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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2852621" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Thirty-five, “Dance Partners”, Sunday May 28th, 1882, 1:00 A.M.As the priestesses take to the stage Red O'Brien a.k.a. Michael Patrick makes his way out the side door and moves along towards the front. He has on a ten-gallon hat and is also wearing a leather cowboy vest over a plaid shirt. Jake has never seen his mentor duded up like a cowboy and realizes it is unlikely that anybody else ever has before either. Red pushes his way through, apologizing with a Texas drawl. He finally stops in front of the center of the stage, with several men behind him complaining about the hat blocking their view. Jake makes his way over beside his friend. Despite the atypical clothing Red's face remains his own.  The women head out on to the stage and begin their routine.Before Ruby takes the stage she peeks out from behind the curtain to the audience and finds Jake in the crowd, center stage. For a moment she thinks she catches a glimpse of Red next to Jake but she when she looks closer she only sees a big hat. The music begins and Ruby takes a couple of deep breaths before smiling alluring and taking the stage. It’s only moments before she is swirling and twirling tantalizingly across the stage, the steps Jane taught her easily coming to her. The brief worry of Jake not liking her costume is quickly banished by the power that begins to grow inside her, similar to the emotions she felt during the ceremony at the festival. She concentrates on her thoughts, letting the passion of the moment take over her, guiding her sensual steps and movements. She reflects on Jake, and the simple pure love they have shared over the past 5 months and the passion and other things they have shared too. It was Ruby’s way of praying and thanking the goddess Aphrodite. And wishing, in some small way, the goddess would show her she was happy with them and in turn, would not be taking away all Ruby felt she had earned. As Ruby dances around she takes in the crowd as a whole but never makes eye contact with anyone but Jake. Towards the end of the ceremony she stands near him on the stage and stares deeply into those twinkling brown eyes as she continues to dance, hoping to pass to him the intense feelings of desire, longing, hunger… and love that she is feeling.The dancing on the stage finally comes to a climax at which point Jane moves up to the front and looks upward "Aprhrodite sends her love to us all, we are to return to her all that she has given by loving one another. Do not be bashful, do not be ashamed, love is to be cherished for it is the greatest gift that the gods can give. Go forth from this place now and spread the love that is in your hearts to those who the Goddess has drawn you to." While she is speaking several of the waiters have moved fowards with portable folding staircases and have place them in front of the stage before where each of the women has ended her dance. Jane walks forward and descends towards the crowd. Ruby momentarily panics when it appears she is heading towards Jake, but she stops at the man next to him who steps forward and their hands clasp together. Ruby sees that it is indeed Red beneath the oversized hat who Jane pulls along behind her towards the side exit. The other dancers are now in the audience, each finding a partner.Some may have thought that Jake was only being the glib tongued saloon rat when he mouthed the words 'I only have eyes for one girl', but it was true. He was enraptured by her dance, her presence, certainly her sensual beauty, but more the look in her eyes. To Silver Jake Cook eyes were the window on the soul, and he truly adored Ruby West right down to her soul. The extravagant building around him as well as the crowd faded away so that there was only he and her. When Jane came down to select Red, Jake was broken free of the spell for only a moment. First, happy for his friend and his chance to find out for sure if there was a future with the priestess. Second, a brief panic that someone might recognize him. He glanced around him to see if anyone was looking at Red or reacting having possibly recognized him. Jake even shifted to block the view of his Red's face as he turned to leave with Jane. His attentions to Red only lasted a few seconds. The spell was strong, stronger than any siren song and quickly Jake's eye sought out Ruby West, his Ruby West. All other thoughts dispersed themselves.  Ruby stands on stage and briefly watches with a smile as Jane chooses Red. She knew in her heart that she would and now the rest was up to them. Satisfied her part in their pairing was complete she set her hazel eyes back on Jake. She lifts her skirt with one hand and gracefully, with her head held high, almost as if walking on air, descends the staircase in front of her. As she nears the bottom she extends her hand and the nearest waiter takes her hand in his, helping her the final way, still without taking her eyes off Jake. She ignores the sighs and groans she hears as she passes the men and women in the front on her way to Jake.   She stops directly in front of Jake. In her eyes resides a dreamy look. She says softly as she offers him her hand, “I choose you, Jacob Cook.”A hundred clever and witty lines flash through Jake's mind, but none of them seem appropriate. Words, which have been the staple of Jakes way of life, suddenly seem inadequate. He just nods, smiles at her and accepts her hand.  