The Foolish Bard [Aello]

[DraSimon Slade]

5th of Spring, 511

On a crowded street corner near the Jester's Corner within the Merchant's ring, DraSimon - or Simon as he preferred to be called - was attempting to make his living. The people were happy to be about and feel some of the new spring air - which made this a perfect day for him to perform. The crowd was bustling, and the air was sticky with the heat of bodies and moisture of the city. Simon could feel sweat trickle down his spine as he finished juggling. His juggling hadn't had quite the effect that he wished it would have on the crowd. Many of them looked disinterested and about ready to go back along their way. Nobody wants to stand around and watch me juggle. I should know better than to try something so simple as a starter. I guess I could try my newest poem. It's bawdy, but it should draw some attention. He drew his harp and sat upon the stool that one of the local bars had so very graciously supplied. Seeing this, much of the crowd halted their complaining and distraction to await some music. Music has a way of making one forget that they are uncomfortable. He strummed a few notes from his harp and began: "I once knew an Isur named Orenell truly she was Orenell Stonewind Terras She was the coldest I'd ever seen but she had such traits that they her frigidness removed. She was a sight! A being of both beauty as well as of might. I wanted her then, but she my offers rejected. I did not give up even when his name I knew. For I did find that she did bind to a male of name Kornir. He did not deter my wanton want nor has any man ever. I pressed my courting until I my fruits delivered. My offer accepted but I her heart rejected. One night was enough to sate my lust and from Kornir I fled." It was an inappropriate tale and most would pretend to be uninterested, the poem did its trick. The people were trying to stop as if they had not heard the last poem and were merely interested in this street performance. Simon knew that a tale of scandal would draw nearly anyone's attention. People may not like to admit it, but they enjoy hearing about things like that - from the poorest pauper to the richest lord. Hopefully there were more lords than paupers; the poor never tip well but do work to draw in more of a crowd. The attention of the crowds obtained - he began to sing a hymn to Rhysol. Once you've drawn them in, you need only to know what to manipulate. And, Oh! do I know how to manipulate. His eyes slid across the crowd, making as much eye contact as he could. With each connected glance his eyes seemed to flash with the slightest bit of gold. He could feel a bit of exhaustion begin to creep into his mind, but every bit of practice was worth it. Things would become easier as he went. Years ago, he would have struggled to hold one person's attention like this. He was making progress and with progress comes power and money.

[Aello]

Aello was walking through Ravok, the streets she tread upon were nearly empty. It was such a strange sight to see- a moderately sized city and nearly no one in sight. It was as though they were all hiding, as though the sight of her was enough to scare them inside. Or perhaps they heard the same voice, the voice that seemed to taunt her. To follow her wherever she went, and when she just about lost it, it'd disappear. Each time when she was certain she'd mustered the strength to confront it, the voice faded away, as did the silhouette of the man who seemed to be tracking her these days. Perhaps it was one of the stryfe, Aello could not be sure, but whoever he was, he was skilled at his art: disappearing. Yune was strangely quiet as well, which unnerved Aello somewhat. Perhaps the sparrow could sense her master's fear, her anxiety, or perhaps she too, could hear the voice, see the darkened silhouette of the man who had seemed to chase them all over town. Aello bowed her head to the sky, and looked at her feet. She tried to allow the hood of her cloak to conceal as much of her appearance of possible, and whatever the cloth didn't touch, she hoped shadow would claim. "He must not see us, or know our face," Aello whispered hurriedly to her bird, as she cast a quick glance over her shoulder. She couldn't see him anymore, something which should have made her pounding heart calm down. Something which should have made the sweat on her brow to cease, but it did nothing. Perhaps he was closer than she thought, hiding behind a door, or in an alleyway, biding his time before he pounced on Aello and her bird. Aello shuddered as her eyes grew a bit wider. With her left hand, she pulled the hood farther down her face, and then lowered it again. Her bow rested in her right hand, and was swinging gently back and forth with her step. Her quiver and her bag were resting on her back, and seemed to be growing heavier and heavier by the minute. "Oh Yune, we need a quiet place to rest don't we? Or at least some place to finally get away," she said. Aello walked a few more paces before she heard the sound of murmuring. "People!" Aello exclaimed in a slightly-overjoyed sounding whisper. Yune chirped, she seemed to have heard them too. At least that means she's not imagining things. "Where does it seem like they're coming from to you Yune?" Aello asked the bird that was perched on her left shoulder. The bird chirped twice, and solemnly in response. "I thought so too," Aello whispered, as she turned abruptly on her heels and headed left down a narrow side-street. Aello followed the side-street several paces, and then turned right at the end of the street. Aello soon found herself in one of the corners of the merchant's ring, a steadily growing crowd had gathered around a man who was singing some sort of song he had written. Intrigued, Aello stepped up to the edges of the crowd. She could barely make out the man's words. Frustrated, she pushed her way through, occasionally jabbing people with her bony elbows and the front of her bow so that they'd let her through. When she was nestled in the middle of the crowd, Aello stopped to listen. She only caught the end of the song however, and that was more than enough to tell her that the man was not worth listening to. "What a pathetic song," Aello whispered to Yune, as some of the people around her began to push their way back through the crowd, and away. But at least He can't get us here. The crowd should help be sure of that. So perhaps Aello would stay for the rest of the man's performance after all, if only to get away, just for a little while. OOCStuff in bold is Aello's thoughts. Also, there is no man following Aello, it's simply her magic use making her paranoid.

