Manifester: Follow My Lead
Tempyst’s eyes darted around the room. Sure, they were her reflections, but her training was kicking in. The room was full of mirrors, the door itself a mirror.
She felt stupid standing in a skirt. If it had been full length, maybe it wouldn’t have bothered her as much, but this one ended right above her knees. Every one of her scars, bruises, and the better part of her white legs were showing. Fenix said it would help her learn how to dance. The sleeveless shirt wasn’t helping her feel less self-conscious, either. Parts of her bandaging showed and she had to continually pull it down to cover her middle. It seemed to her to be accenting the wrong part of her body.
“Do you want to get this practice over with?”
She spun towards the door. “I’d like to get out of this outfit.” She walked forward, her legs giving out. The hard wood floor didn’t give as she landed face first. Tempyst looked back at Fenix and noticed her shoes. They had heels. She had never worn heels. She growled.
Fenix offered his hand. “Those’ll take some getting used to.” He helped her up. “Be thankful you’ll only need to dress up three times a year.”
“I am.” She regained balance and grinned at him. “I am ready to learn, O wise master.”
Fenix shook his head and stood before her. He placed her left hand on his shoulder and held her right hand. “Now, don’t slap me for this.”
She fought her blush as he placed his hand lightly around her waist. She bit her lip and looked up at him. At least he got to wear comfortable clothes.
“Now, you can watch my feet for a little, but you won’t be doing that at the Ball, understand?”
Tempyst nodded.
“Okay. I’m going to step forward with my left, you step back with your right.”
--Step back with your right…or is it his right?-- Tempyst stepped with her right, finding herself standing on the Fourth Prince’s foot. “Oh! I’m sorry!”
“You mirror me, Tempyst.” His grimace would have been amusing had she not been standing on his toes.
She pulled her foot off. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Just mirror me.”
Tempyst watched his feet, quickly picking up on the quick steps between the slow omes and the twirling. She only tripped up a few times, soon growing accustomed to the heels.
“You’re a fast learner. This is the basic dance you’ll be doing. If a different dance is called for, just mirror your partner. Unless you’re involved in a Clan Dance, I don’t think you need to learn anything else.” His green eyes quickly looked her over. “And in your present condition, I don’t see you doing the Slayer Dance for your Clan.”
Tempyst grinned as they continued to glide across the floor. Fenix had no idea.
She felt stupid standing in a skirt. If it had been full length, maybe it wouldn’t have bothered her as much, but this one ended right above her knees. Every one of her scars, bruises, and the better part of her white legs were showing. Fenix said it would help her learn how to dance. The sleeveless shirt wasn’t helping her feel less self-conscious, either. Parts of her bandaging showed and she had to continually pull it down to cover her middle. It seemed to her to be accenting the wrong part of her body.
“Do you want to get this practice over with?”
She spun towards the door. “I’d like to get out of this outfit.” She walked forward, her legs giving out. The hard wood floor didn’t give as she landed face first. Tempyst looked back at Fenix and noticed her shoes. They had heels. She had never worn heels. She growled.
Fenix offered his hand. “Those’ll take some getting used to.” He helped her up. “Be thankful you’ll only need to dress up three times a year.”
“I am.” She regained balance and grinned at him. “I am ready to learn, O wise master.”
Fenix shook his head and stood before her. He placed her left hand on his shoulder and held her right hand. “Now, don’t slap me for this.”
She fought her blush as he placed his hand lightly around her waist. She bit her lip and looked up at him. At least he got to wear comfortable clothes.
“Now, you can watch my feet for a little, but you won’t be doing that at the Ball, understand?”
Tempyst nodded.
“Okay. I’m going to step forward with my left, you step back with your right.”
--Step back with your right…or is it his right?-- Tempyst stepped with her right, finding herself standing on the Fourth Prince’s foot. “Oh! I’m sorry!”
“You mirror me, Tempyst.” His grimace would have been amusing had she not been standing on his toes.
She pulled her foot off. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Just mirror me.”
Tempyst watched his feet, quickly picking up on the quick steps between the slow omes and the twirling. She only tripped up a few times, soon growing accustomed to the heels.
“You’re a fast learner. This is the basic dance you’ll be doing. If a different dance is called for, just mirror your partner. Unless you’re involved in a Clan Dance, I don’t think you need to learn anything else.” His green eyes quickly looked her over. “And in your present condition, I don’t see you doing the Slayer Dance for your Clan.”
Tempyst grinned as they continued to glide across the floor. Fenix had no idea.