A man in gold-lined priest wear walked up to her as her brother blended into the crowd.

She walked away from him quickly. Knowing he knows who she is.

A witch.

...

In her hurry, she ran into a man. He dropped his poem but paid no attention. Instead, he bowed to her and kissed her hand before picking himself up and walking with a bounce in his step.

"Wait sir, you forgot your poem!" She yelled.

"Oh no I left it for a reason. Better to have been read than with someone who sees its flaws." He replied.

...

She started reading the poem while checking for him after every line.

She could tell he wanted to rip it out of her hands but continued to stay respectful and calm.

When she found the line, she knew he would dread she read it aloud to him.

"No woman will lead a man into her heart across the ornate dance floor but that is how I long for my love to treat me."

Her face was like a child finding taffy.

...

"Yes, my queen. Do you find it appalling or intriguing?" He asked, blushing slightly.

"Not at all appalling. I would love to be the first woman to lead you!" She smiled and walked to him.

"Well, I see no harm. it's plenty crowded and I can use my status as a buffer for you, my queen." He said holding out his hand

Her eyes then flicked down and noticed the purple he was wearing before grabbing his hand roughly.

"No harm shall be done." She said firmly stepping in front of him.

...

"You are like a fire on the outside, sharp, hurtful, and witty but a fire can be strong and tell stories beyond imagination. "Are your stories truth or fiction?" He asked, walking hand in hand onto the floor.

"Bit of both I suppose why, my poet, do you ask?" She asked calmly as she faced the priest from before.

"I need a story for my play, and I look to a fire when I need one." He replied as she faced him and bowed quickly.

" I don't want to scathe us with words, my poet." She replied as he curtsied elegantly with his eyes half closed.

"Just tell me what you feel is right." He said as he stood up to her.

She grabbed under his arms quickly and he put his arms on top as she started to speak.

...

"She was powerful, strong like our mother. Our mother was murdered by a few brutes who wanted nothing but obedience." She said with a bite.

They then tipped and Joe breathed deeply as she continued.

"Our father Xisuma, died mourning her. So, my sister picked up a sword and followed in my father's footsteps. She became a man.

He was oh so much more pleased with her life. He then decided to become a lancer like our father."

He dances across the battlefield like it is a simple waltz just like our father in his prime." She said with pride.

They tipped again and Joe nearly cried.

"That will be perfect." He smiled and let her pull him closer.

"May I have your name?" She grinned and he closed his eyes as they stepped back and only had their hands touching.

"Joe Hills is my name. I perform my plays in this castle. " He said only loud enough for her.

"My name is Cleo." She said quickly and quietly almost like a secret as she held him during an elegant twirl.

The rest of the dancers twirled around to the next partner but she saw this and pulled them into the middle quickly causing the circle to go without a fault.

She then grabbed his hand and pulled him up into her as the rest of the crowd tipped their partners.

" I accept only a dance with you." She said with a true smile as they spun round and as they twirled around, she chased him like a game swiftly around twirling him as she went.

" If after this dance you find me to be a reasonable suitor, please do let me know." He suggested breathlessly when Cleo stopped.

She almost started her hunt the other way but she scoffed and pulled him into a kiss on the lips forgetting the dance altogether.

He kissed back gently and this time she skidded him across the floor like a puppet. Lifting him high and pulling his feet from underneath him.

Then they reversed causing the priest to be in time with them until she went to the middle for the elegant turn.

She pulled him from side to side once then let him spin on the balls of his feet to each side before holding him in her arms calmly. He could feel her corset loosely brush against his chest and he stepped back quickly.

She stepped forward and grabbed him more loosely and kissed him as they slowly moved across the floor.

The rest of the dance felt like a dream of a princess meeting her prince charming. She let herself lose herself in his eyes and while the dance between them turned almost sloppy it was for true sparks to fly.

...

It only ended when she was pulled aside by the same priest.

"You are not a man! Why are you leading him like a doll? He asked, demanding an answer as he pulled her around in the same waltz.

He pulled her closer as she struggled away

"You are the doll, little girl." he hissed like a demon.

"Leave her be my brother. She had my blessing and sir you truly are a good Priest, but please, where in the gospel does it say a woman cannot love a man as he pleases?" Joe asked harshly.

"This woman is of witches. You should know how dangerous she is." He said as they met within a foot of distance.

"Or shall you Priest?" He bit, stepping forward and he looked at Joe with wide eyes as Joe grinned.

"You have cursed me, brother!" He yelled.

"I would have been the one to curse you," Cleo said, continuing her struggle and almost pulling him to the ground.

"Well, have you?" He asked, throwing her to the ground and stomping on her chest.

"I do not have the powers of god! I will not curse! Only ... wish... heal." He stepped harder and made her see black.

"My brother, she is no harm to you, she is struggling under your foot limply, she has no power. I, however, could ruin you.

"... Well then. Prove it." He taunted.

"All I need is one play and an ugly brutish priest. The crowd will know." He said holding a quill to the priest's chest with black ink going on the white robe.

"Will they or are you a liar and a fool?" He asked darkly.

"I've done it before, If you don't get off her chest you will be reduced to nothing." He calmly professed.

One of the couples in the crowd bumped into him lightly. The priest took it as an invitation to leave and Joe picked her up with a kiss on her nape.

She then kissed him on the cheek lightly and stepped forward. He stepped back just as before he then let her lead calmly with a feeling of security.

Above them on the viewing deck, a blonde man with a sword on his side stood watching.

It was the same man Cleo walked in with and he had a grin on his face.

Down below Carla grabbed Jan's hand and kissed him sweetly between each step and as the crowd merged, they let themselves dance with one another before going back, and then the girls pulled away and danced with each other as the boys stood and watched.

Carla danced with the same young lady for about a second before trying to meet Jan but what she saw instead was a pool of blood that happened to have Joe in it.

He looked betrayed and she closed his eyes softly as everyone continued dancing.

She looked up to find False with a bloody sword.

"Highest bidder. No questions asked." False replied solemnly.

She crouched down and started crying. The priest walked over to her and laughed, stepping on his corpse as he stepped her. He laughed harder and she screamed. "CURSE YOU, YOU BASTARD!"

Blood came spewing from his nose and mouth as he collapsed.

She just smiled as he died.