Freya looked up at the building. There must’ve been some mistake! Surely this huge cathedral before her couldn’t be where her next class was! She took out the scrap of hide in her pocket. It was neatly ordered into a grid upon which her class schedule had been writ. The classes that weren’t on academy grounds had their addresses listed next to them. She traced the column marked ‘Day 1’ until she hit the row marked 10:30 “Dance Lessons: 16 Forestview lane”. The street sign she had passes only a minute ago had read Forestview. She craned her neck and saw a large iron 16 nailed above the door before her.

        She nervously stepped forward and tapped the door, not wanting to boldly walk in only to find herself in the wrong building. The door opened a crack, and Freya caught a brief flash of blue eyes before the door shut again. At first she thought that she’d found the wrong building after all, but then she heard a rattling and a click, and the door was thrown open wide by a smiling woman.

“Ah, you must be Freya. Come in, I’ll show you to the class. The others are already here,” Freya hung her red canvas coat next to the seven others already dripping away contentedly.

        The smiling woman led Freya across a large foyer into an even larger hall. At the far end were the other nezumi youth, whispering quietly to one another as they sat on uncomfortable looking wood benches. The cavernous room looked like it had once been a sanctuary for some sort of worship. Its floor was tiled stone, with the swooping curves of a triquetra inside a circle at the center of the room. One wall, the wall above the door from which Freya had entered, had a huge stained glass window. The dim sunlight that filtered through the perpetual storm cast an intricate pattern of light and dark on the floor of the hall. The colors reflected off dust motes in the air and gave the impression of millions of shades of light spearing down from the dim ceiling. Freya’s footsteps echoed around the hall, announcing her presence to the others. Among the faces that turned to watch her approach was her best friend Rhia. Freya slid onto the bench next to her.

        The two were almost like sisters. Indeed, to the outsider they very well might have been related. They both were tall for their ages, although Freya was willowy, while Rhia was slightly more rounded. They both had chromatic eyes that danced continuously between green and blue. The main distinguishing feature between the two was their hair. Rhia’s was a deep brown, and relatively short, falling only to her shoulders. Freya’s on the other hand, was a silvery white that fell halfway down her back. Usually she wore it tucked into her jacket, being slightly embarrassed of her looks. But today, being deprived of the roomy red coat, she had it tied back with a violet ribbon. The kaleidoscopic colors of the window danced across her hair, causing it to shimmer and glow almost angelically.

        “Rhia!” Freya exclaimed, “I didn’t know we had dance together! I thought you had a spare?” the other girl smiled broadly, even wider that when she had upon seeing Freya.

“I wasn’t. But Kylara broke her leg on the assault course, so there was an opening. They chose me to replace her!”

        Before the two could really start chatting, a door on the raised platform before the students opened. Appearing from the darkness within was a demi-human cat woman. She wore a simple green dress, and a pair of spectacles. She was mostly white furred, with blotches of black and red randomly spaced on her face and bare arms. She walked with a grace that was more than just her species' natural ability. When she spoke, it was in a melodious voice that made her sound as if she were about to break into song.

        “Good morning children. My name is Maria, and I want to welcome you to my home,” there was a murmur of surprise. Someone actually lived in this behemoth of a building?!? Maria stepped down from the dais and padded around the circle of children. In the way characteristic of all youth, the girls were on one side, with the boys on the other. There was a large gap between them. Maria continued

        “I bought this place so I would have enough room to teach. This is my first year in this beautiful city, but I have already taught several people various musical arts.

        “You are here, as part of your training for knighthood, to learn how to dance,” Maria's statement was answered with a general murmur of assent, and one needlessly loud scoff. Everyone looked about to find the source of the rude noise. It had originated from the tallest of the boys. He was a full head taller than the others, had straight blond hair that fell to his shoulders, and had a nasty smirk pasted on his face.

