Author's Note: Fire Emblem is the property of Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.
Snow.
Endless sheets of snow.
Admittedly, she'd liked it, at first -- the way the snowflakes drifted lazily down, swirling in nondescript patterns, performing their own wild dance before coming to rest, like all things must. She'd watched it oftentimes at first, delighted by the novelty of something she'd never seen. The snow was untamed, uncontrollable... it was beautiful, but dangerous in its own way. Its touch was light, but she had no illusions; as wonderful as it was, it could kill if you weren't careful.
She remembered thinking that it suited Levin perfectly, in its own way. She remembered wondering why he'd been so reluctant to come back here -- wasn't it gorgeous? Oh, yes... it was perfectly lovely. Peaceful. Pristine.
It was cold.
Sylvia let out the tiniest of sighs, brushing away a few flakes that had blown in under the eaves to settle on her skin. She knew she shouldn't be outside, not during a storm like this -- certainly not wearing clothes like this. A sharp intake of breath, and the cold burned her lungs, seared her throat... but at least out here, she could breathe.
It was suffocating inside, and she wasn't the only one who thought so, she was sure. She wasn't a poet or anything... she was just a dancer, but even she knew that there were different sorts of cold. She much preferred this kind, the kind that made her shiver, the kind that covered her skin with goose bumps and huddle beneath the eaves of the castle's exterior. The kind that pervaded everything inside wasn't so easy to deal with, or understand... it was the sort of cold that seeps into your inside, sucking out all the things that make life worth living.
She didn't wonder why Levin hadn't wanted to return here, not anymore.
A few hesitant steps into the snow; the cold was simultaneously shocking, yet unexpected. She moved slowly, at first, letting her mind wander as her limbs stretched cautiously away from her to test the frigid air. Her feet left imprints in the steadily deepening drifts as she moved further away, soaking through her flimsy footwear almost immediately. Still, she moved, until a small circle of earth was visible in the white fields around her, marking the path of her dance.
Her eyes closed, and she felt a blossoming of warmth from within; the flakes melted immediately where they touched her skin, and she moved in a slow circle, a familiar pattern. The bangles around her arms, ice cold against her, chimed like bells against one another, and she knew if her eyes were open she would see her own long hair, twirling around her in time with her lithe body. She was a dancer. Sun or snow, she would always have that.
A smile touched her lips, and she flared her arms out dramatically, envisioning what she must look like in her mind's eye. A splash of color on the pristine white fields that seemed so beautiful, so very lovely... at first glance. She turned, and the snow danced around her, caught into the drifts of air her hands created as they moved with practiced grace, pulled around and against her as she increased the intensity of her movements. A light sheen of sweat formed on her skin, the goose bumps gone, her heart racing the way it only could when she let herself move this way -- completely free, completely at ease.
She forgot how cold it was; in her mind, she was far away, in another time and another place.
"Let me guess -- you thought I wouldn't hear?"
He froze, and she might have smiled with satisfaction had the circumstances been any different. Oh, yes -- he'd tried to avoid her, she wasn't stupid, even if he thought she was. Just a stupid girl, a dumb dancer with nothing to show for herself but a pretty face!
"Hey, Sylv..." he sighed, and she thought she could imagine the way his face would look. Annoyed. Disappointed at his inability to keep her away, perhaps.
"Don't you give me that," she snapped, her arms crossing, her foot tapping impatiently on the stone floor beneath her. "I don't want none of that 'Sylv' stuff -- I don't want none of your excuses, and don't tell me you ain't sittin' there thinking one up, because I know better than that! I do, Levin! Or maybe I should call ya what you are -- like that other girl, Fury -- /i your highness! i Is that right?"
"...Don't." Levin sighed, turning to face her. She blinked; what she saw there wasn't anything like she'd expected -- what she saw on that face was nothing short of exhaustion. Dread. It didn't suit him at all, and she thought she'd tell him just that, but he didn't even pause to let her speak. "I don't have any excuses," he said simply, holding up his hands as though to prove he had nothing left to hide. "This is who I am."
"That ain't you," Sylvia disagreed, eyeing him critically.
"Oh?" Levin raised an eyebrow, a gesture that was far more befitting for him than anything else. "I thought you said you'd heard?"
