An Overture (Part 5)

Klaus is quite pleased to help clean up. Well, he's annoyed at having to clean up, but he's pretty happy about the brawl, and how it wound up, so he's in high spirits as he picks up the broken furniture and crockery. There's a few chairs that are okay with a bit of glue and binding with cord, and he's no stranger to hard work, so he'll stay with it until the last chair is stacked on a table and all the sweeping is done, and there's nothing left to do. Then he can retire to a well-earned rest.

Davienne didn't even blink when the innkeeper demanded help cleaning. She had nodded her head and said, "That is only fair. I promise this wasn't the intention." The bath is paid for. Water still has to heat after all. Turning she had helped right furniture and sweep up debris. Doing her part to right the wreck of the room. Never mind she was smiling and now and again caught humming softly their improvised melody.

As she finishes up she moves back to the bathing rooms. Does she almost fall asleep in it? Yep. Because once there she just kind of melts. Only when the water is cool does she emerge, having dozed more than washed, wrinkled and satisfied with the evening. Up the stairs she takes herself, after drying off and dressing, to throw herself onto a bed and pass out. To her roomate she says, "Gods balls, tonight was fun. Goodnight!" And she rolls over with a soft giggle.

Skribbles grumbles as she scrubs, as this wasn't exactly her choice. You'd think it was /her/ fault that all of this happened. She snorts and shakes her head, knowing it's not her fault even though it's almost totally her fault even though it's not. Still, here she scrubs and and makes sure to help clean up the mess. Afterwards she heads up to her room and walks in, setting her hammer down by her bed and knowing that she has to do evening prayers, which she does because she is the most loved of all of Reos' priests.

It's rare to see Nasrin out of armour when she can help it. She's lankier than one might expect, wearing the same red that marks her eas a cleric of Kor. Perhaps surprisingly, she too helps in straightening things out and even provides some money for damages before buying a couple of pints to reminisce te evening away over before heading up to bed. By the time Davienne is done dozing in the tub Nasrin joins her upstairs to reminisce about the evening. "We should go drinking more often," the redhead muses. "We might need a new song next time." The redhead yawns as she makes this pronouncement. "And maybe a band. Do you play an instrument?"

By the time morning rolls around, you're all able to roll out of bed feeling relatively refreshed. Relatively. It was still a long night and you're still plenty sore, even if you got a hot bath.

You're soon on your way down to the common room, which is repaired, and smells full of breakfasty smells. Tonyon and the gnome are already present, filling their plates with HUGE HELPINGS of FOOD.

Klaus wakes up and scrubs up and will sit down at the table with Tonyon and order the same as what he had. Huge helpings of food sounds good to him. "How's it going this morning, sir?" he asks. "Yesterday was pretty inspiring all around, wasn't it?"

"I don't play an instrument. I'm surprised I was singing well as I did," Davi said laughing softly. "But maybe I'll pick something up...it was fun..." And soon asleep. Only to wake and blink her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Does she have to get up? With a groan the half-elf burries herself back into the covers for another twenty minutes. So it is she is the last one down the stairs. Hair a mess and not brushed yet she flops like a zombie into a random seat. Which happens to be next to Tonyon. With a large and oisy yawn, she is not awake, she blearily reaches for the steaming mug next to her and takes a drink.

You ever take a drink of something thinking it is one thing and it is something entirely different. That expression crosses Davienne's face. Only it is one of revulsion and horror. Her cheeks sink in and she swallows, wrinkling her noise and thrusting the cup away from her. "OH GODS! Coffee! GYAK!"

Skribbles walks down the stairs looking for the world like a professional make-up artist and hair-stylist came to her room and spent all night taking care of her. She heads over to the others and sits down, placing a heap of food on her plate and going to town. She looks at Davi, and if she understands what the half-elf is going through, then she surely doesn't show it. She takes a mouthful of food and eats it, nodding her head and smiling, "That was a fun night. We doing it again?"

"You're all mad. /That/ was your idea of fun?" says Tonyon reaches for his coffee cup, the one Davienne summarily stole, and holds it close to him now with a smile.

"You had /fun/? We nearly got kil- ... ah, I see." He falls into silent thought. The gnome covers his face with his hand.

The innkeep is still giving you all the stink eye.

Klaus eats his big breakfast quite happily and agrees, "Yes, it -was- inspiring, wasn't it?" Plus, we got to beat up some Angorites, so all is good. "Nah," he says to Tonyon. "No one was getting killed, it was just a party and a celebration." Kor-style. He grins at the inkeep, he got enough coin to cover any losses, he can be unhappy if he likes.

Davienne glances at Tonyon and says, "No. We didn't nearly get killed. Beat up a bit, sure, but we came out on top." All the while she is smacking her lips and making a face, searching the table for the teapot. Then taking it and filling her empty mug. The coffee -did- wake her up fast. "Though I don't think I wanna do it again. I think my nose might be broken," She was snoring off and on all night. That was a first. Probably explains the dark circles under her eyes. Nothing like a orc elbow to the face for a great nights sleep...not.

