Closed Body and Mind [Rosalyn]

[Rhylund Vauler]

74 Fall 512 AV Rhylund sat at the bar waiting patiently for his ale as his right hand drummed softly along to the musician gracing The Rearing Stallion’s dais. He had decided to take a night off to give his hands a bit of a rest, but they were having none of it: when there was music he simply could not sit still. He could feel his feet rocking in time over the the stool’s bottom support beam and his head bobbed along to the rhythm. The musician was fairly talented─part of him hated to admit it─but the twangy sounds coming from his instrument willed the body into motion without prior consent from the owner. Just one more thing to master, he thought merrily to himself as he gave the stage a sidelong look. His ale arrived and he produced a silver miza for the serving girl responsible for its delivery. Her name still had not been committed to memory, and he continued to address her only with warm smiles and the occasional wink. He didn’t want to get too familiar with the woman, lest he find a reason to convince himself to take up permanent residency in Syliras. A small shake of the head accompanied the sigh that left his lungs at the thought. His mug met his lips and he took a long sip as his free hand gripped the edge of the bar to spin himself around on top of his stool. He needed to get a better look at the evening’s crowd. Green eyes wandered amongst a wide spectrum of browns, hazels, blues and the occasional gold. The city did have a decent amount of diversity, but nothing like Alvadas. His back rested against the bar and he crossed one leg over the other as his fingers continued to drum atop his knee. He was supposed to be resting, but could feel himself getting restless. He shrugged without thinking: his old master had often said, “Son, sometimes a good dance is better than a week lying in bed.”

[Rosalyn Garnett]

Feeling spontaneous enough to try some place new, Rosalyn found herself wandering into The Rearing Stallion for a night of wild fun. She'd never been inside before, and the wide range of colors and races still shocked her. You'd think she'd be used to it by now, but some things just never sink in like they're supposed to. Shrugging it off, Rosalyn immediately made her way to the bar, setting herself atop one of the many stools and ordering a drink. A short but strong smelling drink was placed in her hands moments later, and she tipped the server for a prompt delivery. She downed the savory liquid and began to eye the crowd. She was looking for a dance partner as it was always more fun than dancing alone, but she hadn't yet found someone she wanted to pair herself with. Knowing the night was still young, she made her way to the floor regardless and just began dancing. She stayed on the outskirts of the floor, in case anyone standing around or at the bar wanted to dance with her. She danced minimally at first, getting the feel for the rhythm. She swayed back and forth, first with her whole body, and then as she found the beat she wanted to move to, the swaying transferred location to her hips. She scanned the bar area now and again to see if any new prospects were there, and she eyed a young man with green eyes and dark hair, tapping his fingers to the beat, but remaining in his seat. He seemed to be scanning the crowd too, though Rosalyn couldn't tell if he was just looking, or if he was searching for someone. Either way, when he appeared to be looking in her direction, the long slender fingers of her hand signaled for him to join her. Perhaps she'd found a dance partner after all.

[Rhylund Vauler]

Rhylund's eyes continued to skim across the Stallion's interior until a head of brightly colored red, streaked with black, commanded his attention. Her hair fell in long curls that framed a heart-shaped face adorned with silver-blue eyes. The picture spurred memories of stories he had heard his old instructor tell in taverns long past, and he had to school his own gaze from lingering about her figure for too inappropriately long. He smiled and hid his face behind his mug to take another sip, choosing instead to reevaluate the crowd rather than the newcomer. The old song had ended and another took it's place, but the tempo was maintained and the lively atmosphere still pulsed with life. His fingers still willingly followed along, and as his thoughts began to stray, so too did his green eyes wander unwittingly back towards the swaying motion of hips dancing alone. Before he had realized he'd done it, his gaze met her own, and with a bit of surprise he suddenly realized that her beckoning gesture was aimed in his direction. He gave a small double-take, from the woman to the direction over his right shoulder to see if she had been indicating another man. When he turned back around she still held his gaze. He lifted his drumming hand and pointed an index finger towards his chest and mouthed a silent "me?" A wide grin bloomed across his face after he quickly downed his ale and pushed himself off of his perch and out towards the dance floor. Rhylund stood for a moment before her as he regained a feel for the rhythm emanating from the dais. One step, then another, followed by a more fluid third set his body in motion as he studied her choice of paces. He did his best to compliment her movements with his own, substituting what he could not recognize with what he had learned in Alvadas. Once the two were settled into the same underlying current of footwork he reached out for her hand and gave her a small spin before gently taking her other. "Rhylund Vauler." His name left his lips as they formed the smile normally reserved for charming his way out of trouble.

[Rosalyn Garnett]

The man she'd requested hesitated, unsure if she meant him or not, but once he figured it out, he found himself joining her. He fell into step with her, taking her hands in his and twirling her on the floor. He was a good dancer, and Rosalyn let herself get lost in the music. The beats and notes moved her, her puppet master of the night. It commanded control of her, and in turn, control of her new dance partner to keep in line with her. He introduced himself and Rosalyn smiled. "Rosalyn Garnett." She pulled him to her, closing about half of the initial space between them. Shoulder sways and a bobbing head added to her dance moves, her hair cascading back and forth as her body did. He was a good dancer, he kept up with her well, and Rosalyn laughed. "Do you come here often Rhylund?" She momentarily turned, using her hips to briefly brush against him before coming back to face him once more. "Where did you learn to dance? You do it well." Sorry!I'm sorry it's so short and I didn't leave you much to work with!

