Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li: The Morcyth Saga Book Three Read Free Page B

before returning to their
seats. James looks over and sees Meliana giving him a big smile and
seems to be clapping harder than the rest of them.
    Once the clapping has subsided, he says
“Now, let’s celebrate with food, drink, and entertainment.”
Signaling a servant standing at the edge of the room, he says “Let
the celebration, begin.”
    At that, the band strikes up a merry tune
and doors begin to open as servants enter bearing trays laden with
food. Roast pig, chickens, a veritable cornucopia of food begins to
be laid upon the tables in front of the guests. Servants with
pitchers begin passing among the tables as they fill everyone’s
glass.
    One comes and fills James’ with a sweet,
smooth wine, reminiscent of the one he’d become plastered with back
when he’d first met Miko in Bearn. Memories of the hangover he’d
suffered through the following day makes him take only small sips
during the meal.
    Miko fills his plate to overflowing, much to
the amusement of Nate, as he tries to eat some of everything placed
before him.
    During the dinner, entertainers come and
perform within the open area surrounded by the tables. Acrobats,
magicians, and dancers come and go as the meal progresses.
    Once most of the guests have slowed down on
their consumption of the bounty, the entertainers are cleared away
and people begin moving toward the center of the floor as the band
strikes up a waltz like tune and everyone begins to dance.
    The dance is similar in nature to those
James had seen in old movies of England, all structured and
choreographed. All the dancers move in a pattern, weaving and
bobbing in time to the music.
    When the first dance had ended and the
musicians were preparing to begin the next set, Miriam comes over
to James and says, “Why don’t you ask Meliana to dance?”
    He glances over to her and sees her looking
eagerly over to him. He turns back to Miriam and says, “But I don’t
know any of these dances.”
    “Don’t be silly,” she tells him. “They’re
not hard.”
    He feels a nudge in the ribs and hears Jiron
says, “Let’s go!” He grabs James arm as he propels him to the dance
floor. Meliana sees him leaving his table and when she gets a nod
from Miriam, says something to her father before getting up from
the table. She makes her way toward him through the crowded dance
floor.
    When she reaches his side and gets into
position to dance with him, he tells her, “I can’t dance!”
    “Relax and just follow me,” she says to him.
“It’s easy, I’ll show you what to do.”
    He stands there nervous with Meliana
standing in line across from him and Jiron in position to his
right. When the music starts, he tries to follow Meliana’s lead and
feels like he’s making a big spectacle of himself out in front of
everyone.
    But as he begins to learn the steps and the
pattern of the dance, he’s able to relax and starts to enjoy
himself. By the time the dance is over, he has the pattern figured
out and found that he actually likes dancing. Of course, the fact
he was dancing with as beautiful a girl as Meliana helped some
too.
    Once the dance is over, Meliana takes him
over to her table where she sits with her family. “Momma,” she says
to the woman sitting next to her father, “this is James.”
    She gives him the critical once over all
mothers give those their daughter’s have an interest in. Then she
gives him a warm smile as she says, “Nice to meet you James.”
    “You too ma’am,” he replies, blushing
slightly under her stare.
    “You dance well,” she tells him. “I just
wish I could get my husband out there.”
    Turning to her, her husband says, “You know
I hurt my leg this morning!”
    Nodding, she says, “Yes, dear.” She gives
James a knowing look and continues, “He’ll do anything to get out
of dancing.”
    Meliana’s father just gives her an annoyed
look and doesn’t take the bait.
    The band is in the middle of another dance
number and when they finish, Meliana