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 Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:27 am
It would be a lie to say that Rajani was not happy to be back in Northport on the edge of the Iron Sea. She had always felt more at home with the rough, sea-going crowd than in the prissy confines of Palisade. The capitol had its underbelly, of course, but it would never call to her the same way that the coast did. Besides, it did her wandering heart good to be away from certain...men. If it weren't the bloody Grimm twins driving her to wit's end with their tantrums and woe-is-me acts over their new-found animal counterparts, then it was that slippery fop of a noble and his blasted spy business. To this day, she had no idea what had possessed her to accept his offer. Just gathering rumors, her arse.
Ah, to be away. Even the sudden increase of people interested in Oberon of late could not diminish her pleasure at being on familiar terrain once again. Here, she was just a gypsy, plying her trade in a tavern full of rough-looking, but easy to understand men. Men who respected a woman when she said "no", even if it might take a little persuasion from time to time. She supposed it was a bad sign that even the simple act of haggling with the proprietor of this fine establishment over her fee comforted her on some level. Clearly, this was a much-needed and long-overdue break.
So, on she sang, captivating the audience with her sultry voice and bittersweet melody.
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:38 pm
Soibhan Breanainn was well and truly screwed. The goddamn bastards had turned tail as soon as she'd beaten their leader to a bloody pile and knocked him over the head with his own boot and her very angry fists. Bloody cowards. She would have gladly kicked all of their asses as repayment for messing up her life, but they'd even robbed her of her vengeance.
Staring down at the unconscious man at her feet, Soibhan kicked him half-heartedly in the ribs before searching the wagon they had transported her in. Grabbing the sack that had graced her head for the last week, she stuffed anything of use into it; flint and tinder, a square of cheese and a pack of salted beef all found their way into the sack. When she stumbled upon the familiar, worn case of her violin she nearly cried.
The bastards had taken her from her home with only the clothes on her back. She had starved and shivered with cold throughout the entire journey, unable to move or see, as her hands had been bound and her head covered. She was sore, dirty, and tired, filled with a weariness that went more than physically deep.
Every time the wagon had stopped, she'd worried that the men would find a different use for her, and take her for their pleasure. Even though she was confident at least two of them would have suffered if they'd tried, the thought had not made the rough journey any easier.
Wrapping the unconscious man's heavy woolen cloak around her shoulders, she snuggled into the warmth of the fur collar and set off towards the port town in the distance, following the faint and beautiful sound of a woman singing.
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:15 pm
The art of people-watching while performing was one that Rajani had long since perfected. It was useful in judging what kind of music would be well-received. It was also useful in predetermining where trouble might lie and thus enabling her to avoid it. The latter of these reasons was the more useful one in this town. For all she preferred the port to the mainland, it was a den of cutthroats and thieves. She ought to know, she was one of the latter. Or at least, she had been. How long now since she had last pulled a job? She was going to get rusty if she kept up this good-girl act.
The gypsy was pulled from her thoughts as another patron walked in the front door. She looked a right sight, whoever she was, but there was something about her that had Rajani categorizing her under the heading of "potential trouble" rather than "victim", for all she looked like she had been in a rough spot. Still, it was little concern of hers. Security was not in her job description and she was done after the next set at any rate. The night was getting late even for this town. She switched to a more lively tune and returned to a more broad search of the room.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 5:33 pm
The bar was packed, and with good reason; the woman singing on stage was a dark beauty with a voice like warm whiskey and silk. It beckoned people to listen, captivating them like a cobra would a mouse. Soibhan brushed past drunken patrons, many of them loud, boisterous, and very inebriated. One of them tried to grab at her chest and she hissed at the dirty, gap-toothed man in pirate clothes, kicking his leg out from under him. As he fell with a bellow, she dove deeper into the crowd, surging towards the stage, her eyes fixated on the singing woman.
Music played a very large role in the culture of her people, and she gripped the handle of her violin case tightly, fingers itching to play. She'd been the best of her family, and of all the families surrounding theirs; her Gran had always said that Soibhan was born with fiddle in her wee hands.
Looking around, she noticed that several people were tossing coins into a pouch near the woman's feet.
