Dancing with Nightshade-Among-Stars was like being taught by the night sky itself. He moved with an otherworldly grace that somehow made Ali's own movements more elegant by proximity. The dance was unlike anything she'd learned in her brief stint in ballet classes - the steps seemed to flow like water, each movement bleeding naturally into the next.
"You adapt quickly," he commented as he guided her through a turn that made the stars in his hair shimmer. "Some tributes find our dances... challenging."
Indeed, Ali could see other tributes on the dance floor struggling to match their fae partners' fluid movements. Even Michael, dancing with a fae whose hair seemed to be made of morning mist, looked awkward and stiff by comparison.
"Perhaps it's in my blood," Ali said carefully, thinking of her mother's time in the Summer Court.
Nightshade-Among-Stars' smile suggested he caught her meaning. "Indeed. Some patterns repeat themselves, do they not? Like stars in their eternal dance."
The music shifted, becoming something that reminded Ali of twilight breezes and the first stars appearing in an evening sky. Their dance changed to match it, becoming slower, more deliberate. Ali found herself hyper-aware of her partner's presence, of the way starlight seemed to trail in the wake of his movements.
"Tell me, Dawn," he said, and something in the way he spoke her chosen name made her think he knew it wasn't her true one, "what do you think of our court so far?"
"It's beautiful," Ali replied honestly. "And overwhelming. Like trying to look at all the stars at once."
This earned her another smile, but there was something else in his expression now - a calculating look that reminded her of her mother's warnings about fae ulterior motives. "An apt comparison. But you know, some find it easier to navigate the night sky if they focus on one star at a time."
Before Ali could puzzle out the meaning behind his words, the music changed again, and another fae appeared beside them - the one with moonbeam hair who had been talking to Sage earlier.
"Might I cut in?" they asked, though their tone suggested it wasn't really a question. "The Moon Dance is beginning, and it would be... appropriate for our new tribute to experience different partners."
Nightshade-Among-Stars inclined his head gracefully, though Ali thought she caught a flash of annoyance in his starlit eyes. "Of course, Moonweaver," he said, stepping back. "Dawn, it has been a pleasure. Perhaps we shall dance again before the night is through."
As he melted back into the crowd, Moonweaver took his place, their hair casting actual moonlight across the dance floor. "You should be careful with that one," they said as they began leading Ali through new steps that somehow felt like walking on moonbeams. "Nightshade-Among-Stars has his own agenda, as do we all, but his is particularly... complex."
"Thank you for the warning," Ali said, noting how different this dance felt - where Nightshade's movements had been all flowing night and stars, Moonweaver's were crisp and precise, like moonlight cutting through darkness.
"You're welcome," they replied, then added with a slight smile, "though you should be careful about thanking the fae too freely. Gratitude can be... binding."
Ali felt her cheeks warm, remembering that particular warning from her mother. "I'll keep that in mind."
"See that you do." Moonweaver guided her through a complicated turn that somehow left sparkles of actual moonlight trailing from her dress. "You seem better prepared than most tributes, but there is still much for you to learn. Watch, listen, and above all, remember that nothing in our court happens without purpose."
The dance continued, and Ali found herself being passed from partner to partner as the night progressed. Each fae had their own distinct style - some moved like summer breezes, others like autumn leaves or spring rain. She was careful to keep track of how many times she danced with each partner, remembering her mother's warning about dancing with the same partner three times in one night.
Between dances, she caught glimpses of Sage, who seemed to be holding her own on the dance floor with various partners. She also spotted Michael a few times, looking increasingly uncomfortable as he tried to navigate the complex social dynamics of the fae court.
Finally, after what felt like hours but might have been minutes - time seemed to move strangely here - Rowan-In-The-Whispers appeared beside her.
"The first feast is drawing to a close," they announced. "It would be appropriate for the tributes to retire now and rest before tomorrow's activities begin."
Ali felt a wave of relief wash over her. As magical as the evening had been, she was exhausted from maintaining constant vigilance over her words and actions. She allowed Rowan-In-The-Whispers to guide her back to where Sage was waiting, looking equally tired but exhilarated.
As they made their way back to their quarters, Ali caught one last glimpse of Nightshade-Among-Stars. He was speaking with several other fae, including Maple-Songs-At-Dusk, and though she couldn't hear their conversation, something about their manner suggested they were discussing something of great importance. Just before she turned away, he looked up and met her eyes, giving her another one of those starlight-on-water smiles.
"Interesting evening," Sage commented as they walked through the ever-shifting corridors. "I think I just learned more about fae politics through dance than I ever could through conversation."
Ali nodded, thinking of all the subtle interactions she'd witnessed. "Everything here seems to have multiple meanings."
"Multiple meanings, multiple names, multiple motives," Sage agreed. "It's like playing chess, except the board keeps changing and we don't know all the rules."
They reached their quarters, the door dissolving into mist to let them enter before reforming behind them. The room seemed to sense their exhaustion - the golden vine beds looked even more inviting than before, and the eternal twilight visible through the domed ceiling had shifted to show more stars, creating a softer, more restful light.
As they changed out of their magical dresses - which seemed reluctant to be removed, clinging slightly before finally releasing them - Ali found herself wondering about Nightshade-Among-Stars' words about patterns repeating themselves. Had her mother danced with similar partners during her time in the Summer Court? Had she also had to navigate these complex political waters disguised as simple celebration?
"Dawn," Sage said softly as they were settling into their beds, "do you ever get the feeling that we're part of something much bigger than just fulfilling some old agreement?"
"All the time," Ali replied, touching her mother's bracelet. "But I think that's part of what makes it dangerous. The more important something is..."
"The more carefully we have to watch our step," Sage finished. "Well, at least we're in it together."
Ali smiled at her new friend in the starlight. "Yes, we are."
As she drifted off to sleep, Ali could still hear the faint echoes of fae music, and her dreams were filled with dancing stars and moonlight shadows, and the feeling that something important had been set in motion during this first night in the Summer Court.