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A Maid's Tale	By : tealover Category: Final Fantasy VIII > Het - Male/Female Views: 886 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Rinoa, Selphie and Ballari were completely flustered by the
amount of men surrounding them. It was tradition for the men to ask women to
dance all over the world, but a more important tradition of Galbadia�s
masquerade balls was that any new attendees be given special consideration as a
potential dance partner. This is part of what made Galbadia�s balls the most
popular and spontaneous ones for any noble who was looking to have a good time.

Ballari distanced herself away from the crowd without seeming
too improper, offering various excuses of having injured herself and being
unable to dance on the way. On the other hand, Selphie glowed with excitement
as she immediately waltzed away with the first offer that came to her. Irvine
would have to wait until that dance was over before he could ask. Finally,
before Rinoa could reply to any of the men who were holding out their arms, a
young man with long silver hair who was completely covered in white took her
hand, immediately leading her away.

�Thank you for getting me out of that mess� I must warn you
that I�m not any good at dancing the Obel Waltz.� Rinoa said as he placed his
right hand firmly around her waist and held her close. She then placed her
right hand in his left hand, and he gently steered them towards the center of
the dance floor. His dancing was perfect, so much so that it made Rinoa feel
ashamed. Much of her energy was being spent in simply managing her dress� train
throughout the movements.

He carefully guided her around other wayward couples and
kept himself at a proper distance. Eventually Rinoa felt comfortable enough to
slightly rest her head on his shoulder as they spun around the auditorium�s
floors. Despite all his work in treating her with great delicacy during the
slow waltz, Rinoa was constantly looking around the room and at the other
couples instead of her own partner.

�You seem distracted.� He spoke in a smooth and gentle yet
dignified baritone voice.

Rinoa raised her head from his shoulder. Taking the time to
look at his pale face and blue green eyes, which were mostly obscured by his
mask. �I�m looking for someone. I was hoping to find my ma� Sir Leonhart.� The
man lost his timing and quickly regained it without her noticing. �I have yet
to see anyone resembling the young man.�

You don�t even recognize me. �Perhaps it�s because
you don�t have your glasses on.�

Rinoa blinked, �How did you know that I wear glasses?�

�� you were squinting.�

�I was? Oh, how embarrassing...� Rinoa tried to scan the room
without squinting.

Forget him. �Are you enjoying the dance?�

�Very much so�� Rinoa paid more
studious attention to his effortless movements while watching his face. Am I
that bad at this? As if in answer to her question, his eyes suddenly locked
onto hers and he made the smallest of reassuring smiles. Rinoa shyly smiled
back.

Rinoa found herself enchanted by
the silver haired man. She wanted more than anything to take off his feathered
mask, to see the face that lay beneath. He did not speak much, but it was
proper etiquette for a man to refrain from making conversation with a dance
partner who he had never met before. His movements were precise and elegant,
yet somehow modest. Their dancing together banished all the doubts and worries
Rinoa had plaguing her mind for the past week.

I have to get out of here
before Rycharde notices anything. �Would you join me for some refreshments
after this dance?�

�Of course!� Rinoa happily
obliged.

Just as they were gliding past a
slightly more crowded area of the long and narrow dance floor, two blond
haired, fairly tall socialites collided into them.

The silver haired man and the
blond haired man immediately locked a wordless gaze towards each other.

The blonde woman gasped at the unexpected
incident, too stunned for words while Rinoa did the first thing that came to
mind. She made a face, nearly sticking her tongue out until she realized, Red
dress� braided golden locks� Quistis! Before anyone was able to utter any
apologies, Rinoa slightly squeezed her partner�s hand and lead him in the
opposite direction. She steered them away from the blond couple and slowly the
throngs of other dancing couples obscured them from view.

�You look like you saw a ghost.�
The green-eyed blond man said as they resumed their dance.

�As do you. Was all that really necessary, Seifer?� Quistis said.
�I feel so humiliated.�

�You�re the richest woman in all
of Galbadia and you feel humiliated by a little slip. Have I not done
everything in my power to please you?�

�Little slip? This is a Waltz! I
don�t know what country those steps were from, you can at least have some
subtlety!�

�I was merely demonstrating our
superior skills to the other couples. Subtlety does not exist for an Almasy.�

�You�re incorrigible.� Quistis
sighed. A month ago she had been just another woman who was attracted to him
for his money, who put up with his strange habits. Eventually his habits grew
on her while her constant lectures on propriety made him realize that she was
someone who truly cared about him. On the surface level of Galbadia�s
upper-class it was only known that Quistis Trepe was engaged to an Almasy.

