the time.”
“Come on, then, Alessia!” said someone, “let’s see you!”
“I only do the earth walk,” Alessia admitted, “It’s not the sort of dance you want to see today. It’s very gentle.”
“A dance is a dance,” said another voice. “Come on, start us off.” Then the gentle tune Alessia remembered from Hetrion’s troupe started up, so she shook out her hair and stood up. She walked to a clear space, stood quietly for a moment to acknowledge the Earth Spirit and then started the slow familiar moves. The others watched her for a few moments, but as she had predicted, this was not the sort of dance they wanted on such a day and the chattering gradually swelled again, as attention slipped away from her. Alessia continued her dance to the earth: to stop would have been the height of disrespect. After a few minutes, she became aware of another dancer, moving with her, following her lead and then, to her delight, taking the lead, allowing her to follow in the half remembered steps she had only partially learned with Hetrion. Together they circled and swayed and as she danced with the earth she was only half aware that the noise of the revellers was becoming distant and the quietness of the night was clearer.
As one they dipped and turned together and Alessia allowed herself to glance up to see if what she hoped was true and yes, it was Danthys who was dancing with her, leading her further and further away from the party. She caught his eye and grinned, and as he grinned back at her the moment came in the dance for the reminder that the earth is only sleeping. They both made the small quick move and then Danthys did it again and Alessia followed, her breath catching. They circled once more and then Danthys was making a series of the earthquake moves, his lively eyes meeting hers. A laugh bubbled up her throat and burst out. As they made the next circle move, Danthys caught her hand and she spun towards him. His arm was around her and his eyes just above hers as they looked deep within her. She could feel his heart thumping in his chest. He put his hand on her breast.
“I can feel your heart, Alessia. It wasn’t such a strenuous dance, was it? Or are you like me, so pleased to be here you can hardly bear it?”
“I can feel yours too, Danthys. And the sweat on you!” Alessia stopped, wondering which out of all the things she could say, would be right. She looked up at him again, so close she could see the little beads of sweat on his lip. She reached up a finger and wiped them off. As she did he pulled her to him and kissed her, hard. He kept one hand on her breast and stroked it as she ran her hands down his bare back and returned his kiss.
“We’ll get cold here,” said Danthys, at last pulling his mouth away from hers. “Come, up to the workshop.” He pulled her hand and broke into a trot towards the palace. Alessia followed willingly, but thinking to herself that it was as well she was willing, as Danthys had not asked her opinion. He didn’t need to, she thought, he knows me too well.
Over by the nearest bonfire, just starting now against the chill of the evening, Rasifi leaned over to Mikolos and whispered, indicating the direction of the palace. Mikolos nodded and smiled, put an arm around his wife and took another long drink from his wine cup. The world was turning as it should.
Danthys led Alessia into his father’s workshop and lit an oil-lamp. Then he beckoned her over to a corner, where there were several large cushions on the floor. Suddenly shy, Alessia hung back, but Danthys reached out to her and ran his hands through her long curls, dislodging the vine leaves. She put her hand up and stroked his smooth brown hair. Smiling at each other they knelt down onto the soft cushions. Danthys pulled at the laces of Alessia’s bodice, but in his haste did it the wrong way and tightened them. Alessia picked at the knots, distracted by Danthys’ mouth travelling all over her bare flesh. At last she got the laces undone and also her apron and skirt. Then she turned her attention to the clasp on Danthys’ skirt.
“We’re definitely not needed now, Trynor” said Jotin. “They know