Blissfully Free and Hopelessly Lost [Open}

[Dáire]

Dáire found his dark mood receding and an indulgent grin spreading across his face as the young man’s face slackened, his sentence cutting off mid way. His gaze swung to follow the path Kit’s took, and realised that the woman had more than a few appreciative male gazes locked on her.

"She's .... she is magnificent!"

There was an air of wonder in his voice as he breathed the words, Dáire’s presence evidently forgotten. He couldn’t blame the kid, the woman was stunning in the way that many of the fae were, small but capturing all the beauty nature had to offer, molding it into humanoid forms that could steal your breath with a glance. He watched her with mild interest as she moved about, preparing for what now appeared to be a puppet show. Maybe he’d missed something about it being for a younger audience? Thought that thought was so discarded when the majority were middle aged humans and not children.

His gaze caught for a moment with hers, what he could have sworn was a wash of recognition flashed through her striking fiery orange eyes before she seemed to snap back to attention, ducking to the side to talk to one of the many wenches on duty. Dáire’d never met the woman, he was sure of it and the fact she thought she knew him, unsettled him just a bit.

Brushing the feeling aside, he nudged the overly eager human with his arm, all while keeping his eyes frontwards. ”I may know of a place you could stay,” He paused briefly, unsure if was overstepping a mark or not, gut instinct telling him that this man could end up in a gutter somewhere if someone didn't step in though, “A friend of mine happens to have a bit of a soft spot for waifs and strays. Either that or they’re drawn to him, like korcai are to blood, I haven’t yet worked out which.”

“‘Pardon my interruption,” A quiet voice said suddenly from his other side, startling him and making his head snap in that direction, only to see a young unfamiliar woman standing beside him. “Miss LaNore asked to speak with you, and your human companion after the show.” She offered a pleasant smile and disappeared back into the mass of bodies.

Dáire turned a questioning expression on Kit, his voice low in the now hushed room “I’m assuming you do not know the fae either, given your reaction to her, care to venture any suggestion as to why she has asked to speak with both of us?

[Kit Heron]

Kit turned to the Elf with a look of surprise, and also relief. "That would be wonderful! I have no coin. I think I already said that. Sorry." It was almost as if he were not used to talking with people in such a way. "Though I can be useful. But yes. Thank you, Mast-Mister Dáire. You are very kind." Kit smiled, a flush on his face at how he must have sounded, but it was a warm smile, regardless.

When the woman came over and put in her request to see the Elf and he, Kit's eyes widened. What did she want with them? With him? "I've never even seen a Fae until today. I don't know why she'd want to see me, at all!"

A man in front of them with a scruffy beard and a red nose glared at them. "Hush!" He said, then turned back with a grumble.

Kit took a deep breath and closed his mouth, eyes returning to the stage.

The nature of Kit Heron was a trusting one, but it wasn't a stupid one. The Fae woman, as striking as she was, could be dangerous. His Elven table-mate was certainly dangerous - he didn't have to be a Mind Mage to figure that out! Meeting strange performers 'backstage', then going off somewhere to meet a man he knew nothing of for housing?

But what choice did he have? And besides ... this was his adventure.

He let the air escape his lungs slowly, and decided that Veditova would guide his path - and then show him how to run very quickly back it if things went awry.

For now, it was time for the show.

[Vanessa LaNore]

A faint flickering light appeared from beneath the booth's miniature stage, peeking under the billowing curtain. There was a cough, and a small puppet man emerged from the curtain. He bowed, his movements exaggerated yet smooth.

"Welcome good gentle folk," he said, his voice not loud but carrying through the dead silent room. "I am Archibald, the storyteller. Today I will regale you with tales of history, fantasy, and wonder." Archibald spoke while sweeping his puppet arms out wide. Shadows appeared behind him, billowing on the closed curtain. There were colors and movement alike. Beneath the puppet stage, hidden from view, Vanessa grinned as she heard the soft gasps of the crowd.

“We begin,” said the puppet, as the curtain opened to reveal a white sheet pulled taut. The color of the sheet shifted to a pale blue as Sir Archibald settled in to the side of the stage, holding a red leather puppet’s book in his lap. “Our tale is set in the distant shorelines, far from the safety of civilization in places only the brave explore.” As Sir Archibald spoke a shadow of a shoreline with a distant ship came in from the left side of the stage. The ship moved slowly, bouncing up and down on shadow waves that rose from beneath the stage.

The ship stopped to the right edge of the stage and faint lilting music began to play. It sounded like bells, played quickly and precisely to imitate a common sea shanty. “These ships, deep into the unknown, will often encounter deadly storms,” Sir Archibald said, turning the page of his book.

The backing blue sky of the scene darkened, turning to a deep grey. White flashes gave a sense of lighting, and a rolling rumble occasionally accompanied the ‘lightning’. “In these dangerous settings, many will be forced to come ashore in strange locales,” Sir Archibald said, again turning his page and looking up at the audience for effect.

