A Dance of Flames

A Dreadful Afterparty

Content Advisory

This chapter contains depictions of attempted sexual assault which may be upsetting for some readers. Discretion is advised.

The warm scent of spices danced through the evening air. The raucous hum of drunken revelry filling the dining hall. The host stood, his normally umber face tinged red from the wine. He raised his hands high to quiet the crowd.

"My friends, my friends, I am so happy to see you all enjoying the banquet!" He smiled broadly, looking over the now quiet faces attending him. "My wife and I have prepared some very special entertainment for this evening." He gestured to the servants standing on either side of the large doors. "I hope it will give you at least as much pleasure as the drinks!" there was a collective chuckle from the more tipsy guests.

The servants pulled the doors wide and ushered in a brightly dressed troupe of musicians. They made their way to the front of the hall and began playing. It was a vibrant, lively song that wove its lilting melody through the celebration. From the still gaping entrance came a flash of fire.

A beautiful dancer swept in through the flames, her gauzy costume gliding through the air around her. The melody paused, she snapped her scarf in the air and it burst alight. The music picked up again with a fevered intensity as the dancer swirled the flaming scarf around her undulating form.

She moved with serpentine grace, the firelight fluttering across her soft, cinnamon colored skin. The music slowed as the song came to an end. She extinguished the flames with a gentle flourish.

She bowed low, stealing a glance up toward the host and hostess. She was pleased to see the hostess beaming down at her.

Her eyes slid over to the host. Something within her shrunk as she noticed the hungry gleam in his eyes. She dropped her gaze back to the floor. Bowing out of the hall once more she scurried off to the safety of her regular work in the kitchens.

The guests filed out soon after. Scattering back to their homes across the vast desert city of Eshiren.

The hostess burst into the kitchens, eyes shining. "Oh Neira!" She gushed. "That was simply incredible! Your dancing was absolutely hypnotic!"

Neira put on a cheeky grin, bending into an ostentatious bow. "Thank you, my lady. You honor me with your praise!"

"Oh you sassy creature! Stop all that my lady talk! There's nobody else here, you promised to call me Irayen when we were alone." Irayen gave her a playful shove.

"Yes, but you never know when someone may be just outside the door. It doesn't hurt to use a little caution, Irayen." Neira shoved her back, grinning at the familiar banter.

"Come on, you don't think I'm cautious?" Irayen pursed her lips, fluttering her lashes over caramel colored eyes.

Neira laughed, rolling her eyes. "Do you recall what happened with the honeybees on that trip down to Sechon when we were girls? As I recall you managed to set an entire hive on us. We only got away because you tripped over a rock and knocked us into a pond."

"Ah, now that is an unfair example Neira! You and I both know it was more the goats fault than mine!"

"You mean the goat that you untied?"

"Well I needed the rope." Irayen tossed her sandy hair with a haughty sniff. "Besides, that was years ago. I'm much more careful now."

Neira shook her head with a smirk. "What about last week with the chickens?"

Irayen crinkled her face into a scowl and crossed her arms with a huff. "Okay, so I'm not great with animals, but that doesn't mean I'm not cautious. Besides, we always make it out just fine."