The WindFlyer

Chapter 17

Captain Astoria's PoV

The prince and I walk into the city at a leisurely pace, walking through the residential area the sound of music is a mere echo. The closer we get, the louder the thundering music becomes. We pass by people of the city who are heading to Festival, everyone has a merry expression on and is dressed in finery. As we near the heart of the city, I being to practically drag the prince behind me in my excitement. I can't help it, Festival is a time of celebration and is my favorite night of the year. The prince chuckles at my childlike eager but honestly do not care.

"You have a tattoo!" He exclaims after getting a view of my back while I pull him toward the life the throbs in the city. I glance over my shoulder at him and shrug one of my shoulders with a lazy smile on my face.

"Hurt like hell when I got it, too," I say in an amused tone. He tips his head back and laughs and I can't help but crack a little smile at the sound. I think this might be the first time he's ever really expressed joy around me, and I am surprised after what he found out last night that he can even stand to be near me.

The poles with streamers of all different colors hanging about them are now filled with people who dance about them. Generally, it is young men and women, the girls with their hair unbound, taunting and teasing each other. I can't say I know where the tradition came from, it very well could be a merge of several for all I know. The laughter and squeals of joy that bounce around the city warm my heart.

The sound of fiddles and a steady beat of drums reaches my ears and I gasp in delight. The song finishes and a smattering of claps goes around for the musicians. All around are tables where people can sit or eat, but no one is sitting at the tables, rather they choose to mill about and converse. Suddenly, a terribly stupid idea pops into my head. Well, maybe not stupid, maybe reckless would be a better word for it and I choose not to ignore it, instead I decide to go for it. It is Festival, after all. I drop the prince's arm and climb atop an empty table, lifting my skirts as I do so. Several people look to me with smiles and a few even join me atop tables. A man joins me on my table and will play the suitor in the dance. When each table has at least a male and a female, sometimes two of one or the other, I dip into a curtsy to the musicians before they start the next song. It begins rather slow with only a steady rhythm of drums and I start clapping my hands along to the beat.

The crowd begins to clap along with me as the fiddles pick up the pace. I know this song, I recall the title as The Dance of the Maiden. The steps to the dance are somewhat complex but I still remember them. I stomp my foot with the beginning of the dance. My partner atop the table and I stand facing each other from our separate ends, to my surprise, it is Draen who has joined me. Joy and amusement dance in his eyes and likely reflect my own. I triple step my heels against the wood and he mimics it with his boots. I stomp once and kick my foot out and he follows suit. With the opening steps over, the dance begins in earnest.

We begin to move closer to each other, my heels clattering in the ever complicated pattern of the steps as the clapping continues. The beat seems to speed up and I spin, adding an extra foot beat. The prince jumps, his feet slamming down shoulder width apart before snapping back together. The sounds of shoes thundering against tables adds to the music playing until it is it's own part. Soon we are face to face and both of us are breathing heavy. I smile, a challenge dancing in my eyes, as the dance continues. I whip around, no longer facing him, and have to trust he knows the dance well enough that I won't step on his feet. The prince's hands plant themselves at my waist and we begin a sort of skip hop, two steps forward, three back. The dancers no longer clap, relying on those who are watching to keep the beat.

When we reach the end of the table, I twirl back around, tapping the toe of my shoe twice on the table in quick succession as I do. The prince then wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me and begins turning us in a semicircle, keeping up the steps as he does so. Impressive. Once he puts me down, I am quick to spring back from him, the whole story of the dance is the maiden who escapes a suitor and the suitor who pursues her. I hold up my skirts with my free hand as I continue to jump, spin, and dodge the 'suitor' all the while keeping up with the required stomps, kicks, and toe taps. I feel slightly breathless as the dance goes on, my body floods with relief when I hear the song begin to slow as we near the end.

As the final steps progress the suitor in the dance falls to one knee and bows to the elusive maiden as she stands with one foot in their direction, body facing the opposite way with her nose turned to the air. I cannot keep the smirk off my face as I look at the prince out of the corner of my eye. His body shudders slightly with exertion. Once the music stops completely, the crowd erupts with applause and cheers. I bow to the crowd and to my partner before stepping down from the table. I hear the laugh of the crowd at the spectacle of the dance and several partners remain on the tables as a new song begins. I feel rather than see the prince over my shoulder as I make my way to a drink table.

I grab two beers and hand him one. I tap his glass with my own before draining half of the drink. A small smile tugs on his lips as he does the same. "You held up the dance well, for a prince," I say smirking at him.

"You weren't so bad yourself, for a pirate that is." I laugh a little at the words before finishing my drink, the alcohol warming my stomach. As we walk on, the soft lantern light paints the city in a warm glow. We travel further into the city and get away from the rowdier groups of celebration. We move into the more refined part of town where many of the young adults and even some older people mostly hang about.  I force the prince to try various foods the vendors have set up, laughing at the faces he makes at some of them, until he says his stomach will burst if he eats one more bite.

Eventually, we make it to the raised stage we had built just hours before. I take the prince's hand as I begin to climb the stairs up to the platform. Once up, I look to the sky where the stars shine back and watch over us. A softer music is played here, one meant more for slow dances than the upbeat table dancing. I look out over the city and watch as the lamps start to go out, soon. Very soon.

I notice Ren and Marina up here as well and they walk over to the prince and I. Ren wears a men's suit of black with a yellow shirt under her jacket while Marina wears a bright yellow gown that compliments her hair nicely. It has a beaded belt at her waist, but no other embellishments. As Marina clasps my hand in her own, I see Ren looking at her with the utmost love and adoration.

"You look stunning tonight, Captain! I'm so glad you are home for Festival this year!" She gushes at me. I smile at the lovely woman and nod.

"You know I hate missing it. You both look lovely, too," I reply. "Where is little Vall?"

"Some friends of hers are below with their grandmother. She will meet us up here later," Ren says. She takes her wife's hand from mine and leads her away as a song starts to play. I sigh and smile to myself as I watch them go. I turn back to the prince who holds his hand out to me with raised eyebrows.

"So you know The Dance of the Maiden, let's see if you can waltz," he says with a wink. A playful frown crosses my lips as I roll my eyes, but I allow him to lead my closer to the center where people being to dance as the sting instruments kick up.

The prince bows at his waist and I drop into a low curtsy before I take his hand again and the dance starts. He leads me around the floor with expertise. As I gaze into his eyes, it's like I can see the sea rolling in them. He holds something warm in his eyes. He spins me once and a small giggle escapes my lips. I haven't danced like this for a long time. My skirts swirl around me much like a hurricane with my body as the eye. I don't really want to speak as the dance continues, not wanting to ruin the spell the dance holds.

The prince extends his arm, dropping my other hand as I swing out. He winks at me just before pulling me back into his embrace as I am spun again. We continue the softer dance until the music begins to tapper off. I hear a distant chime of a clock tower alerting me of the time. The prince holds me close, staring deep into my eyes before they dart to my lips. I give him an open smile before glancing upward to the sky again.

"Look up," I whisper, my voice soft and gentle like the dance. I watch the prince's eyes leave my face and drift to the starry night just as the night sky seems to explode in color.