Flashback [Bloodflower Plantation] Wandering Waltz

[Jed Sitai]

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5th of Winter, 502 AV

He hummed quietly, tracing the melody of the distant ballroom music as his steps guided him in one direction then the other. Having left his bedroom door a quarter of the way open, Jed both followed and stretched the limits of his imposed isolation. He was told not to be seen by any of the guests and to keep his door firmly shut, only welcoming servants or slaves that were to bring his scheduled meals. However, solitary confinement lent itself to creativity, and so, knowing he could not join in yet another party, the young Sitai created his own.

Bowing gracefully, Jed offered his hand to an imagined guest and paused, allowing the phantom to shyly accept. He smiled politely, hazel eyes dreaming as he pulled the young lady in and began to step in time with the waltz. In more rebellious times, he had snuck down to watch the partygoers dance, copying their moments in the shadow of their view. Having copied only the most basic waltz step, Jed decided to follow the recalled images in his mind. Left forward, drag in the right and step to the right with the right to bring in the left, and then repeat with the opposite foot. He did this a few more times, but with the short attention span of a child, he quickly grew bored. This time, he decided to complicate the movement and turn all of his steps gradually in a counterclockwise fashion. Instead of stepping directly forward, he stepped forward and to the left, and then more toward the center as he dragged in and stepped with the right. Unfamiliar with this new movement, Jed stuttered, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process. Eventually, after a few more repetitions, he eased into each step and felt it extend up through his leg. It felt naturally, connected, as though these movements were extensions of raising one's hand or taking a step. Unwittingly, he smiled, a genuine expression that was both sweet and melancholic.

[Rowan Morealis]

In those times, when Dimeer Morealis held the Morealis household in his political vicegrip...the Sitai and the Morealis were uneasy enemies. That said, neither could afford to lose the support of the other after the slave fires had ravaged both fields and so Dimeer was invited, with his family, to a Sitai party. Earlier, Rowan and Dimitri had been at eachother's throats. Dimitri claimed that Rowan had stolen his favorite cufflinks and Rowan had accused Dimitri of having the slaves put spiders in his bed. One was mutually linked to the other as Rowan had indeed stolen Dimitri's cufflinks in recompense for the sleeplessness of the night before, scrubbing his skin free of spiders and the memory of their scuttling legs.

Dimeer had solved the ordeal as he always had, ordering two slaves to search Rowan's room for the cufflinks while both boys waited in quietly in the dining room. When they were discovered, as Rowan could only hide them so well, Dimeer poured a small layer of rough stones into each of Rowan's shoes before he laced them up. He was expected, like the rest of his family, to present himself gracefully and politely despite the imposed punishment of his father. Each step would be uncomfortable agony, but Rowan knew if he showed any sign of discomfort, he would be beaten when the family returned home...always along the chest, thighs, and back...places where his beauty would not be marred for the general populace.

So Rowan kept quiet on the carriage ride over, even midst the snide remarks of his older brother.

The evening passed for him in a daze. He could not remember the names that were given to him and in that embarrassment, avoided social confrontation where that knowledge might be tested and found wanting. Much as he'd looked forward to finding some sweet corner with Jaadis, the pain in his feet disrupted his thoughts and almost stuttered his speech.

It was when he was confronted by a Sitai he could not remember, looking at him with the reproachful smile of familiarity, that Rowan claimed he had to use the restroom and excused himself from the ball. But rather than follow a servant to the lavatory, he scuttled down the Sitai hallways, looking for a place where he could remove his shoes.

So coincidence found him outside Jed's room, curiously peering through the space left open between door and jam at the strange boy dancing with no one at all. He looked about Rowan's age, and was dressed in such a way as to suggest being of the Kenash dynasty. Why then was he shut away from the party in his room? Was this punishment?

Would he be so lucky as to be punished by simply being denied attendance.

He was going to pass the room, but a small commotion down the hall caught his attention. Although the hallways warped the echo of words, he could swear that a servant had said his name.

Damn. Curse his father for a quick wit and perceptive mind. He would be found before having a chance to recover!

It was more the absence of thought that led him to make his decision, pushing open Jed's door, stepping in with a wince, and closing the door behind him, sliding down the door to the ground with a helpless sort of smile at the other occupant.

"Oh, hello," Rowan said nonchalantly, undoing the laces of his shoes, "I apologize for being so intrusive, do you mind if I hide here for a moment?" He smiled, held a finger to his lips as slave feet dashed past the door and removed his shoes.

A shower of rough and sharp edged rocks came out of them across Jed's floor and Rowan sighed in relief, closing his eyes for a few moments in the sheer rapture of the moment.