A one-shot...wrote it last night while listening to music. Just another version of Lucian and Sonja and how they met, starting with a dance.
The Dance of the Phoenix
A bird of prey soars upon the dark winds, twisting as she weaves her delicate form to the measured steps of vampiric dance. Exquisite and proud, she winds a black cord of death about her arm, reaching with her wrist to strike once…twice…and thrice against the stone, the pale dagger bound to her skin slicing the fine embers of gold into unseen flame. Fleeting, the beauty raises her eyes once to the painted moon, dipping her fingers down to swim beneath silver waters that drift about her crippled limbs. In time, the music falters and in silence, she falls. Her splendour washed aside as a phoenix drifting ash and cinder upon a marble sea.
Lucian stood against the pillar, watching entranced as the grace of Viktor's daughter swam slowly beneath his gaze. For months, the girl had been left to his charge, the responsibility of her welfare detaching him from his true place and calling as first among the lycan warriors. First! he thought with regret. But Viktor had brooked no argument and, loyal to the death, Lucian had offered none. For of course, he knew why he'd been chosen…knew there was a price to be paid for being this good…
…but oh, how it smarted!
Being forced to watch as the others left for hunts and ruled the ramparts, while day after day, he stood guard over this vampire runt as she struggled past sunrise. A silent weakling who danced, smooth and swaying upon misshapen limbs while other vampires had escaped for their beds, leaving the torn water-lily with transparent pity and scorn as she practiced, unwilling to give up the flowing steps that might never be hers.
Give it up, he mused softly…his gaze still following the abandoned runt as his mind drifted longingly to the hills outside. The thought of being able to run free under the brilliant rays of sunlight. The blue skies of open rampancy…the warm days of unabashed freedom...the green eyes staring daggers at him from the marble floor…
The music had stopped, the two lycan minstrels sitting horrified at the other end of the hall…their jaws open at what their trained ears had just heard, unsure whether to keep playing as the princess halted in her dance…her ears equally trained…
Eyes staring…daggers? Lucian gulped. I couldn't have spoken out loud…
…or could I?
The girl had raised her entire torso now, searching through the hundred black cords that hung from the silver clasps above their heads…the pale green of her eyes shooting to pierce his gaze in the darkness.
Wolf's bane! I spoke out loud…
Lucian dropped to his knees, ashamed of his callous words. The princess had caused this guardianship for months, but not once had she looked cruelly upon his face. True, she had never spoken nor shown a sign that his existence meant more than dust, but that in itself was better treatment than most lycans received in bondage. His words came out in a tirade of anguish, the voice deep and stricken with shame.
"Forgive me, milady. I meant…what I meant to say is that I speak in terms of…"
"You are an expert in dance then?" she asked softly.
He gulped. "No, milady. I…I am nothing. A lycan warrior, milady. Nothing more."
Lucian kept his gaze trained on the marble floor, hoping with all his strength that she might dismiss him and leave this incident behind closed doors. At the very least, a painful whipping would be in order and a warning from Viktor regarding insolence…
…but at the most, you fool of a lycan, she could have you executed on a whim if she cared…
"Pater, the lycan tried to steal my chastity…"
"Pater, he looked at me the wrong way..."
"Pater, his eyes look rabid…"
All it took was one word…one hint and his head would be decorating Viktor's wall after they quartered his body and fed his remains to the dogs. How could he have been so careless? Lucian listened carefully, closing his eyes, but finally daring to look up as he prayed upon this fair-haired maiden for mercy.
Abruptly, she hissed, turning upon the musicians as her eyes darkened to a tempestuous shade of blue. "Leave us!"
The minstrels grabbed their instruments and footed it from the hall, ready to inform the pack of Lucian's forthcoming retirement from life. The warrior swallowed, returning his gaze to the ground as he waited for her to speak…his breath coming out increasingly laboured as he realized the runt of vampires might have a bit more cruelty than he first assumed. This was Viktor's daughter after all…
But the torn water-lily remained quiet…watching the lycan warrior for several minutes as he knelt before her on hands and knees, the dark locks of his hair hanging to the marble.
She smirked suddenly. "Are you afraid of me?"
