there's only one more chapter after this one that sticks to pre-game before we jump to the game's plot. I have it charted out, and I plan to go all the way through the game. We're in for a long ride, guys!
Anyway, please read and review!
Bonds of Brotherhood
Nine: Dance Magic
There were some things that would never change. For instance, Pere would never stop putting his best effort into his work even if he still thought much more fondly of days spent in the Gardios manor. The Duchess would never stop fretting over her son. The maids would never stop pestering Guy to date them, and . . .
"Oh, shut up, Natalia! You're so annoying!"
"Well, you're absolutely incorrigible, Luke! You're being obstinate and irrational, and while I realize this is your default behavior, that does not excuse you from trying to shirk your duty!"
"Shirk my duty? What are you talking about? I don't have any duty to dance at any stupid party!"
"You will dance with me, and that is final!"
And Luke would never stop arguing with Natalia. Guy sighed, shaking his head as he leaned against the wall just outside of the room, Luke's and Natalia's voices carrying easily through the barely open door. Natalia had arrived at the manor an hour and half ago, and yet she'd spent the entire time arguing with Luke, having gone to the manor to announce that her sixteenth birthday was just around the corner and that he was expected to dance with her at her party. Luke, just as Guy had predicted, had adamantly refused from the start, angering Natalia and sending them off.
"I'm not going to do anything with you! Just go away!"
"Not until you agree to do what is expected of you! As the Duke's son and my fiancé--"
"I still don't remember making any dumb promise to marry you!"
"--you will display honor and grace and dance with me at the upcoming ceremony! I realize that you don't have to participate in courtly affairs regularly, Luke, but that is no reason for you to act like a commoner now. You are going to show Kimlasca just how prepared you are to take the throne, and you will like it!"
"Now I know you've lost it. Not only do you think I'll actually dance with you, but you actually think I'll enjoy it!"
Natalia made a frustrated sound then, and Guy could just picture her throwing up her hands, glaring at Luke with a look that resembled a furious, wild mare more than it did a princess. "Believe what you will, Luke," Natalia seethed, "but come three days from now, you will dance with me at that party." Guy heard her footsteps, then, and Guy scrambled out of the corner before he could be hit by the door, which banged against the wall due to the force that Natalia had used to slam it open.
Unfortunately, moving out into the open left Guy vulnerable, and he recognized the bloodthirsty look in Natalia's eyes as they focused on him. Try as he might to get away, Natalia marched right up to him, backing him against the wall and standing uncomfortably close.
"Guy," Natalia began, and her tone was a lethal purr. Guy practically flattened himself against the wall as Natalia took another step closer. "I expect you heard all of that just now?"
"I - I - I was just pa - passing through," Guy stammered, his mouth dry. Natalia rolled her eyes, giving him a disdainful look.
"Don't treat me as if I'm stupid. I realize that you follow Luke everywhere like a lost puppy. That's nothing new. Then again, your stuttering isn't new either, but that doesn't make it any less annoying. You really do need to stop being so ridiculous and get over this stupid "condition" of yours, already."
"Why? So he can be a nag like you, Natalia?" Luke had exited the room in a much calmer fashion than Natalia, though his green eyes were narrowed in as much disdain toward her as she was showing toward Guy. "Back off, will ya? I don't want Guy to catch your rabies."
"Excuse me?" Natalia whirled around, taking a step closer to Luke, and Guy allowed himself to relax a fraction. He'd have to remember to thank Luke for that later. "Would you care to repeat that, Luke?"
"What? Even you should be able to realize what a nag you are." Luke set his fists upon his hips, staring unashamedly in the face of Natalia's glare. "All you do is nag at me to "do this" and "remember that." It's really annoying."
"Well." Natalia was practically trembling with her anger, but she didn't shout, instead lowering her voice to a much more dangerous, lethal calm. "Think what you will, Luke, but remember what I said. Father already said that he will permit you to visit the palace just this once for my birthday, and so you will be there. For your sake, I hope you are prepared." Spinning on her heel, Natalia shot one more disdainful look Guy's way before storming back down the corridor, muttering angry words beneath her breath. Luke flipped her a rude hand gesture once her back was turned, though Guy quickly darted forward, knocking Luke's hand down.
