Chapter 6: Wistful Waltz
Authors Note: I told you I'm going to give you two chapters! So here's the other one everyone wanted, Wendy dances with a charming young man who she does not know is actually Peter Pan! Enjoy people!
Disclaimer: I do not own any J.M.Barrie character etc, etc and I don't own the song playing throughout this chapter 'There you'll be' by Faith Hill
In my dreams
I'll always see you soar
Above the sky
In my heart
There always be a place
For you for all my life
I'll keep a part
Of you with me
And everywhere I am
There you'll be
Chorus- There you'll be by Faith Hill
After a very much filling dinner a three course meal, dessert to be served later on during the masquerade Sir James Matthew Barrie, tonight's grand host stood up from his table and made his way over to the orchestra stage. Everyone clapped for him as he stood up onto the stage; he picked up the microphone off its stand and turned to face his guests, a big smile lit up his middle-aged face.
The twins at the Darling table both leaped to their feet doing an ear-piercing whistle in unison, Wendy laughed blocking her ears with her hands as her father gave both boys a disapproving look, the two quickly sat down but had proud smiles on their faces.
Sir James raised a hand meaning that everyone should quieten down now, his guests did so and the playwright started his speech "good evening friends, family and honoured guests I am very fortunate to have my children's play as successful as tonight and I am deeply grateful to all those who made it possible" he took a moment to scan the crowd and smile at some people he recognised even with their masks on.
His eyes rested upon Wendy who smiled back feeling extremely happy for him. Sir James continued, "I'd like to say a great thankyou to all of you who turned up for my Neverland-themed masquerade and I am very pleased to see how the majority have turned up in costumes" with that being said the crowd chuckled well exchanging smiles with one another and their different costumes.
Wendy's little cousin Marietta or Marie who the maiden had not seen the entire night except for watching her play her inside the Royal Albert Hall ran up to Wendy excitedly.
The maiden's face broke into a delighted smile and picked up the little girl resting her upon her lap "hello dearest, I haven't talked to you at all tonight" Wendy felt pride swell in her belly when she noticed the costume Marie wore.
It was a 'little princess' version of her own nightgown, the one she wore to Neverland and it was a bit frightening to Wendy because Marie looked like her little twin.
Marie smiled admiringly at Wendy before leaning against her elder cousin "oh I missed you Wendy, I couldn't see you from the stage and I was nervous all night, if I saw you I knew you would give me hope, oh I think I did horrible acting" Marie whispered hugging Wendy tightly around the waist with her short arms.
Wendy smiled placing her head upon the girl's own whispering soothingly "nonsense Marie, Sir James told me you did very well as me" "really?" Marie looked up at her cousin in awe and Wendy nodded "of course dearest cousin" "that makes me at ease" Marie sighed before continuing to lean against Wendy who let her stay on her lap as they listened in on Sir James' thankyou speech.
Sir James continued to smile at the gathered crowd sitting down at the tables "I hope tonight has been enjoyable for you all as it has been for me, so its now time to get up and do some waltzing with a different dance partner" with that he put the microphone back on its stand as everyone stood up clapping and cheering the grand host who bowed at them.
Wendy held up her cousin who waved enthusiastically at Sir James who laughed waving at his two favourite girls before he went back to his table.
The orchestra started a new song and Sir James offered his hand to his dearest friend the widow Mrs Sylvia Llewellyn-Davies who was dressed up as a Fairy courtier. She was the mother of four boys, lived with her elderly mother and was sadly diagnosed with fatal cancer.
Besides Wendy Darling, Sylvia was probably the other female who most strongly believed in the immortal Neverland. Sylvia Llewellyn-Davies smiled up at Sir James accepting his dance offer by reaching up and clasping his gloved hand with her own.
They were the first couple to dance to the orchestral music on the white marble floor. At the Darling and Harding table, Aunt Millicent was whinging angrily to Mr and Mrs Darling about their daughter having a new dance partner for this waltz.
Wendy however did not mind having a new partner and sat down waiting for one, she still had Marie sitting on her lap watching the couples dance "the women look so enchanting eh Wendy" she asked her eldest cousin and the maiden smiled watching James and Sylvia "indeed" she answered.
Little Marietta soon noticed her friend who played the young 'Peter Pan' in the play motioning for her to get up and dance with him, going pink in her cherub cheeks, Marie hopped off her cousin's lap "Marie where are you going?" Wendy laughed gaily "my friend is requesting me" the girl pointed to the awaiting little boy who beamed happily behind his green mask. Wendy saw him smiling "ah I see, ok then" Marietta beamed before skipping away.
Wendy shook her head remembering how she used to be like that at her age. She watched the now many couples dance on the large marble floor and smiled dreamily. She soon felt a presence near her and she looked up.
