"Do you know anything about dancing?" N asked her quickly as he led her onto the shining marbled dance floor. Many other couples were twirling around and talking lively while Cillian and the band played beautiful melodic music.

"I was taught a little by Cillian. To do that dance everybody is doing; waltz, that is," White said bashfully.

"I assume he is the butler that has joined the musicians on stage?" N asked.

White bobbed her head up and down. Her heart was beating fast as all of her thoughts were now preoccupied by nervous tension. She wouldn't be so nervous around him if she hadn't had that conversation with Bianca a couple days ago! She could still hear her voice echoing in her mind:

Did you kiss him?

White groaned inwardly.

"Perfect. He doesn't seem incapable of teaching you an elegant dance. Do you hear the basic 1-2-3 in this song?" N said quietly while guiding her left hand to his shoulder. White listened but was distracted as N placed his left hand at the curve on her side. Even through the fabric of her dress, she could feel his fingertips rest lightly at her hip.

"uh…um…" she was so taken aback by being swept away by N that she couldn't even piece together a single thought in her head. They were so close to one another, and yet it didn't seem to bother her partner very much. Which was weird. Normally physical contact with her left him awkwardly stiff, but he was oddly confident tonight. This guy…was too interesting.

"It will be fine. I can just do this," N said calmly. Being taller than White, he leaned his head to the side of hers and began counting quietly. They began to move. White concentrated on N's counting and her unsteady feet. She tried not to think about the feel of his jaw moving as he spoke quietly to her, and her erratically fluttering heart. After some simple movement White decided that she could finally speak up.

"Okay. I think…I've got it now."

N moved his head to look down at her and offered her a small smile.

"Did your teacher happen to show you how to do an under arm turn?" he asked.

"Oh! Yeah, a spin….thing. He just taught me that last night actually."

"Would you like to give it a try?"

White nodded. They managed to pull off the "spin thing" without a hitch and when White met N again, she laughed.

"I'm surprised I didn't mess it up. You seem to know what you're doing out here," White said conversationally, "Do you go to events like this a lot?"

"Perhaps," N said softly while avoiding eye contact from behind his mask. When he wanted to stray away from a subject, White noticed that he always gave her a vague answer and wouldn't look at her directly.

"It's okay, you know. The blonde you're with told me that you come from some kind of super family. I didn't ask for any details or anything," White concluded. N's eyes met hers.

"She told you that?"

"Yeah. She told me that it would be trouble if you were found out to be here. Don't worry! Your secret is safe with me," White said happily as they continued to dance.

"I appreciate it," N said quietly with a small smile still playing on his lips.

"So." White began.

"So?" he repeated. White snorted from their little joke.

"Who are those ladies, anyway? I remember you telling me that you had never really hung out with girls your age before…was that a fib to keep you out of trouble with me?" White said slyly. N smiled wider and shook his head.

"Oh, no. Concordia and Anthea are my tutors. They are not so young as you suspect."

"You must be joking. They can't be a day over…twenty five?"

"I assure you that I am completely serious. Both are in their thirties."

White's jaw dropped.

"No way! That's amazing! They both look so young!"

There was a moment of silence until White spoke up again.

"They're just your tutors?" White confirmed.

"And they have been since I was young," N said simply. White's grip on his shoulder softened as they glided together effortlessly.

"They seem really kind. I'm glad that I got to meet them," White said earnestly.

"They would be happy to hear you say that," N responded.

After another moment of silence, N spoke up this time.

"I can't help but notice a familiar face in the crowd. A certain dark haired man that you were with when we first met," N said quietly to White.

"Oh! That's my friend Cheren," White said, "Is there a blonde next to him? That's my best friend Bianca. I told you a lot about them when we were traveling together."

"Oh-yes. Let's do another under arm turn, shall we?"

White managed the steps gracefully with the exception of the last step. N brought his hand to her waist and pulled her closer to him faster than she had been anticipating. It caused a very surprised White to trip into his chest. She nearly lost her balance, but N held her close as they continued their steps.

"What was that?!" White hissed under her breath as they continued to dance.

"Oh. It must have been a mistake on my part. Forgive me," N said smirking darkly. White looked up at him with furiously red cheeks.

"You're too methodical to make a mistake," she pouted.

"Seems as if I was found out. Your friend Cheren doesn't seem too pleased. I do wonder what could be bothering him," N said quietly. White noticed that N just looked completely tickled, and she glanced around as they moved to see Cheren in the crowd. The sick look of displeasure oozed from his frowning face like a gulpin.

"I have no idea. He looks angrier than a primeape," White said.

N chuckled and White raised an eyebrow. His laughter was so rare and it made her happy just to hear it.

"Maybe you can ask him yourself. I want to introduce you to them after. Just real quick. I promise it will be painless."

