The Last Dance

[Lessien]

OK....this is kind of a short story I'm working on. I know it's not perfect, but oh well. Here goes....


Darkness ruled the night. The moon decided against gracing the sky with her presence, and her attending stars were hidden behind a thick veil of clouds. Because there were no stars to pin the sky back where it belonged, the darkness was stifling. It pressed against the sides of the carriage, threatening to break through the windows and envelope those inside.

To one unfamiliar, it was difficult to tell where the countryside ended and the city began. Crystal, however, was no stranger. She watched from a seat strewn with soft cushions as the humble farmhouses gradually morphed into city houses, mansions, and boarding houses. The carriage stopped outside of a small mansion.

The driver alighted from his perch and opened the door. He gave Crystal his hand and helped her out, then followed her to the door of the mansion.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Miss?” he asked when she stopped at the door. She nodded, the warm glow from a lamp on the porch illuminating her face. She banged on the door several times, turning to the driver as she awaited an answer to her knocking.

“Promise me one thing,” she said, gray eyes flickering in the light.

“Yes?”

“Promise me that no matter what happens, you won’t let anyone come after me.”

The driver nodded, clasping one of her pale hands in both of his. “Be careful.”

Crystal smiled, though her smile seemed painted onto her face. “I will.”

A middle-aged woman answered the door and ushered Crystal inside. With a quick nod from Crystal, the driver walked back to the carriage, got onto his perch, then, with a crack of the whip, was gone.
--------
Jaiden raced through the streets, ducking and weaving through alleyways, hearing angry shouts behind him. Windows were lighting up with the pale glow of candles and doors were opening to reveal people both angry at being awoken and curious to see what was going on.

“Get back here!” one of the men running after him shouted. Jaiden ignored him and ducked into a narrow alley, making several swift turns and finally hiding behind a building.

“Where’d he go?” one panted, standing several buildings away from where Jaiden was.

“At any rate, we’ll never find ‘im here. We’ll look for ‘im in the morning.”

A chorus of agreements sounded behind him. Their footsteps grew fainter and gradually disappeared. Breathing a prayer of thanks, he sank to the ground and tried to catch his breath.

 

[Lessien]

Crystal was ushered into a room filled with a dozen women or more, all seated in chairs arranged in a circle surrounding a table. On the table were several candles. There were also candles placed in different positions throughout the room, casting flickering shadows on the walls. She sat in a chair that was relatively close to the door and listened as the leader stood and began speaking.

“We have gathered here tonight to discuss an issue of great importance that cannot be discussed by light of day.” She had everyone’s—including Crystal’s—attention, so she continued. “Our husbands, sons, and brothers are out fighting this war against our Marsacian oppressors, but so far, to no avail. Why? Because they are too strong. This war is being fought on their soil, while we stay here, defenseless. They have far more soldiers than we do, and some can control the elements.”

“So what do we do, Maria?” one woman asked.

Maria lowered her voice. “We send in spies.”

“Don’t we already have spies in Marsaci?” said the same woman who had spoken earlier.

“Yes, but they’re all men and boys—they’d expect men and boys to be spies. What I’m proposing is that we form our own league of spies—female spies.”

There was a collective gasp as the group took in Maria’s words.

“You do realize that this will place all of Raetia in danger. That if we are defeated, women and children will not be spared from the Marsacian slaughter?”

Maria nodded. “Yes, but if we use my plan, then we will not be defeated, and Raetia will have freedom once more.”

The group couldn’t protest. Maria was right.

“When will we start?” said Crystal, speaking for the first time that night.

“Within a week,” Marian said, and Crystal nodded.

The meeting continued, and by the time the pale light of dawn was peeking through the curtains, they had decided who would be sent to Marsaci and who would stay in Raetia, how messages would be sent between the countries, and how they would keep this operation secret. Since they were all of the upper class, they decided they would just go along with their normal lives while all this was going on. They would arouse less suspicion that way.

Maria stopped Crystal on her way out the door. “Crystal.”

“Yes?”

“You are the youngest of all of all of us. I would like to think you wouldn’t do anything rash, but to be sure, I’m not going to let you do any real spying in Marsaci yet.”

Crystal nodded. “I understand.” With that, she left the mansion and walked down the street, mingling with the other early-risers.

 

[jess anderson]

Could you post it in bigger text please?? First few paragraphs were interesting but then my eyes started to hurt!

 

[jesusfreak10537]

Ooh, exciting, Less! Post more! lol

 

[Lessien]

Thanks, JF!

