Hoi’s Ward

Hoi’s Ward was a dance that could be done by lovers or alone. It was slow, beautiful and somewhat sensual. Typically the partner would mirror the other person’s movements until it became a brilliant dance where nobody lead but eventually they entwined or embraced.

With her swanlike graceful steps, the Arbiter swung her legs and arms in slow fluid arcs, exaggerating every pose. This particular dance had been taught to Voah by her monastery mentor. It was very close to a martial arts kata and when partnered with another, it was like watching a fight in slow motion and in the end, the partners meet on common ground. She would say it was deeper than that. They become lovers and friends.

Gonyaul caught the movements of Voah in his peripheral vision. Her beautiful use of her form flowing through space and her emotion in every detail instantly captured his attention. She was enchanting, but simultaneously there was something very familiar about her dancing. Very familiar indeed.

As he stood there mesmerized, he suddenly connected the dots after seeing several patterns in a row. He was instantly surprised by his realization. Voah was doing a Vauxian dance.

Gonyaul had no idea how she knew it. He didn’t care, his heart leapt at the chance to join her. The dance was only truly realized when there was a partner. He made his way quickly to where she was dancing.

The moment he walked into the space with her, Gonyaul’s movements began to mirror her own. He was not mimicking her. That was obvious by the confidence and perfect timing he had in each move that synchronized perfectly with hers.

Suddenly there was Gonyaul. Another surprise from this mystery man. He met her movements with the right feedback in every way as if he knew this dance. But how could he? It was a special dance that very few knew. Regardless, she felt her spirit soar.

Gonyaul’s deep doe-eyes connected with the sparklingly windows to her soul. His emotion, like her own, was being poured out into the dance. For him, every detail was important; meaning laced into the art. He stopped questioned how Voah knew this and was getting lost in the moment.

There bodies mirrored one another, but both began to undergo a metamorphosis. Their movements were becoming less mirroring, and gradually more unique and complimentary. At the same time they drew nearer together.

Each reach, arcing spin, began to physically weave their bodies in creative ways with one another. All the while, never touching.

Voah could she Gonyaul was enjoying this. Men looked at her, men wanted her, but something about this was different. Never had a man looked at her so deeply before. His eyes met her with a passion that burned into her very soul. The dance was immaculate. She couldn’t help herself. She wasn’t just performing a part now. She was feeling something stirring in her and she wanted more. Voah was the first to touch.

The sweet anticipation of that moment of first contact, which both dancers knew was coming, sent an electrical jolt of ecstasy coursing through his entire system. His heart raced along with the adrenaline; helping him to ignore the discomfort in his upper back.

With the surge of a lovers embrace, Gonyaul wrapped his arms around her, moved behind, and then positioned her in his strong arms for the first lift. And then transitioned into a carry, that carefully placed her back down before their bodies woven back together into another and another. Each one different than the last.

He was like an ornate frame and Voah a breathtaking picture being highlighted. The lifts, carries, and spins were allowing her to physically do more and extend her range of movement far beyond the natural confines of dancing alone.

The dance intensified and finally culminated in an embrace. Heart pounding and breathless, Voah remembered the night she nearly ran after the preacher and Gonyaul was there to bring her back down from her temporary madness. She was in his strong and careful arms now, looking into those eyes again, catching her breath. She allowed herself to feel vulnerable. Her head was tilted slightly back with her mouth perfectly parted. She wanted to kiss him as her eyes danced back and forth into his.

Gonyaul held Voah close. He couldn’t tell where he ended and she began. He was mindful of how their bodies fit perfectly up against one another. His chest was rising up and down as he was catching his flushed breath. His cheeks were blushed with desire. He too felt vulnerable, as his eyes danced back and forth from her eyes to her lips.

He had never felt this before. It was best described as a tidal wave that had built under the surface and now its momentum was to the point it was unstoppable. But wait!? She was an arbiter. She was not a Vaux. She was practically a stranger. Inner conflicts he had been grappling with since their first meeting and every daydream since.

Gonyaul neared, his lips inches from her own. He could smell her perfumed fragrance, he could feel her warm breath on his skin, he could see the desire in her eyes, he could feel it in their bodies.

His last thought before action took over was, ~how he longed to be the air, that could taste her at its leisure~ Gonyaul leaned in and kissed Voah passionately.

Caught up in the moment she arched her body so that he could easily support her and she grabbed his face with both hands.

———

The music was soothing and Islana felt herself close her eyes for a moment, but hearing some men approach the young woman sat up.

They offered her some fermented goat's milk. Islana had always wondered why her father drank it. In an unusual feat, she actually drank some because she had seen people drinking it all night and it seemed safe and - two not watered down ales apparently were a bit stronger than she had thought. Taking a bigger gulp than anticipated. *Ugh* that was awful.

The men chuckled at her apparent lack of drinking prowless and wandered off.

Well, that was stupid of her. Of course her father drank it, he was an drunk and that was they only alcohol they had in the house a good deal of the time.

She glanced over towards Voah and Gonyaul were dancing. No wait kissing? What? It was really just a surprise more than anything and bit much for the young woman's slightly intoxicated brain to handle. So, she just laid back down and closed her eyes.

———

When they finally pulled away from one another for a breath, her eyes remained closed and her head lulled back. It was a dream. “Mercy.” she sighed.

She opened her eyes, feeling a bit bashful, she blushed hard with a finger to her lips. What a natalday gift!

To a Vaux, time was a conceptual construct. They genuinely believed that one could choose to be in three times at any given moment. In the past due to memory, and this memory he would cherish always. In the present due to the being of faculties, to which he was enchanted by ever sense. In the future due to the vividness of imagination, which was in overdrive presently. This was the first time though that he experienced time standing still.

When the kiss parted he felt a tingle upon his lips that desired for more. The nectar of her lips was positively indescribable and soul altering.

“Ihij” he whispered back. He felt like he was blushing from head to toe. Even though they had stopped kissing they were still clinging to one another.

She suddenly realized where she was and fought quickly to regain her composure before heading off into the darkness behind the wagons pulling her surprise beau in tow for a bit of privacy.