[DraSimon Slade]

I've got them! he thought to himself as he flipped backwards off of his stool. He very nearly lost his footing but recovered quickly enough that most - if not all - all of the audience would be oblivious. Zlynge! I need to be more careful . . . I'm far too tired for this sort of thing. Simon decided to try his luck with some things that would take a bit less of his energy, so that he could better devote himself to the hypnotism of the crowd. He decided on a few more simple songs. Just enough to get a few more tips and to make the crowd remember his performance - that is in addition to the hypnotism. The last of his songs sung - he gave one last mental push to the crowd and gathered all of his belonging and the meager tip in a flourish of his cape. He was gone and removed from the stage before the crowd had even realized what had happened. They were left gawking and dazed while he sauntered off down the street. Of course, in a city - particularly a city like Ravok - it is impossible to move about completely unnoticed. While Simon was disappearing down the side streets there were men following him who had been waiting for him to leave. As obsessed with his performance and slipping away as he was - he did not notice them stalking him. They were slavers, and he was talented, good looking, and - most importantly - new to the city. It was the perfect chance for them to make some easy mizas. The three men followed him silently and slowly down the alleys - always careful to stay just out of sight. At one intersection Simon noticed one of them staring intently at him. He could feel the malicious intent behind it, but couldn't be sure of what the man had planned. Perhaps he was insane. There were men who would attack someone without a true reason. Or possibly he had more concrete motives to look at him with such malice. Uncertain but unnerved - Simon fled quickly down another alley. He was fast, but his harp weighed him down and impeded his movements. They were close upon him before he had even reached the next bend in the alleyway. The first one seized his harp and spun him around against the wall. As his head slammed against the wall behind him he saw that one of the men had a knife. I'm going to die here . . .

[Aello]

