O' Twisted Fates {Celvi}

[Chase Cantwell]

Nerves.
The nasty little things that seems to show up at the most unwanted of times then rampage with havoc on their tail, on some innocent being and cause all hell to break loose. They may form unnecessary amounts of sweat under the arms and on the hands; stuttering when conversing with a beautiful girl or simply the lack of ability to accomplish anything gracefully. And the latter of the trio is what affected the young messenger who walked with a jittery gait down the lavishly decorated hall toward the Ballroom.

Light golden ornaments hung from crisp wreaths on the walls and along the banister of the stair cases. White, carved birds sat tucked in nests of lacey bows on every table and shelf while hundreds of lit candles cast dancing shadows onto the ceiling and walls. The scent of roasting meat and pine wafted through the entire palace, mixing with the many perfumes and daily scents of the many people who crowded the halls.

Nearing the Ballroom entrance, the messenger spotted a mirror hidden in the depths of pine branches, ribbons and dozens of sparkling objects. He stopped shortly, almost causing a rushing servant with a platter full of small roasted meat cakes to dump the contents all over the stone floor. �Watch yer self Cantwell� the older man snapped playfully as he disappeared into a mass of laughing Nobles. Chase�s lips were useless in coming up with a response as he moved closer to the mirror.

His gaze was locked on his appearance, his hands daftly trying to smooth out a wrinkle in his ivory tunic, but finding no solution. The wrinkle was not extremely noticeable to the average person, but to the young man it was a red flag of his stupidity and lack of concern in his appearance. Times before this, he would have simply ignored the miniscule blemish in his clothing and considered on his way, but tonight proved to be a rather important situation: The Masquerade Ball.

It was not only the greatest festival of the entire year but it was possibly the one time he could maybe speak publicly with the enchanting Celvi Gray and not worry about ridicule for a servant speaking to nobility on matters other than delivering a letter. He desperately wanted to speak with her again, and perhaps, just maybe they could sneak away from the party and further continue on more private matters meant for only their ears and no others.

He sighed softly and placed the mask he had been carrying onto his face. It wasn�t brilliantly decorated and bejeweled like many of the masks that floated around on the Nobility. It covered from his the tip of his nose upward and was composed of a simple silver base color with minimal white detailing around the left eye in the form of a leaf and vine pattern. With one last glance at his appearance in the mirror, Chase rolled his shoulders in a circle, thrust his expression into one of being regal and strode into the ballroom, his eyes scanning the masked faces for Celvi�s.

note: bleh, bit of a terrible post. hope you can work with it. and ignore the title, couldn't think of anything else at the current moment and it seemed to fit

[Celvi Gray]

What a splendid night! It was a festival for the senses, the most glorious feast Celvi had ever attended! Rich colors, sweet music and rustling fabric, heavy odors of perfume and food, and over everything hung the sizzling sensation of adventure. What an exciting feeling it was to hide your face from the world, to be some nameless person no one could identify on first sight. All the conventions of status could be put aside tonight, as no one actually knew if he was talking to a Duke, a simple lady or maybe even her royal Highness the Princess herself � well, scratch the last, Celvi corrected herself as she snuck a glance at the simply gorgeous figure with red-golden hair that was surrounded by giggling noble girls. Christabel would always stand out wherever she was, in whatever attire and mask she wore. She was the center of the attention, well as it should be: It was her birthday after all, and not just any birthday. She was now considered an adult.
Allowing herself a loutish grin, Celvi wondered how anyone so childish could be taken as grown up by now.

But her thoughts were not laced with bitterness anymore when she thought about the princess. What had happened just a week ago had changed their relationship from top to bottom. Ever since Celvi had returned unscathed from Mar�vol, the two girls had become closer than they had been in all these years Celvi had spent at court. Maybe there were even the tender bonds of a friendship forming? One would have to wait and see!
Once again the lady let her gaze wander over the richly decorated ballroom, her heartbeat picking up a pace. But it was not the splendor surrounding her that send her into an almost dizzy feeling, it was anticipation.
No one knowing the other left so many possibilities open � even a servant who was allowed to the feast and a lady daring to dance! Hadn�t that been one of the reasons she had had voted for a masquerade?