"I heard we're goin' to Silesia," she mumbled, her eyes sliding away from his.
"Yeah..." he sounded subdued, and she was again struck with how /i wrong i the tone was, coming from him.
"Maybe..." she swallowed. "Maybe I shouldn' even be, y'know... talkin' with you here..."
"C'mon, Sylvia... don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not! All this time, you've been prancin' around like you never had a care in the world, lettin' me believe you're just like me--"
"Sorry about that."
"Sorry! You're royalty, and you're tellin' me you're sorry -- wouldn't Fury have a fit if she could see ya now?"
"She would," Levin agreed, his eyes darkening. "You don't have to go with us, Sylvia..."
"I thought you'd say that," she wrapped her arms around herself, refusing to meet his gaze. "You don't want to be seen with me there, right? What would /i they i say? Ha..." she shivered, tears pricking at her eyes. "No wonder you've wanted to leave me behind all this time..."
"That's not right," he shook his head, and she thought she heard an underlying tone of anger, there, too. "Do you think for one second that I /i want i to go back? Go on and come with us -- you'll see. I wouldn't be doing this for a second if we had another choice--"
"You're serious, huh?" It was her turn to raise an eyebrow; he trailed off, surprised at her sudden change in tone.
"When am I not serious?" he ventured, feigning a hurt expression -- Sylvia managed a smile, then... because /i that i was the Levin she knew.
"Always," she replied, crossing her arms. "Nothin' like a prince at all..."
"Because you've met so many!" Levin teased her, and she flushed with embarassment.
"How am I supposed to know how many I've met if they're all dressin' themselves up like bards and fightin' off bandits between performin' here and there?"
"...Good point," he conceded, and the humor left his gaze, replaced by that faraway look she was beginning to like less and less. Her smile faded.
"Levin... I... I guess it wouldn't be okay for me to go with you now, huh...?"
"No..." he approached her swiftly, stopping just in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, blushing at their close proximity -- somewhere, in the back of her mind, she registered that her blouse wasn't particularly snug, and if he just looked down --
"This isn't like before," he continued, ignoring the fierce blush that had bloomed on her cheeks. "This isn't about fightin' off bandits or performin' together at bars -- I don't think you'll like it in Silesia, Sylv..."
"But, I..."
"But if you want to come..." she vaguely noted his grip on her shoulders tightening -- "I'd like that."
"You would? Really?" she blinked.
"...Yeah. ...I suppose you'll see why..."
"Lemme guess, all the girls there are like Fury?"
It was his turn to blink, speechless, and she thought he'd chastise her for saying something like that -- she seemed pretty close to him, after all, much as she hated to admit it -- but instead, he burst into laughter.
Her jaw dropped.
"Don't you laugh at me, Levin!" she snapped, pushing him away ineffectually, her blush deepening. "I mean it! Oh, you are just awful…!"
But he didn't stop, not until he was doubled over with a sore stomach and wiping tears from his eyes.
"...That's a new one, isn't it?"
Her thoughts shattered and fled, and her concentration broke. She stopped, and her eyes fluttered open even as she whirled toward the voice.
"Levin--"
He was standing there, dressed up the way he was, looking every bit like the prince she had slowly come to realize he hated to be. He looked so odd, lacking his patched up bard's outfit, his hair done up carefully and trimmed for good measure instead of tied up haphazardly and sticking out in every direction... but that sparkle was there in his eyes, and it lifted her heart... because ever since they'd arrived here in Silesia, it'd been harder and harder to see.
"It's a good one," he offered, tilting his head to the side.
"I've been working on it for awhile," she admitted. "So, ya like it, huh?"
"Yeah. You look real nice," he nodded, smiling at her surprised look. He'd never been so open with his compliments before, not unless he was teasing her. She gave him a suspicious glance.
"Well, you weren't supposed to see it yet," she tossed her hair back, crossing her arms. The euphoria of her dance was fading, now, and she was beginning to remember how very cold it was, out here. The snow fell between them, thick sheets that obscured her vision. She shivered.
"Yet?"
"It's bad luck to see a dance that ain't even been finished, yet," she scolded him, though she still felt like beaming at his compliments from before. "Now I'll have to start all over!"
