Later, after dinner, Riven returned to his room, only to be met with an unexpected sight—Vaelorian lying casually on the bed, an amused expression on his face when their eyes met.
"Whoa, you've been coming back early lately. What's changed, dude?" Riven exclaimed, dropping his bag with a thud before flopping down on his own bed.
Vaelorian's lips curled into a subtle smile. "You're asking what's changed? I need to keep an eye on you. Can't have you sneaking out again, can I?"
Riven groaned dramatically. "Come on, man! That was ages ago. Just let it go already."
Vaelorian chuckled softly, shaking his head. Riven looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar every time he whines. It was adorable.
Suddenly, Vaelorian's gaze sharpened, and he shifted the topic. "Who was that girl earlier?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Riven.
Riven blinked, puzzled. "Which girl?"
Vaelorian's stare didn't waver. "The one you ate lunch with."
Realization dawned on Riven's face, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Oh, that was Anya. She's fun—you wouldn't like her," he added with a chuckle.
Vaelorian's expression stayed neutral, but a flicker of something—crossed his eyes. No, I won't like her, he thought, feeling a strange constriction in his throat. When he spoke again, his tone was measured but hinting at underlying emotion.
"So… I take it she's your type then?"
Riven's reply was quick, with a teasing edge. "You can tell just by looking? Wow, you're sharper than I thought. I was worried you'd end up all alone because you're so boring and grumpy."
Vaelorian scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I've had lovers before, you know?" he said, with a trace of pride.
Riven groaned playfully. "Lovers, again? Ugh, stop talking like we're in Game of Thrones, dude!"
Vaelorian raised his brows curiously. "What's Game of Thrones?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"It's a TV… never mind." Riven quickly cut himself off, realizing he might be revealing information that might land him in trouble.
Vaelorian's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then he settled back onto the bed, folding his hands behind his head. "Whatever," he murmured, voice smooth and low.
Riven hesitated, then softly called, "Vaelorian?"
"Yes, Riven?"
His voice was tentative, almost hesitant. "I have a question."
Vaelorian raised an eyebrow, amused. "You're hesitant about asking me a question? That's new."
Riven whined. "Don't be like that. This is really important."
Vaelorian's expression softened. He sat up straighter.
"Alright, let's hear it."
Riven took a deep breath. "What do people actually do at balls?"
There was a pause, then Vaelorian asked, slow and deliberate, "Excuse me?"
"What do people do at balls? You know, like in a ballroom?" Riven clarified.
Vaelorian's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Because… you're a prince, right? I figured you've been to a few," Riven said, shrugging.
Vaelorian studied him carefully, then replied calmly, "And you're from one of the great houses, so you've probably been to some, too." His voice stayed even, but his gaze was piercing.
"I haven't been since I was a kid, I can't even remember." Riven lied through his teeth.
Vaelorian sighed and started explaining... "Mostly, you just show up with your date, maybe bring her some flowers, and ask her to dance when..."
Riven's eyes widened in surprise. "Dance? Do you mean like ballroom dance?!"
Vaelorian's lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Yes, ballroom dance. You do know how to dance, don't you?"
Riven looked uncertain, a little worried. "Uh… not really. Never quite got the hang of it, no matter how much they tried to teach me."
Surprisingly, Vaelorian's tone was reassuring as he spoke next. "That's okay. Your date probably won't mind if you're a little awkward on the dance floor." I know I wouldn't, Vaelorian thought inwardly.
"How do you know that?" Riven asked skeptically.
"Just a guess," Vaelorian said with a shrug. "I mean, I could be wrong, but I think it'll be fine. Besides, there's nothing you can do about it."
Riven's face suddenly brightened as an idea popped into his head. "Can you teach me?"
His question made Vaelorian raise an eyebrow. "What?"
"Can you teach me how to dance?" Riven repeated eagerly.
Vaelorian hesitated. "The welcome party's just a couple of days away. I don't think I can teach you everything in that time."
But Riven's determination didn't waver. "I'll learn, I promise."
Vaelorian's lips twitched into a slight smile. "Alright then. We'd better get started," he agreed, standing up from the bed.
Riven's eyes lit up with excitement. "Umm, how do we do this?"
Vaelorian's voice was gentle, "Well…the dance with your date is usually slow dancing, so we should start with that."
Riven nodded eagerly. "Okay, I'm ready! What do I do?"
"Just…get closer," Vaelorian instructed softly, holding his arm out. When Riven got closer and took his hand Vaelorian said... "I'm going to place my arms on your waist now, okay?" and the younger boy nodded, trying to look calm, but his heartbeat accelerated. "You have to place one arm on my shoulder," Vaelorian instructed, and smiled when Riven did just that.
"Is this okay?" Riven asked giving a subtle nod to his hand on Vaelorian's shoulder.
"Yes, it's okay. Now, I'm going to move; just watch and follow my lead okay?" Vaelorian said gently and Riven nodded.
As Vaelorian made a move to step back, Riven's awkwardness was obvious—clumsily he stepped on Vaelorian's foot, and an "ouch!" sound slipped from the older boy's lips.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Riven exclaimed, worry etched all over his face.
Vaelorian's tone was warm and encouraging. "It's alright, I'm fine. Just take it slow."
But Riven looked discouraged. "What was I thinking? This isn't going to work. Let's just stop."
"Hey," Vaelorian said gently, "no giving up now. You've got this. I'm here with you, let's try again, okay?"
Riven nodded, feeling a renewed spark of determination. He took a deep breath, trying again, and Vaelorian's encouraging words helped him relax.
They moved together, slowly at first, then it became better as both boys got over the awkwardness of holding each other so close. Vaelorian's hands stayed firm but gentle on Riven's waist, guiding him through the steps. Riven's clumsy attempts became more coordinated, and their laughter echoed through the room when Riven tripped over his own legs.
Despite the occasional stumble and a few more accidental foot stomps, they kept going, sharing a moment of pure, unguarded fun. Riven's laughter rang out as he continued tripping again and again, and Vaelorian chuckled along with him.
Gradually, Riven's confidence grew. He started to follow Vaelorian's lead more naturally, the dance becoming less chaotic and when they finally finished for the night, Riven beamed, pride shining in his eyes. Vaelorian's smile was warm, eyes crinkling at the corners.
"You did great, Riven. I think we're off to a good start." Vaelorian said, his voice full of encouragement.
Riven grinned, feeling a surge of accomplishment. "Thanks to you, I think I might actually survive this ball thing," he said, eyes shining with gratitude and newfound confidence.
"You're welcome!" Vaelorian replied getting into his own bed. "Good night, Riven," he added.
"Good night, Your Highness." the younger boy said quietly looking at the latter who had already turned his face to the wall and pulled the bed cover over his shoulder
Suddenly, he doesn't feel like going to bed just yet. Was Vaelorian really that tired? He wants to talk to the older boy some more. Will he think Riven is being annoying? He probably shouldn't push his luck, Riven finally concluded as he climbed into his own bed with a sigh; unknown to him that Vaelorian was also battling his own demons.