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Everything around Jeanne was shining.
The colorful posters, the flying confetti, balloons and flower garland decorations, the smell of hot, fresh food, the music...the music! A group of musicians in bright costumes stood to the side of the square, fiddling an up-beat song that called the people to dance.
The city of flowers. Paris was full of life, vibrating under the spring sunlight of the day. For the young vampiress who had been sleeping for dreamless decades everything looked brand new.
The war had thundered with screams but here everyone was laughing with the sound of the joyful violins. The war had smelled like blood but now the smell of flowers permeated the place.
No more darkness, only warm, beautiful sunlight.
Jeanne had lost sight of master Ruthven during the festival performances. He had offered to take her to human Paris after her long sleep to show her the new appearance of the human city, an unexpected treat.
Where was he now?
She didn't want to return to the castle so soon, so she pushed through the cheerful crowds to watch the dances and the musicians.
Jeanne was wearing a short-sleeved white dress, her long silvery-pink hair fluttering behind her. She was laughing. She couldn't help it. She wanted to be part of the spectators' happiness.
In the distance, past the people dancing, she noticed several actors dressed in big animal costumes There was a lion gifting balloons and a bear doing a funny dance, a dog and canary passing out pamphlets, they were all so cute!
But among them all, the bunny was the cutest. It was much smaller than the rest of the animals, probably a head and a half shorter than Jeanne. It was so absolutely adorable that Jeanne followed it around. It had silky black fur except for a white face and a fluffy white patch on the chest. It wore a blue bow around the neck. She was pretty sure “it” was a “he” from the way the bunny was giving red roses to all of the pretty girls.
Suddenly a very joyful tune started to sound, people danced around forming couples. Jeanne had never danced in pairs before!
She saw a group of kids dancing with the lion and the bear so she seized her chance to capture the bunny. Walking up to it, she took hold of the costume paws and twirled around with it. The bunny seemed to be very shy because it tried to escape the dance, but she gently led it to where other children and adults were dancing. The bunny was trying it's best to follow the rhythm but Jeanne didn't care when it missed a beat, clearly not used to dancing. She was having a blast, energetically laughing
"This is so fun!" she gasped. Hearing that the bunny started to dance around with her as if it wanted Jeanne to keep laughing and having fun. She twirled around holding its hands through the people dancing
The little bunny stepped on her feet several times but she barely felt it. She was having so much fun, she didn't want to return to the castle ever again!
Once the music was over and everyone was clapping, the bunny was bowing down several times in rapid succession, as if saying "I'm sorry." It was probably embarrassed by its dance missteps but Jeannne patted its head "Don't be sorry mon petit lapin! I'm having a wonderful day and dancing with you has only made it even brighter!"
But...
Her smile faded. "Ahhh..I don't want to go back home, but teacher must be looking for me." She looked around again when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. It was the little bunny extending its right paw, where a red rose appeared from thin air. "For me?" She asked. The bunny enthusiastically nodded. She held the rose in her hands, admiring the little blue ribbon in a tidy bow, the same color as the one he wore. "Thank you! It's the first time I have been gift a flower." she said and leaning down she kissed the bunny's left cheek "I will always treasure it."
The bunny didn't move as if stunned in place. She heard the voice of master Ruthven calling her name in the distance. Sadly, it was time to go, but she was happy. Holding the rose to her chest she smiled widely, "I hope to see you again mon petit lapin!" And with that she ran away.
The person inside the bunny costume stood stunned, staring at the crowds where she had vanished. Never in his short life had seen such a beautiful smile, such a beautiful girl.
Too embarrassed to continue his job he turned back to the big tent that worked as a changing room for the performers. His father was waiting for him while preparing some boxes with souvenirs for the revelers.
"Are you back so soon?" He asked while the bunny removed the head of its costume, dropping it to the floor. "Are you okay, my boy?" The man asked as his young son was red faced, deep blue eyes opened wide, sweat all over its face.
The person in the lion custom entered the tent too. The actor inside also took the head of the custom off, gently slapping the boy's shoulder "How lucky youngling! You danced with the prettiest girl of the festival!"
His father laughed "Ooh so that's why he is so spooked!" Both men laughed "you have to become more assertive, young man, or you won't catch her the next time." they were joking of course, he was still too young for that and it was a certainty he would never see her again, however...
However, if he ever did, next time he would be sure to return the kiss.
Years had passed from that encounter, more years after they had found each other again, and even more after they had started their life together, but in Jeanne's room, inside her favorite book, the one she would often read to their children, a dried red rose still lived on, forever perfuming their lives with the gentle fragrance of their love.
