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My tunic nes , all heads turn in her direction It’s not difficult to understand why The shades of blue next to her pale skin look as beautiful as I knew they would In fact, they look better And she walks in like the queen that she is, graceful, her chin tilted up a little--probably conscious of the crown of flowers in her golden hair Beautiful

I can’t draw the next breath, and I’er I had for the food in front oflate, but says she wanted to do the dress justice I watch Jenna’s lips as she talks, reo Sweeter than ever, because she told ht now, all I want to do is take her in my arms andher and Lord de Bricasse speaks up "We haven’t had a May Queen this beautiful since…"

Never Ithat it’s been since the previous Beltane

After our feast, the fire is lit in the specially designated area for a ca our faces and hands Everyone is clapping and cheering as the flah, or "Joe," as he is known in his in to assemble in the space around the fire

In the past, I an, because dancing inevitablyholding my Jenna--her body close to mine My face next to hers The smell of her hair and skin in lish country dancing Lady Ryleigh, Joe’s wife, is an expert in recreational European folk dance and has taughtup with videos and Youtube

Without question, I’m paired with Jenna, and I wonder at the lucky coincidence that brought us together as King and Queen I’d al Jenna’s belief in fate if I didn’t find it so silly

As I watch her, I iine the tiara on her head instead of the May crown Deteret it back for her and I’ll hu in the process I don’t care what he thinks of me or what he’s said I don’t even care that the stakes are high for me, too Because if I lose, I won’t be able to come back here and be with allthat could happen

No, all I care about is getting that tiara back for Jenna Making her happy Being worthy of her

Her thin hands in ether and spin slowly first to the left and then to the right Stepping back, I bow and she curtsies ,then we execute the co down atover my own feet but also to evade accidental eye contact

I don’t want tomove, and I definitely don’t want to step on her toes I want this night to be perfect I’ve run everything through my head a thousand times and it should be perfect We’ll dance We’ll kiss And et her what she needs? What if I can’t be her chaht sets ht physical activity Because now etting hard to concentrate A tightness in , and when I look up and feel the crowd around us, I get lightheaded I squeezea wave of nausea