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 Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:52 am
Dari'an heaved a grateful sigh as the last of her customers slipped out of the incense-laden tent and off into the velvety darkness. Not that she disliked her customers, far from it! No, she was grateful to have some time to herself to consider a perplexing problem of her own.
Grabbing a light cloak from the top of the cabinet where she kept the bulk of her herbal remedies, she swung it around her shoulders and hurried from the tent. She had another heart and mind to work on tonight and she doubted he would wait around if she was late.
Gentle night breezes played with the tasseled ends of her cloak and set the tiny bells woven into her hair to chiming. Now, the young Djardi smiled. Who couldn't enjoy being alive on a night like this? Laughing, she waved a hand at the stars, reveling in their cold light as she approached the field where her... her... well, he wasn't exactly a customer, but he wasn't exactly a friend either, waited.
"You should know," she intoned in a mock solemn voice as she got within hearing distance, "that they are at it again. I was nearly flayed alive by all the gossiping tongues! Why I expected an actor to be discreet, I will never know."
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:21 am
From his back, the Aishe had heard her approaching and even though he hadn't been thinking about it, standing on a rock in the field, Belarus had been enjoying the exact same stars that Dari'an had. From her view she couldn't see it, but his face was twinkling, a small mirror image of the stars above them. He was such a weirdo, such a strange boy...even the old Baba had had her doubts about him. His life was his work, and his work was his life. Was he too good at what he did? Or simply on his way to being the best? Sometimes people whispered that Belarus was the way he was because his master of his had driven to hard. It was unhealthy. Heh, but what did other Usari know? Pfft, like rumors we're ever true. Apparently, somethings would last till the end of time, gossip was one of them. You could never escape. Even after death--heh, even in this field.
"I was about to leave, you know?" He hummed as Belarus, like a dancer, spun around to greet Dari'an. The same place, the same time, every night now for the past few months Belarus would come sit in the field to wait until Dari'an was done with her work. While he did in fact come to greet her out of respect, this Usari also did it to bug his partner. For her, he liked to put on an extra big show.
"We'll now," he mocked, balancing up to one foot, as he swiftly pulled a hand in front of his face, covering the lower half of his expression. "That is your problem," his eyes winked as a thin painted mouth bled across the mask, in the shape of a sweet smile, "that you thought so, about actors." He laughed, gracefully shifting feet as he took a small running jump to the next rock. "And not mine," and just like that, he stuck his tongue out at the Usari female whom was chosen to be his one and only life long match, and took a sitting squat.
"Riddle me this Dari'an, will you ask of me, as you have requested every night since our fated meeting, the same question you always do?" He waited briefly, two or three seconds, an appropriate about of time for her to answer before he butted in again. "Or have you given up on getting to see my face?" Tauntingly he brushed a hand over the curious magical ornament which kept his most precious secret hidden from the rest of the caravan. Well, the rest of the world. "What do the people say, when they hear that you have not yet seen the color of your own partner's eyes?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 6:11 am
Eying the flamboyant Aishe sourly, Dari'an made it a deliberate point to sit far more gracefully then he had before pushing the hood of her cloak down. Belarus was clearly in fine form tonight and was just as obviously ready to needle her.
Bugger that, she thought as she schooled her expression into one of complete and utter placidity. She knew he hated it when he couldn't get a rise out of her. So, rather than answer him directly, she snapped her fingers imperiously and held out her own hand to him.
"Come on," she began, "let's see how that hand of yours is healing up. As you should doubtless know by now, the mangling you gave it is no laughing matter."
Indeed, she thought, the pulled muscles and tendons he had come to her with all those months ago had caused her no end of sleepless nights at first. Bad enough that other Ursari whispered that her brand of healing was too freakish, but to have them add on that she's destroyed an Aishe's rising career through bad healing... Shivering, she pushed that thought away and decided to answer Belarus' taunting questions.
"If you must know," her voice took on a touch of acid, "with one or two exceptions, they all think I am using you, that this bond of ours is nothing more than childish fantasy and that I am certain to end up killing you through accidental poisoning. The fact that I haven't seen your face is more evidence of my duplicitous nature and I deserve to be driven from the caravan for it."
Though she had fought to keep her own voice light, some hurt and doubt was bound to leak through. She couldn't help but wonder if all those people were right about her. Still, her own Master didn't say those terrible things. Nor did Baba. And of all the elders ni the caravan, she trusted those two the most.
