Work Text:
Sore.
Your feet are almost swollen in your jewelled shoes, but nonetheless, you dance. You dance with merry men, veterans and nobles who wouldn’t dare miss a chance at a dance with you this night. It isn’t everyday where you get to stray from the formalities of nobility and waste away with the grandness of a party. In fact, it is getting quite late.
To hell with it. It is a masquerade ball, after all.
The rhythm of the music quickens. Turn after turn, you’re placed in different arms, and as the music reaches its final moments, you find yourself in the arms of someone you are not quite familiar with. His mysterious dark attire doesn’t suit the vibrant aura of the evening; his hair kept from his face, and his night-like eyes deemed themselves unreadable behind the charcoal mask.
The room roars with an echo of applause as you find yourself locked in the embrace of the stranger in front of you, looking at him for a moment too long and feeling his eyes linger on you.
He steps away and lowers his head, taking your silk glove while looking up to you. “May I have this dance, your highness?”
Perhaps a little shaken from the bold gesture, you slowly sink your hand into his as he rises. “I suppose you may.”
A small smile reaches his face and you can’t help but return it. The music rises to its rhythm once more. Following his every lead, his steps are peculiarly engulfing; the soft grasp he holds you in is as if this night were to end in seconds. As if this life were to end in seconds.
“A question, if I may,” he leans close. “Yes?”
“This is a little absurd, wouldn’t you agree?” You tilt your head. “Oh? How so.”
He spins you and catches your waist with his arm, holding you at a distance that’s indefinitely closer than any pairing in the room. You see his smile grow into a smirk.
“A place,” he begins, “where anyone can be anyone.” You notice that you haven’t been paying mind to the direction of your waltz, yet you realize that you haven’t the need to. Those partnered have seemingly moved out of their way for you, and some have even stopped to admire and clap to the music for your performance.
“Where I,” he continues, glancing over your shoulder, “can take the identity of someone I’m not.” He looks down at you and smiles whilst you let out a small laugh, only loud enough for you and the man to hear. A smile tugs at the edge of his lips. “Do I amuse your majesty?”
You shake your head slightly. “Well- you see,” you begin, “I believe that in itself is absurd.” He gently twirls you as you bring your free hand to your gown, lifting the draped velvet to ease your footing. “Enlighten me, your highness.” he replies almost mockingly, his eyes moving across your dress as you find yourself in his arms once more. You look to your hand on his shoulder and slightly caress the satin of his coat. “You simply can’t take anything you want in a world such as this.”
“Oh?” He questions, his footing beginning to mellow as a smirk finds your lips. Suddenly, he quickly turns you as he puts you off of your step sequence. Almost tripping, he catches you softly as his body moves with yours, bowing you close to the ground and placing his chest against yours, brushing your nose against his. His eyes look to your lips before looking at you once more.
“Can’t I?”