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 Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 3:55 am
She could tell he meant for her to be painted, so she stepped forward bashfully, her insides squirming at the thought of wet paint and soft brushes tickling her. She hoped she wouldn't fidget and mess it up. "Your work is beautiful," she told him.
With a sinking feeling, Tannem now realized where the painting on her hand had come from. Quickly, he returned to Stacia's side. "Indeed. Perhaps you would be kind enough to paint for us on our wedding next week? I'd really appreciate it," he said, beaming at Ryan and placing his arm around Stacia, who stared at him angrily. "Don't be so hasty, dear," she said, removing his arm from her. "We don't even know that there will be a wedding. I might catch ill. Deathly ill," she threatened. "After all, I did swim in a lake," she added sarcastically.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:26 am
Your work is beautiful… “Why, thank you,” he beamed, painting delicate lace-like patterns in the small of her back and working up her sides, then restarted at the base of her neck. He paused the painting, briefly. “Hold your top.” He slipped the spaghetti straps from her shoulders and resumed painting. When he was done, he smiled sheepishly and pointed her to two hand-mirrors that rested on the table yonder.
“A wedding? I’ve done quite a few of those. Where will this take place?”
He motioned for Lavender to sit on the stool, but she shook her head and backed away slowly. “Lavender!” he bellowed, playfully. “I WILL colour your freckles!”
“No!” she squealed and tried to get away from him, but he was too fast and too strong.
“EVERY single one of them!”
“No,” she protested weakly, laughing until her stomach ached. He picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and placed her on the stool, starting with her face and actually doing what he said: highlighting every tiny freckle across her nose and cheeks. Then, he moved on to her shoulders and back. It was delicate enough not to make her out as a neon dalmatian, but instead seemed to give an effect of stars and nebulae.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:34 am
Tannem was satisfied with Ryan's answer and no longer saw him as a threat. Ignoring Stacia's protests about the wedding, he watched Ryan paint Lavender. "Five days from now, in Eridell perhaps. Or at the estate a few miles from the university. Most likely the latter. What sort of paintings do you do for weddings?"
Stacia scowled at the two and made a face at them, winking at Lavender over Ryan's shoulder and mouthing "I'm not marrying the idiot," with a smile. She cast her eyes around the cave once more, observing the glittering of the stone and the quiet melody of the water washing against stone, echoing around the caves.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:40 am
“Every and any kind, but I’m not going near the capitol and no amount of persuading or bribery can change that,” his voice had a tinge of agonising sorrow to it, but cleared away as he brushed the thought from his mind.
That was the second time she mentioned it. “Swimming in lakes is dangerous. You shouldn’t do that often. At least not twice in a row. Why don’t you stay here with us for the night?”
Lavender only gaped at Ryan, thinking well, this is hardly appropriate, but okay.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:49 am
Tannem looked to Stacia. Her eyes were pleading. He thought for a moment, feeling helpless under her gaze. Finally, he looked away from her and back to Ryan. "Quite right, as I keep telling her. I accept your gracious offer with my humble thanks." Stacia smiled at him, genuine and looked over to Lavender, excited to stay and spend more time with her new friends. Maybe I should stop giving him such a hard time, she thought. "Thank you," she said to Ryan and Lavender, bowing her head slightly. "What should we do first?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:00 am
“Well,” Ryan started, finishing up and placing the paint and brush on the kitchen table. “The two of you could drink this.” He poured them each a cup of steaming tea. “Freshly brewed and great for the river baddies.”
“Uh…” Lavender commented, but fell silent.
“You’re not leaving this room until you drank all of it.” He handed them the cups and watched them, standing with his hands on his hips and trying to seem all authority-like. Lavender only laughed at him.
“It’s safe, don’t worry.” She stole two sips from Stacia’s cup, secretly making sure that she didn’t have to consume as much. “See, nothing. Herbs in these small amounts won’t kill you.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:05 am
Tannem stared skeptically at the "tea" as his mask slithered down to form gold arm bands on his left arm. He looked to Stacia, who gratefully drank hers. "Finished," she said, smiling. They turned to stare at him expectantly. He took a small sip; Stacia rolled her eyes and tipped the cup back before he could pull it away, forcing him to drink the rest or spit it everywhere. The cup emptied and he gasped for air, coughing. Stacia laughed and he could feel his muscles relaxing, his eyes becoming slightly glazed. Tannem took a deep breath and took her cup, placing them both onto the table. "Satisfied," he asked Ryan.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:28 am
Both Ryan and Lavender laughed as a response. “Come on,” she linked arms with Stacia and skipped out of the room and into the living area. Ryan nodded at Tannem to follow them, exiting the kitchen last. The living area was filled with laughter, incense, smelling faintly of lotus flowers and something tropical and fruity, and music that pumped into the air. Tannem might have recognised the sounds as they were recordings of an Imperial musician group. It gave the atmosphere a mellow and energised feel.
