A Proficiency Examination in Flirting...Naked [Finished]

[Sairque]

UPDATE OOCThe description for the showers wasn't up when I wrote this thread, but it is now available via the link map, and well worth checking out

15 Fall, 510 A.V.

The Tisuma Baths at midday tended to be a little slower than at other times. The vast cavern, with its rough walls and red stalactites, had a beauty that could be overlooked if not for the milky-blue magma-heated pools of water disbursed throughout. Thin ribbons of light reflected by the pools danced over the uneven ceiling, illuminating previously unseen wonders...and not just those of the geological variety.

Here was a place, a nexus, where all was shed and cleansed. Material trappings were left behind, the grime of a hard days work was melted away, the prominent indicators of caste were nowhere to be found after fifteen minutes in the revitalizing water. Young, trim bodies dominated the walkways between pools, they lounged on benches and posed on the sturdy stone barriers skirting the baths. Here, a handsome Drudge could be mistaken for a noble Endal, and a shy Endal for a lowly Drudge. Beware your behavior, lest you show your true colors.

Of course, the Drudge assigned to towel duty had little choice in the matter. Sairque padded up to him and commandeered one of the thin cloth towels, her yellow eyes pinning him in place while she issued her instructions. "I want another towel brought to me after I wash my hair. I'll be on the eastern edge." The thin smattering of dried blood on her face, shoulders and neck, left over from the days hunt, was worn nonchalantly.

Clothing and hair ornaments had been left outside the cavern. The towel was knotted around her slender hips as she walked away, not for privacy but as a convenient means to carry it while she drifted around the room greeting those she knew. Also by no deliberate desire for modesty, her thick red hair, curly and kinked from the braids she had taken it out of, flowed over her torso.

Several groups of people, not known personally by the Rider, but knowing of her, flagged her down to find out the details of the latest hunt. Maybe to plan their meals accordingly, or maybe to just suck up whatever information they could that might help them attain their own Wind Eagles sometime soon. One girl just wanted to know if she needed help washing her back. Yellow eyes dancing with amusement, Sairque flitted between the gregarious and loud bunches of steamy, slicked up athletes.

After disposing of one overly-arrogant would-be suitor by means of a finger against his forehead, pushing, and her foot catching under his calf, lifting and tipping him backwards from his seat into the deep end of a pool, she decided that her socializing requirement had been satisfied. Still laughing loudly at his indignant tumble and the ease with which he was sent flying, she slowly started walking off. But not without "It's always good to practice your falls over water, Banley" quipped down to the embarrassed Rider and referencing the practice new riders had to do before they were allowed any tricky maneuvers on their Eagles.

Finally, she padded up the neat stone steps, crossed in front of a few handsome fellows busily flexing their generous amounts of muscle, and over to the more secluded side of the baths. A place less populated only because there simply wasn't a walkway lining it, this side of the pool was backed by the rough and craggy cavern wall.

[Aidara]

