No Sane Man

No sane man will dance.

 Marcus Tullius Cicero

Eukles bumped into Tomirosh, who was backing away from his partner, just as Eukles was doing, but off to his left. “Oh, excuse me,” Eukles said.

“Not at all, it is crowded on this floor,” Tom said, as the dance swept him on.

Eukles turned back to Eudoria but he had somehow lost his courage, and still had no idea of how to ask, so he just danced. They were close enough now they could hear Tomirosh and Illoia exchanging words, “Well, you dance well enough for a shopkeeper,” Illoia said. “I suppose you learned at a dance club?  So much a dance?”

 But Tomirosh calmly replied, “Actually, we paid by the hour. The rates were a bit reduced for me, because I had brought my sister to be my partner. They charge more when they have to dance with you.”

“I… I am sure they do,” Illoia said. “So, had you planned on dancing with me tonight, or was it just a sudden irrational impulse?” 

“Must one have a plan when one sees a beautiful lass and asks her to dance?”

“I was under the impression that they taught planning in the army.”

“I must have missed the class where they applied it to dancing.”

“Surely a dance is like a battle?”

“I suppose it is. There are advances, and retreats, victory and loss.”

“And the fear that your opponent will be too powerful for you.”

Tomirosh just smiled, and hummed. Eukles wouldn’t have known he was humming, the dance floor was too loud to hear it, but the dance had spun him around where he could see Tom, and Tom was known for his hum, and he usually wore that exact same smile on his face when he was humming.

Eukles tore his gaze away and decided he, himself, needed to make another advance. Another attempt to ask his partner, not that he really needed to ‘ask’, but… “I… I was very glad you came to the party,” he said.

“We were required by law!” Eudoria said, turning back to him. 

“Yes, I mean no, I mean… I mean I was pleased to see you here. You specifically.”

“Oh, well, thank you,” she said, blushing. “This… I suppose this will be our last evening together. We dock at the station tomorrow, and then I suppose you go on to the front?” Eudoria said this last just as the dance brought them together and she used the opportunity to get very, very close.

“Yes. Almost all of us will be going on to the front except one or two home assigned. But I… I’m hoping that this won’t be our last evening together…”

“Oh?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. If only he could read her! But, what could all of this mean, her dancing so close, her saying that she was enojing the party with him…? She could hardly, they had to Article 17 now! Or it would be a violation, wouldn’t it?

“Yes, I…” Eukles said, but just then she kind of froze and he turned. He saw that Tomirosh and Illoia had started toward the refreshment stand but were being stalked by a commander, who looked angry. Eukles pulled Eudoria back a bit and they watched as the commander reached Tomirosh and tapped his shoulder.

All imagines courtesy of various AI, and bear little resemblance to the story :)

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Illoia was almost getting to the point where she could think. She must find a way to put this lad off. Politely, of course, and not in any way that the Ash would find disrespectful to his military rank and status. But she was so unfamiliar with, well, everything here. The military, the lower ranks, and the whole set of Article 17 issues…

“I wish to speak to you, young man,” she heard and turned to see an army commander; the one that her father had picked to be hear guardian for this trip. She relaxed. Surely he had some idea of how to stop this.

He had spoken in a very quiet voice, but her partner raised his for his reply, “Very good Sir, I will come to your office tomorrow morning, at whatever time you may require.”

Illoia stared, her heart plummeting. A mere leader deflecting a commander like that! Technically legal but she as sure that any other leader, or even higher rank, would have felt forced to be dragged off to an interminable lecture on… on whatever nonsense the commander could have thought up to keep a mere leader from bothering the Sector Governors daughter.

“I was thinking of speaking to you now!” the commander said, again pitching his voice low.

“Sir, as I am sure you are aware,” Tom replied, if anything louder than before, and Illoia noticed several people watching. And listening. “This evening has been set aside for a particular social activity” He glanced meaningfully at Illoia and she flushed.

“Yes, well, I am here regarding that social activity!” The commander took a couple of deep breaths, “It might interest you to know that I am this young lady’s guardian.”

“Ah, that is excellent, for that means I have a question for you,” Tomirosh said, raising his voice still more and causing the room to still. “Sir, as her guardian, I must tell you that I find this young lady beautiful, intelligent, and, above all, witty. I mean to make her my wife, per Article 17, unless you have an objection.”

Illoia, watched the commander, hoping desperately that he had some idea of what to do. Marrying her?! The very idea!! She might be forced to dance with him, and she understood that no other lad would dare even talk to her until he released her, per Article 17, but the very reason that her father had chosen someone with the rank of commander as a guardian was to refuse any such marriage.

But, to her shock, the commander was staring at Tomirosh, wide eyed and white faced. But… he had to make some objection! Talk about some lad at home… no, she wouldn’t have come to a dance at all if…

Then it hit her. How could he possibly object? What objection could he offer? This was a three time dictators own recipient literally on his way to the front, his medals given by the hand of the dictator, on his way to fight the dicator's war?  He was literally what Article 17 had been written about.

 What objection could he offer?  That a three time medal winner was not the equal, indeed the better, of a governor's daughter? Word would get back to the dictator and the commander would be ruined! He might even be called back to face the dictator himself, personally!! Her father would be very upset if he didn't object but that couldn't compare to the anger of the dictator himself!

The commander finally found his voice, “I… does My…” his voice cut off as he kept himself from uttering the forbidden word… “Miss Illoia, do you wish to… do you have any objections?”

What a coward!! Asking her! As if that made anything better. She could object, and not be forced into this marriage, but unless she thought of some brilliant objection her father’s career would be ruined! What could she say, that a three-time Medal winner was not worthy of her? That she found him ugly?

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Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von.

Links

Article 17

Intro // Podcast Version

She was pretty, popular, snobby, and a planetary governor’s daughter. He was the son of shopkeepers, a social misfit, and a decorated hero. She thought she was there to dance. He had other ideas.

A Dance // Podcast Version

As a governor’s daughter, Illoia usually avoided such events, but when the captain made the announcement that there was to be an Article 17 dance, she, too, was forced to attend. If only the scum hadn’t been there too.

The Unbridgeable Chasm // Podcast Version

Eukles and Meriones, brave military leaders, quail at cross the gulf between themselves and asking a lass to dance.

There He Is // Podcast Version

The young hero comes in, and Aleshia and Illoyia gossip about him.

Look at the Young Hero // Podcast Version

The young hero comes in, and greets Eukles and Meriones… and announces his intentions.

Target // Podcast Version

Tom, Leader Cladin Tomirosh, sets his sights on the governors daughter. She isn’t impressed.

Fuming // Podcast Version

Tom and Illoia dance, while she desperately tries to get him to go away!

Now’s Our Chance!

Eukles and Meriones use Tom and Illoia as a distraction and stalk their own girls.