"As for that silly chunk of wood on your face, of course I am going to ask you to remove it! How am I supposed to trust a thing you say, or even to trust you for that matter, when you clearly don't trust me enough to remove it?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:30 pm
"Awn, do I have to come down?" Belarus gave a mock whine, and sad painted little tears began to drip down from his face. "Didn't you prod and poke at it enough all ready?" Or if I come down from this rock tonight, perhaps you have other intentions, eh Dari'an? 'You want to see my face? But look, look again, my face is right in front of you'. He gave another mock sigh, pretending to wipe the look of disappointment from his face, before he leapt from the rock he hand been standing on, down into a pool of wavy grass. That was enough play for now, anymore and she might explode. It was a gift Belarus had come to covet, when to stop harassing others before he pushed just the wrong button. Though he did have one more thing to say, something of a more serious note. "I'll earn your trust, when you earn mine."
In his mind Belarus thought this game of 'cat and mouse', who would bend first, was simply a null point. If Dari wanted to see Belarus all she had to do was look at him, for Belarus saw himself only as himself with his mask on. In the mornings before he left, he'd only look in the mirror only once 'his face was in place'. He was very much the same as everyone else, the only difference was that if he didn't like the reflection he saw, he could simply change it. It wasn't strange that Dari couldn't understand it, most Usari didn't, but it wouldn't keep Belarus from changing whom he was, it just meant he could have a bit more fun. He'd taken to making a game of it, how long could he keep her waiting in suspense? He'd eat either very early or very late when nobody could see him, bathed while she was away and slept by himself. Heh, that last one might eventually change with they way things we're going for them, but Belarus was confident he could find a reasonable answer to that problem as well. Maybe there was some Usari with magic enough so that they could enchant the strings of his mask so that only he himself could be the one to remove it?
Moving softly through the grass, his long clothing swishing against the ground behind him, he approached Dari'an and cupped his hand around the side of her face. "Also, don't be so mellow dramatic," he murdered, trailing his hand from her cheek to her nose, at which point his fingers wrapped around the body part and gave it a soft playful tug. That sign of affection that only a boy could give, rough around the edges. "People will say as they will, if you let it get to you the way you have been, soon enough, everyone will come to watch you for their entertainment, not me." He paused, took a step back and waited for Dari to collect herself. "So, where to tonight?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:48 pm
Mock growling at the nose tug, Dari'an was actually rather pleased with the gesture. Whether Belarus knew it or not, that single, random action was probably a great deal more real and more truly him than anything else he'd said or done tonight. She was impressed.
"You're a fine one to talk about being melodramatic, you know," she laughed and reached up a finger to tap his mask where his nose would be. "You practically breathe drama. And really, I should hope by now I've been able to earn SOME of your trust."
She went silent for a moment, staring at him with a thoughtful expression on her face as the gist of what he'd said sank in. Smiling ruefully, she shook her head, surrounding them both in soft chiming music as the bells woven into her hair stuck each other.
"And I do believe that is the most profound bit of advice I've ever gotten from anyone. You continue to amaze me, Belarus."
Moving quickly, she caught him in both arms and gave him a huge hug. Though, she was very careful to make no moves that would make him think she was trying to get at his mask. That would be the worst possible thing for her to do right now. If he still had doubts about her, well, she was going to prove with a vengeance that she was someone he could trust with more than a silly mask.
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 9:26 pm
((Small OOC note for anyone reading, Allerun is Raja's character and I asked if I could mention her by name in the RP. She is not joining or anything. <3 ))
He took it with a good nature for another half a second or so before he had to pry himself away from her, flicking his long sleeves her way. "Shoo, get off of me, you're such a silly girl." He fended her off like a mangy stray. Dari'an, you Djardi are so boring. Come, come on, we shouldn't be standing about here, we should be off having fun." He forgot to add that that fun of course, was at the expense of others. "You can look at my hand any old day." Secretly he loved those little massages she gave, the oils, the smells of her work that seemed to be soaked deep into every strands of her hair...alas, if he hadn't been in the middle of acting, he would have stayed nearer to her for a few moments longer, just to get a better whiff.
"Let us see," he reached forward and spun Dari'an about by the shoulders, a direction in which brighter lights shown. "We can wander and roam and see where fortune takes us--" in a second of brilliance he let go Dari'an and ran in front of her a few feet. "Or perhaps you'd like your sister," he reached back around his head and yanked at the clasp that held his hair up, the lips on his face puckering and turning into a cute little mouth, large eyes a soft blush, "to accompany you tonight to the market." He laughed in a mockingly high and girlish voice. He gave a flick, swishing the long bright strands of on his head out to the side for a moment before going dead calm. What could Belarus say? He was excited to see Dari's reaction.