Some of the pools held boisterous laughter, while others a more subdued gathering of bodies that lounged in the lip of the bath, engaged in quiet discussions. Other pools...well, their patrons weren't bathing. Aidara spent more time than others in the Tisuma bathhouse. She claimed it was her borderline obsessive compulsive need to be clean, but it didn't take more than a glance around the room, through the steam the hung thick over the water, taking in all the beautiful eye candy to realize that there might be ulterior motives involved. She flitted from pool to pool, joining others in their conversations, nodding seriously, providing a listening ear,joining in on the laughter and splash fights that occured elsewhere. She studiously avoided the secluded, extra steamy pools however...for the moment. Aidara knew her sister had joined the bath house before she even heard her commanding tones, a smirk twisting her lips as she listened to the poor Drudge silently receive his orders from the sharp tongued Inarta. Green gaze followed her sister as she picked her away along the walkway, her gaze fixed determinately on the pool on the eastern edge of the room, pretending as if she didn't notice the beautiful muscled men, and women, that surrounded her, flaunting all they had. A chuckle then, and a shake of her head in slight disbelief and Aidara untangled herself from the arms of a particularly tall and muscular strawberry blonde woman. A kiss to her cheek, and she waded around the pool, also offering kisses and hugs to her bathing companions before climbing up onto the lip of the pool and into the comparability cooler air. "I'll be back, dears" The kiss to the tips of her fingers was blown to her friends as she parted company, twisting the water from her long red hair before tying it into a temporary bun on the top of her head. She too, lacked all of her regular ornamentation, having taken all of the beads out of her hair, and removing all her scarves prior to entering the heated room. "Sai!" She raised her voice towards he twin, standing up onto her tiptoes and cupping her hands around her mouth to help her call carry through the heavy air. When she didn't get a response, a pout formed on her lips, her eyebrows furrowing a bit. Neglecting to procure a towel, Aidara ran her hands along the length of her slender frame, slothing off the excess water before strutting down the pathways towards the pool her twin. The only difference was while Sairque made no attempt to hide her body, Aidara flaunted for those who wish to appreciate. And many did. Also unlike her sister, she stopped to stroke muscles or offered kisses and hugs as she went, sometimes the occasional playful slap, taking the time to talk to everyone that approached her. She was not too shy to return the approving looks that came her way, sometimes a coy smile lighting her face, while other times a wink and a light touch. However, she had to get to her sister, so she did not linger long with any one person. "I saaaaaaaaid....SAI!" Aidara had broken free of the press of bodies reached the the rather secluded pool her sister alone occupied. She stood towering over her sisters submerged frame, hands on her hips eyebrows raised in what she thought was a commanding expression. Laughter danced in her eyes, runing the whole facade. "And WHY are you ignoring me this time, hmmm?"

[Kellan Lucia]

One of Kellan's favorite activities was going to the baths to flirt. Why would any man in his right mind not want to? There were naked woman as far as the eye could see! The Endal could not wait to get to the baths. He was dressed lightly in a button up shirt and a pants. As he walked to the baths the thoughts of girls walking around the baths filled his head. Kellan was in no way a pervert, he just... respected the female body. As the red haired man walked into the opening of the baths he saw that it was much more heavily populated than the last time he visited. Kellan walked toward the Dek who was on towel duty for the day. He ruffled the man's hair with a wolfish smile. "Hey bud, I need a towel. Get me one." Dek did not deserve a please or thank you. Manners were for the people of Wind Reach that deserved it, Endal and Avora. When the dek gave him his towel he ruffled his hair again and walked off. Oh how he enjoyed harrasing the drudges. Kellan began to pull off his clothes as he spotted a girl walking through the baths like she was the princess of Wind Reach. This of course got his attention. Any girl who strutted around like that needed to meet the king of flirtation, Kellan Lucia. He watched as she pushed away wishful suitors with a single finger. It was settled, Kellan needed to meet this girl. She was a challenge and if there was anything Kellan loved more than flirting it was a challenge. Luckily, he was now faced with an opportunity to satisfy both loves. To Kellan's surprise the girl was not at the baths alone. There was another girl calling for her. "Two girls? What is it, my birthday? Kellan walked up to the girl, she seemed to be called Sai due to the girl's calling of her name. When he was right beside her he put on his best flirty smile. "I see you were swatting away a few pests. I assure you, you will not need to do that with me. Although, I don't think you would want to." Kellan looked at the girl's approaching sister and gave another smile. He knew that this girl was smart and if he could not get her with flirtation he would get her with sympathy. "Is that girl your sister? I had a brother once. Toran, maybe you have heard of him? He died in a knife fight. I miss my twin greatly." He gave the girl a sad look and then looked at her sister. "You two sure are a beautiful pair of girls. If only Toran could have seen you two."

[Sairque]

Sairque sized the newest youth up as he made his appearance at her side and proceeded to lay his lines down. She didn't slow in her approach to her destination, but didn't stop him from walking beside her and attempting to charm the pants that she had already taken off, off.