“Mum!” A young boy ran to his pregnant mother – a small woman that sat on her husband’s lap.
“What is it, sweety?”
“I can see my nose!” He pointed a small, chubby finger at his glowing nose. It seems the children had helped themselves to Ryan’s glow worm paint.
“We all can, darling.”
“Oh… But it’s smack-bang in the middle of my face!” He protested, genuinely surprised and a bit concerned.
The others were gathered around a low table, playing cards.
“By my hand, Fred, you should be king!” A man laughed as Fredrick won again. They didn’t play for keeps, but the old man enjoyed the adrenalin.
“He can’t be the King,” the old woman chuckled, pouring more tea into their cups. “Why, Tristan is King and a mighty fine one at that. Do you remember when he called off his guards at our wedding? Being all respectful and that. Such a nice boy.”
“That was fifty years ago, Marda. Tristan isn’t King anymore,” Fred corrected. The tea not yet dulled his need for factual correctness.
“Who’s the King again, darling?”
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:37 am
Tannem felt more at ease, he suspected due to the familiar song. Then he realized what everyone was drinking. He rounded on Ryan. "What did you give us," he asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing. Unfortunately, he was having trouble staying angry. He leaned against the wall heavily, Stacia arm-in-arm with Lavender, giggling.
He closed his eyes, willing himself to take deep breaths. He wondered what foreign drug was in the tea, or if it was some odd form of alcohol. He suddenly wished he was back at the estate, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He had been in a lake for an extended period of time, imbibed an unknown substance, been covered in glowing worm excrement, and now he was to sleep in a cave. The things I do for love, he thought, shaking his head. He opened his eyes, humming along quietly with the music, seemingly against his will.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:53 am
“Aleron!” everybody called out in unison.
“That’s the man!” Marda laughed as if remembering the previous hundred times they’ve told her.
A young girl walked up to him. She was well-built and lean, had short golden hair and had Ryan’s designs all over her semi- naked body. She held out another cup to him. This one was bigger and the tea smelled intoxicatingly delicious – almost irresistible. When she saw Ryan, his name was exclaimed, followed by, “Catch me!” She jumped from the floor to his shoulders and up again, somersaulting in the air before falling into his arms. He spun her around him and then switched from salsa to ballet, twirling her away from him. She giggled happily and the room was instantly brightened in mood.
“Do you dance?” Lavender asked Stacia.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:58 am
"Only when alone or drunk," she admitted with a laugh. Tannem examined the cup. Why the hell not, he decided, draining half of it. He turned Stacia round to face him and, before she could react, pressed the cup to her lips and poured the rest down her throat. She swallowed the drink and swatted his arm. "What was that for?"
"Now we're even," he grinned. Stacia tried to glare, but ended up dissolving into laughter. "I think I could be persuaded to dance," she admitted to Lavender, still laughing and wiping some of the liquid from her mouth. She was suddenly feeling a lot less self-conscious and bashful among the group of scantily clad people. Tannem smirked at her and allowed another random person to refill the cup to the brim.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:16 am
“What do you normally dance to?” Lavender continued after having recovered from laughing at Stacia’s betrothed. They played something slower, but not less energetic, and Rose and her husband started in a slow waltz. Her twins allowed the rhythm to control their limbs. They weren’t minstrels and, as a result, this looked rather amusing. The blonde dragged Ryan into some flashy moves, and even the old couple stood to join the merry lot.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:26 am
Stacia giggled. "Nothing like this," she admitted. Tennam had finished the drink and set the cup to the side. He was in high spirits. "Oh, come now. It's not that difficult," he told her. He gripped her hand and pulled her to him so that they were pressed against each other and wrapped his arm around her waist, ensuring she couldn't pull away. He then began moving fluidly with the music, his footwork intricate and light - a version of the Imperial waltz developed among the middle-class and seen as bold and rather inappropriate. Stunned, Stacia followed his lead, laughing and struggling to keep up.
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:26 am
"Oh, this is good. I picked it up when I was in Aberekith last month," Rose's husband, Joshua, stated, quite pleased with the electronic tunes that pulsed through the air. Ryan and his little dance partner once again took to the floor and executed an array of complicated combinations. Lavender pointed her toes out in front of her and started her own dance, lost in thought.
"Stop looking at him, honey," Rose whispered, but her honey badger-masked husband continued to observe Tannem fully - not one movement was missed. He bared his teeth and let his hands fall from his wife's middle. "Joshua, no." Ryan looked up at this and rushed to the rescue. "Joshua, stand down!" He placed himself between them. "Get out of the way, fish."
"Calm down. What's the matter with you?"