But where was Chase? Celvi was more than sure she would recognize him under thousands of masked faces and so she repeatedly scanned the room for his familiar figure. It was out of question he would not appear. He surely must have come to the same conclusion� right? Then again, would he even recognize her?
Celvi imagined to see herself with the eyes of a stranger. There she was, a woman wearing a blue silken dress leaving arms and shoulders bare apart from a single silver clasp in shape of a snowflake keeping the cloth tied together on her shoulder. The dress itself was rather plain, the only eye catcher was some kind of belt directly under her breats made of seemingly thousands of glittering crystals that roughly resembled intricate frost patterns. Her mask matched this appearance, silver and white with blue and clear crystals, also adorned with frost patterns. A snowflake pendant and snowflake hairpins completed the appearance themed �Runnori in winter�. A warm glowing of gratitude towards Dagmara who had seen to this breathtaking costume being made entered Celvi�s heart for a moment, before every thought vanished from her mind.

Chase had entered the room! Even if he wore a mask like all the others attending the feast, for her there was no mistaking him! Heart fluttering in her throat like an encaged bird she watched him scan the room � for her? What should she do? Should she simply approach him or would that seem overbearing?
In the end Celvi chose to move away from the cluster of chatting noble girls, not far but still far enough to be spotted as an individual. Further she dared not to advance just yet. What would Chase do should he recognize her?

~.~
Outfit!!

[Chase Cantwell]

Chase held his chin in his signature aloof mannerism, looking down his masked nose at most as he breezed by, his gaze scanning the sea of faces, trying to decipher whom of them was Celvi. Even with the thought of her in his mind; his heart was in his throat and the dreaded nerves were poking at him with pins, chipping away at his cool appearance and begging to be let free.
To see Celvi would be grand, and to have a moment to exchange words would let peace come to his aching heart that had seemed to take on a permanent pain since the blasted day she was taken by the Mar�vol scoundrels. But now she was home in Lamora, away from what abuse was sure to come if she had stayed any longer and he needed to speak with her. Whether it be just a an exchange of hellos or a full out conversation, he desperately needed to hear her heavenly voice and confirm that she was home permanently.

He stopped briefly in a group of fellow messengers and exchanged a few words laced with humor, his attention not fully directed toward them but toward discretely scanning the masked faces about him, searching for the divine girl who haunted his dreams and left him breathless in every encounter. He found the definite form of the Princess, lapping up the attention thrown at her from every person in the room, then the Queen who sat speaking with what appeared to be her trusted advisors while keeping a watchful eye on her daughter. He spotted a few of the better known Ladies and Lords, but no Celvi. Loosing all interest in the conversation at hand, he dismissed himself from the rambling bunch he had been standing with and stepped briskly away, wanting to avoid being caught up in another useless conversation on which kitchen maid was looking spectacularly stunning this evening. He had to play along in those games, knowing he was lying to those he considered friends by agreeing but knowing he could never say anything about his affection toward Celvi.

It drove him nutty, having such strong feelings for an girl so out of reach socially and knowing they could never be seen publicly without risking being scorned by everyone. He wanted to scream in frustration of having to mask the nerves he felt when in the same room as Celvi. He hated not being able to speak with her without worrying about the next servant whom was going to interrupt their conversation and risk exposing them.

He stepped gingerly through the crowd of masked figures, scanning their faces briefly one by one, digging apart facial details in hopes of finding her. He ran his hand through his hair, loosing hope slowly as his search seemed pointless and he was giving up on ever finding her in this mass. Chase inhaled sharply, and stopped mid stride as his gaze came upon the stunning figure he had searched for. His jaw dropped and his heart stopped at her beauty that, in his opinion, out did the Princess�s by leagues. Snapping up his jaw, to avoid any embarrassing questions on his unmannerly action toward the Lady, he quickly flicked his haze else where gaining his composure and plotting his next plan of action. He could pretend he had never saw her and go on his merry way knowing she was here and well or he could risk walking up to her and saying hello. The internal debate killed him slowly as he stood looking away, acting if he was searching for some that did not stand but a few feet away from him.

Taking a leap, he chose the latter. He knew what he was risking but had to take the chance and face the consequences. He slowly exhaled and smoothed out his tunic before turning and nonchalantly walked toward Celvi. His mouth was dry as cotton and his nerves were on edge as he paused before her and bowed deeply, hoping to mask simple conversation with the formalism between Nobility and servant. Straightening, he grinned slightly, �Good Evening, Lady Gray.�

[Celvi Gray]

Watching Chase and waiting for his reaction was the hardest part, Celvi decided, only just refraining from fiddling her fingers in an unladylike manner. She felt the eyes of seemingly everyone like hot needle pricks on her back and neck, as if every single one of her steps was being watched and guarded, though that was ridiculous of course. Everyone was far too preoccupied with himself to give her that height of attention, even Dagmara was lost in some conversation or the other. Still, Celvi couldn�t quite get rid of this feeling, and it made her all the more anxious in awaiting Chase, who now seemed to have recognized her.

