Moonlight Dance

Silent was the world under the shimmering blanket of the late night sky, festive citizens all but asleep in their homes as the bonfires about the walls burned low. The hours crept up quickly in this shorter night, leaving only the drowsy eyes of still waking younglings to act as indicator that one should be asleep. So it was for Liam as well, the excited children about the bonfire eventually could scarcely keep their heads from drooping despite their want for more stories. Their tiny voices cooed in disappointment upon being scooped up in the arms of their parents, their sleepy faces pressing softly against shoulders of those who thanked the mercenary for spending his time with them.

Now with his own exhausted ‘mon to carry, Liam picked his way into the dense forest, careful not to disturb Gavin, who was using the Sawk’s chest and arm as a makeshift roost. Silvery bits of moonlight filtered in through the canopy above them, illuminating the dew speckled bush and grasses that decorated the forest floor. Sounds of night called in various volumes, songs of pigmy Kricketots and the booming hoot of Noctowl giving the otherwise deathly still forest life. Soon, Liam reached a stopping point, looking about at his surroundings before speaking soft words to the air before him in a language he knew not in meaning. A golden twilight like glow flooded the area, bringing with it a pleasant air and masking the sounds of night as a tiny petal cloaked fairy appeared before him.

Greeting eachother with not more than small smiles, Neve waited. She watched silently as Liam set aside the items he had bought and removed the clasp from his cloak before placing Gaving onto an appropriate roost. Only barely waking, the little bird gripped tightly onto the branch where he was set, retucking his beak beneath a wing. Arms now free, the mercenary turned back to his tinier of companions, she seeming to beckon him closer with small waves. As he drew near, she snatched up her stem of bluebells from the emerald grasses and drifted ahead, waiting for him at what seemed like the edge of the twilighted area. Liam extended a hand out to Neve, allowing the little fairy to come to rest upon his palm. One tiny, pale skinned hand pressed against the fighting type’s thumb, helping the little fairy keep steady as the two passed through the golden wall and out into the open forest.

Once more the chorus of night creatures returned, flooding the the world with sound as the silvery streams of moonlight could again be seen cascading in through the treetops. Out here, the natural glow surrounding Neve was more easily seen, her pale form shimmering like that of a tiny star.

“Such nights as these seem so rare to me.” Neve’s small voice cooed as she gazed up at the moonglow that deluged the treetops. “For as long as my life feels that it has been, only in these recent years within your company have I been able to truly experience the magicks this world has to offer.”

“I’m glad for that.” Liam stated.

Truly he was. Despite the circumstances of their very first meeting and the rockiness of the first month or so that they had traveled together, he’d come to enjoy her company. To him, she acted as a tiny little bastion of peace and calm, even in times where it seemed that stresses of life would collapse the very ground beneath his feet. There were times when he would even forget that the circumstances of his curse bound him to her. It was far beyond a need for her ability now and more a want for her company.

“Would you join me this night?”

“Wh-... Huh?” Realizing he’d been staring off into the distance, Liam jolted a bit upon being asked a question by the little fairy.

“I asked if you would join me!” Neve repeated with a giggle.

It took a moment to properly sink in, but the mercenary suddenly realized she was asking if he would dance with her. She’d told him that it was tradition that the Fay celebrated the time in which the Ethereal world and the mortal plane existed at their closest. During this, they expressed their gratitude to a moon goddess through way of hymns and dance for allowing night’s kiss to linger at the sunset, bringing about longer twilights. The extended twilights apparently allowing magick to flood the world, making it a playground for magicked kin till the short night’s dawn called them back. Neve had taught him of this in the second summer they’d known eachother, only beginning to allow him to observe the dance two summers ago. Being asked to take part in something she had said was so sacred to her kin, he felt enormously honored.

“I… If you’d allow it?” Liam’s voice clashed with an unsure excitement at the the fairy type’s offer.

“I do not see why not.” Neve responded as she moved to the center of his palm. “Mother said we once danced with those we trusted of iron blood all of the time. The Summer Solstice is honored by you as well, thus I should not bar you from joining me, even should our reasons differ.”

Still bound with surprise at the offer, Liam bowed his head, giving a clear indication to his tiny companion that he would gladly take part. The little Flabébé smiled, the soft glow of her pale form beneath her petal hood brightening, her amethyst eyes shining brilliantly. With a sweeping gesture from his tiny friend the earth around Liam seemed to spring to life, feeling the grass beneath his feet shifting and growing as each small plant around them gave off a gentle light. Looking about at their newly created stage, Liam could feel a small pit form in his stomach, as amazing a chance as this was, he was never much of a dancer. Letting out a nervous breath and tucking his free arm behind his back, Liam could feel his claspless cloak droop to resting about his shoulders. Neve uttered a tiny giggle, looking to the Sawk and mimicking his stance.

“Do not worry, Liam!” She assured. “There is no wrong way to dance. Just allow yourself to move with the rhythm you feel and have delight in doing so! Now, let us begin.”

Wasting no time, the little fairy held close her stem of bluebells and twirled off of the Sawk’s palm, drifting gracefully into the air. Closing her eyes, Neve began to to sing a gentle melody in the lost language she often used, using her words to guide her movements as she began to drift and sway about in the air. At first, Liam only watched in awe, ever enchanted by the display of grace from the Flabébé, but soon he began to find the song’s draw. The twittering chirps and deep hoots from the depths of the forest almost seemed to fall in time with the fairy’s hymn. A wide grin sparked to life across the mercenary’s face, and though awkwardly at first, he started to dance along to her song.

He felt silly, unsure at all of where his feet should be going, but at the same time Liam was enjoying just moving about. The comforting feeling of the grassy terrain beneath his feet and Neve’s angelic melody quickly removed every trace of his prior apprehension. Watching her closely, Liam began to copy the Flabébé’s lilt movements, rocking upon his heels to mimic her sway, spinning in place, and making sweeping gestures with his arms. Neve couldn’t help but smile, letting out a small giggle in a short break in her lyrics. The little fairy began to incorporate more into her dance, sudden rises into the air that spurred Liam to jump, or drops that had him dip low. They would make twirling passes at one another, their motions similar to those who had a partner opposite of them with fingers entwined with their own. Each pass, each spin and waltzing step fed into their merriment, with smiled perpetuated by their movements as they danced on.

It had felt like it had only just begun and yet it also felt like hours when Neve suddenly stopped, stifling a tiny gasp right as the song seemed to reached a point where it would come to an end. Liam, who had closed his eyes in his enjoyment of their frolic for only but a moment, shot to immediate alertness. It was dark once more, the soothing glow of the grassy terrain having vanished the moment the fairy had taken a sharp breath. Even the noises within the forest had hushed, leaving the world around them still. Neve drew closer to the fighting type, he looking to her in concern as she gazed out over her shoulder, searching for something among the trees. Carefully, Liam held a hand before the fairy’s tiny body, readying himself for her defense should a potential threat appear.

“Neve?” He questioned with a harsh whisper. “What is-?”

“There are eyes upon us.” The tiny fairy interrupted, looking away from the shadowy trees and to the eyes of her friend.

Then, from the dark, two blue glowing points shimmered to life with the rise of an amused, quavering laugh.

“Ee-hehehe~♪”

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I'm really happy with how this one turned out.

Word count: 1563 = 1550