Chapter 9: An Evening Waltz

Blumiere spent the following days in denial. It wasn't true. He couldn't feel that way about Timpani. He was a member of the Tribe of Darkness. She was a human, an outsider. They weren't even supposed to be friends, let alone anything more than that.

Despite knowing this, Blumiere couldn't stop thinking of her. He couldn't stop hanging on to every word she wrote like he was lost at sea and her letters were a lifeline. He couldn't stop thinking of her kindness, her beauty, her courage. He couldn't stop imagining what life would be like with her at his side.

He was at another dinner with the rest of the family, but their chatter was like white noise to him. Instead, he thought of what Timpani said during their last meeting: I'm glad you did it…because I had the chance to meet you. He was careless that time; he fell asleep at the house and just barely made it back to the castle in time for breakfast. Still, he didn't regret leaving in the first place.

"Blumiere!" Father interjected.

The younger man jumped before turning his head. "Huh?"

The chief frowned. "I was reminding you of the meeting tomorrow morning regarding the quarterly budget."

Ah, yes. A meeting about finances that Blumiere had to attend solely because he was his father's successor. How could he have forgotten about something as exciting as that? "Oh, yes. Of course."

Father narrowed his eyes. "Honestly, Blumiere. You have been even more distracted than usual. What's wrong with you?"

"Isn't it obvious, Derrick?" Mother asked, smiling. "Our sweet boy is finally falling in love."

Blumiere nearly choked on his sip of water. "W-What? I don't know what you're talking about. I don't feel that way towards anyone!" He said, cheeks burning. Whether it was out of embarrassment or lingering feelings from thinking about a certain someone, he couldn't tell.

Beside him, Ben smirked. "Oh, really?"

"It seems like whenever we try to talk to you, you're off in another world," Roselyn chimed in. "But you're always smiling…" With a mischievous grin, she asked, "Is it who I think it is?"

Blumiere grew tense. They couldn't know about Timpani. They just couldn't. "...Who do you think it is?"

His sister laughed. "Arianna, silly! Your fiancé? The merchant's daughter? Who else would I be talking about?"

They thought he felt this way towards Arianna? Well, it was better than them knowing the truth. Blumiere forced himself to relax a little. "No one. You're right. It is her that I'm thinking of…" He had become so good at telling lies lately. What happened to the honest man from a month prior?

Ben placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, I know these feelings are new and confusing, especially because you thought you'd never feel this way. But there's no shame in opening up. We are your family, after all."

Open up, when a critical father and an idealist sister who couldn't keep a secret to save her life were at the same table? Not likely.

"Quit pestering him, everyone," Erik said. "He'll talk to us when he's ready." With that, he looked towards the eldest with an understanding expression. In turn, Blumiere shot a thankful smile his way.

"Well, regardless, you have a lot to learn before you're ready to lead our tribe," Father continued. "So, pay attention. No more daydreams."

Blumiere nodded. That was probably for the best. He didn't want to get in any more trouble than he was already in. "Yes, sir."

Whenever the family went their separate ways, it was normal for Tock to join Erik's side. After all, the second eldest tended to fixate on different topics that he found interesting. He would spend hours in the library, researching, unaware that he was supposed to be in bed a long time ago. In situations like these, it was helpful to have a time-keeping companion to make sure he stayed on track.

This time, though, Tock floated over to Blumiere instead. Taken back, the latter asked, "What is it, Tock?"

Tock grinned with tension in his smile. "There are a few things I need to bring you up to speed on. Come, let's go somewhere private."

Blumiere furrowed his brow but decided to go along with what he wanted. He led the Pixl to his bedroom. Once they were alone, Tock admitted, "Alright, I had to lie again, but I couldn't let the rest of them hear."

"I figured. Just tell me what's bothering you."

The Pixl hesitated. "Well…much like the others, I have noticed how distracted you have been lately. Lord Erik tells me you are developing feelings for Lady Arianna, but…It's not her you're thinking of. Are you?"

