[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/k7cxvHi.jpg[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/0hO0FZd.jpg[/img][h1][color=e68845]Sylvia Copeland[/color] and [color=#bcb0de]Lhoren Ashdale[/color][/h1][/center]
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Day 1 [color=734e66]◈[/color] [color=e68845]Time:[/color] Night [color=734e66]◈[/color] [color=e68845]Weather:[/color] Moderate Rain [color=734e66]◈[/color][color=e68845]Location:[/color] Harold's Academy, Main Ballroom [color=734e66]◈[/color] [color=e68845]Participants: [/color]Sylvia Copeland, Lhoren Ashdale [@Silver Carrot][/center][hr][hr]
Shrugging, Sylvia turned her attention away from Grumble, back to Lhoren. It'd be an intriguing matter to look into later, but the dance came first. [color=e68845]"Thanks, I'm sure it'll be fine though."[/color] She mentally repeated it to herself, attempting to quell any stray doubtful thoughts. [i]It'll be fine, it'll be fine...[/i] [color=e68845]"At least dancing in the air means you don't have to worry about getting your toes stepped on."[/color]

Slowly, she placed one hand on Lhoren's shoulder and the other on her waist, keeping her touch feather-light. It wasn't just out of nervousness. If anything startled her and made her finger claws appear, this way she wouldn't hurt her dance partner. [color=e68845]"Like this, right?"[/color]

Lhoren stifled a chuckle, and looked at Sylvia with a slightly cocked head and a warm smile. Any doubts Lhoren had about Sylvia's merit as a dance partner disappeared when she could see how earnestly she was trying, and fretting about it. It was pretty cute.

 [color=#bcb0de]"This is exactly right, if you were trying to just hug me,"[/color] Lhoren replied in a playfully teasing tone, before taking the hand that was on her waist, clasping it in her own. She held both hands outstretched in a ballroom hold before slipping her other hand around Sylvia's waist, settling on her back. She respected Sylvia's desire to keep some distance for her own safety but hoped that as Sylvia got more comfortable, her grip on Lhoren's shoulder might improve.

[color=#bcb0de]"I'm ready to go up when you are,"[/color] she said, whilst pulling her a little bit closer so that they'd actually be able to keep their grip on each other. [color=#bcb0de]"Take us to the air when you're ready. I'll match you."[/color]

Sylvia returned Lhoren's warm smile with a strained one, although the latter's non-judgemental attitude put her mind at ease somewhat. [color=e68845]"I-I knew that!"[/color] she blurted, forcing a chuckle, knowing full well Lhoren would see through her pretense, to her total and utter lack of knowledge of ballroom dancing.

Keeping her own grip on Lhoren's hand loose, she nodded. [color=e68845]"Ready."[/color] With that, she pushed off of the ground with one of her feline feet, bending her other leg as if leaping, although her ascent was slow enough for the two to maintain their grip on each other. Glancing at the airborne duos all around, she took a mental note of their moves, although that didn't tell her how to begin a dance.

Lhoren floated up with Sylvia, matching her speed, though her grip on Sylvia's waist kept her anchored regardless. She was mainly trying to share the burden of weight. Lhoren was a good dancer alone and a good dancer on the ground, as well as a rather gifted flier, but putting it all together and dancing in the air with a partner was admittedly something she'd only ever done once, at last year's ball. And back then her gift was still new enough to her to heavily distract her. Her only dance had been a disaster back then. Now, she'd had well over a year to become accustomed to her gift, and it should no longer pose an issue.

Lhoren, as the one in the 'male' position, as well as the more experienced dancer, took the lead, and began moving, swaying forwards, causing Sylvia to sway forwards too due to the nature of the ballroom hold.

[color=#bcb0de][i]'Just follow me, watch my movements and try and go with the flow. I'll chime in telepathically if you need any help,'[/i][/color] Lhoren spoke into Sylvia's mind, so that she could be heard over the music and chatter around them. Lhoren continued to sway back and forth gracefully, keeping the dance slow and simple for the moment.

With a nod, Sylvia swayed along to the rhythm of the music. Her movements were stiff at first, but gradually loosened to a relaxed grace as her nerves eased. This much, at least, she could manage - despite the fact that she hadn't danced with a partner before, not even at last year's ball. Back then, between her uncontrolled gift and her lack of social experience, she'd just hung around by the food, watching the others waltz and chat with apparent ease.