She grips his hand tightly and leads him though the crowd, towards the stairs. Once they are out of sight of the crowd Ruby falls against the wall and pulls Jake close to her. Jake realizes she is breathless, but also something else is in her eyes... She touches his face lightly then runs a finger across his cheek to his lips and finally asks, "Did you like it?"   He answers, "It was sensational. I am moved and captivated.""Good," she whispers, barely audible. She puts both hands on his face before leaning in and kissing him. She holds back the emotions inside of her, kissing him sweetly. Ruby speaks no words as they ascend the stairs to their room. Jake opens the door and is surprised to find candles on every available dresser and flowers petals strewn on the floor and bed. Ruby had gotten so proficient at the lighting of the candles that Jake does not hear her speak, he only notices her wave her hand and they begin to burn, casting pale dancing lights around the room. She continues into the room, stopping near the bed, before turning back to face Jake. At that moment Ruby felt so alive, so free, so powerful and so scared all at the same time. Scared but not worried, not afraid of dying or getting shot or hurt, not scared for her or her friends, just in awe of the power inside her and what might happen this night. The feeling of love was overwhelming her and she only hoped that Jake felt it too. She also felt the intense power of love, the love of the goddess and the love of Jake, like she had never experienced before. Ruby was truly happy and content and she let a small smile slip onto her lips. She reaches up and pulls the hair pins out, shaking out her long hair around her. It held the curl from being up so long and looked very different than any style Ruby would normally wear. Full and bouncy yet neat and almost tame. Almost. With her face free from her recent worries, Ruby seems younger. As Jake gazes upon her, she changes as if in a vision. Some of the womanly swells and curves fade, a couple of inches off her height recede, a bit of fullness to her face is added and before him stands a twelve year old girl. Dressed in ‘proper’ clothing she had the top buttons of her long sleeved, high necked cream colored blouse open, her deep rose colored skirt was doubled up, tucked up into the waistband revealing her knees and, standing next to a deep blue lake, her shoes and stockings were no where to be seen. Surrounded by a group of boys, mostly older then she, she still seemed herself as she laughed and flirted with them all. Suddenly she pulls a ring off her slender finger and makes the announcement, “I tire of all this attention and will save you all the trouble of competing for my affections. Which ever of you fine gentlemen finds this ring,” she holds it up high letting them get a good look as the sun glints off it, “My ring, I promise I will one day marry. I will bestow all my love, attention and everlasting devotion to that man, never to leave his side!” And with a giggle she launches the delicate platinum ring into the lake, where it lands with a loud ‘plink’. Then she adds, “AND, of course, my fortune.” And with that all the boys throw off their shoes and dive laughing into the lake, save one. That boy turns back to Ruby and says seriously, “I WILL find that ring Constance, and you will be loved, for the rest of your life,” before he also dives into the lake, leaving a speechless Ruby behind. Jake blinks and the vision is gone. Her height and sensual curves returned, Ruby West is standing before him. Surrounded by flowers petals and basking in the candlelight, striking in her white gown with her long red hair framing her face, she is looking back at him adoringly. He remembers what she told him about that time, about the marriage that was arranged, about her running away. It must have been a bittersweet moment, he thinks, that profession of love and the painful events that followed. What should have been a joyful transition into young adulthood was instead the end of the carefree happiness of childhood. Right here, right now, there was something about her face that harkened back to the beginning of the vision. Something that seemed to Jake to be of the carefree happiness of childhood, but something much more. The look was something richer and more complicated, and though he knew it, he remembered anew that she was looking at him.  "Jake?" she asks.  "Sorry my love, I was lost in the moment." He moves forward and halves the distance between them. A small part of him wants to protest, is distrustful of whatever power of magic or divine intervention that would deign to interfere in their lives. Several other more vocal parts of him strongly suggest that small part shut up and be still. "I would say it warms my heart to see you so happy, but since my heart is on fire with passion I do not rightly know what to say." With love in her eyes and in her heart, Ruby stands before Jake, full of her own passion and devotion for him. She tugs on the cording that is wrapped around her waist, loosening it. Silently she puts a hand on each shoulder and gently pulls the jewels off her shoulders. She lets her silky gown slide off her lightly tanned arms, then the rest of her body and it falls to a puddle around her feet. She stands before him, bared body and soul, and cocks her head slightly. Smiling softly as Jake looks her over, she curls a finger towards him. “Come and make love to me baby,” she says simply, “You don’t need to say anything more.” Comically wishing that his borrowed tuxedo would conveniently fall to the ground as well, he nods once almost imperceptibly. He removes his clothes without ever once taking his eyes off her, and wordlessly joins with her in the bed.</blockquote>

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