Welcome to Gaia! ::

Heron is pleased with her reaction. His gamble had definately been worth his while. His grin is abruptly replaced with a look of shock when she takes hold of his arm as she falls back. Instinct kicks in and his throws his left leg forward to balance himself. He slides his hand down to her's and grips firmly. With one flowing motion he pulls back with his legs and arm while twisting with his hip. He catches her with his right hand and stands her toe to toe with him. His right hand rests on her hip while left still holds her right.

He sighs with relief and smirks, "I guess those dance lessons I was forced to take finally paid off. Are you alright?"

Heron beams at the young lady. Normally when he gets girls this excited, this brings about in him a sense of accomplishment in regards to his overall goal. This time the sense he was getting was not of getting closer to bedding her, but joy that he was able to delight her in such a way.

He meets her large eyes and says, "I can't say if we'll learn to dance here, but I learned when I was much younger. Naelonni and I were given dance lessons because that is one of the many skills that "proper" lords and ladies should have. Those lessons are perhaps the only thing that have ever held her attention for more than ten minutes."

A grand idea pops into his head. He smiles warmly at her and lifts her right hand parallel to her shoulder. He then shifts his right hand to her back, just under her shoulder. He shuffles back a bit and asks, "Can you also dance?"

Heron beams back at her and nods, "You are very welcome, I couldn't very well allow you to get hurt. Now however we must talk about how you are going to repay me."

He bows to her as a gentleman should always do in the presence of a lady he is about to ask something of. He stands upright and asks in a jovial and polite manner, "Would you do me the honor of a dance. The orchestra appears to be absent in this library, so I'm afraid it will have to be a silent waltz."

Heron locks his eyes to hers, his mind entering something that could be considered a dreamlike trance. He takes her right hand gently into his left and raises it as it had been before, and also moves his right hand right behind her shoulder.
Almost like he can read her mind, and the music within it, he begins the all too familiar three count pace of a waltz. He had never enjoyed dancing. That seemed to fit Naelonni more. It was most evident when she went on her wanderings. Now, though, he can't help but feel every movement. The steps, her dress, the way her eyes reflect the light of the lanterns. He feels like he is living his very own tale of romance.
He doesn't take this without some actual consideration. From what she had told him, she has been sheltered for most of her life. She didn't even realize that he was trying to kiss her earlier. This doesn't bother him at all. He will keep trying, and he will be patient.
He laughs softly, "You are absolutely divine Cyrillia. You are the first person I have ever danced with for fun. Now I don't think I could ever accept another partner other than yourself."

Heron slows down the pace into a slow dance. Which, coincidentally enough, was the polar opposite of what his heart was doing. The deep lub dub of his heart is clearly audible to anyone who would be close to his chest.

He holds her close to him, an overwhelming desire to keep her happy and safe overwhelming his emotions. He brings his right hand up to her head and starts caressing her hair. His rational side tell him he is a fool for falling for a girl like this. That it was much too fast, and that she would just turn him down like every other one has. He doesn't care though. This was a girl who hasn't had much contact with people since her parents died, and now she felt safe enough to dance. Not just dance, but lay her head against his chest.

Heron shuts his eyes as well, reveling in the moment. He smiles contently and says quietly, "You could have fooled me. You keep us as though we have been dancing together for years."

As more time passes, Heron becomes content holding Cyrillia in his arms. When she hums against his chest; his heart slows to a much less rapid pace, and into a more relaxed and steady one. He wishes so very badly to press his lips to hers, but he is surprised to find himself afraid of acting like himself and rushing into groping her. Gods help him, he doesn't want to admit it, but that word wont stop whispering in his head.

For now, just to keep his desires at bay, he compromises on his origional intention. He decides it wont hurt just to kiss her on the head. Just a little one, no harm there right? He shifts his head a bit and starts to bring his lips to her head when he loses time of his step and presses down on her foot with his boot.

Heron snaps his head back as Cyrillia's head connects with his jaw. Although he had not bit his tongue the way she had, he did slam his teeth together fairly hard. "I'm alright; I am so sorry about stepping on your foot. Oh, your headpiece has fallen off." He bends over and lifts her crown and veil off of the floor. He takes a moment to wipe off a smudge from the crown with his sleeve. He holds it out to her with both hands and bows his head lightly. "Please accept this with my humblest apologies."

Heron watches her little ritual with doe eyed appreciation. So beautiful, he thinks, she is absolutely fantastic. When he sees her check her foot and frown he is snapped back into reality. He kneels down next to her and looks at her foot with her. His remorse holds no bounds at this point.

"I am so sorry. I didn't think I had stepped on your foot that hard, is anything broken?"