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It was no secret that Markus loved to dance. Many a night he’d summon his imps solely so he could dance along to the tunes they’d play. Sometimes he’d pull Kyr into his rhythm, though the bigger man often stepped on the tiefling’s toes while trying to suss out the steps. It didn’t help that they both were trying to play the part of the lead. Gregor would join in too, when the music was lively, dancing little jigs and humming along with a smile on his face.
Ashe would often just sit at the bar and watch. Markus let her hang back as she wished, respecting her need for space and the fact that she wasn’t exactly comfortable with things like that. She’d talk to Thog as she watched her partner on the floor, a bottle in her hand as she tried to drink away her insecurities. She pretended that was how she liked it, and Thog didn’t seem to mind the company too much, as far as Ashe could tell in the moments she’d actually look over at him. She told everyone that she was content to just watch Markus from the sidelines.
Secretly, though, she wanted to dance with him.
Out in the woods, lit by the moon and starlight, she’d practice. It was tricky at first, having no instructor or partner. She had trouble remembering the steps and often tripped over herself. It wasn’t like fighting, learning to dance alone. When Ashe fought, she could work off of instinct, not think about her actions so much. She trusted her feet to take her where she needed and her arms to swing her blade true. And if it was too much for her, she knew she could trust the others to pick up the slack, catch her if she fell and support her afterwards, as reluctant as she always was to accept their help.
It was hard, but Ashe kept at it. She was determined to learn. She’d watch couples dance when they travelled, carefully observing their movements, watching the graceful push and pull as pairs wove around dancefloors or cobbled town squares. Then, when no one was around, she’d mimic them. She hummed the tunes to herself as she paced through the dances, gaining confidence with every attempt.
They were in Veranova. They had just completed a job and were enjoying the common festivities that seemed to occur every night. A band struck up in the large town square and one by one couples took to the impromptu dance floor. It was a lively song they began with, one which Ashe was unsure how to move to, so she stood quietly off to the side. The next song was also a jaunty number, and the one after that.
Ashe began to fidget nervously beside Markus. When a slower song did come on, how would she ask him? Her feet shuffled uncharacteristically as she practiced the dance steps she had learned.
Markus looked down at the young woman he loved so deeply. It took a moment, but he smiled when he realized what she was doing. A subtle whisper to Kyr made the redhead grin before he seemed to vanish in the crowd. The music’s tempo faded and seemed to melt into a sweet melody, one that Ashe knew well. The tiefling felt his heart warm at the look of surprise on the snow-haired beauty’s face.
“Would you care to dance, mi’lady?” He asked in a gentle voice, offering his hand to Ashe.
She stared at him for a moment, confused and uncertain. A nagging doubt in the back of her mind told her that she wasn’t good enough, that she’d mess up and make a fool of herself. She squashed the voice down and took Markus’ hand. This wasn’t just about her own skill. This was about trusting Markus to lead her and not let her fall.
Her steps were hesitant at first, not quite in time with the music or Markus’ movements. He was patient and she slowly began to match his pace.
“Relax,” he whispered to her. “Keep a strong frame, but don’t be stiff. There you go. You’ve got this. Just follow my lead.”
With Markus and his gentle coaching, Ashe soon found herself whirled around the square in elaborate twirls and arcs. It felt like the whole world had melted away, and the only ones left were her and Markus. Even the music seemed to fade in her ears as they danced. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face or her amber eyes from glittering in the lights, so entranced was she.
Her heart felt like it was soaring. Now she could see why Markus loved to dance so much. If this was what it felt like, she never wanted to stop.
There was disappointment when the band finally stopped playing and party-goers filtered back to their respective lodgings. Ashe and Markus stood in the square still, the young woman resting her head against her partner’s chest as she held him close.
“Thank you, Markus,” she whispered, not wanting to disturb the bubble of silence that had formed around them. More silence as the blonde tiefling stroked the young woman’s hair that reminded him so much of the moon’s pale light. Ashe sighed contentedly, “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Aesling,” he smiled back, turning her chin so she was looking up at him. His lips brushed gently over her eyes, wiping away the happy tears that had formed there before he kissed her lips. “I will always love you.”