"If you really insist, however..." he drifted off, the look of the mask fading back to its plain surface, "I have a very gifted Aishe friend whom will be preforming tonight--Allerun, and we could sit back and talk while we watched. Maybe there you will learn how much I trust you."
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:54 pm
Dari'an was laughing. She couldn't help it. Oh, she knew this was mostly all an act, but at least it was am amusing one so far. At least until he turned into her big sister. Then, the laughing stopped and she simply stared and shuddered a little.
"I WISH you wouldn't do things like that," she muttered. "It's damned uncanny. And besides, the market is closed, as you well know."
It was something of a relief when her sister's face faded from Belarus' mask and she knew she relaxed visibly. And she brightened when he mentioned his friend. She didn't get to see many performances, usually because she was either working or resting whenever one was going on. And if this one was done by a friend of Belarus... Well. There was no telling what she might be able to learn from watching this friend and Belarus' own reactions to the friend.
"That last sounds perfect to me. Lead on!"
Smiling, she glanced up at him expectantly. No matter what, she was determined to enjoy this performance. And equally determined to start cracking the shell Belarus had so carefully constructed around himself.
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:49 pm
Ahahahaha, that dolt, she did exactly what he thought she would do. She looked horrified, no, beyond horrified, paralyzed with disgust. He just had to silently titter to himself for a minute before he reached over and pulled Dari'an over by the hips. If he was emotionally distanced from people, he was overly generous with physical affection. Touch was a great thing, and lucky for Belarus, it was just the sort of language his friend seemed to understand. "What's with you?" his right hand slipped around her side, while the left reached around his front and grabbed at her fingers. "Do you always take everything so seriously Dari? Uncanny is not a bad thing." He hummed under his breath as the walked on towards the hub of where they lived, her little bells gave just the right sort of tune for a song. "Admit it, I almost had you fooled there. If it was too unrealistic you would have laughed, but damn I am good--" Uh oh! A scowl, he better retreat.
And so Belarus did, at least until they entered what seemed like a small tent, but was really just a very, very, little cozy preforming area. It was crowded as usual, and smelled a little odd from the years of smoke, oil, paint and perfume that had entered it's domain, Belarus took a deep breath and exhaled with a warm rosy look on his face, "Ah, to be home." He looked at the small stage, no, this wasn't where he usually preformed...but he was an actor, and wherever a spotlight may shone, was where he belonged. On occasion Belarus had performed here, but he enjoyed this particular venue because it was smaller than most and was where the best performers in their area whittled away their talents; the masters.
He pulled Dari'an off to the side, a small and secluded corner of the room and ordered her a drink, "Nothing for me, thank you." He nodded his head as the other Usari left to fetch her something, maybe something she hadn't wanted, but it was still a thoughtful gift on Belarus part. "Do I get to hear about your day? Or are you still strictly adhering to that confidence thing between you and your clientele? "He whispered as he leaned in against her, enjoying the way his flesh sunk so easily into the old pillows they were seated on. "Come on, I'm a gossip. Feed me."
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 4:16 pm
"Easy for you to say," she chunnered under her breath. "It wasn't YOU being confronted with the mirror image of YOUR brat sister..."
She submitted easily enough to the touching, since she knew how comfortign a friendly touch could be. But when he started to congratulate himself on getting a reaction, she shot a dagger-laden glare at him.
The rest of the stroll was quiet, but it was an easy sort of silence. She withdrew into herself slightly as they reached the tent, wrinkling her nose at the mingled odors. Allowing herself to be pulled to the corner, she sat gratefully and smiled very very slightly as Belarus ordered a drink for her. He was trying, she thought. I just hope it's actually drinkable and not something that'll take the reins off my tongue.
Toying absently with a bit of trim on his sleeve, she was a little surprised that he was so quick to lean on her, but maybe being in a familiar environment put him at his ease.
In a soft whisper, she chuckled and tapped her forefinger against his wrist.
"You should know better than to ask me for gossip, my friend. Some things need to be kept secret, after all. Besides, how would YOU feel if you told me something that was meant to be confidential and then found out I'd blabbed."
Her eyes reflected the twinkling candlelight as she grinned impishly.
