"Why are you dancing with me, Algernon?" Lucy asked, wondering what more could be said after how their last conversation ended.
"We practiced so long together. It seemed a waste not to show it off." He responded, guiding her through the dance to the choir of violins and one beautiful singer's voice.
Lucy knew he was dodging her real question, but didn't press him for an answer, knowing firsthand how disappointing that could be.
"And I also couldn't stand watching you dance with someone else any longer," Algernon added his mood falling as he thought about the array of men that had passed through her hands. "You're supposed to be my partner. I thought everyone knew that." He gazed down into Lucy's eyes where she could see how seriously he meant the words.
"I didn't."
"I know," Algernon admitted, "And that's all my fault." He gripped her waist a bit tighter at his own frustrations. "I'm sorry for that."
"Did you just apologize?" Lucy asked, stunned beyond belief.
"Yes," Algernon said, pulling her closer as his guilt pulled at his fears. "Lucy I'm sorry for the ways I've treated you and for anything I ever did that made you feel like you're not enough because you are. You're more than enough, and you deserve more than what this world has done to you, more than what I've done to you. The way you think, the way you are, it's not wrong and it's not weak. And it's not what needs to change." As Algernon looked to Lucy his black eyes shone the light above back down to her, and in a desperate whisper he added, "please gods don't ever change."
Lucy could only stare into Algernon's eyes, where she was witnessing the greatest show of sincerity she'd ever seen from him. Which was so unbelievably frustrating as she had just decided she was going to subsidize all the chaos in her life. And then Algernon choose to act like this. It made her heart race a thousand times past its breaking point and her mind run rampant. And the most frustrating part of all was that when Algernon showed this side of him everything made sense. That chaos in the world Punditwood talked about all seemed pacified when she stared into those soft dark eyes. It was only when he ignored her or treated her poorly that nothing seemed to make sense and chaos reigned over her, when what she felt and what she thought were in direct opposition. But when they were together like this, it was pure peace, comfort, cohesion, harmony, whatever it was when the never-ending vibration of the universe settled perfectly into place. It happened so rarely with him, but it only ever happened with him.
Now Lucy felt that there was something she needed to say to Algernon as well.
"Thank you."
Algernon questioned the thanks with a confused look down at her.
"For the lessons." Lucy clarified. "I would probably have looked much more foolish if you hadn't graced me with your patience and expertise." She added with gentle sarcasm, causing Algernon's smile to return.
He had been holding his breath for her reply, knowing she could very well reject him and with every right to, but hearing the playful banter in her voice raised his own.
"You still don't get it," Algernon said and Lucy awaited the teasing that came with that spirited smile. He leaned in, speaking into her ear and pressing their bodies together, as his finger skimmed down her exposed back. "I'm the one graced by your presence."
This isn't appropriate for the dance. The thought raced through Lucy before any other as her cheeks bloomed red. She wasn't used to nice words from Algernon, not at all, and with the sudden painful burn it brought to her chest Lucy thought she may rather prefer back his insults and glares.
The song ended and Lucy was frantic to get back to Jasper or to find anyone. Anything that got her away from those overwhelmingly kind black eyes paired with devastatingly sweet words.
"Will you excuse me," Lucy mumbled, shifting to walk away but when she tried to move her hands out of Algernon's, he held on.
"No."
Lucy turned around to see Algernon's black eyes, which usually only showed contempt or annoyance, now lighted to something unknown to her. Even when he denied her request, his tone held none of its usual coarseness but sounded like a plea.
Lucy looked down where Algernon was still softly clutching her wrist, even that had changed, where his hold had more than once given her bruises it now felt like a lifeline.
"Lucy..." Algernon whispered, not having the words to make her stay.
For a moment Lucy forgot herself. Algernon rarely called her by name and never this sweetly. "Yes?" She asked, wondering what in this world could make him say her name like that.
Algernon was about to speak again when a girl interrupted them. "If you're quite done, I'd like a turn." Minsley spat.
Algernon glared, while Lucy only nodded and said, of course. She was overwhelmingly thankful for the opportunity to escape as she didn't have the strength of heart to be anywhere near Algernon right now. So, she made her way through the crowd, breaking for the stairs, convincing herself if she could make it far enough away from Algernon, she could gain control of her racing heart. She threw open the ballroom doors, entering the brisk cold night where freshly fallen snow tampered all sound, but her heart's frantic fluctuations. Lucy ran until she reached the ledge of the cliff where she looked over the vast landscape of Attwood below. The wind picked up and blew back her hair, which always eased and comforted her, even now when it was frigid cold.
And at least now her face had a reason to be so red.
~~~~~~
Algernon was making his way around the ballroom, searching for long yellow hair after it had so abruptly run away from him. He had left Minsley behind in the middle of the dance floor, which was highly inappropriate and rude of him, but he had not a single care about it as he searched for Lucy.
"Did you lose something?" Brickwood's voice chimed up from behind him.
Algernon's face immediately hardened as he turned to his cousin.
"No," Algernon swore with determined eyes. "I haven't lost anyone."
"Not yet anyway," Brickwood replied smiling.
"Not ever," Algernon swore back his shoulders squaring as he came to stand before his cousin.
Brickwood wondered when Algernon had grown as tall as him, or if he always had been but for the first time stood tall enough to be eye level with him.
"We'll see how everything turns out," Brickwood replied as he glanced over the many interesting foreign characters of the ball. "For the moment the prince of Etilia seems to be no harm, Lorencia's rulers are still spineless idiots, and the other countries are at least not actively raising armies against us." The professor glanced at Algernon and in a reassuring voice paired with a caring smile, added, "And it's all thanks to you, Algernon."
"I'm proud of you," Brickwood said, with the warmth and kindness of a father praising their child.
Even though Algernon had years to learn how insincere that voice and expression really were, it was still one of the only times he ever heard it. And it still got to him, his shoulders relaxing as he glanced away.
"And when the time comes, I'm sure you'll choose the right path for you and your country." Brickwood finished, satisfied to see his cousin still affected by petty praise.
Algernon's jaw tensed as Pecilia's words came swarming back to his mind, Fate is nothing but the influence of others in our lives. Algernon looked at his cousin who had been as involved in his life as a father, if not more so since the death of his. And until you kill every single last person in this world, you will always be subjected to it. His hands clenched tightly by his side.
Brickwood watched him leave, the faintest smile at the corner of his lips. After all these years fighting, Brickwood thought, the one thing you've still yet to conquer is your own emotions. Solace's grin twisted and grew.