Charlotte ascended down the stairway with perfect grace and when Alastor saw her he almost became too bashful to go through with this. Her astonishing beauty made him feel very insecure about his own appearance again but his confidence returned when she gave him a pleased smile. When she reached the end of the stairs he gently took hold of her gloved hand and placed a kiss upon the back of it. She blushed.
"You are very beautiful this evening." He said when his lips came up from her hand.
"Thank you." She took note of his apparel and couldn't help but think that he looked very charming tonight. His suit, his hair, the manner in which he stood before her, in her eyes he appeared to be the most grand looking gentleman she had ever seen. "And you are very handsome this evening."
Alastor blushed. Handsome? Did she really just say that he was handsome? Her, the loveliest woman in all the world thought that he a hideous monster looked handsome?
"You...You really mean that?" He asked.
"Yes." She answered truthfully.
"Tha-Thank you." He was getting a little flustered.
"I love how that suit looks on you." She said. "It makes you look like a...A...A..."
Her blush increased.
"Like what?" He asked.
"If I tell you you'll think of me as a naive little girl."
"I would never. Tell me, please."
She looked away from him in attempt to hide her blushing cheeks.
"You look like a prince."
He too looked away to hide how red his face was becoming when he heard her confession. How flustered and bashful they felt in each other's presence this evening. It was completely new to the both of them.
"Your gown...Looks magnificent on you." Alastor said trying to cool down the red in his face. "But I do believe it's missing something."
"What?"
He stuck his hand into his jacket presented her with the medium sized box. She accepted the box and opened it to find strings of lovely white pearls inside.
"Oh my." She awed.
"Do you like them?" He asked.
"They're beautiful. I love them. Will you put them on me?"
"As you wish."
He picked up the pearls from the box and she turned her back to him. The poor fellow's hands trembled the whole time he slowly moved the pearls around her neck and hooked the clasp.
"They fit you perfectly." He commented.
"I have a gift for you too."
He finally noticed the small box in Charlotte's other gloved hand which she moved to give to him. Alastor was taken aback by her actions. She actually had a present for him? No one had ever given him a present before.
"It's not very expensive or extravagant as the gifts you give me but I tried my best to make it just as nice." She said.
He lifted the lid off the box and the gift was revealed to be a white neckerchief embroidered with gold thread.
"Anthony spun the fabric and did the measuring but I picked out the pattern, did the cutting, the sewing, and the embroidery. What do you think? I'll understand if you don't like it."
Alastor wasn't sure what he found more unbelievable. The fact that she had made him a gift or the fact that she actually cared if he liked it or not. In all the twenty-three years he had been alive no one had made him gift and appeared so eager to please him with it.
"This is the best gift anyone has ever given me." He admitted.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes and it will match my jacket for the evening."
"Do you need help getting it situated?"
"Probably."
She carefully fashioned the neckerchief around the collar of his jacket much like a wife would do for her husband just before he went to a very important gathering. Her fingers momentarily brushed against his neck which made him let out a small breath of contentment.
"How sophisticated you look." She observed.
A drop of sweat went down his cheek.
"Shall we go dine now?" She asked him.
"Of course."
He offered her his arm and when she accepted it he once again escorted her to the dinning room where the table was set with lit candles, a vase of roses, and crystal glasses. Alastor pulled out a chair for her and when she sat down he pushed it back in for her. After he had taken a seat Niffty brought forth their dinner. The meal was one of roasted quail with fresh greens and sliced buttered baguettes. Charlotte's favorite meal which was cooked to perfection and tasted exquisite. Through out the dinner Alastor ate with utensils in a civilized manner without any trouble at all. For dessert mille-feuille was served and Alastor did not really care for it but he knew Charlotte would enjoy it because she loved sweets. Particularly ones with cream and chocolate. The smile on her face as she ate it filled him with so much joy.
"This is delicious." She said. "Though I have to ask, how did you know these were my favorites. I never mentioned it."