"Hmm..." he tilted his head the other way, and she remembered again just how little she had on. And how cold it was.
"What... what are you doin' out here, anyway...?" she ventured softly, taking a few steps forward, through the snow. "Do any of them know..."
"Who cares," Levin muttered darkly, moving forward, hopping nonchalantly into the snow. The flakes moved restlessly around him, and she paused her own approach, watching him suspiciously. "Look at you, you're turnin' blue..."
"Well, a girl has to practice sometime... ya wouldn't want me to get outta shape, hmm?"
"You?" Levin chuckled, and she gasped as his hands not only slid around her -- she'd expected that, somewhere inside -- but lifted her up completely, out of the snow. She slipped an arm around his neck instinctively, marveling at how warm he was. "...Nope. Can't imagine."
"It was supposed to be for you, ya know...?" she snuggled against him as he turned, lifting her free arm up to brush the flakes from his hair as he carried her back under the eaves.
"The dance?" his eyebrows raised, and he looked down at her inquisitively.
"...Yeah. You're always lookin' so down, all the time, ever since we got here..."
"Really."
"Yeah..." her eyes closed, and she felt his arms tighten around her more clearly than even the wave of warmth that enveloped them as he moved indoors, shaking the snow from his cloak as they crossed the threshold. "Ya know, they say when two people are married, the guy's supposed to carry the girl into their new home..."
"I wouldn't want this to be our home," Levin replied blandly, and her eyes snapped open.
"...Levin?"
"...Nothin'. Forget I--"
"No... I can't just forget," Sylvia shook her head, aware of how close she was to him, aware of how nice it felt, here in his arms. She wondered, in fact, why he had yet to set her down. "This... you're not supposed to be like this, you know? Ever since..."
"Do you remember what I told you, before we arrived?"
"Sure. You said I wouldn't like it here..."
"You know why I knew?" he pressed on, and she shook her head, her lips pressed together in a thin line.
"No, but..."
"Because, Sylv..." he shrugged, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You're a lot like me, you know...?"
He set her down gently, and she remembered again where they were -- and a wave of self consciousness hit her; her gaze wandered wildly about for a moment -- if anyone had seen --
"Don't worry about it," he spoke softly, as though he could read her thoughts. She frowned.
"But..."
"Sylvia... since when have you cared what other people think?" he raised a hand to brush her hair away, over her shoulder, and she blinked -- he was right, really... but...
"I care what you think," she replied, ducking away from him. "Look at me, I'm a mess, I've gotta--"
She didn't get far, before he caught her hand; she turned back to glance at him, noting the half smile still there on his face.
"Hey... you said you're gonna work on another dance, right...?"
"Oh, well, I..." she nodded, grinning. "I knew it! Men just can't resist my dancing..."
"I know," Levin dropped her hand, raising an eyebrow. "You'll show me?"
"It's gonna blow your mind," Sylvia winked, turning away again, but not before casting a playful wink in his direction.
Levin watched her go, remaining there for a long while even after she'd disappeared, a musing expression on his face. Well, if it was anything like the one she'd been practicing earlier--
"Prince Levin...?"
He frowned.
"...Fury."
Well, at least he had something to look forward to on the horizon.
"Oh... you've been outside..." she couldn't quite hide the disapproval from her eyes, but it was something he was used to seeing, at least. He managed a smile, slinging an arm around her -- predictably, she gasped, blushing at the gesture.
"Aw, come on, Fury -- I'm not even allowed to take a little break, now?"
"But, it's snowing outside, and..."
"A little cold air isn't gonna hurt me," Levin chided her. "I was just out there for a minute, all right? So stop that fretting..."
"I'm not fretting," Fury insisted, though she clearly was. "It's just, when you stormed out like that, no one knew what to think... and going outside in this weather..."
"...Right, sorry. I'm feeling better, though, really."
"Is that so...? I'm glad..."
"...Yeah," he shrugged, hoping the sincerity he managed to inject in his voice was enough to fool her. Well, of course it was -- Fury had never been particularly hard to fool, had she? He slipped his arm off her shoulders -- it was clearly making her uncomfortable, a fact he might have found humorous any other time, really.