A familiar-looking young man stood in front of her with golden hair and blue-green eyes behind a metallic green skeleton leaf mask that covered his eyes some of his nose and upper cheekbones. He smiled kindly at her and it strange enough melted her heart.
Slowly Wendy stood up, even though she didn't mean to and took his offered hand with her sheer gloved one. Her hand clasped in his suddenly became warm and tingly her hand knew his? How strange! The young man must have felt it too because he smiled "our hands know each other lady" before leading her onto the dance floor.
Questions filled Wendy's mind as she was twirled around and got into waltz hold with the blonde young man. He was probably only a head taller than her and stared down into her cerulean eyes as they were off dancing with the music.
In waltzes, couples shouldn't talk to another but this young man was bold enough to do so and smiled charmingly at Wendy "are you enjoying tonight lady" he whispered in her ear making goosebumps appear on her English Rose skin.
Wendy swallowed the hard lump in her throat "yes…splendidly" was all she managed to say as they continued to dance around the marble floor.
Wendy knew it was improper for her dancing partner to be staring down at her so deeply but in her heart she did not mind this at all. She blushed red whenever she looked up at her dancing partner especially when she caught his blue-green stare.
Wendy decided to just look over his shoulder and watch the other couples dance gracefully on the marble floor. The fabric of the skirts glided across the floor making swish noises sounding like the waves at breaking point on the shore.
Wendy soon caught sight of her parents waltzing around the floor together and she had to smile at this lovely sight. To her it looked like a modernised Captain Hook with a pirate wife dancing happily on the white marble. They did not bother holding their masks on the silver rods and kept them at the table. However no one recognised the smiling parents.
Maybe it was because of her father's fake moustache and one eyepiece covering his right eye and her mother's diamante jewellery under her lovely blue eyes. Her parents looked so elegant and gracious making Wendy wish she was like them. The music picked up and soon the maiden found her feet going along until she was spinning around with the melody.
It made her incredibly light-headed "oh my" Wendy murmured as they stopped twirling around the dance floor "lady are you alright" she had forgotten she still had a different dance partner and looked up at him, her vision unclear "oh kind sir, I am just light-headed from the spinning around when the music became faster".
Her dancing partner smiled down at her understandingly "I apologise good lady I think that was my fault, I must have led us in spinning too fast" "but it was fun" Wendy pointed out smiling back "yes, yes it was" the blonde lad agreed with her.
They had stopped on their waltzing and stood still as Wendy began to regain her sense and state of mind. Her dance partner helped by soothingly rubbing her back, at first she was embarrassed but that soon disappeared and it was replaced by her being quite relaxed leaning in on her dance partner.
He did not seem to stop her and actually enjoyed it. To stop the throbbing headache, Wendy unintentionally placed her head upon her partner's shoulder, as time seemed to slow around them.
The headache eased away and Wendy blinked twice, she now realised the state she was in and blushed tremendously. She stepped away but did not release herself from holding onto her dance partner "I am sooo sorry sir, I did not realise it" she tried to apologise but the blonde young man opposite her laughed "do not apologise fair lady I understand why you rested upon me, you simply had a headache" Wendy smiled relieved "oh thankyou" "and besides…" the lad took a step closer and whispered in her ear "I did not mind it at all" when he whispered that Wendy went red again.
The young man stepped back again but had a very confident smile upon his face, a smile that reminded Wendy of someone who seemed far away. She smiled back a bit uncertain before they began to waltz once again.
The song was a new and more energetic as Sir James quickly called out from somewhere on the dance floor "we'll have a pattern first a gavotte, then a minuet, then an allemande and back to waltzing" "an excellent idea!" Wendy's dancing partner shouted out agreeing and the maiden saw Sir James wink back at the blonde lad who waved at him.
Soon Wendy found herself being swept around the dance floor and her heart became all fluttery. The song was a 'feel-good' song and it certainly played an impact upon the maiden. She laughed as she was suddenly dipped backwards and she caught the eyes of her partner, whose blue-green eyes were smiling back at her.
She was pulled up again before they continued to dance around sometimes she twirled under their joined hands. Wendy's joy must have been really evident on her face because when she and her mysterious partner danced past Julian Hawkins who was forced to be Amelia Bennett's partner by his parents saw the two young people talk and laugh together, he narrowed his eyes at the blonde young man. He however didn't notice the jealous raven-hair man at all.
Amelia on the other hand was narrowing her eyes towards the white-gowned English Rose. She did not think her one and only dance partner would laugh with another maiden especially this girl seemed more of a threat than any other maiden present because of her startling beauty and white innocence that Amelia knew attracted her boy to her.
The music slowed down and everyone dancing knew it was to be the Minuet and dance positions were quickly changed. The chorus of the song came on and everyone was into the dancing. Either laughing, talking or clapping with the beat even the rhythm was slower than the Gavotte.
