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Cross-posted from 12 days of ficmas & Madrona
Title: Dance with the Dragon
Participant: kira
Fandom: original
Characters/Pairings: Maddalena/Diego
Disclaimer: I own it!
Summary/Teaser: Maddalena dances with a dragon…
Rating: G
Notes: This is not betaed, so any mistakes therein are my own.
Maddalena felt the lightest of touches on her shoulder and his voice, deep and commanding, caressed her ear. “May I have this dance?”
Her eyes widened as she turned to face him. He was tall, the elaborate mask he wore covered most of his long, dark hair and what she could see of his face was as pale as moonlight. The black mask, in the shape of a dragon’s head complete with horns, was covered with gold filigree. It made him seem taller than he was
Looking up at him, Maddalena nodded. The dragoon, no man, took her gently by the arm, leading her out onto the dancefloor without so much as a goodbye to her friends. She heard them murmuring something about “be careful” and “beware of dragons.” There were whispers too, of El Dragón, a handsome young lord, who supposedly traveled the length and breadth of the kingdom, breaking hearts along the way. Maddalena had not wanted to come to the queen’s fancy dress ball, never mind spending the evening, dancing with a myriad of young men of which this dragon was just another one. All she wanted to do was to sit quietly in the corner and watch the couples waltzing around the dancefloor, and yet, here she was, dancing with young man, who fancied himself a dragon.
Maddalena smiled shyly at the dragon as he took her hand in his, placing the other on her hip. A soft giggle escaped her lips as he quietly counted to himself, “A one, two, three… One, two, three… One…” And just like that, the dragon swept her onto the dancefloor. Maddalena looked up at him as they danced. Though neither one spoke, she wondered who he was and why he seemed so familiar.
As if sensing her thoughts, the dragon looked down at her. The barest hint of a smile tugged at his lips and he chuckled softly at the color rising in her cheeks. When the song ended, he stepped back. “Come, my dear.” Taking her hand, he tucked it neatly into the crook of his arm.
Maddalena dutifully walked alongside him. A thousand whispers, soft as butterfly wings, beat against her. She shivered in their wake. She wondered who this young man was that he could make her do things she did not want to do. Memories of a young boy and all the mischief they had gotten into briefly surfaced. She shivered again, mentally telling herself the boy was gone and the young man he had become was never coming back.
“Are you cold?”
“No… But…” Maddalena almost asked him who he was, instead she frowned.
The dragon chuckled as they stepped out of the ballroom onto the balcony. “They’re just whispers, they can’t hurt you.” They stood at the railing and looked out into the darkness.
“Rumors can, my dear Dragon.” She turned as if to go.
“Please don’t leave, Lenita.”
She stopped. Looking over her shoulder, she frowned. He was so familiar and yet, she could not for the life of her recall who he was or how they had met.
“Don’t you know me?”
“You’re El Dragón,” Maddalena said. “And how do you know who I am?” Her frown deepened beneath her mask.
Looking genuinely hurt, the dragon said, “Have I changed so much or have you simply forgotten me?” He took off the elaborate mask. “It’s me-”
“Diego…” she breathed.
“You remembered!” he teased as he reached around her head and gently tugged on the ribbons that held her mask in place. Setting their masks aside, he gathered her in his arms. “So, will you be my queen?” He leaned in, nuzzling her cheek.
“What?” Maddalena looked at him like he was crazy. Placing her hands on his chest, she tried to put a bit of distance between them. “I’ve never heard such nonsense before! Did you fall off your horse on the way home and hit your head, Diego?”
“Marry me, silly girl.” Diego grinned.
She laughed, thinking he was teasing her the way he often did when they were younger. “Don’t we have to ask your brother the king for permission first?” Maddalena said as she stepped back from him.
He shrugged and his grin broadened.
“You’ve asked him already?” Maddalena blinked.
Diego nodded.
“And he said ‘yes’?”
He nodded again. “You have to as well, Lenita.”
It was her turn to nod. “Yes…” Maddalena breathed. It suddenly felt like everything was happening so fast. Taking a deep breath, she said, “And my father, you’ve asked him too?”
“Right after I spoke to my brother.” Diego took her hands in his. Pulling her close, he snaked his arms around her as he kissed her long and hard. Coming up for breath, he gently cupped her cheek and said, “Shall we run to the chapel, my little queen, and see if the abbot’s awake?” Diego grinned.
Maddalena giggled. “Let the poor man sleep.”
“Anything you say, my queen!”
“And stop calling me that! There is only one queen in Madrona and she’s not me! Please, Diego! The skies have eyes and the walls ears! It’s treason to speak that way!” she hissed.
Diego held her at arm’s length, his playful expression suddenly serious. “You will be queen, my dear. My mother always told me, she had had a vision from the Virgin Mother, who told her, her second son would grow old on the throne, while her eldest’s reign would end before the year was done.”
