Completed The Dastard of the Docks (Vanari)

[Amolina]

~ Amolina Moletta ~ ~ 1th day of Winter 513 AV ~ Timestamp: Day 1 of Winter 513, evening Location: The Spot It was evening in The Spot. The atmosphere was as cheery as it comes in a floating tavern in Ravok an evening in early winter. The clinking sound of glasses blended with the sound of voices and the air smelled promisingly of delicious ravokian specialities from the taverns kitchen. Amolina laughed just a little bit too much and loudly at the vantha’s joke. She had been lucky to meet this new acquaintance, and all signs pointed to this being one of the best evenings out in a long time. It hadn’t seemed so in the beginning though. Amolina had originally come there to try to speak with Alice Lark about a few tricky dancing steps she had tried to learn, but it had turned out Alice was busy. She was going to dance in The Dastard of The Docks, the play that was going to be performed on the small stage in The Spot this evening. Disappointed, Amolina had bought a glass of wine and tried to discretely ask Bohir Adams for information about the shady job she had done in early summer and that she had still not been paid for. Bohir Adams had as usual not revealed anything. There she had been, disappointed, somewhat bitter even, sitting alone with her drink, when the vantha had turned up. By now both of them were somewhat inebriated and the stories they were telling each other were getting more and more interesting … “I could tell you a story often told by performers in Ravok. It’s the tale about a performer who for the first time had a role that included a kissing scene “ she said. She didn’t notice that this seemed to catch the attention of a few people at the tables nearby. After the vantha’s last story they clearly had an audience. People were listening in, waiting for her to go on to the details. “Plays with a kissing scene is the bogeyman of many actors. Just think of it - you get a role and all is fine, but it includes acting in love with an actor who can be anybody…in worst case it can be a person you really dislike, or somebody who’s forgotten to wash for a while, or somebody horribly ugly, or repulsive in some other way…it can also be somebody who takes the opportunity to try to make more of the scene than it was meant to be … if you are lucky it’s another normal person who is only trying to do his job and you just get it done without problems. Anyhow…that wasn’t the case in the story about the girl that got a role that included a kissing scene. The male lead actor was … sort of a bad kisser, you could say.” Amolina looked at the vantha over the rim of her glass. “Would you like me to tell you that story? Or do you want to hear something less disturbing?” She paused. The vantha seemed to think and hadn’t answered yet. She wasn’t from Ravok, Amolina thought. Perhaps her taste in stories was different. You never knew with foreigners. “So what do you say, Vanari? Would you like me to tell this ravokian story I proposed, or not? And what kind of story would you like to tell me in return?”

[Vanari]

Winter, Day 1, 513 AV The sky was bruising its usual indigo shade as Leth's pale glow grew in strength to reclaim the night. Energy was higher than usual; people were hustling and bustling to get things done before night fell and the cold came to chill their bones. Every tavern and brothel seemed more crowded than ever, to the point where people were spilling out the doors and sounds of raucous merry making could be heard no matter which way the Vantha chose to burrow into her bed. Even Tarsin's was sporting an unbearable din. She made a valiant effort for all of half a chime before the noise finally drove her out of her spartan room. As the saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...then beat 'em at whatever it is they're doing. For the sake of pride, that is. About a glass and a half of wine in--being no fan of that dish water they call ale--Vanari's ever-eavesdropping ears picked up the juiciest piece of news she'd happened upon all day. Apparently, there was to be some sort of play performed in The Spot! And, rumor had it that this Dastard of something or other was going to be well worth being trampled under a crowd. Well, well. It would be a betrayal to her very blood if she were to miss out on such a performance, now wouldn't it? In less than three ticks Vanari was out the door and hurtling herself towards The Spot, eager to get there as soon as possible so as not to have to fight tooth and nail for a good view of the play. Not half a bell later, she was inhaling her third or fourth glass of fruity wine, only to look down once more and find it somehow magically full again. Petch it. Who was she to question its generous, magical origins? Her eyes glittered a mischievous green as she focused instead on the pretty actress before her offering a trade for a story about kissing. Hmm, yes, there was an appropriately delicious story somewhere in this noggin of hers to be exchanged... When the Vantha had burst into the tavern, slightly out of breathe and half crazed in her attempts to nab a good seat before the play started, the last the she had expected was to be invited to sit with a living, breathing actress. Right next to the stage. Where the play was taking place. In which said actress would be dancing. Vanari would have called it a grand stroke of pure luck, had she not been standing wide-eyed and slack-jawed in front of Amolina moments before like the local village idiot. She hadn't meant to look so rude, but in the midst of her pushing and shoving through the crowd--and avoiding unwanted pinches and the usual revolting requests--someone had knocked her out of the throng and right into view of the actress. Having seen troupes and plays all her life as a child, the recognition was instantaneous. The stylish flare of her make up, the boldness of her colors, the grace with which she sat and observed... ...a performer! In the flesh! Vanari was suddenly struck with wonder like she had regressed ten years, held in awe before someone who had taken the path she sorely wished to tread upon herself. But, not a path towards just any troupe. A path towards the troupe, the one and only that the Vantha had ever dreamed of being a part of. Ionu's chosen, The Inverted... She slapped her palm against the wooden table a little harder than intended and grinned fiercely. "Done. You have yourself a deal, Miss Moletta. A kissing story for a kissing story. Let us hear yours first!"

