Stumble and Song

As the sun sets and the evening star begins to wink at Alexandros and its denizens, the Theatre District comes to life as if the biting northwest wind was a bellows--it is, after all, Kesenday.

There are more musicians, beggars, tourists, citizens, thieves, preachers, whores and troublemakers than just about any other night, as everyone is unwilling to let go of Summer, despite the obvious arrival of Autumn.

Except for the Giantborn amongst them, who of course do not care about temperature ranges that Little People seem so obsessed with. Among these is bare chested Kaj, who has fallen prey (or targeted, take your pick) to a table where a shiftly looking half-orc (aren't they all) is making bets and coin with card tricks. From the look on Kaj's face, it appears he has lost yet again at Guess the Cup.

"Dice!" Kaj belows, "Let us trade dice and go from coppers to silver, yes?" he says, smiling down at the man who is not half his size.

One of those musicians is a young Dawn Elf man, who stands against a wall on a street corner playing a lyre. Sevanon seems mainly focused on looking down at the open instrument case on the ground, which is so far filled with a half-dozen coppers. He's certainly not bad, clearly a trained professional, even if he looks fresh off the boat, as it were. The tune he plucks is airy and Baroque, at once pleasant and engaging.

Through the press of the crowd comes a sildanyar, who looks quite harried and perhaps out of place. Pale blue robes in layers fall to the ground, covering much of Shizin's form. The elf evades most of the people with an easy grace, but the other people are less careful, and many run into the elf without even seeming to notice Shizin's presence. One such individual rams practically headlong into Shizin, forcing the elf off the beaten path, and into Kaj. Which alone might not have been so bad, but as Shizin backs up the dawn-elf hastily begins an apology... and backs straight up into Sevanon.

Busy digging for his own dice, Kaj as facing the other way and almost doesn't notice...except he remembers suddenly that time when he got bumped into and next thing he knew one of his prized possessions was gone--quicker than one would have likely thought possible for someone of his mass, he rotates to face his 'attacker', reaching for Shizin's bicep, his hand big enough to more than circle it in an attempt to hold fast the potential thief.

Well, that got awkward quick. Shizin might not have bumped into Sevanon if Kaj got hold of him successfully, but the other Elf definitely stepped in his instrument case. "Hey, what's the deal, kinsman?" he asks the guy in Sil. But when Kaj turns to grab him, he says, 'Hey, no need to get grabby. Someone shoved him into you, I saw the whole thing.' <sildanyari>

Shizin is instantly caught up by Kaj's hand and for a moment the dawn elf looks both vaguely horrified and very grateful. The elf steps quickly forward toward Kaj, and away from the instrument case that was so rudely stepped upon and hurriedly bows to them both. First Kaj, and then Sevanon. Shizin is flushed with embarrassment, face turning pink in such a way that it begins to turn the tattoos on either temple a purple color. With the bows of apology given Shizin straightens up once more, and though it was hard to tell which gender to assign the elf when Shizin speaks it is with a more masculine voice. "Forgive me!"

Glancing between the elf he holds vice-like, and the musician, Kaj nods as the explanation and the apology more than rectify the situation.

"Nothing to forgive!" he says, voice thunderously deep even when he's being gentle and polite.

After a little awkward silence that ensues, he adds, "...arr, em, Well Met!" to Shizin and Sevanon both. A smile is offered, looking like now Kaj is apologising for his over-reaction. Last but not least, he remembers to release Shizin's arm.

Sevanon exhales in relief as the tension melts away. "Here, kinsman," he tells Shizin in sil, pulling a bottle of mead with a swing-top stopper from his pack, and popping it open. "Come have a drink and chill out. Take a load off. What a crowd, you know? This is only my third day in Alexandria." Without putting his lips on the bottle, he pours some of the cool honey liquid in his mouth, runs it over his tongue, and swallows. Then he passes it over to Shizin. 'I am Sevanon of Olonai, Muse of Vaire, who is Ceinara in the tongue of men,' he says in Tradespeak for the benefit of Kaj. 'Who're you two?' <sildanyari>

For a long moment the sildanyar seems to have no idea what to say or do, but after a moment Shizin offers another bow; just a single one meant for the both of them. "I am Shizin." The blue-haired dawn elf accepts the bottle of mead staring at it for a long moment before uncertainty pulling a small cup from amid the pale blue robes and filling it with the mead. Then the elf gives a little tip of the head and swallows the drink before giving a questioning look to Sevanon that leads to a subtle motion asking if it should be shared also with Kaj. For someone of so few words, Shizin manages to convey quite a lot with a few glances and body language.