Just outside of the theatre, Ballari began walking along the
promenade. It was a large bridge decorated with shrubs and stands exploding
with night blossoming flowers. Numerous couples from the masquerade had
wandered out there to get some fresh air and privacy before they would have to
change partners for the next dance. Coming across a curve in the promenade,
Ballari nearly crashed into a young man who had spiked blond hair and a loosely
tailored blue suit. He was doing back flips on the small path. She immediately
gathered the folds of her gown and deftly moved out of his way, before he just
barely kept himself from flipping over the edge of the promenade.

�Do hope you know what you�re doing over there!� She called
at him in an angry voice.

He walked back towards her. �Sorry �bout that. I just had to
let some of my frustration out. I hate dancing at these stuffy masquerades my
mother drags me to.� The young man took off his gloves and placed them on a
flowerpot, while putting on another fresh pair. �My name is Zell.�

Instead of holding out her hand, Ballari bowed politely.
�Ballari. Pleased to make your acquaintance.� Zell blushed at her formal
introduction.

�Um� may I ask why you are out here alone?� Zell began to
walk with her, taking the spot closest to the edge of the promenade.

�If you must know�� Ballari stole a look at Zell, realizing his
face was not masked but was actually tattooed in the most unusual manner. ��I
can�t dance.�

�I hate dancing, too. I�d rather be eating a stuffed turkey
like my step �ma used to cook��

Ballari laughed nervously, �To be honest, I wish I could
dance. I just never learnt how.�

Zell blushed deeply, �Ack, I apologize. I didn�t mean it in
that way�� Ballari didn�t look offended, so he continued, �Um� how �bout I
teach you?�

Ballari looked at him and made an unsure smile, �Teach me?
Here?�

�Why not?� Zell flashed a large grin at her. �Sounds like a
quadrille is playing. Here, let me show you how it�s done.� Zell took her left
hand and she began to do the courtesy, which surprised him.

�I did read a fair bit about this dance before, so I think I
know what to do. Just don�t jump about or anything.� As Ballari finished her
courtesy, they began by gliding across the promenade in the various forms of
the dance.

Zell counted the beats as they moved to the time, �One, two,
three, four. One, two, three...�, until Ballari�s slipper hit a snag on the
ground and she lost her balance. Zell steadied her and they laughed at the
awkward moment. �Maybe we should go inside?� He suggested, �The floors are much
safer.�

�No� I�d rather stay out here. I wouldn�t want to dance with
anyone else.�

Selphie and Irvine were seated in a richly decorated room
with heavy window coverings and some similarly patterned seating arrangements.
The wall hangings had the Trabian royal crest centered among other country
flags and the room was actually called �The Dukes Room�, reserved for Irvine�s
entourage. Selphie had paid it no mind, her attentions were fully focused on
flirting with Irvine. The two had hit it off after their dance and Irvine
invited her to the parlor.

Selphie was twirling a yellow lace fan in her right hand as
Irvine spoke. �Do I know you? You seem so familiar.�

�I�m sure I�d remember a man like you.� Selphie replied as
she skillfully opened and shut her fan. She then held it widely open with her
right hand. It was as though her fan was doing most of the talking.

�I beg of you, I must see your face. You must be from a
truly noble family to dance so well.� He lifted a hand and reached out to her
mask but she quickly turned her head away from the advance, touching the fan to
her left ear.

Irvine�s face took on a hurt and confused expression, he had
already taken off his own mask in the hopes that she would trust him more.
�Your clear green eyes are Trabian, yet your voice is Galbadian. How could this
be?�

Selphie stood up in reaction to his mention of Trabia,
touching the fan to her right cheek. But I�m no longer a Trabian.

�At least tell me your name.� Irvine pleaded. Selphie began
to fan herself quickly as she looked at him.

�My name is Se�� Selphie contemplated on whether divulging
her name was a good idea. She was surely attracted to him but he was a Trabian.
If word got out that Selphie von Tilmitt was in Galbadia, a search would be
issued and she would be sent to the Trabian authorities. The Leonhart family
had their limits in protecting her.
Selphie took a step away from Irvine. ��I�m sorry. I can�t tell you.�
she held the fan behind her head.

�I don�t understand. Why won�t you tell me?� Irvine asked
and she violently shut her fan in response as her eyes watered. She then ran
out the door and down the halls.

Irvine tried to follow her down the crowded halls and saw a
yellow blur making its way towards the main exit. By the time he got to the
large gilded doors, nobody was in sight. He slowly walked down the carpeted
steps as he looked around the area, hoping for a noise or sign of the direction
she went in.

Minutes passed and it seemed she truly wasn�t coming back.
As he turned around and made his way back up the stairs he noticed a small
glass slipper lying on the steps. He picked it up, knowing exactly who owned
it.

Sefie...?
- 8
- 9
- 10
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A Maid's Tale