Ariel frowned sharply, ready to protest the absurdity of the suggestion, when they arrived at their destination. Before them stretched a clear space, twice the size of her room at the Williams’s Inn, filled with couples who smiled and gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes. The music, which had previously been drowned out by the hum of conversation, now filled the air, swelling around them, emanating from a small but enthusiastic band. Above the swirling dancers, strands of lanterns were strung, casting a soft, romantic light over the space.

"This is it," Mr. Warner announced, practically shouting to be heard over the rise in the music.

As the band’s set concluded, the swirling bodies came to a halt, and a peculiar hush fell over the crowd. Blushing women and smiling men cleared the area to give other couples a chance to dance. Random notes floated from the band’s platform as they prepared for the next song. Ariel took a step back, suddenly yearning to return to the sea of people she had just left. If she had hoped to melt away into the background, Leroy had no intention of making it easy for her.

"Well, looks like we arrived right on time. Shall we, my dear?" Mr. Warner suggested, extending his hand to Mandy, who looked at it as though accepting was the last thing she would ever do.

After a moment's hesitation, Mandy relented and allowed herself to be pulled onto the bustling dance floor. Ariel made to slip away, but Leroy seized her arm and guided her forward, his look conveying clearly: if I have to do this, so do you.

As they passed Taylor, Ariel caught her staring at the couples with arms crossed. With a huff, Taylor grabbed John’s arm. Poor John, Ariel thought.

Facing forward again, Ariel noticed that Leroy had stopped them somewhere near the center of the dance floor. Nervously, Ariel glanced at the band, which was poised to begin the next song.

"Leroy, I’m not a very good dancer," Ariel admitted, glancing down at her feet with uncertainty.

"You’ll do fine," Leroy replied with a reassuring grin. "Just follow my lead. Besides," he added with a teasing glint in his eye, "you’ve done worse to my feet."

Ariel looked up at him with narrowed eyes. Oh, really?

Suddenly, the band struck up a lively tune, and they were off—moving fast. Ariel followed Leroy’s simple but brisk steps, feeling like a puppet on strings. Noticing her clumsiness and lagging pace, Leroy couldn't resist a teasing smile, which quickly faded as Ariel accidentally stepped on his foot with her heel.

After a few dizzying turns around the floor, Ariel found herself falling into a somewhat manageable rhythm, allowing her to lift her gaze from her condemning feet. Smiling faces whirled past in a blur, and the swish of dresses embellished the lively melody. Ariel felt herself growing warm with the effort to keep up. To avoid becoming dizzy, she looked up at her dance partner and noticed his attention was elsewhere.

Curious, she risked stumbling over a step as she followed his gaze through the crowd, searching for his real target. After dismissing an elderly woman and a girl about her own age, the bodies parted just enough for her to spot John and Taylor along the edge of the floor. Bingo.

Ariel allowed herself a small, satisfied smile, almost certain that if she hadn't received Leroy’s Magnolia, it would have gone to the priestess. Blinking, Leroy refocused on his partner and jumped slightly when he found Ariel staring back at him with an odd, knowing look.

How do you like the tables turned, huh?

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Recovering, Leroy managed a quick smile, though it couldn’t entirely hide the self-conscious glint in his eyes. Ariel reveled in her small victory.

"See something interesting, Leroy?" she asked with a playful edge.

Leroy narrowed his eyes at her, attempting to mask his discomfort, which Ariel observed with delight. "Not in particular. I’ll let you know if I spot Noah or Jasper, though."

Ariel bit her lip, her feet growing a bit clumsier with her growing agitation. That Leroy.

"Speaking of Jasper," Ariel began, taking a chance to revisit their earlier conversation, "you owe me an explanation."

Leroy raised an amused eyebrow at her. "I thought we agreed that I’m not the one to explain anything."

Ariel was about to glare him into submission when she stumbled over her footwork and was forced to look down to regain her balance. "I agreed to nothing, and I don’t know if I should be talking to Jasper, seeing as I don’t know what happened this morning. But I do know this certain monk who was there and does know." She let her implications hang in the air, giving Leroy a hard stare.

The monk returned her gaze with a long look of his own. With a sigh, he looked away, clearly contemplating whether to divulge the details.

"I don't know; I still say you should ask the man himself—"

Ariel made a noise that was a cross between a scoff and a huff. Leroy glanced back at his flustered partner, a grin tugging at his lips as he took in her reaction. He seemed to revel in her agitation, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"But if you must know..." he began, pausing dramatically to scan the surroundings as if to ensure their conversation remained private, "it was towards the end of the meeting. Mr. Williams had just finished discussing Magnolias with us when some of the guys started teasing Noah about... well, you."

Ariel felt her cheeks warm as she envisioned a group of men discussing her behind closed doors. Leroy's grin widened.

"Should I continue?"

Ariel placed her hand on his sensitive shoulder and gave him a smile that was both sweet and determined.

"Please."

The monk’s grin faded, and he resumed his narrative with a serious tone. "Anyway, they started talking about proposals and marriage and all that, asking Noah how he planned to propose to you. The poor guy was blushing so hard I thought he might faint, but he was smiling. He seemed quite taken with the idea—" Leroy paused, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Leroy, was I proposed to tonight? No," Ariel interjected, giving his shoulder a playful squeeze in retaliation.

The monk's infuriatingly knowing smile returned. "Maybe there's a reason you weren't proposed to tonight. Ever think of that?"

Ariel shot him a dark look. "Finish the story, Leroy."

"Fine," he conceded, shrugging out of her grip, "as I was saying, Noah was basking in all this marriage talk when suddenly Jasper stood up—"

Ariel’s grip tightened in anticipation. Jasper?

Leroy opened his mouth, either to protest or to continue, but before he could say anything further, the music came to an abrupt end, and Ariel's feet, which had been moving so quickly, came to an ungraceful halt. The grounds fell into a strange silence. Leroy’s smile returned, but Ariel’s frustration had rendered her helpless. The dance floor began to clear, taking with it all of Ariel’s hopes of hearing the rest of the story.

Jasper stood up— and then what?

Determined to hear the rest, Ariel firmly took her dancing position with Leroy once again. "Another round," she commanded almost sternly.

"Oh, I don’t know, Ariel. I think my feet need a break. You’re not exactly a light step," Leroy replied with a chuckle.

Just then, they were interrupted.

"Ariel! How did you like it?" Mr. Warner’s voice called out, and he appeared at their side with Mandy, who was barely holding onto his arm.

"Oh, very nice," Ariel replied with a polite smile.

Mr. Warner beamed with pride. "The band is the same one that plays for our theater. They do such wonderful work. I’m ready for another turn about the floor, but Mandy here is tired—"

"Is that so, Mr. Warner?" Leroy interjected, his eyes dancing with mischief as he glanced down at Ariel. "It turns out Ariel was just saying she felt the same way, and I'm rather tired myself. Perhaps we should trade partners? I'd be more than happy to escort Mandy back."

If Ariel could have reached any part of Leroy, she would have exacted revenge for every word he’d just spoken. But Leroy was quick, and as he spoke, he began to move away from her, eventually taking Mandy’s arm. Mr. Warner, though initially surprised and reluctant to part from his beloved, brightened after a moment and seemed to warm to the idea.

"Yes, why not?" he agreed with a smile.

"Great! Have fun," Leroy said with a wink, as he led Mandy away.

Ariel watched them go, her frustration mingled with a reluctant smile, knowing she’d have to find another way to coax the rest of the story out of Leroy.