This Slow Dance

A/N: Argh. Stupid writers block. Sorry if this chapter sucks, I'm still pretty much stuck in it. -sigh- I HATE writers block, especially when I have a creative writing class in college. I need good gradesssssss!

-stares out cafeteria window for inspiration-

OMFG, we have the BEST view from our school! We're so lucky! It over looks the big lake and mountains, and it's so pretty in the summer time and spring... but right now it's all grey and icy looking. I hate winter...

I can see the beaacccch! I want to go swimming!

I'll be sad when I have to transfer schools next year TT-TT

Chapter 8

"Just as lucky as ever." Analeigh was smiling at me through the mirror, her grey eyes narrowed into a small giving her a dangerous appearance more than a friendly one. Her dark hair falls over a tanned shoulder as she tugged on the white shift she was wearing, pulling it more onto her tall frame. Her hands drift back to my hair as she pulls one of my decorated combs through my wet strands. I hold my neck still, look up at her in the reflection.

She begins to hum as she pulls my hair into a loose braid, stops as she looks back up at me in the mirror. "Did you know them? They seemed to know you."

I manage a sneer, one I'd seen plenty of the women here do and tilt my head in what I know to be a sign of superiority. I hate doing it. "Of course not. I recognized them from the show. They were just curious." Lying has gotten so much easier since it's a necessity here.

Laurette was silent in the corner, perched on the elegant cushions Asha had servants decorate my room with.

I don't look over at her, afraid I could give myself away to the much older woman. She made it her job to know every girl here.

"Did they want use to sleep with them."

"I did." Another lie. Simply because I knew it would be strange for any of the girls here to be passed to a patron and not forced into bed. "Same old, same old." I could taste bile in my mouth.

Analeigh laughs and finishes up on my hair. "Did they pay you anything." She looks down and me makes a small gasp of happiness. "Did they give that to you?"

I look down to where she's motioning to. Remember the pendent dangling at my neck. Instantly I put a hand up to cover it but she's already stepping back, waiting for me to show it to her. Sighing, I twist on the small stool before the mirror and undo the clasp at my neck. Pass it to her slowly.

I watch, with something like hatred as she holds it in her palms, turns it over and over so it catches the light. I'm relieved when she hands it back to me. "Pretty. I wonder what kind of stone that is."

I shrug, placing it back around my neck. Loving the familiar weight against my collar. "I think it might be part of an energist."

"You think." She looks at it again around my neck. "Which one gave it to you."

I paused. Unsure about how to answer this, then figure the truth was all right. "The Fanalian King."

She looks pleased, and slightly jealous. "He was very good looking." Then she laughs. "He had his eyes on you the whole time. It doesn't surprise me." She moves closer to me and places my comb on the ledge before the mirror. I watch her hands move.

"Is he good in bed."

I can't help but blush, even though it's something I'd been accustomed to being asked since coming here. The thought of sleeping with Van had been part of my girlish fantasies for years, and something I still give much thought to. Never had I been asked anything about it though. Never had anything been said out loud.

I was thrown off.

"Um." I flounder for something to say and she gives me an odd look. I'd always come up with an answer prior, and suddenly I was a little bit ashamed with myself. Van might not ever have slept with anyone before, and the previous night had been wonderful as he didn't make any passes in that direction. It was different from before, but at the same time she was a little bit disappointed. "It- it was all right."

I'm saved as one of the younger girls slides the door to my quarters open and pokes her head in. She's grinning. "Sesona just dumped Old Rori into the pond. She's biting Sessy's head off right now." She motioned for us to come and watch, and I smiled at her enthusiasm, picturing the event occurring as it was a normal and humorous occurrence.

"I've got to see this." Analeigh moves towards the door and Laurette follows, though I know she's just going to try and mediate the situation.

The older woman turns from the doorway. "Are you staying here."

I smile at her affectionately and nod, picking up the warm cloth in the small basin at my feet. "You go on, I'm just going to clean up than go to bed."

She nods and slides the door closed on her way out.

