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 Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:15 am
Crowds are like a river. Hester found upon plunging into it that the current was too strong to be overmastered, her feet suddenly following it of their own accord. With horror she realized the inn she had chosen had disappeared. There was no chance for her to find it in this bustle. With difficulty she fought her way back to a place of reasonable calm- the fountain -and gratefully dropped to the rim of it, leaning back as far as she could from the life flowing past.
A few moments fell away searching. No, the place was gone for sure...she smoothed her hair back, distinctly ruffled. "I ent going back in that again." she muttered. She could wait here until the crowd dispersed a little, or perhaps the arena; it was large enough and besides, hadn't she better get an idea of the place? She sidled across the fountain a few inches, ears pricked and eyes straining for a glimpse of the arena.
'I really should have looked for it earlier.' she thought ruefully.
((Yay, weekends~! Moi sorry too for not posting much ._.))
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:19 am
There were a few things which Tessa knew were a given in her life. One of them was that if she wanted to find Alcion, the best way was to lure him to her rather than go looking. And to do that usually required nothing more than playing some of her music. The flame-haired bard slipped between the backs of two plump human servants trailing behind their elven masters to get to the spot she'd performed a few days prior.
Without an urchin in sight, she batted her lashes at a human festival goer and sweetly asked him to overturn a rain barrel for her to sit on. It didn't even require a coin like an urchin did, so she was pleased as she unwound the wrap from about her hips and laid it out atop the barrel bottom.
Once she settled in and got her lute into her lap, she hummed a few bars to warm up before launching into a song.
Unto the city of Terralusk
There came a fair young maid,
Dressed in the garb of nobility,
Her garments well arrayed.
In spite of magic in her veins
No spell she had to cast,
And so she came upon a shop,
With arcane things amassed.
Within this shop there was an elf
Both fair of face and hair,
And saw within the tender maid
Her magics unaware.
To teach he did an offer make
To help her find inside
The means to wake what slumbered there
The arcane touch espied.
"Oh where are thou
My magic bright?
I know you are inside.
Why come you not
Into the light?"
The lovely maiden sighed.
The sorcerer a merchant born
Did know his craft and trade,
And from his lessons magic came
Unto the lovely maid.
His tongue he taught, a language fair,
To sculpt from it each song,
To lyricize her arcane craft
And render magics strong.
"I feel you now
My magic bright!
I sense you in my heart.
I've drawn you forth
Into the light."
The maiden did impart.
And so the merchant mage did bid
The maiden fair partake,
Of evenings dark and lessons deep
A merchant's price to take.
In time she learned her lessons well
And led a happy life,
Until the merchant sorcerer
Announced she'd be his wife.
The lovely lass was quite aghast
For plans she had designed,
To travel far across the lands
And so his troth declined.
The sorcerer felt wrathful woe
And vowed she would not go.
The maid was forced to call upon
A spell to lay him low.
"I need you now
My magic bright
Rise like the lunar tide.
And stop the elf
Of moonkissed brow
I will not be his bride!"
And with her song the arcane surged
It welled betwixt the pair,
And dazed the mage a moment's breath
As she escaped his lair.
Into the night the maiden ran
To flee for honor?s sake.
To save herself from arcane wrath
She fled into the lake.
So to a merchant sorcerer
Her innocence was lost.
And waters claimed her final breath
Because a mage she crossed.
Unto this day I hold to heart
A lesson to obey:
No matter what a merchant sells
There'll be a price to pay.
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 10:20 am
One thing was known, and it was that Tessa knew Alcion extremely well. Trough he had already been searching for her, her voice confirmed that she was actually there, and all he had to do was follow it to find her.
This wasn't a simple task, he soon found out, do to the people gathering.
"Sorry ! Excuse me madam !!! Watch out !!! Ah, sorry, sorry !"
The crowd was DENCE. Alcion could barely take one step without colliding into someone... Trough he eventually emerged, simply waiting until Tessa would be done her song while waiting in front of the crowd.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 12:37 pm
{{>_>; Kay, so I forbid myself from RP while I was judging the GMFC entries. But now that's over so if any of you want to grab me for RP here just drop me a PM or snag me on AIM. :O I don't bite.}}
Jakli sighed faintly as she made her way through the crowd. She'd gotten better at avoiding crashing into people or getting in their way while she was here. True, she had the occasional slip-up and got shoved around a bit, but she was getting better! Really!
