Chương 281: Thumper's Dance

Well, the end of dinner was not quite the opening of the dance floor. Couple's first dance, father-daughter dance, the mother-son dance, then the best man and the maid of honor... there were a lot of mandated dances that the rest of us just sit back and witness. Normally I'd try to get a little bit of business done during these interludes, but tonight there's just not that much that needs to be done. Anything I need from within Harigold gets arranged by Bruce and Petunia. So, no distractions.

I sat next to Thumper and watched the brand new couple dance with the awkwardness of having every eye on the room glued to you. The mismatched couples that followed tried to play out their required time without embarrassing themselves. Only one foot was stepped on. I sat, and watched terrible dancing, and I felt like I had discovered carbonation in this pre-industrial setting because my blood was fizzing and there were sparks under my skin, making me fight not to twitch. I had a slight case of nerves.

The desserts had come out during the father-daughter number, a light cake with a heavy ganache. I thought it was the chef's first misstep, but Thumper adored it. Ganache is just not everyone's taste, that's all. Anyway, that gave us just enough time to enjoy our light desserts and we were ready when the floor was opened to all guests. And Thumper's smile was wicked as she swept me out onto the floor. Was there music? All I could hear was blood rushing in my ears like a waterfall.

I know that my feet moved in the proper ways, but not because I was aware of them. If my legs had been doing something wrong, she would have had to adjust to correct for me. And I was very aware of every movement she made. There was never a question of which of us would lead. She was not the kind of dancer that leads like a partner fitting together a puzzle with two pieces.

'We've been taught to move our legs at the same time'. No, Thumper leads like a river current with a sense of style. Picked up and moved by something that cannot be resisted but... shouldn't be resisted. Whipped into a turn like an eddy of whitewater, swept out through a long graceful arc, bobbed along, supported from beneath but never holding still at rest. That is not to say that she felt like water. That was an arm at my waist, a hand laced with mine. And there was a pair of eyes I couldn't look away from.

Usually a strong lead like that winds up hip-to-hip, dancing close. Partly because... well, it's fun, and nice, with the right partner. But also because leading that strongly is difficult. But Thumper only needed those two points of contact. Which was on the one hand disappointing, but on the other hand a relief. Because, no matter how swept up I am right now, this is still a wedding. And I'm in line to inherit the duchy. So there is still a mandatory level of decorum.

But with one hand cradling my back and one hand holding my own, she floated me around the floor, through turns and spins, and sways and exchanges. I didn't really keep up with the particulars. My feet went where they were supposed to, I held her hand and her shoulder, her skin was warm against me, and I almost certainly had a dazed look on my face. Maybe stunned. Or vapid.

"Having fun?" Thumper asked, winking. I struggled to remember how words worked.

"um, Yes," I said.

"This is nice." Premiere wordsmith, scriptwriter, poet and publisher of our era: 'This is nice'. Well, what am I going to say?

'I'm in a whirling daze and can't seem to remember where I am or what is happening? Nothing matters right now but the color of your eyes and the spark of your smile'? Or maybe 'a room in heaven has just opened where this dance will never end'? Perhaps 'this sublime moment between us is the reason that dancing was invented and passed down, that all history of music and movement has culminated here atop this floor and within your arms'?... Honestly, I could say some of those.

If, that is, I wasn't completely poleaxed in the moment.

"I've never met anyone like you," she said.

"Obviously. I don't think anyone has met someone like you. I think if there had ever been another, we'd have heard about her by now."

"As a cautionary tale if nothing else," I quipped. More articulate now. She laughed at that, broadly and brightly. She did not care how dorky my jokes were, how corny my wordplay, or how dry my humor might be. She thinks I'm funny.

"When I told you I was in debate club, you were surprised that I find it more relaxing than fencing," she said.

"Not that I had an interest in it. You've never treated me like I was just one thing. You've never boxed me in with your opinions. Today you helped me with a suit, and a dress, and you were just as accepting either way."

"Sure, why would I..." I trailed off. There was something too big to say, and it got stuck. She nodded as if she could hear it anyway.

"You invite me to tea, and to meet your family, and to sports events, and the poshest wedding I've ever heard of," she murmured to me.

"I told you that I clean up nice, and you never doubted me. I said I could dance and you took it at face value. You help me be a better fencer the only way you can, but you bring me nice things too. And you laugh at every stupid joke I make," she said with a wink and a smile. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"You're going to make me blush," I said, as I blushed as hard as humanly possible. My feet skimmed over the floor, touching at the right times without putting weight down. She supported me with her arms at extension and I had one hand resting on top of her shoulder, I could feel the controlled strength in her, no tension or trembling, no strain of difficulty. Strength and grace. She snickered, and then put me into three fast overhand spins before catching me up again.