[Amolina]

When the vantha slapped her hand on the table Amolina smiled. "A kissing story for a kissing story then. Here's mine." And she started to tell her story. A performer, her name was Synetta, had been given a role that required her to participate in a kissing scene. She felt alright with everything else in the play, but the kissing scene troubled her. For a start, she had no idea who she was going to play it with. So came the day when the rehearsals started and all the performers were gathered to work. When Synetta saw her co-actor the first time she could hardly believe her eyes. The actor was unusually handsome, beautiful even. His hair was very light blond, with a silvery shine, and it was looking very soft and silky. The way it lay against his head like it was wet could make you think he must have brushed it with oil in order to keep it in place. He was a foreigner, recently arrived, and a good actor obviously, as he had been hired at once despite how hard that used to be for non-ravokian performers. While the director gave his instructions to the performers, the blond man looked back and forth between the others, like he was restless, constantly in movement, not moving only his eyes, but turning his face towards the next and the next and the next colleague, as the director spoke with them. He stared at Synetta when it was her turn to be given her instructions and the director started to speak about the kissing scene. There was something blatantly hungry in his expression and in his eyes, like he couldn’t wait to kiss her. “We all know that kissing scenes can be hard” the director said. “So we will practice with dummies. This is a good way to overcome the initial awkwardness.” There was lots of different things to rehearse during the following days, but this story is about the kissing scene. Synetta was given a pillow to practice on. And the blond actor was given a pillow too. This was the dummy. The method was to pretend that the pillow was the actor, and then act the kissing scene with the pillow. By practicing this way, kissing the pillows passionately in front of the other actors, they would gradually become used to performing the scene. “When will we kiss for real?” the blond actor asked. He didn’t seem to like the idea of kissing a pillow. “When you are ready for it.” “I’m ready now.” “You will do as I say and practice with the pillows.” So they practiced for a week. The first time she kissed with the pillow it felt very embarrassing that the others were looking, but a few days later, when she had done it a number of times, she was more relaxed. But with the blond actor it seemed to be the opposite. The more he practiced the more ardent his kissing of the pillow became, the more passionate his embrace of the dummy, the more tense and hungry the expression in his eyes. And finally … at the end of the rehearsals the day before they were going to do the kissing scene for real, he stopped Synetta outside the building where they had been working, kissing pillows all the day. He suggested that they would go for a walk together, along the beautiful canals of the city. When he asked her this, it felt like it would be out of questions to say no, it simply wasn’t done to say no to an invitation such as this one. She would follow him. It was natural. There was no other option. That was how it felt. They walked away along the canals. It was a very romantic evening, and Ravok was at it’s most beautiful. It was spring. The light of lanterns was reflected by the dark water and everything was mystical and lovely. But they had not walked far, they were barely out of sight from the main walkways, when the blond actor abruptly stopped and put his arms around her and looked at her mouth like he was unable to hold himself back until they were in a somewhat more sheltered place and not just around the corner from Nitrozian Plaza. Synetta felt at once enthralled, and paralyzed by this blatant need that was focused on her. It felt like a shiver of apprehension rippled the air. She knew he was going to kiss her… here, now, at once. As he drew her closer, she shut her eyes. She felt his lips against her mouth, just a light, soft touch... Harder and harder he held her. Now he was kissing her like he was starved and wanted to swallow her, he nibbled on her lip and for a moment, only a moment, she could feel his teeth. The kissing went on … Next… She was giddy and if felt like her legs had given up and her feet were losing contact with the ground. He was lifting her up in his arms, and it felt to her like he was growing bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger by the chime. Dazed and dizzy she leaned her head back under the kiss, while his open mouth slowly opened even more, like he couldn’t get enough … And this is the reason we have the Ebonstryfe. The Ebonstryfe PROTECTS the citizens of Ravok against all evil, and now a stryfer came walking from the Nitrozian Plaza and turned around the corner. He saw that one of those horrid snake-monsters, a dhani, was in the process of swallowing an innocent ravokian girl! It had turned into it’s half human form and was partly coiled around her, partly carrying her in its human looking arms - it’s mouth wasn’t open enough to allow it to swallow her head yet, but you could say her face looked to be halfways in and the snakes mouth was opening more and more … The Dhani was so absorbed in it’s eating that it didn’t notice the attack that chopped it’s head off until it was too late. The sudden decapitation made its body drop Synetta on the pavement, then fall down on top of her like it was completely out of control now. Which was true, as it had lost it’s head in one resolute stroke with the sword. It was down, finished and done. Blood was pumping out of the headless monster. It just lay there and pinned her to the walkway. The stryfer took time to clean the sword in the canal water and put it back into his belt. Then he unceremoniously kicked the head and the other remains of the dhani into the canal, and it disappeared in the lake . Being a good citizen and helpful law enforcer, he picked up the mindlessly whining performer and carried her away. So now all can see: Thanks to the Stryfe, nothing seriously bad had happened. This was the true story about what happened around the corner near The Nitrozian Plaza that evening, as reported by the stryfer. And everybody lived happy ever after, but that’s another story. That was the end of the story. It was called “The Kiss of The Dhani” and Amolina had told it with intense immersion. It was a truly ravokian story, about the glory of the Ebonstryfe, after all. And there could be stryfers under cover in the tavern. You could never know ! "Your turn! "