"You're lucky she didn't turn around and see that," Guy said once Natalia had rounded the corner. "She probably would have come back to knock your block off." Luke rolled his eyes.
"Don't you mean you're lucky? I can handle whatever she throws at me, but you were shaking like a kitten when she got close."
Guy frowned. "You know why that is."
"Yeah, but still. Can you believe her? Like hell I'm going to dance with her at any stupid party! I've got better things to do with my time." Luke put his hands in his pockets, starting down the corridor, and Guy raised an eyebrow as he fell into step beside Luke.
"Really? Like what?"
"Like . . . I don't know. Train?" Luke exhaled sharply. "Okay, okay, so I don't really have anything better to do since I'm just cooped up in here all day, every day. But so what? Doesn't mean I have to go to the palace and dance."
"Oh, c'mon, Luke. It won't be that bad. At least you'll be out of the manor for once." Guy grinned encouragingly over at Luke, who frowned a bit before looking away.
"Yeah, that'd be something. Still not going, though."
"Hate to break it to you, but you really don't have much of a choice. Princess Natalia was right when she said you'd be there. The Duke will make you go, and even if he didn't, King Ingobert would." Luke's head whipped toward Guy, and Guy recognized the obstinate look in Luke's green irises.
"Screw them both! I'll lock myself in my room. They can't make me do anything."
"They can and they will. But hey, tell me something." Guy stopped walking, and he reached out a hand to gently grab Luke's arm, stopping him as well. "Why are you so dead-set against going? I can see why Princess Natalia would be a bit intimidating--" Luke scoffed at the idea "--but even so, I can't see what's so horrible about it. So you have to dance with her a little -- so what?" Luke didn't answer, instead looking everywhere but at Guy, and it was then that Guy felt the little fontech bulb flicker above his head. "Wait a second . . . you don't know how to dance, do you? They never taught you in etiquette lessons?"
"All they tried to teach me in etiquette lessons was how to speak to stupid, stuffy nobles and that I shouldn't hang out with servants like you or Pere. Yeah, like I'm gonna listen to that." Luke rolled his eyes. "They never taught me anything else, much less how to dance. But who cares? It's not important."
"It's actually very important, since you're going to have to dance with Princess Natalia in three days." Luke gave Guy a look that clearly suggested he wasn't going to, but Guy ignored it, instead thinking hard. "I don't know any of the maids well enough to know which one of them might know slow dance despite her status . . . and I could ask Pere, but I'm not sure if he would know either . . ." Guy bit his lip for a moment more before sighing, shaking his head. "Well, there's nothing for it. C'mon, Luke."
"Where are we going?" Luke demanded, turning to follow Guy back down the corridor. Guy looked over his shoulder, grinning a bit at Luke.
"Back to your room. I'm gonna teach you how to dance."
"Now, you have to remember that when you dance with the princess, you're going to be the one leading. So you'll want to have one arm around her waist, and the other holding her hand."
"This feels awkward."
"Trust me, I'm not exactly comfortable with it either, which is why we're going to get this done as fast as possible, okay?" Guy frowned a little, sighing. "Of course, it'd be easier if you weren't so short. Usually the taller person leads."
Luke scowled, his lips twisting into a pout. "Just you wait," he muttered. "I'll be taller than you in no time. And when I am, the first thing I'm gonna do is kick your ass in a wrestling match." Guy laughed, shaking his head.
"You're welcome to try, if you ever get there, which is looking doubtful right now."
"Guy--!"
"Now pay attention. You'll never learn like this."
Luke's expression didn't shift from a frustrated pout, but he relented, nodding once to show Guy that he was listening. Luke's room was dark, lit only by the lamps, as they had drawn the drapes over the window and had locked Luke's door. If Luke felt embarrassed for having dancing lessons with Guy, well, he wasn't the only one. Guy was having to swallow his own manly pride to do it. But sometimes people made sacrifices for those they cared about, and if it meant Luke not humiliating himself at the party and facing Natalia's wrath, well . . . At least no one's around to see. No one has to know.
