Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tessa peered at some of the silver Alcion had been eyeing, but respectfully the human woman didn't actually touch anything on the cart. She'd been schooled too long in etiquette in the En'Logist household, and she didn't want to risk insulting a merchant in the midst of a festival if they weren't amenable to having humans touching their wares.

Straightening, she stretched to crack her back with a resounding popping sound, which paused in mid bend as her eye caught site of something interesting. In the direction of the fountain she had spotted a strange looking bestial of indiscernible ancestry. The bard had never seen an armadillo before, and found herself completely gobsmacked at the sight of Spade.

Not one to waste an opportunity to learn something new and immortalize it in song or story, Tessa slipped in between two burly merchants and made her way towards the creature.

As she approached, she made a formal bow. "Good day to you, most interesting of beings! Would you be so kind as to allow me to sit a spell and chat with you, as I've not seen anyone with so intriguing a visage today?"

Tessa at first seemed perplexed by the welcoming gesture, but it made her smile. She hadn't expected the creature to bow like she had afterall.

"Your features make you most intriguing. I have met some folk of beastial ancestry in my travels, but I have never met your like." She settled down beside the unusual creature and leaned back on her hands so she could better regard it...er her. She thought it might be a her at least, or a very shy he.

"Can you tell me from what fantastic creature you have gained such an original appearance? I am a bard you see, and a bit of a closet student of the world." She smiled brightly, the interest glittering in her green eyes genuine.

Tessa's eyes lit up at the explanation. "I see! That makes perfect sense. I dare say I've never been on an adventure under the earth. That must be fascinating!" The bard's curiosity was more than evident as she was nearly bouncing from the "discovery" of this strange species of bestial.

"Dirt men...interesting indeed. Do all of your tribe share the same physical attributes, like your ears and nose and your...my goodness...are you wearing armor?" She blinked a few times, unable to tell if the creature was indeed wearing armor or if that was her very skin. She dragged herself out of momentarily staring and blushed a bit.

"Where are my manners?! I've completely forgotten to introduce myself! I am Tessa Sirat, though most folks just call me Tess."

Tessa looked closer at the body armor and seemed enthralled by it. "That's amazing! But I don't know of any armored rabbits or voles or mice or moles...so what sort of animal is your armor derived from?"

Ah, there was the root of the problem, she was unfamiliar with the creature whose features Spade had acquired.

"Perhaps some day I could visit your tribe. I could write a song about them and life underground. I think people would find it as fascinating as I do!"

She grinned broadly.

Bah, answers weren't forthcoming. Tessa chuckled softly and quipped, "I find the most interesting people tend to be the simplest. Because we can relate on the simpler levels, you see."

She rose and idly brushed off the fronts of her breeches. "The afternoon approaches, however, and I need to get back to our lodgings. It was nice to meet you Spade. I may be performing later tonight at some time. You are most welcome to come and listen."

The bard twitched a kink out of one knee from sitting and with a wave to the bestial, she slipped back through the crowd and down one of the streets connecting to the square.

Arien eventually set the ring down she'd been eyeing before turning away. She truly had no use for such trinkets. Her mouth twisted faintly in a slight hint of a frown as she set the bauble down and moved away from the cart and the market square in general.

The idea of checking into a nice, cozy inn and perhaps indulging in a nice supper later in the evening was far more pleasing than the idea of parading about with a beautiful gem on her hand. She was a fairly modest girl, and truly saw such things as frivolous.

Then again, the reason why she thought that way was because she hardly felt she could pull off decorating herself with ornate jewelry or fancy dresses. She sighed faintly at that before doing her best to avoid the largest parts of the crowds that gathered about the small carts and carpets where merchants had their goods on display.

She was beginning to wonder why she'd agreed to show up to the festival in the first place. But, oh yes, her father -- she wanted to please her father. What dutiful, loving daughter wouldn't?

After heaving another heavy sigh she abandoned the market in search of the inn she had been told she'd have reservations at.

Alcion has finally decided to come out again, and sat by the fountain, his hand traveling over paper, tracing large lines with graphite. He was sketching his unaware crowd, a small, child-like smile on his face, It fit him well - he did look, and act, younger than he was.

His gestures became smaller when he reached the smaller details, trying not to smudge too much, not wanting to stain his white shirt. It would be a shame if he did...

The sounds of the fountain and the voices mixed themselves in his mind, to produce a whole. He was in his own little bubble, mostly unaware of anything but what he drew.

Alcion did not really hear or notice the girl, still concentred on his sketch. He was starting on the stalls now, tracing the outlines slopylly, then he would go back and precise the details down later.