Summary: The gods are worried about Gabriel, who has locked herself in her room after the escape of El, Jeanne, and Sofiel.
On the surface, Anateans comment that they have more guards than usual on the streets because crime has increased and because there are many fugitives. Not to mention that the Red Dragon was flying through the city skies the night before. They regret not being nobles and not being able to enjoy a quiet life or the ball that will be held at the palace in three days.
Sofiel listens to what the townspeople are commenting for clues, and when she finishes her rounds, she returns to her hiding place with Jeanne.
Jeanne asks him if there are any clues about Nina or Bacchus, but Sofiel tells her that all he knows is that the people saw a Red Dragon fly through the skies the night before. Jeanne tells Sofiel that that dragon is Nina, that she has the ability to transform into a dragon, and that, for sure, El and the others are with her.
Sofiel agrees to let her friend accompany her to look for her son, as long as it's at night since there are fewer guards.
Finally, it's the day of the ball, and the nobles start arriving at the royal palace. Among them is Alessand, whose dance partner is Nina.
As they get out of the carriage, all the people stare at them because Nina is very beautiful and dazzling and stands out among all the guests.
Nina remembers the plan Rita designed.
She and Alessand will infiltrate the palace and stand by for further orders once they have located Charioce.
Favaro and Dias will infiltrate through the Orleans Knights' quarters and, when Favaro has entered the palace, Rita will give Nina a signal to transform into a dragon. Then, in the confusion, Favaro would take the opportunity to steal Charioce's bracelet and climb on Nina's back to escape from the place.
Favaro is unsure about the plan since he doubts that Nina will be able to transform, but Rita encourages him by telling him that, if he's taken prisoner again, she'll break him out of prison again.
If the plan fails, Kaisar, Bacchus, and Azazel must secure the escape routes and take care of those who pursue them.
Mugaro wants to be part of the plan, but Rita tells him that he'll remain in the area near the escape route and that Azazel will keep an eye on him. While she's aware that their plan isn't the best and that she doesn't know what could happen, Rita asks them not to be reckless.
Alessand and Nina walk up the stairs to the palace entrance but end up in the spotlight when Nina trips and falls.
Rita, who watches everything from Hipogriff with Bacchus and Hamsa, waits for them to be more careful.
Hamsa comments that Nina was very interested in being the one to infiltrate the palace, but Bacchus thinks that maybe she just wanted to taste the food at the banquet.
In the Orleans Knights' quarters, Favaro and Dias walk pretending to make a round. They part when they reach a tower, which Favaro climbs.
Favaro asks Dias to secure their escape route because he thinks it's very likely that Nina won't be able to transform into a dragon.
Charioce is in his quarters thinking in front of the fireplace that he must give the order that'll lead to his death. He looks at his arm and sees that it's more charred than before, a sign that the stone is rapidly consuming his life since he activated it using Dromos.
His thoughts are interrupted when a servant knocks on the door and tells him it's time for the ball.
Charioce gives him a murderous look, but the servant insists that the event is important because they need to raise funds in the face of the uncertainty of a possible new war.
Unable to protest, Charioce leaves his room and heads for the great hall.
Once inside the palace, Nina separates from Alessand and heads for the dining area, but he goes after her.
Nina starts tasting the food without showing any noble-like manners, so Alessand tries to stop her so as not to arouse suspicion. However, a nobleman recognizes him and asks who's the maiden accompanying him.
Alessand doesn't have time to make something up, so Nina answers that she's his fiancée, leaving him looking very bad because of her lack of etiquette.
Charioce enters the great hall, drawing everyone's attention, and the orchestra begins to play music.
Seeing that several maidens are bowing in front of Charioce, Nina asks Alessand what they're doing. Alessand explains that they hope Charioce will ask them to dance that way.
Hearing this, Nina stops eating and walks decisively, making her way across the dance floor, to Charioce's surprise.
Unlike the other women, instead of bowing, she stands and asks Charioce to dance by offering her hand.
