Chapter 30 – The Celestial Banquet, Part Four

“You’ve NEVER danced before?” Venus’s voice hit a pitch Grace didn’t think possible. “Not ONCE?”

Grace shrank back against the wall of her quarters, wishing she could just melt into it and disappear.

“I grew up on a farm,” she mumbled. “We didn’t exactly host royal balls between harvesting turnips…”

Venus pressed a hand to her forehead like she might faint from the horror of it all.

“One day,” she said dramatically. “ONE DAY until the most important celestial event of the century, and our little demon-slayer cannot even perform a basic waltz!”

“Come on, is dancing really that important?” Grace asked hopefully. “Couldn’t I just… stand in the corner and eat little cakes or something?”

Venus looked at her like she’d suggested showing up naked.

“Darling,” she said slowly, “the Celestial Banquet isn’t just dinner and speeches. After the formal presentations, there will be DANCING. And EVERYONE dances. It’s tradition!”

[Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?]

Venus was already pulling out some kind of communication crystal from her robes and speaking urgently into it.

“Ahem. Emergency. The rookie wing. NOW.”

Not ten minutes later, Alia and Zephyr burst through the door, both looking flushed and excited.

“We came as fast as we could!” Alia said, bouncing on her toes. “What’s the emergency?”

“THIS,” Venus gestured dramatically at Grace, “is our emergency. She doesn’t know how to dance!”

Alia gasped like Venus had announced Grace was secretly a demon. Zephyr just raised an eyebrow.

“That’s… not exactly life-threatening,” she pointed out.

“It is SOCIALLY threatening, Zephyr!” Venus insisted. “We have one day to teach her the basics or she’ll be the laughingstock of the entire Dominion!”

Grace groaned.

“Can’t I just fake a wing injury or something?”

“NO,” Venus and Alia said in unison.

What followed was the most awkward hour of Grace’s existence. And, considering the week she’d had, that was saying something.

Venus started by demonstrating the basic waltz step with Zephyr, who apparently had spent enough time around the Love Sisters to know their style of dancing.

“One-two-three, one-two-three,” Venus counted as they moved gracefully around the room. “See? Simple!”

It did not look simple. It looked like a complex series of steps that required more coordination than Grace had ever needed to harvest an entire field of turnips.

“Your turn,” Venus said, releasing Zephyr and extending her hands to Grace.

Grace reluctantly stepped forward, placing one hand on Venus’s shoulder and the other in her outstretched palm.

“No, no, little one,” Venus corrected gently. “If you were taller, sure, but no, at your height, you do this.” She guided Grace’s hands to her shoulders, then placed her own hands on Grace’s waist.

Grace’s face immediately heated up at the somewhat more intimate position.

“N-now what?” she stammered.

“Just follow my lead,” Venus said. “And count with me. One-two-three, one-two-three…”

Grace tried. She really did. But her feet seemed determined to go in every direction except the right one. She stepped on Venus’s toes at least five times in the first minute.

“Sorry! Sorry!” she kept muttering.

Venus was surprisingly patient.

“Don’t look at your feet, look at me,” she instructed. “Feel the movement, don’t think about it.”

Grace lifted her gaze to Venus’s golden eyes, which was somehow even more flustering. The Love Sister smiled encouragingly.

“That’s it. Now, let your body follow mine.”

They were just starting to find a rhythm when the door banged open so hard it nearly flew off its hinges.

“WHAT’S THIS I HEAR ABOUT EMERGENCY DANCE LESSONS?!” Seraph boomed, striding into the room like she owned it.

Venus sighed.

“We’re in the middle of a waltz lesson, Seraph.”

“WALTZ?” Seraph looked scandalized. “You’re teaching her that slow, boring drivel? HA! The rookie needs to learn REAL dancing!”

Before anyone could protest, Seraph grabbed Grace by the waist and literally hoisted her into the air, spinning her around like she weighed nothing.

“SERAPH!” Grace shrieked. “PUT ME DOWN!”

“This is how the Bravery Sisters dance!” Seraph declared, ignoring Grace’s pleas as she continued to twirl her around the room. “With VIGOR! With PASSION!”

Venus crossed her arms… trying to hide her smile (and failing).

“That’s not dancing, that’s assault.”

“At least she won’t forget it!” Seraph laughed, finally setting Grace down. The room continued to spin around her as she staggered, dizzy.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Grace mumbled.

“That means it’s working!” Seraph slapped her on the back, nearly sending her face-first into the floor.

What followed was a bizarre tug-of-war as Venus and Seraph fought over the proper way to teach Grace to dance. Venus insisted on grace, poise, and subtle movements. Seraph advocated for what essentially amounted to throwing your partner around the room while shouting.

“If you spin fast enough, no one can see your mistakes!” was Seraph’s dubious wisdom.

“If you follow proper form, you won’t MAKE mistakes,” Venus countered.

Grace was passed back and forth between them like a ragdoll, trying to absorb two completely opposite approaches to dancing. Alia and Zephyr weren’t much help, as they’d collapsed onto Grace’s bed in fits of hysterical laughter.

“T-the look on your face when Seraph picked you up!” Alia gasped between giggles.

“Traitors,” Grace muttered as Venus adjusted her posture for the hundredth time.

Just when Grace thought it couldn’t get any more chaotic, the door flew open again.

“We have arrived with ze MASTERPIECE!”

The twins, Sol and Lumi, swept in carrying what looked like a cloud of shimmering fabric. They stopped short at the scene before them—Venus and Seraph locked in a silent standoff with Grace caught between them.

“What is happening here?” Sol (or maybe Lumi) demanded.

“Dance lessons,” everyone said in unison.