Blumiere's eyes widened. Before, he would have been willing to bet any amount of money that no one knew him better than his family, yet Tock was the only one to figure out his secret. Maybe he had underestimated the servant. Quietly, the lord answered, "No…" There was a moment of silence. Neither of them had to say anything; they both knew who he had truly fallen for. "I know that I'm not supposed to feel this way, but…She is like no one I've ever met." Blumiere sighed. "What am I supposed to do, Tock?"

Tock's eyes widened as he floated back a bit. "You want my opinion?"

"Yes. What's wrong? Do you not have any advice for me?"

He shook his head. "No, no. I was just…surprised for a moment. However, you have a duty to your people, my lord."

"I know. I never meant for this to happen."

"Perhaps you should stop seeing her…"

Blumiere shook his head. "No. I want to keep seeing her."

"But why? Don't get me wrong. I do like Miss Abatti, but this arrangement isn't safe for the both of you. At least, it won't be in the long term."

The lord sighed. "Because all of my life, I've been my father's perfect little Blumiere, yet he doesn't seem to acknowledge it. And even though I live a comfortable life, I have no real freedom of my own. Leaving the tribe's borders…becoming friends with Timpani, even if she is a human…That wasn't Father's doing. That was all me."

"You want to see her to spite Count Derrick?" Tock asked incredulously.

Blumiere shook his head. "No, no. I mean to say that being with Timpani was the first decision I've ever made on my own. I don't want to lose what little agency I have…and I don't want to lose her either…"

Tock frowned. "Lord Blumiere, you know how your uncle lost his way in this family…I don't want the same for you…"

The moment the Pixl brought him up, Blumiere felt a wave of dread. Darren had followed his heart, but in doing so, he lost his home, his family, his standing with the tribe. Everything. Was Blumiere willing to do the same?

Of course not. Blumiere wasn't a traitor like him. He loved his family and always would. "It won't get that far," He whispered, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

When he met Timpani that night, he decided to bring her a gift. Even if he couldn't admit that he loved her, he wanted to express it somehow. He greeted her while holding the present behind his back with one arm. "Hello, Timpani. It's nice to see you again."

The human furrowed her brows. "Nice to see you too…What is that behind your back?" She tried to peer behind him, to which he turned his body slightly.

"Just a little gift. I wanted to let you know how thankful I am for everything you've done for me. And I don't just mean helping me that night, but also for being such a good friend." With that, he revealed his gift: a bouquet of purple and white pansies.

She gasped. "Oh, Blumiere…They're beautiful. Thank you so much!" With that, she took them, beaming. "Where did you get them?"

The tribesman let out a sigh of relief. He had wanted to use a more romantic flower, like roses or tulips, but they wouldn't bloom until springtime. He wasn't sure if Timpani would like pansies, but she seemed to appreciate them just fine. "They're from my mother's garden. My servants gathered them for me, but I arranged them myself."

The young woman inhaled their subtle scent and her smile grew. "Well, we'll have to find a vase for them when we get back to the house. Come on."

With that, the two walked back to Coda's house, chatting about the past few days. Before he knew it, he was back in her mentor's living room. Blumiere sat on the couch while Timpani filled her vase with water in the kitchen. As he listened to the rushing liquid pouring out of the faucet, he thought hard about his situation.

He loved Timpani, but she would never be his. No, she would finish her apprenticeship, then go back to her human village and marry a human man. Would she be happy with him? Would she bear many children? The idea of her being married to someone else filled him with envy. Still…Would they at least remain friends after all of this? He hoped they would. He wanted to keep her calming presence in his life.

Just then, Timpani came back with the pansies. She set them on the table, the glass making a quiet clank as it reached the wooden surface. "There. That looks much better." With that, she sat on the couch beside Blumiere. "So, what do you want to do? I have some music we could listen to, or we could just talk." With a playful grin, she added, "I won't put on a movie this time; we wouldn't want you falling asleep again."

