The Night Belongs to the Moon | Taeyong

36 | The Dance of Night and Moon

The sun burned golden in the sky like erupting fire going down like a tossed ember. There was no more mist, no heavy fog, just golden light, and in their chambers, Taeyong and Dal-ae stood in front of their windows, watching the last tremendous cry of the dying light. The greys, the blacks and the whites that made Dal-ae's clothes lay forgotten on her bed; she was dressed in the colour of scarlet tonight. The silver of her collar shone against the creases of crimson and in the slit of her gown, she hid a silver dagger.

The staff had retreated back to their wing; Doyoung and Jaehyun had left; there was nobody except the Lord and his Familiar in the Mansion that evening. At the Main Staircase, Dal-ae waited for Taeyong only a moment longer than he was expected but when he came, she had forgotten all about his delay for he glowed so radiant dressed in all white. The light had never died but had transferred to another tonight.

There was silence amidst the raging storm that was Dal-ae's heart, a silence that Taeyong sensed and chose to respect it. She did not want to say anything and he did not need to utter a word to tell her how in love he was with her; his eyes spoke everything for him.

Gently, his fingers tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, lingering on the skin near her collar a little longer before sliding down to take her hand. When the two walked out of the front door, they were greeted by not the Mansion grounds but a clearing in the heart of a snow-covered forest. They waited till the door behind them closed, then Taeyong led them forward and in a single step they were standing amidst a bustling pavilion made of black stone with pillars touching the sky above them.

At the sight of their Lord, the realm quieted itself and with his step, they bowed to him in greeting. But Taeyong did not care for it, not tonight. His entire focus was on Dal-ae, whose hand he held tight in his own. They walked forward with grace, in step with each other's rhythms, the whole realm watching in reverence till they reached the foot of the steps of the ballroom where he paused.

'Do you have any question?' he turned to her.

'Can I take off my gloves?' she asked.

Taeyong let out a suppressed laugh. 'That's your question?'

'That's my question.'

'Well, no,' Taeyong replied. 'If Doyoung sees you without them, he will have a riot.'

'That's what I thought.'

'Anything else?'

'No.'

'Are you sure?'

'Hm.'

'Well then, let's head inside,' Taeyong said and climbed the steps with her.

The iron doors opened without a push, welcoming their Lord into the ballroom that had been waiting for him eagerly. Draped in the theme of opulence, the black jade of the ballroom glowed red under the light of the chandelier made of fine rubies and coral pearls in the centre. The ceiling was as high as the sky and the walls stretched beyond what their eyes could measure as though engulfing within its confines the entire sky and the forest.

The vampires, dressed in their finest clothing, waited till the Lord and his Familiar reached the centre, where they bowed to the two of them in unison. Taeyong, glowing ethereal against the colours of the ballroom, returned their greeting with grace and Dal-ae, looking one with the shades of the realm, curtseyed with the same elegance. The live music that was playing earlier, resumed, followed by the dull murmur that took over the hall once more.

Soon enough, Doyoung found the two of them, followed by Jaehyun who was having a hard time standing upright.

'Damn,' Jaehyun blurted out at the sight of Dal-ae. 'A bloody wedding, then, is it?'