Maddalena shook her head. “Don’t say such things!”
“It’s happened before.”
“I know, but-”
“Sssh… It’s alright, my love.” Diego held her close again. “I promise never to speak of it again, okay?”
“Okay.” Maddalena snaked her arms around him.
“Let’s go tell my brother the king and his queen.”
She looked up at him. “Couldn’t we wait and tell him tomorrow and just enjoy the rest of the ball?”
“Is that what you want?” Diego kissed her fingers.
“Please.”
“If that is what my little que…” He paused to correct himself, “Lenita wants, then so be it.” Diego kissed her.
“I do. The king won’t be angry, will he?”
“No and neither will the queen.” Diego smirked. “I think she’ll be relieved as she’ll no longer need to worry about your virtue.”
Maddalena’s eyes went wide and she sputtered wordlessly.
Diego put his finger against her lips. “Don’t you remember? I’m El Dragón, the bane of fathers throughout the kingdom and the love of fair maidens everywhere.” He smirked and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Maddalena giggled.
Diego sighed dramatically.
“What?” She frowned. Maddalena had a horrifying thought that his proposal was him merely teasing and like an idiot, she fell for it.
“Fathers will be happy to know El Dragón has been tamed and married off, while all the maidens in the kingdom will cry their eyes out, lamenting that they weren’t the lucky one marrying him.” He pulled her close, and leaning in, he kissed her long and hard. Breaking the kiss, he nuzzled her cheek.
“Diego!” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Kiss me again?”
She made an angry little noise at him. “Be serious for once in your life!”
“I was… Your kisses are sweet like sugar and I can never get enough of them.” He leaned in to kiss her again.
She was not amused and her expression showed it.
“It’s true…” he said and she softened her expression when she realized he was telling the truth.
“Just one more…”
He kissed her again. Pulling back, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little pouch. He opened it and took out a delicate silver chain with beautifully wrought key hanging from it. “It’s the key to my heart,” he said, placing the chain around her neck.
“It’s beautiful,” Maddalena said. “Thank you.”
Diego smiled. “You’re welcome.” Gathering her in his arms, he kissed her again. “But we must go, before tongues start wagging.”
“Yeah…” Maddalena sighed.
They let go of one another and Diego picked up her mask. He handed it to her. Maddalena put it on her face and he tied in place, before picking up his own mask. With her help, he became a dragon again.
“Come, let’s go,” Diego said. Taking her hand, they returned to the ballroom, where they danced the night away.
Participant: kira
Fandom: original
Characters/Pairings: Maddalena/Diego
Disclaimer: I own it!
Summary/Teaser: Maddalena dances with a dragon…
Rating: G
Notes: This is not betaed, so any mistakes therein are my own.
Maddalena felt the lightest of touches on her shoulder and his voice, deep and commanding, caressed her ear. “May I have this dance?”
Her eyes widened as she turned to face him. He was tall, the elaborate mask he wore covered most of his long, dark hair and what she could see of his face was as pale as moonlight. The black mask, in the shape of a dragon’s head complete with horns, was covered with gold filigree. It made him seem taller than he was
Looking up at him, Maddalena nodded. The dragoon, no man, took her gently by the arm, leading her out onto the dancefloor without so much as a goodbye to her friends. She heard them murmuring something about “be careful” and “beware of dragons.” There were whispers too, of El Dragón, a handsome young lord, who supposedly traveled the length and breadth of the kingdom, breaking hearts along the way. Maddalena had not wanted to come to the queen’s fancy dress ball, never mind spending the evening, dancing with a myriad of young men of which this dragon was just another one. All she wanted to do was to sit quietly in the corner and watch the couples waltzing around the dancefloor, and yet, here she was, dancing with young man, who fancied himself a dragon.
Maddalena smiled shyly at the dragon as he took her hand in his, placing the other on her hip. A soft giggle escaped her lips as he quietly counted to himself, “A one, two, three… One, two, three… One…” And just like that, the dragon swept her onto the dancefloor. Maddalena looked up at him as they danced. Though neither one spoke, she wondered who he was and why he seemed so familiar.
As if sensing her thoughts, the dragon looked down at her. The barest hint of a smile tugged at his lips and he chuckled softly at the color rising in her cheeks. When the song ended, he stepped back. “Come, my dear.” Taking her hand, he tucked it neatly into the crook of his arm.
Maddalena dutifully walked alongside him. A thousand whispers, soft as butterfly wings, beat against her. She shivered in their wake. She wondered who this young man was that he could make her do things she did not want to do. Memories of a young boy and all the mischief they had gotten into briefly surfaced. She shivered again, mentally telling herself the boy was gone and the young man he had become was never coming back.
“Are you cold?”
“No… But…” Maddalena almost asked him who he was, instead she frowned.