[Vanari]

Vanari clapped in slightly drunken delight as Amolina finished her story. She hadn't heard a good one in ages, and this Dhani one hit the spot. Granted, she had balked a little when a Stryfe was introduced, still frightened witless by the very mention of them--and rightly so, after the blood bath she had witnessed. But the atmosphere was too filled with merry-making for her to dwell long on the past, and at Amolina's request for her end of the deal Vanari happily obliged. "My turn indeed. A kissing story, eh? Hmm...well, here's one involving yours truly and a great big, purple Akalak." Those listening in on the two ladies' congenial exchange chuckled knowingly. Any woman who had met an Akalak face to face was bound to have an interesting story or two to share."So to give a bit of context, the setting takes place three years ago in the enchanting city of Riverfall. Me, a young, naive traveler with not a clue in the world. And Korin, the charming, silver-tongued Akalak with godly pecks and a look smoldering enough to stare the clothes right off of you." Several women giggled, tittering amongst themselves over such an appealing specimen. "Ah, ah, ladies. Let us not be fooled. Remember what lies beneath those rippling muscles and incredible endowments, what lurks behind every opportunity to come out for a stroll and meet your most vulnerable acquaintance. Do not commit the most common of mistakes in dealing with Akalaks: that of forgetting the existence of his brother. His second soul. Now, where Korin was charming and smooth, Amon was even more charming, even smoother than his lighter brother. Why? Because, as Korin's darker half, he needs were greater, less controlled. When he wanted something, he had to have it. And there was little anyone, not even Korin, could do about it. Amon was so good that it was almost impossible to tell the difference. The only way you'd know was when it was too late and the dark bother was there, leering at you out of a face you'd grown to know and trust." At this, the women grew silent. So did the men, in fact. It wasn't as though a desperate desire to repopulate was the only thing Akalaks were known for; they were also fiercesome warriors, and it was unsettling for anyone to think too deeply on such powerful beings harboring two souls at once, never knowing which would surface to greet you next. "It was late. We'd both had a lot to drink, him more than me, but for once I wasn't worried. I'd grown relaxed, let my guard down. He'd been so sweet, so good to me; he saved my life, twice, and was the single difference between me getting nothing and something done in the city. Wasn't long before we abandoned our dinners and went stomping up the stairs back to my room above the tavern, laughing like idiots. He was doing an impression of a pigeon, cooing and waddling about with his arms flapping at his sides, his whole body utterly devoted to the act. All bulging, muscled, six or seven feet of him." Vanari did an obnoxious imitation from memory of what Korin had looked like, cooing madly like some kind of demonic bird, and the whole crowd burst into guffaws. Then she snapped her fingers, all serious business again. "Next thing you know we're colliding through the door. He'd picked me up somewhere along the way and hoisted me over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. It was petching uncomfortable, I'll tell you that, but it did give me the perfect angle to undo the buckles of his leathers--and offered a view of his very fine, very firm buttocks." The women shrieked mirthfully at the scandal and the men roared with laughter. It felt good, the Vantha realized, to speak so freely. She hadn't felt this liberated in ages! "By the time he dumped me on the bed, my legs were bare, and so was his magnificent torso." Vanari made a ridiculous motion, rubbing the air in front of her as though it might be a set of godly pecks, and the women burst into fits of giggles again. "Gods, he was a good kisser. You know how it usually just feels slimy and disgusting and tastes like last night's dinner?" All the women nodded eagerly. "Well Korin had it down to an art. He was divine, his hands in my hair, his tongue pushing against mine. It was the first time we'd ever kissed; I'd resisted him for well over half a season, for reasons I suddenly couldn't remember. It felt like I was losing my mind, and I swear I could feel his heat through my clothes." She paused for a tick. Everyone was on the edge of their seats--or toes--listening for what happened next. "And then Amon arrived. One moment, it was Korin's tender fingers brushing lovingly through my hair. The next, it was Amon's uninhibited, primal violence yanking me back, almost ripping my scalp clean off my head. I'd say that was the single, most terrifying experience I had felt up until then. I screamed in pain, I remember, and he shoved me down against the bed before getting up to lock the door. His momentary distraction gave me the chance to make a grab for the vial of Pillowsap on his abandoned belt. I plucked it off, uncorked the vial, and poured its contents into my mouth. A tick later, Amon came back and did exactly what I'd hoped he would do: he kissed me. And that's when I bit his lip as hard as I could. He snarled as my teeth drew blood, then I forced the poison from my mouth into his. Pillowsap, as we all know, has to be absorbed through a wound. No blood, no fun!" Vanari blurted the last part in a sing song voice, wagging her fingers in the air. "After that little stunt, he slapped me so hard he split my lip as well. In goes the poison! And, in less than a chime, as fate would have it, we were both knocked out cold. When we woke, we found ourselves half naked, bloody lipped, and suffering the worst hangover imaginable. Almost a whole season passed before Korin even touched me again." The crowd was staring at her now in horrified silence. Someone in the back could be heard faintly muttering, "You're petching mad." Vanari took a long draught of wine, emptying her glass, and set it down with a satisfied sigh. "The end. Alright, what's next on the list?"