The food is focused on and the half-elf begins to fill her own plate. Sausage and bacon, bread with butter, and a soft-boiled egg. The later she peels, sprinkles some salt on, and then pops whole into her mouth. She won't be talking for a minute or two.

Skribbles looks at Davi a little more closely and says, "Hmm...I dunno if it's broken but...HEY! CLERIC!" She grins widely, Gobbo fangs clearly showing. "I can fix it for you if'n you want." She wiggles her fingers as she does so, shoving some bread in her mouth at the same time. She then looks at Tonyon and says, "I'm a Goblin, if this place isn't burned down or filled with kobold heads, then it was a good night."

"Almost killed? We barely even got started! Almost killed is way more interesting." Nasrin shakes her head, her expression one of ague exasperation as she settles into the food. The redhead eats with both hands, elbows against the edge of the table. Without her arour to add some bulk it's easy to see how she bends forward slightly, covering her plate protectively, like she expects someone might snake it away if she's off her guard for an instant. It doesn't slow her down.

Tonyon spends a bit of time staring at Nasrin because, honestly, she's just insane. He stares and stares, puts a hand to his head before he bursts out laughing.

The innkeeper's stink eye intensifies.

"We should probably leave after we finish our breakfast. I have decided upon the next, and ideally final, leg of our voyage. I want to say thank you for showing me all this madness. It is nothing if not clarifying."

Davienne turns her mis-matched eyes on Skribbles and does her best 'cute kitty' expression. "You would? I would greatly appreciate it. Snoring isn't exactly a good idea when you camp outside alone a lot," She sounds relieved and reaches up to poke at the reddened ridge. Wincing as she does so. Why do people poke their ows? Yes it still hurts you nutter! "Ow...you're welcome? It's not an adventure without a bar fight right?"

Skribbles gives Davienne the finger-guns and says, "Only because I'm totally in love with you, half-elf. After last night, you're one of the most awesome people I know." She clasps her hammer with one hand and closes her eyes, reciting a prayer and gently placing the tip of her fingers on Davi's nose. (I'll let Davi pose the healing)

After the healing spell, she turns her eyes towards the innkeeper for a moment before looking at the group and saying, in perhaps a bit louder voice than she should, "So...I have another song about my most beloved Reos that I can run by you all, if you want to hear it."

Klaus is pretty pleased to hear that the last leg of our journey is coming up, and he'll smile helpfully to Tonyon. "We're glad to help," he says cheerfully. Not that he's sure what conclusions Tonyon will draw. But, who can say, really? "A song about Reos?" he wonders, but then he looks at the bartender, and suggests, "Maybe we ought to save our singing for the road?"

Davienne sighs with relief as the warm healing energy floods in. Restoring cartilage to its original configuration. The dark circles and bruising fades and she takes a deep breath through her nose. "Oh thank you!" She says with a grin for Skribbles. "You ain't too bad yourself, Skribs." The nose healed she begins to eat with more gusto, putting things away quickly.

Skribbles waves a single hand at Davienne and says, "Ah, you go on." She chuckles and finishes her food, setting the plate aside. "So what's your new trip entail?"

"So, /obviously/, I've gotten some good inspiration. The mimic, this barfight, the singing, the... the court." The last one, Tonyon has a hard time talking about. It's clear seeing the divine hymn in its most holy place, where the Gods walked cloaked in flesh so many millennia ago, has affected him deeply.

"My good friend here tells me that the gnomes of Happy Valley are having a celebration in their township to commemorate the finding of the silver mines. I'm told that its quite the celebration. I was thinking, a trip to one of the finest wineries owned by my family, followed by a trip to Happy Valley, and I can perform there!"

This time, he won't chicken out.

"I even have an IDEA. I'll demonstrate for you all, later, and will welcome your critique." Assuming he doesn't chicken out again.

Davienne raises a brow as she eats her breakfast and listens to Tonyon's plans. She nods slowly and says, "Why stop at the winery? Aren't your family trying to keep you from doing this?" She takes a sip of her tea to wash down her food before lifting fork with sausage once more. "I'm more than happy to be your test audience. Maybe that's all you need. Start with a small, familiar group?" CHOMP.

Klaus is fine with stopping by a winery, and says, "That sounds good to me. I'm sure that whatever you get, it'll be well-received in this Happy Valley festival." He nods about performing there, and says, "Yes, yes, that sounds perfect. I've heard Happy Valley residents are very appreciative of the arts."

Skribbles raises a finger and says, "So wait...you wanna take a Goblin....to a Gnome festival." She looks at Tonyon for a long moment and then smiles a bit evilly, "I'm...in..."