He knew what she wanted, after all. And what his mother wanted. And what all of Silesia probably wanted.
But he shouldn't have been surprised -- since when had he ever been able to make them all happy?
"You're certainly practicing hard," a soft voice, unassuming and gentle, yet one she hated just the same despite herself, rang through the hall. Sylvia paused, brushing her hair away from her face, turning to face her new audience.
"Sorry. Ya want me to take it somewhere else?" she inquired evenly, barely keeping the biting tone from her voice. Sure, she'd never done anything to her, but... well, why not admit it? She got to spend all that time with him, and the longer they stayed here, the longer she realized...
"No, it's quite all right," Fury replied politely. "Please, don't let me get in the way..." she eyed her one last time, and though her words sounded sincere, Sylvia couldn't quite miss the disapproving look in her eyes. It was no wonder -- dancing this way in Silesia's capital, she was probably scandalized to see it.
"Oh. Well, all right, then!" Sylvia responded cheerfully, doing her best to ignore the other woman's presence as she moved. One step, another... if she moved her hips just so -- she wanted to call his attention to her best features, after all -- and flare out her ribbons here, and there... she paused, the other woman's eyes burning into her, despite her best efforts to ignore her. Didn't she have some kind of official, boring business to attend to?
"...That's a ...unique... dance," she offered delicately, and Sylvia grinned widely as she noticed the blush on the other woman's cheeks -- just from watching her dance! Well, if she was making another woman blush, Levin wouldn't stand a chance!
"It's for Lev-- eer... Prince Levin," she announced, and noted with intense satisfaction the way the other woman's eyebrows climbed straight to her hairline.
"...Oh...?"
"Uh-huh... requested it special, and all."
"Did he, really..."
"Yep! I'm gonna make it real special, too..."
"Ah..." Fury cleared her throat, and Sylvia felt a devilish sort of glee at her scandalized expression. Let her mind rest on that!
"Um, but the rest is a secret, so I can't show ya. I've gotta practice, still, though, so..."
"Yes, of course. Forgive me," Fury nodded, fleeing from the room as though grateful for the slightest excuse to do so. Sylvia snapped the door shut, that silly grin she'd been wearing still in place. Sure, she got to spend all that time with Levin... but... Levin wouldn't like a girl like that, would he?
It's not like she would be making any moves on him, the very thought was laughable.
Yet... the longer they stayed here, the more rumors she heard... and it was apparently no secret that Fury was rather popular, especially as a potential match for Levin. She could hardly believe it; a girl like that...?
She hadn't played fair, is what -- getting all close to Levin's mother, it sounded like -- so why should she?
Her eyes closed, and her body moved. She wouldn't, that's what. She had as fair a chance as anyone, right?
Besides, she was much sexier than that old, boring bat.
And she knew what men -- what Levin wanted.
Just as fair a chance as anyone...
"Hey, Levin...!" she waved her arms, dashing toward a very unsuspecting Prince of Silesia, interrupting whatever boring chat he'd been having with Fury a moment before. Well, weren't they always talking behind closed doors? It was their fault for being right here in the open where she could see!
"Sylvia...?"
She'd practically jumped into his arms, more than a little pleased to feel him return her embrace, and definitely happy to see that shocked look on Fury's face right by them -- let her stare! She didn't care.
"You've been busy lately, huh? Haven't seen ya around in a while..."
"Er... yeah. Real busy," he'd agreed, glancing over her head to mouth an apology at Fury, who was staring at them with eyes as big as saucers.
"Ah... I'll, ah... be going, then..." Fury stammered, backing away. "Prince Levin, about that..."
"Later," he raised his eyebrows, and she nodded quickly, turning away. "I'll get back to you, okay?"
"Of course," she murmured, and then she was gone.
"Hey, Levin..." Sylvia began slyly, resting her head against his chest. "What were you two...?"
"Eh, nothin' you need to worry about," Levin replied quickly, shaking her off of him. "Boring stuff."
"Oh..."
"What's up with you, all of a sudden -- I thought you didn't want anyone to see you with me, huh? What happened to that?"
"Don't you tease me," she wagged a finger at him, furrowing her eyebrows. "I just thought about what you said, that's all."