N's smile fell and she watched his eyes shift to the side from behind the mask.

"It would be best if I went unnoticed by anyone but you tonight," N said quietly.

White understood that. She could respect that. However…

"You say that and yet you're dancing with the main event. Bad excuse," White said seriously.

"I will be leaving shortly after this dance."

"What!? No way! Things just got started!" White said while nearly tripping over her feet as they moved in calculated steps led by her partner.

"I am afraid so. I cannot linger here or I may catch some unwanted attention," N said sadly.

They danced a little longer in silence. White was obviously a little miffed.

"I am a Montague in a hall of Capulets," N muttered.

"Huh?" White piped up. She had been so absorbed in being upset by his earlier statement that she had forgotten to enjoy the time that they had together now.

"Romeo and Juliet," N said bitterly and sighed, "Nothing."

With that, N released her as the song built up, and gave White a bow right as it ended. White stood plainly in confusion for a moment but then also gave a small bow back when she realized that the song was over. They stood facing each other in silence as many people around them clapped at the end of the song. White let out a sigh and put a hand on her hip.

"All right, all right. I'll let you go. You owe me, though. For ducking out early and missing the main event," White said with a sideways smile. She poked his chest with an index finger and he flinched.

"I owe you?" N repeated with a tilt of his head.

"That's right. You owe me more time. Send me a message so that we can spend some more time together soon, okay?" White said nervously. She hoped that her request wouldn't offend him. N did tend to take things so literally.

"That would be fine," he responded, then added thoughtfully, "Though I cannot promise that it will be in the near future."

White rolled her eyes.

"Okay, well, unil next time, then," White said quietly as the applause died down. She timidly gave him a quick hug before more people could approach her. N was as stiff as a board. White found it funny that he went back to being uneasy around her after the dance. She shook her head and inwardly shrugged.

"You better get going if you want to escape now!" White said after she pulled away from the hug. She gave him a wink, and he turned around quickly.

After disappearing into the swarm of people that approached White, N felt a presence at his side. Two to be exact.

"How was it, my lord? Fun?" Concordia asked. The two women met him on either side to usher him to the exit. N couldn't help but smile. Fun. That was a good way to describe it.

"It was nice. Far more pleasant than any of the boring parties at the castle, anyway," he responded.

"This is due to Miss White's presence I presume?" Anthea asked N playfully.

"That…I cannot say."

The two women giggled at his vague response.

"She seemed like a sweet girl," Anthea said conversationally as they approached the door to the exit.

"Yes. She is very kind," N said as he pushed open the door with one arm, and took his annoying masquerade mask off with the other. They stood outside waiting for a bit.

"Don't forget beautiful, Anthea! She's very beautiful as well!" Concordia said as she gazed at N for his reaction.

"Yes she is," N managed to agree. Two swannas and an acheops descended from the sky and landed by N and his tutors after a few minutes passed. N rubbed the Archeops underneath its chin and thanked it wordlessly for he and his friends coming to pick them up.

"Now I must find a way to explain her to Ghestis," N sighed. The two women went from being jovial to completely serious. They exchanged worried looks with one another and Concordia spoke up.

"There will be a time for that, my lord. In the meantime, you should continue your mission around the Unova region and simply enjoy yourself. Spend as much free time with her as you possibly can," The blonde suggested as she began to pet one of the swanna lovingly.

"What little of it there is anyway," Anthea said solemnly as she studied N's face. Coming to the party tonight didn't come without a price. It took a lot of careful planning and a solid alibi for the three of them to escape the castle that night. Not to mention N had to work extra on top of everything. The women could tell that their master was exhausted.

"Thank you for allowing me to confide in you both," N said to his tutors.

"Not only do we wish for your success, my lord, but we wish for your happiness as well," Concordia said while putting her hands on her hips. At that moment, N's xtransciever began to ring. A small smile was playing across his lips as he went to answer it.

"Yes?"

"I hope you've had fun on your little field trip," an eerie voice said over the phone. N jerked his head away from the phone in surprise, and he felt his heart stop. He pulled himself out of a stupor and quickly responded with as little emotion as possible.

"Triad?"

"The very same."

N smirked and shook his head. The jig was up, and he was in deep trouble. Or so he thought.

"Since you are in Striaton tonight, why not go on a little errand for us, Lord N?"

N studied his left hand for a moment. These fingers held onto White's delicate hand just minutes ago. He clenched them unto a fist.

"What sort of errand would you have me do?"

/chapter 14 end/

sorry! I know it's been awhile! Thanks for the support while I have been proccupied. It has helped more than you know. I almost want to cry I'm so touched when I read all the reviews and faves I have been accumulaing. I can't promise chapters at certain times, but I'm doing what I can to muscle through my block.

Thanks again! Stay awesome!