[Soothing Waters] A Bargain and More (Shylar)

[Gunho Ma]

Winter 31, 511 AV Gunho was sitting on a stool, back pressed against the wall with his fingers laced together on hisp and his head turned towards the door. He was waiting for his next client, an unusual occurence since there was often a lot of clients around this hour of the day and he often rarely got a chance to take a breather. But there had to be off-days, no matter how popular a business establishment was there would always be days like this one where there just wasn't that much to do. Seeing that he was going to waste his time doing nothing by just sitting around he went and refilled the bucket of hot water. After that he organized the towels into a neat pile on the table, replaced the draw sheet on the massage table and mixed the new mint tinctures into the oil he would use for his next massage. There was always work to do, if one looked hard enough. If anyone came into the room they would be greeted to the sight of Gunho lightning the last of three large sticks of incense meant to create a relaxing atmopshere. He would greet this client, bowing at the waist with both hands closed atop another pressed to his abdomen. "Greetings, I am Gunho Ma, we are pleased to have you here at Soothing Waters. Which service is it you wish to obtain this fine afternoon?"

[Shylar]

Shylar sat at the table in her small room deep inside the hold of Syliras. Various scrolls littered the table with half finished glyphs and runes littering their surfaces. Several torches burned inside the room along with the small hearth, filling the windowless space with a pale orange light. Her blonde hair shone in the glow as it caught the dancing flames. Vibrant blue eyes were focused on the quill wrapped in her delicate figures. Gently, she scratched away at the last of the runes to become the barrier for the scroll. "That's enough for this morning," she muttered quietly to herself. Shylar set the quill back in the ink pot and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She needed to go and relax. It felt like seasons since she'd last been able to let her hair down. More so since she'd been to Soothing Waters. She pushed back her chair and reached for the dark green cloak that lay on her bed. she straightened out the kinks in her plain white cotton dress and wrapped the cloak around her. She turned to leave but paused, forgetting to extinguish the torches. She brought up her right hand from the insides of the cloak. Focusing on her palm a moment, a green ethereal residue known simply as res began to rise and form a ball above her palm. She commanded it to draw in the air around her to create a ball of wind with the res at its centre. Using carefully practiced control, she made the ball slightly bigger with more res before sending it round the room to extinguish the torches and fireplace. Satisfied, Shylar locked the door behind her and made her way down the hall, wrapping her cloak around her as she stepped in to the chill winter air. It didn't take the young mage long to find her way to Soothing Waters. It was one of the few luxuries she liked to afford herself. Though affording it was actually quite hard now. She would have to find a job soon. Perhaps just half a bell massage would be best. There was not much money left for her. She pushed open the door and shivered as she entered. She smiled at Gunho as he introduced himself. He didn't seen much younger than her, in fact, he was probably the same age. She couldn't help but notice her was an exceptional handsome young man and it caused her cheeks to reddened cheeks from the cold to turn a slightly deeper shade. "It's nice to meet you too, Gunho," she managed with a friendly smile and found herself looking at anything that wasn't quite directly looking at him. She cursed herself inwardly, she was acting like a child but his looks and friendly manners had caught her off guard completely. She pulled back the hood on her cloak and ran her hands through the hair which lay over her shoulder. "I would like a massage, if you would be so kind."

[Gunho Ma]

