Closed [Pig's Foot] A Display of Talents (Saidra)

[Caela Dorin]

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32nd Winter 514AV

Today was a day that she just wanted to get over and done with. It was freezing cold outside although the tavern was pretty toasty, not that she had any intentions of staying in the Pig's Foot all day and night. She just wanted to go home and retreat under her blankets to wile away another miserable, Sunberthian winter night. No such luck though. She still had to work because Merv had chosen to be a bastard by not letting her switch to an earlier shift. It meant that she got to go home after dark when the temperatures had dropped, probably below freezing, and when there were sure to be plenty of gangers roaming the streets. There was nothing to be done about it - gods had she tried - but her employer wasn't to be persuaded.

Caela couldn't refuse to work, couldn't make some sort of stand against such treatment because she needed to if she wanted to live and if she tried a stunt like that then she wouldn't continue to hold a job. The evening's work hadn't even begun and yet the dancer was already anticipating the cold and the fear of the walk home, muttering darkly to herself as she got ready in the back room of the tavern. The lacing of her corset provided a few moment's of distraction, the tightening having to be done with care. She still needed to be able to move and breathe while she danced and so it was important she didn't cut off her oxygen supply.

She took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, allowing her body to relax so she could tighten the corset comfortably around it. There was no sense in sucking in her body and tightening the strings so much that it became painful when she tried to do anything. She tied it off, inhaling and exhaling to ensure that she had room to fill her lungs without too much strain. The blonde twirled to check that she had freedom of movement with the absence of material digging into her flesh a welcome bonus. A blouse was slipped on over the hated undergarment, tucked into the top of the skirt. The material was tugged taut to stretch more appealingly over enhanced curves, the top buttons undone to allow a better view. Her reflection was examined critically, making certain that she was displaying everything she wanted to. A hand was run through her hair to muss it, a few slaps to her cheeks to bring up some natural colour into them and a light smear of pomade put across her lips. Satisfied with her work, she flounced out to her stage.

Her eye caught Merv's quickly enough, a wink of acknowledgement given before she did her sweep of the room. A fair mixture of characters present in spite of the fact that it wasn't dark yet. There were the shady types, the evening bingers, a few freelance prostitutes judging by the demeanours of the haggard women, and others that she couldn't stick a label on. There were many regulars that she recognised as well as her own little fan club, a group of men who frequented the tavern to see her dance. They were easily pleased, or else they wouldn't come back night after night to see the same performance, but she would have the analyse the others.

The dancer made her way across the room where she would perform, testing different customers as she went. A smile had appeared on her face, one that could become coy or suggestive at a whim and flickered between the two from target to target. Some received winks from her as well as a smile and she was able to gauge the overall reaction as a positive one. There were a few who turned their eyes away in disinterest, the hypocrites whose eyes returned to her as she moved her gaze onwards. She had more respect for the men who reacted in an open manner as much as she might have disliked the lecherous stares, at least she knew where she stood with them.

A signal was made for music to begin and as instruments began to play there were a few cheers. Caela resisted the urge to roll her eyes and settled for laughing softly instead, a kiss directed in the direction of the noise. She blocked the other sounds in the tavern, picking up on the rhythm in the music and taking her cue from that. Sometimes the musicians played what they felt like and the blonde had to adapt herself to it, while at other times she had a choice in the musical score. Today was not one of her days.

Her movements were unguided at first, allowing herself to be caught up in the music and feel the rhythm. It was quick and full of life and fire. It was music that she knew, music that would grow quicker and allow herself to be caught up in a more primal and sexual mode of dance. At least she would be quite warm after but it was a shame that it was the first dance of many. By the time she went out into the cold, she'd probably be glad of the chill. That was a far off possibility now and one that wasn't important at the moment. All that mattered was the dance and the here and now.

Her hips began to slowly, a slow sensual rotation that was rapidly picked up by the rest of her body. The movement sped up abruptly, her limbs allowed more freedom than normal without as much input from the dancer's brain. It was all in the rhythm and it was that which she followed. It wasn't long until her blouse became untucked, the hair that she had mussed becoming messy for real as her movements became more and more energetic. Hands were run over her body as it moved, her feet beginning to carry her more into the room at large. There were whistles as one side of her skirt was dragged as high as her hip, the flesh above the stockings vanishing as quickly as she appeared. Her eyes were alive with energy. Anyone seeing her for the first time would think that she was really enjoying herself. She had to admit that she was but only a little bit.
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[Saidra]

Saidra had petched up. It wasn't something she made a habit of, though it did happen regularly enough it seemed. Her head was pounding, her insides felt like they were on fire, and the unbearable sensations that were shooting through her limbs had made walking, let alone moving, that day far more interesting than she cared for. The cold made it seem all the worse somehow, the way it seeped into your bones and threatened to draw all comforting heat away from you. It wasn't much better within the Pig's Foot, but at least she could find a place to sit still and not freeze half to death. Then there was the alcohol. It only took the edge off, really. She couldn't afford to get entirely blitzed, not with how things were now, not with the necessity of having a clear enough mind to look for that single golden opportunity to fix this.

As much as she would have loved to have said she came into the tavern looking for a bit of relaxation and a good time, it was more fear than anything else. Fear that everyone else was going to be too subdued by the warm tavern atmosphere that posed a striking contrast to the chill outside, fear that she would be unsuccessful in finding a few playmates, fear that tomorrow would bring on far worse things if she couldn't get enough people riled up. Her chosen profession usually kept her health up and allowed for more lucrative side deals, but it was damn hard to pickpocket someone when your hand was cramping up on you enough to make your whole body shudder.

