To Endure A Little More

TWENTY TWO

"Luan Aldrin." Aelia gasps before letting it turn into a scoff, not hesitating to look him directly in the eye as she notices his presence, but her hands starting to shake as he causes for her to heart to ache again. 

He was looking like the finest man amongst all for the night, outstanding in a masterful blending of elegance and graceful charm that held his looks for the night. He was wearing a simple shirt and had buttoned it up fully to support the graceful tie he's wearing in the style of how Ascots and Cravats are worn to look unique out of the ordinary. On top of the shirt he's wearing a chic vest with just four buttons and it had a narrow v-line, which allows for the top to remain visible even when the suit's jacket is buttoned up. The jacket perfectly wrapped  around his body. It had a simple, but elegant check plaid pattern on shade of solid colors to it, giving the suit a dignified and elegant look. The four buttons of his double breasted jacket were all buttoned up, it was the best way to wear a coat like this after all to catch people around him fancy.

The coat was slightly longer at the back which had vents at either side. There was a single pocket on one side and a breast pocket on the other which has been left empty except for only a folded handkerchief sitting inside and peaking out. He was wearing pants which copied the design of the jacket, both in color and pattern and they create a perfect balance with his shoes. He was wearing a fancy pair of medallion cap toe oxfords.

To top it all off he's wearing a refined belt, which were accompanied by white goatskin gloves and cuff links, looking like a total prince from the east for the night as moonlight shone on him and making him looking like the moon himself.

"Yes, love." Luan smiles out a mocking grin laced with sarcasm before his face turns straight like the ones of the dead, within the blink of an eye. Aelia grows uneasy, unsure on how to respond to the man before her; her heart throbbing inside her chest, which would have fallen out of the grasps of her ribs holding it back like a cage holding her weak heart captured.

A sudden moment of silence takes over as the three stand still under the open air of the garden they were in, staring into the eyes of each other like the galaxy of the entire solar system had come at halt for that very moment. What breaks through the silence is the music of classical waltz as all ladies make it to the main hall room for a dance in their gowns accompanied by their gentlemen in suits; manners turning more formal as the music begins, hands fining the attires clothing the bodies of each self. All chivalrous, courteous, and honorable men immediately chucking away their tobacco or bourbon, turning extremely active as they make their way along to the ballroom to make up for the passivity required of ladies; especially who could not ask gentlemen to dance first and who could not make it to the dance floor unescorted. As ladies and gentlemen would get conveyed to their stations by the company of each other or start swaying to the music already, the triad stood still despite the change in atmosphere prevailing.

"May I have this dance, mademoiselle?" The devil speaks in guise of an angelic with his melodious voice that speaks through the deep gaze the three were holding with each other until now. Aelia's smiles back politely to his etiquette. 

"It is Terran's." Aelia pushes out of her plump lips that are coated a crimson red shade of lip paint in a shaky voice, politely avoiding to get any more close to Luan which may drag her further into the path she fears she won't be able to quit from again. 

"Ahh no, dear best friend, I do not dance." Terran replied, his tone formal but scornfully mocking as he returns Aelia the very taunting smile that she served Luan earlier. The lady glares at her best friend to question whose side Terran was really supporting; like she were firing bullets of betrayal at him through her fierce, amber eyes that was actually a balancing shade between pure golden and copper color with flecks of blueish green which were mesmerizingly beautiful in the eyes of anyone who has ever locked theirs with hers.

"For a man who knows how to dance, but refuses to do so, should absent himself from a ball." Luan speaks as he steps closer to Terran. The latter laughs, dismissing the man clothed in a vintage suit of bark brown who looked as if it was William Shakespeare who had dressed him.

"I was only returning you your madam with my excuse, brother." Terran speaks back.

"Which I needed not for she has decided to give away her chance at a splendid dance I was hoping to perform with her." replied Luan.

