Timeless

12

That takes some of the anger away. He hadn't known that she had done that for him. He hadn't realized that she too used the lights in the fountain to calm and center herself. That gets him to thinking about others things and he remains inward focused and no longer pays attention to their talking.

"I think I have the perfect girl for you to be your maid. She came to us about a month ago, scared. She's well trained as a maid but she's terrified of men. If you like her you'll have to get Grey to be on his most calm around her. I've listened to her story and she's been abused for years.

"She is supposed to go to your room for the evening meal, but seeing as you are no longer locked away in that closet Grey calls a room, I'll have her come here and you can look her over. Perhaps there is something you can do to help her heal."

Anna looks over at Grey sadly and then notices him holding Ariele's hand. "I have little healing experience with those in need of emotional healing. I wish I had more. There are many here that could use such help. If we had the time I'd ask you to help with them as well, but..."

"Time is limited now. I would love to meet this girl. And if we get along I know Grey will be relieved to no longer play lady's maid." Ariele says smiling, but Anna isn't so sure about that. Grey's ease of such show of affection in front of her would say differently. Grey never holds a females hand anywhere someone might see them unless helping them stand or in a dance.

"Oh that reminds me. The dance you had the lights doing, I've never seen anything like it. Where did you learn it?" Anna asks the curiosity evident in her eyes.

"The Aelven love to dance. It's almost like a competition to make up dances. The more intricate the better. That dance was all the rage before the fighting started. I, as the military leaders daughter, was required to learn the steps. The queen often made me dance in front of everyone. Showing me off to potential...anyway, she would send partners in."

Here she smiles a bit. There had been one Aelven that she enjoyed dancing with. He had never raped her and she thinks that he had to his limited ability protected her from others. More than once she'd been hiding from others and he'd make a comment and instead of continuing the hunt for her they'd leave.

But he was the only one, and he never showed even a small smile to her. But that's okay because if he had and it had been in any way friendly she would never have seen him again. And had it not been friendly then she couldn't have stood it.

Music starts up, the music of the dance that the lights had danced. Ari stands up and starts dancing to the music pretending the unsmiling Aelven was dancing with her. When a real hand takes hers she smiles and continues the dance.

Grey could see that Ari is lost to the music. He is a quick learner and had watched the lights. Taking Ari's hand and seeing her smile makes his heart melt. He keeps the steps far smaller than he would if they were dancing in the great hall, this room is far too small.

The dance ends and they stand looking at each other, but the magic is broken when there is a knock at the door and the servants bring in some food.

The servants set about setting up the food and still they stand not saying anything. Grey wants to take her back into his arms and just keep dancing. Ari swears that she felt loving hands as she danced. That's never happened before and she wants desperately to feel it again. Even if it is just a dream.

"Come you two, and eat." Anna says hiding her amusement well. The lights are zipping uncontrolled about the room distracting the servants.

Anna dismisses the servants but holds the one in charge back giving him orders. He nods and follows the other servants out. Grey finally snaps out of it and escorts Ari over to the table now laden with food.

Grey fills her plate with more food than he's ever seen her eat, but hopes that she will at least try to eat the food. He then takes about the same for himself.

Still lost to the moment Ari eats without thinking but finds herself ravenous and eats the whole plate clean. She stares in shock. She's never eaten that much food ever.

Grey smiles, happy for the first time that day. He finishes his food and politely asks her if she would like more. Ari looks at him like he was mad, which just makes him even happier even a small laugh manages to get out. Which makes Ari happy.

"Would you like to learn one of our dances Ari?" Grey asks as he offers her his hand. She takes his hand and she can see the dance he wants to teach her. She sees what he imagines them doing and it takes her breath away.

Grey takes her over to the cleared area and starts to show her what the step is but as he goes to show her Ari is already doing it. Soon they are lost once more to the music.

Anna watches them dance and feels the magic of it all. Taren enters even as the dance continues and is enthralled. "I didn't know Ariele could dance our dances." He says quietly not wishing to disturb the two.

"She couldn't. But she showed us one of her dances and Grey started dancing with her. Later he offered to teach her one of ours but it's like she's always known how to dance our dance." Anna replies just as quietly. When Grey loses Ari she's not sure that she won't lose Grey as well. She's never seen him like this with anyone else before.

Taren had come in without knocking, leaving the two uninterrupted, but this time there is a knock and it brings the two back to reality.