It didn't seem like her luck was going to hold, though. The Drunken Fish, while probably more suited to her needs at a time like this, was being avoided by the woman like the entire place was carrying a plague. That left the Pig's Foot and it's horrible, wretched reputation of safety. She wasn't looking to knife anyone, even if that could probably sort things right out real quick, a brawl would do. A few well placed hits, a quick flare of the mark or two and she'd be right as rain. Or snow as the case seemed to be.

But no. There was this dancer holding the attention of men who would have made better use being provoked into acts that didn't involve them doing their best to keep their tongues in their mouth. It was no good while the performance was happening, all eyes were on the seductive blonde and her... movements. That left Saidra with little else to do but tug her cloak tighter around herself despite the lack of need for it, more out of some subconscious seeking of comfort than any real attempt to hide. She certainly could care less if anyone noticed she wasn't exactly dressed like a proper lady. Black leather armor that kept most of her skin covered wasn't meant to entice, it was meant to cause less of a fuss about hitting a woman who wasn't wearing a petching skirt should she manage to provoke someone enough.

Damn them all, damn the dancer, and damn herself for getting herself into this mess. Maybe she should have waited outside for some poor sap to come bumbling out into the cold. It certainly would have been quieter. Saidra couldn't help but cringe as the music picked up, the tempo readily echoing the throbbing within her skull. Petch this, it was no use. She had to do something and fast. A hand reached to one of the many small pockets - more a shallow space between layers only good for hiding small things than what one would normally attribute to the term - that had been sewn into the arm of the leather coverings. A thin throwing dagger was retrieved and despite every urge to let it find it's mark in the crowd, Saidra settled for letting the sharpened piece of metal find the space between the sleeve of her armor and her gloves. It was drawn across swiftly, pain flaring in its wake and gods above the relief that followed was almost instantaneous. She knew it was a bad thing, knew such acts could very well draw unwanted attention from her Goddess, knew it didn't actually help anything. It did lesson the symptoms of her affliction, though, at least temporarily. Long enough to let her actually think.

There had to be some way she could use the dancer to her benefit, some way she could twist her little show towards getting the crowd engaged in less whistling, more shouting, less leg slapping and more face punching. Would serve all the idiots right, going on about some trussed up entertainer. Saidra had to give the woman some credit where it was due, she certainly seemed graceful enough and didn't have the slightest problem holding the interest of the patrons. There was, however, something Saidra couldn't quite put her finger on. Something that was making her dislike the woman with every shake of her hips. Whatever it was, Saidra would have ample time to figure it out while trying to formulate her plan.
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[Caela Dorin]

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Her movements became more energetic as the tempo increased, her head tossed as she danced, hair sent flying. It was allowed to get messy, a hand used to keep errant strands out of her eyes and off her face. Her feet brought her around the room faster and faster, the dancer never straying too close to the tables and their occupants. She wasn't in the humour to put up with their grasping hands as well as their invasive looks, which were already horrible enough. Somehow she managed a seductive upturning of the corners of her lips, or a suggestive look, dredged up despite the way she felt about the attention. It was still her job, no matter how she might feel about it and acting as if she was enjoying herself was more profitable than showing her true feelings.

Caela knew how to flaunt what she had, knew how to twist and shake her body to the music to draw attention to her corset enhanced curves. The steps her feet followed were simple ones, prompted by silent counts of twos and threes where appropriate. She risked a tight spin at one point, balancing herself on one foot and propelling herself with the other, but aside from that she didn't break her set pattern. Besides, spinning like that took skill, it was an art and her audience weren't all that interested in it, except for the wonderful display that no doubt occurred when her skirt flared out around her. It was a welcome change for her, a freeing experience as she got to enjoy her own display of talent, as brief as it might be, before returning to her more enthralling manoeuvres.

The music seemed to go on endless although it couldn't have been more than a quarter of a bell, an eternity of moving and shaking for the blonde, her dress and hair becoming more and more dishevelled, body beginning to glow with sweat. Towards the end, she chose to drift closer to the tables allowing her to get a good look at the various occupants. Smiles, winks and brief glimpses of thigh were directed at some, while others earned only a cursory glance. It was enough for her to gauge the sort of crowd she had, always watching to see who might be open to manipulation later if Caela was so inclined as to go down that route.

One of the spectators was focused on more out of surprise than out of than design. A woman dressed in black leather, armour by the looks of it, was looking right at her. Her blue eyes were fixed on the dancer in such a manner that made Caela's skin crawl in a different way than normal. There was dislike in them, something in the stare that made her feel as if she'd offended the woman in some way. That didn't seem like a good thing as she didn't appear to be someone you wanted to trifle with judging by the way she held herself. You didn't act that way in Sunberth unless you knew what you were about and she certainly seemed the type.

The blonde moved on, the sense that the woman's eyes were burrowing into her back following her as she drew her performance to a finish. The urge to look back and see if that expression had changed gnawed at her but she wielded enough self-control to prevent a second look while her performance was ongoing. She didn't have to resist for long, the musicians playing the final strains of the song as the dancer gave a final shimmy of her hips and a toss of her blonde head. She dropped into a curtsy as shouts, whistles and cheers were aimed at her. A final broad smile was flashed to the crowd before she straightened and made for the bar to quench her thirst. Her eyes strayed as soon as the attention on her began to diminish, gaze searching out the woman again to see if she was still being watched and disliked for whatever reason as she waited for Merv to get her water.
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