I originally considered going through every step of Serenity's dance lessons, but that would bore me and I think it would bore you. I did the best to make it sound like they were waltzing, but I only know jazz, so I can't say I did too well. It's vague for a reason.
Denizens—this is the first time I have ever used this word. In the reprinted manga, you never hear citizens. Always denizens. I felt that I needed to add that as tribute.
Serenity felt herself wobble as she spun. Her hand gripped the teacher's tighter to keep from toppling over. Her instructor just barely caught her. They moved back into the regular steps. Serenity counted in her head, but the numbers distracted her. She stopped that. She now was off beat. Her foot slid over the dance teacher's. She muttered an apology—"Sorry, Mr. Lenn."—and tried to keep dancing.
"Let me lead," Mr. Lenn said. "Loosen your grip. Make your movements gentler."
Serenity tried. It felt a little easier. "Is this right?"
"Closer. Try to feel the music."
Serenity closed her eyes, swaying along with it. She moved her feet in smaller steps. She memorized each place her foot should go. The music sped up for another spin. She straightened her back and tried to balance. Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself miraculously facing Mr. Lenn again. The smile on his face gave her encouragement. The moon queen had finally mastered the waltz and was ready to move on to another dance.
"Luna! I can waltz now!" cried Serenity. She threw herself into her advisor's arms. Luna brushed her dress off calmly and asked about the lessons. "He's a really good teacher. I didn't realize dancing was so hard, but I'm glad I learned. This ball is going to be so enjoyable."
"Yes, my queen."
"Who has replied?" Serenity stood suddenly tall and solemn as a band of ladies passed by them.
Luna closed her eyes and pictured the pile of letters on the desk. "Nearly everyone. Lord and Lady Gernoa are unavailable, and the Honorable Miss Ophelly is ill. Queen Mercury, Queen Mars, and Queen Saturn said that they would arrive tomorrow. Queens Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto indicated that they would attend, but did not mention when they would arrive."
The black-haired woman turned away, ready to leave, but stopped at Serenity's inquiring eyes. Large and blue, completely innocent, but filled with love—"King Endymion has not replied," she added and continued on her way.
Serenity smiled at her back and went back to practicing. She imagined his hand on her back, the other clasping her fingers. She imagined the sound of her skirt brushing against his shoes. She imagined dancing with him. The image in her mind swiftly crumbled. She pushed and pulled her hair back into place and reorganized her mind—for now she was fairly dizzy. Queen Serenity walked to her office if not gracefully, then calmly. The denizens of Moon Kingdom would be proud if they could see her. The Committee received her in the meeting happily. There was still planning for the ball, after all.
Greeting the guests was a tiring chore. Serenity looked at the newest arrival with a bright smile and knot in her stomach. As a queen, she could do nothing but nod else she be seen as lowering herself to the others. She watched as the ladies curtsied to her. The silver-haired girl wondered if she looked that graceful when she did a curtsy.
"Serenity," Mars said quickly with a brief curtsy. Serenity followed suit.
"I'm glad you are here," she said.
Mars' violet eyes looked at her cautiously. When she had determined there was no threat, she turned away and entered the ballroom.
"Well, it seems that she's in a grumpy mood. It's a pleasure to see you again, Serenity!" Venus grinned. Her curtsy was slower and more fluid, but she lowered herself even less than Mars had.
"You as well." She turned and greeted more guests.
"Serenity."
"Endymion," she replied automatically. She watched him bow, nearly all the way to his waist. Serenity grabbed the sides of her skirt and lifted her right leg. Stabilizing herself, she slowly sunk down, bowing her head but not bending her back. The next conscious moment she had, she was standing up straight again.
Endymion looked at her, blue eyes right next to blue, as if he wanted to say something. Instead, he entered the ballroom with no more words. Each of his guards greeted Serenity in their own way.
After everyone had arrived, Serenity made her way to the front of the room. Charismatic, she told herself, and happy. People like happy people.
"Welcome," she called. The room all turned to her. Her eyes widened. She had never spoken in front of so many people. She smiled to make herself feel more at ease. Serenity listened to the rehearsed words, the calm measure of her voice. Finally, it was over and she walked over to the side. An earl a few years older than her asked her to dance. She accepted.
Serenity spent the next few dances with people of her kingdom. Once her feet began to ache, she poured herself a glass of punch to regain her energy.
"Queen Serenity, may I have this dance?" Jadeite asked happily.
She chirped, "Of course."
This dance happened to be one of the last that Serenity had learned. She concentrated nearly solely on her footsteps until her attention was brought back to her partner.
"Is something wrong? Did you injure yourself?" There was something in his tone that made her question his sincerity—or was it his teasing?
"I am not a particularly great dancer," Serenity confessed.
"Neither am I," Jadeite told her, "but you can hardly have fun if your partner is ignoring you."
Serenity had the decency to blush. "I am afraid that if I do not look I will— Whoa!"
Her foot fell on top of his—maybe it was his on hers; it was difficult to decipher in this mess. She tumbled forward. He steadied her.