"All right, like I said, you'll want one hand around her waist or on her hip -- probably your left hand -- and your right hand grasping hers. But, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?" Guy reached up to scratch at the back of his head. He really wasn't cut out for this. "Luke, do you know how to formally ask Princess Natalia to dance?"
"I'm going to be asking her?" Luke made a face. "Last I heard she was telling me I was going to dance with her with no request about it."
"I'll take that as a no. All right, we'll start from the very beginning, then." Guy clapped his hands together once, matter-of-factly. "I'm not exactly sure how it's going to be at her ceremony, but odds are, she's going to be standing off the dance floor until you ask her. Also, chances are that you two are going to have the first dance completely to yourselves."
"What?! That's insane!"
"It's how it'll be. You're expected to marry her, you know. You can't do that if you can't even dance with her." Luke's expression remained disgruntled, but he also remained silent as Guy continued. "Anyway, you'll need to approach her, keeping eye contact the entire time, and when you stand in front of her, you should bow," Guy demonstrated the action, "extending your right hand to her. Then, in the smoothest tone you can manage--"
"'Smoothest tone I can manage'? What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"--you'll say, 'Princess Natalia, would you do me the honor of having this dance?'"
"So I'm supposed to lie to her? Because her dancing with me isn't an honor at all. It's just irritating." Luke folded his arms stubbornly across his chest, and Guy rolled his eyes.
"I'm just telling you the formal way to ask her, Luke. If you walk up to her and say, 'Hey, let's get this over with,' it's going to be considered rude and the Duke will be furious with you. Not to mention Her Highness' reaction. You actually might have a higher survival rate with the Duke than with the princess if you ruin her birthday."
"Tch." Luke's bad temper didn't fade, and he instead snapped, "So, what then?"
"Well, if you ask properly, she'll accept and take your hand. You'll then lead her slowly to the dance floor -- don't drag her -- probably to the center, or as close to the center as you can get. That's where you'll assume the position I told you before; your hand either on her hip or on the small of her back, your other hand holding hers at about shoulder level." Guy eyed Luke speculatively for a moment before saying, "But first you should probably practice asking, because something tells me you aren't going to go about it the nicest way."
"So, what, you want me to ask you to dance?" Luke demanded, and Guy shook his head.
"Pretend I'm the princess."
"Oh, right, because that's easy."
"Luke . . ."
"All right already! Jeez, calm down!" Luke heaved an exaggerated sigh, and gave Guy a look that clearly suggested he'd rather be digging his own grave. "Princess Natalia, can I have the honor of this dance?"
For a split-second, Guy debated on how to handle the situation. On the one hand, he could just bluntly state the obvious; Luke's proposal was horrible, and Natalia would likely throw him out if he heard it. But on the other, harsh criticism would only worsen Luke's mood, and that was the last thing Guy needed to deal with at the moment. So instead he grinned, forcing his voice a few octaves higher in a snooty impersonation of Natalia's.
"My, Luke that proposal was positively awful! It sound as if you're asking me to live with you in the stables rather than to dance! I demand that you try again at once -- this time with grace worthy of your title!"
Luke stared at Guy in the silence following Guy's imitation -- stared as though he thought Guy had lost his mind. But after a few seconds the corners of his lips began to twitch, and before he could help himself Luke was laughing, reaching out to balance himself on his dresser due to the force of his laughter. At the sound of Luke's laughter, Guy couldn't help but join in, mentally congratulating himself on his victory.
"That . . . was . . . perfect!" he gasped in between laughs. "How the hell did you manage to do that so well? You barely spend any time around her!"
"Trust me, the time I've spent is enough," Guy told Luke, and then hastily added, "But don't tell Her Highness I said that, please. The last thing I need is her on my case about that."
