Completed [Kova's Wishing Well] The Dancer and the Strumpet II

[Matthew]

15th of Summer, 513 AV.

Matthew sat on the edge of the Wishing Well, quietly staring down into the shimmering waters. He had heard the rumors of this particular well, and had no desire to toss a coin in. He wasn't that much for ghosts, even going as far to say he had a fear of them. It was similar to his fear of the Nuit, beyond the fact that their dead state could actually be caught by the living. It was like a cold, except it turned you into an undead rotting thing. Making a face, he glanced away from the innards of the Well, not at all interested in thinking about Ghosts and Nuit any longer than he had to. He was just here to learn how to dance, and this was a meeting location that everyone seemed to know. Reine hadn't asked any questions or seemed at all confused when he had asked to meet here.

There were a few more things he wanted to practice than just dancing, but it all started with learning a dance of some sort. He had no experience in it, having complained enough during his younger years to completely get out of any he was invited to. He had been spoiled by his mother, and he knew it. They would probably only be able to teach him one dance sequence tonight, and he was okay with that. One was all he needed.

It was oddly cold in the castle tonight, with breezes whipping through a bit violently. He could hear thunder in the distance, marking one of the rare storms for the summer season. He reached up, popping the collar of his knee-length black coat, huddling his shoulders closer together to try and conserve some body heat. A red silk scarf was wrapped around his neck, giving him a rather sophisticated appearance. He was always well-dressed, and took pride in his appearance. Call it shallow, but he knew a well-dressed man almost always got further in his side of the world. His trousers were pressed, his black shoes shined, his hair and face styled and shaved. Unlike his tired and playful self of the day before, he now looked calm and collected, blue eyes intelligent and deep. Even though he sat on the edge of the Well, he held himself with this confidence and pride, his stance straight and bold.

Standing, deciding to do something while he waited for his teacher, he slipped his hands into his pockets and glanced down at the cobble-stoned ground. It was dark, daybreak not quite here, leaving only nearby torchlight to illuminate his steps. He tried moving in a pattern, swaying quietly, remembering the dances he had seen from his childhood and attempting to mimic them. He only managed to make himself feel silly, and soon stopped, sighing softly to himself. He had a lot to learn. Absentmindedly, he started to churn the Djed inside of him, spinning the replenished resource deep within his belly. Since they both had Hypnotism, he was going to make sure that they could both use it in a way that complimented each other. They would hopefully be talented partners in crime, if everything went the way he planned. He supposed this session here at the Well would decide that. Turning his thoughts to her, he mulled over his options, blue eyes glittering with thought. What sort of image did they want to portray? He felt seductive and passionate would be the best, seeing that those were the two things that the pair used the most in their line of work. Romance wasn't something one usually came to the Herald for.

[Reine Darlyeo]

It was dark when she wound her way through the Maiden District, bringing a small lantern in her hand. She wondered what people would think seeing her out this early, since, to be honest, she usually woke up late - except when Delvor's home. It made her clearly visible to everyone who was in sight, but she was not comfortable traveling otherwise.

Reine yawned lightly. She was supposed to have extra rest but she had done the exact opposite. Hours into the night, she was kept awake by paranoia, her mind conjuring every possible thing that might go wrong. A part of her also feared that somehow, Delvor would arrive home that night and figuring out what she was up to. It didn’t make sense – he had just left – but she just couldn’t shake the thought away. To wear out the jittery tickle under skin, Reine had danced in her room, perfecting moves, testing her flexibility. Didn’t help as much as she had expected. In the end, the girl gave up and let herself be wrapped into sleep's arms.

Despite that, she didn't feel particularly tired – after all, her body had long since gotten used to being deprived of sleep. A long time ago, she would be allowed only three hours of sleep at most before sent back to work. Even now, Reine still couldn’t understand how her previous master had come out with so many tasks and errands for his slaves to do. Clean the fireplace, scrub the plates until it shone, go here do that, go there do this. She shook the thoughts away, suddenly the scars on her skin started tingling. Yes, she was sleepy for now, but soon she would do just fine.

With no effort, she found her way to the well, spotting the man she had just knew yesterday. Matthew indeed looked different, more like the noble he said he was. If she didn’t know any better, she would say that the man didn’t belong out here. He belonged with the wealthy ones. Looks could be deceiving, she supposed. He also wasn’t the only who looked differently. Now that Reine wasn’t performing, she was dressed rather simply and modestly, her dark hair pulled into a hasty braid with some strands slipping out as she walked. The clothes she picked would make her disappear anonymously in a crowd of people – thin chemise hugged by a leather corset and a dark-colored skirt.