I have no money. Mayhaps this bein' a way for me to make some, she thought, glancing over her shoulder. The man she'd toppled had regained his feet and spotted her through the crowd; he pointed over the heads of his fellows, growling something she couldn't hear, but was most likely not beneficial to her person. She had to think fast before things turned sour.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 6:51 pm
From her vantage point, it was difficult to miss what was otherwise a relatively small incident. While it was true that the men of the sea could understand "no", it was also true that once they had some drink in them, it took more effort to reach their ears. It seemed that the particular pirate that the new woman had spurned was going to take the rejection a little harder than most. Bar fights were not uncommon, however, and Rajani did not usually mind them.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she saw how intent the woman seemed to be on reaching the back of the room. She had best not be planning on bringing her trouble to the gypsy. No one brought trouble onto her stage. Not if they had any aspirations of getting back off in one piece.
Her gaze was drawn to the case in the woman's hands and her eyes narrowed even more until she wore a proper glare. Trouble was one thing, but if the woman intended to invite herself into the gypsy's performance, then she had a lot of manners to learn. While it was not completely unheard of for Rajani to share a stage, it was a rare event and it was never done without an agreement beforehand. Of course, that was common courtesy for any performer.
Throughout all of this, her voice never faltered.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:23 pm
The men were shoving their way through the crowd now, intent on reaching her. Soibhan glanced up at the woman on stage and realized as she locked gazes with the gypsy that the singer did not approve of Soibhan, or her apparent intentions. Growling, she pressed herself to the side of the stage, raising her case up and pointing at it in a silent request.
If she could just get up in front of a crowd of people intent on hearing good music, she might be spared from being jumped. Though she doubted the bar's proprietor would allow a woman to be harmed in the establishment, he could also kick her out and leave her to her own devices. Her hunger and weariness would make it a short fight if the men chose to follow her.
"I'm good!" She shouted, hoping her voice carried to the singing woman.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 3:28 pm
Rajani glanced from the woman to the men intent on teaching her a lesson, considering her options. On the one hand, if she helped the woman, she would undoubtedly be dragged into her problems later. They did not seem the type to give up, even if their attempts to accost her were thwarted now, and she doubted that they had any discretion as to going after those who got in their way. On the other hand, she could ignore her pleas and let her deal with the issue herself. It would certainly save her a lot of trouble.
Of course, Rajani was more than capable of taking care of herself - more so now than ever - and she always had Oberon to back her up, if it came to it. Besides, she did not particularly like men who thought so highly of themselves that one little rejection would elicit such a reaction, drunk or no. A quick glance at the bar affirmed that the owner had disappeared - probably to bully the cooks. Cheap, useless b*****d. It seemed that the choice was hers.
Well, if nothing else, the woman had at least had the decency to ask before jumping onto her stage. If she turned out to be a terrible a player, at least it was only less than a set's worth of earnings that the gypsy would be losing. Rajani tilted her head slightly, inviting the woman up.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 9:34 pm
Wishing she had a weapon, Soibhan's gaze darted back and forth between the gypsy and the jilted man. When she saw the nod, she leapt up on stage with all the grace of a feline and sauntered into place slightly behind and to the right of the singing woman, preparing her instrument while she finished her song. Her eyes never left her would-be assailants, and the man she'd downed glared at her, but in front of so many eager eyes, he didn't seem willing to follow her. No doubt he would wait, try to catch her alone at some other point tonight.
She had an easy fix for that. Don't get caught alone. But there had been no outward friendliness to the gypsy's gaze, and Soibhan doubted she'd be welcome for long.
Either way, she set her beloved instrument to her shoulder, where it nestled comfortably beneath her chin. Gliding the bow gently along the strings, she made sure nothing was amiss and thanked the gods for keeping it safe in the hands of her captors, waiting for the gypsy to finish her song.
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Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:06 pm
Part of Rajani was disappointed when the man backed off so easily. Coward. He really would stick around and go after the woman later, when he thought he could get away with it. Besides, she would have liked to have given him ample compensation for his efforts, perhaps starting by reshaping his beak of a nose...
Oh, dear. She really was getting in touch with her violent side. She was not certain whether Macaire would be proud or shocked. He had such delicate sensibilities, after all. Especially when it came to women. The thought amused her. She knew the twins would not be the least surprised to see her act on such an urge. Her amusement fled in favor of ire as she remembered all the irritating males she had left in Palisade. And what did she find waiting for her here? A quiet night practicing her craft? No. Never something so easy. Instead, she found more sorry excuses for the male of the species. It almost made her want to help the woman taking refuge on her stage.