Kaj brings his dinner-plate sized hand to his painted chest. "I am Kaj uru Thaz, Son of the North Wind and Shadowshard," he says, for some reason feeling like he should be very formal with Shizin after almost squeezing his arm off, but is obviously addressing both Sildanyari.

Ga'Elian appears suddenly at Sevanon's side as if from nowhere. He says, "And we met yesterday, albeit we didn't really get acquainted what with the arrival of that creepy guy." He then says, "Hi, Kaj. Hi, Shizin. I see you've met Sevanon. I was enjoying your music, until Shizin bumped into you." He winks and smiles.

Sevanon switches to Tradespeak, and though he is conversational, his speech is slow and stiff. "Yes," he says in reply to Shizin, then looks to Kaj. "Fancy a drink?" he asks, offering up some of his mead. Then Ga'Elian shows up, and Sevanon briefly jumps in surprise. "Oh, it's you," he says, chuckling and rubbing the back of his head. "You know this fellow?" he asks the Ranger, in regards to Shizin.

Shizin looks relieved rather than surprised at the sudden appearance of Ga'Elian. The dawn elf smiles and then looks even more embarrassed when reminded of the fact that it is Shizin's fault that Sevanon is no longer playing. Quietly Shizin shifts from one foot to another fingers hidden behind layers of robes and head tilted downwards. It seems as though the sildanyar is thinking very seriously and looks upwards at Sevanon. "You play beautifully." The words seem to take something out of Shizin who shrinks back somewhat, not offering a reply on whether or not Ga'Elian is a compatrion or not.

Kaj takes a sip (giantborn style) of the proffered drink, draining it completely. "Thank you!" he half-growls, and is about to say something when he says Ga'Elian sort of appear. "Ga'Elian, you are like a guilty conscience!" He grins.

Ga'Elian answers Sevanon, "I know them both, and they are both worth knowing." He leans over and puts an arm around Shizin's shoulders. Then, smirking, he asks Kaj, "And just what are you guilty of."

Sevanon smiles, not worried about a single bottle of mead down a Giantborn's gullet. Instead of speaking much more, he just picks up his lyre again and starts playing. It's a much gentler tune this time, calming and relaxing, apparently for Shizin's benefit.

Shizin smiles, comfortable in Ga'Elian's half-embrace, and more satisfied to be left out of the conversation. At least until Sevanon begins to play, then the dawn elf moves forward slightly, hope springing across the sildanyar's features. "May I join?"

Kaj shrugs his massive shoulder in response to Ga'Elian, a large half-smile on his lips, but he doesn't say much, just waits to see what the Sildanyari are cooking up together.

As Shizin leans forward to ask Sevanon's consent to duet, Ga'Elian reaches into his shoulder bag and drops several coins into the instrument case, and they aren't copper.

There is no way that Shizin can resist the invitation to play, and does not even try, pulling a lap-harp out and laying it across the lap. There is a moment of consideration before Shizin joins in and makes the music... more than it was before. There's something undeniably alluring about the music. Something that speaks of the nighttime, of the hustle and bustle of the crowd. But more than that it calls for that bustle to quiet. To stop and listen to the music. Like someone stopping to smell the roses for a brief moment it calls for that and indeed people begin to slow. To quiet as if touched by that song. They do not immediately gather around Shizin and Sevanon, for it is impossible for a long time to tell where the music is coming from, but it touches them just the same until some do begin to stop. To turn. To realize.

Kaj holds his arms out, two ravens lend on each one and make their way to his shoulders. He does nothing but listen to the music, almost enthralled.

-End-