[Amolina]

Amolina had listened to Vanari’s kissing story with as much interest as all the people at the tables nearby. Though she was silently wondering why Vanari had used that pillowsap on a man she had apparently brought up to her room in what seemed like mutual attraction and common goals. Odd. Amolina could understand that kind of thing when it was only a ruse, like when she pretended to want to seduce Nolan Parnell, while she had actually just been spiking his drinks until he was so far gone that she could rob him. In Vanari’s case she only seemed to have changed her mind just because the man had turned out to be a bit devious…like they weren’t all, like Vanari had expected to trust him. Weird idea, trust, mindboggling even. But it had been a good story. She made a mental note to remember the pillowsap thick. It could come in handy one of those days. She didn’t have anybody to use it on, as the few bachelors in Ravok seemed to be single for a reason as far as she had seen. But it was still a good tip for how to cope with difficult people. Pillowsap… this seemed to sum up both the kissing stories. “Pillow” she said. “And then - sap!” This made her giggle uncontrollably for several chimes. “Vanari, that was a wonderful story! And now … I’m going to tell a fish story. A ravokian fish story. And then you can tell me a fish story too. “ She took it for granted that the Vanta would approve so she started telling her own fish story at once. It was a fish story ...not a fishing story. Lake Ravok is deep and dark and down there in the depts there’s said to be deepwater fish…odd and amazing fish, huge-eyed monstrous looking fish, distorted fish with nightmarish looks. Normally you wouldn’t want to catch that kind of fish. But it’s also said, in some ravokian tales that people tell to scare their children away from the edges of the canals - the tales say that some of those fish can have rare and special properties. Some of them are even said to be magic! She saw the audience nod and heard them laugh. They were apparently familiar with this kind of tale. Every parent in Ravok came up with their own imaginary scary fish, and if you would believe the tales there would be an endless number of highly interesting fish down there. Truth was Amolina had yet to see one. She bet this went for the others in the tavern too. Deepwater Fish. The bogeyman of ravokian small children. Feared, but never seen. She contiuned to tell the story... Beware! Beware of the canals of Ravok, because now and then the Deepwater Fish comes up to the surface and …they are kelvics ! If you have been leaning over the edge of a canal and looking down into the water too long, this will make the Deepwater Fish take interest in you and target you! They will remember you like you are bait and they will swim up to the surface in the middle of the night. When they have shifted to their human forms …they will prey on you and find a way to get at you ! You can always recognize them on how they stare seriously and mutely at you...just like fish! The audience cheered Amolina on, laughing out loudly. And if you look too deep into your glass an evening in tavern, then they will remember you too. And you will wake up next day with a terrible headache. You may think it’s a hangover … yes, that’s what it is, literally, you have been hanging over the edge of a canal or a glass, and while you slept, the Deepwater Fish has been nibbling at your dreams. Because that’s what they do - they nibble at your dreams, and once they have done that you are in for trouble. Serious trouble. Because they will some way or another drag you with them down into the blackness and the cold! At this point Amolina noticed that tonight’s play hadn’t started yet and the actors seemed to just stand there speaking despite the time. Something seemed to be amiss. Amolina was actually not starring in the play, but hadn’t cared to correct the Vantha, who seemed to believe so. But she knew it by heart, and she could see that the group of people over at the stage were two actors short. She shrugged. What,wait …wasn't that ...no…their problem… she would soon glance at them again, as she suddenly thought she saw somebody she recognized speak with them … she felt sure it was Hines...but first she was going to end the story in typical ravokian style. From this we can understand that we are lucky to have the Ebonstryfe. They protect us from the big fish, the Deepwater Fish kelvics from down there in the dark depths. And this, my friends, is the reason nobody has seen them ! This time nobody laughed. Instead a low murmur of concurring voices could be heard. Once again a story that ended politically correctly, to the glory of the Stryfe ! “Your turn to tell a fish story, Vanari!”

[Vanari]

