The Masque
Gosh darn it all. I meant to post this last week, but I had to write the final scene, I just had to! I'm so sorry, y'all. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for my laziness and help you all to forgive me. I know excuses aren't cool, but I have very good excuses. One weekend, I couldn't write cuz one of my friends tried to kill themselves, so. yeah. Then the other, it was Halloween, and I had a party, which took FOREVER to plan. anyways, here's the new chappie, don't forget to review!
My dearest Meliara, More than anything in this world, I would find it most enjoyable if you would come with me to the masque after your foot has had a chance to heal. I will not ask you what you will use for your costume, as your beauty would shine through any mask you attempt to put on, and you will know me by the ring you have sent me. I await your answer as your humble servant.
Mel stared at the paper in her hands, lying in her bed with her foot propped up and a cup of hot chocolate in her other hand. Then she sighed, placing both the chocolate and the paper on a table nearby. "Life, what can I do?"
Her ankle would be fine after a few days of bed rest, and Nee had offered to stay with her during that time. The injury would not hinder her if she decided to go, but there was still the question of how she would react to a courtship outside of letters, face to face. She wanted to see him. to speak with him. but how could she, when she was only just meeting him outside of letters, only just beginning to trust him? And was it truly love that she felt for him? How could she know it was?
Then there was Flauvic. how could she have allowed that to happen last night? Just because he was handsome and sexy. she shook herself and those thoughts from her mind. He was DANGEROUS, how could she forget that, even for a moment? He may look good, but she knew instinctively that he would try to hurt her if for a moment she seemed unimportant to his plans, which she seriously doubted were for the good of Remalna.
Despite her resolve, Mel buried her head in her hands and began to cry softly, unable to take it anymore. "Why. how can I deal with this? Why did it have to happen to me?"
A comforting hand fell onto her shoulder gently, and Mel found her-self looking at Nee for a moment before the other girl hugged her gently. "Do you want to talk to me about it?"
Mel sniffed. "Nee, I don't know what to do. I'm scared about Flauvic, I don't understand anything that has been going on. did you tell Shevraeth about Flauvic?"
"I did. he sent his condolences on the fact that you were injured and his gratitude for telling him of Flauvic."
"Was he mad?"
".I don't know. Now, what was the other thing that was bothering you?"
Mel was silent a moment, then decided that Nee's advice would prove helpful in her decisions, so she told her brother's fiancée about the mysterious Unknown. Nee listened thoughtfully, her face blank. It had been a good idea to help Danric to write the letter this time, then after all.
"Well, why not go to the masque? You won't know him there."
"But. Nee, what if I make a total mess of everything? Sure, I can talk to him in letters. but if I saw him face to face, I wouldn't be able to tell which ways up and which ways down. It's too risky."
"But you want to. And I think you should."
Mel bit her lip, unable to respond to that. "Yes. I do want to."
"Then go for it! Nothing is stopping you but your insistence that you'll mess up, which is untrue, and understandable."
She sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll go. But. what should I WEAR?"
************************************************************************
Finally, they decided on a swan (thanks, blackrose25 ^.~) which seemed to fit Mel well. She wore a long, white dress with no decorations and a mask that covered her face until her eyes, but left the bottom of her face uncovered. Nee was not going, but there was going to be a certain fox that happened to be where Mel and Danric would, unbeknownst to Mel herself.
When Mel was ready to go, she could hardly recognize herself in the mirror. She almost lost her resolve then and there, but by the time she was able to say anything to Nee, they were already near the ballroom, and Tamora, who was dresses as a peacock but you could still tell that it was her behind the mask easily, had already come to greet them, waving her fan and laughing at her own subtle jokes that caused more insult than cheer.
When she arrived inside, her only companion a laughing Tamora, she hardly recognized anyone there. All around her were the same people she spent her time at parties with, yet she couldn't tell who was who underneath all of the costumes. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad idea, after all.
Then someone came towards her after Tamora had left, and the first thing she noticed was her ring on his finger, then she saw that he was dressed as a dragon. She couldn't recognize whoever was there at all, though she could see his mouth underneath the mask he wore, just barely. He was smiling at her as he offered her his hand.
"My lady, would you care to dance?"
For a moment she was unable to do anything but stare at him, let alone form a sentence. Then she realized that he was waiting for her answer, so she nodded slightly and placed her own hand in his, shivering slightly as his skin touched hers, even in such a simple manor.