"Wait... you're listening to something I told you? Now I know something's not right."
"Hmph...!"
"Aw, don't you start poutin' at me like that, now..."
"I'm not pouting!" Sylvia tossed her hair back, sniffing nonchalantly.
"Then why's your lip stickin' out like that?" Levin teased, mimicking her expression. Sylvia glared at him furiously in response.
"I don't look like that. Knock that off!"
"Hey, hey, there's no need to get violent--" he caught her hands in his as she raised them for some no doubt sinister, or at least extremely unlady-like purpose, warding her off easily.
"Hey...!" she pulled away from him, still glaring, but she couldn't hope to match his strength, of course. That didn't improve her disposition any, certainly.
"What, you think I'm just gonna let you pummel me?"
"No, but how long are you planning to hold on to my hands?" she inquired sweetly.
He dropped them at once, and the look on his face was enough to improve her mood once again.
"I was just wonderin'... you know, I've heard some funny things..."
"Well, Silesia's rumor mills aren't as exciting as the ones in Augustria were, exactly."
"You're just sayin' that because the ones here are all about you."
"...Now I'm not sure I want to know where this is going!"
"That girl, Fury..." Sylvia pressed on, placing a hand on her hip.
"Now I know I don't want to know..."
"C'mon. What am I supposed to think, with everyone whisperin' in the corners about you and her rulin' Silesia together, just as happy as you please--"
"You think that'd make me happy?" Levin inquired mildly, and Sylvia paused, peering at him.
"...No."
"Then I'd say you know me the best out of everyone else here..."
She'd never been able to get a straight answer out of him, but then again, Levin had always been about as slippery as they come...
Really, though, did she even need a straight answer, when the avoidant ones had all been like that?
"It doesn't matter," she announced to no one in particular, addressing the empty space around her. "Fury ain't even half the woman I am!" She nodded, satisfied with that assessment.
And she moved, fluidly, languidly. Sexily.
"It doesn't matter to him who I am," she spoke softly as she practiced, willing herself to believe it. "Hasn't he been saying how much he doesn't care all along...?"
"But..."
Sylvia froze, knowing she wasn't supposed to be wandering about the castle -- or, at least not these areas. She's always had a little flair for sneaking about, though... and the excitement of disobeying some stuffy rule -- one that Fury had probably helped put in place -- was worth it. Besides, it was hard enough to get a minute alone with Levin nowadays... and she'd need more than a minute, to say the least.
She thought that maybe Fury had gotten a little more reserved since she'd watched her dancing back then -- it was like every time she managed to get Levin alone, that woman would appear out of nowhere, always with some official business that had to be tended to right away... Sylvia frowned. She was definitely fighting back, in her own way... and what made it so annoying, of course, was that there wasn't really any way for her to retaliate.
After all, she was just doing her job. So what if doing that happened to fit right in with whatever personal agenda she had?
"Look, Fury, I know... I'm sorry--"
"N-no! Don't apologize..." Fury spoke softly, and Sylvia cringed further back against the wall, knowing if she saw her here, in Silesia's royal chambers -- a place she really had no right to be in...
"You're a sweet girl, Fury..."
Sylvia noted that she'd never heard Levin sound truly apologetic, before now.
"P-please, you don't have to..."
"You sure you're all right?"
"Yes...!"
Sylvia's eyes widened as the green haired Pegasus Knight turned into sight, her steps echoing hollowly in the hall. From the look on her face, she certainly didn't look all right, but... she felt suspicion blooming in her. What had they been...
Their eyes met, and Fury stopped, staring at her rather openly. Sylvia thought a few very naughty oaths, ones that would have possibly slain the woman before her with pure shock value. If she could even discern what they meant, of course.
"What are you..."
"Er, Levin's expectin' me," Sylvia lied, standing up straight and attempting to look as truthful as possible. "I've got a dance to show him -- you remember? You can ask him yourse--"
"...Oh, that's..." Fury replied, and her face darkened in a way Sylvia hadn't thought was possible for her. Not sweet, kind, perfect future princess of Silesia Fury! She opened her mouth as though to continue, seemed to think better of it, and simply turned away, her gaze set somewhere ahead and her steps a good bit harder against the floor than they had been.