Blumiere gave a terse grin. He still felt a bit embarrassed about that. "Music sounds nice. Do you have anything without words?"

"Hmm…Lemme see." She started looking through the CDs. At some point, Blumiere began looking with her, even though he had little knowledge of what music was on those tiny disks. Eventually, they settled on one that captured the soft and gentle rhythm of an orchestra. After listening for a few minutes in a comfortable silence, Timpani asked, "What do you think about this one?"

"It feels familiar, even though I've never heard it before." He tried to put his finger on where he might hear something like it before it came to him. "It's the kind of thing my father would have musicians play at his parties."

Hearing that, Timpani perked up a little. "You go to parties?"

Blumiere chuckled. Even though he went to these kinds of events often, he hadn't written about them much. "Yes, is that so hard to believe?"

"You just…don't seem like the kind of person to go to parties."

"Well, I don't really have much of a choice."

"How come?"

"Father says it's best to know the people I will be leading one day, even though it's usually those who are in the same high standing that we are," Blumiere explained. "In fact…that's how I met Arianna again. We talked at a ball I attended last month. In fact, Father threw the ball for me specifically, to meet potential suitors. But I needed fresh air at one point and walked out onto the balcony, and Arianna happened to come out not too long after."

"Hmm…" Timpani muttered. She looked away before quietly asking, "So, that's how she won you over?"

He laughed. "I wouldn't say that she 'won me over.' Remember, our engagement is one of convenience."

"Right…" She muttered. Timpani grew quiet, which Blumiere had grown accustomed to. That particular topic still bothered her a lot.

Hoping to get her mind off of it, he asked, "What about you? Are you the kind of person to go to parties?"

She nodded. "Sometimes. Back home, I usually explored town with my group of friends whenever I had time, so it's been awhile since my last one. The closest one I've been to was my school dance during my senior year of high school."

He tilted his head. "High...school?"

Timpani laughed. "A public school that you go to when you're aged fourteen through eighteen. Anyway...I was a scrawny girl with a face full of acne, so none of the boys asked to go with me or even wanted to dance. I was sad about it...but at least I had my friends to comfort me."

The lord thought for a moment. "Have you ever danced with a boy before, Timpani?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

Blumiere grinned and stood, offering his hand. "Would you like to?"

Timpani hesitated. "Um...Blumiere? That's very sweet of you, but I don't know how to dance."

"Then let me show you," He said, inching closer. A smile broke out onto her face as she took his hand. Blumiere pulled Timpani up and the two stood facing one another. He thought for a moment, wondering what he should show her first. "How about I teach you a simple waltz?"

Timpani shrugged. "That's fine."

Blumiere placed a hand on her back, taking her hand and lifting it. "Now I'm leading, so I will start with my left foot. You step back with your right foot." They took the step together. One. "Now, we both take a step. It will be the right side for me and the left side for you." They took another. Two. "Now, we do the same motion, but in reverse. You will take a step forward with that same foot, back to the starting position." Three. "And that is how you do the box step."

When they finished, Timpani had a confused look on her face. "Wait...That's it?"

He nodded. "That's it. The box step is the foundation for this dance. Also, the waltz is known for its 1,2,3 count so I was counting in my head as we did it."

She smirked, a playful glint in her eye. "That's too easy. Where's all the leaps and twirls and high kicks?"

Blumiere laughed. "Patience, my young pupil. Why don't we try again and I will count aloud so you can hear it?"

Timpani sighed, feigning disinterest. "I suppose so. But you do realize that I'm a year older than you, right?"

He returned to the starting position, this time feeling the warmth of her hand and softness of her back. "That may be so, but I am the one with experience."

They repeated the box step and he made sure to count aloud. Soon, they were both counting as they took simple steps. "1, 2, 3...1, 2, 3…" As they continued to practice this simple movement, Timpani took a break from counting. She peered at their hands, both entangled in the other's grip. Blumiere furrowed his brows. "Is something wrong, Timpani?"