He led her to the dance floor, and she knew that his eyes were on her though she could not see his face clearly. They danced for what seemed like a short time, but must have been hours before Mel tripped a little, her ankle giving out. It had healed well, but it was still a little weak and dancing all night had put too much stress on it.
The Unknown helped support her, taking her out onto the balcony. They had hardly spoken that night, each trying to get control over their emotions and remember everything that was happening just as it was, but now seemed as good a time to talk as any.
"So. why?" Mel asked him softly.
He did not need to ask what she meant. "I am in love with you, and I want to win you. letters were the only way I could think of."
"Am I that unpleasant to be around?"
"No. You simply have a tendency to hang onto old impressions of people that I wanted to avoid if it was at all possible."
"I see. it is a beautiful night."
"More so because you are part of it, as well."
"I didn't think you would be a flatterer, as well."
"It is the truth."
She laughed softly, sitting down to give her ankle a bit of a rest. He sat next to her, cupping her face in his hands. Oh, how she wished she could see his eyes. then his mouth was on hers, and all she knew was that this was so right, so wonderful, she had to get over her fear and face him without any disguises. to know him as he seemed to know her. to never lose this wonderful feeling of eternal bliss.
Tamora, in her full glory, chose that exact moment to walk out onto the balcony. The Unknown drew away from Mel, leaving before she or Tamora could say anything. Mel sighed, her eyes troubled. She knew it was good that he left. but she wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to know who he was. to never lose that happiness that he gave her. But what if she screwed everything up? She'd not even have his letters to comfort her after that.
She brushed past Tamora without another word, going alone to her rooms, feeling completely lost and confused. A woman dressed as a fox sighed, coming away from her hiding place where the balcony was in full view, and came to stand beside a man dressed as an owl.
"What happened?" Savona asked.
"I don't know. now things are in their own hands."
K, that's all for now. I'll get working on the next chapter right now, so I have a better chance of getting it out there. Sorry it's another cliffhanger, but that's what I do best.
Wow, I have two pages of reviews! Really, people, I'm not that good. I love the encouragement, though. See all of you later!
Gosh darn it all. I meant to post this last week, but I had to write the final scene, I just had to! I'm so sorry, y'all. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for my laziness and help you all to forgive me. I know excuses aren't cool, but I have very good excuses. One weekend, I couldn't write cuz one of my friends tried to kill themselves, so. yeah. Then the other, it was Halloween, and I had a party, which took FOREVER to plan. anyways, here's the new chappie, don't forget to review!
My dearest Meliara, More than anything in this world, I would find it most enjoyable if you would come with me to the masque after your foot has had a chance to heal. I will not ask you what you will use for your costume, as your beauty would shine through any mask you attempt to put on, and you will know me by the ring you have sent me. I await your answer as your humble servant.
Mel stared at the paper in her hands, lying in her bed with her foot propped up and a cup of hot chocolate in her other hand. Then she sighed, placing both the chocolate and the paper on a table nearby. "Life, what can I do?"
Her ankle would be fine after a few days of bed rest, and Nee had offered to stay with her during that time. The injury would not hinder her if she decided to go, but there was still the question of how she would react to a courtship outside of letters, face to face. She wanted to see him. to speak with him. but how could she, when she was only just meeting him outside of letters, only just beginning to trust him? And was it truly love that she felt for him? How could she know it was?
Then there was Flauvic. how could she have allowed that to happen last night? Just because he was handsome and sexy. she shook herself and those thoughts from her mind. He was DANGEROUS, how could she forget that, even for a moment? He may look good, but she knew instinctively that he would try to hurt her if for a moment she seemed unimportant to his plans, which she seriously doubted were for the good of Remalna.
Despite her resolve, Mel buried her head in her hands and began to cry softly, unable to take it anymore. "Why. how can I deal with this? Why did it have to happen to me?"
A comforting hand fell onto her shoulder gently, and Mel found her-self looking at Nee for a moment before the other girl hugged her gently. "Do you want to talk to me about it?"
Mel sniffed. "Nee, I don't know what to do. I'm scared about Flauvic, I don't understand anything that has been going on. did you tell Shevraeth about Flauvic?"
"I did. he sent his condolences on the fact that you were injured and his gratitude for telling him of Flauvic."