[Rhylund Vauler]

"Nice to meet you, Rosalyn!" He replied over the noise of the music meshing with the sound several booted feet scuffling along in time. His mouth opened in a wide grin to expose white teeth as he allowed her to pull his body a little closer to her own. It was a pleasant change of pace to meet a woman who was not afraid to lead, and he followed willingly. His eyes struggled to decide which swaying section of her figure to follow as each pulled his attention in separate directions. "No," his head gave a little shake as one phrase transitioned to another. "I'm new around here." He could feel a small degree of heat rising in his cheeks as she brushed her hips against him. His feet chose their steps so she could stay as close to his center for as long as she wished. His eyes narrowed with laughter as she voiced her approval of the way he moved. He held off on answering her question until another phrase change became evident in the lively music, and on the next measure's down-beat he pulled her close, before turning to dip her half the distance towards the floor. "Around," He responded simply, with a sly grin. The young bard drew upon his experience in concealing unwanted facial expressions while performing and gave her a wink to cover the small bit of strain he felt in keeping them both balanced. He was relieved the fleeting amount of training he had recieved kept his bold move from turning into a disaster. Rhylund pulled her up right and his feet carried him back with two steps to assume their original distance. "You're not bad yourself," his smile never strayed as he continued to match her pace. To his surprise, their motion had caused a small bit of drift in their position relative to the dais─he had been too consumed by the blue-eyed woman's movements to notice. He pulled gently on her hands to lead their dance a little further into the crowd to keep himself from bumping into the stage and ruining the performance. His feet became subject to her will once more are the space around them was theirs to fill. "What about you?" He asked, "I've only been here a few nights, but I haven't seen you in here before."

[Rosalyn Garnett]

He answered her questions as they danced, impressing her more with being able to converse while dancing and keeping up with her. He unexpectedly cradled her body as he dipped her toward the floor, and trusting his hold on her, Rosalyn let her arms fall behind her as she tossed her head back, letting the long curls in her hair hang above the floor like a curtain. When he uprighted her, he complimented her dancing before relocating their movements to a better spot on the dance floor and taking his turn to ask questions. Smiling as she spoke, she answered his inquiries. "I'm around. I don't normally end up in places like this, but I grew up here in Syliras. I just decided tonight to break my normal routine and come here to experience this place. Now, I'm kinda glad I came. What brought you here, Rhylund?" She changed paces to follow his lead as she awaited his answer. She matched her footwork with his, adding in the winding movements of her hips and frame. She closed her eyes for a few moments, just listening to the music and instinctively following along. She tossed her head gently with the beat, her hair slowly cascading each direction as she did so. She reached her arms out, taking Rhylund's hands in hers for better balance and more partnerly dancing. She let him lead them, using the break from leading to relax further in the atmosphere around them.

[Rhylund Vauler]

Longing hands entwined themselves within foreign fingers as his weight pulled his partner closer to his chest. Their mass birthed a small pool of gravity as they spun against one another in their sanctuary, formed against the rest of the world; feet stepping with one another without a care otherwise. As their centers came within inches of one another, his head hang low to brush his nose against her shoulders. To be lost in another's movements was to become subject to the unknown: and when the unknown was being led by the unfamiliar─wayward uncertainty could only be led by an unpredictable lust for progress. The song drew to a close and Rhylund stepped back. A small nod bowed his head in the red and black haired woman's direction as his hand extended towards the bar. "I would like to join you for a drink." His tone was simple, but affirmative, with such an innocent goal. His right hand touched the small of her back as his left carved a path through he undulating crowd that moved in response to the next song. The bard pulled forth a stool for Rosalyn, his dipping motion leaving the treble clef formed from raised skin on his neck bear. The light caught the shape with a rippling shimmer across its figure. He turned without notice to motion the bartender for two glasses of wine. "I'm glad you've chosen tonight as well," he said finally. "I do not know that I believe in fate, but at times it is a notion worth entertaining." He reached out for their glasses before handing one to the woman. "To luck," his lips curled in an authentic smile as he touched the rim of his glass against her own.