Jaiden had fallen asleep in a corner of the alley when dawn broke the sky. When the sun’s rays awoke him, he felt like he hadn’t slept at all. Jaiden yawned and stood, surveying the surrounding scene. The city was awakening, but almost everyone was going to a friend’s home or to the market to buy what food they could afford. No one wanted to be on the streets, what with a Marsacian invasion possible at any time.
Ugh…I look like a street urchin! Jaiden thought as he ran his fingers through his hair and tried to make himself look presentable. Then again, I don’t look any different from hundreds of others in this nation. Smiling grimly, he made his way out into the streets.

Crystal quickly went into a tall brick building, doing her best to not arouse suspicion from anyone. The curtains to the front rooms were drawn shut, and a man greeted her in a low voice.

“What did you find out?” he asked.

“They’re getting together a group of women to act as spies in Marsaci.”

“Why? Don’t they already have spies in our country?”

“Yes, but they say that we’ve already apprehended most of them. Also, we’d expect male spies. With female spies, they’d be able to slip past the sentries unnoticed.”

The man nodded. “Very good, Crystal. You’re well on your way to regaining your throne.”

Crystal grinned, then slipped out the door.
----------
Jaiden wandered the streets, taking in as much as he could. The city was mostly empty, which would have been unusual in times of peace. In war, however, it was the definition of normal.

As he walked, he didn’t watch where he was going, and bumped into someone. “Oh, excuse me,” he said, standing. He looked at the ground to see who he’d knocked over, and was more than a little surprised to see a girl. Face burning with embarrassment, he reached out his hand and helped her up.

“No, no, it was my fault,” she said, dusting off her dress and eyeing Jaiden suspiciously.
Jaiden could only nod as he studied her. She had long, raven-black hair, pale skin, and gray eyes. She looked fragile, like a china doll, but with a hidden strength that was stronger than any soldier’s.

“Do I know you?” he asked.

The girl shook her head. “No, I’m sure I don’t know you.”

“But…I’m almost certain I’ve seen you before…”

“You must be thinking of someone else, because I’m sure I haven’t seen you before.” With that, the girl gathered her skirts and hurried off, leaving Jaiden in confusion.

 

[jess anderson]

Oooh exciting stuff! I like it muchly!

 

[Lubiana]

I like it but I'd love to know what Crystal and Jaiden look like.

 

[Lessien]

Crystal turned down an alley and entered a small brick building, closing the door behind her. She sank to a wooden chair in the main room and tried to sort out what had happened.

Her first question was: Who was he? He looked oddly familiar…like she had seen him before in a dream, or another life.

She might have seen him in another life, in her life before she’d come to Raetia. She had been royalty then, with servants and gowns and respect. All had looked up to her; even her servants had loved her. She had been Princess Crystal then, until she had made The Mistake. Now she was simply Crystal.

She sighed. That boy…she was sure she had seen him before.
--------

Jaiden sank to the ground in an alley, trying to sort out his thoughts. The girl had looked so familiar…like someone he had known before he became what he now was. Her long black hair, the way she walked, her eyes…they all seemed so familiar, like something out of a dream that he had forgotten but would love to remember. Especially her eyes.

He looked down at the ground, trying to remember the ballroom. The walls had been marble hung with paintings, and music had played on the night of that final dance. A young girl had walked toward him, the dark cloth of her dress accentuating the paleness of her skin, and her black hair falling about her shoulders.

“May I have this dance?” Jaiden said, bowing.
“Of course,” she said, and they began to dance, talking as they did so.

“My name is Jaiden, by the way.”

“I’m…”

The memory faded as Jaiden’s head snapped up and he whispered a single word:

“Crystal.”
-------
“What’s that, boy?” a gruff voice said. Jaiden looked up into the dirty face of a man he knew well.
“What do you want?”
“I want to know how far you’ve come in the mission.”

Jaiden stood. “I’ll need more time.”
“You said that a week ago.”
“And I’m saying it again. I can’t find out what I need to know in the amount of time you’ve given me. Give me another two weeks.”

The man sighed. “Fine. You have two weeks. No more. But at the end of that time, I’ll expect you to know more about the Marsacian princess’s whereabouts.” He left as silently as he had come.

 

[Lessien]

Two weeks passed. At the end of that time, Crystal and Jaiden were brought together once more, beneath the darkening sky.

“Evening, Crystal,” Jaiden said as he passed by.

Crystal whirled around. “How do you know my name?”

“I’m just surprised you don’t remember me. The dance…it was a year ago…in Marsaci?”

“Oh! I remember you! Jaiden!”

Jaiden nodded. “I was just wondering…what are you doing in Raetia?”

“I’m just here on… diplomatic business.”