The same ease Lhoren displayed right now. [color=e68845]"You're a pretty good dancer, you know,"[/color] Sylvia commented. [color=e68845]"I mean, you probably just heard me think that anyway, but figured I'd tell you."[/color]

Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Tessa and Raff pulling off graceful twirls and synchronised arm flaps. Her stomach fluttered like a swarm of blue-spotted winks at the reminder that the dance was about to get a great deal more complex.

[color=#bcb0de]"Thank you!"[/color] Lhoren cheerfully replied, her warm smile growing to a beaming one as she got more into the dance. The more comfortable Sylvia got, the less Lhoren held back. [color=#bcb0de]"I've loved dancing since I was a little girl. It's one of my favourite hobbies. I even chose fencing in combat class because it was the closest thing to dancing they had."[/color]

Lhoren heard Sylvia's thoughts regarding Tessa and Raff, and looked to see them dancing. They had already shifted into high gear together. [color=#bcb0de]"Of course, Tessa is on an entirely different level. I hope I can dance half as well as her by the time I graduate,"[/color] she mused as she sighed slightly, before her smile grew again and she looked back at Sylvia with what the troublemaker would immediately recognize as an...audacious expression. She switched back to telepathy.

[color=#bcb0de][i]'Doesn't watching them make you want to try kicking it up a notch too? Quick, raise your arm to make an arch I can fit under.'[/i][/color]

Lhoren then twirled underneath. Her floaty white dress was swishing from the movement and making her own graceful movements look more impressive and ever-so-slightly ethereal. Another voice rang out in Sylvia's head. 

[color=#bcb0de][i]'Now straighten your arm and lean back.'[/i][/color] was the next command, as Lhoren did the same, before pulling herself back into Sylvia's arms and returning to the ballroom hold. A few of the couples around them were now noticeably watching the two of them after that. 

[color=#bcb0de]"How was that for you?"[/color] Lhoren asked, beaming, exhilarated and jubilant after being allowed to show off a little.

Sylvia's eyes briefly flicked back to Tessa. [color=e68845]"She really is quite something,"[/color] she replied, lips curving upwards as her expression matched Lhoren's. It looked like Lhoren agreed with her as to Tessa's attractiveness. [color=e68845]"I'm sure you can pull off those moves no problem too though!"[/color]

Realising this would prompt Lhoren to try exactly that, she regretted her words. Sure enough, that was the next thing Lhoren suggested. Wincing inwardly, Sylvia gave a nervous laugh. [color=e68845]"Yep, let's go for it!"[/color] It was going to happen sooner or later, and it'd be selfish to stifle Lhoren, but still, the risk of embarrassing both herself and her dance partner in front of everyone loomed large. Tamping down the morass of worries before they could overwhelm Lhoren, she raised her arm in a fluid motion. Lhoren's twirl was an impressive sight to behold, her flowing dress and nimble movements giving her an otherworldly look, like a nymph or fairy.

[color=e68845]"Nice! Ok, I've got this!"[/color] Sylvia leaned back at the same time Lhoren did, only for her hand to slide out from her fellow dancer's due to her loose grasp. "Ehh! Sorry about that!" Her grin an awkward rictus, she tilted forward and gripped Lhoren's hand again. By now, several pairs of eyes bored into them. She wanted to shrink back from the stares, but to lose her nerve now would be to make both of them look bad.

[color=e68845]"Heheheh... Quite the learning experience!"[/color] she responded to Lhoren's question. [color=e68845]"I'll give the twirl a try now."[/color] She spun underneath Lhoren's arm, her caitlike legs granting litheness to her steps. Her sigh of relief turned into a breathless laugh. She'd done it without goofing up this time.

[color=#bcb0de]"I knew you'd come around to it once you got comfortable,"[/color] Lhoren chimed, as she then lead the dance again, spinning them both around clockwise then anticlockwise whilst also moving back and forth together. It was a move nobody else around them was doing because they were likely trained to dance in the air, whereas Lhoren was trying to translate a two-step without any ground and therefore without steps. 

[color=#bcb0de]"If you get any more ideas for moves you want to try, just think them,"[/color] She spoke up, following with a slightly giggle.  [color=#bcb0de]"Dancing's fun, isn't it?"[/color]