Well, she wasn't going to complain.
She moved swiftly toward where she'd overheard their conversation, eyes searching hopefully, but Levin seemed to have all but disappeared. A bit of disappointment welled in her; she really had no idea where to look, and she couldn't very well lie her way through every errant guard that noticed a foreign dancer snooping about where she shouldn't be.
"Levin!" she whispered furiously, her voice sounding rather loud in the comparative silence of the halls around her, but there was no reply. She followed the passage she was sure she'd heard them in earlier, her eyes searching to no avail. Maybe she should just turn back; she'd have to plan this a little better next time, maybe, but...
A peculiar sound caught her attention; a rather ornately decorated door barred her from the source, emblazoned with the royal crest of Silesia... she stared at it, fidgeting uncomfortably, looking around nervously. Someone would pass by any moment now, and...
She reached forward, her fingers tracing the design, frowning. She'd recognize the sound from inside anywhere... hadn't she heard it often enough? Levin might have been a prince -- her fingers paused in their movements for the briefest moment, and her nerve nearly escaped her -- but his skill with the flute would have allowed him to pass for a bard anywhere. She'd never enjoyed dancing to anything so much as his playing... her frown became a smile, despite the sad overtones of the song that reached her through the door before her.
They'd been a team, back then... whether he had liked it or not. His flute, her dancing... they'd enthralled crowds and earned more than enough money to live comfortably... at least, by her standards. He'd only been teasing her, she supposed, with the things he'd promised... but... somewhere inside, she'd believed him. Even when he said the same things to the girls that fawned over him during their performances, even when he passed winks around and flirted shamelessly with every woman in the audience... she'd always believed that the smiles he gave her were special.
That seemed so long ago, now... but no matter what happened tonight, she was sure she'd never forget the way things had been.
She had a sneaking suspicion he longed for those days even as much as she did...
Her hand dropped toward the brass handle on the door, and she closed her eyes for a moment, hoping that he was alone, and she turned it softly, pushing the door forward, peering inside.
His song never faltered; she saw him, sitting there on his bed, eyes closed, completely enthralled in what he was doing. She shut the door softly behind her, locked her hands behind her back, and leaned against it, watching him intently. She'd never heard this song, before... it was soft, sad, and unlike anything she'd ever expected to hear from him.
The things he'd played in the past had all been happy, carefree... songs that spoke of living in the moment, of taking what came and making the best of things, of optimism and a myriad of other things that she'd always associated with him. They were, in fact, all of the things she loved about him.
She waited there, perfectly still, until the last notes of his song faded away, and he opened his eyes, meeting hers in a way that suggested he wasn't surprised in the least to see her standing there. She shifted slightly under that gaze, perfectly aware of how presumptuous she must have seemed, sneaking into his room, of all things. She didn't care.
"...That's a new one, isn't it?" she spoke softly, and he smiled.
"Sylvia..."
"It's a good one..."
"No, it isn't," he disagreed, setting the flute aside. "It's awful."
"It's different, sure... but..."
"I've always hated that song," Levin continued, shrugging slightly. "It's so..."
"...Sad..." Sylvia finished for him.
He nodded.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here, I should go--" she turned to reach for the door's handle again, scrambling for it almost frantically.
"You can't just leave without tellin' me why you've come in the first place," Levin noted, watching her with a bemused expression.
"I don't think..."
"Come on, out with it."
"I..." Sylvia flushed. "I came to show you that dance I promised ya, but right now, I don't think... it'd be right..."
"Why not?"
"I, ah..." she shifted uncomfortably, her eyes tracing a pattern on the floor. "I heard... I guess, you an' Fury..."
"...Oh, that..." he shut his eyes, running a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "I suppose the whole country will be hearing about that before long."
"I guess I shouldn't have brought it up," Sylvia turned the handle, opening the door, moving to leave.
"Wait, now... hold on a minute--" Levin stood, and she froze, watching him approach. "You're gonna tell me you finished that dance, and just leave me here to imagine what it looks like? I never pegged you for such an awful tease, Sylv..."
"Well, after somethin' like that..."