We moved around the floor and I was only vaguely aware of other couples. Honestly anything could have been happening around me and I'd never know. I couldn't look away from her. I've got sorcerous senses that cover the whole room and somehow the whole room is only a foot away, with her arms cradling me as we moved.

"Sometimes I feel like I know a secret," Thumper said, with an enchanting half-smile.

"Everyone knows you're strong and smart, and beautiful and important," she said, "but they don't know you. They just know about you. They make a big deal about how impressive you are, but nobody knows that you're nice. Leaves me torn between wanting to tell them and defend you, or wanting to stay quiet so this can be something only I know about."

"I have never, ever, been accused of being nice," I chuckled, leaning into her arms. It felt nice, I let a wistful smile spread over my lips.

"Well, I know better," she said, The music built to its conclusion, and Thumper surprised me on the last note, dropping into a deep lunge instead of a simple out-step, and instead of my rest position I got dipped nearly to the ground, my whole body curved in a long arch folded over her arm, breathing heavily. She supported me easily at this extended angle, and she waited for applause to die down before she stood me back up. My head was swimming, and I was holding in half-delirious giggles.

Dancing with Thumper is better than flying. I should take Thumper flying some time. I leaned on her arm as we left the floor, I was teetering a bit, dizzy, lightheaded. And my mood plummeted when I felt someone in the room. The only person I can feel, and he was here. I shored up my expression in a second, patching my smile back on. I wasn't going to let him trash my evening just by showing up. Also, how fucking rude?

To show up at a wedding reception after the dinner and speeches, just to socialize, it's just not done. Why the fuck would he even be here? Rule out any ordinary duties of a prince or society noble, he'd have been here from the beginning like me, or even at the wedding. If he's acting erratically, he's up to something. One of his quests, probably. Either one of the minor ones that the game doesn't really specify where it takes place, or...

well, I rather suspect that he's either got new quests that relate to me and my fellow [Antagonists], or maybe the changes I've been making have altered his quest paths. I have recently come to accept that the game structure is no longer as static as it used to be. We moved back to the table and I started the Gyre spinning, before I reached for my water.

"That was delightful," I said, turning a beaming smile to Thumper. My brother was moving to keep himself out of my line of sight, and doing rather a good job of it. If I could not pick him out specifically, he would perfectly blend into a crowd of people who are all dressed rather similarly to him. I have never told him that my senses can pick him out specifically. I need to keep any advantages I can.

"That was a lot of fun," Thumper agreed.

"So glad that dancing here is pretty much the same as anywhere else."

"So, you're the best dancer in the room no matter where you go?" I prodded, with a smile tugging only one side of my face.

"Modestly, yes," she said, immodestly.

"But I did mean what I said. You're not just polite, you're kind. And that gets overlooked."

"Thumper, with all due respect, I've killed a lot of people, and you've seen me do it."

"Sure," she said, disregarding it easily.

"Barbarian solders attacking us while we were rescuing their villagers from them. And you killed quicker, cleaner, and more mercifully than any of us did." Sure, the attack on Uchislowi village could be considered a rescue mission to save the innocent noncombatants from the gruesome cannibal-torture lifestyle of their leaders. But I was really there for the loot. I didn't even intend to get the political favors from it that I did, though I'm glad to have that.

"-and other than that, they're all career criminals that tried to kill your family," Thumper said, "But even if we didn't set those aside... the things you've done don't keep you from being a nice person. You saw that I can be more than one thing. Give yourself the same leniency. Sure, you've got a violent history. But there's still a side of you that cares very much about people's well-being. You say nice things to people, you do nice things. You care whether people are going to be hurt by what you do.

That means a lot." So this is how I learn that Thumper is a terrible judge of character. But, I'll certainly leave that be for now, no need to disillusion her right now. We sat close by, and I leaned in. My shoulder resting against her arm. A whimsy passed by, to rest my head on her shoulder, but I knew that was a step too far. I'm pushing the bounds on public affection and snuggling as it is. If I act out, then no amount of "escort hands" will protect me from the gossips.

And even if the gossip is baseless and frivolous, it would immediately cause people to start distancing themselves, not to be associated. I spent too much effort and time building these connections to let it start to unravel like that. I am careful. Honestly, that would be the biggest worry for me right, that Nathan would decide to start a rumor like that to discredit me, if I did not know better.

If a rumor about my private behavior started to circulate and there was a speck of connection to my brother, it would just die instantly. Nobody wants to be caught out spreading the story of the jealous younger brother using slander to smirch the sister that won the succession. Any shots he takes at me need to either be far sneakier than that, or far more overt. I glance up at Thumper, and catch her looking my way. Next year. This time next year. First year, get to know you.

Second year, take this to the next level. Third year, getting serious. Fourth year, make the choice. Fifth year, commitment. Next year, third year, the gossips get a lot less control over me. I won't be as dependent on public perception, I won't be in as tenuous a position, my goals won't be as dependent on the combined goodwill of the houses. And I can hardly wait.