Those present cannot believe their eyes, especially Alessand, who ends up telling the nobleman who knows him that Nina is actually his sister and not his fiancée.
The guests are surprised to see Charioce accepting Nina's invitation to dance, for it would be the first time they've ever seen him dance.
The waltz begins, and Nina and Charioce dance to the amazement of the entire ballroom.
Rita, who watches the events from Hipogriff, wonders how Nina ended up dancing with the king, which makes Bacchus choke on his wine.
When they finish dancing, Nina and Charioce go to the balcony.
Nina tells him that she didn't know the dance they just danced and that it was fun.
Suddenly, Nina remembers that she should ask him about the bracelet, and when Charioce tells her that they should talk, she thinks she'll get a chance to do so. However, at Charioce's serious look, she asks him if he's feeling okay.
Charioce then replies that they can never see each other again, that he especially can never see her again.
Nina doesn't understand what he's talking about and asks him to explain, but Charioce doesn't elaborate and tells her that he has devoted his life to fulfilling duties.
Nina still can't make sense of what he's telling her, so she wants to know if that's what he was supposed to reveal to her the next time they meet. But to make things worse, Charioce replies that it's none of her business.
Nina insists that he tell her what's wrong since he just danced with her and that the last time they met, he kissed her.
She wants to know if he lied when he promised to tell her everything when they see each other again.
Charioce has no intention of telling her the truth, so she replies that it was all a lie and asks her to leave before she calls the royal guard to take her away.
His words hurt Nina so much that she's left speechless.
At that moment, Favaro appears on the scene and tells Charioce that he's a terrible man and to be more careful what he says to Nina because she's still his apprentice and would thank him if he didn't hurt her.
Favaro then points his bayonet at him and asks him to hand over his bracelet.
Charioce shows him his arm and tells him that once used, he can't remove it without costing him his life.
Favaro threatens him and tells him to cut off his arm or die.
Favaro doesn't believe him and prepares to shoot him, but to both their shock, Nina steps between him and Charioce, forbidding her master to shoot.
Seeing how his plan fails, Favaro tells her that if they don't kill Charioce, he may end up killing many people. However, Nina insists and tells him that, even being so, she won't allow him to take his life. Being pressured, Favaro threatens that he'll shoot her and kill Charioce. Nina, however, still won't budge from her spot.
Unable to do anything about it, Favaro eventually gives up, and Nina falls to the ground in relief.
Alessand and the guests look worriedly at what's happening from the window of the great hall, and Charioce tells Favaro that the guards will arrive soon.
Favaro, annoyed, tells him that he's right and that it's time for him and Nina to leave. Favaro tries to take Nina with him, but she goes to Charioce and asks him if it's true that they won't dance again.
Charioce replies that they'll never be able to dance again, breaking Nina's heart and making her cry. Nina's reaction leaves him so emotionally shattered that he doesn't see Favaro's punch coming, who had warned him not to hurt Nina's heart.
As he's wounded, the royal guards appear; however, Charioce orders them to wait a moment, thus allowing Favaro to use his smoke bombs to escape with Nina.
The same bomb acts as a signal to warn Rita and the others that the plan has failed.
Bacchus uses his staff to inform the others that they must secure the escape routes. Jeanne and Sofiel also see the signal and determine where to locate them.
Alessand escapes from the palace with the excuse of having to go to help his sister.
When Nina and Favaro have escaped, Charioce looks at the floor and notices that Nina's left her shoes on the balcony.
Dias helps distract the guards while hiding Favaro and Nina. Favaro tells Nina that she'll have time to mope later, as they must escape first. Nina comments to him that Charioce apparently rejected her, and Favaro looks at her as conflicted.
Nina pretends not to be so affected and focuses on escaping. As they run away, Kaisar joins them, but Nina goes so fast that Favaro asks her to wait for them. Not understanding Nina's behavior, Kaisar wants to know what has happened.
