Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 9: Dance With Me

Orange sat on the high sill of the room she had been confined in, not allowed to be at yet another party Pink Diamond was hosting. If she was seen by one of the aristocracy she'd be in a lot of trouble, but Pearl had yet to stop her from leaning over the edge and pressing her face to the glass for a better look. Orange was determined to at least watch the ongoings down below if she couldn't join in the fun personally.

All four Diamonds she normally stayed with were attending, and thus Orange had been generously allowed by White to remain in an upper room of the palace, her only company being White's pearl, who remained quiet and smiling all while she watched everything moving down below. It was almost like watching Yellow's soldier while high up in her command tower.

Except these were not soldiers, but the highest and grandest of gems, talking and dancing, and yet Orange could tell there was more going on than just the fun social event it appeared to be. She had watched gems who were not partaking in the systematic dancing with their peers go from group to group, whispering conspiratorially behind hands with one another, casting glances at others they thought were going unnoticed. But they weren't, Orange saw everything. At first, Orange had not understood why they would be gossiping, they were at a party, hosted by a Diamond no less, they should be living it up! But Orange realized quickly this was merely another one of those political moves for them, grandstanding and rumor spreading. Each gem trying to get ahead of a rival, trying to gain favor, and working to bring down anyone who had ever rubbed them the wrong way. A rather dry lesson from Blue, but a lesson she had (kinda-sorta) payed attention to nonetheless, and it was finally coming in use.

This may not have been a battlefield with soldiers, but it was certainly a bloody war raging below, and she was captivated by it.

Orange, upon this significant realization of the dealings going below, had felt like she had something over everyone else for the first time, as if she was finally the one with a secret that she could keep and hold over the others. But it was short lived when she also realized that it must have been obvious to White, Blue, and Yellow as well. The three sat at the front of the room in their giant thrones, obviously made to be the center of attention even when not at the center of the room. Pink Diamond was in the smallest throne, situated below White, looking like she'd rather be on the dance floor than surrounded by her own peers.

For once, Orange had to agree. Just looking at everyone mingling and turning together looked so much better than sitting there, simply watching. They weren't even talking to one another to pass the time.

"It looks like they're having a lot of fun down there, doesn't it?" Orange said, tossing the question over her shoulder to Pearl, who stepped up beside her to look at the scene below when she addressed her.

"Indeed, my Diamond."

Orange stood up from her kneeling position on the sill to stand beside Pearl. It was evident now just how much Orange had grown when she stood almost a head and a half taller than Pearl. Orange was not nearly as thin as Pearl either, built rather thickly in comparison, though it was hidden some under her flowy tunic and leggings. Soon, Orange figured she might be able to pass as a quartz soldier.

The music was so loud it carried up to their room, slightly muted from the thick glass and grand walls, but still pleasantly audible. Orange turned to Pearl, her hand outstretched to the slighter gem, "Dance with me."

Pearl blinked, eyes rounded more than normal in surprise. "What?"

"Dance," Orange wiggled her fingers, a grin forming on her face at Pearl's owlish look, "With me."

"But, but...my Clarity," Pearl's hands folded up against her chest and she took a step back from Orange, "dancing is for the courts, lower gems than yourself. If anyone were to see you dancing-or me-!"

"If anyone were to see me dancing, it'd be one of the guards, and the guards don't gossip with the aristocracy. And besides, who is going to see us? No one will know."

"My Diamond-"

"I told you to call me Orange." The young diamond grinned, "I'm not White Diamond, so I'm not really your diamond, am I?"

"Orange." She said in a whisper, testing the name, before saying it once more out loud. "Orange. Are you sure you wish to dance with...with a pearl?"

"If that pearl is you, then, yes."

Pearl's white cheeks dusted gray, and she took a moment before she took a deep breath, her smile returned in full force and she bowed to Orange, her hand reached out to be placed into hers. "It would be my honor to dance with you, Orange Diamond."

"I believe the honor is mine, since I asked, Pearl." Orange pulled her into a similar hold she had seen the jades uses earlier and immediately realized it might not work exactly for them when they did not fit together well. Pearl giggled and gently guided Orange into a new configuration where they were holding each other's hands.

"Perhaps this will be better."

Orange nodded, looking down at her feet as pearl took a step back, then forward, allowing Orange to move with her slowly. "I'll follow your lead then."

Pearl put one foot towards Orange, and Orange mimicked her, moving her opposite foot to her and the two turned together, switching places as Pearl lead Orange by the hand to make her move subtly in a new direction. The two moved slowly to the rhythm of music flitting into the room until Orange was more confident and started to move on her own.

Soon the two of them were twirling together on the floor, laughing freely as they made up their own steps together, clasped hands pulling and pushing each other into new moves, dips and steps until both of them were breathing heavy from laughing and exertion.

When they finally slowed to a stop even as the music played on, Orange remained holding Pearl's hands, a large toothy grin splitting her face and cheeks flushed a deeper orange than normal, she looked down at her dance mate. "That was a lot more fun than I thought it'd be. We have to do that again."

[Updated and corrected 1/1/21]