"Well I..." He brushed the back of his neck nervously. "I may have eves dropped on you a few times when you were cooking with Niffty in the kitchen and I heard you talk about what foods you like best."
Charlotte giggled.
"Well I can't condone eves dropping but I do appreciate that you always listen to me. In fact I don't think anyone has ever paid as much attention to what I say as much as you have."
"Well it's very easy to listen to you because you always have such interesting things to say."
"So do you."
When the meal was finished they adjourned to the ballroom which was brightly adorned with garlands of roses and glistening gold lanterns. At the side of the ballroom there stood several instruments that would provide the music for the evening. Upon reaching the center of the room Alastor turned to face Charlotte and asked her,
"May I have this dance?"
"I would love to but how are we going to dance? We're the only ones who can play the instruments." She said.
"Well there's a little secret about the instruments here that I neglected to tell you."
"What's that?"
He snapped his fingers and to her great amazement the instruments started to play by themselves making the whole room alive with music.
"How?" She could only say due to her bewilderment.
"I'll explain later." He told her. "For now just let the music carry you."
He bowed, she curtsied, a traditional form of honoring your partner before beginning a dance. Her right hand moved to interlace with his left hand while her own left hand slid up to lay on his shoulder while his right hand was placed on her waist. Without any further hesitation they began to waltz. It started out very slow and unsure. Alastor swallowed hard a couple times. He had never been so nervous. However soon they were able to move past their anxiety and become closer.
When the melody picked up their movements became more comfortable and playful even. He agilely led her through long strides and she delicately followed him like a feather in the wind, their steps in perfect sync with one another and swaying along the music. Feeling bolder Alastor lifted Charlotte up a little ways to spin her in his arms. She let out a soft laugh and when he set her down she moved her left arm to embrace his neck while placing her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart beat contently. This caused him to feel bashful again and she could tell because she could the rhythm of his heart quicken. She sensed that he was going to distance himself a little.
"No please." She whispered with her eyes still closed. "Please just hold me."
Alastor was now more shocked and astounded than ever before. He couldn't believe how happy she was just by being in his arms and he couldn't believe how happy he felt holding her in his arms. He held her closer to him. He would hold her whenever she wished. He would hold her forever if he could.
"You dance wonderfully." She said.
"As do you my dear. Have you ever waltzed before?"
"With my father."
"What about with suitors?"
"No. You're the only man other than my father who's ever danced with me."
Man. She referred to him as a man. Oh how joyous Alastor felt in that moment. If only Charlotte knew how important it was to him for her to see him as a man instead of a beast. It was all he ever wanted her to see him as.
From Charlotte's point of view she felt she was in another dream with her mysterious gentleman. The way Alastor held her and touched her felt so familiarly pleasant. It was almost exactly like her dream only it was real and that made this moment so much better. Sadly the moment ended when the song did.
Charlotte lifted her head from his chest and it was then she realized that no one else was in the room. Where were all the servants? On cue Anthony, Niffty, Husk, and Cherri entered wearing fine suits and gowns.
"Sorry we're late." Anthony said. "But someone was being a little difficult with putting on his clothes."
"I told you that I didn't want to wear this damn monkey suit." Husk said.
"This a formal event. You have to look nice." Anthony said.
"I look and feel ridiculous."
"Nonsense." Alastor chuckled. "You look great."
He then turned his attention to Niffty who wore a silk, sky blue gown with little matching bows.
"Niffty would you honor me with the next dance?" He said holding his hand out to her.
"Rascally devil." She smiled before taking it. "You know my answer to that question is always yes."
Alastor snapped his fingers for another song to play so he could waltz with her.
"Anthony would you like to dance?" Charlotte asked him.
"Actually I'm waiting for someone but Husk would you be interested?"
"Oh no. Uh-uh. There is no way I am-" But then Charlotte shined her sweet blue eyes at him in a manner that was just too cute to resist. "Doing more than one dance."
Then they went to join Alastor and Niffty for a the second waltz.