Alessand runs down another street saying that he'll never again be able to appear in front of the nobles who attended the ball and that he'll return home, but, upon hearing this, Azazel tells him that he must return with them. Alessand excuses himself by telling him he got lost, so Azazel will lead him to the slums, accompanied by Mugaro.
On their way, the three meet Jeanne and Sofiel.
Azazel recognizes Jeanne, and she notices that the boy accompanying him is her son.
Alessand is surprised to learn that Mugaro is the Holy Child.
Nina keeps running, breaking out of the perimeter that Kaisar and the others had secured for their escape, making her way to the harbor. There, the Onyx Task Force ambushes them.
Favaro uses their smoke bombs to escape, but he and Kaisar are seized.
Nina, who has been hiding among barrels, comes to the aid of her master and Kaisar, but Favaro orders her to escape.
Nina doesn't manage to do so, as the assassin who was hired to kill the Red Dragon appears in front of her.
Style: The idea is delivered at the moment of the dance, at the very moment Charioce realizes that Nina is in the palace.
Point of view: Predominantly Nina's and Charioce's, as they get their hearts broken after the waltz.
Tone: Bittersweet
Fixed literary devices:
- Transversal themes:
- Love
- Identity and Secrecy
- Transversal symbols (motifs):
- Candle
- Soup
- Fireworks
- Dance
- Boarding net
Mutable literary devices:
- Episode Themes:
- Premeditation and Unpredictability
Conflict: Premeditation vs. Unpredictability
Thematic elements:
- Premeditation vs. Unpredictability:
- Nina's presence at the ball takes Charioce by surprise, who didn't plan to see her again after the last time they saw each other. For him, it was his farewell. But since his plan didn't go as he wanted, he has to improvise.
- Rita didn't foresee that Nina would dance with Charioce and that things wouldn't go according to her plan.
- Charioce's reaction after dancing hurts Nina, who didn't think he would act so coldly toward her.
- Favaro didn't think Nina would defend Charioce so fiercely when he was ready to kill him.
- Charioce never thought anyone could ever hit him, but his guard is down because he's emotionally affected by having to break Nina's heart.
- Nina didn't think the Onyx Task Force would set a trap for her.
- Love:
- Charioce gets upset when he's called to the dance when it's time for the waltz because he only dances with the woman he loves - Nina.
- Charioce accepts Nina's dance invitation because he loves her.
- Charioce breaks Nina's heart because he prefers that rather than confessing to her that he's going to die, she would follow him on his way to death.
- Nina protects Charioce from Favaro because she loves him, even though he just broke her heart.
- Identity and Secrecy:
- Sofiel learns that Nina is the Red Dragon.
Alessand learned the same while discussing the plan to infiltrate the castle. - Nina poses as Alessand's fiancée.
- Alessand introduces Nina as his sister.
- Alessand discovers that Mugaro is the Holy Child.
Symbols:
- Black feathers: They usually symbolize death and a bad omen.
They express Gabriel's state of mind after Sofiel's escape.
- Fireworks: They symbolize joy and celebration. In this episode, they communicate the mood of the people attending the ball.
- Thinking in front of a fireplace: This action symbolizes decisions and dilemmas. Usually associated with an important decision, the consequences of which are feared.
Charioce is standing in front of the fireplace in his room while thinking he's dying and can't escape his destiny.
- Candle: It symbolizes hope. It's lit while Jeanne and Sofiel talk about clues that may help find El.
- Drinking soup: Like the candle, it symbolizes hope too. Jeanne and Sofiel consume this food while talking about El's possible whereabouts.
This is a symbol of particular interest since it's seen again in the following episode to express Charioce's thoughts and emotions.
- Diadem: It symbolizes royalty.
While Nina is neither a noblewoman nor a monarch, her wearing a diadem is an indicator that she's Charioce's queen. - Dancing: As seen before, it represents sexual attraction and happiness. It's an action that Charioce reserves only for Nina.
