Dancing With Lies

Florence Hallwood was the girl who was meant to fly. At the age of ten while other girls were learning to play beautiful tunes upon the ivory keys of a piano she had already mastered such gifts and spend much of her time riding her horse, a horse she had named Willow. Willow was chestnut brown and while much of those around her disproved of Florence's bond with her horse she didn't particularly care what they thought.

Florence spent as much time outside learning the trades of the hunt as she did in the inside learning to get to grips with embroidery. She would do her best to keep up with her three older brothers, and while she lacked their strength and speed when it came to racing, she matched them in every way when it came to shooting. This, however, taught her a rather bad habit which her mother would later try and press out of her. You see by spending her time with boys it taught her to be crude a quality that very little men want in a wife. It might be sexist but Florence's main purpose in life was to be married off and to make her family a small fortune through the contract they would sign on her behalf.

But at the age of ten was the age that shaped who she was, it was the time she began to wish she could follow in her brother's footsteps and it was the age she met Raymond Stapleton. He was a boy from midtown, born into a wealthy family, but lacked the class in which Florence was a custom to. He was the son of a stable owner, his father ran hundred of stables around the country. He along with his family also trained and had won several championships for the royal family. He was the best at his game, but he was a commoner even though he had recently gain lands and a title, he was still the help, he was still trying to rise above his station.

However, a ten-year-old didn't care about such things and all Florence saw when it came to the family is they were the best at what they did. Her family had no objection letting their son teach her to ride and give her a more rounded education so that not only did she excel at what she was expected she also would excel at things that would make her worthy of a Duke or a Marquess.

Raymond was a show-off, he had charisma pouring out of him which a little twelve-year-old should not hold. Yet he did as he was told and taught her to ride bareback, to be able to balance on a horse and also taught her the ability to shoot a moving object, while riding. However, at the age of thirteen Florence's family realised she lacked the feminine qualities that she needed to attract a husband, and pulled her from her training, but the thing about teenagers they have a habit of not listening to what they were told.

Our tale starts just mere days after Florence has turn seventeen.

Autumn weddings were a little unusual for this part of town, they were considered classless and for those with limited funds. When the heir to the Earl of Farnborough finally did take the plunge of getting married to the Lady Hermione of Tyme they had somehow managed to turn something rather untasteful, to something beautiful. They stood amongst the golden and brown leaves which had fallen from the great trees surrounding the lands they would one day inherit. It was a picture-perfect moment, she dressed in gold her red hair tied up, he dressed in a three-piece suit looking as happy as could be.

Florence sat on the front row as she watched her brother proclaim his love for the girl before him, someone he had only met the previous month. They seemed to be a match and she was ever so kind, but the idea of marrying someone she didn't know terrified her and she knew that door was not that far from her. She politely sat on that row and cheered for her brother when they were pronounced man and wife.

Now weddings had never been her thing, she had gone to at least six a year ever since she could remember. While she loved dressing up, she became bored with the speeches and the politeness that you must have for such a long period and as it was her brothers she had been wearing a stupid fake smile for days, maybe even weeks.

The reception was sliver service, every single table was dressed to the nines with a large arrange of cutlery enough for seven courses. She groaned at the thought of having to sit upright upon a day with a bunch of people her parents believed she should grow to know before her coming out to debut the following year. As she stood tall, drinking a glass of juice, the only thing anyone in her family would allow her to drink. She did her best to keep her interesting conversations surrounding the culture and music of those who approached her.

That is when she saw him, dressed in his best clothes though he stood out a little amongst the titles of men surrounding the hall. He was talking to a friend of his, Jonathan an Earl of a nearby town, who had probably one of the worst reputations of anyone in here. He was known for degrading women and then leaving them ruining unable to find a man who would like such broken objects. However, Jonathan knew if he came close to her in an in-app way her brother would happily hang him from his tongue and thus had always treated her like a child and an irritating sibling.

Florence hadn't spoken to Raymond in nearly six months, she was not allowed to leave her house without being escorted by a family member. The also refused to take her to the stables and had also killed her beloved Willow to stop her using it as an excuse to get down there. However, they were also distracted by other things, other more important things. She also knew that her family wouldn't want to cause a scene at this event, and if they tried to pull her away, she would do just that.

"Well don't you look dapper," she said directly looking into Raymond's eyes which she courtesy before Jonathan. Raymond surprised to see her be so bold simply bowed his head a little before saying the word.

"Lady Hallwood." the corner of his lips had turned up at her exchanged and she returned his smile with her own, however not wanting to make matters awkward she turned to face Jonathan and proceed to ask.

"I heard the Duke of Bath has asked you to marry his daughter. I suppose you will chase her for a little while before becoming bored and tiresome. Though I don't know why. He has no sons, so what is his could someday be yours." Jonathan had never partially like Florence she often said what must not be said. He would love to move up a rank but equally the girl he had been promised to was not someone he desired to spend the rest of his days with.

