As he led me down the hallways toward the gigantic ballroom, I could already hear the strains of music racing to meet us.  They flowed in our direction, then back towards the ballroom, as though leading us to their source, skipping and dancing the whole way.

I held his arm gingerly, almost afraid it was all a dream, that he was my escort, that he would be my partner tonight, and that we had to dance together.  My hands were sweating in anticipation.

“I promise I will try to be civil tonight.  I won’t embarrass you.”  I half turned to look at him, darting a quick glance at his eyes, then down, so as not to lose myself in the depths of them.

He stopped and turned. “It is not you that I am worried about,” he chuckled.  “I may, however, take your example and tell them what I truly think of their whispers.  So, I, my dear lady cannot promise to be civil tonight.”

She blushed. “I know they will be watching us closely.  They will expect us to do something for them to gossip on,” I looked at the floor, “But, with you by my side, I’ll have the courage not to care what they say.”

He put his finger under my chin and lifted my eyes to the ones that I had so carefully been avoiding, “Nor will I.  In fact, just for fun, let’s give them something that they can indeed talk about.”  He smiled, a wicked smile, a smile that held malice, contempt, and…something else.

“What are you planning?” I gulped. I was trying to breathe past the lump in my throat.

He just chuckled, tucked my arm back over his, and turned us both towards the ballroom.

As I turned towards the golden doors, I almost completely forgot the man at my side.  I gazed up at the glittering relief.  The right side held scenes of forests, dragons, gnomes, and all manor of earthly magical creature.  I looked up about 20 feet towards the heavens that were pictured there.  The moons and stars in stark contrast to the flat surface.  Just below the heavens were the skies that we all see.  Birds, griffins, and all manor of flighted creatures swooped and flew across the great sky.  Down towards the bottom, the oceans ebbed and flowed.  All manner of undersea life swam there, fish, jellyfish, and mer-people.  On the left side, there stood the beautiful, majestic, snow-covered mountains.  The ice steps and the Arctic animals lived there.  The desert rose just above the ocean bottom, home to the fire creatures, the phoenixes, lizards and cacti.  The barren place where on certain animals could survive the intense heat.  And the center, where the Great Doors opened, was Creation, Spirit, everything that made life.  The Balance, the Heart, Life.  A yin-yang of life and death.  The creation and the destruction, a cycle of Existence.

“M’lady,” he breathed in my ear, bringing his fingers up to my eyes, and coming back wet.  I was crying, nearly sobbing.

I sniffed, trying to hide my face, embarrassed that he should see me like this.  I looked around for something to dry my eyes with.  “I’m so sorry, the Great Doors always do that to me.  I don’t entirely know why.”

He smiled, not a trace of laughter at me in his eyes, “I understand,” he said simply.

He gave me a minute to regain my composure.  I couldn’t walk in there like that, give them yet another reason to scorn me, to laugh at me.

He patted my hand, “Ready?”

“Yes, let’s get this over with.”  I managed a smile just for him.  I fixed that smile on my face, a smile for the court to see, to approve of.

We advanced on the doors, and as we drew closer, they opened inward, as if of their own volition.  Which was true, the doors opened by themselves, truly, and only for family members, or those that we invited in.

I kept my smile firmly in place as I gazed around the room.  It too held scenes just like the Doors, in color, and life-sized.  I always had to wonder at the size and beauty of the room, mainly because it was never the same scenes, nor the same size twice.

I took in the whirling couples, in all their finery, the colors of the rainbow, and some besides.  I took in their faces, recognized each couple, thought of my relationship to and with them.  Some I gazed upon with joy and love.  Some I could not help but loathe.

And as if on cue, my least favorite person, the self-styled “Lady of the House” swept towards us wearing a very vibrant, and very revealing, green dress.  Not that it mattered, as half the house, if not most, had at one time or another, seen her stark-raving naked (and mad, too).  She was a violent, bloodthirsty, malicious bitch, and quite proud of it.  She killed people for fun, took pride in ruining people, and she, though she held almost no power, was the ruler of the house.  To say I hated her was like saying poison ivy tickles.  But the feelings were mutual, because she delighted in making my blood boil.

“Good evening, Mistress,” I muttered, sweeping a low curtsy, my escort bowing with me.  She held her hand up to my companion, not even bothering to acknowledge me.  I heard her little sigh of pleasure as he took, and kissed her hand.

I let my eyes wander to the dancers as she cooed at my partner.  I watched as my big brother, Raziel danced by with himself, as usual.  I smiled, the feeling of peace that his vicinity always brought washing over me.  I started back attention when I realized that she was addressing me, and had asked me a question.

“I’m sorry.  I won’t be a problem tonight, ok?” I vowed.  She nodded curtly.

“See that you behave yourselves.  Or I will personally take care of your punishment,” she leaned towards me, “And I will enjoy it.”

I feigned fear at her words, and nodded.  She smiled, then turned, and swept off.

With that, my partner led me onto the dance floor and we danced the night away.  And the only gossip we gave them was how good of a couple we made, and how well we danced together.