The slight upturn at the corner of her mouth was encouraging as she turned fully toward him and pulled her towel off. He was appraised by those yellow eyes before she looked down to fold her towel into neat squares. Placing the towel well away from the edge, she quickly glanced up and around when asked of her sister. Ah, yes, the one screaming but still stopping to tease every interested body in the place. A nod.

"Thank you, I'm sure you two would have been quite the lady killers," the flightleader said with a glassy look of amusement over her shoulder to him as she waded into the pool and pushed out to float on her back.

Breathing the heavy, warm air in long slow pulls, Sai luxuriated in the somewhat calm water on her side of the pool. Well practiced at bathing with a boisterous group, her feet were crossed on the stone lip lining the edge and her head pointed toward the center. She loved the water and all, but there was no need for it to be splashed up her nose. How unsettling.

That fly buzzing around the edge of the pool, the one with the red hair, amorous inclination, and the exact same face as her, couldn't be deterred with a mere wave of her hand, so Sai indulgently cracked one eyelid open at it. Amusement quirked the corner of her mouth. "Because you have exactly one chime before we're going out on Catabasis. I thought I would let you enjoy it," she finished graciously, knowing that the woman had planned on nothing but leisure for the afternoon. And a trip out with Sai meant that Aidara would be doing nothing remotely close to her idea of how free time should be spent.

Dropping her heels from the stone, Sai submerged herself. Hopefully, Aidara would have made her protests while she couldn't hear and be over and resigned to her new plans by the time she emerged. Dark from the water, her hair was slicked back and draped down her spine, glistening drops clung to her unblemished white skin when she stood in the shallows.

Frowning, her eyes lit on the nicely folded towel that should have had some soap and a brush resting on top of it. "I forgot my stuff, do you have yours?" That's right, she knew she would have to ask because her twin didn't come to the baths to bathe. What a slut. Darling little sister that she was.

"Brother to Toran, this is my sister Aidara. Aidara, Brother of Toran," introductions, seeing as how the two were standing right next to each other at this point but didn't seem inclined to introduce themselves to one another, a little late but there.

[Aidara]

Aidara was taken aback by the young man who stepped neatly in front of her to intercept her sister. Delicate brows furrowed once more, her lips puckering in slight indignation. However, she waited rather quietly by the side of the bath for her turn- if "quiet" counted as a long string of barely concealed sighs and fidgets. After allowing her agitation to pass, Ara cast a speculating gaze at the youth as he inflicted his charm upon her sister, puckered brow raising to a look of moderate approval. Not bad, she thought, wondering where her sister picked this one up. For it wasn't often that one so attentively sought out the piece of womanly muscle who actively pushed her fellow eagle riders and peers to their doom for just showing simple appreciation. Ara smoothed her pout into a gracious smile, as dazzling as the sparkle in her green eyes, as she reached out a hand towards the youths arm, to grab his attentions. It was then that she heard her sisters plan for HER afternoon. "WHAT! You could have ASKED me if I WANTED to do anything with...with...!" Sputtering with her chest heaving and color rising to her cheeks, Ara stared wordlessly at her sister, hands spread in a halpless gesture that did little to either express how she felt or convince her sister to change her mind. Although it was Aidara's dream to become and Eagle Rider, a fact that her sister was well aware of, it was the principal of it all that made Ara so upset. Deep down, she thrilled at any and every opportunity to spend with the birds and their riders, but she couldn't let her sister know that. Not that hiding it from her did any good anyway, for the knew every one of each others secrets- well, almost every one. Ara could easily change her sisters mind, that was not a problem. However, she decided to be gracious today, and go along with her little scheme. Sai probably just wanted to get her dirty. The thought at the amount of time it would take to clean her nails made Aidara shudder. "Fine. I'll go. But you OWE me, Sai, You OWE me. And yes, of course I have my things." The last was said with a broad smirk, for she knew the question was asked as a jab at the way she spent her time in the baths. Flipping her red locks angrily over her shoulder, she moved away from the poolside to the notch in the wall where she kept her toiletries. Grabbing a brush and a cake of soap she strutted back over to the edge of the pool and tossed both into the water, inches from where hers sisters head floated. Yes, it was childish, but it made her feel a little better... she was used to getting her way. She quickly overcame her temper tantrum as she was introduced to the youth that was trying vailantly to charm her sister. Aidara hooked her arm into the mans as she smiled up at him, as most in Wind Reach were taller than she. "Nice to meet you...Brother of Toran.." She glanced at Sairque, a brow raised and fighting a smile from breaking across her lips. Had he really introduced himself as that, or was Sai playing another trick on her? No matter, for Brother of Toran was still wearing pants that she could attempt to charm off him, and she had less than a chime now to do so.