As he moved closer she took a little time to take in his glorious features. One of the things keeping her sane in Mar�vol had been the image of his face before her, conjured in the darkness of the damp cell, to keep her fear at bay. He always was handsome in her eyes, but tonight he was even more so, maybe it was the note of mystery added to him by wearing this mask. It concealed the recognizable features but still left enough for her to see him for what he was. And the mask was just like him: Nothing of the pompous sort many men were wearing tonight, adorned with feathers or even showing some sort of animal face, it was simple, yet elegant, noble even. Yes, in her eyes someone like Chase would deserve a title far more than any of those pompous lords and ladies around.

And then he was close, greeting her with a smile and a formal bow, but his eyes glistened in that way that made her realize there was more to this conversation than simple courtesy. The very same gleaming suddenly gave her flashbacks of a crisp morning not long before she had been taken hostage, when they had met before sunrise, totally by chance. But what the meeting had almost led to� the reminiscence of his lips all but touching hers in this moment of folly made her cheeks flush and she was glad for the mask hiding most of it. She could feel this abnormal pleasant tension rising up in her body again. Ever since that day� the dream had come scarily to life, leaving her with much to deal with, especially in those precious moments before drifting off to sleep.

But her outward demeanor showed nothing of the turmoil inside, thanks to Dagmara she was a lady born and bred. She lowered herself into a curtsy that would hopefully draw the attention off the fact she was about to converse with a servant. �Good evening, Chase!� she replied, lowering her voice a bit as she spoke out his name, so no one could pick it up while walking by. �So you made it to the masquerade! I�m glad!� she confessed honestly. This man deserved nothing but honesty in her eyes, and the recent incidents surely had worked towards making he more riskful. Anything could happen at anytime, so why hiding something so very important?

[Chase Cantwell]

Chase had to bite the inside of cheek to keep himself from grinning like a madman from the levels of ecstatic adrenaline he had coursing through his veins. There she was, standing not less than an arm�s reach away, the beautiful girl who had him acting like a fool with the batting of an eyelash. There was just something about Celvi that drove him nutty with raw emotion; whether it was her beauty that rivaled the Princess�s by far lengths or the witty personality that could hold up a literate conversation without being centered on brainless gossip. She was everything opposite of the mindless gossips that seemed to stereotype every Lady of high breeding and this fact sent him gasping for air when ever she cast her gaze his way.

Nervously checking over his shoulder in the form of a nonchalant glance, he found slight comfort in the fact it appeared no one was gawking at the Lady speaking with a mere commoner. The Goddess surely lent him her favor in blessing him with this moment. The melodic words that left her lips numbed him to outside noise, tuning every focus onto her wondrous fa�ade. He was a fly caught in a web, entranced by her beauty and the temptation of the forbidden fruit. �As am I to see you here� he mused lightly, letting a subtle pinch of his ecstatic nature be shown through a subdue smile on his lips. His posture was relaxed in positioning but his muscles were tensed and rigid, his heart slamming about his chest with sheer jovial pleasure.

Swallowing his nerves into the pit of his stomach, Chase fought the relentless erg to embrace Celvi in a way lovers would, but their relationship would have to remain secretive and away from prying eyes of those who would betray them to dire consequences. Shifting his weight onto his heels then back evenly on the soles of his boots, his gaze scattered across nearby faces to check for any suspicious gazes then back to the Lady who held his heart. �Sooo, are you enjoying yourself� he questioned, struggling to find conversation that didn�t lead to him to throwing himself at her feet, pledging his love to her in front of every set of judgmental eyes in the room.

[Celvi Gray]

From any other man, Celvi would have shrugged this comment off to be an empty, courteous phrase, as she was used to cant amongst her own kind. Court language was the skill of saying the nicest words with the basest motives, or even saying nothing at all with just so many words. But even as she knew Chase to be capable of such talks as well � she had watched him adapt to his surroundings on more than just one occasion � Celvi was more inclined to take his words at face value right now. For starters, Chase had always been honest with her, on the rare occasions they had been able to talk in private, in fact sometimes he had seemed to be even a little shocked by his own honesty. But that made him all the more loveable in Celvi�s eyes � if she indeed could dare to even think in terms of love.