“Dance lessons? Before ze fitting? Impossibile!” The twins looked horrified. “Ze dress must be PERFECT! No sweaty, wrinkled angel allowed!”

They shooed Venus and Seraph away from Grace with surprising authority, considering their size compared to Seraph’s muscular bulk.

“Out! Everyone out! We need space for ze fitting!”

Seraph looked like she might protest, but even she seemed intimidated by the twins’ fashion authority. Venus just sighed.

“We’ll continue later,” she promised Grace, gliding toward the door.

“Later! Later!” the twins echoed, practically pushing everyone out. “After ze PERFECTION!”

The door closed behind Grace’s friends, leaving her alone with the twins and their mysterious bundle of fabric.

“Now,” one of them said, eyes gleaming with excitement, “are you ready to become a goddess?”

[Not really, no.]

The twins didn’t wait for an answer. They unfolded the bundle to reveal the most beautiful dress Grace had ever seen—though admittedly, her experience with fine clothing was limited to watching the occasional noble pass through her village.

The gown was primarily silver, shimmering like moonlight on water. But when it caught the light, hints of gold, blue, and pink shimmered across the surface, so subtle you’d miss them if you weren’t looking for them. The bodice was fitted but not tight, the skirt flowing out in gentle waves that would move beautifully when she danced.

“It’s… wow,” Grace breathed.

“Try it!” the twins insisted, already helping her out of her simple tunic.

Grace slipped into the dress, marveling at how light it felt. Despite its ethereal appearance, it was surprisingly sturdy—practical as well as beautiful.

“Perfect!” the twins declared in unison as they made final adjustments. “You look like angel royalty!”

As they worked, they kept up a constant stream of advice, talking over each other so quickly Grace could barely keep up.

“Stay AWAY from ze angel with peacock wings—total gossip!”

“Avoid ze punch bowl after third hour—ze Veil likes to spike it!”

“If anyone asks about your sword technique, just smile mysteriously! … Unless you actually have an answer, I zuppose.”

“Do NOT ask ze Seraphim Guard about Seraph! Zey will not shut up!”

By the time they finished, Grace’s head was spinning with dos and don’ts. The twins stepped back to admire their work, clapping their hands in delight.

“MAGNIFIQUE!” they declared. “You will be ze STAR of ze banquet!”

[Great. Exactly what I don’t want to be.]

—

“Greetings, Sister Grace,” Diana said stiffly, her back ramrod straight and her eyes colder than usual. “I represent The Veil this evening. May I have a moment of your… valuable time?”

They were in one of the smaller dining halls, which Alia and Zephyr had hastily decorated to resemble the grand banquet hall. The impromptu “practice banquet” had been Venus’s idea, but everyone had thrown themselves into it with surprising enthusiasm. Well, aside from Diana, anyway.

Alia was pretending to be a snooty member of the Ascended Choir, complete with a makeshift blue cape and an exaggerated scholarly accent. Zephyr had taken on the role of an Earth-Tender, wearing leaves in her hair and speaking in soft, nature-focused metaphors. Venus alternated between playing herself and a particularly aggressive Seraphim Guard.

“Um, yes, of course,” Grace replied, trying to remember the correct greeting. Wings half-lowered, slight bow, but maintain eye contact. “I’m honored by your interest.”

Diana’s lips curved into a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. It was subtle but chilling. She looked mysteriously annoyed.

“We’ve been watching your… progress with great interest,” she said, circling Grace slowly. “Such unique abilities. Such potential.”

Grace fought the urge to step back. Hey, for someone who clearly was annoyed to have to be here, she was playing her role very well.

“Thank you,” Grace said carefully. “I’m still learning.”

“Learning, yes.” Diana stopped directly in front of her. “But from whom? Those who would limit your power? Or those who understand its true nature?”

Grace recalled her conversation with Celestia in the Memory Pools. This was exactly the kind of approach she’d warned about.

“I value all perspectives,” Grace replied diplomatically. “But I trust Eternia’s vision for our realm.”

Diana paused, like she was forgetting her lines.

“A safe answer. But safety rarely leads to greatness, Sister Grace.”

With that, she stepped back, giving a small nod of acknowledgment.

“Well played,” Venus said from the sidelines. “That was perfect, Grace!”

Diana sighed, clearly liking the fact that she was done with that.

“Yeah, yeah, not bad,” even Diana admitted. “You didn’t get flustered at least.”

Coming from Diana, this was practically a standing ovation.

Grace wasn’t sure how to respond, so she just turned away with a little “hmph” sound.

The practice continued for another hour, with each of her friends throwing increasingly difficult scenarios at her. By the end, Grace felt more prepared—not confident, exactly, but less likely to make a complete fool of herself.

“Remember,” Venus said as they wrapped up for the night, “stay close to Celestia during the official ceremonies. After that, mingle but keep moving. Don’t let anyone corner you for too long.”

“And if someone asks you to dance, just follow their lead,” Zephyr added. “Most angels will adjust to your skill level once they realize you’re new.”

“Or lack thereof,” Diana muttered.

Alia threw her arms around Grace in an exuberant hug.

“You’re going to be AMAZING! The whole Dominion is going to be talking about you!”

[That’s what I’m afraid of.]

As her friends (plus Diana) filed out, each offering final bits of advice, Grace felt a strange mix of gratitude and anxiety. These angels barely knew her, yet they’d spent their entire day helping her prepare for tomorrow.

Grace sighed, touching the medallion at her throat. She closed her eyes, hoping for another vision, another clue about what to expect tomorrow.

Nothing came.

[Some magical artifact you are. Only work when I don’t need you to.]

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