[Renol]

OOC :

It says that it's still open, so if you all don't mind I'lll hop in.

Renol walked into the baths rubbing his temple slowly, his eyes closed as he walked forward, not caring if there was anyone in his way, really. it had been a while since he had been in the baths as all the riders had their own bathing rooms in their Aeries. But Had hadn't gotten his new bathing tub put in yet, and his old one didn't give him the room that he needed to releax propperly. So when he was having a particularly stressful day, he came down to the baths so he could spread out, lounge, and relaxe his aching muscles. He hoped that a little while in the pool would help the pounding headache that still raged through his head like a powerful, thundering storm. It had been with him the last few days with everything that had been going on and he needed to find a way to get it gone. Hopefully this would do the trick. If not, he'd have to o down to the Dreaming Lady to see if that might help. Even if it did go away, he might just do that anyway. It did sound like a good idea, after all. But he'd take a little while to relaxe and clean himself up, first.

As he walked, the pair of sandles he still wore hissed along the stone floor with each step, their soles sliding along the stone for a fraction of a second after he lifted his feet. He still wore his Bryda as he strolled up towards the dredge working the towels. He looked the man over for a second as he picked up one of the towels, his face emotionless for a moment as he sized up the man. Silently, renol nodded and flipped the man a Pinion from his palm," Get me something cold to drink and bring it to me and there'll be another in it for you." Renol smiled as the man looked over the coin, nodding quickly, but he had a slightly worried look on his face. Renol nodded again," Anyone gives you shit, you tell them that Renol told you to get it for him. If they don't know the name, just inform them that I'm an Endal, that should put an end to it." With that, the Dredge nodded and hurried off.

Renol turned, flipping the towel over his shoulder and then started making his way through the people. The warm air was already starying to beed across the tattooed muscles of his bare chest as he walked along slowly, taking his time to pick out which bath he wanted to enter. Too many of them had more people then he was really looking to deal with. he wanted a pool that was less occupied so he could stretch out and float around a little bit. He he walked along, a few people stopped him for a moment to chat. It wasn't anything important. Just side chatter about when he was going to be heading out for another long hunt. Things like that. There were several winks exchanged with some of the women in the baths, with knowing smiles laced on their lips.

Renol found his way to a bath that was less occupied then the rest. Only one woman, one of the flight leaders if he remembered right, was in the water. The others were standing there at the side of the ppol. Renol silently nodded to them all in turn, his eyes never straying from theirs as he silently greeted them. He kicked off his sandles next to the pool and then set his towel down ontop of them. His Bryda slipped off next as he carefully took the pair of pants off, folding them and tucking them neatly behind his shoes. He knelt down next to the water, tracing his fingers along the surface for a second before he slowly dove into the water like a snake, his form sliding into the water without so much as a splash as he swam just under the surface, away from the bottom. At the other side, his head emerged from under the water as he let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his dripping hair once more. He closed his eyes for a second as he settled in against the wall, propping his arms along the side, leaving everything from the neck down under the water. ribbons of water trailed down his forehead, seemingly following the black in trials of the tattoos.