Unlike the first time they danced, on this occasion, Charioce doesn't smile —except at the end of the waltz— because, according to what he had planned, he won't be able to see her again. Besides, he doesn't want to tell her he's dying or what will happen after he shoots Dromos again.
On the other hand, he knows that Nina is in danger while in the palace, as the Onyx Task Force can spot her. - Color blue: Just like in episode 17, blue represents sacrifice. Nina wears a blue dress, which represents death hunting her because of the death curse Charioce imposed on her when ordering the Red Dragon's death. But it also represents the sacrifice Nina is willing to do for Charioce, as she loves him with all her heart. When Favaro claims he will Charioce, Nina stops him, acting as a human shield.
- Light and shadow on the balcony: Symbolizes expression and repression of emotions. While Nina is in the illuminated area, Charioce remains in the shadow. Charioce does his best to hide his emotions from Nina.
- Punch in the face: Symbolizes Charioce's emotional instability. He's a man who never lets his guard down, yet he doesn't have time to react when Favaro beats him for breaking Nina's heart.
This is the only hit he receives in the story, becoming even further meaningful, as it shows he's only vulnerable when it comes to Nina.
- Losing shoes: Symbolizes vulnerability.
As in Cinderella, Nina's strong and confident moment fades when she runs away and leaves her shoes on the balcony.
Running barefoot represents how emotionally helpless she feels after Charioce broke her heart.
Charioce is aware of Nina's fragility when he notices her shoes left in front of him, representing how deeply he hurt her. - Boarding nets: Symbolize falling into a trap.
Upon arriving at the port, emphasis is placed on boarding nets, pointing out that Nina is in danger.
Scenarios:
- Royal City of Anatae
- Royal Castle
- Palace
- Streets
- Suburbs
- Port
- Land of the Gods
- Vanaheimr
References:
- Cinderella: The story of a commoner whose fairy godmother helps by granting her a carriage, dress, and glass shoes until midnight so she can go to the royal palace and dance with the prince. Cinderella leaves her shoes behind when the clock strikes twelve, and the spell that made her a princess breaks.
- Shall we Dance?: The episode title is inspired by the film of the same name, which was written and directed by Masayuki Suo, and released in 1996.The film is about a successful but unhappy accountant who finds meaning and passion missing in his life when he secretly starts taking ballroom dancing lessons.Just like the film's protagonist, Charioce and Nina enjoy dancing with each other more than anything else in the world.
Foreshadowing:
- Tripping: Announces misfortune or bad luck. Nina trips while climbing the stairs, announcing that something bad awaits her.
- Left hand: It's a sign of death and a bad omen. It foreshadows that something disgraceful is about to happen to Nina.Dromos is on her left in the balcony scene when she looks at the city from it while she is with Charioce.
- Red moon: This is an omen of death.Being behind Azazel and Mugaro symbolizes a deadly fate for both or either of them.