For a moment, emotions warred inside the suddenly too-small cavity of the Vantha's chest. She downed more of the wine that had once again magically refilled itself in her glass to cover her reaction, but it did little to quell her internal trembling. Gods, it had been a long, long time since she reminded herself of that night. Of Korin. Korin. Even after all these years, it still tore a seam in her heart and filled the gap with pain to remember. Remember his kindness, his sincerity, and then the sudden, terrifying reality of his existence as Amon usurped all of the light to replace it with dark. It wasn't that Amon was evil, or even cruel. No, it was that his wants were too great, and the price he was willing to pay far exceeded anything Korin could even conceive. Within the first days of the Akalak truly knowing Vanari, he had told her about the vial of Pillowsap. He held her hand and guided it to where the vial sat on his belt, then to where the fasteners were. "If Amon ever threatens you in any way, cut me somehow and get the Pillowsap in the wound. I don't care how you do it, just make it happen. Promise me?" The Vantha had, but only after affirming it wouldn't kill him. And so continued their tenuous friendship, always straining to be more but never allowed to progress with Korin's darker brother eternally lurking in the shadows of his consciousness. It had been a lucky thing that night, and though in retrospect she wasn't been entirely sure Amon would've ended her life, she had been too terrified at the time to believe otherwise. Then the actress began her second story, and it was all the Vantha needed to stop thinking of the past. Vanari had been listening to Amolina's fish story, cheering and laughing with the rest of the crowd, when a curious motion around her peripheral caught her attention. It came from one of the actors on stage, who was clearly angry about something and was waving her arm out toward the tavern customers in frustration. Her fellow actor only shook his head tiredly as though it wasn't the first time they'd gone over the issue, which only made the actress angrier. Uh oh, drama before the drama... A low murmur rippled through the crowd, and the Vantha snapped back to focus on Amolina just in time to realize her story had finished. At the audience's reaction, and because she had managed to pick up something concerning the Stryfe in her momentary distraction, Vanari felt it safe to assume the ending was yet another traditional homage to the Ebonstryfe. "A fish story...let's see...alright. So, this one begins on a blistering, Winter night. Up along the frigid terrain of Taldera, there was a boy, out alone, making fat dimples in the endless stretch of fresh snow as he trekked home empty handed. He had spent all day trying to prove he could catch fish by himself, without the overbearing presence of his father, but he had failed. Dejected, numb, and weary, he made his way back to a fate worse than hunger or frostbite, when his foot suddenly stepped on something hard. What was this? He bent to take a closer look and found it was...another foot! Thinking someone was trapped beneath the snow and trying not to fear for the worst, he started digging frantically with his hands. Ah, but he was much too late. The poor fellow he had stepped on was most definitely, inexplicably frozen. What to do now? He couldn't drag the man home to bury, so he could have to do it here. Filled with a sense of purpose, the boy began looking for a stick or branch to dig away at the snow with, when he caught sight of something strange in the man's icy hands. It was an average sized fish. Had the man been starving? But if he had been, why not just eat it? Why hold onto it? Curiosity got the best of him. On impulse, the boy picked up a stick and pried the fish slowly out of the frozen man's hands. It popped out like a baby tooth, and the boy picked it up gingerly, deciding it would be best not to let this fish go to waste. He buried the man, gave his condolences and farewells, then returned home not quite as empty handed as before. When his father asked him why the fish was frozen, he had an excuse prepared: he had caught the fish early on and, not wanting to it to spoil while he continued hunting for more, buried it in the snow while he worked. His parents approved, clapped him heartily on the shoulders, and his mother went to prepare her son's first fish for their evening meal. She let it defrost in a pot of boiling water first, and when she went to cut it open, she screamed. For, inside of the fish was--" Vanari stopped mid sentence, her attentions suddenly glued on something far more perplexing. The actors on stage were arguing loudly now, so loudly in fact that the crowd forgot their initial disappointment with the timely interruption and were listening instead to the heated conversation. "Don't give me those pathetic excuses. The show must go on! Why must you continue to have a silver spoon stuck so far up your petching arse that you won't even consider the fact that your performers need to eat tonight?" "It is beyond us, for the hundredth time, you ignorant little wench," the jaded actor from before hissed. He was addressing the angry woman from before, who was practically livid now. "It is about the art, the soul of the play. Without perfection, we cannot perform it." "For petchsake, we are only missing two minor, dancing roles. Anyone in this tavern could do it!" the actress fumed. "Oh, is that so?" the actor sneered. "Well then, Miss Cocksure Assistant Director, I'm dead certain you're wrong. But if you must continue insisting, let us raise the stakes if you are to have things your way. If you can prove you actually know what you're doing, you can take my place. If not, you are fired. Forever."

[Amolina]