The show ended rather abruptly, and Aello was not at all impressed, so as the other viewers clapped, Aello merely spoke to her bird. "What a rather odd performance," she commented. Yune nodded her head in agreement. "Glad you agree," Aello said as she began to push her way through the few members of the crowd that still lingered. She wasn't walking in any direction in particular until she noticed him again. The man was standing in the corner of one of the streets that led away from the merchant's ring. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was watching Aello's movements intently. This is one of the few men whose eyes we don't want on us at all times. Had he been here the whole time? Aello wondered, as his eyes followed her. She was headed right towards him. This time, she would get him and the answers her heart desired. He wouldn't slip through her fingertips this time. The man simply watched her silently as she crossed the plaza, an amused smile on his face. When Aello was a little more than halfway there, he turned and began to walk away. "He isn't getting away this time Yune," Aello growled. She picked up the pace, and followed the man as he led her through a network of alleys, and then disappeared for a moment. What the? "Where did he go now?" Aello asked, as she looked from left to right. She was at a fork in the road, at a central point which led in four separate directions. The only place she knew he couldn't have gone was back in the direction they had come. "Did you see where he went Yune?" Aello asked. The bird simply chirped in response, and Aello sighed heavily. If only she spoke sparrow. So, which way should she go? Left, right, or ahead of her? She had a 33% chance of heading in the right direction. Only a 33% percent chance to get what she wanted, and that number seemed to be slowly declining with each moment she spent waiting, trying to make a decision. Yune chirped again, and Aello looked to her left. There were a series of men in the alley, beating up another. Standing on the other side of them, was the man she had been chasing. Had he led her to them? Aello wondered, as she simply stared. There seemed to be no other way to get past them. No way he could have appeared behind them without getting caught up in the fight. How does he do it? Aello wondered, as she turned on her heels, and headed left. There was no way to get to him without going through them. Aello sighed, she transfered her bow to her left hand, and gripped it tightly. She reached her right hand over her shoulder and pulled an arrow out of her quiver. She knocked it into the bow string, assumed the basic archer's stance, and raised her bow. She aimed down the arrow at one of the men, and began to pull back on the bow string with her right hand. "Hey! You there! Get the heck out of the way, or I'll let go!" The men stopped what they were doing for an instant, looked at Aello, and laughed, before going back to their work. Why do men always underestimate her? Aello sighed before she let go of the bowstring. As the arrow soared through the air, Aello lowered her bow, grabbed another arrow from her quiver, and reloaded. By the time it pierced one of the men in the center of his back, Aello's bow was raised and ready for round two. "If I say 'move,' you get the heck out of the way," Aello cried. The man was screaming, and a steady stream of blood was trickling down the center of his back. He reached behind him, pulled the arrow out, and threw it into the corner. "You'll pay for that!" he screamed. Aello laughed as she pulled the bow string back to her ear. The man she hit stepped towards her, and she let go. The arrow flew right into his left shoulder. He screamed again as crimson red blood shot out of his side, and he was forced to rip the arrow out with his right hand, and toss the arrow uselessly to the side. Meanwhile, Yune had fluttered off Aello's shoulder and hopped off into another nearby alley; to safety. Aello had lowered her bow, and leaned it up against the wall, the thing would be useless soon. The man was drawing too close for it to be much help. But her cursed blade on the other hand, now that may come in handy. Aello smiled wickedly as she pulled it out of its hiding place. She held it tightly in her right hand, as she crouched and the man neared her. She beckoned to him with her left hand. "Come on, you know you want to fight," Aello taunted as the man ran at her, and swung his right arm wildly. Aello quickly dodged it by side-stepping to the right, she lashed out with her knife, but missed him. She wasn't really concentrating, the man she had been chasing was gone. She stared at the empty space where he had once stood in awe, how did he? Aello's stomach fat rippled as the man's fist made contact with her flesh. She stumbled backwards and hit her head on the side of the alley. Instantly, blood rushed to Aello's brain, she could feel it pulsing behind her temples. The man laughed. "Come on little girl, you were the one who wanted to play," he taunted. The man was standing a few feet away, his fists raised in a simple guard block; a ready position. Aello pulled herself off the wall. Her entire body ached, but she wasn't about to give up. She never did know when to back down from a fight. OOCThink you can handle the other two?

[DraSimon Slade]

Simon was shocked back into action when small droplets of blood splashed against his face. He was confused at first, and then he saw one of the men - the largest - pulling an arrow from his back. He wondered for a moment at who had shot him but decided that it did not matter to his immediate safety. They were disoriented, and he could free himself. He twisted violently to his left and broke the hold that his captor had on him. He could feel threads stretch and break in the front of his cloak. He knew that it was a ludicrous thought, but he could not stop himself from thinking, I hope my cloak isn't ripped. I'll look so very shabby if it's ripped. He dropped as he tore away. His years of stunting and performing gave him the skill and reaction time needed for him to effectively roll and bounce back to his feet as he hit the ground. The man who had grabbed him was left looking at the ground as Simon turned to run from the scene of the conflict, but as he fled he noticed the girl. She looked slightly familiar; he might have seen her as he moved about the city. Against his better judgment, he felt thankful for her help. He hesitated - half-turned in flight. "I'm going to regret this," he muttered under his breath. He yelled - further distracting the already bewildered men - and lunged at the second of the slavers. He lashed out - his claws ripping through the soft tissue of the man's face. He faltered for a moment; violence was somewhat unfamiliar to Simon. In his faltering, the third man took the chance to swing at him. Luckily, Simon was able to avoid the blow which would have more than likely broken his jaw. He attempted to backpedal away from the two men, but his lost his footing on something. Looking down - he saw that his foot had landed on the first man's - who was at the moment busy bleeding profusely - knife. He grabbed the blade and swung blindly. There was no connection, but his wild swinging was enough to further unnerve the two remaining thugs, and it allowed him to lash out successfully with his claws once again. This time he tore through the third man's shirt and deep into his arm. Blood dripped from the claws on Simon's left hand. The man let out a yell and charged Simon. He had to think fast and act faster. He ducked the charge, mostly - there was some contact with his shoulder - and he swung out at him with the knife again. This time he connected. A patch of red quickly spread across the man's left side. Simon was not certain of where he had hit, but he knew that he had hit well. The man turned to run, but Simon grabbed a stone and with years of practice and experience - hurled it directly into the back of his skull. Simon could feel something pull in his shoulder as he threw, but he ignored it. There was a loud thud, and then the man hit the ground. A pool of blood began to gather beneath him, and Simon could see that the back of his hair was wet with what could only be blood. It looked like that one was taken care of. Now, where's that last one got to? The final man was practically flying down an alley. Simon glanced around him; there were no more stones to throw, so he did the only thing that he could. He threw the knife. He had never been a proficient knife thrower, and it showed. The blade glanced the man's thigh - drawing blood - but doing nothing more than slowing him for a few seconds. OOCLet the running man go. I have something planned for him later.