"I'm gonna have to deal with hell tomorrow," Levin whispered harshly, shocking her completely with his tone. She stared. "Absolute hell. My mom's gonna go nuts -- I've always thought she might love Fury more than she even loves me -- and no one else is going to be particularly pleased, either..."
"Levin..."
"So, you can leave me here to brood about that all night..." he crossed his arms. "Or you can show me your dancing."
"Hn... so, you just want me to help you take your mind off things, huh?" Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you might even be using me, Levin..."
"Well, hey now..."
"But if that's what you want..." she smiled, and he trailed off at the look in her eyes. Which was good. If he was speechless, now... "I think I can manage..."
So, he'd turned Fury down, was it?
It was almost ironic... she'd been practicing this very dance in the hopes that she might sway his affection away from her, and here she was, about to perform for him with that threat apparently completely out of the picture. Of course, just because he didn't want Fury... well, it didn't mean he'd come running to her.
But, after this, maybe he would.
She pushed him gently backward, back to the position he'd been in when she'd first walked in; he complied with her, for once, seating himself at the edge of his bed, his eyes wandering over her in a way she was quite accustomed to. The way he'd looked at her the first time he'd seen her, dancing for a crowd on the streets of some Agustrian town that she couldn't even recall the name of... which was a shame. It almost seemed important, somehow, that she remember every detail about that meeting...
Her dance began rather slowly, actually -- she realized as she began that she was actually a bit nervous, a feeling she felt only on rare occasions. Years of dancing for strangers the way she did had long rid her of any stage fright, but... this was hardly a nondescript dance for someone she'd never see again, now was it? She smiled, allowing herself a glance in Levin's direction; he was sitting there, his eyes riveted to her, the way she'd always wanted them to be...
The trepidation disappeared, her eyes closed, and time and space seemed to slip away.
She could hear the music in her head, the songs Levin had played for her back then... the happy songs he'd never run out of that had spurred her dancing in the past and given her energy she hadn't known she had. It was with these melodies in mind that she moved; and really, it was perfectly fitting -- how could a dance for him be inspired from anything else? Her body moved almost of its own accord, the steps she'd memorized coming quite naturally... she allowed herself to open her eyes just slightly as she swayed in a particularly appealing manner, her ribbons fluttering around her, her hair swinging in time with her movements, her rather scantily clad curves accentuating her performance...
The look on his face was satisfactory enough, she decided, her smile widening just slightly as she lost herself in her dance once more.
The fact of the matter was, she had wanted this dance to be perfect... she felt as though she'd been practicing her whole life for this moment. His music reverberated in her mind, and she pictured the way the falling snow had looked, when she had first laid eyes on it... dancing so in the winds that constantly blew across the lands of Silesia. Levin's lands, whether he liked it or not... they were a part of him, too, and she incorporated those memories as well as any other.
She was never able to tell how long her dances lasted; when they ended, she felt as though years could have passed in no time at all. This was certainly no exception; her movements slowed, and her eyes opened as she slipped out of her trance, finishing her dance near enough to Levin to touch, were she to reach a hand out and do so. She could feel the flush on her cheeks, from both embarrassment at the rather shameless elements of portions of the dance, and exhilaration -- for there was nothing she enjoyed more than this.
His expression was unreadable for the barest moment, and she felt a flicker of uncertainty -- she wanted nothing more, at that moment, than to hear he'd liked it -- and quite abruptly, he reached toward her, pulling her against him so suddenly that she let out a surprised yelp in response.
"Levin...!"
"That was amazing, Sylvia..." he spoke in her ear, and she rather enjoyed the warm feeling his words evoked, flooding her with elation. "...Really. I can't even..."
"Really...?" she replied slyly, pulling slightly away from him to look into his eyes, her face bare inches from his. "What was your favorite part...?" she grinned whimsically, and he blinked slowly, as though turning the question over seriously in his mind.
"Hmm..." he eyed her thoughtfully, and she felt something in her flutter at his expression. "You would ask something like that..."
His gaze wandered just briefly from her eyes, and she felt his arms around her tighten just slightly; she moved closer against him, and a sudden thought struck her with irrepressible giggles. He blinked, clearly finding this turn of events entirely unexpected.
"What's so funny?"