"Hungry," the man croaked. Rose gasped and placed her hands over her heart, seeming genuinely concerned for the snake shifter's safety. "We're better than this; we're not animals!" Ryan protested.
Everyone gathered round to see what was going to happen, leaving Lavender the last one dancing. She flopped down unto the floor and twirled on her knees. Her improvisation was aggressive and seemed to have the intention of hurting her person.
"Dáire!" Ryan warned, leaving Tannem at the mercy of Joshua. She did not respond.
She was so absorbed in her own world that, when Ryan wrapped his arms around her, restricting her movement and holding her still, she screamed and squirmed to be released. He did not tolerate this for more than 10 seconds and dealt a devastating blow to her temples. The girl fell limp - unconscious. Ryan sighed, now completely sober, picked her up and exited the room.
Tannem drew Stacia behind him protectively, coiled and tensed for quick movement. Stacia stared after Ryan and Lavender, wondering if she was okay. She suddenly wished she hadn't had anything to drink. Tannem's eyes gradually yellowed and the pupils became snake-like, diamond shaped. "Let's be reasonable," he said quietly. "We have no quarrel. Let's not start something that will be regretted, especially in the presence of women and children," he added, gesturing around them.
Rose stepped forward, resting a small hand on her husband's bicep holding her baby bump with the other. He looked down at her as she stood in front of him, staring into her pleading eyes, and melted. His hands gently balled around the hair on the back of her head and he pulled her closer to him, placing his lips on her forehead with a kiss. "I'm so sorry, love," he whispered, pained. "Shh," she consolated, relieved and smiling. "Everything is always elevated when you drink." After a moment, he turned to Tannem. "My apologies, sir. I'm not sure what came over me."
Tannem smiled at him politely. "No harm done. But perhaps we'd better be going," he added with a swift glance at Stacia. "But... Lavender," she pleaded.
"What of her? She's in good hands among her people," he replied quietly.
"I have to make sure she's okay. Please?" Tannem sighed and turned to Rose. "Might I ask where Lavender may have gone? Her friend wishes me to examine her for any possible injury."
"He probably took her to her room, dear. It's the one 4 rooms down the corridor, on your left." Rose redirected her attention to her self-effacing husband. His forehead wrinkled with concern.
[This post is a collaboration between both members of the roleplay, played out via chat on another site and posted by Genrin619.]
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:30 am
Tannem held up a hand, signifying peace. "I know." He knelt beside Lavender and placed a hand on the side of her face, just below the bruised temple. He closed his eyes tightly, concentrating. Stacia looked on, concerned. "Why was she dancing like that," she asked Ryan, "Was it some magic?"
He nodded. "We all go through phases, but if you're a minstrel, you can't express your feelings whenever they occur. Lavender let her guard down and it affected Joshua's behaviour. I'm really sorry for all the trouble, man." He turned to Tannem. "She'll come around. Sage will be here soon, too." He stood up to see what he was doing.
Tannem kept still and quiet, trying to repair the damage to the blood vessels and bring down the swelling and bruise. After a few moments, he opened his eyes.
Seeing that the bruise had healed, he stood. "She'll be fine now. Just let her rest." He grabbed Stacia's arm and pulled her after him. "Bye," she said to Ryan with a grimace. "Impressive. Thanks," Ryan remarked, then moved out of the way. "See you," he greeted Stacia.
Tannem led her into the main chamber where the others were still gathered, talking amongst themselves. "Oh, dears. I am truly sorry it turned out this way."
"Thank you for an... interesting evening. Perhaps one day we could return the favor." He gave a stiff bow; Rose handed Stacia flower wreath as a token of apology before Tannem pulled her out of the room.
Once they were out of hearing distance, she turned towards the rest. "Was that a threat?" Fred asked, but everyone was as confused, and worried, as he sounded.
* * *
Stacia jerked her arm away once they had reached the porch. "What is wrong with you," she shouted at him, shoving.
"Me? Your friends nearly attacked us and you're asking what's wrong with me?"
"Yes. So, one man was drunk. Everyone else was being perfectly civil and you had to drag me out of there like that! And threaten them!" Stacia was beside herself with anger. "And here I was, starting to think you were normal."
"Face it, Stacia. As'ardens and Imperials will never mix well." She glowered at him.
"Go on," he told her, "If you think I'm wrong, go back there and tell them you're Imperial." She didn't move. "That's what I thought." A single tear rolled down her cheek as she clasped the flower wreath to her chest, hanging her head. He sighed and pushed her hair away from her face. "I'm sorry," he said gently, "But that's the truth. Come on." He took her hand. "Let's go back to where we belong."
Stacia placed the wreath upon a stone and dove into the water after him, the paint trailing after her in bright colors, washing away.
[This post is a collaboration between both members of the roleplay, played out via chat on another site and posted by Genrin619.]
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