Becoming Aredhel

Chapter Six- A Forgotten Dance

Aredhel

Papa's fingers dance across the piano keys with the kind of skill expected of a centuries-old elf. His body melts with every movement of his hands, like water rippling across a pond. It comes so naturally to him, and I watch in fascination with eyes as wide as dinner plates. The sound that fills the house is like liquid sunshine, drowning its surroundings and every living soul within reach in the purest of happiness. Colors twirl through my mind as he plays. I can almost touch them with my bare hands, they feel so real.

Naneth spins around the room gracefully, leading a small and bumbling Elas who stands upon the tops of her feet. His head is thrown back with glee as laughter tumbles from his core, and Naneth's smile is as bright as the music Papa plays.

Papa glances at them every few moments, an enormous grin wrinkling his handsome face that remains untouched by time. His dark hair is braided loosely, with stray pieces framing his face. His white tunic is rolled up to his elbows lazily, revealing the smooth, pale skin of arms muscled from centuries of training and labor. His observant, emerald eyes fall upon me, and he raises a brow, never missing a single note.

"Ar, dance!" he exclaims merrily, laughing at the face I make. "Let the music take over!"

I shake my head with an embarrassed laugh. "No, Papa! I cannot dance!"

"You can! I have shown you a thousand times. Dance, darling!" he encourages, smiling at me with shining eyes.

"Papa," I groan and tuck my hair behind my ear, "I cannot."

"I believe in you," he replies simply, eyes back upon the piano keys as he performs a tricky tune. "This is just for fun. Now, get up, and dance!"

I stand slowly, wanting to join the fun so badly but feeling so shy and insecure, as well. This may be my family, but I want to impress them. I want to be good at dancing, the way that Naneth and Papa are. I want to pretend to be in a ballroom filled with people, spinning 'round and 'round in the arms of the most handsome ellon in the room. I want to be graceful and womanly- not gangly and awkward. I want to be confident in myself.

"Come now, you can do it!" Naneth calls to me, sending me an encouraging wink.

Papa's eyes are on me once again as the music picks up speed, and my heart takes flight in my chest, ready to let go of my fears and have fun. My bare feet begin to move to the pounding of the keys, and soon my arms follow suit. After a few moments, my whole body is moving and spinning and jumping to the music, and my heart is suddenly light and carefree. As I allow the music and the emotion to take over my spirit, I realize that my fears were silly and childish. No one here is judging. And even if they were, what does it matter? I am having fun!

"Good job, Aredhel! You are simply beautiful!" Papa cheers, laughing along with me as I allow the sound to spill from my lips. "Dancing is what we do when we cannot express our feelings in any other way."

"I love music!" I shout to him, scooping Elas into my arms and spinning him.

"How does this song make you feel?" Papa asks, always the one to make us use our minds in every situation.

"Happy!" Elas shouts.

"Joyful," Naneth responds lightly, wrapping her arms around Papa's shoulders lovingly from behind as he continues to play.