"Are you alright?"
Serenity laughed. "I suppose so."
The dance ended. Serenity sat down next to Mercury.
"Why are you not dancing?" she asked.
Mercury turned back to her coolly. "I do not enjoy it."
Serenity nearly asked why she attended balls before remembering that Mercury was a queen.
"The woman with dark hair dancing with the black-haired man," the blue-haired queen gestured, "her body language suggests that she would rather be dancing with someone else. His shows that his paying no attention to anyone else."
"That's sad," Serenity said.
Mercury nodded. "The red-haired man dancing with the blonde—he is going to propose to her soon."
"Oh, really?"
"May I have the next set?"
Serenity turned to see Kunzite standing above her. She consented.
"I am afraid I am wanted on the dance floor, Mercury! Goodbye!"
Mercury cracked a smile at her antics.
"You are hosting a lovely ball, Queen Serenity," he commented.
Serenity beamed. "Thank you." Step, step, turn, step, step, spin. Kunzite slowed her before she could do a double spin. Serenity laughed in her head. That would be interesting. What everyone would say—"Our queen has only attended one ball and already she can do amazing dance steps." It was unfortunately untrue.
"I saw your near fall with Jadeite. Was that his bad dancing?"
Serenity bit her lip to contain a grin. "We can lay the blame there."
Kunzite actually smiled at her. His dance contained little other talking.
"Serenity!" Jupiter called. Saturn trailed behind her.
"What is happening?"
Saturn grinned. "Mars threatened to burn one of your lords after he asked to dance with her."
Serenity gaped.
"Your advisor—Artemis, I think—took him aside, but it was funny!" cried the brunette.
"It really was," added Saturn.
The moon queen let out a sigh and looked around as the night continued.
Nephrite claimed her hand next. He spoke mostly of the stars.
"Little balls of Cosmos. They know all of the good and what will happen. You must listen of course," he informed her.
"I see," Serenity nodded. "And how did they come to be?"
After a rather long explanation that lasted well into a second dance, Serenity walked herself over to the tables and took a seat. Her feet were immediately relieved. These shoes were near torture. Endymion took a seat across from her.
"Are you tiring, Serenity? Do not fret. The more you attend the better stamina you will build."
Her blue eyes conveyed her answer as her mouth was preoccupied gasping for air. The music changed to the simplest waltz. He offered his hand to her. Serenity smiled. She was suddenly feeling much more up to dancing. As he took her in his arms, she remembered her dance instructor's directions.
"Try to feel the music."
There was no conversation then. Serenity only knew the music, the steps, and the feel of Endymion's hands on her. She was thus traded off to Zoisite as a new song came on.
"You have had a busy night."
"I suppose I have," she replied.
"Endym—I mean, my king," Zoisite hastily corrected himself. Step. Step. One spin. Double spin. Step. Step. What Zoisite had said sunk into Serenity's mind. Her eyes bolted up towards his worried green ones. He hadn't been supposed to say that, she realized. Oh well. Now she knew. Nothing to do about it.
She smiled comfortingly to tell him that she wouldn't turn him in. "He allows you to call him by his first name?"
"We have been friends since childhood. We tell each other everything."
"Oh really?" Serenity said, wondering exactly what she could learn from this general.
"Mostly. En—King Endymion won't admit it, but he keeps this locket on his nightstand and it plays a lullaby. If we listen carefully, we hear it very frequently," explained the guard.
She inhaled sharply. "Star-shaped?"—he nodded—"I gave that to him for his birthday one year. His twelfth, I believe."
"Oh," Zoisite said.
The dance ended quietly. She sighed. She hadn't even been able to really speak to Saturn or Jupiter. Why was it that you were only to dance with . . . ? An idea formed in Serenity's head.
"Luna!" she screeched. Luna turned and addressed her. "I need to make an announcement. We are going to have a dance where you dance with someone of the same gender."
Luna raised her eyebrows. "That's an interesting idea, my queen."
"Yes. Go tell the band to stop playing after this song. I will make my announcement then."
Serenity then stumbled off into the crowd. Luna smiled. Life could never be boring with Serenity around.
There was a flurry of people trying to find partners as Serenity walked back onto the dance floor. She looked for Saturn or Jupiter—maybe she could even dance with Mercury.
A delicate hand found her shoulder and she gasped. She turned around and looked at the orange dress intermixing with long blonde hair.
"Hello, Serenity. Will you dance with me?" Venus asked.
Yay! A semi-long chapter! And quick too! Anyway, I hope you all like it. This ball is really fun to write. Venus-fans, I'm pretty sure you'll love the next chapter.
On another note, I noticed that I've been getting more reviews per chapter (don't jinx it! Knock on wood!) and I would like to thank you all. Reviews really make me want to write. I think it reminds me that I have an unfinished story. I wish I could say that I'll update soon, but my family is going to an amusement park this Saturday . . . and next weekend too. But school will be out by then, so in two or three weeks, the next chapter should be up, unless I magically write another chapter really quickly like this one. See you then!
