A New Novel, Part 155 Dance with Me

For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.

Aksinya, Natalya, and the Bockmanns are at Ernst Father's estate for a New Years party.  Dinner and dessert are over; now is the time for dancing...

Ernst and his father led the men from the table. Aksinya followed a servant and the ladies to the parlor. The women spoke with Aksinya and that part of the evening was very pleasant to her. After a while, the men returned to the parlor and the Graf led Ernst to Aksinya, “Countess, would you come to the ballroom. I have promised my guests a dance, and I hoped you would dance with my son.”


Aksinya stood and took Ernst’s arm. She was a little wobbly from the wine. She glanced at him, “I would be pleased to dance.”

In the ballroom, the Graf made a motion toward the sting quartet, and they began to play a waltz. Ernst clasped Aksinya’s hand and led her into the dance. He didn’t say anything and didn’t look at Aksinya at first. She asked him, “Are you embarrassed about your father’s comments at dinner?”

Ernst frowned, “Am I that obvious?”

She laughed, “Yes.”

“Do you understand his meaning?”

“Yes, I think I do. This is why you brought me, isn’t it? Your father sees me as a potential candidate for your bride.”

“Yes, it is that obvious?”

“It was that obvious from the beginning.”

“Yes… And what are your feelings?”

“Feelings have little to do with it.”

Ernst stopped cold, “Wha…what do you mean?”

Aksinya pursed her lips, “Everyone is staring.”

Ernst led off again, “Everyone is staring at you.”

“At me?”

“You are absolutely gorgeous in that dress. If you didn’t wish to be stared at, you shouldn’t wear such beautiful clothing. Didn’t you realize?”

Aksinya tossed her head, “Natalya chose my dress. I leave such things to her. If you wished perfection in decorum and dress you should be interested in her.”

“But I am not interested in her. I am interested only in you.”

“Only because of what I am…”

Ernst pulled her a little closer, “This is not the place to speak about such things.”

“Really?”

“Come, we will converse in private.”

Aksinya pressed her lips together again, “Not without my chaperone.”

So the evening continues.  The conversation of dinner has a break due to dessert and after dinner drinks.  I show you this little cultural phenomena and refer to its reasons.  Usually the gentlemen go to smoke after dinner.  They usually have an after dinner drink.  The ladies usually have an after dinner drink and dessert with coffee or tea. 
 
When the men return to the the parlor, it is time to begin the dance.  The Graf is pushing his son into Akinsya's arms--did you expect anything else?  Aksinya is a little tipsy--did you expect anything else?  Aksinya will dance.  Dancing is one of the major civilized pleasures of the time, and this was a period when all educated and refined people knew how to dance.

Aksinya and Ernst begin to dance.  He doesn't speak and Aksinya is a little drunk, so she does not hold her tongue.  The conversation at dinner is the topic.  Ernst is obviously upset about his father's candor.  Ernst is obvious.  Ernst has always worn his thoughts and his emotions on his sleeve.  From the beginning, he hasn't kept any secrets from us or Aksinya.  His love letters are straight forward.  His love is like a puppy dog's. 

What should surprise us is how observant Aksinya has been.  She picked up on everything.  She knew what was going on.  I ask you again, do you think she is a woman in love?  The Graf was just short of inviting Aksinya into the family at dinner.  He invited her to call him by his given name.  He gave her to Ernst to escort.  He sat her in the place of the lady of the house.  He spoke candidly to her about Ernst and his future.  The next step is obvious to everyone but Aksinya.

So Ernst asks Aksinya in a round about manner.  This is not the correct approach with her at all.  He asks: “Yes… And what are your feelings?” (her feelings about marriage to him--that is, about love for him).  Aksinya floors him with her answer: “Feelings have little to do with it.”  You can see all that is happening here.  Ernst has been dropping hints from the beginning of their relationship.  Well, okay, not so much hints as straight out declarations.  He loves her and wants to marry her.  He thought that Aksinya would fall in love with him just as he has fallen in love with her.  He thought that all the preparation would make her fall into his arms.  He thought that even if she didn't love him, he was at least so good a catch that she would just act like she loved him and everything would be well.  That isn't Aksinya.  Plus, Ernst approached Aksinya about sorcery.  He has her book.  This little perversion of the relationship is the problem.

When they stop in the middle of the dance, everyone is staring at them.  Well, duh.  They are the reason for this party.  They are the couple here.  Everyone knows what is going on.  A marriage proposal is in the works.  This is the way things are done.  Aksinya takes the staring for their motionlessness in the middle of the dance floor.  Ernst gives another reason--Aksinya's beauty.  Which is right?  We know Aksinya is not beautiful, but her dress perhaps makes her look stunning.  This is why the perceptions of the characters are untrustworthy--just like real life.  We see the happenings around the characters and have to interpret them for ourselves--just like real life.  By the way, I use an advance writing technique to show you all this.  I don't tell you everyone is staring; I show you through Aksinya and Ernst conversation that everyone is staring.  No description, just dialog.

Ernst response and declaration that Aksinya is "absolutely gorgeous" shows us that he is smitten.  Whether Aksinya is as ugly as she believes is immaterial to Ernst and to his father.  Look as Aksinya's response.  Natalya chose the dress (she likely chose it for Ernst, but Natalya is the reason, not Aksinya).  There is another way of looking at this--we choose our servants to make us look good.  That is their purpose.  There is a foreshadowing here about Natalya.  I won't do anything other than point this out to you right now.