When her song ended, she chose one of the traditional tunes - something that anyone would recognize, though the lyrics doubtless varied slightly from region to region. She would see just how good her new accompaniment was.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 4:00 pm
The song the gypsy chose sounded familiar in such a way that Soibhan knew her people had a variation of it. However, it differed enough that she had to take a moment to remember and catch the rhythm, then she joined in as smoothly as a trout cutting through water. The tune had a swift pace; Soibhan loved fast songs, and this one was one of the faster ones. She wondered if the singer chose it to test her, to see if she was even worthy enough to play on the same stage. The highland woman didn't doubt it, and took it as a challenge.
She would show this dark beauty what a Gaelic woman was made of.
The crowd had stilled at first, as if unsure of this turn of events, but soon their voices combined in a swell of lusty noise as they sang and stomped their feet. Soibhan's fingers flew over the strings, her bow moving fast enough that it was a blur. The music filled her and for the first time since her capture, she felt alive and free.
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Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:52 pm
When at first the woman did not join in, Rajani began to wonder whether she knew the song, or if perhaps she did not know how to play at all. It did not take very long for her to join in, however, so the gypsy was forced to admit that she could at least hold a tune. The cadence of the woman's music was foreign to Sunderland, but it held a great deal of verve that made the gypsy think of her own people. It blended surprisingly well with her own voice.
Still, this was not enough to satisfy her. Perhaps the woman could follow an old folk song, but did she know any songs of the sea? Did she know any modern songs? Could she improvise? There was time enough to tell in these last few numbers for the night. Not that she had any idea why she was bothering. If things went her way, she would be rid of the woman before morning. Or better yet, at the end of the set.
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Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:13 pm
Soibhan enjoyed playing with this woman. As they moved into a second song, she felt herself syncing with the singer more and more. By the third song, she started to think the woman was testing her, throwing the most random songs at her, each more different than the last. When they hit the final song, she didn't know what it was. It had never been played in her village, and at first, Soibhan simply stood there, tapping her foot gently to the rhythm. At first, she felt hesitant to join in.
The song was...different, but she couldn't quite explain to herself how. It sounded so very strange. Wild, much like the songs of her own people. But lilting, and swaying, and soon she found herself swaying, letting the song move her hands. Since the woman didn't stop and protest, she must have been doing something right, and let her bow move across the strings of its own accord.
When the song ended, she felt breathless and full of adrenaline. She wanted to dance, to run, to fight......To see her people. Suddenly, she missed home and frowned, staring without seeing out into the roaring crowd.
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Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:14 pm
Unable to decide whether she was pleased or irritated with the stranger, Rajani chose to ignore her as she stood near the edge of the stage and waited for the rest of the tavern's offerings to be placed in the collection pot. She scowled and sharply toed one mousy fellow in the cheek. He seemed to think he could pocked some of her earnings. He offered her a sheepish grin and replaced what he had taken before dashing off.
When at last the crowd dwindled and she was certain that no more money was coming in, the gypsy tucked away her earnings.
From somewhere in the room, a handsome rook appeared and found his perch on the singer's shoulder. She hardly seemed to notice. Instead, she turned her scowl on her very temporary accompaniment. "I hope you don't think you're going to pocket any of my earnings."
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 11:58 am
Soibhan grabbed her case and lovingly set the violin within, taking pains to wipe down the wood and care for the horsehair bow.She looked up at the woman with a quirk of her brow, feeling a slight spark of indignation.
"Not at all. Just needed an escape from the randy arse in the crowd," she said, turning her pale gold eyes to the throng of people beneath the stage. Said arse couldn't be seen, but she had no doubt he was loitering outside with his cronies, waiting for her to leave the building.
"Thanks for letting me play with you. Your voice is beautiful, though your attitude is in need of some polishing," she added with a tight smile, snapping the case shut. "Is there a back way out of this place unknown to fools? Because I think both of us are in for a tumble if those fools see us leaving."
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 12:22 pm
The gypsy snorted quietly. "I think I am not the only one whose manners could use some work," she said pointedly. "Besides, I might welcome a little tumble," she added, then sashayed off the stage without bothering to see whether the other woman followed. It was half-true, at the least. She might not go out of her way to get into trouble, but neither was she inclined to ignore it when trouble came and made itself known to her.
Rajani collected her flat earnings from the barkeep with no more than the usual hassle and headed for the kitchen, grabbing a drink and a small loaf of still-warn bread on her way through. From Oberon, she knew that the servant's entrance at the back of the kitchen was miraculously empty. Either the woman's assailants were even less competent than they looked, or they had something else planned. Well, it was always possible that the large, intimidating, fully Awakened Guardian with glowing, purple eyes had warned them off. Just a thought.
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