Reine noticed him trying to dance a few simple steps before stopping abruptly. She laughed lightly as she approached. “To be honest,” she started when she had gotten close enough to him, “I half-expected you not to show up.”

Boxcode by Nakuli

[Matthew]

Matthew turned as his partner in crime approached, a devious little smile greeting her. He slowly uncurled from his perch on the side of the well, body rippling like a tensed-up animal, movements oddly seductive in their form. He somehow seemed to move with the sultry poise of a seductress; giving his overall impression this slightly 'feminine' feel. It was an odd thing to see on a man, but it was probably something that came in handy when he was dancing between the sheets. It certainly came in handy when he was preparing for said dance. Seduction wasn't just about getting someone into bed. That was a shallow part of it, or at least to his mind. That shouldn't be the means to the end, for sometimes, it ended the seduction. It was a climax, a finale, a finish. It should be drawn-out, used to torture and addict. As he moved towards the girl, steps sure-footed and slow, he couldn't help but let his eyes burn just a little bit. Even if he approached seduction in a logical and professional way, he couldn't lie and say he didn't enjoy it. It was something forbidden to those of his kind. That made it so delicious.

"I could say the same for you. I wasn't so sure if you would be able to handle it. Glad you could, for now." The challenge was evident in his voice, his eyes never leaving hers, not allowing her a moment unless she dropped her eyes from his. Would she be able to handle it when it came to the real thing, his voice quietly asked. Was she up for the challenge. Would she enjoy the challenge? He was determined to make sure she did. That would make this entire thing so much easier.

Part of seduction was the insinuations in your words and actions. Even when simply seducing someone to test out a few tricks on some silly nobles.

"So, what do I need to do? I would like to learn one dance. A single dance. One that I can memorize, and that won't look silly if we repeat it. If possible, I would like for there to be one part that is a tiny bit sultry. I want us to make an impression. Draw stares. I want people to look at us, and eventually, I want to make sure they are all looking at you. We are both experienced at some form of seduction, so I believe that is our best bet. Objections?" His voice held another silent question, wondering if she would be up for all of that attention. He was good at expressing with his eyes and voice, always slipping in subtle little things. "Also. I am going to open my sphere of influence. You are familiar with the process, or is it completely instinctive on your part?" He was referring to their skills in Hypnotism, of course. He sucked in air, his eyes glimmering for a moment, almost a mystical glow lighting their depths. His entire body flexed for a second, rippling from the waist up, his head arching a bit to allow his gaze to bob up and then snap back down.

He breathed in the magic, feeling his eyes shiver with delight. Fleshy sacks filled with influential magic, and the feeling of the air buzzing around him. It was all in his head, he was sure. Sometimes he wondered how much he was accidentally Hypnotising himself. Chewing his lip, he stood at the ready, awaiting instruction and ideas, body at the ready. He was exposed and loose, obviously inviting her to make any adjustments to his posture that she required for their dance. "Have you thought about the event any? Have you just tried to make clear my personal goals, or have you come up with some of your own? Are you scared?" The question was a bit from left field, an eyebrow raising curiously at the girl.

[Reine Darlyeo]

“Honestly, I don’t know what to expect in such an event. I don’t even know about the event. You do know you’ll have to give more information sooner rather than later, right? I’m just a dancer. I don’t go to a lot of lavish parties.” Reine had no intention of telling him who she was, what she had done. That she actually had some experience in this kind of farce. At least not yet. He never asked anyway and why would he? Reine looked nothing like a slave. She held herself confidently. The only thing that might raise some questions were her scars on her wrist and ankles - which she dealt by using long-sleeved shirt both in general and while she works. But something told her that Matthew would find out about it sooner, rather than later. “I’m not sure if it would be an appropriate dance or not.” That last part was true. Reine had never purposefully try to pull every attention to her. That was not the point.

But even as she said it, Reine took a step closer to the man. She had never actually taught anyone to dance. She only knew the basics herself, improvising at times with some acrobatic tricks. She took his right hand guided it to rest on her back, just beneath her shoulder blade. Her left hand held his right shoulder lightly. Her free hand reached his left hand, raising it up so that her fingers rested on his palm. “We’ll see how well you do with the basics and then we’ll talk about the variation.” As she listened to him talking, Reine took a deep breath, her mind trying to recall the simple steps of the dance she had long since danced. “Yes, I do know how to control the span of the magical influence. It was one of the first thing I was taught actually.”

