Bow and Sparrow

CH 12

There was a large crowd gathered in a circle, but I couldn't see what was happening. I tried shouldering through the mass of bodies and I managed to nudge one person but they didn't pay me no mind. It was only when they saw Rylan standing close behind me did they part. A narrow path formed to the middle where I could now distinguish music coming from a soldier holding a lyre.

He plucked the strings furiously and several people were whirling, catching each other's arms and spinning around in circles. The lyre player had a gnarly scar across his face and one of his eyes was milky white. His fingers slowed when he saw us and the dancers petered to a stop.

I stepped in the middle of the circle with a burst of courage I hadn't known I'd possessed, and turned slowly, suddenly aware of all the eyes upon me. The lyre player looked at me with his one good eye and I returned his stare with raised eyebrows, an encouraging smile on my face. I waved my hands at him to continue. He nodded once and stood with the lyre in his arms.

He strummed his instrument, playing one long, deep chord before bouncing off into another quick tune. As the thrumming rhythm whispered in my ears, I started to dance. Then I was in the middle of a crowded dance floor and it was like the world was spinning around me.

I lost myself in the music, and a hand slipped into one of mine. Another hand grasped the other in a tight grip and my feet almost lifted off of the ground. I laughed giddily as I was stuck between the two twins, spinning me between them. I looked at them, Haigen and Haiden, but if I couldn't tell them apart before, I certainly couldn't now as both of their faces blurred in front of my eyes. Anders joined in and I could feel the ground reverberate beneath me every time he jumped. At some point during the dance, someone dragged out a pair of drums and the beat echoed through the dark night sky.

My face was flushed and I was out of breath and my back was throbbing but I was alive. I could sense my worries slipping away and I let them. My feet danced to the rhythm of the lyre and the clapping faster than my mind could process. Little dirt clouds puffed every time I would twist and little wisps of hair stuck to my lips.

Just outside the circle, standing as still as a garden statue, was a lone figure not even tapping his foot. Rylan tilted his head in silent warning as I skipped to him. The smile on my face grew as I looked up at him with teasing eyes. He held his hand up to stop me, but I grabbed it instead, pulling him forward into the dancing mass of people.

He stood with his arms crossed in a sea of swaying dancers, but I thought I caught a glimpse of a grin on his face as he watched me spin and twirl in front of him. I grabbed his hand just as Anders caught hold of his other one. One by one we formed a human chain, circling faster and faster until I thought we would lift off of the ground. We broke apart and I could tell Rylan was already eyeing his escape route, but before he could try, I linked my arms through his.

The dance grew livelier and livelier. Rylan's arms circled around me as we spun around and around until we were both breathless. We fell in step together, letting the music control our movements. My surefooted movements guiding Rylan's more hesitant paces. My heartbeat quickened in tune to the rhythm or maybe it was the feeling of his hands on my waist. Rylan's face lost that closed-off, guarded expression he wore so well. My hair fanned around my face as I twirled, the music breathing through my body. The music swelled and it felt like we were floating on air, being taken wherever the wind would carry us. Our chests heaved in unison as the song faded into nothing. Neither of us had noticed that the floor had cleared to watch us.

There was a long moment of silence before Anders let out a loud whistle, cheering wildly and soon the rest of the soldiers that had gathered around joined in. I realized that they had been watching Rylan just as much as they had watched me. Maybe they were shocked at his dance moves or maybe they had never seen him like that before. Carefree. I saw more than a few faces shining with admiration for their captain.
Rylan led me away from the circle just as the lyre player belted out another song and I let him. I was too out of breath to even think about dancing again. We hadn't walked far before a hand ruffled my hair.