Jaiden nodded. “We’d better go; it’s getting late. May I escort you home?”

“Of course.” She held out her arm and Jaiden took it.
----------- They reached Crystal’s apartment and parted. Crystal waved goodbye, smiling to herself. She had found him.
---------
Jaiden turned a corner; bringing him face-to-face with the same man he’d been dreading for the last two weeks.

“Hello, Byron,” he said.

“Well? Did you find out anything about her?”

“Of course I did! Would you like me to show you where she lives?”

Byron raised an eyebrow, impressed, then nodded. Jaiden led him to Crystal’s apartment building, where they watched it from afar.

“That’s it,” Jaiden said.

“That’s where the princess lives? Ha! Our foot soldiers are housed better!”

“She’s a princess in name only,” Jaiden interjected. “I’m sure she resents what she has been forced to.”

“She shouldn’t have insulted the Court, then.”

“It wasn’t her fault.”

“Oh, you care about her now, eh, Jaiden?”

“I don’t care about her; I’m just saying that her banishment wasn’t her fault.”

“If you don’t care about her, then why are you saying she’s innocent?”

“Just shut up!” Jaiden took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m just an assassin.”

“Exactly. Now. When are you going to do it?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know when you’re going to kill
her?” Byron laughed a cold, mirthless laugh.
“You can’t care about your target, Jaiden.”

“I know. I just haven’t decided when I’ll kill her yet.”

“Decide soon.”

Jaiden said nothing as he brushed a lock of auburn hair out of his eyes.
----------
A smile lit up Crystal’s face as she remembered Jaiden: the way his auburn hair fell in front of his hazel eyes, the way his voice had sounded the night after the ball, when he had spoken to her from beneath her balcony. That was the last time she’d seen him before she had accidentally gotten herself banished to Raetia.

She sighed. All she had done was look into the backgrounds of some of the Court
members. This was The Ultimate Mistake. Now here she was in Raetia, a lowly spy stripped of the renowned title of Princess.

But now…
She had found Jaiden! Perhaps he could help her regain her throne!

Perhaps…perhaps… he loved her as much as she loved him.
-------------
Jaiden could feel Byron’s gaze burning into him as neither of the two spoke. Silence hung over them like a cold fog.

“You know what Mikyn does to traitors,” Byron said at last.

“I’ll kill her in two days.” When he looked over his shoulder, Byron was gone.

 

[Tariel]

I'm like waaay lost...it's interesting...but it jumps around too much and I can't keep track of what's going on...

 

[thenewageriseth]

WOW! Does Jaiden love her? Is he really gonna kill her, or is he saying stuff to please Byron?

ooh I hope he don't But Good story. Just a bit confused about the city names...they sound like names of fantasy (Raetia) but the era sounds like that of the early 1900s, horses and carriages.
Is it a mix?

 

[Lessien]

It's kind of a mix, like it's set in a fantasy world, but instead of it being medival, it's more Victorian Era.

 

[Lessien]

Although Jaiden tried to avoid Crystal for the next two days, he was unable to do so. He saw her on the streets, through the window of her apartment—everywhere he was she seemed to be there as well.

He stood outside her house at the end of the two days, with Byron watching him from the shadows. He knocked on her door and was invited inside by a smiling Crystal. Jaiden smiled back as they sat in her parlor and made polite small talk, waiting for Byron to leave. When Byron left, Jaiden could reveal all to Crystal. She could fake her own death, and they could run away together.

But as Jaiden waited, it became clear that Byron wouldn’t leave until the task was completed. Whenever he looked out the window, he could see Byron waiting a short distance away. There was only one choice left. Crystal had to die, and he had to be the one to kill her.

He desperately tried to convince himself that this would be the best thing for Marsaci, but as they talked, he couldn’t help thinking about the times they had shared…laughing…
Try as he might, he couldn’t forget their last dance.
-------
The sunset turned to dusk, and dusk turned to midnight.

“What’s wrong, Jaiden?” Crystal asked when she caught him gazing out the window intently.

“Oh, nothing,” was his reply. There was a knock at the door, and Crystal opened it, gasping at who stood there.

“Byron!” she exclaimed.

“Ah, so the boy didn’t kill you, after all. I always knew he was weak.”

“Wha-Jaiden? Kill-me?” She whirled around to face a very remorseful Jaiden. “Jaiden?
You were working—for Byron—for Mikyn?”

“Crystal, this isn’t what you think—“

“At the dance—the palace—even here—it’s all been a part of your plan to kill me!”

“No! Not until recently!”

“What does that mean?”