She paused near the fountain in the center of the square, casting a searching glance around the area. She'd found some trinkets and baubles in the few days she'd been here - a simple necklace she'd purchased the other day hung around her neck now.
Now, she pricked an ear forward in a curious fashion, not that it would help much with all the chatter going on around the square. It all muddled together the further away it was, making it near impossible to pick out conversations. It wasn't exactly easy to see what was going on in the trader's booths either - not with all those people walking back and forth in front of them.
Jakli let her ears droop for a moment, starting away from the fountain. She'd just have to look for the daggers for her father the hard way, it seemed.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:53 pm
"Works every time," Tessa thought to herself, as she took her bows and nodded towards Alcion with a smile tilting on her lips. She wrapped her colorful scarf around her waist once more and approached the elf whose family she had served for her entire life.
"My Lord, I am most grateful that you have found me. I did truly need to speak with you. Might we go find some quiet shade somewhere and converse?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:47 pm
Alcion could not help but blink, wondering what she needed to speak about, then glanced around.
"Perhaps near the fountain ? There are always less people there. Or it is private enough to require us to go back ?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:55 pm
Tessa smiled and hitched the lute higher on her shoulder. "The fountain will suffice My Lord. It's just so noisy by the merchant stalls." She gestured for the elf to precede her, as always stepping in behind and to his left like a proper servant should.
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:11 pm
Now wearing a modest, masculine chain necklace with an attached charm of a bird in flight, Zian has been watching Tessa's performance from the crowd. While it was never exactly his passion, he's always liked music. And he'd heard a few festival patrons describing this bard with favorable reviews.
So he's noticeably irritated when after one song - and an enjoyable oneshe's called aside by some elf he's never seen before. Thinking he's bothering her about the performance, and not exactly thinking twice, Zian calls out from his spot in the crowd. "Hey, let her sing! Encore!"
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 12:17 pm
Alcion motioned to do so, but then a voice yelled across the crowd.
"Hey, let her sing! Encore!"
He stopped net, sending a serious glance at the crowd.
"...I am sorry, but Tessa and I have important things to discuss. I am sure you will all get to hear her voice again, but for now there are more important things at hand. We should hurry, Tessa..." He said, leading her toward the fountain.
Some people these days didn't remember how to be polite. Seesh...
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 12:31 pm
The flame-haired bard's head turned towards the encore request, and she made an elaborate bow. "Many thanks for your appreciation, but I have business to attend. I shall gladly play for everyone later this evening with my kind Lord's permission and blessing." She gestured to Alcion with a smile that left no doubt as to her high esteem of the elf.
Without further adieu she turned to accompany her point-eared companion to the fountain. She settled on it's edge and folded her hands in her lap.
"My lord, I was wondering if it would be possible for us to attend some of the arena fights? I have heard they have the makings of some grand tales and songs, and I thought perhaps they might even be a good place to find wonderful models for your artwork."
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 12:40 pm
"I was intending to, actually... It just seems that the area is always full by the time I get there to take places." He gave a smile, sitting on the side of the fountain. "Most unfortunate, but I hope we will get to attend at least once before the festival is over... this would be a shame if we did not."
He ran an hand trough his long hairs, looking pensive.
"I wonder when the next one will be... Perhaps if we come a bit early..."
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:00 pm
Tessa smiled and contained her excitement at the response from Alcion. "I shall ask about, if you'd like, my Lord, and find out when the next arena battle is scheduled. I am sure someone of your stature will be able to easily secure some seats. If you'll excuse me now, Lord Alcion, I shall go do that very thing?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:02 pm
"Go ahead." He smiled. "...But perhaps you should go back to your crowd... They're waiting to hear your wonderful voice, after all. I can look around myself..."
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:04 pm
The bard bowed to Alcion and glanced over at the crowd. "Mayhap later these eve, Milord. My throat is feeling parched and I think it best if I seek some hot tea with honey to sooth it, lest I damage it in some way."
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Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 1:06 pm
"Hmmm, true, this would be extremely bad if this would happen." Alcion was genuinely concerned... Not only because of her voice, but for her as a person. "Get some rest, please... ? I'll truly hate to see something like that happen to you, Tessa..."
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