The story had ended right before something that seemed gruesome …like all others, Amolina was left with this cliffhanger when the argument among the performers interrupted Vanari. “Don’t you be sarcastic and call me ‘Miss Cocksure Assistant Director’! I’m not interested in your role, and you don’t need to fire me, I quit! Find a new female lead actor at once, if you can, Director Essing! “The woman who was obviously the female lead actress tore off the barmaid apron she had been wearing over her dress and threw it on the man in a highly dramatic way and then she stomped out from the tavern, her head held high and proud. Director Essing. Yes. It was in fact Seymor Essing, the director of Deepwater Theater, who stood there holding the barmaid apron that had been thrown at him. Seymor Essing was sort of an acquaintance of Amolina’s by now - she had done several auditions for him, but so far he hadn’t given her any roles. The man was looking flamboyant as usual, with long dark wavy hair, dressed in a white shirt with a waterfall of lace down the front, black pants and boots. Amolina stared at him and Essing stared back, seriously and silently as always. Then he jumped down from the scene, crossed the floor and approached her. “Miss Moletta. If I remember it right you did the barmaid monologue for The Dastard of The Docks in one of our auditions. If you can help me save this evenings performance I will consider giving you a role in our next play, the one you audited for in late fall … A trip to The Temple. If you say yes, this apron is yours! “He held the apron out with an elegant gesture. “I play the male lead role. “ Amolina could hardly believe her good luck ! It was like Essing said, she had done this before. And now she was offered to play the role as Rozita Romaro, the wealthy merchant’s daughter who had disguised herself and sneaked away from the boredom of the well ordered life to seek carefree adventures in The Docks, where she had soon enough managed to get employed as a barmaid and started to entertain herself by flirting with the patrons. “Of course Director Essing! “ She jumped to her feet, took the apron and donned it. It was an opportunity nothing could make her pass on. “I’m ready to play!” Seymor Essing looked at her in his serious way. And now Aydury Hines, the costume specialist of Deepwater Theater, joined him. “Miss Moletta” she said very seriously, staring at Amolina. She reached out and made a few changes to the apron and also tried to pull the décolletage of Amolina’s dress down a bit. Then Hines stared at the result, seriously and mutely, her odd big hairdo looking more special and unusual than ever. “I guess this will have to do. Miss Moletta, is your friend her a performer too? We need two minor dancers … “. ¨ “You can dance a bit Aydury, so we just need one more” Essing said. “And you, beautiful stranger and friend of Miss Moletta - may I ask your name - are you willing to dance in our play? Just do like Alice Lark does, or tries to do it, I believe many in the audience won’t notice much difference. “ He grabbed Vanari’s hand and pretended to kiss it though his lips didn’t touch her skin. Than he stared at her seriously, silently. “Will you do it?” Amolina had already entered the stage and taken a position to the side. After hearing Vanari’s answer, that he hoped would be a yes, Essing turned and ran after Amolina, jumped up on the stage with impressive agility and bowed. “The Dastard of the Docks! “ he announced, yelling in order to catch the audience’s attention. “Part one ! “ A long drum solo by a theater musician followed. The play started. It was in a suspect tavern. Dubious people were dancing in the background, she could see Alice lark, Aydury Hines and perhaps somebody more start to dance ... But Amolina must focus on her role. Now she walked to the middle of the stage and started to act. She made a polite curtsey in front of Essing. “Is this The Cold Depth, the famous tavern of the Docks? My name is Rozita and I’m looking for work !” Sweetly. In order to give the role some new and interesting content she acted just like that fortune teller Amelia Cross that she was trying to impersonate now and then, so her voice was very soft and the expression on her face was vaguely smiling. She moved her hand the way they fortune teller had moved her hands, a small and delicate and very feminine movement. “Hahahaha! “ Essing laughed loudly and dastardly. “And why would I hire you? You don’t strike me as the kind of barmaid we employ here! We need bawdy, flirty people who can seduce the customers into buying more drinks, that’s what we need !” “Oh no sir, you are mistaken, I’m the right kind of barmaid and exactly what you need here!” Amolina, acting as Rozita now, gave Seymor Essing a long and fake, smoldering hot, flirty gaze, while at same time making her face look like she was smiling pleasantly, just like Amelia Cross' face had done. ”I’m certainly the right kind of barmaid for this place” she said, making her voice endlessly soft and pleasant and very Amelia Cross like. "You need something different to make this place stand out from the other taverns here in the Docks" she improvised outside the manuscripth. She smiled very sweetly - Amelia's sweet smile. ( Rhysol, where had that line come from, she must be more tipsy than she had been aware of !) At this point, Essing stared at her, just stared, seriously and mutely, his mouth slightly open, like a gaping fish. But then he resumed acting: "Perhaps you are right, perhaps it would be good for this tavern to have something to ... stand out, as you are saying." The show went on !

[Vanari]

