A 'Parfait' Night

[Lion]

"Perhaps," Merric smiled at her.  He peered at her mask, at her costume and at the slimness of her face.  "We all could use moments of escape.  Life can be as confining as it is liberating."  He sighed and leaned over the rail, peering over the edge and into the darkness. 

[visualspice]

She took what he said at face value. She knew he was right, and stared through her long lashes at the world below.
"I bet everyone looks lovely dancing in their masks and costumes." she commented with a small smile. Though there was a longing in her eyes, she did not dare move from her perch. This was, after all, she felt a very fitting sanctuary to keep herself away from that all, even as she was eager to see it and experience that life once again.
For now, it remained just far enough out of her reach for her to stare down at the palace- the music seemign to come out into the night air like a dream.

[Lion]

Her words struck him, the way she said it.  There was a longing there that was so familiar that he turned his eyes at her again.  Attie...  He almost breathed her name, but refrained from doing so.  He couldn't be sure after all.  "Would you like to dance?" he asked instead, smiling at her and extending his hand.

[visualspice]

Attalia had been lost in her own thoughts, enjoying the soft sweet music coming up from the ground. It was only when he spoke did she turn to him, and looked down at his hand. Smiling, she nodded her head.
"That might be nice, though I must warn you, I'm a bit rusty," she said, accepting his hand and stepping towards him.

[Lion]

"That makes two of us," Merric grinned at her.  "I haven't danced with another in a while."  He took her hand  and led her away from the rail.  He took the lead, stepping a little awkwardly before finding the right rhythm.  "You dance quite well for someone who's rusty."

[visualspice]

It wasn't difficult for her to find herself, to recall the dance steps she had learned so long ago. Being a lady, (at least before her 'death') it had been one of her favorite things. Though at his compliment, she stumbled, but just a little.
"Perhaps I'm not as rusty as I thought?" she said, smiling up into his eyes. "It's been years since I've gotten a chance to dance. It's rather nice up here- as if the pair of us are dancing with the stars."

[Lion]

He laughed and turned her around, laughing a little.  "Oh is it?" he laughed, grinng cleverly at her.  "It is a nice thought isn't it.  Oh steady now!  I hope I don't step on your feet there.  How am I doing?"

[visualspice]

"I think my feet will survive,"she told him as she smiled up beautifully at him. But the way he was smiling, his laugh..
That familiar face..
Those lips, those eyes...
It was only then she realized who the masked man in which she danced with really was!
"Oh my God.." and she found herself faltering in their steps. "Merric?"

[Lion]

At the sound of his name, that was all the proof he needed that this woman was, "Attalia."

The name rolled of his tongue like a the common tongue and he found himself smiling at her.  "I'm as surprised as you are.  But it's a pleasant surprise, I hope."

[visualspice]

"I..." she found herself faltering as she stared up at him, but couldn't help herself but smile.
"I would be lying if I agreed or disagreed. Part of me is beyond delighted, Merric,but another part of me is still concerned over the way we had left one another the last time we met." And here,s eh frowned at him. "Thank you for not telling anyone about me." For surely, if he had, her and her brother's lives would be in danger.

[Lion]

At her words, his smile was a somber one.  But it was a smile all the same and he gripped her hand a little and nodded.  "I did not.  I could not even if I did.  Who would believe me?  Not a soul that wouldn't think I was a madman.  And at times I still believe I must be mad to hold you here in my arms, even now as we dance," Merric spoke to her with no lack of sincerity. 

[visualspice]

Attalia offered him a sympathetic smile- though sadly.. the wrong people WOULD believe such a tall tale. ANd that's who she was worried about.
"I suppose I don't blame you. I don't know how I'd feel if I were in your shoes, but it does feel good to dance again," she said with a dreamy sigh. "And.. see you again." And her eyes searched him, for anything hinting at what happened on the road but a few weeks ago...
and.. from what they had gone through so many years ago. Merric had been her first and only true love, though they hadn't kept together (with her engagement to blame), she still held a soft spot fr the man she was dancing with.

[Lion]

"Oh you flatter me, I'm not a very good dancer.  I've been out of practice for years.  So many years," Mercuxio admitted, blushing a little.  He smiled at Attalia and moved to the sound of the music, stepping here and there and turning as the stars rotated around them.  "But you still dance divinely.  It must be that the stars are aligned perfectly tonight."

[visualspice]

Attalia could not help herself but smile up into Merric's eyes.
"You know it's rather cheesy in your mentioning about the star alignment." And at her tease, her eye's danced. "Since, well.. where we are.."

[Lion]

Merric twirled her as the music hit the crescendo and he smiled widely at her in amusement.  "I must be dancing with a ghost.  You're so light on your feet," he complimented and flashed her a genuine grin.  "Much better even than when we were younger."

[visualspice]

Attie stared at him a moment, the dual meaning behind the ghost not lost on her as she looked up into his eyes and said, "Well, I could have been." A ghost, that was...
and at his last comment, her smile softened. "It has been ages, hasn't it since we ever danced? I believe it was at my brother's birthday celebration. He was so sour that day and miserable. He always hated such events."

[Lion]

Merric laughed as they moved along the startower floor just below the telescope now.  "Isn't he always sour and miserable?  I mean, I don't think he ever liked me much, ever.  I guess I can't blame him.  I wasn't looking to be his friend.  I just wanted to be with you."

[visualspice]

Attalia tucked back a smile as she looked up into his eyes.
"This is true. The pair of you were never good friends." And at that comment, she heard the song come to an end, but kept her eyes upon Merric as she said, "It seems the song is over..." Though natrually, another softer, slower song began to play right after, a soft melody about lovers who found one another, but their lives split them apart and only when they were both old were they reunited and were ever truly happy. It was a sad song, but sweet in it's own right. Staring into Merric's eyes, she didn't say anything, but was curious what the next moment might hold. Were they to continue dancing- or should they part ways?

[Lion]

He gave a nervous laugh when the song was over and rubbed the back of his head.  "Well, I guess that's it then, isn't it," he looked at his feet and stepped side to side.  "It was nice to see you again.  I don't imagine you're staying for long then."

[visualspice]

She wasn't sure if it was the music, or the moment, or the way he looked that night but as he moved to leave, she reached a hand for his.
"Merric.."
And slowly, she lifted a hand to remove his mask, finding the hooks from the mask and easily sliding them off, and as he pulled the mask away, shadows coming with it, she stared up longingly into his face as she reached her other hand to cup his cheek and let her fingers gently guide ove rhis face-
across his cheek, then chin, then nose and brows, before peering into his eyes with a subtle curiosity that still went unspoken in the quiet tender moment shared between them.
"To remember you by..." she said, laughing softly, albeit sadly as her fingers now came softly down and ghosted besides his face. "In case I become dead again."