Chapter 6
Tal stared. Milla was beautiful. Milla was wearing a Chosen dress that was both elegant and sensuous. It was the first time Tal had ever seen Milla in 7 years. Milla like Tal had changed. From Tal's perspective she had grown into a beautiful young woman. Milla scanned the room and as she did she made eye contact with Tal.
She smiled warmly and Tal returned Milla's smile just as warmly. Milla cocked her head towards the mezzanine. Tal understood and made his way to the mezzanine after excusing himself from the table. Tal got there first and tried to scan the dance floor for Milla until he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Tal slowly turned around and was face to face with Milla. Milla still smiled warmly. Tal was unnerved by her smile. It was a rare sight. Tal looked Milla's face and saw a different person to the one he saw seven years ago. The Milla standing in front of him was a bit taller than he remembered and she was smiling a lot more. Similar feelings were running through Milla's mind.
In front of her was a handsome young man who stood an inch taller than her. He was also very much toned. Milla remembered a short stringy boy but this man was not him.
"Milla, you've changed so much, I like it." Tal said musingly.
"As have you."replied Milla still smiling.
Tal was so entranced with Milla's smile that he found himself rudely staring at her perfect white teeth. Milla was not one to fidget but as Tal's lovely deep auburn brown eyes stared at her, her fingers started to play with a piece of string on her gown. Tal finally snapped out of his daze after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Sorry Milla, I've just n.never seen you smile s.so much you must be happy," stuttered Tal and turned away to look down at the party, his face red with embarrassment.
Milla stopped fidgeting and walked over to Tal her smile gone and replaced with a frown of concentration. Tal noticed and turned to face her. This was the Milla he knew but for some reason Tal sensed something was wrong and could only blame himself.
"Milla I'm sorry for staring at you but I haven't seen you in seven years and you've changed a lot since then. I was only trying to find the old you I guess. Do you know what I mean?" asked Tal.
"Yes I do."Milla replied shortly.
Tal felt torn. He was torn between the overwhelming feeling to hug her tightly and never let go and to just stand where he was. Tal and Milla's history was a complicated one. Their relationship was forged in the heat of war. They had to stand together to fight a powerful enemy.
They succeeded but what were they left with? Seven years of separation and power that they were not ready for. Tal was Emperor and Milla an ambassadress of her people. Tal and Milla just stood there looking at the party. Milla was the first to voice her feelings which was another surprise to Tal.
"Tal, we've grown up and over time things heal don't they?"
Tal was about to answer when he realized that it had been a rhetorical question.
"Tal, I owe you a lot for saving my life many times as do you but if we are to create a friendship we have to get past the score keeping, it is."Milla paused to find a word to get her point across, when Tal interrupted her thinking.
".Pointless to keep our rivalry? I agree but we can't just ignore it can we? I maybe acting like a fool right now but there are some things that I don't just want to throw away like the oath we took," Tal held up his left wrist to show his scars.
Milla was surprised at the gesture but was also relieved to see that Tal had understood what she had meant and had not forgotten the bond that they shared. Milla lifted her right wrist and they closed the gap between them and touched wrist.
When they did they both felt an aura of a feeling that was foreign to both of them. This feeling made them feel dizzy and lightheaded they felt the world stop as if the whole dark world wanted them to savor the moment. The music came to its end and the room was filled with applause. A slow song started and Tal was at a dilemma. He wanted to ask Milla to dance with him but a tide of thoughts came into his mind.
"What a stupid idea, Milla doesn't know how to dance the Chosen way." he thought.
Milla was watching Tal and was puzzled to see him act in an awkward fashion. He had never been like this when he was with her before Sharakkor's defeat. Milla looked hard at Tal. He had his back to her and seemed to be having a silent argument with himself. Milla seemed to feel his agitation. It seemed to radiate from him. Milla felt pained to see him like this and went over to him to calm him.
"Just breathe Tal. Why are you so tense?"
Tal gave up all hope of trying to impress Milla and gave a soft self mocking laugh.
"I was wondering how I was going ask you to dance with me but my throat seized up I made a fool of myself."
Milla smiled and laughed softly herself and patted him on the back.
"Is that all, I thought you were attempting to kill yourself again." laughed Milla. Tal stood there feeling awkward. Milla controlled her laughter and became serious again.
"Tal I would be delighted to dance with you." said Milla extending her hand towards Tal.
Tal took Milla's hand and lightly kissed it.
"Thank you and I just wanted to say you look beautiful tonight." Milla flushed.
Her normally delicate pale face had a pink tinge at her cheeks.
Tal met Milla's eyes and for the first time they felt the same feeling.
"Are you feeling what I'm feeling?" asked Tal who felt hazy.
"I think so." Milla replied equally lightheaded.
"Shall we dance?" asked Tal snapping back to his normal self.
Milla smiled and led the way to the dance floor.