“It means,” said Byron, “that your brother will receive the throne. All we need is you out of the way, then King Mikyn can come in and crush these Raetian scum. Jaiden was supposed to take care of that, but you know what they say.” Byron drew a knife and took several menacing steps toward Crystal. “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.”

 

[thenewageriseth]

Whoa! *gasp* Loving it! Victorian era...I know that era...with the victorian style houses Dad told me about them.

 

[Lessien]

Jaiden leapt between Crystal and Byron, knife drawn. “You won’t harm a hair on her head.”

Byron laughed again. “Look who’s trying to be the hero now! You want Mikyn on the throne as much as I do! You don’t want peace with Raetia! You don’t want the little princess left alive!”

“If I didn’t want peace with Raetia, then why did I run from you? We both know that Crystal will be a better ruler than her brother—maybe even a better ruler than her father was!”
-------------
While the two men argued, Crystal had slowly backed away from Byron, bumping into the kitchen table. Lying on the table was a butcher knife. She snatched it up, hiding it behind her back. While Byron was making his little speech, she had sneaked up behind him, knife poised and ready to strike.
----------
“Will? What do you mean will?!” Jaiden was staring, open-mouthed, at something behind him. Byron turned around to face a terrified Crystal, her knife poised to strike the killing blow.

“Oh. So this is how you would have it end? With you killing me, instead of the other way around.”

Crystal slowly lowered the knife. As much as she hated this man—and the man who sent him—she could not kill him.

Byron laughed. “You made the wrong choice, wench.” He raised his knife.

“Perhaps. Then again, so did he,” she said, looking at something beyond him. The pain hit him before the realization that Jaiden had thrown the knife did. He fell forward, exposing the knife wound Jaiden had given him. Silence reigned for a moment.

“Can you forgive me?” Jaiden said. Another pause.

“I just don’t understand, Jai,” Crystal said. “You knew how much I liked you. Why did you work for Mikyn?”

Jaiden paused, searching for the right words. “He told me you would betray Marsaci, and that you wanted nothing more than to see me dead. He even showed me some false evidence to support those claims. The only truth he spoke was that he would pay me a substantial amount of money.”

Crystal was not surprised. She should have known Mikyn would say something like that to turn Jaiden against her. Her brother had always been good with words. “I know my brother wants the throne, but why did he need me out of the way? I’ve been banished for three years.”

“Yes, but you would have regained your title eventually, and then you would have made peace with Raetia. Besides, Mikyn couldn’t claim the throne while you still lived.”

“How did you come to know all this?”

Jaiden smiled. “Before this war began, we knew each other quite well.”

Crystal smiled back, remembering. “Shall we continue from where we left off?”

Jaiden didn’t have to say anything before he pressed his lips to hers. She returned the kiss, forgetting for the moment all of the treachery that had stood between them. For that brief moment, they could imagine that nothing bad would ever happen again, and that together, they could face anything that came their way.
-------

OK....I haven't decided if that'll be the end of the story or not. If you think it needs to be continued, then say so!

 

[Lessien]

OK.....ummmmm....does the story need to be continued?

 

[poofywoofy]

continue it! It's a good story! =)

 

[puttytat190]

I say you need to continue .Thre are lots of unawnsered q's. Like how will Crystal become unbanished nd gain the throne. I suppose somtimes cliff ahngers are good but in this cas you ned les you don't ned to edit just add. I can be a idiot about these things but you def ned to continue .By the way do like the story line alot keep it up!

 

[Lessien]

A lone figure slipped through the streets of Marsaci, keeping to the shadows between the buildings. His dark clothes helped him blend into the shadows, so well that that when someone crossed his path, he didn't bother to hide. The person who passed him didn't notice.

He came to the royal palace, and the guards barred the entrance until he showed them his papers, stamped with the seal of Mikyn.

Inside, the palace was like a fading flower. Many of the paintings hung on the marble walls were torn, the glass in their frames broken. The fine rugs on the floor were darkened with dust, and the vases that had once held fresh flowers now stood empty. The tables that the vases stood on were scratched and dented.

The figure approached the throne room, bowing slightly at the regal figure that sat upon the throne. Unlike the rest of the palace, this figure's clothes were clean, his hair neatly combed.

"Taiven?" the regal figure said.
"Hello, Mikyn." Taiven's voice was like a knife blade scratching against a brick.
Mikyn offered Taiven the opportunity to stay at the palace that night, an offer Taiven gladly accepted. In the morning, he would have to leave again. But tonight--tonight was a night for planning and preparation.

In the morning, the tide would begin to turn.

 

[puttytat190]

more , more ! I ' m loving this story Wat better my story that i am posting no commented .