“The Hippocamp is a strange and enchanting beast from time immemorial.” The music changed to a more haunting melody, slowing to give strength to each lasting note. The lightning ceased, leaving only the shoreline and ship bouncing on the waves. “They often appear near distant shores following terrible storms.”

The head of a horse rose from the waters, moving as it was hopping along. Suddenly, it lept, performing a great summersault in the air before returning beneath the waves. In the moment it remained airborne it was clear it had the body of a horse attached to the back half of a great fish.

There were several gasps of confusion and one drunken guffaw. Vanessa smirked, pleased at the reaction so far. Hopefully things didn’t go too sideways, or she’d have to chase after the Kerasokan afterwards, and she distinctly remembered him being skilled at escape.

[Kit Heron]

Kit's eyes were so wide, you would think he were a toddler who had just seen a flying unicorn.

His smile was broad and his expression was of pure delight and wonder. He had never seen anything like it, and from the reactions around the room, neither had most of the other patrons here. The little man greeted them, and he too gasped at the colours and movement.

Puppet shows he had read about, seen drawings of ... they were little boxes with strings attacked to wooden toys. In the pictures, someone was always standing over them with the strings on their fingers, no doubt making silly voices to amuse a crowd of children. But this? This was different. And that creature? It was so beautiful, and so graceful. He felt like he had seen something similar in a book, but he could not recall it. And how was she doing all of this? How could this ever be described as a 'puppet show'?

Could this be ...

With a quick glance to the Elf, he slowly reached behind his back and under his cloak, his hands touching the wand in his belt. He took a slow, quiet breath, and concentrated. As his eyes glazed over, the room blurred slightly. At first he could see or sense nothing. But then, so faint that they might be smoke rings a mile away, were little glimpses of shimmering fractals in the air. "Is she using magic?" He whispered, unconsciously.

Remembering abruptly that magic was illegal in Fellsguard, he let go of the silver wooden wand, and blinked. The room coming back into a clear picture and the show still going. He cleared his throat, and sat a little straighter. A little shiver of nerves went through him at the thought of being discovered, for once grateful that he wasn't very powerful, and maybe (hopefully), that little action went unnoticed.

[Dáire]

It wasn't in Dáire’s nature to be kind to strangers, they paid him to pretend to care usually- but he gave the many another quiet smile and looked frontward again. His brows pinching with consideration as he tried to puzzle out what a fae would want with either of them and then glared dangerously at the rude hairy human who paled and swung back around when he met Dáire’s steely gaze.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Artemis will accept your contribution in a form other than that of coin.” He mumbled, still staring daggers at the back of the human’s head.

Dáire smiled to himself as he watched the fae’s expert skills play out through her show, the Hippocampus appearing as beautiful and graceful as he imagined the real thing must be. The notion of sailing to distant lands had always appealed to him- yet, even after all this time, he could never bring himself to actually step onto one of those bigger ships that would take him far from the life he currently knew.

A small surge of magic drew him back to the present with a thump, his attention flickering to the human who sat beside him - the magic wielding human apparently. He’d have to warn the human about using magic around Artemis before any issues arose.

“Be careful, you don’t want the wrong person to feel that in this city.” He said, totally oblivious to the earlier question quietly spoken by Kit, too lost in his own internal monologue to hear much else.

Dáire felt a twang of wanderlust hit him, his body feeling restless and twitchy as he shifted unconsciously in his seat. The show was only serving to add fuel to the soul's deep desire, to explore and to see, experience the rest of the vast world laid out before him. He fervently shook the thoughts from his mind, this wasn't the first time he’d felt this way and he wasn't going to act on the impulse this time either. He refocused on the show, getting lost in the tale as it drew in the whole room.

[Kit Heron]

Kit turned his head slightly to look at Dáire, his face showing nerves. But the casual way the Elf had reacted to detecting Kit's use of magic was of some comfort, at least. This was one person who did not seem to be phased by it.

He nodded, not saying anything. He would have to be more careful. If he had been sat by a regular non-magic using human, he might have gotten away with it, but he knew of the Kersoka Elves and there innate, but sealed magical potential. He berated himself for being an idiot when he really aught to know better.

When the Elf turned to look back at the stage, there was something in his demeanour - something Kit couldn't place. The show was affecting him in a way the young mage had no way or knowing without asking - which would be rude, considering they had just met. Perhaps he was just the brooding kind? Elves lived such long lives, there must be much they had to think over!

He looked back to the show, immediately caught up in the performance. It was simply captivating, that even that little brush at exposing himself as a mage was almost immediately forgotten. Of course he still had questions: why would the Elf help him? What did this Fae want with the two of them?

But Kit was childlike in his delight at the show before him, and was swept away as it continued.

[Vanessa LaNore]

The music grew to a more lighthearted ringing, as if to imitate sea birds and the gentle splash of waves. Sir Archibald turns a page in his book, and looks around the room before turning back to his words and continuing the story. “The creature is often a boon, guiding the long boats past dangerous hidden rocks and other hazards. The shadow of a small boat and several sailors appeared on shore, the hippocamp bobbing gently in the waves. However-”

The music gained a faint hint of danger, discordant notes replacing the highest and most soothing sounds. “There is a danger to being too close to such mystical beings. If an offering is not made to the sea within the day the Hippocamp will unleash a keening cry.”

