The Dark Dancer

'I really shouldn't have agreed to this.' Dusk decided on the last day of his journey. Sure, he could make it to Jyanba in a week. That was because he had wings. Which was because he was an Angel. A fallen angel, a royal angel, but an angel none the less. That didn't mean he didn't get tired. But he had promised Bright that he would do it, and Isabella was a wonderful person and a great mentor to Dusk. She really couldn't help it if her grandchild went to a rich finishing school. So that was why Dusk was here, in Jyanba. More specifically, at the the school in Jyanba. In his royal outfit. Long story short, Dusk was very disgruntled.

"Prince Dusk!" A tall imposing woman with her hair in a tight bun and a hawk nose strode up to him.
"I am Ksenyia Veretias, the Headmistress here at this school." She gave a curtsey to Dusk then gestured at the courtyard. "This school is my life's work. It teaches dance, singing, art, theatur, even circus perfomance."
"Circus? Really." Dusk asked politely.
"Gymnastics. Even some minor clowning. Working with animals. Buissness training." She nodded at some passing students. "After the Great War many children couldn't return home. They needed an outlet. This is very often a scholarship school you know."
"Is it?" Dusk was looking around. The students were clean and collected and the grounds were beautiful.
"We, of course, have several students from rich families. They are usually younger sibilings who already have sibilings to run the family and go to the temples. And the school has much money coming in from the student's performances and work. So we are by no means a poor school. But we do have a rather large and diverse student body, and problems emerge."

"Why are you telling me this, Headmistress Veretias?" Dusk asked, turning to look at the woman. If she wasn't looking for a handout, what was she getting at?
"You are here to collect Fenn Urlla, are you not?" When Dusk nodded she continued. "Fenn is a fine student. The most talented male dancer I have ever seen, in fact. He works hard and possesses a grace which is natural and cannot be imatated. However, he has faced much adversity. He is not the boy who first walked through my doors, and for that I am sorry."
"Uh..." Dusk stared at her, unable to think.
"I understand you are taking him home to Aereia. Good. It will be a much better fit for him then Jyanba. But please, Your Highness. Let him keep dancing. I think it is the spark which gives him life." And with that, Headmistriss Veretias handed Dusk piece of paper, excused herself, and left a very confused Dusk standing in the courtyard.
'Oookay.' Dusk thought to himself before glancing at the paper. 'SHIT!"

~*~

Dusk arrived at the theater out of breath. It seemed that the graduates were doing a performance at their graduation. A performance in the theater across the campus (which was practically a castle) that was slated to start in five minutes. He saw Headmistress Veretias on stage introducing each of the ten graduates, seven girls and three boys, as they came on. Dusk wondered how the hell she got there before he did, but he quickly dismissed the fact, knowing she probably knew some shortcut he hadn't, and sat down in one of the seats in the back row. It appeared to be full of the families of the graduates, as each section was roped off and had a name stuck to the back. Dusk had sat down were the 'Urlle' signs were, feeling slightly awkward that the other eleven seats around him were empty.

"...and our Highest Honours dancer, Fenn Urlle." Dusk watched as Dusk stepped onto the stage. A murmer rippled through the crowd, and Dusk's eyebrows rose at some of the comments.
"-can they let someone like that in here!"
"If I had known that Losle was training with somone like that-"
"What is that woman doing with this school?" Dusk listened with confusion. What was these people's problem? Unless...
"To think they'd let the dark skins in here when I've been paying for tuition!" Ah. That was the problem. Dusk looked at Fenn on the stage. He stood quietly in the back while Veretias talked. He seemed to shrink back from the rest of the dancers, absorbing the comments from the audience even though there was no way he heard the quiet, albiet hostile whispers. Fenn had dark black hair, which was currently pulled back into a tight pony tail. His dark tanned skin seemed odd- definatly from the Middle Kingdoms, but he also had a paleness about him, and slanted eyes which mean his parents probably had different origens. But he was obviously not from this kingdom- which explained the outrages murmurs. Dusk breathed deeply, trying to calm his outrage.