Not knowing what else to say which would not sound shallow, she simply bowed her head once again, directing a genuine smile at the Queen�s messenger, while her heart was fluttering inside her chest. She even dared herself to hold his gaze for a few moments, even if it should not be her to fear being overbearing. How easy it was for her to forget who she was around him! In his presence, she was not a noble lady, she was as bashful as any maid Celvi had ever come across. Or to put it in simple words: Around Chase, she was only a girl, a girl with a crush that didn't know how to behave to not go too far and at the same time not denying herself the pleasure of seeing him entirely. It was walking a tightrope and one misstep could have dire consequences for them both.

�I am indeed enjoying myself!� she replied with another smile, then leaning forward and dropping her voice to add: �Though I must admit, before you showed up I was starting to get a little bored. One can only talk about masks and dresses and guessing who�s who for so long!�
Was that too intimate a way to converse with him? It was so easy slipping into this unseemly act again, where they both had been bashing everyone they could possibly think of, mocking the Queen and her daughter in particular. But here she still was in public, and maybe that should teach her keeping a clear head. She needn't forget, in the eyes of anyone else Chase could never be considered her friend, someone she could talk on an equal level with, let alone� something else.

Life was so very unfair.

[Chase Cantwell]

Celvi�s response brought a laugh to his lips, that was a bit to personal appearing for common conversation. He muted it down into a chuckle of sheer politeness and nodded briefly. Chase kept silently reminding himself to keep everything professional in appearance; nothing to emotional and certainly nothing to hint at something more to this simple conversation. His heart leapt into his throat after her small gesture of leaning closer towards him and words laced with such heartfelt meaning. It took all his self control not to lean towards her in return to share softer words meant for only her ears, but alas his formal training kept his nerve racked body a respectable distance away.

The melody of the court�s music grumbled in the back of his mind, nagging at him to end the conversation now for this was not the place for this conversation however basic it may be. His conscious was right in one way or another that in truth to the fact if someone were to glance their way, recognize both figures taking place in shared speech that was forbidden for reasons clearly, that person would without a doubt tattle to the higher authority whom would certainly report the happenings to the Queen. This combination of events could equal in a large uproar of public disgust at such an outrageous act and most certainly demand he be removed from the Queen�s court at once, jeopardizing not only his own well being but that of one he cared greatly for.
This scene of negative consequences repeated itself over and over in Chase�s mind, poking and prodding at his better judgement to wake up and intervene immediately, but thank the Goddess that none of his nerves showed through to his outer expressions.

�Well there goes my next conversation piece� he joked softly, adjusting his mask with his left hand. �I wanted to discuss this year�s trend in fashion so I could stand up to date with it all.� Throwing all formalities to the wind and releasing any restraint that held him into his reserved-boundary respecting nature, Chase offered up a lopsided grin enjoying the feeling of being his true self to Celvi, rather than a stuck up snoot. Yes, he realized he was gambling with a lot on his plate with this action, but at this moment he could care less as long as he was able to enjoy this bit of conversation with her.

[Celvi Gray]

In moments like this Celvi felt like a puppet on a string, and Chase probably shared this notion, judging from how uneasy he acted. The puppet master was the society, their morals and norms and however much the puppets wanted to act on their own, the strings were always pulling them another way, as they were always stronger. Both puppets needed to act out a scene named: formal conversation, under constant surveillance. Even if it might not be true, as most attendants of the ball were busy with their own little lives, it surely felt that way.
Celvi wondered if they both were so used to this kind of restriction, if they would ever take the chance to try again, waiting for the puppet master to be occupied to do their own performance.

And suddenly, out of the weary mist clouding Celvi�s mind, there arouse a dire need to rebel. She would tear at the strings for all it was worth, wrest them away from the puppet master�s hand, and then she would do her very own dance. She had lived for this night, dreamt of it so many times, and now she would just stand here awkwardly and let this moment pass her by? No! If she wanted to dance, then she would dance the way she liked, she would pick the tune and choose how and when! At the same time the lady was very aware of this only being the illusion of a real rebellion. After this night she would resign into her role again, being led and pulled here and there on the whims of the so called �common sense�.
If she ever had had a �fey moment� in all her life, it was nothing compared to how she felt now. Celvi didn�t care if she would be dancing close to a fathomless abyss or on knife�s edge, if there was to be punishment to follow her actions, then she better milked those actions to the last drop. Yes, the decision was made. If only Chase wanted, she would not be the one backing out.