Vanari's jaw dropped to the floor when the director himself jumped down from the stage, walked up to Amolina, and handed her the leading female role. Just like that. Bam, a miracle dropped straight from the heavens. Or, well, perhaps not so straight after all. The Vantha gave a moment's worth of pity for the former assistant director, who's anger upon discovering she had been instantly replaced would be potent enough to set fire to an entire building. A moment's worth, and no more. Besides, the woman had stormed out, so they were more or less safe from her fiery wrath. But the miracles were not done dropping. As soon as Amolina donned her new apron and surrendered herself to the ministrations of what Vanari could only assume was some sort of costume specialist, the initial problem of being two dancers short was brought up once more. Except this time, there was no flat, jaded denial. Like a dream turned reality, Director Essing himself was suddenly holding the Vantha's hand, extending the very last offer she thought she'd receive that night. He bent his head as though to plant a kiss on her skin, but his lips were never felt. Ah, a bona fide gentleman. Who would've guessed? "Will you do it?" he asked quite bluntly. Vanari stared slack jawed for a tick or two. Her throat felt rather inexplicably parched, despite all the wine she had been guzzling down. Was it just her, or was the room suddenly growing extremely stuffy and uncomfortable? The Vantha felt her calloused hand start to grow sweaty in the graceful, flawless confines of the director's. She opened her mouth to squeak out a "yes," but instead, what came out sounded something like a cross between a wheeze and a quack. Apparently, that was good enough for Essing. His face split in a grin and then he was off, bounding onto the stage once more and announcing the beginning of the play. No pomp, no flare. And before Vanari knew it, the gods be damned thing was starting and she was still staring glassy-eyed up at the stage. Awareness finally jolting her into action, she scrambled toward the back and snuck her way up behind the curtains, so as not to distract from the main scene. Alice, Alice...Alice Lark. Vanari froze, restraining herself from cursing out loud. Who the petch was Alice Lark? Her vision was a little wiggly from all of that fruity wine and her nerves about to turn her spine to jelly. "Hey, Rookie!" someone hissed. The Vantha spun around, a mere breath away from screaming as she came face to face with a blotch of blackness and fuzzy features. It was petching dark back here. "Quick, put this on. The drummer is already starting his solo, we have less than a chime!" In her stupefied wonder, Vanari had conveniently--or, as she came to slowly realize, not so conveniently--failed to mention she had never danced on a stage before. A few balls back home, yes. A couple kiddy plays after lessons, sure. But a professional, adult play with serious actors and actresses? Madness. This was madness, she chanted to herself as people helped her put on whatever it was they were required to wear and hissed advice and instructions to her at lightning speed. It was too dark to see what it was that she had been forced to put on, but everything was so chaotic that she had absolutely no time to spare for worries or doubts. Just follow me, don't worry about the audience. Keep a little distance from the other dancers at all times. If you mess up, just keep calm like it's all part of the plan. Oh, and don't forget to smile! Three, two, one, and they were off! Vanari forced herself not to hyperventilate as they glided onto the stage. Well, Alice and the other lady glided. She did something more akin to...shuffling. Gracefully. It took all of her attention, speed, and concentration to follow the others in their routine. Granted, the choreography itself was blessedly simple, but the mix of wine and nerves could have sent the Vantha toppling over her own feet at any moment. Fortunately, she managed somehow to avoid such a fate and focused instead on her immediate surroundings. When Amolina began playing her own role in earnest, Vanari found herself awed by how easily the actress jumped into her role. Shyke! She missed a step. The girl smiled her most dazzling smile, silently cursing herself, then picked up on the next set of moves. Gods be good, this was going to be a long night.

[Amolina]

The audience didn’t seem to know that the latest lines “Rozita” (Amolina) and “The Dastard” (Seymor Essing) had uttered wasn’t in the play at all. They clapped happily like they found everything that happened on the stage good, as long as something happened there. It was the kind of audience that could be expected in The Spot. Looking out over the location she could see Bohir Adams make drinks at high speed for those guests that didn’t bother to watch the performance and just went on as usual. Deepwater Theater seemed to be out of money, she thought, as they were giving a performance in a place like this. “Convince me! I cannot hire a barmaid who can’t dance in the right way! ” Essing made a gesture towards the three dancers. “If you are able to join the others in my staff in their dance and make a good job of it, then we can speak more about employment. But first … let’s dance! “ This was actually in the play. It was the part where Rozita Romaro and the tavern owner, the one called the dastard, would do the famous - or ill reputed - seduction dance. This mean it also was time to start the minor hot romance side plot about the waitress and the bar dancer, two minor roles, but very important for the entertainment factor of this play. The actor who was starring as the waiter entered. He was blond and handsome and headed straight towards the bar dancer. His movements were as agile, smoot, and seductively wriggling where he glided over the floor in a nearly snake-like way. Without hesitation he grabbed the hand of the one starring as the bar dancer and started whirling her around expertly…and his partner added to the performance in a quite amazing way. There was something very familiar with that partner, the one that starred as the romantic bar dancer. She was…the vantha. Vanari ! Amolina hadn’t recognized her at once, dressed as she was in the bar dancer costume. Oh Rhysol…Amolina suddenly found herself wondering who Aydury Hines was and how she had been thinking. Amolina’s somewhat deeper than usual décolletage was decent in comparison to Vanari’s costume. But perhaps it was because the vantha was so tall and the costume had been made for a woman of much smaller size ? Amolina didn’t have more time to study Vanari, because Seymor Essing was already dragging her with him to the part of the stage where the dancing was done. The middle of the dance floor was occupied by the waiter-bardancer couple, and the others, Alice Lark and Audury Hines stood in line behind them, Alice first, and Aydury behind Alice, with her hands resting in Alice’s shoulders. Essing steered Amolina to stand behind Aydury and put her hands on the costume specialists’ sholders and he himself took the position at the end of the line, with his hands on Amolina’s shoulders. He leaned close to her, very close, actually unnecessarily close. He whispered in her ear. “Just follow the others. Two kicks to the right, two kicks to the left, then a two-feet jump forward, a two-feet jump backwards, the three two-feet jumps forward. And keep holding your hands in place and stand in line.” The wild and highly creative waiter-barcancer dance with Vanari and the blond actor was amazing to see in it's snake-like elegance paired with what looked like advanced free improvisation perhaps ? Amolina watched it for a chime, speechless. Who could have believed the vantha would be capable of this ? The audience was cheering and clapping wildly, so to judge by their reaction the play was already a success ...but now Alice Larke started the background dance and Amolina had to focus on her own steps. The choreography of the background dance was utterly simple. The challenge was the coordination. She made a small kicking step once, twice with her right foot, and then she did a small kicking step to the left, also twice. This wasn’t hard. But then came the two-feet jump forward, and she nearly lost her grip on Aydury’s shoulders. After that they jumped backwards, and she lost her balance and bumped into Essing. His hands closed harder around her shoulders and he kept her on her feet. Then - jump, jump,jump - three small two-foot jumps forward ! Amolina felt like she was being tossed back and forth in the odd jumping dance, but somehow she managed to not fall, mostly because Essing held on to her, and Amolina was holding on to Aydury Hines like it was about life or death. They repeated this again. Amolina made the small kicks to the right and to the left, the jump forth and the jump back, and then the final three jumps forward. This way the line of dancers moved slowly forward, Alice at the front, happily waving her hands at the audience. The second time was like the first one, Amolina bumped into Essing once again, then nearly fell when they jumped forward. They went on and on like this, repeating the same series of steps and jumps over and over again, also repeating the bumps and the near falls. It was the most awkward dance Amolina had ever participated in, but there was no way she could question it or end it. The show must go on! The romantic waiter-barmaid intro dance needed to be completed before Amolina and Seymor Essing would take the center of the stage floor and start the blatantly hot part of the performance named the “seduction dance”. Kick-kick, Kick-kick, jump, jump, jump-jump-jump. Amolina danced on. She had the rythm now ! OOCI can only hope you are up for a long show...I get too few opportunities to write this kind of crazy stuff I also hope it's okay that Vanari now has the minor female role in the side plot about the waiter & bardancer romance