Music wafted down and the figures on the stage began to dance. Dusk watched open mouth as Fenn transformed the minute the music reached him his chin came up and he moved with the music. He just... was dance. He wasn't milking attention; he never took a solo, while every single of the other dancers did. But he obviously stole the show- every eye was drawn to him, whether said eye was friendly or not.

~~~

The music ended, and Fenn breathed, savoring every minute. He held his ending position and simply absorbed the energy on the stage. His eyes met with his friends on the stage- of the four he had here, only one of them could talk to him in front of their families without repercussions. The rest he had already said goodbye to earlier- and it was one of the hardest things he had ever done. As one, they all moved out of their positions and fluidly bowed, letting the applause wash over him. But Fenn knew most of the applause wasn't for him. His eyes moved over the audience, before backtracking to the backrow. In the section that had been mapped out for his family, those who had set it up were mocking him as they did it, he was surprised to see a lone figure reclining in one of the seats. Before Fenn could lower his eyes, the man's eyes met his and held him in a measuring gaze. Fenn's eyes widened and he fled the stage as soon as he was able, dreading the beating that was surely to come.

He briefly hugged his friends backstage before stepping back and allowing them to go to their families. The Headmistress put a hand on his shoulder.
"Master Urlle. Go, and dance through your life."
"Yes, Headmistress." He said with a small smile, still looking at the ground.
"Fenn... look me in the eye." she ordered kindly. Fenn, startled at the use of his first name, obligiued, and learned for the first time that his mentor of seven year's eyes were hazel.
"You have quite the spirit Fenn." she said, smiling at him. "Visit me when you are famous."
"Doubt I will ever be famous, Headmistress." he said, and quickly hugged her. She squeezed back before straightening.
"Go. Meet the man who has come to collect you. He's the one sitting in your section. Go home to your land. Live a wonderful life."

"Yes, Headmistress." Fenn replied as a goodbye. She nodded and walked out into the hall to meet with parents. Fenn sighed, but before he could leave a hand tapped on his shoulder. Fenn spun around to see the man who had been sitting in the audience. Fenn found the man was taller than he was- he only came up to the man' s nose. His brown hair was darker then Fenn's even though it was just as long and fell around his shoulders. He looked at Fenn with those same measuring black eyes.

"Fenn Urlle I presume." he said. Fenn ducked his head and bowed.
"Yes, sir. Begging your pardern." Fenn replied softly- loud enough to be heard but soft enough so it wasn't aggressive or above his station.
"Do you want to say your good byes?" He asked in a slightly bored tone.
"No, sir. I already have. Thank you for thinking of me."
"Uh...huh." The man seemed puzzled. "Well, let's load your stuff into the carrige and then we'll take you home. We should start as soon as possible, it's a two week journey as it is."
"Yes sir. My things should already have been transported to the Carrige Road."
"Great. Lead the way." The man shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Fenn expectantly.

"Ehm...don't you want to be in front?" Fenn risked to say. He knew it wasn't wise to question, but to have a man of his status be lead by someone with dark skin like him...
"Well I sure don't know the way there." The man said before making a frantic noise. "Is something on my feet? Am I standing in something?"
"No, Sir."
"Oh... then why are you looking at the floor?" Fenn felt his brow furrow in confusion, even though he knew the man couldn't see it.
"So I don't offend people, Sir."
"By what, looking them in the eye?"
"Well, yes Sir." Fenn was now begenning to doubt the sanity of his travel partner.
"What!?" The man cursed under his breath before gently taking ahold of Fenn's chin and tipping it upwards so their eyes met. "Fenn, from now on you look people in the eye. If they take offence, they can take it up with me. Sound good?"
"Yes, Sir." Fenn gulped, still not able to quite hold the gaze. The man waved his hands.
"No more of this 'sir' stuff. Call me Dusk, okay?"
"Yes.. Dusk." Fenn said softly. He wasn't quite sure how to act now.
"Great." The man flashed him a grin before gesturing to the door.
"Now, you lead the way, and if anyone says anything, I'll do the afore mentioned ass kicking." Fenn weakly smiled back before turning and leading the way.
'What have I gotten myself into now?' Both brunette's wondered as they stepped into the hall.

~~

A/N: So yeah. Told you I'd update. ^_^. Yup Fenn has self esteem issues. I ended up liking the Headmistress very very much, and I did not expect to. That's how things go though.
Hopefully I'll be able to update this fairly regularly, but we'll see!