"However, if you are truly that curious about my day, I can tell you that it was mainly people coming for therapeutic massage and one memorable case, whom I hope to never see again, of a fellow who was mistaking my profession for that of an Aishe under cover. I do believe my teapot left a dent in his skull before he was able to scramble from the tent. Not a single shattering confession out of the lot."
Not that she minded only doing massages. There were times when the burden of others emotional problems became almost too much to bear. But she'd never give up her chosen path. After all, if she quit, who else would have a care for the lives of her customers?
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:06 am
Gossip. Hadn't they gone over this only an hour ago? Tongues would wag; Belarus wasn't going to pretend like he ever helped the problem. Still, knowing this and knowing perfectly well that anything and everything spoken aloud would get around, he had to responded by saying that, "I would not be so stupid enough to make such a mistake." Which was perhaps why he never said anything of real value about himself. At least whatever response she had for him would be interrupted by the arrival of her drink, and maybe even forgotten as Belarus encouraged her to try a bit. Something that would keep you warm, that was for sure, but not nearly enough that by the end of the night Dari'an would be cursing the invitation she had accepted.
He twisted his hand about as Dari'an touched his wrist. To think...one such little injury had brought them together, together to be--heh, no, he wasn't quite ready to admit that little bit yet. At the least they we're together? ...Maybe she would make a good lover? Though at the same time, Belarus felt that she was a bit to good to throw away into that label. "You mean, you didn't oblige this fellow? Tish, don't mention my clan as if it is something weird, you're the one that's weird here." For an Usari, Dari'an was quite prudish, then again maybe it was just the nature of her clan. Still he was sure a bit of fun would set her strait, cheer her up--if being harassed was the highlight of her day, she needed something better in her life! The stupid girl was too much into her work, not enough into herself.
As the time grew nearer to the show, the stage dimmed and soon enough a trail of smoke filled the room. Smoke was Allerun's specialty, and it strangely seemed to cast just the right mood over Belarus. He began to talk more, than watch the story onstage, he leaned closer and eventually his continues chatter with Dari'an brought him round to the topic of--
"How we met? Do you remember it? "He looked over at his hand, reminiscing about the first time he stepped through the entrance of her work and into her life.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:27 am
Dari'an eyed her drink dubiously before carefully sipping at it.
"Why should I have obliged? It wasn't anything he needed to help heal any emotional problems. He was also rather rude when he propositioned me. Maybe if he'd been more polite I would've taken up his invitation."
Lovely, she thought, now I'm annoyed again. This is hardly conducive to any a good friendship if I can't keep from being annoyed by Belarus. Shoving her annoyance back, she watched the show with complete fascination, enjoyment writ large upon her face. Still, that fascination wasn't so deep that she couldn't enjoy the animated conversation with Belarus.
Still. She shot him an odd, thoughtful glance when he asked if she remembered their first meeting. Somethign was going on in his mind. And she badly wanted to figure out what exactly it was.
"Heh... how could I forget it?" she asked, shaking her head slowly. "I'm still amazed at the amount of damage you'd managed to cause your hand."
Then, because she couldnt' resist teasing him a little bit, "You certainly didn't cause half the fuss I'd expected when you had to drink soe of the nastier tasting teas in my arsenal."
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:21 pm
"I didn't? Now I thought..." In the cool dark of the room he shut his eyes and tried to think back on that time that they had first met. There had been a tricky little part he wanted to add into one of his shows, something of an acrobatic nature where he did a twist or flip. So when Belarus thought he could be both an acrobat and an actor at once... Heh, no surprise that little aerial trick didn't go as planned. Ah yes, now he remembered it all, he remembered it very clearly.
***
Crack! Belarus winced as he hit the ground. He was flailing like a retarded cat when he hit the earth, the only difference was that unlike the cat, he didn't land on all four feet. In fact, the only thing that caught him, was his outstretched arm. Was it broken? Sprained? He was really crying this time, no not just the mask but him, himself and the whole caravan was sure to hear it. Which was perhaps why in dumb hasty rush, he had let his bumbling family kind of carry him off to the nearest Djardi residence. They had dropped him off at the door step, but made sure that he was going to be seen and promptly left, whispering among themselves.