This interaction leads to the point Aksinya has held to all this time.  She doesn't believe Ernst loves her for herself, but only for her sorcery.  That is the reason for her statement.  Aksinya is a little drunk and she is hot for a little confrontation with Ernst.  Ernst and his father put her on the spot at dinner.  She believes everything is a facade and the facade is based not on Ernst's love for her and what she is, but rather on her sorcery and the demon's actions to influence Ernst and perhaps his father. 

Ernst invites Aksinya to have a private conversation.  Of course this can't be allowed.  This action alone likely proves how inexperience Ernst is with women.  He should know this.  On the other hand, if he does know this, they his request is pure induendo.  We will see tomorrow the beginnings of thier private conversation. 

A New Novel, Part 122 No One Asked Me to Dance

This is the beginning of the next chapter (chapter 11).  We need to set the scene for the entire chapter and for the characters.  I didn't mention the kicker at the end of chapter 10--it was the point about Aksinya calling for more wine.  The result...

Aksinya woke with a terrible headache. She had waited up late with the hope that Asmodeus would make an appearance. She wanted to ask him many questions, but the demon didn’t interrupt her that evening. That, in itself worried her more than anything.


She and Natalya attended a late Mass with the Freiherr and Freifrau Bockmann. Natalya was ill, but hid it well until the end. Natalya rushed her out of the nave just in time.

Because of the work at Grossbock to clean up the house following the Advent party, Aksinya and Natalya returned to Sacré Coeur early before dinner.

As usual, during dinner, Aksinya sat next to Natalya. Aksinya had barely spoken a word since the party. One of the young women, Frieda Trauen, across the table, finally plucked up enough courage to ask, “How was your Aunt and Uncle’s party last night. It is always the event of the season.”

Natalya smiled brightly.

Aksinya shrugged her shoulders and slouched a centimeter lower.

“Did you dance?” the girl continued.

Aksinya sighed, “There was dancing, but no one asked me.”

Fraulein Trauen face displayed amazement. She turned toward Natalya, “Surely someone asked you to dance, Lady Natalya.”

Natalya smiled and raised her shoulders, “They were mostly older men and married.”

“The young ones come later in the evening. I heard the toast of the town were there. Don’t tell me that the Countess scared them off.”

Aksinya smiled a little smile, “They did seem afraid to approach me. That is, except one.”

All the faces at the table turned toward her. The question they didn’t speak was evident in their features. Finally, Fraulein Trauen asked breathlessly for them all, “Who was it?”

“Ernst von Taaffe. Do you know the name?”

“Who doesn’t in Wien? His father is the Graf von Taaffe. That would be a good match for you.” She looked down, then back to Aksinya, “And he didn’t ask you to dance?”

“He said it was too late, and I had drunk too much wine anyway. What do you know of him?”

All the young ladies sat up straight. Fraulein Trauen sat the straightest, “Too much wine. You should be more careful. You don’t want to let the young men slip through your fingers and neither do you wish to get within their grasp.”

All the ladies nodded almost as one.

Aksinya’s voice dripped with sarcasm, “I quite understand your meaning. So I ask you again, a little more clearly, what is the reputation of this Ernst von Taaffe.”

The setting at the beginning of this chapter is simple.  I've already described all these places to you--I just have to set the characters and you in them.  The rest is the setting of the overall chapter--Ernst von Taaffe. 
 
The results of Aksinya's evening is a hangover.  I didn't hide her drinking from you before.  You might have guessed that Aksinya likes to drink and that wine is her especial temptation--this is all related to her problem with luxuria.  We will see how this manifests itself in the future. 
 
Asmodeus is not hanging around as much.  The implication here is that he doesn't have to.  This is why Aksinya is so worried.  She is concerned that she is accomplishing the demon's work without any instructions or encouragement.  I give you an indicator of Aksinya's problem.  She can't hold down her breakfast during the Mass.  How much of this is due to her hangover and how much to her use of sorcery is up in the air.  Aksinya and Natalya return to Sacré Coeur early because of the cleanup.  You can imagine Aksinya's impatiance too.  I want you to detect this.
 
It is unusual for them to be at dinner on Sunday evening, so they are automatically the center of attention for the young ladies.  This is part of a writing technique (if you couldn't tell).  An author uses the tools of the setting that he creates.  In the setting of Sacré Coeur, I have developed the evening diner conversation as a means of giving the reader information and also providing a relief scene.  This is related to the timing of scenes.
 
The setting here is simple, and I remind you of the position of the two principals at the table.  Aksinya has been especially quiet.  She receives a question from Fraulein Trauen.  Natalya thought the party was wonderful--she was able to serve Aksinya and she didn't have to put up with anyone else (hint).  Aksinya was very distrubed by the party--especially Ernst von Taaffe.  Aksinya confesses without thinking.  You know what she was thinking about--Ernst has her book and no one danced with her.  Remember, Natalya is much better looking than Aksinya, thus the question turned to her and from Aksinya. 
 
Then comes the cut against Aksinya, and again Aksinya reveals more information than she should.  Everyone around the table, including Natalya wishes to know who approached Aksinya.  Aksinya wants information about Ernst.  We discover that Ernst's father is a Graf.  This means Ernst is the son of an Austrian Count.  That's why the ladies say Aksinya is well matched with him.
 
I give you an indication of Aksinya's drinking issue.  She openly tells the ladies that she had drunk too much. Fraulein Trauen then gives Aksinya a sermon.  It is a sermon all the other girls understand well.  Aksinya is very sensitive to critisism.  She doesn't want a sermon, she wants information, so she asks again.
 
Who is this Ernst von Taaffe?  We'll have to wait until Aksinya gets a clear answer tomorrow.