His soft voice and her favorite lopsided smirk made Celvi�s heart melt and only underlined her decision. Whatever was to come, Chase � the TRUE Chase � was more than worth it!
She leaned a bit closer, to understand him better over the music and to be better understood herself, the closeness making her head spin.
�Well, that is too bad I�d say!� she murmured and smirked as well. �Maybe we can still come back on that later, so if someone asks us what we talked about we can stay within the court fashion.� Runnori prevent anyone ever noticed and asked nosy questions, though. Celvi was used to lie, that was not the problem, but in the state of mind she was in right now she was not sure whether she would want to. And her bravado was not extinguished yet.
�So�what do wise men say� if there�s nothing left to say, resume to dance!�

[Muse song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7WKlSISLFU xD]

[Chase Cantwell]

The melody of the music changed briefly, drawing his attention outward from its previous point as his gaze flicked quickly to his left then right, giving relief to his uneasy nerves that bounced about in his gut: as if on a trampoline with the intent of bouncing to his heart to give it a good wack. He sighed inwardly, smothering the negative nerves with the knowledge of a positively wonderful fact of the evening. No one was observant enough, or rather too involved with themselves, to noticed how two different socials were mingling and enjoying a conversation meant for those with high levels of formality, that didn�t belong to a Lady and a messenger. His attention refocused to the lovely being next to him, sparking a new set of nerves in his young heart. But these were not of angst or worry but of sheer delight that he was getting away with the devilish act of speaking with the girl that had quiet simply stolen his heart.

�Oh merciful Goddess, may you let this night last forever� Chase thought with an almost desperate need as he momentarily lost himself in the depths of Celvi�s spell binding gaze. They were an extraordinary wonder in themselves: one being an enchanting shade of blue and the other a mix of even parts blue and green. Snapping out of what was probably the start of an awkward trance like stare into her eye, he half stepped backward then back again, cloaking the movement with the simple acted out need to shift his frame. He let out a muted chuckle to her response, and threw in a brief nod as if they were conversing such bland subjects as clothing trends before offering up his riposte. �Or if anyone asks we can just say we did but truthfully we did not, thus leaving ourselves free to speak of other, say more enjoyable topics?� As the last word was formed on his lips they took on the form of a smile laced with a humorous tone matching the spark in his eyes that glittered mischievously beneath his mask.

He let his smile loose its mischievous glint and take on a more reserved and mannered appearance, though his gaze never lost the hint of his playful nature that was leaking through the cracks of his �usual� mask he put on in the presence of the court. That was often the odd predicament he often found himself in when in the presence of Celvi. She somehow always managed to crack his adopted personality and like the unwanted shell of a nut, cast it aside letting the more desirable under effects be shown to the world. He loved her for that bewitching ability and how enjoyable it was to be himself in front of her and not the figurehead of ridicule for being the Queen�s messenger.

He nodded to her final statement, his mind pondering the effects of actually asking her to dance. On one hand, it was sure to be quite the experience, enjoying a dance with the Lady whom would surely make him look like a monkey trying to ice skate, while making the entire court jealous of her natural grace and beauty. And on the other hand was the daunting fear of someone recognizing one or both of them as they waltzed around the ballroom floor and screaming out the point that a servant was dancing with a noblewoman resulting in only the highest level of dishonor and punishment for the both of them. He cringed in his mind and almost reached a hand up to his throat, disliking how the noose would surely be his end in that situation.

But, there was chance no one would bat an eye at the couple dancing one dance. Surely no one would raise a fuss over not recognizing who was dancing with who, but perhaps, just ponder to themselves then go about their previous business? The music was dwindling down as the start of a new song nearing, Here was his chance to take a leap into the oblivion.
With his mind set, Chase straightened his posture, inhaled then met Celvi�s gaze with a bit of a challenge in his own. �Well going with what wise men say, may I have this dance� he questioned, his nerves again flinging themselves against his chest, screaming no! Don�t Do It, you fool! But the words were about on the air and there was no going back now.

{the muse it back! kinda rambling but that is how poor little Chase's feelings are at the moment lol}

[Celvi Gray]

It was almost too good to be true no one had noticed them yet, as surely a few people must know Chase by sight as she had seen him talking to other men, presumably messengers as well. That had surely not passed without one or the other calling him by his real name, and now, what would they say? But it seemed to be like Celvi had predicted, tonight every single being in this room was far too occupied with presenting themselves in their own little scene play with them of course as the main part. The ballroom was their stage and they moved in perfectly rehearsed steps and spoke only their practised lines. Just like those puppets on strings they wanted Celvi to become. But she would fight against that as long as she could and would stick to her very much improvised scene play of �let�s try out how long my luck lasts and what Chase and I can do in the cover of masks�. If she had any well-meaning audience, they might have sensed her nervousness and and her unease, but also the thrill radiating from her. It was no surprise the forbidden fruit was always the sweetest,had it not been so, no one would ever dare to taste it.