“If I was scared, I won’t be meeting you here in the first place,” she pointed out. She straightened her spine, mirroring the gaze he was giving her. “Though there are some questions that crowded my mind.” She left her statement there.

Reine could feel Matthew’s magic swirling in the air around them. It was not doing anything – it was just there. Reine compared the man to herself. He used the magic more freely than she did. But she was more daring once she used it. She couldn’t say which was the better method though.

She stared back at him, blue eyes hardening. “Have you thought about my personal goals? Why I might be possibly willing to sneak into a party with someone I’ve just known the day before?” It had been nagging her quite a bit, actually, what his goal was. He sounded sincere enough when he talked about it yesterday, but she couldn’t help thinking it couldn’t be just that. The girl still finds it difficult to understand why anyone would throw away such blessings like that. It made no sense to her. “How can you trust me?”

Her attention shifted back to the dance that this man had to learn in only a few bells. “You’ll be leading me in the dance. We’ll try box steps. Just try to make a box from your steps. You think you can handle it?” she asked with a small smile.

Boxcode by Nakuli

[Matthew]

He gave information quickly and freely, eyes locked onto hers as he spoke. "It will be taking place in the Illythian District, inside of the ballroom that they have there. There will be some Knights about, as well as some other high-ranking non-Knight officials. Nothing too stuffy, just a event where they pass gossip and stuff their faces. I am sure there will be quite a few nice people at the party, as well as a few not-so-nice people. I do have some merit in my past though, and should be able to use my name to get into the party. For now, at least. Then, we simply take part. We eat, we dance, we mingle, we make ourselves known. If you are not comfortable being known, then I will just make myself known. Whatever you are comfortable with. In any case, you being there just makes my appearance that much more natural. You not knowing how to handle yourself in such a place is to be expected as well, and will further cement what some people may know about me. Just follow my lead. Simple and easy, correct?" It did sound simple and easy, but there was probably more to it than that. He wasn't going to a dance with people he obviously disliked just to show himself and her off, and in turn, give himself some sort of internal gratification. There was more to it, but he hadn't lied about anything he had spoken so far. That really was all they needed to do. At the mention of an appropriate dance, he chuckled a bit, eyes glittering. "That's fine, if it isn't. We will have to work up to it. Two people, lost on the dance floor? Inappropriate suddenly becomes romantic, if it is built-up right."

He stepped closer, and he held out his hands, eyes on her own hands as she took his and guided them. He let them rest where she planted them, nodding to himself, as if committing the position to memory. It was easy enough to remember, and he had seen it. It was a common stance for dancing, and he appreciated her showing him this one. It was really the only one he knew by sight alone. As she stated her lack of fear and hinted at some remaining questions, he merely gave her a broad smile, blue eyes glittering playfully.

When her gaze turned hard, he arched an eyebrow, quietly listening to her questions. He paused for a moment, then slowly spoke. "I have not thought about it, no. I assumed you had your reasons, and I was fine with that. Is it something you want to share?" He shrugged briefly, broad shoulders rolling with the motion. "I suppose I can't trust you, but there is no reason to worry about it. If something happens, it happens. I'll figure it out in the spur of the moment, I'm sure." He was either carefree, or careless. Or perhaps just utterly confident in himself and whatever life would throw at him. As she instructed him on the steps, he nodded, his blue eyes narrowing as they stared down at their feet. Slowly, he started to move, his steps stiff and formal, carefully moving the two of them in a square. He moved a foot to one corner, then the next, then the next, finding that they were slightly swaying with each step. He marveled at how easy it was, obviously not aware of how stiff he looked from the outside.

Suddenly, his magic swirled in the air, the barest of shifts. Blue eyes lifted to hold hers, and he smiled a bit, not letting on to what he was doing. He touched out with his suggestions, only suggesting things that they were already doing. Step left, step back, and the such. Nothing out of the ordinary at all. However, when he touched out with his magic, he touched in a different way. Instead of just pushing the suggestion at her, he manipulated his aura in a different way. The suggestions that brushed against her mind were aimed carefully, with soft caresses of her cheeks and lips. When he let a breath of air rush from his lips, he imagined the magic flowing with it, warm Lyr teasing against her hair as they carefully danced. When his fingers on her back tightened just the smallest of amounts, he added a spark of suggestion to the touch, imagining his magic flowing through his sliding fingers. It probably made no difference, but for him, it was all part of the process.