Characters:
- Nina: She's happy to be part of the plan to infiltrate the palace, mainly because she'll be able to see Charioce, but also because she is the key to its success.When she gets out of the carriage, her beauty amazes everyone. After tripping at the entrance, she arrives at the great hall and goes straight to taste the food, not noticing that she's causing Alessand trouble because of her lack of etiquette.When Charioce enters the hall and sees noblewomen waiting for him to ask them to dance, Nina makes her way in and personally invites him to dance. Charioce accepts the invitation and dances with her, astounding everyone present with their chemistry and matchless compatibility.After the dance, Nina waits for Chris to tell her what he's trying to achieve, as he promised to tell her when they meet again. However, Nina is shocked by Charioce's reaction, who tells her it's none of her business and that they can see each other again. That he, in particular, can never see her again.Nina doesn't understand and asks him what's wrong since he just danced with her and the last time they saw each other he kissed her. She wants to know if he lied to her when he promised to tell her everything when they see each other again.Charioce tells her it indeed was all a lie and that if she doesn't leave right then and there, he'll call the guards to capture her.His words hurt her deeply, and she doesn't know what to say.To her aid, Favaro appears and reproaches Charioce for being insensitive to her. Favaro then asks him to give her his bracelet. Charioce, though, tells him that once activated, he cannot take it off as long as he lives. Favaro doesn't believe him and threatens to kill him.Thinking that her master is speaking the truth, Nina instinctively protects Charioce with her own life.Nina won't allow anyone to kill him even if more people were to die because of himNina is so firm in her decision that she makes Favaro insist no more.Charioce tells them that the royal guards will arrive soon and to leave, so Favaro tries to take Nina away. However, she runs to Charioce and asks him if it's true that they won't be able to dance again. When Charioce affirms they won't be able to do it again, Nina's heart breaks into a thousand pieces, shedding tears.Favaro punches Charioce and takes Nina with him as soon as Charioce gives them a chance to escape to safety.Favaro tells Nina that she'll be able to mope later, so she tries to look not so affected by the situation and laughs when he tells her that, apparently, she just got rejected.She keeps trying to stay positive and agrees to focus on escaping, but she's so hurt that she can only run aimlessly.She runs so fast and so much that she veers off the escape route and ends up falling into the trap that the Onyx Task Force has set up for her.
- Chris/Charioce: He's emotionally shaken because he has little life left and will have to sacrifice himself soon. On top of that, he's upset because he has to attend the ball. The waltz reminds him of Nina, the only woman he's willing to dance with and whom, according to what he has planned, won't ever see again.Nina's presence at the palace catches him unawares and affects him more emotionally as he doesn't know what to do.He dances with her because she's the one he loves —she's his queen—. However, he doesn't smile throughout the dance because he doesn't want to reveal to her later what he wants to accomplish or the price that goes with it, even though he promised her he would tell her the next time they saw each other.On the other hand, he's worried about Nina being in the palace because she's a fugitive, and besides, the Onyx Soldiers know she's the Red Dragon.After the ball, Nina waits for him to tell her what he promised. But instead, he chooses to hide the truth from her and breaks her heart.As he doesn't want Nina to find out that he's dying and sacrificing himself for the sake of humanity and mainly for hers, he lies and tells her that all their romance and promises were lies. He breaks his own heart by uttering those words since he has never intended to —nor has he ever wanted to— harm Nina in any way.Favaro intervenes and begs him not to hurt Nina and to give her his bracelet.Charioce feels forced to show him his charred left arm and explains that he cannot remove the item once activated and he's alive.Threatened with death by Favaro, Nina protects him with her own life.Charioce gives them a chance to escape before the guards arrive. Before leaving, Nina asks him if it's true they will never be able to dance again, to which he replies that it'll never happen again, ultimately breaking Nina's heart entirely, making her cry in front of him.
- Favaro: He doesn't like the idea of being the one to infiltrate the palace's interiors, but he has no choice but to do it since he's the only one who can. Besides, being Nina's master, he'll be able to watch over her safety while she's at the ball.During the event, he keeps an eye on his apprentice's every move and even intervenes when Charioce is being insensitive to her feelings.Favaro asks Charioce to give him his bracelet, but Charioce shows him his arm and tells him that if he takes it off, he dies. Favaro doesn't believe him, so he tells him that, in that case, he'll have to cut off his arm or he'll kill him. His threat fails when Nina steps in and defends Charioce with her life, and fails again when he tells Nina that he'll shoot her and kill Charioce.He gives up when he sees that there's nothing else he can do, and chooses to retreat with Nina, as he knows that Charioce is giving him a chance to flee before the royal guards arrive. However, Nina pulls him aside to ask Charioce if they can really never dance again.Charioce breaks her heart by telling her it's true, which makes Favaro so angry that he punches him in the face.Charioce again gives them another chance to escape when the guards arrive, and this time he manages to take Nina with him.Favaro feels bad for Nina but tells her that she'll have time to mope later and that they should focus on escaping. Nina agrees with him and quickly runs off through the escape routes.On their way, they meet Kaisar, who guides them, but Nina goes beyond the secured route, and they end up falling into a trap.Although Favaro orders Nina to escape, she can't because the assassin hired to kill her appears in front of her.