Realising where her audacious thoughts were taking her, Celvi blushed slightly and was glad her mask covered most of it. It was far better to concentrate on what Chase was saying than letting her thoughts wander in such directions!
�Now, that I can only agree to�, she nodded and gave him a mischievous smile of her own. �Now that this is settled, what might be a �more enjoyable topic� to talk about? I fear I might take some time to adjust to more challenging talk than dresses�, she confessed with a little mean smile spreading over the unmasked part of her face. It felt good to finally slag her usual surroundings and habits with someone she knew thought the same. �But I am most open to suggestions, so, if you know something, feel free to start on it.�

Shocked over her own daring, actually asking him for a dance, even if she had not used the direct words, Celvi waited for Chase�s answer, trembling inwardly. Oh, there was no possible way he would say yes, that was just too much to wish for. What kind of devil had taken over her mind?! The sheer thought of being so close to him, touching him in such an intimate manner made her want to faint on the spot, and with the tight lacing of her bodice, hidden underneath the intricate silver snow flake pattern, this was not a far-fetched option�
But no� how ridiculous would that be?! Just a moment before she had been all to ready to go out on a limb, so she could not very well chicken out now! However unsure Celvi was right now, she knew she would regret this for the rest of her life, as she knew there was most likely not to be any second chance. Life was like that. But for now it was not a matter of her wanting to, as Chase�s answer was still pending. Not able to tear her eyes from his face, she searched for any hint at all that would give his ultimate answer away.

His question was like a salvation to Celvi�s soul, and a whole mountain seemed to tumble from her mind, resulting in a dazzling smile that seemed to radiate from every fibre of her body. Feeling as if her feet were about to lose contact with the ground, Celvi lifted her hand and placed it gracefully on Chase�s in the traditional posture of a lady being led to dance. She was not wearing any gloves tonight, and so her fingers touched Chase�s bare skin, which was almost enough to bring her to the edge of fainting again. �You may�, she whispered, focusing on taking small steps without stumbling as she still couldn�t quite feel her feet.

[Chase Cantwell]

Had he heard incorrectly? Had she truthfully just say yes? Impossible! She had agreed to dance! The realization of this simply fabulous situation made the young man want to jump with glee and go screaming through the ballroom that he was going to dance with Celvi, not the fool Grand Duke or one of his social counterparts but the mere messenger! His demeanor remained reserved as he nodded slightly, his eyes only foretelling of his excitement. �O Goddess, pray this not be some horrible joke� Chase prayed silently, acknowledging the fact her answer was indeed �yes.�

Celvi�s answer brought a graceful, controlled smile to his face as he dipped in the formal bow of when a gentleman had been accepted by a lady. He offered his hand out to her, keeping his outward composure cool and calm while his inner was a mess of excitement and nerves. He, a mere messenger was going to dance with a Nobewoman! It something so unheard of and disgraced by all it was an adrenaline rush just thinking about the matter. He could no longer control his enjoyment and let his controlled fa�ade break by allowing a gleaming grin to spread over his lips. His heart was racing madly, pounding against his chest with his infatuation for Celvi.

Her silken hand in his sent waves of shocks spiraling up his arm and down his spine, energizing his giddy emotion further. He felt invincible: like he was on top of the world and nothing could break his feeling that he desperately wanted to last forever. He felt so proud to have the beauty of the ball on his hand and felt himself subconsciously trying to stand straighter with chest puffed up with pride. He was shaking in his leather boots with anticipation and a bit of nervousness over how well this would end. He chewed his inner cheek, not with regret of asking her but with the nerves of wondering how it would end? It was scandalous where he let his thoughts wander, but was it too out of reach for a kiss in the near future?

