The lyrics from the song in this chapter are not mine. They come from the song Dark Waltz as performed by Hayley Westenra on her album, Pure. You can You-tube it for the full effect.

I had a lot of fun writing these next few chapters. This one in particular. Enjoy!

The Water is Wide

Chapter 13

Dark Waltz

I was terrified. My heart was beating so rapidly in my chest I thought it would beat its way through. My palms were sweaty, my vision slightly blurry, and my knees were all but knocking together. All sound was muffled, as though I was hearing it through water. My breathing was erratic, despite how hard I tried to control it. If it weren't for Salinus standing beside me with his arm linked with mine, I surely would have fallen faint the moment I arrived. I was terrified.

And a little excited too!

I had never been to a ball before. There was no cause for such celebrations before the Empress was defeated, and afterwards, well…my family was simply never invited to one of the Governor's Balls. Now I stood just outside a pair of large wooden doors in a line on the verge of entering a grand ballroom. There was soft music emanating from a band of stringed instruments and the rumble of a deep voice from the front as the line progressed.

Lucy and Edmund were not in line with me, neither was Mr. Tumnus. They were already in the ballroom with the Seven Isles Royal Family. The ball guests, which included me, were being paraded before the royals and introduced one at a time…even though I already knew Lucy and Edmund and had met the Royal Family upon arriving in Redhaven a month ago. It was all very confusing to me and I didn't understand why I had to be "introduced" again. Lucy said it was all traditional and ceremonial, and she didn't sound too thrilled with it either.

Salinus could have chosen to stand behind Lucy and Edmund and not be a part of the parade since he was an "official" member of their delegation team, as Mr. Tumnus had, but instead, Salinus chose to stay with me and be my escort for the night. It was an offer I was immensely thankful for, because, as I stated earlier, I would have already fallen faint without him.

When I first learned that there was to be a ball, I felt certain that I would not be attending. I had nothing to wear and I was of no importance; why should I attend? Lucy wouldn't hear of it though. She simply insisted that I come along. I tried to refuse and say I didn't belong at the ball, but I couldn't convince her to let me stay in my room. And once she requested of the Redhaven Queen that I be allowed to sing a few songs at the ball, a request that was strengthened by Edmund's support, there was no way out of it.

Again, I borrowed one of Lucy's dresses for the ball. It was a light cream dress with silver details around the bodice and silver tulle draped over my shoulders. I thought it was far too beautiful for me, but Lucy wouldn't allow me to wear anything else. She saw to the styling of my hair; fortunately, she decided on a simple up-do that kept the hair from falling in my face, and she applied scented oil to my wrists and neck before she had to leave. I did try to refuse all of this, but admittedly I only halfheartedly tried to refuse. The oil did smell quite lovely.

Considering my present state of nerves and anxiety though, perhaps I should have tried harder to refuse the ball all together.

Finally, Salinus and I took our final steps forward as we approached the Royal Family, Edmund, and Lucy—they were all in a line of their own—while the deep voiced herald introduced us. "The maiden Estelle of Avra in the Lone Islands, and the Faun Salinus of The Western Wood in Narnia."

I gave my best curtsey, just as Lucy had taught me, while Salinus bowed beside me. When we arose there was only a simple head nod in acknowledgment from the stern looking Redhaven King and his smiling Queen. However, as I turned and walked by Edmund I couldn't help but notice that his eyes seemed to follow me. Even after I had long passed him and I looked back over my shoulder, his eyes were still on me. I couldn't stop the smile that spread over my face.

Once the parade was over and all the guests had been introduced, the musicians started a new song and the royals took to the floor for the opening dance. The King danced with his Queen while Edmund and Lucy danced with other members of the royal party. Lucy danced with a young lord, but Edmund danced with not one, but both of the Seven Isles Princesses. He began with what looked to be the eldest Princess and then half way through the dance, she switched places with her younger sister. Edmund smiled throughout his dance and even laughed a little with the younger Princess, but once the dance ended he did not ask them for another.