[Aello]

Aello and the man side-stepped in circles several times over. They were staring each other down, and sizing each other up. Men really don't seem so tough when they're already bleeding. Aello smiled mischievously as her eyes glimmered. She was crouching now as she stepped, almost silently. "Now why don't you attack already?" Aello asked, tauntingly. "Or are you afraid?" Aello laughed. She was holding her bloody blade out menacingly. The blood seemed to glow, and the blade itself seemed lost in shadow. "Why don't you attack me?" the man asked. His arms still raised. They seemed to be trembling slightly. "As you wish," Aello replied with a sly smile as she lunged forward, and extended her right hand towards the man. The man reacted by tilting his right arm to the side, and bringing it upwards towards his face. The man's arm deflected Aello's attack by pushing her arm upwards and away from his body. "You better have more where that came from," Aello taunted as she took a half step back, and then twirled. She swung her arm around, and twisted the blade in her hand as she went. Her hair was flying wildly around her head, like a whirling dervish, just as her blade cut silently through the air in a circular motion. It struck the air where the man had once stood. He was gone. Aello's heart was pounding and her ears were ringing. Now where did he go? Thud! The man had just punched Aello's right shoulder blade, her quiver blocking a clear shot to the center of her back. He was behind her, laughing wickedly, as she stumbled forward, nearly tripping over her feet. She soon caught herself however, and twisted to face the man head on once again. He is so going to regret that. She was growling rather unpleasantly, like a feral beast, ignoring the pulsing pain in her shoulder. Her dagger was raised, and Aello was just about ready to kill the man. He was smiling wickedly at her, his fists raised. Aello lunged at him, extending her right arm and the blade. At the same time, the man lunged for her, and extended his left hand for a punch. Aello smiled as flesh and blade met. There was a crack, a slitting of bones as her dagger went through a few of his fingers, nearly slicing off his index finger. The man howled in pain, and clutched his hand; now drenched in crimson blood. "Now leave, or the same will happen to your other hand," Aello threatened. The man glared at her as his several drops of his blood hit the floor, occasionally splashing onto his feet. Within seconds, however, he had fled the scene. Aello didn't bother to wipe her dagger off before she returned it to its usual hiding place. It was as though the blood that she had found on it when she first acquired the blade couldn't be wiped away, and the same could be said for any blood she put there. Although, strangely enough, the new blood seemed to melt into the old; causing it to grow darker, and more ominous at times, and brighter and fresher looking at others. Aello looked around, there was only one man left in the alley. The one who had been jumped, it seemed, for he hadn't yet made a move on her. It took her a minute, but Aello finally recognized the guy as the pathetic bard she had watched in the Merchant's Ring. What luck, Aello thought, as she crossed the alley to him. "You alright?" Aello asked. "Some of them really do seem to pack a punch, but others, not so much," she chuckled.

[DraSimon Slade]

Simon turned to face the girl who had come to his aid. She was attractive enough for a human; Simon preferred more exotic appearances, so that was a distraction that he would have no need to worry about. Her voice had sounded friendly enough - almost warm, but there was a light in her eyes somewhere between disinterest and distaste. It bothered him for a moment, but he would soon put a stop to that. He understood that her comment could have been an insult to him, but acting hurt would not bring her any closer to friendship. And so Simon laughed - most likely at himself, but laughter has a way of disarming people even when it is foolish laughter, and especially when it is laced with hypnotic magics. "I'm alright - just slightly stunned, but you seemed to have taken quite a hit there. Are you okay? And I realize that this is slightly unrelated, but have I ever met you before?" he asked - his eyes lightening from a castory to a slightly more golden shade of brown.