Timpani shook her head. "No, no. I'm fine. I was just wondering…Do you mind showing me how you would lead those noble girls in a dance?"

He chuckled. "I can't do that while showing you the basics, but I can show you some other simple steps."

She nodded and he walked her through a combination of simple moves. He was only somewhat present, going off what he knew automatically. Timpani was his friend. They were just teasing each other. But...then again, why would he feel the need to tease her if they were just friends? Blumiere felt his cheeks grow hot and he sped through the rest of his explanation, hoping Timpani wouldn't notice.

Within a matter of minutes, the two were waltzing together. The small living room was cramped compared to his grand ballroom, yet it felt far more magical than any dance he shared with the girls back home. As time went on, Blumiere forgot that Timpani had only just learned these steps. She moved with grace and confidence, a smile exploding on her lips. They danced like that for a few short minutes. Blumiere even twirled her once, just to see how she would react. She laughed as he spun her around. It was a joyful, melodious sound and the tribesman wanted more of it already. When they finished their dance, he looked into her gorgeous blue eyes and felt a sudden dizziness.

Timpani tilted her head slightly. "Blumiere?"

The lord gulped. "T-Timpani…"

He looked down at her lips, pink and plump. His heart skipped a beat and that warm, strange feeling rushed through it. His next choice was like an instinct; there was no thinking it over beforehand. He lifted her chin and moved her hair back behind her ears. Holding her face in his hands, Blumiere leaned forward and kissed Timpani on the mouth. Her lips were soft and pillowy and for a moment he felt like he was floating. The kiss was sweet, gentle, and dreamlike...just like her.

He broke the kiss and looked at her, fearing for the worst. She stepped back, eyes wide. Timpani put a hand to her lips, whispering, "That was my first kiss…"

"Mine as well," Blumiere admitted, peering down at the floor. Why did he do that? How could he have done that? By acting so impulsively, he had just ruined his first real friendship. With these thoughts swirling in his head, Blumiere swallowed hard. "Forgive me, Timpani. I don't know what came over me."

To his surprise, her lips curved into a smile. "It's okay, Blue. I...kind of liked it…"

His eyes widened. "You did?"

Timpani nodded, blushing. "I've had a crush on you for a while now, but I didn't think I would ever be able to admit it."

After the initial shock, Blumiere looked back on some of their interactions together with a new context. The way she blushed when he kissed her hand that night. That look they shared when they were listening to music together. Finally, her reaction to the engagement made much more sense now. It wasn't just he was in an arranged marriage…it was that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

With this realization, Blumiere grinned. "I'm glad to hear that, Timpani…because I feel the same way about you."

Her smile grew and she held him in a warm embrace. He returned the gesture, rubbing her back. All was right with his world...until he remembered…

He sighed. "But…"

Without moving, she whispered, "But what?"

"W-We shouldn't be doing this. I'm already betrothed…"

Timpani let go of Blumiere. She thought for a moment, then sighed. "I...don't know how we will solve that problem. I don't know if we can." She held both of his hands in hers, clasping them together firmly. "But...I don't want what we have to end. I...I love you, Blumiere."

The man knew that what they had couldn't last long. Surely, Timpani had to know that deep down, too. They were from two separate worlds that were never meant to meet. But that didn't matter now. Blumiere just wanted to be with her, no matter how short their time together would be. Stroking her cheek, he said, "I love you too, Timpani."

The two kissed once again, their lips pressing for what felt like an eternity. Neither were aware of a figure watching from the shadows.

I noticed Valentine's Day was coming up and made it a personal goal to finish this chapter on or before that day. Even though I doubted myself, I made that goal, and I'm really proud of myself for that.

Anyway, I had written Blue and Timpani's dance together about two years ago on a Google Doc, and I've been excited to incorporate it into the fic ever since. So, now I can stop thinking about that scene on repeat. But it seems that someone found out their secret, and something tells me that this person isn't going to be too happy about them together...

-Free