[Rosalyn Garnett]

They danced close, hand in hand, and Rosalyn could feel the warmth of his body so near to hers, his personal scent rising to her nostrils, bringing a warm smile to her face. Moments later, the song ended, and Rhylund directed them to the bar, ordering drinks for the two of them. A shimmer caught her attention, as light struck a music-based symbol on his neck. Audius. The mark of Rhaus. This impressed Rosalyn. She hadn't know Rhylund was musical, or religious. Dedication enough to earn a mark of a God was truly impressive. "To luck." Rosalyn dipped her head in agreement before drinking about half of her wine in one sitting. Dancing had made her thirsty. Reaching out to trace her fingers along the lines of his mark, the young redhead spoke again. "Faithful to Rhaus, enough to bare his mark, but unsure of believing in fate? How does one accomplish that, my friend?" She sipped more of her wine, wondering if she would shock him with her recognition of his mark or not. To date, Rosalyn hadn't met anyone baring a mark of the Gods, but she certainly knew what one looked like. Fleeting thoughts entertained her focus for a moment, wondering if she'd ever bare a mark or not. Wondering if she even wanted to devote herself enough to one God to even consider receiving one. She liked balancing herself between her chosen deities.

[Rhylund Vauler]

Blood-red wine burned with a satisfying bouquet as it slid down his throat before collecting in a small knot of warmth within. His eyes drifted shut once her finger tips kissed the mark upon his neck. A moment was spent indulging in the tingling sensation that extended from her hand, across his shoulders and down his spine. The bard's mouth opened just enough to flash one polished, white canine as a knowing grin touched its right corner. Green eyes slid with a slight tilt of his head to connect with steely-blues. "I think that─at least in part─is why Rhaus chose to gift me as he did." Rhylund took another deep drink before leaning slowly towards Rosalyn to whisper in her ear. "Faith in nothing, except that there is no such thing as fate." He used the sound of the song ringing from the dais as a crutch to tune his words so that they were in key. "No matter what it is that we're told must happen: it is up to us to choose just what it is that matters. If the gods of old condemn a man to die alone, there is nothing stopping him from claiming another fate to call his own." The melody that carried his short abstraction of free will took time in changing pitch only once per line. The mark of Rhaus had been left bare as he stretched to move his cheek so that it almost brushed her own. The lines of the treble-clef swirled with smokey shades of maroon and forest-green as he hummed into the redhead's ear. His eye's narrowed with a smile as he leaned back to take another drink. "That, and I think Rhaus really has a soft spot for reckless youth." He gave a small laugh as he poked fun at his own demeanor. "But, what about you, Rosalyn? Do you believe in fate? A rose peddle tumbling upon the uncompromising winds of destiny─or do you have another agenda?" Rhylund kept his tone intentionally light: this was a conversation he enjoyed having, but it was one with the potential to become volatile when two minds stood in stark opposition.

[Rosalyn Garnett]

Rosalyn listened intently as Rhylund spoke, her mind soaking up each and every word he said. Goosebumps rose on her skin as he whispered in her ear, his breath hot and skin so close to hers. His eyes were piercing, like looking through emeralds, and he sung the words he spoke to the tune playing on the floor behind them. She closed her eyes until he was done, enjoying the private concert in her ear. She took another few sips of her wine, patiently collecting her thoughts before she responded to him. "Fate in that there's no such thing as fate... It's been quite some time since I heard someone say that. It's an interesting concept. But is it really considered fate then? Looks more like a belief that there is no such thing as fate, to me. Fate is something that will inevitably happen in the future. Belief is an idea or concept that you hold to be true." She paused to regroup and take another sip of her wine. She hoped she wouldn't offend him. "As for your example, I agree, but then I don't. On one hand, I agree that every person has a claim and a chance to shape their future, no matter what anyone else says, including the gods. I believe the gods have a say in everything in this world, but I don't believe they can directly dabble in our free will. They may shape the circumstances in our lives, inevitably deciding parts of our fate, but they cannot choose how we react to those circumstances, or what we do about them. However, on the other hand, I do believe that if a god is determined enough to make someone live the fate of their choosing, they will find a way to make that happen, no matter what that person thinks. They will have no say." Turning her body to face Rhylund, Rosalyn tried keeping herself in check. She tended to get very into discussions like this, and if she didn't keep herself in line, she would end up on bad terms with this man, and she didn't want that. She folded her hands on the bar next to her, leaning into her arms as she spoke again. "Take our meeting for example. I believe that it was fate that you were here tonight, on the rare occasion that I decided to attend. I think we were meant to meet and to be having this discussion right now, but it's the circumstances that are fate. Our paths and futures were shaped by the gods in such a way that we would both end up here. However, they couldn't depict whether or not we would actually interact and talk, because that is up to us and our free will, and ties into our personalities rather than the circumstances at hand." "As for myself, I clearly believe in fate, but whether I'm tumbling along the winds of time and destiny or if I have my own agenda... I haven't figured that out yet. I know I'm meant for a purpose, I believe we all are, but the point behind life is to discover that purpose. And more often than not, that takes time. I try not to dictate my life too much beforehand. I try not to read too deep into anything and I try not to plan too much. I trust myself and my life to the gods. My thoughts, feelings, and reactions are my own, but I let them guide my life. I seek their aid in the discovery of my purpose. And that's how I live my life." Attempting to keep things light between them, Rosalyn flashes a smile at her new friend. Hopefully she didn't take this conversation too far. She'd be dearly upset if she were to offend him. It'd been quite some time since she was able to engage in a conversation like this, and she was very much enjoying talking to him.