The dragon chuckled as they stepped out of the ballroom onto the balcony. “They’re just whispers, they can’t hurt you.” They stood at the railing and looked out into the darkness.
“Rumors can, my dear Dragon.” She turned as if to go.
“Please don’t leave, Lenita.”
She stopped. Looking over her shoulder, she frowned. He was so familiar and yet, she could not for the life of her recall who he was or how they had met.
“Don’t you know me?”
“You’re El Dragón,” Maddalena said. “And how do you know who I am?” Her frown deepened beneath her mask.
Looking genuinely hurt, the dragon said, “Have I changed so much or have you simply forgotten me?” He took off the elaborate mask. “It’s me-”
“Diego…” she breathed.
“You remembered!” he teased as he reached around her head and gently tugged on the ribbons that held her mask in place. Setting their masks aside, he gathered her in his arms. “So, will you be my queen?” He leaned in, nuzzling her cheek.
“What?” Maddalena looked at him like he was crazy. Placing her hands on his chest, she tried to put a bit of distance between them. “I’ve never heard such nonsense before! Did you fall off your horse on the way home and hit your head, Diego?”
“Marry me, silly girl.” Diego grinned.
She laughed, thinking he was teasing her the way he often did when they were younger. “Don’t we have to ask your brother the king for permission first?” Maddalena said as she stepped back from him.
He shrugged and his grin broadened.
“You’ve asked him already?” Maddalena blinked.
Diego nodded.
“And he said ‘yes’?”
He nodded again. “You have to as well, Lenita.”
It was her turn to nod. “Yes…” Maddalena breathed. It suddenly felt like everything was happening so fast. Taking a deep breath, she said, “And my father, you’ve asked him too?”
“Right after I spoke to my brother.” Diego took her hands in his. Pulling her close, he snaked his arms around her as he kissed her long and hard. Coming up for breath, he gently cupped her cheek and said, “Shall we run to the chapel, my little queen, and see if the abbot’s awake?” Diego grinned.
Maddalena giggled. “Let the poor man sleep.”
“Anything you say, my queen!”
“And stop calling me that! There is only one queen in Madrona and she’s not me! Please, Diego! The skies have eyes and the walls ears! It’s treason to speak that way!” she hissed.
Diego held her at arm’s length, his playful expression suddenly serious. “You will be queen, my dear. My mother always told me, she had had a vision from the Virgin Mother, who told her, her second son would grow old on the throne, while her eldest’s reign would end before the year was done.”
Maddalena shook her head. “Don’t say such things!”
“It’s happened before.”
“I know, but-”
“Sssh… It’s alright, my love.” Diego held her close again. “I promise never to speak of it again, okay?”
“Okay.” Maddalena snaked her arms around him.
“Let’s go tell my brother the king and his queen.”
She looked up at him. “Couldn’t we wait and tell him tomorrow and just enjoy the rest of the ball?”
“Is that what you want?” Diego kissed her fingers.
“Please.”
“If that is what my little que…” He paused to correct himself, “Lenita wants, then so be it.” Diego kissed her.
“I do. The king won’t be angry, will he?”
“No and neither will the queen.” Diego smirked. “I think she’ll be relieved as she’ll no longer need to worry about your virtue.”
Maddalena’s eyes went wide and she sputtered wordlessly.
Diego put his finger against her lips. “Don’t you remember? I’m El Dragón, the bane of fathers throughout the kingdom and the love of fair maidens everywhere.” He smirked and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Maddalena giggled.
Diego sighed dramatically.
“What?” She frowned. Maddalena had a horrifying thought that his proposal was him merely teasing and like an idiot, she fell for it.
“Fathers will be happy to know El Dragón has been tamed and married off, while all the maidens in the kingdom will cry their eyes out, lamenting that they weren’t the lucky one marrying him.” He pulled her close, and leaning in, he kissed her long and hard. Breaking the kiss, he nuzzled her cheek.
“Diego!” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Kiss me again?”
She made an angry little noise at him. “Be serious for once in your life!”
“I was… Your kisses are sweet like sugar and I can never get enough of them.” He leaned in to kiss her again.
She was not amused and her expression showed it.
“It’s true…” he said and she softened her expression when she realized he was telling the truth.
“Just one more…”
He kissed her again. Pulling back, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little pouch. He opened it and took out a delicate silver chain with beautifully wrought key hanging from it. “It’s the key to my heart,” he said, placing the chain around her neck.
“It’s beautiful,” Maddalena said. “Thank you.”
Diego smiled. “You’re welcome.” Gathering her in his arms, he kissed her again. “But we must go, before tongues start wagging.”
“Yeah…” Maddalena sighed.
They let go of one another and Diego picked up her mask. He handed it to her. Maddalena put it on her face and he tied in place, before picking up his own mask. With her help, he became a dragon again.
“Come, let’s go,” Diego said. Taking her hand, they returned to the ballroom, where they danced the night away.