[Damal]

Damal walked into the pools. It was odd he'd never seen so many naked females wondering about so casually the few females he had seen nude quickly dressed themselves and they were all symenestra. But being as Inarta Culture was much different from that of Kalinor he'd have to expect a few differences. He approached the drudge and asked for two towels in the politest manner he could. The pale man sympathized with the drudges but he didn't do more than ask for two towels for today. When the drudge asked him why he needed two towels he simply replied

"I have a lack of muscle and I prefer if as few people as possible know." He said it in a quiet voice so only the drudge could hear him. Then he quickly undressed himself and dipped his pale self into the water before he finally reached the bottom of the steps which led people into the pool he didn't know any of the other inarta in the pool nor did he know how to properly swim so standing in hip deep water he walked whilst in the water over to his dry clothes and simply wrote a few things down while he was still in the pool.

[Kellan Lucia]

OOCSorry about the long delay. It will not happen again. I've been super busy and every time I wrote my post it go deleted

These girls were not like others Kellan had flirted with. The seemed to know the ins and outs of flirting and were not going to be swayed by a sultry smile and a few flirty words. He would have to try harder and actually talk to them. What a concept! Kellan smiled at the second girl who seemed to be the first's sister. "You can just call me Kellan, or handsome stranger. Either works, the latter works best though." He smiled at the girls but Sai, or so she was called, did not stick around for long. Soon she was off to the baths with no second thought to Kellan or what he had thought was his irresistable charm. This was new territory to him. He decided to focus his attention on the sister though. It was Sai's loss if she wanted to play hard to get. He didn't care what sister he was flirting with, as long as he was flirting. Unwilling to be defeated Kellan started to talk to Aidara. "So is your sister always so coy or am I just a lucky guy to see that oh so attractive princess act of hers?" Kellan's tone was thick with sarcasam although in his own way he did find Sai's coy attitude a bit appealing. Sai was no longer an issue though. She had moved on so he would as well. "I don't think I caught your name. I think I heard your sister's name is Sai but what about yours?"b He smiled at the girl and looked into her eyes. "Would it be brash of me to ask if you would like to accompany me in a bath or should I keep such questions to myself and hope fate throws us togather?" Kellan was really turning on the chram. Paritaly because that was the way he flirted but also it was so show the other girls in the baths that he was the one they wanted to end up with at the end of the day.

[Sairque]

Sai scrubbed herself briskly with the soap and brush, the suds crawling down the curves and dips of her body to diffuse in the water at her knees. Yes, her sister was just so nice to chuck the tools at her head for her use. Kellan could have her, darling little sister that she was. Good riddance. Despite the harsh thoughts, there was a twinkle in her eye, not that it was really important since Addy could feel that Sai was indulgently amused.

A figure at the edge of the pool caught her eye and she glanced over. It was one of the Endals. Her own unflinching gaze met his and she nodded in return...even going so far as to give him a light gesture of friendship, a warm smile. Just to let him know that once he had relaxed, and if he was so inclined, he could join in on their conversation. He disrobed and dove on in. She wasn't looking his way when he surfaced again and settled himself on the side of the pool. Someone else had entered their pool.

At first the glance had been perfunctory, but then his hair, his build, and his ashen skin caught her attention. A disgusted scowl crossed her features for only the barest of seconds, but her golden eyes stayed cold. Visitors were somewhat welcome in Wind Reach, Sai knew that she was on the far end of the unwelcoming spectrum, but bathing with them was not acceptable. Did he even realize he was ruining her relaxing swim? If she wanted to grit her teeth while bathing, she could have gone to the glacially fed lakes and plopped her white ass in. She watched him until he went to the edge to scribble something down. He didn't even know how to wash himself? Did he pay Dek to help him? Was that pasty dead looking skin going to slough off his body and infect them all?

And Kellan and Addy were still blathering away in some ridiculous mating ritual, oblivious to everything. Sai took a deep breath and tuned into their conversation, lathering her hair up.