Wendy and her partner danced past her parents and she lifted her hand from the young man's shoulder and waved in recognition to her parents "hello mother! Father!" she called to them gaily. Mrs Darling smiled seeing her daughter very happy and waved back, Mr Darling however was eyeing the young man with her.
He was obviously wondering why the blonde lad looked so familiar on what he heard so many times from his children about the boy who never grew-up and could fly in the heavens with a fairy partner, also the one who captured the heart of his eldest child. Mr Darling shook his head telling himself it was too crazy to think about and smiled at his daughter too.
The blonde young man was of course the one who Mr Darling feared about- Peter Pan/Banning who managed to get to Wendy quickly before any other lad and was now happily dancing with her, his heart rejoicing inside.
He was extremely thankful that he did not have to deal with that blonde maiden any more because she was really starting to irritate him with her 'loves' and 'darlings'. Peter wouldn't mind of course if they came from his Wendy but from a maiden he knew nothing about it was only for a fool to ponder about them.
He stepped backwards and soon bumped into someone "ooh sorry sir" a little girls' voice quickly apologised and Peter looked down. He blinked was he seeing things, because looking far up at him was a mini version of his Wendy.
And to further surprise him was her dancing partner, why he looked like a mini version of him! The little girl must have realised this too and turned to her dance partner whispering to him "hey Edward this boy looks like an older version of you" the blonde little boy looked shyly up at Peter and nodded agreeing with the little girl.
Wendy wondered why her partner had stopped dancing and looked down and she giggled, "why cousin, we meet again" she let go of the blonde lad and kneeled down picking up the giggly girl.
The girl was of course Marietta and she swung her arms around Wendy's neck hugging the maiden again "it must be fate that we keep on bumping into each other" she stated trying to be wise. Wendy laughed; "Yes of course cousin" Peter decided to talk with the boy Wendy's cousin called Edward.
He felt pride swell inside him when he recognised the boy to be wearing a green mask like him that was made of felt leaves and he had a silver painted wooden sword on his belt. Kneeling down Peter asked, "are you the famous Peter Pan, good lad" his blue-green eyes twinkling.
The nine-year-old boy placed his hands on his hips and stood tall "yes I played him on stage in the Royal Albert Hall for Sir J.M.Barrie, he told me I was the perfect Peter Pan" "I'm sure you were" Peter laughed ruffling his curly gold hair so like his own.
Wendy and Marie meanwhile were talking about how their dances were going "I was worried that Edward would be clumsy but oh-no he's very good" Marie told her eldest cousin proudly "yes my partner is a good dancer too" Wendy agreed and with that Marie giggled; "I think he's really handsome".
Peter heard the girl giggle this to Wendy and he turned around so did Edward and they both looked at Marie "I am deeply flattered fair lady" Peter smiled bowing to the girl who blushed "ooh" she murmured and Wendy giggled still holding her blushing cousin up in her arms.
Edward folded his arms "aren't I handsome Marie" he whined angrily and Wendy quickly lowered her cousin to the floor "you're way handsomer Eddy" Marie told her friend gleefully with a smile before hugging him and pecking his cheek.
That was good enough to make the little boy go a deep red. Marie giggled at this and they skipped away holding hands "bye cousin" Marie looked over her shoulder waving.
Wendy laughed waving back before turning to her dance partner who was watching the two leave "does it remind you of when you were her age lady" he asked her softly and Wendy nodded "yes it does very much so, ah me the innocence of childhood how I yearn for it" she sighed with a tinge of sadness in her voice.
Peter Pan smiled at her feeling compassion for her and touched her bare shoulder "there is always the inner child within you, you just have to learn how to make her come back" he whispered closely to her.
These words stirred a memory in Wendy's mind and her eyes flickered a little as she traced back to memories kept away at the back of her mind.
She blinked once and turned to the blonde lad she had an idea what he meant but when she looked at him, she grew all nervous inside. For he was standing very close to her, and their faces were only inches apart. Wendy swallowed down another hard lump in her throat.
Time once again slowed around them as the ending keys of the waltz slowly finished and everyone faced the orchestra clapping appreciatively who stood up as once and bowed low there was only men in the orchestra, all masked too.
Both young people blinked in unison before facing the orchestra and clapping with the crowd. Wendy was now feeling very uncomfortable from just staring at her dance partner and felt quite relieved the dancing had ended.
Sir James got back onto the stage and took off the microphone to explain what was going to happen now. Wendy checked the clock in the gardens it just passed 11:00 and the identity of everyone was about to be revealed in an hour.
Wendy noticed no one was watching her, all focusing on Sir James so she quietly slipped away into the thickness of Kensington Gardens.
Authors Note: Was it enjoyable for all of you, I hope so :) So you know 'There you'll be' is the background song to this chapter,I think it just fits so perfectly. Anyway until my next update which I hope won't be too long. Ciao!