        “Why've we gottalearn how ta' dance! I ain't no shrine maiden!” Maria came to stand in front of the offending youngster.

        “And who might you be?”

        “I'm Fratley,”

        “Master Fratley. I take it you are of the opinion that a dragoon's only duty is to fend off the enemies of this city?” Fratley nodded.

        “Suppose you vanquish a monster that has been threatening the city for months. The king will probably want to reward you. Perhaps even hold a banquet in your honor. Maybe his is impressed enough to allow you to dance with his beautiful young daughter! Only you won't be able to accept, because you can't dance!” Frately opened his mouth, trying to find a snappy comeback, seemed unable to, and shut his mouth again.

        “Now,” continued Maria, “who here knows anything about dance?” Freya slowly and nervously raised her hand. Her mother had taught her a bit of ballroom dance on those days that she couldn't go out because of snow. To her surprise, Frately reluctantly put his hand up also. If Maria shared Freya's surprise, she didn't show it.

        “And which dance do you know?” Freya blushed. She mumbled something incoherent, and heard Fratley do the same.

        “Pardon?” Maria leaned closer. “I couldn't hear you,”

        “La Stenza,” the two youth said together. They looked at eachother in surprise. La Stenza was one of the most complex and quick dances of the day! Maria still appeared cool and unipressed. She brought out one of the new music discus players, and placed a black dicsus on its surface.

        “If you wouldn't mind, Master Fratley, Mistress Freya, would you please show the class La Stenza.” It was a statement, not a request.

        Trying to hide her discomfort, Freya walked out to stand in the glow of the stained glass window. Frately wasn't as bold. He still stood by his seat, his mouth twisting as he grit his teeth, trying to find an excuse to not dance. Unable to find one, he reluctantly followed Freya to the open floor.

        Maria, seeming not to have noticed Frately's reluctance, had wound the music box's spring, and placed the needle onto the discus. Instantly a craclking hiss came from the box, causing most of the youth to jump. None of them, aside from the two on the dance floor, had ever heard one of the new music players.

        After several tense moments of silence, the music began (again causing the youth to jump). Frately bowed to Freya, and she returned the favor with a curtsy. The music started off slow, and the two dancers joined hands, and began their future art. First were three steps left, a simple spin, then three steps right., another spin, a clap, and a dip. The flamenco-esque music quickly picked up pace, and soon Freya was lost in the melody. Like when her mother taught her, Freya let go thinking what was to come next, and simply let it happen. Instead, she focused on her partner. She'd had classes with Fratley before, but she'd never been this close to him. Never noticed how his blond hair shone if the light hit it just so, never noticed how deep and handsome his steel grey eyes were.

        The two progressed through the dance, always in perfect sync, as if they'd done it a thousand times together, seeming to be one organism moving to the beat of the music. At all the appropriate places, they clapped, and they never missed a spin, or stepped on the other's feet. The music reached a crescendo, and Fratley tossed Freya at just the right instant, caught her on the way back down, and they posed beautifully; Freya standing with one foot on Fratley's bent knee, one hand around his shoulders, the other thrown out.

        The other youth cheered, although none as loud a Rhia. Maria stopped the discus player and applauded as well.

        “Well done! I have never seen such a young pair attempt a dance of this caliber! Most fully grown artists shy away from it! Are you sure this is your first time together?” Freya and Fratley, both panting slightly and a little flushed, nodded, unable to speak. They broke the pose and returned to their seats. Maria looked proudly at them.

        “Well, if anyone needs help in this class, at least I have security in sending them to one of you. I can tell that you are destined for greatness!” she continued on, but Freya had stopped paying attention. Rhia was giggling hysterically, and trying, unsuccessfully, to hide it.

        “You like him, don't you!” the look on Freya's face caused her friend to break out giggling again.

        “I do not! We just both know how to dance, that's all!” Freya responded huffily. Although, she was having trouble forgetting the feeling she had when his steel grey had met her chromatic green. . .