If he was to seduce, he was to do it with everything he had, not just the things they could see and feel. He wasn't trying to seduce her per say, but he did want her to know how he worked. How he operated and moved, how he touched and teased with his magic. She needed to be aware of him as much as possible, so she could do whatever she needed to work with him as well as possible. It was an odd dynamic to see from the Harlot, how he could go from so professional to so... not. "Am I doing okay?" Even his words swirled with the magic. Even if he wasn't that skilled with it, he swirled what little bits that he could into everyday normal things for him. It was something that had helped him as a pleasure-giver, and something he was sure would continue to help.

[Reine Darlyeo]

Reine listened carefully as he explained what they were going to do at the party. It seemed ordinary enough. Though he didn’t give her any details, she doubted she would need some further explanation. His request seemed straightforward though some suspicion still resided in the corners of her mind. “Simple and easy,” she said, echoing his words. She wondered if there was to be someone familiar to her, a Ravokian noble who went for a trip. If there was, would she be recognized? Unlikely, but possible. That was something to keep in mind. Avoid anyone who looked even remotely familiar – she couldn’t risk anyone spotting her and slipping the information to Delvor.

“That’s quite the sensible attitude and it certainly mirrored my own thoughts,” Reine said with a smile. She decided he was not a spoiled, pompous son of a wealthy family.

As she paid all of her attention into adjusting herself to Matthew’s moves, Reine did not realize the magic that was exceeding from him, making her acutely aware of his proximity – the thought slipped pass her quickly. Her eyes scanned his body as they moved in a small square, catching the awkward tension of someone not used to dancing. As he led her with careful steps, she paid close attention to every twitch he was making anticipating every gesture in effort to avoid toe-steppings and whatnots. The girl kept her footing light, ready to jerk into a sudden motion if she missed something. Her body shifted into a state of ease, letting her to move a bit more graceful. The pair was still stiff in their hold, but it was to be expected – after all, it was the point of this whole exercise.

“You’re doing good, considering that you claimed not to know anything about dancing,” she commented. “Now you know how to dance in a circle. But of course, that’s only the start. We’ll see if the Lord of Harlot is as good as what his title claimed in moving his body,” she recalled with a smirk. Reine paused, forcing him to stop. Again, she wondered if it was possible to teach him in just a few bells. “Lead me dancing around the well. It shouldn’t be too hard. Instead of stepping on the exact point of the square, you took a step back or forward to the general direction where you’re heading.” Even as she said it, Reine realized it really was not that simple. She was no master in dancing and even she made some mistakes doing this sort of dancing. It required a good coordination. Still, she had no other way of teaching him other than doing it right away.

Reine looked up at the man’s face, his lips sounding a question, her clear, Benshiran eyes curious. “What brings you here to Syliras at the first place, anyway?”

Boxcode by Nakuli

[Matthew]

It was harder than he had thought it was going to be. One would think that the simple steps would become an easy pattern, but there was so much else to focus on besides just the steps. He had to make sure his hands continued to hold and support her, had to make sure his body stood straight and alert... and he still hadn't gotten past staring down at his feet with a rather intense level of study. He did manage to avoid stepping on her feet, but he noticed that her nimble movements were keeping them well out of his way. Even if the two of them were awkward when combined, she alone was quite graceful, which was helping make up for where he lacked. He chewed his lower lip in concentration, blue eyes flickering with patterns of thought. He had to keep his mind active on keeping his feet going, or he was afraid he would mess up the little pattern.

He faintly heard her compliment, and smiled slightly, head and eyes still focused. Even when they came to a full stop, he still stared intently at her feet, only snapping out of his stupor after a few moments had passed. He looked at her, and glanced toward the well, a slight look of skepticism shining in his stare. Her instructions did make sense though, and he figured his best chance was simply to give it a go. Once more checking to make sure his hands were placed on the proper locations, he dropped his gaze to their feet, and once more began to box step. At first, it wasn't apparent that he was going to follow her instructions. He just danced the way they had before, stiff and in the square. He was just warming up, getting the pattern down, starting an invisible beat within his brain. Then, with a soft suck of air, he moved back, slowly swaying them toward the well. It made sense in a way, if he formed a diagram in his brain. He could see the drawn square that their feet made, and see the way the square had to shuffle itself in order to go to and around the well. He led her slowly, biting his lower lip harder now, blue eyes only shining all the deeper. "The stepping isn't that hard. It is more the grace and ease that I am supposed to have when doing it that seems to escape me. Apparently the steps have to become second sense, and then I can focus on how I look to others?" He questioned, hoping that was the case.