A pretty and pleasant mannered customer? Could Gunho ask for more? He doubted it. The gods were fickleminded folk, that they would grace him with such luck every now and then was more blessings that he could over hope to obtain. He graciously recieved the lady, smiling politely as he prepared to satisfy her wishes. "Of course ma'am." he bowed once more, softly this time and indicated the table. "Please lie on the table, you are free to leave the towel and bathrobes on so long as you expose your back so I can work with it. If you require assistance I can help you get on." Gunho didn't think she would need his help however, he only said that out of courtesy, she looked far too young and fit to be pampered that way... but if she wished to be pampered she could recieve such treatment. She was a customer, a paying customer and that meant that her requests were above question. "Ma'am, which oil would you prefer? We have here oil seasoned with mint that is cool and refreshing." he indicated a silver bowl brimming with oil that had a light green sheen from the many herbs used in its creation and in another bowl amber liquid, just as light with the look of honey. "The other has a sweet scent of apricot, it is warm and invigorating." Whichever her option, Gunho would hastily apply the oil upon her back, her neck and shoulders so he could begin working on her core. He found this technique most effective to combat the winter chill, if he increased the core temperature it became that much easier to massage the rest of the body if she so desired. "I will begin with your consent, but if at anytime you feel that the pressure I am using is too firm or not firm enough, please inform me." Gunho allowed his hands to hover over her lower back. "Are you prepared ma'am?" If she gave permission he would start by pressing his thumbs upon her back, his hands fanning outwards from the gentle curvature of her spine. He would patiently drag his thumb outwards from close to the spine, increasing warmth the blood proliferation as he slid the digit in accordance to the natural creases of the tissues spanning her back and he would work his way going up. His other fingers would not be idly securing purchase on Shylar's skin though, the digits of those four fingers would be travelling in little circles, pressing pressure points unknown to those who did not study the body like he did and both hands would make their ascent. It was a slow journey, from the lower back above the buttocks and near the hips rising all the way through shoulderblades and unto the shoulder baldes themselves until he would change his strategem. Instead of dragging his thumb plainly he would assign a slight tremble in its wake. The introduction of a second sensatin beyond deep pressure meant to relieve long simmering tension was meant to increase pleasure and heat. He lingered on the shoulders, drawing all his fingers and even the palm up and down it's incline. He observed her body for any irregularities that he might be aware of and paid special attention to her breathing. "I hope the question does not distract from the massage and I will cease asking if you so desire, but what manner of lifestyle do you lead? I can adjust my massage accordingly for maximum effect if I am aware of it." though he did know a little, muscles were a testament to her activity and by extension, the color of one's skin.

[Shylar]

Shylar smiled back at Gunho, hoping he hadn't caught her blush too much. She disappeared behind the screen the get changed and fanned herself quickly to remove some of the redness in her cheeks. She wrapped the bath robe around her, draping it on her shoulders and tying it so it would hang loosely at her waist. She made her way over to the table, turning briefly from Gunho to let the robe fall off her shoulders before laying atop the table. Pulling her hair back out of the way for him to do his work. Her skin was ever so slightly tanned this time of year as she still spent much of her time outside, even in the cold weather. There were several blemishes dotting her back but she had an otherwise slender form. "The mint oil please," she replied softly. She could feel herself relaxing already from the smells and scents in the air. "My name is Shylar. You make me feel a lot older by calling me ma'am." There was a playfulness to her words. She placed her hands under the pillow and turned her head towards him. The oil was cool on her back and her nostrils were filled the mint scent. "Please, go ahead," Shylar smiled and closed her eyes as Gunho began to work his own form of magic on her. As his hands, she could feel him almost push the stiffness in her away. He did his job well and Shylar could feel herself relaxing slowly as he began to apply pressure further up her back. She could feel the cold on her skin ebbing away as he worked. She let out a small sigh of pleasure at the sensations. "No, it's not distracting at all. It's quite soothing, I like the sound. Nature isn't quiet all the time and it feels very lonely when it is," she replied, thoroughly content already. "I'm a practicing mage. I don't like feeling too stiff when I'm focusing or scribing. I haven't seen you here before, have you been in Syliras long?"

[Gunho Ma]

"A mage... The life of a scholar then." enough for him to understand that he would have to give special care to her back, shoulders and neck. Those being the focal points of stress among many scholarly clients who spent hours in intellectual pursuit. "I know what to do now, I'll knead out the stiffness for you." He changed the method to his massage. He'd been testing the waters earlier and now that there was warmth and little resistance to his hands he could move on to the next phase. Here was a patient undertaking, it required one through go through the motions to accomplish the desired effect. But Gunho had time here... and the client was pretty and nice. He might even be inclined to extend her time out of his own coin. The questions that followed the confirmation of his own inquiry made him aware that the woman wanted to converse, not simply remain quiet all throughout the massage... which was a rare thing. Most people wanted quiet serenity, but if this was her desire he wouldn't deny her conversation. "Yes, I'm new here, I've only recently arrived a little more than ten days ago Shylar." He started kneading her shoulders with his thumb, index and middle fingers. The came slowly, converging from opposing directions around the edge of shoulder to her neck, compressing muscle and blood while the hands turned at his wrist in an effort to rejuvenate long bound muscle that required an overdue hand to wring them free of stress. From both ends, left and right he worked his way up - only to fall back down to the corners of her shoulders in a gentle lazy crescent. "So you are a regular customer then?" the way she presented the question hinted at that much. "I suppose its likely. Where I come from, Lhavit, there is a force of guardians who practice a form of magic - projection - they told me that it comes with great risk... as do all magic... and that a periodic means to alleviate stress is essential in permitting them to use that magic more freely that they could then if their minds we're addled with stress." "I would have been given a chance to learn projection, but I dropped out of the running to learn it. Perhaps one day, I would still learn magic of some kind. I am hopeful, this is the largest city in he known world, there will be many chances for me... I think." "That is actually one reason I am here, the other is..." he drifted off for a moment but resumed his dialogue in that polite and warm tone people associated to his name all to quickly. "I'm honing my ability to alleviate stress on the body, though I am no longer of Lhavit I try to nurture the gifts I've received."