He had felt just a tad annoyed for that, but who was he to expect sympathies from his family? He didn't expect anyone to pity him, Belarus had only hopped that they would lavish attention onto him...He let out a pitiful sigh as he sat alone awaiting for Dari'an to finish up with her current customer. What a bother, he was simply so close to finishing the last part of his act and now he would have to wait--oh who knew how many weeks before it healed? Perhaps that was why when Dari'an came to see him, he had followed her so easily. Erm, but before that, mind you, he was having his doubts.
...This place was creepy, dim and it smelled of medicine and other strange things that made his nose wrinkle hesitantly. What kind of Usari would want to work here? He had to physically shudder and pull his hand back towards him, to think that someone may actually have wanted to lock themselves up here for six to seven hours at a time. You know, maybe he wasn't so badly off? He looked about and even underneath the dim lighting of he mask could tell that no one was here. It was a clear escape? Yes? ...Yes! If anyone asked, he had more important things to do.
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:28 am
Dari'an had entered the dimly lit waiting area in time to see her next customer trying to slink away. She'd been terribly amused as she'd watched him edging towards the door.
"I assume you are Belarus?" she'd drawled, leaning casually against the doorway. "An acting injury, I believe is what your charming family said. Are you going to come in and let me take care of it or will you slink off like a coward?"
She moved just enough to point over her shoulder to the well lit workroom...
***
"You didn't. Of course, at the time, I think it was more because you were just desperate to get out, so you behaved," she teased.
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:25 pm
"Yes.." he drawled on, giving a bit of a yawn as he flipped his hand back through his hair. "I did want to get out of there, of course it wasn't half bad until you did bring out that tea. His face went a little green and he gave a mock look of disgust as if he was about to be sick. If you had had to drink vile smelling tea, you would have been sick at the memory too.
***
"Me? A coward Belarus gave an indignant huff at that calm cold voice behind him. Whippinag around to come face to face with a rather homely looking Djardi healer. Yes, when he first laid eyes on Dari'an there was nothing particularity interesting about her which had caught his attention. She looked plain enough, simple clothing, a moderate amount of body dye...we'll kept. Meh, no it wasn't Dari'an's looks which caught Belarus attention, it was her attitude. At heart Belarus was a diva, an attention whore, he wanted the spotlight to shine on him, him, and only him! Tish, and like some truth-speaking healer was about to up-do him one. Behind the mask he could feel himself flush with embarrassment, it may have been a stupid thought to run away...but she--oh--oh! He crossed his arms and let his mask give her a dirty look, though underneath the wood, he was giving her one as we'll.
"I'm sorry, you must be mistaking," he rose up and simply walked on past her and on into the workroom. "I was simply going out to get some fresh air while you finished on up, I simply can not breath in here. Too stuffy." He lifted up the delicate flowing cloth of his shirt and began to fan at himself. "The smell is suffocating, really, really it is--" heh, his painted lips curled into a devious little smile. I hope that stung, he laughed mockingly in his mind...though, his delusions aside, Dari'an would probably only think him weird. "Anyway..." the Aishe rolled back his sleeves and held out his right palm. "I landed on it..." he looked at the swirling purple and painful red coloration that by now was a forewarning of the damage he had caused himself, "...funny? Anything you can do?"
Belarus waited around as Dari poked and prodded at his arm, guessing and then second guessing her prognosis, until she seemed satisfied as to what the problem was. And it was really all fine and dandy (her touch felt really nice) until she turned away from, and dipped into what he assumed was her ace-in-the-hole, cupboard of magical wonders. "Hmn? " Belarus timidly peeked from his seat as Dari'an began pulling out various looking curiosities. "Is that even edible?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:52 pm
"Your body needed the minerals so your arm would heal properly," she shot back with a look of wicked innocence flickering across her face.
***
Dari'an examined the extended arm carefully, gently probing at some of the swelling and muttering possible diagnoses to herself. As for that crack about her waiting room being stuffy...!
"I'm so sorry that you object to lampling root incense. It's a wonderful scent to help clear the mind. Now, what your arm needs and badly is for the swelling to go down. If we let it stay like this for too long, the damage would be permanent."
Turning, she rooted through a cabinet outside her workroom and got out various ingredients for a fine, strong mineral tea. And while she was at it, she also grabbed a small, stoppered jig of her own personal bruise potion. Why, with a day or two, that terrible bruising would be gone! And then she could begin work on massage and physical therapy.
Quickly mixing the tea, she smiled and winked at the odd, masked Ursari.
"Not edible, but it is drinkable. And once I get this potion warmed a bit, we can work on taking away the bruising. I'll have you back to normal in no time."
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