"Noisy talking and boisterous laughter in a ballroom are contrary to the rules of etiquette." sounds out another voice which they soon realise was Jeremy Peterson's. He steps closer to his group of friends in his divine, polished Oxfords, immediately offering his hand to Aelia that were now again gloved in white goatskin. 

"Are we all really going to speak in "Rules of Etiquette & Home Culture" 1886  now?" Aelia smiles in sarcasm that clearly expresses her opposition to hearing a yes, feeling repossessed by her past again but this time feeling nostalgic and brought back at home internally.

"You shall not need to speak anymore then. Dance to the music with me instead, my love." Jeremy speaks as Aelia takes his hand without question, which causes for the gentleman's heart to flutter. He holds her hand firmly, intertwining fingers before beginning to walk her to the dance floor but only to be stopped by Luan's voice.

"Great care should be taken by a lady in refusing to dance with a gentleman. After refusing, she should not accept another invitation for the same dance." 

Aelia stopped on her way to turn behind and look at Luan who stood with his arms behind him, a smile plastered to his face; looking like the devil waiting to welcome her in front of the entrance to Hell, as if he wasn't already still keeping her caught in an abyss of a deep and seemingly bottomless chasm. She looks at him in disbelief, a scoff leaving her plump lips as she tries understanding what his intentions really are. 

"Ahh, my lady was yours for this dance?" Jeremy asks, his face innocent as he contemplates  on whether to return Aelia to the devil gleaming under the moonlight or keep her like he should. Before he can make a choice, Luan approaches him.

"Since you realized, may I?" He speaks, glaring at Jeremy. Before the latter can even reply, he lets out a scoff, wondering why he even bothered to ask. "I shall."

With that, he held Aelia's waist in a grasp and pulled her in his embrace. Aelia was too stunned that she was unable to react before the session begins and Luan starts moving her body in synchronization with his to the rhythm of the music. 

His hands hold her gracefully by the waist, his gloved hand falling over her clothed skin which sends flutters of butterflies down her spine like as if he wear touching her bare. She was dressed in a renaissance, belle ball gown which was made of shades of dark green fabrics that could have her resemble a medieval queen. 

The dress leaves the top of her shoulders uncovered, but does cover the sides and flows down into a tasteful round neckline. Her back is left slightly exposed in a v-shape far down. The dress' waist is narrow, but it's a tight fit. It's left simple, elegant and undecorated except for a belt like fabric was wrapped around her waist in a tight fit, creating a look that flows from top to bottom. Below the waist the dress widens and has a renaissance style. The dress reaches all the way down to the ground and is longer in the back.

The two looked together like the royalty of a garden of wild flowers from heaven which was home to Seelies and Fairies, whose King and Queen the two were off as they danced together like it were the dawn of twilight when the sun kisses the moon goodbye. 

"Luan Aldrin." Aelia mumbles as she tries processing.

"Aelia Dallarosa." Before she can reply, he speaks again. "I..." he started. "I need to tell you something."

"Speak." She doesn't look at him. Before he can begin with what he has to say, she speaks again. "Tell me first, since when do you remember."

"From two years back."

"Why'd you keep it from us?" Her voice low, almost inaudible.

"How could I not when you both left me like you never wanted to stay."

Aelia tried replying to him with her side of truth to clear his misunderstanding but stays silent, suddenly bereft of speech like there was a huge lump in her throat, muting her voice box.

"Also, I apologies about everything I said the other day out of my anger over Giselle. I in no way meant it." Luan's voice was sincere as he speaks while looking at the dancing pair of feet of the both.

"It's alright... You don't need to apologize because if I begin to apologize in return for the many times I've wronged you, I may not get to stop." 

Luan lets out a chuckle. "I have motives behind bringing it up, love. I do not apologize so easily but I have a confession to make."

"Confession?"

"Time's up. My turn." The voice of Jeremy sounds out as Luan's body gets replaced with his. Jeremy's hands snake around my body as he holds me tightly, beginning to dance with me like we are battling a war with around us together but holding me like he's rescuing me.