- Rita: She outlines the plan to infiltrate the castle, and oversees that it goes as it should, whether it succeeds or not.While monitoring the events, Rita didn't expect Nina to end up dancing with the king, something that draws her attention, as she's every time confirming herself that there's something going on between them.When she sees Favaro's signal, she has Bacchus inform the others that the plan has failed and that they should secure the escape routes.
- Alessand Visponti: He helps Nina infiltrate the palace by taking her as his dance partner.He convinces the nobles that Nina is his sister, although she tells them at first that she is his fiancée, something he doesn't like very much because Nina lacks etiquette and embarrasses him.When the orchestra begins to play the waltz, Nina asks Alessand what the noblewomen bowing before the king are doing, and he explains that that's how they wait for Charioce to take them out to dance. As he gives her his answer, he sees how Nina makes her way through the midst of those nobles and how she's the one to invite Charioce to dance with her.Alessand is astonished to see Charioce accept her invitation and is impressed with how well they both dance.When Nina has some time alone with Charioce, Alessand monitors what happens between them from the balcony.When the plan fails, Alessand leaves the palace excusing himself by saying that he has to help his little sister.Once on the streets, he's mortified that he'll never be able to see any nobleman's face again and decides to go home, although he's found by Azazel, who'll take him back to the lair with the others. Reluctantly he goes with him and Mugaro.On their way, they meet Jeanne and Sofiel, and then Alessand realizes that Mugaro is Jeanne D'Arc's son, the Holy Child.
- Jeanne: She asks Sofiel to go with her through Anatae to find her son's whereabouts as soon as she learns that people saw a Red Dragon flying over the city.She tells her friend that Nina is the Red Dragon and that El is with her for sure.She's very moved when Sofiel agrees to take her with her to find her son.At night, while searching for clues, they're guided by Bacchus' signal in the sky, which leads them to eventually meet El and Azazel.
- Sofiel: She prowls by the streets of Anatae gathering any information that might be useful to her to get clues from El.As soon as she tells Jeanne that people report seeing a dragon flying over Anatae, Jeanne asks her to tell her what color it was, to which Sofiel replies that it was red.It's then that Sofiel learns that that dragon is Nina and that El must be with her. Sofiel agrees to let Jeanne join her on her rounds, as long as it's at night when fewer soldiers are on the streets.In the evening, she recognizes a sign in the sky from Bacchus, which leads her and Jeanne to be sure that El is nearby.They continue to prowl around until they meet Azazel and El.
- Bacchus: He thinks that Nina wanted to infiltrate the palace to taste the food at the event.He pays attention to what Rita observes and is surprised to hear that Nina is dancing with Charioce.When the plan fails, he sends the signal to the others to secure the escape routes.
- Hamsa: She notes that Nina was very enthusiastic about being the one to infiltrate the palace.
- Kaisar: He secures the escape route for Nina and Favaro and joins them on their escape. Seeing Nina running very fast, he asks what happened. Following her, he and Favaro end up at the port, where they end up falling into a trap set by the Onyx Task Force.
- Dias: He helps Favaro infiltrate the palace and is the one who secures Nina and Favaro's escape route inside the building by telling the guards that the intruders are still inside.
- Azazel: He ensures the escape route to the suburbs and takes Alessand back to the lair. On his way, he meets Jeanne and Sofiel.
- El/Mugaro: He wants to take part in the plan and go to the palace, but Rita tells him that he'll remain on the escape route with Azazel, who'll protect him, in case the Onyx Task Force appears again.As Alessand's guide, he meets his mother and Sofiel on their way back to the lair.
Post a Comment