More Rooms at the Inn

Re: More Rooms at the Inn

Postby CherryStatic » Sat Aug 23, 2014 5:05 am

She listened to the words of what she assumed was a poem. It was too dense to be a song, not airy enough, but the lines were spoken with purpose in such a way that they intrigued her. It reminded her faintly of her troupe's storyteller, who often quoted poetry, even when not performing. It had set him apart as a bit of an eccentric, but Vixen had always enjoyed the way he could spin words into something beautiful.

Gloria's words, though she didn't entirely understand their significance, held her rapt attention.

Jig. Jig was as good as Vixen in her mind. It gave her meaning. Purpose. In a way, it assigned her a role. She smiled, accepting the moniker gratefully.

I don't have a name.

"What desert kingdom? Was it your home?" Gloria asked.

"It's called Jirnach." She pronounced it yernack, careful to say it correctly. "The people in that region tend to have darker complexions, darker hair, so I'm going to guess that's not home sweet home."

She paused, another flicker of emotion evident in her features. She smiled quickly, continuing. "Legends say that the people of Jirnach were once able to weave magic spells through dancing. They could supposedly gain the favor of the gods or even summon powerful spirits to aid them." Distractedly, she walked two delicate fingers across the bar between them, twirling them and extending one as though they were the legs of a dancer in motion. "Eventually, the dancers began to perform for the wrong reasons. Money, vanity, desire. So the gods took the gift of magic from them."

Her fingers spun one last time before she pressed them flat against the polished wood. The dancer had fallen. "Whether or not that's true, the dancing itself is beautiful. I'm performing this week in the marketplace at noon." She smiled invitingly. "You should stop by if you have time."
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Re: More Rooms at the Inn

Postby Rance » Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:09 am

"Yer-nick," she repeated -- and then, "Spellwork through dancing? The gods had the right to take those talents from them. Spellcraft is a foul thing when used without conservatism, or when used primarily for one's own gains."

Gloria watched the pantomime on the table, the little figure made of two agile fingers spinning and twirling as if they weren't digits, but a living thing. And though she was old enough not to be given to flights of fancy, imagination was a hard plague to smother: she perched her own fingers on the bar when Jig's had fallen still and tried to mimic the steps, the short-nailed edges of her blunted fingernails tapping on the bartop like tiny shoes.

"If -- if that wasn't your home," Gloria asked, "then where? I come from a desert place. Far west--" her fingers' pirouette was interrupted that she could motion toward the according wall, "--where the Sun is hot enough to turn sand into oceans of glass as far as the eye can see."

So why are you here? she wanted to ask, but hesitated. Instead, her bleak face split with a ragged smile.

"I would be delighted to see you dance, Jig."
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Re: More Rooms at the Inn

Postby CherryStatic » Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:41 am

Glazing over just the slightest bit when asked where exactly her home was, Vixen listened to Gloria's brief description of her own homeland. She found it interesting that someone so outwardly unobtrusive had such a way with words. It was nice.

Upon hearing that Gloria was planning to come watch her dance, she broke into a wide grin. She had feared that the girl might not be interested in a spectacle of that sort, thinking it too flashy or vain. "That's wonderful! You'll enjoy it, I promise. I'm planning on doing some different Jernichian dances. I've got a number of outfits for it and--"

Her mouth snapped shut, eyes widening. "Oh, crap. My outfits. They're back at the Floating Dragon. I forgot to pay for tonight! They'll throw my things in the street!"

She stood up from the barstool quickly, nearly knocking it over in her haste, and headed for the door, knee-length ponytail swaying as she went.

"Noon tomorrow, Scarlet, in the market place!" She called over her shoulder. "Don't forget! And thanks for the potato!"

Not waiting for a response, she charged out the door.
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Re: More Rooms at the Inn

Postby Rance » Sat Aug 23, 2014 6:04 pm

"Noon tomorrow, Jig," the girl said.

She glanced over her shoulder to watch the flighty, ebullient dancer rush toward the door to the Broken Dagger in a flare of colorful skirts. The other woman's departure seemed to suck some of the excitement and life out of the room. Gloria Wynsee couldn't help but wonder, as the din of chewing, drinking, and eating commenced, if the energy was a natural symptom of dancing, or if it was some kind of armor, a cleverly-wielded shield to hide behind.

Left with nothing else around her except fellow commoners, all smudged with farm-dirt and road-dust, the girl preemptively shrugged beneath the condemnation she expected from Dulcie Miller's piercing stare. The innkeeper flitted about from one end of the bar to the other, filling tankards, bellies, and plates -- and she'd been seeking someone to occupy positions, after all--

"Serving's not for everyone, and she seemed much better suited to dancing," Gloria explained, a sheepish smile breaking across her features as she quickly tried to hide her face in her mug.
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Re: More Rooms at the Inn

Postby Dulcie » Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:57 am

Her head jerked back and forth, looking from one to the other as they bantered back and forth. She was tired already just watching.

"No need to be rude Gloria." She said at the conspiratorial glance, giving the girl a bit of a challenging look before she looked back at the pair.

"You can call yourself whatever you like. If vixen is what you go by then that's what I'll call you. Figure if you can handle the local inquisition here you can handle just about anyone."

She paused and offered her hand out to the young woman. "Job's yours if you want it. Room & board is part of your salary and you get paid at week's end. I've got rules that need following so you better hear those before you accept:

First and foremost this tavern's open to anyone that comes in peacefully. No denying service based on someone's looks. I won't tolerate intolerance.

Second, I don't allow fighting in the tavern. People want to fight you send them outside. Go better things to do with my time than mop up blood.

Third, this is no brothel, you can wear what you like but you're here to work and work doesn't get done if bit and pieces are falling out of your clothing.

Fourth, I won't tolerate anyone abusing my staff. Someone threatens you, you handle it how you see fit and then you let me know. I'll handle it.

Finally, no thieving. You or someone dear to you needs something, you let me know. I'm a generous person and stealing is just damned insulting. You work for me, I'll work for you.

That's about it. Do you know your letters and numbers? Some folks keep tabs here in the books."
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