Stepping backwards he pointed his hand toward the dance floor, his eyes never leaving her flushed face; silently searching for any regret of her decision. Swallowing his nerves when he found none hidden in the beauty of masked he face, Chase pushed away all other emotions but the euphoric one that allowed him to simply enjoy this dance with the graceful girl he dared to say he wanted to spend the rest of his days with. Walking toward where the other dancers stood catching their breath from the previous song, a new feeling, one of a quiet bliss, entered his body. It soothed the hyperactive nerves and calmed his frantic mind as he set his mind to the task at hand: Dancing without making a complete fool of himself and embarrassing Celvi in front of the entire court. Stopping short of the exact center of the ballroom, Chase stopped and turned to face his dancing partner and studied her face a brief moment before meeting her gaze with his. The persistent nerves returned, sending a chill down his spine as the music softly started up. �I would like to apologize before hand if I step on your foot� he laughed softly, rolling his shoulders back and tenderly placing a hand tenderly on her waist.

[Celvi Gray]

Still more floating than walking, Celvi entered the ground reserved for the dancers just as another one had ended. What kind of dance would follow? She hoped with all her might it would not be one of those timeless courteous dances where one never stayed with the same partner for more than a minute. Now where was the use in that?! But as the former dance had be one of that kind, Celvi guessed there would not follow another of the same making. And she was right. The master of ceremonies just asked the remaining couples to pair up for a slow waltz cottilon. Celvi had a hard time to hide her giddy excitement. A waltz cotillon! Her favourite dance and one where you stayed with a single partner for the whole time at that! Runnori really must favor her tonight! Not only were no curious eyes following them, but she also was able to dance with the man she loved in a dance she loved most! How could this evening possibly get any better? Well�there might be an outcome that would top everything� her whole body started to tremble as those completely scandalous thoughts entered her mind� and yet� hadn�t they almost come this far without the magic of such a wonderful night?

But she couldn�t let her thoughts stray too far, not when the imminent present was as challenging to her composure as it was right now. Not even when they had sat side by side on that chilly morning just a few weeks ago had they been this close. She remembered a few faint words that had stuck in her mind from the dancing lessons she had taken along with the Princess. �There is only one axis in a pair dance and it lies between the two partners. This of course will erase the courteous personal space we are so keen to maintain at all possible time. So I don�t have to tell you, miladies, what responsibility that puts on both you and your dancing partner. To remain at a respectable distance at least in your mind is the key.�
Until now this had never posed any problem for the young lady. But now it did. She could feel the tension rising up between Chase�s body and hers as if there was a thunderstorm in the making in this scant space. He was by no means holding her tight, but she could feel his hand on her waist as if there weren�t layers and layers of silk separating skin from skin. Almost appalled by her own thoughts she realises she did want nothing more than to close the respectable distance and nestle up against him�

His words were a welcome distraction, very welcome indeed. Celvi gave a meaningless, polite and VERY ladylike chuckle as another pair was just crossing their path, and then replied. �Oh, I wouldn�t worry too much about that. Following the lines of courtly conversation I ought to say now that this probably would be the deepest honor for me, but just between us: I know I will survive, even if you do.� She teased and then immersed herself into the graceful rhythm of her favorite dance. Chase might say what he liked, but for Celvi it felt like she was flying. She felt safe in his arms and she just wished this dance would never end.
These few minutes, she swore to herself, she would memorize and treasure for the rest of her life. Regardless of what was to come, whichever turn her life might soon take. This was the most wonderful moment of her entire life so far and no one would ever be able to take that away from her!

[Chase Cantwell]

�An tis of mine m�lady� he recited politely, the courtly mannerism he often hid behind, sparking up and dying out with the near passing of fellow dancers. He had to hold himself in check after those words left his mouth, feeling an urge to scream like a lunatic and loose the stuffy act of a member of the court. He simply wanted to act as himself when in the presence of Celvi and to act like another shot a hot pain through his nerves. He felt as if he could not bring himself to cope without an opposing argument of the fact and was soon to loose control. Inhaling deeply, he smothered the rebellious thoughts with an empty void in his mind; clearing all thoughts away that might break the mask that allowed him to take part in a dance with the girl he fancied.

He let a hesitant breath past his lips as the music began to pick up from a jumbled mess of broken conversations between instruments to a melodious hum of perfectly in tune notes. The different tones of the instruments began to climb into a rhythmic pace, setting the tempo for the dancers. He tossed care to the wind and found himself engulfed in the music and the even more the fact he was floating above the floor an arm�s breadth away from Celvi. He could smell the sweet, sugary smell that seemed to waft on her skin in addicting breezes, lulling him closer. He was a loss the surroundings, but trapped in her gaze and utterly entranced with her. He wanted this moment to float along for eternity, lasting in its golden glory of the situational sweetnes.