"Oh, don't worry. I could just hear her now." Mimicking the higher pitch Guy had used before, Luke mocked, "'Due to the fact that you serve my betrothed, you will be my servant in the future, Guy. Such dislike of me is unacceptable even though I'm an evil, nagging crow.'"
Guy snorted. "You had most of it, but I'm not sure she'd call herself an evil, nagging crow."
"She would if she had any sense of self-awareness."
"Well, all that aside, I think you should try practicing asking her again." Luke groaned, all traces of amusement gone, and Guy looked at him more seriously. "The sooner you get this part right the sooner we can get the actual dancing part over with."
"All right, all right! Jeez."
"And this time," Guy interrupted, before Luke could say anything, "Try not to make it seem like you'd rather be swallowing needles."
"Right." Luke cleared his throat and closed his eyes briefly before opening one, squinting through it at Guy. "What am I supposed to say again?"
"'Princess Natalia, would you do me the honor of having this dance.'"
"Right." Luke screwed up his face, and Guy was almost positive that he was going to have a repeat performance of Luke's poor request. However, much to his surprise, Luke held out his hand much as Guy had shown him, and repeated in a neutral tone, "Princess Natalia, would you do me the honor of having this dance?"
"Hmm . . . Not bad, Luke." Guy nodded appreciatively. "I think she'll accept that." Luke glowered.
"She better, because I won't ask twice. Once is bad enough."
Guy didn't bother to mention that Luke might have to ask twice, if Natalia willed it. It was her birthday, after all, and if Luke denied her anything, she would no doubt let him hear it right there in the center of the ball -- and if she did that, there was no doubt that Duke Fabre would get involved. But telling Luke that would only cause Luke to complain more, and Guy didn't want to have to take a fifteen-minute segue to argue the subject.
"Okay, now comes the actual dancing part. I'm not exactly sure how we're going to do this with how short you are--"
"Yeah, yeah, keep laughing. I'll hit a growth spurt and be taller than you someday."
"--but we'll do our best anyway." Guy took a deep breath, readying himself for what would no doubt be a painful exercise (both because of Luke's complaints and the clumsiness that Guy knew Luke for), and said, "Okay, do you remember where I said you'll put your hands?"
"One in hers, and one around her waist, right?" Luke guessed. Guy nodded.
"Exactly. And she'll put her hand on your shoulder."
"Right." Luke paused, and then said, "You know, I think I've got it. We really don't have to do this."
"As much as I'd like to believe that, I know you. There's no way you've got this yet." Guy reached out, grabbing Luke's hand, and Luke glared at him, jerking his hand away.
"Are you trying to call me stupid?"
"No," Guy replied, his glib response quick. "I don't have to try."
"Screw you! I don't have to take this!" Luke turned to leave, but Guy grabbed his wrist, yanking him back.
"You actually do, if you don't want Princess Natalia screaming your head off. Come on, let's just get it over with. I'll get you ice cream later if you learn to dance now." Luke looked back at Guy, staring at him shrewdly from beneath red bangs.
"Promise?" he asked after a few heartbeats, and Guy grinned.
"Promise."
Luke still looked like he wanted to leave, but the promise of ice cream was too much for him to resist. With an exaggerated huff, he turned back to face Guy, his lips pursed into a sullen pout. "Fine," he agreed. "Let's just get this over with."
It had taken three hours and bruised feet (Luke just could not stop stepping on Guy's feet no matter how hard he tried), but Guy finally taught Luke how to dance. In the end, one bowl of ice cream wasn't enough for either of them, and Guy ended up sneaking four bowls to Luke's room, relishing in the comfort food. After all, teaching Luke to dance was a traumatic experience. Guy felt he needed all the ice cream he could get.
But three days had passed quickly, and in no time at all, Luke was attending Natalia's birthday party, just as he'd been told he would. Guy, as a servant, wasn't allowed to go, but there was no way he could miss seeing just how his handiwork panned out. No, he had to see if Luke was actually going to follow through on his lessons.
