Ballroom Dancing (Gen and Riven)

[Riven Anselm]

Descending the flight of stairs and setting foot on the ballroom floor, Riven looked forward.  He had been it in more than a couple times,  but not recently.  It was still one of the more awe-inspiring rooms in the castle, although it grew colder in winter when it was mostly empty like it was now, with no balls or tournaments going on.  

As his measured foot falls began to sound on the smooth tile, he looked at the ceiling and sides again.  He hadn't really planned on this.  The grandeur, the wide-open space, the seats running around the walls, vaulted ceiling and twinkling light.  It was just as much a place to perform as it was a place for dancing. Still.

He hadn't done much of one of the other in a long time.  A year without either of those things, what they had entailed for him.  He was getting on; he had learned more of his magic, was learning a good deal otherwise, continuing fencing and exercises.  He had talked with a handful of others. But, Riven had realized he had been aware of himself less, at some times.  

As he had been passing the ballroom door, he had had a thought.  That it might be nice to come in here and dance, something.  It might be good.  

He slowed in the room now, letting himself think on the dances he knew.  

His steps picked up again after a moment.  Alright, why not...  He had the whole floor.  

He started with his next step, straight backed, turning his body to the side, bringing one foot forward, Riven still looking ahead.  He rapt his foot twice on the ground, bringing his hand down on the leg at each stamp.  His back leg extended out smoothly next, going up behind him as he clapped, dusting his palms up then down.  Riven moved forward as he brought his leg down.  He started to repeat the steps, in a quick rhythm set with the stamping of his front leg and then again with clapping of his hands.

He continued through the progression after seven repetitions, decided to go to his favorite part of the dance.  As both his legs touched down, he shifted his front leg back and began to spin quickly on both his forefeet, starting a spin on one and continuing it with the other, bringing his arms out from his body.  

He rapidly changed from one foot to the second as he started to move in a circular, partner-less dance around the ballroom floor.   He had forgotten how much he had enjoyed the Kazachok.  

He came to a stop after he came full circle.  His cape settled back around him.

[Genivir]

Gen wouldn't have admitted it if she'd came across anyone, but she had been wandering around the castle, somewhat lost.  The “hopeless” aspect of her situation was debatable in two respects; first, by sheer fact the castle wasn't abandoned, she'd have to run into someone eventually.  Secondly, she wasn't even convinced that someone without a specific destination in mind could actually be lost.  But she did have to admit she was clueless to where exactly she was in location to her room.  

So it was a surprise to her when she rounded the corner to find herself at the top of a staircase that opened into a ballroom.  For a moment, she looked around herself in stunned silence.  She took in the high ceiling, the rows of seating on the edges of the room, the tiled floor...her gaze halted on a stranger, who was caught up in some sort of dance.  

Whoever he was, he was talented, clearly comfortable with the steps and rhythm.  For a moment, Gen considered leaving to allow him the private joy of dancing.  She'd never liked uninvited audience members herself.  But the thought faded as she continued to watch him, becoming fascinated despite herself. She couldn't recognize the dance, and watched his steps carefully, trying to hear the imaginary beat, studying his movements.  Almost in a daze, the Arindi took a seat at the top of the stairs, one leg crossed over the other, knee length skirt fanned out around her.
 
Once, she'd been able to pick apart dances just by watching them. It had been so long since she'd practiced, longer than she'd ever gone before.  Almost a different lifetime.  Before the chaotic events that had resulted in her tumbling into Lillegard.  But watching this stranger made her remember that dancing had actually been fun, something she'd enjoyed more than anything else.  

When he came to a stop, cape falling still, she gave a slow clap.  “Not bad,” She called out with a grin. “I don't recognize that dance.  What is it?"

[Riven Anselm]

Riven straightened as a noise reached him, staying still for another instant before turning around, surprised.  He almost hadn't been sure at first.  But it was, someone clapping.  Slowly, maybe somewhat half-heartedly, but clapping after they had sat and watched him.  That had not happened in...well, not like this, in over a year either.  

Not bad? he repeated, agreeing he guessed.  He didn't think he was that good at dancing, fair.  The person had still sat and watched though.  That was...unexpected. He hadn't expected someone to be watching him just then.  Still, he wasn't caught too off guard, or rather, he wasn't on guard much here.  He'd only been dancing, and it was in the ball room; generally unoccupied, though not exactly private.  He knew better places if he had wanted that.

Considering that, and the other person now, he walked closer to her, a girl he assumed, that resembled a human.  He hadn't seen her before.  She wanted to know what he had been dancing. The way she spoke, she knew something about dancing herself.  He would stay and answer her before he left.  

He had succeeded in what he'd come in to do.  As he had danced, he had started to pick up an old beat.  He wished he had done that sooner.  He felt he had sated his need for now, though, and moreover would prefer not to continue with some one else there.

He paused at the bottom the stairs, as he had when he'd come in; standing slightly off center, to the left of the girl, he looked at her calmly as he replied amicably to her. "Thank you. It's called the Kazachok."

[Genivir]

When the dancer did not immediately answer, Gen wondered if she had embarrassed him by giving him an audience. As he walked closer to the stairs though, she got a better look at his expression, and he appeared calm enough. All the same, she kept a friendly smile on and decided to apologize, just in case. Appearances meant little in a magical castle full of misfits who had, for one reason or another, been in need of a home away from the normal world.

“Forgive the intrusion.” She shifted so her position so her knees were together, her elbows resting on top of them. More comfortable, she leaned forward. “The dance looked like fun, so I thought I'd stick around and see if I could figure out what it was...but I've never seen it. Where's it from?”

The index finger of her right finger drummed rhythmically against her skirt, having matched the steps he'd taken even as he made his way to the staircase. Gen almost had half of a mind of asking him to teach her the steps- but she was reluctant to suffer the consequences of being out of practice in front of someone else- which would be falling and stumbling over her own two feet. Even the thought of it was embarrassing.

Then again, she couldn't overlook the fact that dancing with someone would be a perfectly good, innocent way to make Contact with someone...perhaps even make a friend. This person- creature?- seemed to enjoy dancing... maybe if she could convince him to dance with her at least once or twice, she could remember what it was like just to have fun with it. Before dancing had becoming a matter of survival and perfection.

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