My nerves had subsided a little as I watched the first dance with the other guests. When the music ended though, the nerves quickly resurfaced. It was time for me to sing my first song. I knew the song well and I had even rehearsed it a little with the musicians earlier that morning. Performing wasn't the issue. It was the crowd. I had never sung for such a large gathering before. Prior to meeting the Narnians, the largest crowd I had sung for was the crew of the Estelle, which was hardly even a quarter the size of the Splendor's crew.

My hands trembled as I took my appointed place before the musicians. Once my feet were settled, though the rest of me still shook with fear, I nodded my consent for the musicians to begin. At the first hum of the strings, couples began to take to the floor. The tune was a simple, yet beautiful and elegant waltz. As the music washed over me, I felt my nerves fleeing, or rather, I left them. It was like I was drifting above the fears, floating on the music. I briefly closed my eyes for a moment to relish in that feeling. Then, as my cue drew nearer I drew in a deep breath and began to sing.

We are the lucky ones

We shine like a thousand suns

As the familiar words tumbled gently from my lips, every lingering fear vanished. The couples on the floor spun and twirled around each other as my song gave life to their dance. Their bodies became a blur before me. Each one melded into the next and they were indistinguishable. They were a whirl of colors. All but one. Only one person remained constant throughout. Only one body refused to meld into the others, and as my eyes locked with his everything else disappeared. It was as though only he and I remained in an empty world. The only sight was him, the only sound my voice.

Visions of you and me forever

Dance me into the night

Underneath the moon shining so bright

Truer words I had never sung. Truer hopes I had never dreamed.

XOXOX

"That was amazing!" Lucy exclaimed, rushing to my side as I stepped from the musician's platform. I tried to shrug and brush it off, saying it wasn't that amazing, but the thrill from singing five, five, songs in front of such a crowd was still very evident in my features and I could do little more than laugh and touch my hands to my flushed cheeks.

"You were incredible," Lucy reiterated as she pulled me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you. You didn't look nervous at all."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you had been with me before I started singing. Just ask Salinus; I'm sure he could show you the scratches and bruises from where I was squeezing his arm as we entered."

Lucy laughed but didn't have an opportunity to say anything, because at that moment one of the courtiers approached us and offered his hand…to me.

"May I have this dance?" he asked. I looked to Lucy to verify that he was asking me and not her. She simply laughed and slightly pushed me forward. My hand fell into his and I gave a small curtsey, before allowing him to lead me out to the floor just as a new song began.

He wasn't the only courtier that asked me to dance. I barely had time to rest before another came asking. I went from one dance partner to the next. Song after song. I wasn't alone though; Lucy too had many dance partners through the night. The hours wore on and the atmosphere became more jovial as the wine began to flow more quickly. I had lost all track of time, and all track of Edmund until I was all but spun into his arms as a particular vibrant song ended; his hand shooting out to touch my waist was the only thing that kept me from toppling over. His face was taught and his voice a bit grim when he spoke. Lucy had warned me earlier, that Edmund was not a fan of balls and dancing. As I looked at him now, I could clearly see his discomfort. As his eyes flashed over my left shoulder though, I thought perhaps his discomfort at the moment had more to do with the young man that stood there than the ball itself; we had shared the last three dances together and I was certain he was going to ask for another.

"May I have the next dance?" Edmund asked, his eyes still on my former partner before quickly dropping to me.

His lack of apparent enthusiasm almost made me decline. However, as I glanced down at his waiting hand, I recalled the brief moment in which he held my hand in Lucy's room and the surge of power and heat his touch had given me; I suddenly felt I couldn't refuse the opportunity to feel his touch again. I cast a warm smile to my old partner and offered an encouragement that we could dance together again later. Then, I turned back to Edmund and gently placed my hand in his before dipping into a low curtsey.

The tempo of the song that started was much slower than the one that had just ended, so Edmund and I were forced into a more intimate dance. While his feet stepped in perfect timing with the rhythm, his body remained stiff and unyielding. The conversation between us was nonexistent as I waited for him to speak, and he looked anywhere but at me. Finally impatient with his silence I decided to break it.