The ballroom of the palace was large, with windows that took up half the side of the wall, starting from the roof. It would be impossible to see in from the ground, but Guy had no qualms about climbing the trees in the castle courtyard, easily scaling one in order to get up to the top branches. Just as he'd predicted, he had a rather nice view; he could see the entire ballroom, and with Luke's vivid red hair, it was easy to pick him out in the crowd -- and from what Guy could see, he'd gotten there just in time. Just as he'd been taught, Luke bowed before Natalia, extending his hand toward her. Guy couldn't read lips well enough to make out what Luke was saying, but the fact that Natalia smiled and took Luke's hand was really all that he needed to know. So far, so good.
"Now comes the dangerous part," Guy murmured, leaning back in the tree and folding his arms. "Remember, Luke, the princesses' feet are more delicate than mine, however she may act. If you step on them . . ."
But he didn't. Instead, Luke began to spin Natalia around the dance floor, his movements basic and not-too-spectacular, yet not shabby, either. Natalia didn't wince, didn't falter, and even seemed to be enjoying herself. Guy grinned appreciatively, unable to resist feeling proud of the clumsy kid in on the dance floor. "Atta boy, Luke," he said, despite the fact that Luke couldn't hear him, and turned to climb out of the tree. "I knew you could do it."
Guy didn't see Luke until later, after the party had ended and Luke was writing in his journal for the night. As was customary, Guy hopped in through Luke's window, sitting down on the windowsill and returning Luke's look with a smile.
"Hey, Luke. You did well with Natalia today."
"You saw?" Luke furrowed his brow in suspicion. "I thought you weren't allowed to be there."
"I wasn't. But the ballroom does have windows."
"You spied on us through the windows? That's a creepy thing to do, isn't it?"
"Hey, I had to make sure you didn't step on her feet somehow. Besides, I'm trying to give you a compliment here. You could just graciously accept it." Guy snorted. "Then again, you never were very gracious." Luke rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.
"Har har. But when you say I did well . . ." Luke's expression suddenly turned a lot more shifty, and Guy felt suspicion of his own worm its way through him. "How much did you see?"
"Not too much. I left as soon as I saw that you weren't crushing her toes. Why?" Part of Guy didn't really want to know the answer to that question. Knowing Luke, there was a variety of ways that it could go, especially with the way he was suddenly avoiding Guy's gaze, rubbing the back of his neck.
"So, uh . . . You missed the end?"
"Yeah." Guy paused, letting the silence pass between them, before he sighed. "Luke, what did you do?"
"I, uh . . . I dropped her." Guy couldn't resist; he put his head in his hands. "It was an accident! I just tried to dip her like you told me to and accidentally let go!"
Just as he couldn't help dropping his head to his hands, Guy couldn't help laughing. At first he tried to control it -- after all, he was sure Natalia had chewed him out good, the Duke right behind her -- but the defensiveness of Luke's tone, coupled with the image of him dropping the shocked princess onto the ballroom floor, and the fact that it was just so Luke thrown into the mix made it impossible for Guy not to laugh. As the laughter took hold, Guy jumped down from the windowsill, crossing over to Luke to thump him lightly on top of his head with one fist.
"Idiot," he said, but his tone was more joking than actually scolding. Luke faked a pout, but a grin was quickly forming on his own lips. "Well, cheer up, Luke. I'm sure Princess Natalia will forgive you sooner or later, and there's always next year."
"Yeah, but in the meantime, at least I don't have to deal with h--wait, next year?" Luke's eyes widened in horror. "I'll have to do that again?!" Guy grinned.
"Yep. So you better start preparing now. Oh, but then again, she might also want to dance with you at your birthday party. Guess that means your next dance is only months away." As Luke's expression of horror continued to grow, Guy felt laughter threatening to overtake him again. "Better get crackin', Luke."
"Aw, man! No fair! There's no way I should have to dance with her at my party, too! It's my party for a reason! Man, this sucks! And Guy, it's not funny! This is serious!" Despite Luke's insistence that the matter was of grave importance, Guy doubled over, Luke's indignation making the entire situation a great deal more hilarious than Luke wanted it to be.