Lucian swallowed, unable to see the expression on her face, but judging her tone to be one of arrogance. Arrogant vampires required humble words, so he started. "My life is in your hands, milady. Fear is necessary when I am so powerless, for I am but an..."
"…insect which may be crushed if milady so chooses." Sonja finished, folding her arms awkwardly in front of her. She sighed. "I've heard that one already…"
"I sincerely apologize, milady…but my humility is…"
"…as boundless as the sea, for I am but a dog howling in your midst."
He bit back an exasperated retort and struggled to keep his tone humble and subdued. "I beg your forgiveness, milady, for my mind is both poor and…"
"Heard it…"
Lucian gritted his teeth. "Well then. Would milady be so kind as to excuse my dull wit? I am but a poor servant unable to express true joy at groveling before her ladyship's majestic countenance, flawless eloquence, and unconscionable memory!" His voice dripped with sarcasm, the deep timbres making no attempt to disguise the mocking jeer behind the words.
Oh God… He breathed, eyes widening in shock…unable to believe what he'd just done. The horror…one sentence. She'd be running to Viktor as soon as the sun set…
But a smile drew slyly upon the Lady Sonja's lips and she laughed. "You are too kind, Sir Dull-wit. Pray tell me, what is your true name, and will you spend the rest of our conversation smelling the marble floor or must I beckon your eyes to my pitiable dance once more?"
He blinked.
Coughed…
…and then "Wha…"
"Oh my, you must be very dull indeed." She frowned seriously. "Should I rephrase the question?"
Lucian swallowed, both unnerved and very suspicious. Any moment now, she'd be screaming about her chastity, having lulled him into a false sense of security so she could laugh over how easily she'd killed one of the lycans. But the warrior caved, knowing he'd have to answer her queries regardless of what happened. She was the glorified mistress after all…
"I am…Lucian, milady."
"And I am Sonja…but for that crack you made earlier, you may call me majestic eloquence or just runt for short. Pick one."
His eyes widened.
She nodded, rising from the marble. "Yes, Lucian…this isn't the only time I've heard you muttering. Although your volume was a bit…biting this afternoon…"
"But I…I…"
"Oh stop stuttering…I won't tell anyone I stole your chastity belt. Now if you don't mind, I must return to my steps. Good day to you, Sir Dull-wit."
What was…how did she… Lucian jumped to his feet abruptly, grazing his knees upon the marble as he stood. "M-Milady…wait…"
The small bird turned, raising a brazen eyebrow at the lycan. "Yes?"
How did…she seemed so…he almost glared at her, the shadowy eyes of his face darkening as the words struggled to come out, saying for once exactly what he was thinking, regardless of how stupid and soft it might sound. "I think…"
Lucian breathed. I can do this…
"I think…you…"
Enough! You're a warrior, not a pup. Now say it!
The first warrior of lycans sighed, running a sweaty palm against his neck, still feeling sheepish as the truth came out. "I think you dance beautifully…and I hope you can forgive the cruelty of my words for they were cold and heartless." Suddenly he blushed, turning his head carefully to the spot where she had fallen a thousand times trying to perfect the Dance of the Phoenix...and his fingers pointed towards the marble, a storm gathering around his eyes as unabashedly he stared upon her soul. "Given the choice," he said. "I would rather see you fall once into the sea, flaming upon the wind than watch a thousand blood-dancers drift perfectly through your steps without pride or grace."
The lady twisted alluringly in her steps. "Do you mean that?" she asked softly.
Lucian nodded once, unnerved by the curse which had fallen from his lips. "I do." he answered.
And turning away, the lycan master returned to his post, melting into darkness as he waited for Lady Sonja to finish her dance.
A bird of prey once soared upon the dark winds, twisting as she wove her delicate form to the measured steps of a vampiric dance. Exquisite and proud, she wound a black cord of death about her arm, reaching with her wrist to strike once…twice…and thrice against the stone, the pale dagger bound to her skin slicing the fine embers of gold into unseen flame. Fleeting, the beauty raised her eyes once to the painted moon, dipping her fingers down to swim beneath the silver waters that drifted about her crippled limbs.
In time, the music faltered…
…and in silence, she fell.
Her splendour washed aside as a phoenix drifting ash and cinder upon a marble sea.
The End.