"...accompany me in a bath or should I keep such questions to myself and hope fate throws us together?" Kellan was asking, that soft and engaging smile on his face. He was good, if value in their society was measured by the ability to pull lines out smoothly and consistently. And just like so many boys before him, when their original target wasn't warmed by their shallow attentions, they turned to her sister, because Addy was infinitely more interested in such things. It was fun to her, while for Sai it was simply amusing. Fun for Sai was a hard body, controlled by a sharp mind, underneath her own. Sharp mind was optional, though it did seem to take some brains to figure out which angle to use with her. Kellan didn't seem to have it in him. That was just how it was, if Sai wasn't immediately attracted to a hopeful suitor, they had to do the work. And when positions were reversed, Sai never let a little work deter her from something she wanted.

Sai dipped underwater again, rinsing her skin and hair off. Standing, she glanced over to the towel boy to motion him for the previously ordered towel. He was gone. And without finding a replacement for himself. Disappointment, displeasure. Thin, strong fingers wrung the water out of her hair and then brushed across her chest, stomach, arms to slough the clinging drops off.

[Aidara]

"Hmmm, handsome stranger, eh?" Green eyes raked over Kellan's body, sizing him up completely from head to foot. "I've seen handsomer." Was said matter-of-factly. "You can call me stunningly beautiful stranger." Hey, if he could flaunt it, he could take it. Yes, Aidara was known to enjoy her romps between the sheets...or in the baths...or in the woods...Okay, so Aidara liked to romp. But that didn't mean she was easy, nor was she stupid or incapable of playing hard to get. She was completely aware of Kellan's game, and well... she was going to play her own back. Slender fingers traced along his jaw line and across his lips as he laid down his lines, green eyes sparkling, a smug smile playing across her lips. She shimmied her way underneath his arm, pressing her slim body up against his side. Although he wasn't as tall as the other Inarta, she was particularly short and still had to tilt her head back to meet his eye. At his suggestion of bathing together, Addy's gaze traveled over to the secluded pool in which people normally didn't bathe. No, no, that wasn't where she had planned to spend her afternoon. " Sure." Was all she said as she slipped back out from under his arm and gracefully descended the steps into the warm water, giving him no chance to suggest a different pool or one less occupied. It was as she was slowly lowering herself into the water that small ripples broke across its formally calm surface. Glancing up, Aidara saw her sister shift from her luxurious floating position to an angry, rigid stance. Green gaze followed her yellow one and found the source of her sisters anger, which she could feel very strongly now through their link: a lone man at the edge of the pool, writing quietly, not hurting anyone. But he was an outsider. The intensity of the anger and hate that flowed through her sister made Addy shudder. Moving quickly, forgetting completely about Kellan as he joined her in the water, she moved to her sisters side just as she stood to motion imperiously at the towel drudge. "Sai... Don't." A hand rested lightly on her sisters forarm, her other hand daring to reach up, fingers gently guiding Sai's head until her twin had no choice but to look at her. "Please....not now. For me." Rarely ever did Addy ask something of her sister...not like that. There was a flash in her green eyes that almost dared Sai to defy her request. "Talk to him, if you have too. But no fighting." Unwilling to completely embarrass her sister, or ruin her pride, Addy left it at that. A glance over her shoulder told her Kellan was still gazing around the room at all of the other women present. A roll over her eyes and she turned her attention to the other two men who joined them. Excellent. The more men, the better. A brilliant smile lit Aidara's face as she glided across the water, towards men. She shot the one who was the focus of her sisters anger an apologetic smile and mouthed "later" at him. She felt the need to at least explain her sisters actions. But she was not going to do so while her sister still seethed barely six feet away. She slid in next to the man who was lounging against the side of the baths, taking up position right next to him, their shoulders almost touching. "I'm Aidara...And you are?" Her green eyes twinkled as she tilted her head to look up at him, a delicate brow raised in interest.