"I do not like what you are saying, especially as if any suitors were to hear what you are implying about my life they would blacklist you, but we all know that is secretly what you desire." his eyes quickly flickered to Raymond before giving a warm smile nodding his head and adding in the words. "Excuse me you both. I have people to meet." Florence suspected that he was aware of the crush she had for Raymond while the boy seemed to be oblivious. However, the moment he was out of hearing Florence turned to face Raymond again and proceed to ask.

"I know I shouldn't be here but I was wondering if you would like to see the gallery. I know you have such fondness for art and we have collected a few new pieces since your last visit." Raymond knew that everything coming from her mouth was bullshite but he wasn't about to turn down and offer to see the Hallwood collection of art and treasures he had always admired the Barron and Baroness eye for finer things.

"Yes, that would be fantastic." Florence smiled at his words and said.

"I will see you there shortly." and with them, she disappeared from his view. Florence managed to squeeze out of the hall just as those around her were being shown to their seats and told to get to them quickly so that the food could be brought out. She managed to sneak past the guards and proceed upstairs to the long gallery, that most of the households portraits would be found.

She proceeds to walk around the hall, one foot in front of another waiting for Raymond to arrive. She could hear the clatter of cutlery against plates and the thinking of glasses as well as the buzz of the room below. She had probably been in the room close to ten minutes before he managed to get through, he didn't go to her instead his eyes went along the wall. He walked down the opposite side of the room to her and his eyes lingered on a painting of three naked women and a man kissing one of them while the other two ladies knelt before him. "You are ever so predictable," Florence says proudly, smirking at the look upon his face. "You appear to be drawn to the most perverted picture." He didn't answer straight away he looked away from her eyes glancing at the portrait before replying with the words.

"You see it as perverted because you have never seen anyone this way, I see it as showing the true beauty of us all." Florence could feel her cheeks trap the heat as they begin to go redder. "You expression confirms my words." he moves to the seat in the middle of the room, a deep purple colour. He faces one way while she faces the other, they sit there for a few moments before Florence turns her face to his.

"I didn't mean to stop talking, just my parents became concerned over my behaviour. Said I lacked the ladylike abilities needed to claim a husband next season. They believe you corrupted me." he didn't look at her when he answered.

"I don't need to corrupt you, you are perfectly capable of doing that all by yourself." His face turned to face her and whispers the words so quickly that it sends a shiver at her spine. "We both know that it is I that is stopping you from ruining yourself." her cheeks went redder with his words but she held his gaze. She couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat being here and now. The last time they had been this close was nearly two years ago and she did greatly miss their friendship but I think at this moment it was clear to both of them that she required more.

"I believe that is the choice I choose to make. If you were to ruin me then it gives you little choice because while you might hold more influence I hold more power." he gave a deep sigh and she felt his breath generally brush over her skin causing her to lean just a little closer. "I think we both know I would rather you, someone who treats me as an equally over someone who treats me as property." her voice was stern and her eyes were pleading but it didn't matter what she said he would never say yes to this proposal, but he was still weak over the thoughts of her. So when she bit down on her lip he could help but lean in and kiss her, pulling her tightly to him. The longing to be in one another life seemed to have overpowered the friendship which he seemed to have wanted to keep.

She wanted him to ruin her because in her mind that is the only way he would say yes to her, the only way he would agree to the happy ever after. So when he finally pulled away trying his best not to give in to the last he simply looked at like he was ashamed of his actions.

"I did not wish you to stop," she says her hand on his neck as she attempted to kiss him once more, he, however, moved away from her this time.

"I do not wish to be used as an object, we both know you have this bizarre fantasy that you should marry your best friend for it to be successful. We both know in your mind this is what you want, and not your family. We both know you are destined to marry above your station, not someone like me. I can't give you want because frankly, you are too pure and too good-hearted to want to be with me, but you are confused over the hatred of the cards you hold." these words were harsh enough for her to move away from him and expression of anger crossing her face. She was put out and that was understandable but he was not about to apologise for speaking the truth.

"Why must you be so cruel." She asks standing up and walking away from him doing her best to hide the number of tears making from her face.

"Forget about what you believe we have, and if in a few years you find yourself unable to move on, unable to take the path that you should be taking I may evaluate our situation but I simply think you are chasing me for the wrong reasons and I do not love you like you want me to."

Whatever you may say at seventeen years old you are still a child, you do not understand the emotions of yourself let alone anyone else. So while Florence's heart felt as if it was being ripped apart, that wasn't true it was just that she was simply in love with the idea of love. She may have shared her first kiss, but that kiss would haunt her and the longing feeling she had felt before she was no more. Florence was not the one for Raymond but she still believed that she was.