"Was he mad?"
".I don't know. Now, what was the other thing that was bothering you?"
Mel was silent a moment, then decided that Nee's advice would prove helpful in her decisions, so she told her brother's fiancée about the mysterious Unknown. Nee listened thoughtfully, her face blank. It had been a good idea to help Danric to write the letter this time, then after all.
"Well, why not go to the masque? You won't know him there."
"But. Nee, what if I make a total mess of everything? Sure, I can talk to him in letters. but if I saw him face to face, I wouldn't be able to tell which ways up and which ways down. It's too risky."
"But you want to. And I think you should."
Mel bit her lip, unable to respond to that. "Yes. I do want to."
"Then go for it! Nothing is stopping you but your insistence that you'll mess up, which is untrue, and understandable."
She sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll go. But. what should I WEAR?"
************************************************************************
Finally, they decided on a swan (thanks, blackrose25 ^.~) which seemed to fit Mel well. She wore a long, white dress with no decorations and a mask that covered her face until her eyes, but left the bottom of her face uncovered. Nee was not going, but there was going to be a certain fox that happened to be where Mel and Danric would, unbeknownst to Mel herself.
When Mel was ready to go, she could hardly recognize herself in the mirror. She almost lost her resolve then and there, but by the time she was able to say anything to Nee, they were already near the ballroom, and Tamora, who was dresses as a peacock but you could still tell that it was her behind the mask easily, had already come to greet them, waving her fan and laughing at her own subtle jokes that caused more insult than cheer.
When she arrived inside, her only companion a laughing Tamora, she hardly recognized anyone there. All around her were the same people she spent her time at parties with, yet she couldn't tell who was who underneath all of the costumes. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad idea, after all.
Then someone came towards her after Tamora had left, and the first thing she noticed was her ring on his finger, then she saw that he was dressed as a dragon. She couldn't recognize whoever was there at all, though she could see his mouth underneath the mask he wore, just barely. He was smiling at her as he offered her his hand.
"My lady, would you care to dance?"
For a moment she was unable to do anything but stare at him, let alone form a sentence. Then she realized that he was waiting for her answer, so she nodded slightly and placed her own hand in his, shivering slightly as his skin touched hers, even in such a simple manor.
He led her to the dance floor, and she knew that his eyes were on her though she could not see his face clearly. They danced for what seemed like a short time, but must have been hours before Mel tripped a little, her ankle giving out. It had healed well, but it was still a little weak and dancing all night had put too much stress on it.
The Unknown helped support her, taking her out onto the balcony. They had hardly spoken that night, each trying to get control over their emotions and remember everything that was happening just as it was, but now seemed as good a time to talk as any.
"So. why?" Mel asked him softly.
He did not need to ask what she meant. "I am in love with you, and I want to win you. letters were the only way I could think of."
"Am I that unpleasant to be around?"
"No. You simply have a tendency to hang onto old impressions of people that I wanted to avoid if it was at all possible."
"I see. it is a beautiful night."
"More so because you are part of it, as well."
"I didn't think you would be a flatterer, as well."
"It is the truth."
She laughed softly, sitting down to give her ankle a bit of a rest. He sat next to her, cupping her face in his hands. Oh, how she wished she could see his eyes. then his mouth was on hers, and all she knew was that this was so right, so wonderful, she had to get over her fear and face him without any disguises. to know him as he seemed to know her. to never lose this wonderful feeling of eternal bliss.
Tamora, in her full glory, chose that exact moment to walk out onto the balcony. The Unknown drew away from Mel, leaving before she or Tamora could say anything. Mel sighed, her eyes troubled. She knew it was good that he left. but she wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to know who he was. to never lose that happiness that he gave her. But what if she screwed everything up? She'd not even have his letters to comfort her after that.
She brushed past Tamora without another word, going alone to her rooms, feeling completely lost and confused. A woman dressed as a fox sighed, coming away from her hiding place where the balcony was in full view, and came to stand beside a man dressed as an owl.
"What happened?" Savona asked.
"I don't know. now things are in their own hands."
K, that's all for now. I'll get working on the next chapter right now, so I have a better chance of getting it out there. Sorry it's another cliffhanger, but that's what I do best.
Wow, I have two pages of reviews! Really, people, I'm not that good. I love the encouragement, though. See all of you later!