As the music began to dwindle into its final chords, the euphoric feeling continued flowing though his veins, causing his heart to race with the immense feelings he felt for her, this divine creature that walked the mortal world. The final note hung in the air, as he stopped his feet and gasped for breath, cursing himself for holding his breath while dancing. Chase struggled to catch his air in the hot, body congested ballroom, Chase slowly stepped back from his dancing partner releasing his placehold on her hip but not her hand. �Outside� he questioned between breaths, glancing around at the other dancers who began to disperse the dance floor.

[Celvi Gray]

Oh she knew very well, she shouldn’t feel any of this. The giddy excitement, the sweetness of the moment, the dulcet shock his touch made her feel – Celvi knew that with every second she allowed herself to be consumed by these feelings, she continued down that dangerous road leading to a destination from where there was no returning. Giving in to her crush on Chase had been wrong from the start, but it had been decided from the minute they had first spoken true words to each other and she found him worthy of every dream she might have had.
She could not even speak, or did not want to kill the magic of this moment with her voice, and so she only flashed him a mischievous smile, knowing full well that he did not mean those polite words he had uttered to appease their bypassers.

Even though the rhythm of the dance was not all that slow, it felt like dancing in slow motion. The world spun only around the orb created between her and Chase’s eyes that seemed glued to each other inseperately and for all eternity. In this moment, Celvi finally dropped all the layers of her carefully placed masks shielding her bare soul, and allowed her eyes to shine with the pureness of her feelings. Joy, incredible excitement and – love. Even if she had wanted, she couldn’t have held up these masks any longer, not while the sweet sound of music wove a magical web to enclose her and this young man who had stolen her heart long ago. She was lost, utterly lost… and yet felt like having been found, finally being where she wanted to be.
The gilded cage had been opened for the wild bird, but she did not need to leave it. Instead, she had found the company she had wanted all along, making her free in captivity.

The song was over far too soon. Even though Yassia tried to cling to each note, slowly it faded away and she realized they both had to wake up from this enchantment, even if neither of them seemed to want to. When Chase stepped back Celvi wanted to cry out in protest and could only force down the sound by a little strained cough, gripping his hand harder for a second, afraid he might let go of that as well. But this single word he said soon brought salvation, and even though she knew she should never agree to this scandalous suggestion, she also knew nothing in the world could stop her. Managing only a nod in fear of her voice failing, she turned to face the many secret alcoves that lead to the outside balconies, hoping that her aunt’s observant eyes were turned elsewhere for the moment.

It was only a few steps to one of those alcoves and Celvi greeted the chilly night with a jubilant heart, turning to face Chase with a dazzling smile.

[OOC: Sorry she's not speaking, she's just too overwhelmed atm ]

[Chase Cantwell]

Chase lost himself momentarily in her expression, as he awaited her answer to his simple duel syllable question. It was so blissfully easy to null out every outside stimulus and find solace in her gaze that was sweetly addicting. He mapped every speck in her eyes that composed the unique shades. A grin spread across his lips in response to her answer, silent cry of victory swelling his chest. ‘Oh bless this night with your favor, Goddess’ he prayed under his breath as he followed obediently behind Celvi into the night’s crisp air.

The bite of frost on the breeze nipped playfully at Chase’s bare face and hands, sending a welcome chill across his heated body. He inhaled deeply through his nose, extending his lungs to their fullest then releasing slowly as he caught himself loosing control to her jubilant smile. Her porcelain face was illuminated by the moon’s full gaze that looked, almost approvingly down upon the two and their forbidden relationship.

He found himself trailing the details of her eyes to her lips, wondering to himself what they would feel like against his. Would they fit together like two kin pieces of a puzzle, yearning to be locked together or would it be a complete fail bringing nothing but shame to both Celvi and himself? His eyes lingered a moment longer before he trailed back to search her eyes for anything that would tell him whether or not he dared try and steal a kiss from her.

Feeling like he had begun to mindlessly stare at Celvi, Chase jerked his gaze away. Unintentionally he ripped his hand from her’s and stepped back, he face a whirl of tension and worry. He turned partially away from her; color rushing to his cheeks as he fought to keep his cool demeanor. ‘It’s now or never’ he barked at himself, partly angry at his cowardice for not seizing the moment while it was rip and the other worried on how this would end.
He desperately scanned the terrace for anything or anyone that would interrupt his plan he sought to fulfill no matter the price.

“Not here idiot” a small voice whispered in the back of his head, as he turned back towards Celvi. His expression returned to its relaxed and jovial form as an idea his him. ‘The gardens.’.
“I want to show you something” he said plainly with a mellow smile playing at his lips.