"I thought you might be. BEsides, the gobbos and the Gnomes live in peace here, isn't that so?" Tonyton blinks at Scribbles. Hard to tell if he's playing or not. He then turns towards Davienne, nodding. "YEs, at the winery. I need to bring a gift and the winery will provide. And this gives me the chance to make sure my family won't be an issue. I can't have them planting a mimic in the crowd, or replacing me with one or something." He sniffs.

Klaus finishes his food and coffee and pushes back from the table with a contented sigh, looking around to see how the others are doing? "Happy Valley ought to be pretty peaceful," he agrees. "Particularly for a festival."

Davienne shrugs her shoulders and nods her head. "All right. But if they try something you want us to throw you over a shoulder and haul out?" Is she joking? Hard to tell behind that polite smile and, uh, sausage grease. Licking her lips she reaches for the honey and adds a half spool to her tea, stirring it slowly. "Do you think you could show me the basics of playing the...ahhh...is that a lute or guitar you use?" The question is random. She's good at that.

Skribbles places a hand on her chest and says, "I will be completely peaceful. I mean, I'll be carrying explosives purely for...reasons." She looks left and right as though making sure everyone is buying the excuse before saying, "All...peaceful-like." She grins widely again and chuckles, "Alright, let's go. Gnome festival should be interesting and there's wine involved."

"I'll play a drum," Nasin replies brightly. "I could even sing if you want."

"An excellent possibility," agrees Tonyon with Nasrin, before adding, "Well, yes. But as it has it, there's a /chance/ that my brother will be at the winery today. If so, I want to dunk him in all the grapes while I'm there. My family needs to be reminded that I am my own person!" GRAPE DUNKING.

"Anyway, we can depart when you're ready."

GAME: Davienne rolls sense motive: (7)+1: 8
GAME: Klaus rolls sense motive: (10)+1: 11
GAME: Skribbles rolls sense motive: (15)+10: 25
GAME: Nasrin rolls sense motive: (4)+8: 12

Skribbles looks at Tonyon for a moment and a brief series of sparks shimmers across her eyes as though Reos was speaking to her himself, or perhaps it's the sun glinting through the windows and bouncing off of her eyes in just the right way. She stands up and straps her hammer to her back, before reaching up and taking a final drink of her delicious o.j.

As the group walks out, she tugs on Davi's shirt to get her to lower down. When the half-elf is low enough, she'll whisper something in that half-pointy ear.

Davienne bends and listens to Skribbles words. Lips pursing and her gaze turning to watch their employer with thoughtfulness. "Mmmm...maybe," She says softly before wandering over to Nasrin as they make their way. Voice low for her, and probably Klaus, to hear, "Skribs pointed something out...Tonyon that is. He's avoiding something. She thought maybe it was his feelings. But...maybe it's more than that? I'm...not good with getting people to talk." She looks between the two hopefully.

Klaus whispers back to the others, as we travel, "Well, we know he's avoiding the whole taking responsibility for his life thing, don't we? That's the whole reason for this trip?" He tries to keep it low enough that Tonyon won't hear it. "As far as getting people to talk, I tend to let them talk if they want to, and don't if they don't. A man's issues are his own." He's Dranei, if he wants someone to talk, that's what pliers are for. Conversation, he's not good at.

And so you set off!

The innkeeper is glad to see the end of you, to be honest, and he accepts Tonyon's money with glee. It's a lot, since he had to repay for damages. Possibly more than was really needed, but Tonyon evidently has enough money to not be too concerned about the particulars.

All the same, you're now off again, heading into the rolling hills of Alexandria. The sort of land that a vinyard would sit well upon.

It's a most of the day of travel trip.

Davienne purses her lips and eyes the man's back thoughtfully. "Yeah...maybe..." She murmurs before moving back to ride beside Tonyon again. "So why do you hate your family?" The way she says it one might think she has family problems too. "My mom was livid when I said I was leaving Llyranost..." Despite the Dranei's words, she feels the need to poke at it. Stupid mysteries.

"It makes sense to me. They don't sound terribly supportive. Maybe we should drink all of the wine. That would show them," Nasrin opines, glancing over her shoulder at Davienne as she does. "Hopefully, we're all worried for nothing and this will be a good chance to relax. Or we could start another barfight. I'm okay with either, really."

"I like your thinking but I suspect that's too much wine even for you," says Tonyon. His gnomish friends eyes Nasrin worriedly. He's less sure that Nasrin couldn't somehow pull off drinking ALL the wine in the winery.

In any event, you're getting closer by a bout the time dusk falls. There, you're coming to the edge of the vineyard and its amny, many, many rows of grape vines.

"Oh good," says Tonyon, sitting down on a rock.

"Let's take a moment to rest our feet, then we'll talk about how we're going to do this."

-TBC