Dance #2.5 : Lady Belle Rose (@Kristi) ~ending~
Orpheus could taste the bitter acid from the pits of his stomach in his mouth as Belle spoke to him. A conversation that previously brought him comfort now set every bone in his body on restless joints, aching to part ways from the discomfort of her presence. A presence that had shifted. Just like the others in his life before. Orpheus had assumed an interaction with Belle would never end as pleasantly as it started, but he had not assumed her distain ran as far as mistrust and formal correction.
“Lord Orpheus…” The words felt like a slap in the face. A permanent reminder of her separation and continued displeasure around him. “It is not proper to call me by my middle name.” Belle said, her eyes just as difficult to read as they had been before.
Was he wrong in his assessment of their conversation? Were they not making progress in their relationship?
Had the alcohol convinced him of a gentle whisper and a soft pink blush?
“I see…” Orpheus said softly, his eyes falling from hers. “Perhaps you are correct. Perhaps attempting to reach for the rose only ends in bloodshed. I shall heed your advice, Lady Fleur. I shall be content with dandelions.” Orpheus addressed her formally, her nicknames dissipating from his vocabulary.
“My apologies for my social inconsideration. You must forgive me as the champagne seems to have gone to my head.” Orpheus allowed his hands to fall from hers as the music died down. It seems their conflict was perfectly timed with the ending of their dance.
The surrounding couples took their bows, and Orpheus did the same, his eyes never leaving the floor.
“Thank you for allowing me this dance, Lady Fleur. I shall take my leave of you now.” Orpheus forced a small smile to hold appearances in the public eye. He bowed to her once more out of typical societal expectation and respect. To him, it signified a proper goodbye. For if he could not have Rose he held no need for Lady Fleur.
Amidst the glittering chandeliers and couples happily chatting away, Orpheus had never felt more alone. It was strange how the once brilliantly vibrational ballroom could turn so cast in shadow, how the beautiful hum of music he once adored could turn hauntingly cold, and how the smiling faces he once yearned to join taunted him with their joy.
In that moment, the ballroom’s opulence turned to ashes, and the splendor of the night was nothing more than a cruel reminder of the relationships he had yearned for but would never possess.
Orpheus left the dance floor as gracefully as he could manage, making his way to an idle tray of champagne.
One glass.
Maybe two.
A third to steady the mind.
The room began to spin again.
Suddenly, a familiar figure. A woman. The most sparkling of women.
The diamond of the season.
“Adie…” Orpheus spoke in an almost whine, his eyes welling with tears as he approached her.
The alcohol had wiped all semblance of social construct and formality from his mind, his composure held on the frail string of the single, intact friend he had left in this world.
Adeline Grace DeLaney
mentioned :
Belle (@Kristi)
Adeline (@sunflowerjm)