Bonus Short Stories
A Dance with the Amethyst Princess
“Thank you for coming.”
Claudia cut a striking figure in her white dress. Around her, soaring melodies, stately tempos, and peaceful chatter held gentle sway over the great hall.
“Not at all.” Hiro nodded in acknowledgment. “I should thank you for inviting me.”
She shot him a smile. “The fourth prince of the empire ought not to be so reserved.”
The subtext was clear—your status far outstrips mine—but as far as Hiro was concerned, his position had no meaning outside of the empire.
“This is Lebering, Your Highness,” he said. “You outrank me here.”
Her eyebrows pulled together in dissatisfaction. “And Lebering lies under the aegis of the Grantzian Empire. Our stations are as heaven and earth.” A shadow crept over her dainty features.
“If you say so. But let’s forget about all that for tonight.”
Hiro decided not to linger on the subject any further. Any attempt to raise her spirits seemed doomed to failure.
Something shifted in the crowd, and he looked around. In the middle of the hall, noblemen were taking their ladies’ hands and beginning to dance.
“Have you ever danced, Lord Hiro?” Claudia asked.
“I’m afraid I haven’t lived the kind of life where you learn how. I’d probably trip over my own feet.”
One thousand years ago, he had spent all of his time on the front lines, and even now, he had only been the fourth prince for a matter of weeks. He didn’t have much experience attending banquets and balls.
“Why don’t you let me show you?”
Claudia held out a hand. Hiro hesitated for a moment, but relented. It would be more polite to entertain her.
“I’ll warn you, I wasn’t lying. I’ll be an awful partner.”
“That’s quite all right. It matters not whether you can follow the steps, only that you enjoy the dance.”
She led Hiro to the middle of the hall. As they took up position, the nobles around them fell back to afford them space. More began to gather at the fringes, eager to see their princess dance with the fourth prince.
“Never you mind their stares.”
Flashing a radiant smile, she pressed her body against his. Even that small motion drew a cheer from the crowd. Hiro felt himself wilt with embarrassment, but a noble of his station could not let it show. All he could do was trust Claudia’s judgment.
“Now, lay your hand on my waist.” Her voice was like honey in his ear.
Hiro did as he was asked, cupping his left hand around her hip. He took her left hand firmly in his right, bringing them even closer together.
“Let’s try moving. Just follow my lead.”
“I’ll try,” he said hesitantly.
With his jaw set tight, he did his best to match Claudia’s movements, and the pair began to dance. They matched their steps to the orchestra, a silent glide punctuated by bursts of sudden boldness.
“Anybody would think you had done this before.” Claudia giggled. Her gaze softened.
“Are you sure? I feel like I’m barely keeping up.”
“Quite certain. But then, is it really a surprise that the War God’s scion excels at whatever he sets his mind to?”
Their feet traced out brisk steps as their motions grew steadily wilder. Nobles watched in awe from all sides as the tempo of their dance alternated between tranquil calm and passionate haste.
“Don’t you just wish that times like these could last forever?” Claudia’s whisper was breathy with the exertion of the dance, and all the more alluring for it.
“Do you know why we invented time?” Hiro asked.
She cocked her head in bemusement. “So we could work more efficiently, I suppose.”
“So we could feel it slip away. We count it by hours to remind ourselves not to waste it.” He gripped her waist a little tighter, pulling her closer. “Counting time connects us to the past. It helps us recall a particular day, a particular moment.”
Their lips drew close enough to touch. The endless abyss of Hiro’s eye stared into Claudia’s own.
“And it shapes the future. The past is the bridge between the present and what is yet to come.”
Applause fell around them. Claudia gazed back at Hiro, her cheeks flushed pink.
“Or that’s what I think, anyway. That’s why we value the time we have. Why we treasure these moments we share.” Hiro stepped away with a flamboyant bow. “Thank you for your time, Your Highness. It was a pleasure to spend it with you.”
“Not at all,” Claudia replied. “You have been delightful company.”
She pressed her hands to her cheeks and averted her gaze, trying and failing to hide her blush.
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