The sailors were shown carousing around a small offering pile that rose from the sea, but it quickly sank and the revelers were replaced with men clutching their heads and entreating the idols. “The sound is maddening, and burns at the fabric of the mind. It also calls- other dangers from the deeps.”

Large tentacles appeared near the distant ship and the music grows entirely discordant as the lightning returns. The scene remains for several long moments before the music fades and the curtain closes, leaving only Sir Archibald before it.

“So if your loved ones go to distant shores, ensure they know the rituals and carry offerings to the sea lest they attract dangers none can survive.” The puppet bowed, closing his book and standing from his seat.

“That is all for today and I leave you with one last question. I ask, if you have the means, that you make a small donation so that others can continue to learn of the dangers of the world.” One of the wenches moved over and placed a small copper pot in front of the stage before tossing in a handful of coppers herself.

The sound broke many from their revere and scattered conversation begins everywhere as several rise to deposit a smattering of coins of their own. From within the stage Vanessa carefully wriggles herself out of her position and slipped out the back to move over and catch the Kerasokan.

Typically she would stayed, having Sir Archibald thank and speak with each donator, but there were other far more important matters today. “Hello there, Dáire. I had hoped to speak with you sooner than this but Soltaevar did not know where you’d gone,” she said softly as she settled at the table, her eyes beginning to glow.

[Kit Heron]

Kit was completely enraptured by the scene before him. The woman's skill was amazing! Of course, he had no frame of reference, but he was quite sure that she would stand out amongst the best there were, anywhere!

Along with the crowd, his emotions surged, small gasps and occasional 'oh's' escaped him, quietly. When the sailors were drawn into the water by the creature beneath, he found he had been holding his breath. When Sir Archibald closed the show, Kit had to break from his trance to join in with the clapping and cheering.

"That was amazing!" He said to Dáire, enthusiastically. "I've never seen anything like it! I've heard of puppet shows, but never dreamed anyone could do something like that! It was amazing! Wasn't it amazing?" He shook his head slightly. "Wow!"

And then she appeared.

The woman who had done all of this was now approaching, and Kit felt himself draw in a long breath, nerves as tight as a harp-string. She was graceful - he did not know if that was her species or just her in particular. Her eyes - he found himself staring, and knowing now why there were stories written of the Fae Enchantresses. If they were like her, he might also follow her off through a forest to his doom.

In a fit of 'remembering his manners', he rose quickly, almost knocking his drink over and saving it just in time. He let out a quick breath as he steadied the glass, pushing the hair from his face and giving a rather forced smile - right now, he wasn't sure if he wanted to bend his knee to her or run away! There was some relief in him (and also some disappointment), when she turned to address Dáire.

So Kit stood, as awkward as a spring lamb, trying and failing to look as if he were completely at ease with this whole situation.

He was not.

[Dáire]

Dáire grinned openly as the young man exploded in a torrent of praise and almost giddy excitement over the puppet show, Dáire simply nodded his head in agreement. It had been a fantastic show and he was sure to keep an eye for similar future opportunities.

His attention jumped, and fixed on the fae as he followed her movements like a predator while she crossed the room, his curiosity waning towards suspicion as she drew closer. Who was she? He was certain he’d never laid eyes upon her before and had no connection with House Nyssha either, but he would soon have his answers one way or another. The table jostled suddenly, breaking his concentration and forcing him to reach and grab his drink, he shot a dark look at the bumbling man, but upon seeing the start struck look on his face he sighed, all too easily remembering his days as a youth and the foolish way he’d behaved around females. He slumped back into his chair, pushing the memories down deep and taking a large. Much needed gulp of alcohol from the glass.

His brow furrowed slightly as she slid into the free chair at their table, Kit still stood, staring moon eyed at the gorgeous woman. “Sit.” He said sharply, his attention never straying from Miss LaNore. “I’d be worried if Lord Velca had known where to find me. My young companion is Kit, although he assures me he has not met you either” He said, tilting his head in the human’s direction, before straightening up, his focus intense as he spoke further, ”So more is to the point, how do you know me and why have you needed to speak with me?” He tried to maintain an air of quiet confidence, succeeded quite well he thought but his stomach was knotting itself, something about this encounter felt … unsettling.

[Kit Heron]

When Dáire said "Sit." and Kit immediately dropped into his chair like a well trained pup.

His eyes could not possibly be any wider as he looked between the two of them (though admittedly, most of his quick glances were aimed at Vanessa). His face was flushed, and he sat straight-backed and was gripping his thumb on his lap.

The natural, easy way the Elf greeted this woman spoke of a confidence in himself, one that appeared to be matched by the Fae before them.

He felt like a cat in a hound's court, and figured his best option was to remain perfectly still, and stay completely silent. Also, he had to remind himself to breathe ... quite often.