"Dancing involves more than just the knowledge of proper foot placement."

His eyes flashed to mine and his brow furrowed in confusion, but still he did not say anything. So I continued.

"Nevertheless, for one who has such a distaste for balls, your dancing is…adequate."

"Adequate?" That perked his attention. "I didn't realize you were as skilled in dancing as you are in singing."

"Dancing is merely singing with your body and not your voice."

"Curious. Please explain."

"Both are forms of expressing the emotions that good music can inspire. I sing as well as I do because I allow the music to overtake me. It is the same with dancing. You must feel the music within, and allow it to show with out."

Edmund nodded his head. "Still, singing requires some foreknowledge of proper pitch and intonation, as well as breathing and phrasing."

"Just as dancing requires some foreknowledge of the proper foot placement."

Edmund seemed to consider this for a moment before his lips broke into a small smile. "Very well then, what do I need to do to become more than an adequate dancer?"

"You can start by relaxing. It's a ball, not a sentence hearing." I slid the hand that was on his shoulder in towards his neck and gently pushed down. He gave into the gentle pressure and immediately he appeared to be more at ease, and his body flowed with the music more.

"Secondly, you can put all your focus on your partner and the music, not on your surroundings," I continued as I gently placed my hand to his chin and turned his eyes back to mine. "Again, it's a ball not a battlefield."

"You might be surprised to find what dangers lurk in a ballroom."

A sudden fear gripped my heart, a fear which must have shown in my face because Edmund quickly dismissed any threat of present danger. "I apologize for my cynical behavior. I did not mean to frighten you."

I shook my head and smiled. "It's fine. I'm sure a king whose right was claimed in battle has learned to see danger where others do not."

"As a king yes, and more so as a brother who wishes only to protect his sisters. How is my dancing now?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Much better. You are a quick study."

"Well, perhaps it only took the right partner."

I could almost feel my cheeks turn red as my face swelled with heat, and his smile only made my cheeks grow warmer.

"Why did you ask me to dance, Edmund, if you are so against dancing?"

"I'm not against dancing. I'm just against the forced civilities and polite conversations that are of little interest to me that dancing often entails."

"So would you dance more if you could talk of legal proceedings and battle strategies with your partner?"

"Perhaps."

"Hmm, well you may speak of them all you like, if you wish. I will listen, but I cannot guarantee that I will understand even a little of it."

He laughed. "Well perhaps you only need the proper instructor, as I needed the proper partner."

"Do you know where I might be able to find one?" I teased. I couldn't resist and the smile my tease elicited sent a shock-wave down my back and made my toes tingle. I laughed as he tried to turn his smile into a look of hurt and failed. Soon, his own laughter mingled with mine and I couldn't help but to marvel at how they nearly harmonized with each other.

When our laughter ended, I was surprised to find that we were no longer dancing in time with the music for the song had ended as well, and another had begun. I think Edmund realized this at the same moment I did. I watched as a curious decision waged war in his eyes. Should he stay and ask for another dance? Or should he leave and retreat to wherever it was he had been hiding? Realizing how difficult the decision must be, I chose for him. I stepped out of his hold and curtsied.

"Thank you, King Edmund, for delighting me with that experience. You do not strike me as one who often submits himself to unpleasant affairs."

"Have I given you the impression that I thought our dance to be an unpleasant affair? If so, then let me apologize. In truth, I found it most rewarding."

I did not think my cheeks could feel any warmer until they did. I curtsied again before turning, and leaving him alone on the dance floor. But, in truth, all I really wanted to do was return to those waiting arms.

Here's a little fun for you...

"No further, or the blade cuts deeper."

"You seem to misunderstand me, Sir," Edmund said coldly and without hesitation. "I dare not come between a man and his prize. I am not here to stop you."

"Then why are you here?"

"I have come to offer you my assistance."