[Vanari]

The Vantha was still watching Amolina and Essing, having momentarily forgotten she was part if the play, when a sixth person glided out onto the stage to join them. He was tall, handsome, and lithe, with hair the color of honeyed wheat and eyes brilliant as the Suvan on a warm, summer day. Vanari forgot to breathe. He was dancing towards the trio of minor dancers, and the closer he got the clearer it became whom he was headed for. Vanari looked to her left, then her right. Both of the more seasoned actresses were grinning at her. The girl tried to choke out a protest, but before she could so much as open her mouth the two women pushed her forward. All of a sudden, Vanari flushed bright red, noticing for the first time how scantily clad she was. She had been so lost in trying to keep up with the other dancers and not making a fool of herself that the low cut of her bodice and flouncy, scandalously short skirts had barely registered in her mind. Until now. Before, it had been an easy matter to forget. After all, the other two actresses were wearing the exact same costumes, and so the Vantha had not felt out of place. But now, she was standing almost at the very front of the stage, bosom squished between too-tight clothing and skirts only just covering her rear. The overall ensemble felt small, as thought it had been made for a shorter woman. Oh, and a gorgeous, smoldering dancer was gliding her way. He grabbed her hand and whirled her with expert finesse. Granted, it wasn't particularly hard, what with Vanari being all but turned to jelly, but his professionalism was impossible to ignore. "I don't know what I'm doing!" she hissed into the blond man's ear as he pulled her into an abrupt sort of half-embrace. "Just dance," was his utterly unhelpful advice. Just dance? Uh, yes, she could, perhaps...if she knew how to dance to begin with! Something inside the Vantha, however, stirred. Pride? Competitiveness? Stubborn will? Whatever it was, it forced her to focus. Or, rather, forced her to unfocus on extraneous surroundings and thoughts, and to pour all her energy and attention into the dance she now shared with this stranger. When he pulled, she followed, and when he loosened, she took the lead. It was in no way a trained or informed decision; she merely did what felt natural, as the blond actor had seemingly suggested. The costume was probably helping. A lot. Whatever she did, it was bound to be eye catching all the same, but Vanari was committed to the dance now. She moved every which way she could to mimic her partner. When he rolled his shoulders, she counter rolled hers. When he swayed his hips in a semi circle, she did the same, but in the opposite direction. At some point, he repeated an undulating sort of motion and, without thinking, Vanari copied his movements. Suddenly, they were pressed against one another, their torsos meeting and rolling with snake like sensuality. The thrill of it caught her off guard, and for a moment the girl nearly lost her footing. But the actor swept her in his arms just in time, bending his head over hers to signal the end of the dance. Vanari assumed it was supposed to be a feigned kiss, as such things always were in plays, but her eyes went wide when she felt his lips press down on the side of her mouth. He whispered, "well done," and then pulled her back on her feet. They gave a quick bow, and the man was leading her behind the curtains once more. Out amongst the audience, thunderous applause could be heard, much to the Vantha's surprise. "That was quite a performance," the blond actor whispered, still panting from their vigorous dancing. Then, he turned her around by her shoulders, patted her fluffy rump, and said, "Now back out you go. Oh, and the name's Gerrin. Find me after the show, if you still have feet by the end." Vanari shot him a glare as she shuffled back out onto the stage as unobtrusively as possible, flattening the back of her dress as she did so. Taking her place beside the two other actresses once more, she settled into her role and looked at the couple now standing at the front of the stage. It was Amolina's turn to shine!

oocSo, I apologize for the late reply...as fate would have it, the internet at work went POOF! All freakin' day long So, instead of being able to post, I drew this ridiculous picture >_> I, uh, got lazy on the things that I suck at. Also, you are a devious devil I laughed out loud when I read your post! Of course I don't mind, I am in the same boat. Let's milk this thing to the death.