Tal stared. Milla was beautiful. Milla was wearing a Chosen dress that was both elegant and sensuous. It was the first time Tal had ever seen Milla in 7 years. Milla like Tal had changed. From Tal's perspective she had grown into a beautiful young woman. Milla scanned the room and as she did she made eye contact with Tal.
She smiled warmly and Tal returned Milla's smile just as warmly. Milla cocked her head towards the mezzanine. Tal understood and made his way to the mezzanine after excusing himself from the table. Tal got there first and tried to scan the dance floor for Milla until he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Tal slowly turned around and was face to face with Milla. Milla still smiled warmly. Tal was unnerved by her smile. It was a rare sight. Tal looked Milla's face and saw a different person to the one he saw seven years ago. The Milla standing in front of him was a bit taller than he remembered and she was smiling a lot more. Similar feelings were running through Milla's mind.
In front of her was a handsome young man who stood an inch taller than her. He was also very much toned. Milla remembered a short stringy boy but this man was not him.
"Milla, you've changed so much, I like it." Tal said musingly.
"As have you."replied Milla still smiling.
Tal was so entranced with Milla's smile that he found himself rudely staring at her perfect white teeth. Milla was not one to fidget but as Tal's lovely deep auburn brown eyes stared at her, her fingers started to play with a piece of string on her gown. Tal finally snapped out of his daze after a few moments of awkward silence.
"Sorry Milla, I've just n.never seen you smile s.so much you must be happy," stuttered Tal and turned away to look down at the party, his face red with embarrassment.
Milla stopped fidgeting and walked over to Tal her smile gone and replaced with a frown of concentration. Tal noticed and turned to face her. This was the Milla he knew but for some reason Tal sensed something was wrong and could only blame himself.
"Milla I'm sorry for staring at you but I haven't seen you in seven years and you've changed a lot since then. I was only trying to find the old you I guess. Do you know what I mean?" asked Tal.
"Yes I do."Milla replied shortly.
Tal felt torn. He was torn between the overwhelming feeling to hug her tightly and never let go and to just stand where he was. Tal and Milla's history was a complicated one. Their relationship was forged in the heat of war. They had to stand together to fight a powerful enemy.
They succeeded but what were they left with? Seven years of separation and power that they were not ready for. Tal was Emperor and Milla an ambassadress of her people. Tal and Milla just stood there looking at the party. Milla was the first to voice her feelings which was another surprise to Tal.
"Tal, we've grown up and over time things heal don't they?"
Tal was about to answer when he realized that it had been a rhetorical question.
"Tal, I owe you a lot for saving my life many times as do you but if we are to create a friendship we have to get past the score keeping, it is."Milla paused to find a word to get her point across, when Tal interrupted her thinking.
".Pointless to keep our rivalry? I agree but we can't just ignore it can we? I maybe acting like a fool right now but there are some things that I don't just want to throw away like the oath we took," Tal held up his left wrist to show his scars.
Milla was surprised at the gesture but was also relieved to see that Tal had understood what she had meant and had not forgotten the bond that they shared. Milla lifted her right wrist and they closed the gap between them and touched wrist.
When they did they both felt an aura of a feeling that was foreign to both of them. This feeling made them feel dizzy and lightheaded they felt the world stop as if the whole dark world wanted them to savor the moment. The music came to its end and the room was filled with applause. A slow song started and Tal was at a dilemma. He wanted to ask Milla to dance with him but a tide of thoughts came into his mind.
"What a stupid idea, Milla doesn't know how to dance the Chosen way." he thought.
Milla was watching Tal and was puzzled to see him act in an awkward fashion. He had never been like this when he was with her before Sharakkor's defeat. Milla looked hard at Tal. He had his back to her and seemed to be having a silent argument with himself. Milla seemed to feel his agitation. It seemed to radiate from him. Milla felt pained to see him like this and went over to him to calm him.
"Just breathe Tal. Why are you so tense?"
Tal gave up all hope of trying to impress Milla and gave a soft self mocking laugh.
"I was wondering how I was going ask you to dance with me but my throat seized up I made a fool of myself."
Milla smiled and laughed softly herself and patted him on the back.
"Is that all, I thought you were attempting to kill yourself again." laughed Milla. Tal stood there feeling awkward. Milla controlled her laughter and became serious again.
"Tal I would be delighted to dance with you." said Milla extending her hand towards Tal.
Tal took Milla's hand and lightly kissed it.
"Thank you and I just wanted to say you look beautiful tonight." Milla flushed.
Her normally delicate pale face had a pink tinge at her cheeks.
Tal met Milla's eyes and for the first time they felt the same feeling.
"Are you feeling what I'm feeling?" asked Tal who felt hazy.
"I think so." Milla replied equally lightheaded.
"Shall we dance?" asked Tal snapping back to his normal self.
Milla smiled and led the way to the dance floor.