[Shylar]

Another quiet moan of pleasure escaped her lips as her worked the stiffness out of her shoulders. her eyes closed as she enjoyed his work before she continued the conversation. He was very good at what he did and she was thoroughly enjoying it, so much so that she began to lose sense of time. It felt like such a long time since she'd met someone new that she could quite happily have lay there all day and not care. "Welcome to our fair city then, Gunho," Shylar responded in a similarly warm tone but it seemed to flow from her very core. It was blatantly obvious that there was not a bad bone in this woman's body. She giggled at his next words. "I wouldn't say I was regular customer. I usually come once or twice a season, depending on how I feel." "Lhavit is the glowing city, if I'm not mistaken. I should like to go there if the rumours about it are true. But your guardians are correct. Magic does not flow freely if all your muscles are tense and the mind restless. All magic is dangerous and making sure you are feeling the best you can is essential so as not to cause harm." She listened to him continue and found herself intrigued. This stranger from another land had made his way here for a purpose and one she felt he was trying not to say too often. But he wanted to learn magic as well, that was something she could understand. "Are you looking to learn a particular type of," Shylar paused mid sentence as he caught a knot of muscle at her neck. "magical study? Maybe I can help?"

[Gunho Ma]

"That is frequent enough I think." he assured her, his hands never ceasing their motion as he worked her flesh like malleable dough. "And I appreciate the welcome." The glowing city? He'd heard his home called that, though he thought it more famed for its night sky than the skyglass that dotted the city and its surroundings. "There are some that would call it that, yes. The skyglass is what gives Lhavit its radiance, it is touched directly or indirectly by the hands of the goddess who nurtures the city." he smiled, though his voice turned a shade serious while he warned Shylar of the dangers of a trip to Lhavit. "But I must caution you, the path leading there is perilous. Symnestra, those spider-folk roam the path leading to the city. If you would go, it is best to do so with company than without." "I am interested in many magical disciplines but I find that one they call auristics most appealing." he was cautious about this topic, mages were ill to share their secrets and that this girl was willing as something of a blessing to him. "I feel like if I familiarize myself with its use, I can apply it to my trade and acquire a deeper understand of my subjects and what I must do to relieve them of their burdens." "If you can help, even if you can only point me to who could give me proper instruction then I will take that as a debt and repay you." he would rather not push, coaxing the girl on than cornering her into conversation was probably the best strategy here. "I could even start now, I could make this session free... then if you desire more, well, I can entertain your wishes, though not here. I would be charged for every session I perform here but I am free most of the time after work." While allowing her to contemplate his offer Gunho kept his fingers busy. He would turn the girl's head here and there as his fingers snaked up her neck, pinching flesh from the base of her shoulder leading to a point just below her ears to improve circulation there and to promote heat. Careful considering had to go into performing this seemingly easy job however. With each pinch, Gunho's hands were measuring the condition of the muscles, if they could be subjected to extremes of pressure or if he would limit his techniques to the light strokes from the pads of his finger. He allowed himself to lose himself in her body. He did this so that he could figure out what else he could treat based on the nonverbal cues she would subconsciously provide. He would then adjust his massage, shifting from neck, to shoulder, then the back once more if the origin of tension did not appear where he was working his magic already.

[Emblem]

Congratulations! You Get Glorious Experience! Gunho Skills Massage- 5 XP Rhetoric- 4 XP Lores A Nearly Boring Day A Magical Discussion Comments : I always enjoy reading your threads Gunho. I could never make a post about massage as interesting as you do. Also, go ahead and award yourself a 3 gm tip. We will assume she did tip you despite the thread being incomplete. Also, welcome to the world of being an expert!. PM me with any questions or concerns!