I drop the cloth back in the basin unused and rise to my feet, happy I put on a loose pair of slacks and tunic instead of my sleeping gown. I stealthily move towards the door, slide it open and poke my head out. There's a bit of commotion coming from further down. Laughter. Angry voices. A shrill giggle from one of the younger girls. I look in the other direction, satisfied to find it silent and still.

Carefully, I slip out of the small black slippers all the girl's wear, and step barefoot into the hall, happy that my footsteps fall deaf. Before anyone returns I half-run down the wooden floors to the bigger doors at far side of the hallway, slide them open and step through. The main part of the house lays after the outer walkway between the dancers housing and the main building. There's gardens on both sides. Ponds. Stone fountains.

I try to walk as carefully but as casually as possible, not wanting to arouse suspicion, but knowing that Asha isn't here, and neither is most of the men who live in the building. Asha and his friends are out for the night to see a show on the other side of the city and won't be back till later, stumbling and drunk.

They'd show up at some point in the dancer's quarters. Take some of the girl's to bed with them.

As predicted, the main building was silent.

The wood floors hardly make a noise as I slid along them, holding my breath as I reach the door I need. I always marveled at how alike everything was in this country to traditional Japan, just as Fanalia seemed when I first arrived on Gaea.

I slide the thick, paper door open and slip into the darkened room.

My heart seems to pound through the silence as I slid the door closed behind me. I can't help but smile as my eyes take in Asha's messy desk before the darkness takes over.

I move over towards the gas lamp in the corner.

------------------------------------------------------------------ (Van's POV)

Thirteen days couldn't go by slower than this. Especially since I had no real control in any of the proceedings taking place with the refugees and ex-prisoners of war. I was part of the post-war freedom and peace talks and council... but I wasn't suppose to have come on this mission at all.

Fanalia was slowly becoming a powerful country in Gaea, that was true... but it was still in no position to impose itself on another country, and I wasn't sure I ever wanted that to happen.

I would never allow my country to become part of another war.

Either way, I was there, and horribly bored. For the first few days I journeyed around the city, inside the palace gates and outside, towards the harbour, in the markets. Though I soon became highly disturbed by the open slavery and disgusted with the pleasure shops that more than once attempted to lure me in with talkative men and half-clad women.

Quite honestly, I wanted to go home, though didn't express this desire to Allen or the others, even though I could see the Knight's growing discontent with this country from the very beginning.

How any man could leave their country and come here was beyond me, and after meeting a good number of "high-class" men here I came to realized just what kind of men come here. The type I wouldn't want in my country.

The fact that Hitomi was currently being held near prisoner by one of these type of men made my stomach churn, but I found I couldn't keep it out of my mind.

Mostly I stayed in the Inn, counting down the days slowly until the day we would go to Asha's home and take away that girl. I still knew very little about the girl, and couldn't grasp why saving her would help Hitomi.

But I was willing to do anything to get Hitomi back.

I clutch the official document in my hand now, staring down at the fine print. At Asha's signature written with Hitomi's hand. Documentation to buy a human-being. It was absurd and horrible, but I was actually willing to look over this.

Besides, it wasn't as if the girl would be put into slavery or anything, she'd probably be sent to an orphanage in Asturia. Dryden was even talking about taking the girl into his palace to work.

Anything they could offer her would be better than where she is now anyway.

Night was falling, and I could hear distance music through the windows. Carts and rickshaws rolled by the inn. Laughter and talk reached my ears as I sat there, waiting for Allen to come back.

The entertaining was starting for the night, which meant he would be there soon.

And sure enough, a few minutes later Allen enters the room, keeping the door open he stands in the doorway and eyes me carefully.

I stand, still holding the documents, and wordlessly walk out of the inn and down the hallway.

We'll only be here for another few days. I hope Hitomi can get out soon after we take the girl away, but I know I can only hope.

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A/N: I know guys, very short chapter but I truly ran out of stuff to say. The next chapter will be a big one to make up for it :)