[Aello]

Aello laughed. "Of course, that was little more than a flesh wound. Probably won't leave more than a bruise," she said as she simply stared at the man she had saved. What a wimp, she thought. If he though that was bad, then he probably would have died if he saw the state of your body after the wolf and yukeman attack last season. At that, Aello startled giggling uncontrollably. "No sir, we have never met before," she replied. She was still giggling. Her head was tilted back slightly, and her eyes were shut tightly. It took Aello a few moments to regain her composure, and when she did, she simply stared into Slade's eyes. They were a golden-brown color, and seemed somewhat, otherworldly. Thus, Aello couldn't help but find her dark brown eyes locked in his. They seemed to draw her into them, immobilizing her body. "Glad you're alright," Aello muttered in a sort of daze. Her gaze seemed far off, as did her voice, as though it were lost in space. Yune was chirping beside her ear, but Aello ignored it. There was something about those eyes that made her feel so strangely secure. As though they signaled the fact that the man couldn't possibly be a threat to her. Oh here we go again. Aello took a half step closer to Slade, and lifted her right hand to his face, it hovered inches from his lips. Aello's fingers were curled towards her hand a bit, and her hand was trembling slightly. Her face was scrunched up slightly, confused, curious. She was tempted to press her fingers into him; just to be sure he was real. His eyes didn't make him seem so, and neither did this feeling she was experiencing. Whatever it was. How could a total stranger make someone feel so certain? So secure?

[DraSimon Slade]

When her giggling began he was slightly surprised. He could not be certain if it was a reaction to his magic or if their was some humorous underlying thought. Regardless, he found the giggling annoying. It did not show but for the slightest moment when her eyes were closed tight. His carefully crafted mask slipped - the corners of his lips turning down and his brow furrowing slightly, but it was so quick that she would have no hope of seeing it. He enjoyed it when she stared into his eyes, not because he found her eyes appealing or even that he was glad for her attention. He enjoyed having enough control over her that she would ignore the things around her. It had never been attention that he had craved as a bard; it was the influence over the people watching. Her bird began to chirp. He found that more annoying than her giggling. He could attempt to hypnotize and calm the bird, but psychic pushes could kill some animals. And the death of her bird could break his control of her. His thoughts of the bird were interrupted when she stretched her hands toward him. What does she think she's doing? And then he noticed her quivering. Maybe she is having some reaction to my intrusion. Or maybe my influence isn't as great as I would like. Well, it doesn't matter; I don't have enough stamina to push much harder. Even at this rate I could probably only keep this up for an hour - maybe two. He spoke to her. "I'm so glad to hear that you're fine. Those men would have probably killed me if you hadn't come to my rescue. I'm slightly ashamed that I needed to be rescued, but I am certainly grateful to you." He gently guided her hand down from his face with his non-bloodied hand. He touched her only with his fingertips. Touch had a way of breaking hypnotism if the target had too strong of thoughts about the caster in one direction or another. "Would you like to take a walk?" he said as he moved to stand beside her. Breaking eye contact could risk breaking the spell, but he wanted to walk. And at the worst he would simply part company with her.

[Aello]

"Uhhhh.... you're welcome," Aello stammered as Slade lowered her hand. He was holding it so daintily that Aello couldn't help but wonder if he thought he may break her, hurt himself by touching her, or simply, found her revolting. Of course, she never bothered to ask for any sort of clarification. Instead the young spiritist said, "we could take a walk... just got to make sure we have everything." Aello turned away from Slade and walked a few paces down the alley, she retrieved her bow and the rest of her belongings. Yune had already returned to her after the fight; perhaps sensing that it was all over. "Ok, now we can go," Aello said when she had picked everything up. Whatever spell he had cast on her was slowly fading. She felt almost nothing for him now. Perhaps just a little sad for the state of his body. The fact that he had gotten into a fight, but nothing more. The two were strangers, and it was about time she started acting as such. Aello returned to Slade's side, and asked, "so did you have a destination in mind? Or... are you new around here? Do you need someone to show you the way?" she inquired as Yune began to chirp again. "Oh right! Thank you Yune. Where on earth are my manners?" Aello asked rhetorically as her cheeks flushed. "The name is Aello. And who might you be?" she asked, as she stuck her right hand out for Slade to shake. She wasn't usually so proper, but they had met in such a strange way. Not to mention, there was something about when they locked eyes. Something that made her feel so strangely calm. Every guard that Aello had put in place had fallen asleep; or simply run from his post. "And what are you doing here? Do you know why they were after you? Or do you not wish to speak of such things?" she asked.