"You sure no one's gonna walk in here?" Sylvia inquired mischievously in response. "'Cause I'd hate to know what they'd think, if they saw us like this..."
Levin eyed her critically for a moment, realizing she was right -- alone, in his room, well into the evening... her hair was charmingly awry, just slightly, in the aftermath of her performance, and her face still flushed red with the effort and maybe something else... and here they were, him holding her this way -- on his bed --
"I wouldn't care," he decided, before his thoughts could run away with themselves.
"You're always sayin' that, but, Levin..." she shifted against him, and he pulled her a little closer, lifting her easily into his lap and a much more comfortable -- and compromising, he thought against his better judgment -- position. She wasn't resisting, though...
"And I mean it, Sylv... I don't care about what anyone thinks about you and I."
"About us...?" she ventured softly, moving a hand to brush shyly through his hair, pushing his unruly green bangs away from his eyes. He nodded.
"About us."
"I like the way that sounds," Sylvia announced, smiling at him, and he returned the gesture, his hands tracing their way down her back. She shivered. "Levin... I'd better go..."
"You think so?" he raised an eyebrow, leaning toward her, and she dropped her hand to his shoulder for a moment before moving it to rest lightly on the back of his neck.
"Mmm..." she nodded, but made no move to actually do so... after all, wasn't this exactly what she wanted? He leaned forward, a little further, and a thrill of excitement ran through her as his lips found hers; she returned the gesture easily, her arms tightening around him, afraid to open her eyes and find that the whole thing had just been a dream...
"I don't think so," he announced, when they managed to break away from each other. She opened her eyes, squinting at him mischievously.
"Of course you don't!" she chided him, pulling away from him rather unexpectedly. "Like I said, men have never been able to resist my dancing..."
"You've never danced like that, before..." Levin replied wryly, reluctantly letting her go.
"So far as you know," she teased, and he waved at her dismissively in response.
"I know."
"Hmph. You're so arrogant..."
"Only when I know I'm right."
"What if I told you I've danced for dozens of men like that?" Sylvia replied, standing up straight and placing her hands on her hips.
"Wouldn't believe it," he announced, standing up in turn, poorly hiding his amusement.
"Oh? And why not?"
"Because..." he shrugged, reaching toward her to brush his fingers lightly against her face, tracing a path from just beneath her ear down the curve of her jawline. She leaned slightly into that caress, despite herself. "I know you. That's all..."
"Hmph..." she didn't resist when he moved his hands down her back, resting around her waist; in fact, she leaned against him, returning the gesture. "You're still full of yourself."
"And to think, I was going to say that you're beautiful..."
"...Really...?" she blinked.
"Really."
"...Levin..." she smiled against him, her head resting lightly against his chest.
After all, it was all she'd ever wanted to hear.
"I suppose it is getting a little late..."
"Yeah..." she broke away from him with more than a little reluctance. "I should really go, huh?"
"Sure you don't want to stay?" he teased her, but she could see even through the mirth in his eyes that he really meant it.
"I would, but..." she grinned up at him devilishly, and patted his cheek lightly with a free hand. "You've got a long day tomorrow, from what I understand..."
He groaned.
"All right, fine, get outta here..." he shooed her off, and she giggled furiously at his expression -- a mix of amusement and utter trepidation -- grabbing for the door's handle with not altogether steady hands.
"Good night, Levin..." she smiled at him sweetly, waving at him and casting a wink his way for good measure.
"Good night, Sylvia," he sighed, crossing his arms as she pulled the door shut behind her.
She remained there for several moments, leaning against the wall outside his room, a not so small portion of her mind complaining in a not so quiet fashion about her decision -- she shook her head, moving swiftly away before that part of her won and she went running back inside to him -- it'd felt so nice in his arms...
She vaguely realized, as she made her way back to the lower levels of the castle, that really... she didn't care who saw her here, stalking back to her own chambers from those of the Prince of Silesia's...
Her nose wrinkled of its own accord. No, he wouldn't like her to be thinking of him, that way...
Because to her, he'd always be a somewhat rag tag, handsome looking bard... and she'd be his dancer, and all the funny looks or disapproving frowns in the world wouldn't change a thing about it.