Mentioning how he looked to others brought a question to his mind, and he briefly glanced up, eyes finding hers. "As a woman, have you ever seen a man dance seductively, or attractively? How did he do it? Did it require any of the hip movement that you use when dancing? I find that it is extremely hard to imitate those sort of moves. While I can fluidly move them forward and back, it is awkward to move them in a graceful circle of any sort. Or is there something else a man can do to be attractive while dancing? Perhaps just confidence and control of his partner?"

His distraction caused him to slam the back of his legs into the well, and he flailed for a moment, hands nearly pulling the girl down with him as he fell. He had enough mind about him to let go, sitting hard on the edge of the well, stiffening to avoid falling in. A flush of shame briefly flared across his cheeks, but with a composed expression, he gracefully rose back to his feet and assumed their former position. Taking her in his hands once more, he slowly started back to the box step, then back around the well. Tilting his head at her question, he briefly considered how to answer, the phrase being deeper than she likely knew. "I wish to make an actual business out of my skill set. I dream a little higher than the average pleasure-giver, I suppose. Syliras has a thriving business scene, but my particular niche has not been hugely explored. I feel there is room for it to blossom here, so I am looking to do what I can. Another point of this whole event is to find a potential investor, and also find a way to sell an 'escort' sort of service that appeals to the higher classes. Pleasure houses can have a bad reputation, and people seem to be ashamed of going to their second or third floors. I would like something that doesn't have to be so secretive, you could say." Zeltiva and Ravok were really the only other cities he knew, though he had heard one or two others in name. Ravok's pleasure scene had been much too dark for his tastes, and people knew him too well in Zeltiva. While Syliras had seemed to be the best choice, it had also ended up being the only choice.

[Reine Darlyeo]

OOCSorry for the errors, I'm typing from my ipod

Reine considered his question for a moment. Her steps faltered for a moment before she quickly shifted. "Basically that's it."

"I can't say if I've ever seen a man who danced for the sole reason of seduction," she explained with a shrug, "Though I have certainly seen attractive male dancers. I can't quite say, really. I just happen to be fond of men who moves gracefully. The confidence is one of the main things, though." Since she was young, Reine had found men who knew full-well what to do with his body extremely alluring. It was probably the tenacity they had, the way they seemed to have complete control of themselves. When Matthew told her of his lack of hip moves, Reine smiled slightly. "Maybe I could teach you how sometime, it's not hard. Any novice dancer will be able to teach it."

The girl cried out in surprise when she leaned into the well. Even with Matthew between her and falling, the slip was more than enough to make her heart stop. All she could see was the darkness that travelled down the well. Thankfully, he had hastily righted his position.

"Escort, huh? Isn't that basically the same thing?" She questioned curiously. He was brave, she had to give him that - to leave everything you know and start something entirely different from what he knew. It must be nice, to be free like that. Reine did care for her master and she had owed everything to him, but she was still inevitably tied to him. What she wanted to do was to travel, to see the world, but she can't. Instead, she was stuck here in this skyless city, worrying her heart out about Delvor's whereabouts everyday. Maybe it was why she had agreed to this crazy thing.

"Be sure to look forward once you've got the hang of it," Reine advised as she squeezed his shoulder lightly, trying to get him to ease up his tensing muscles. She touched him gently with her magic, sending simple feelings to ease him. It was nothing exactly decipherable, just suggestions that might not affect him at all. "Relax, Matthew. Don't think about it too much." She considered this statement of hers and reminded herself of Delvor when he tried to learn the first time. "It's probably not that simple but it should make you easier to move. When you're ready, we can move on into some . . . variations."

Boxcode by Nakuli

[Matthew]

He hadn't really ever seen a male dancer himself, but he could imagine such a thing existing. She had pegged his actual reasons for wanting to know though, and he nodded, agreeing with her words. "That is actually why I want to learn, in the end. Both dancing, and hip control. While I am confident in the bedroom and outside of it, I want to make sure I have all the moves required to back up every single bit of that confidence. I also find grace to be attractive though, so I want to make sure I am able to move elegantly in all my motions. I feel like dance would help that." He nodded at her as she mentioned teaching him the hip control, his face all business, but his eyes flickering gratefully. "I would appreciate that. I have worked on it before, just watching my movement in a mirror, but it seems to come hard. It is so much different from the normal motions I use with my hips." He talked about it so very studiously, as if he had sat down and read a book about it. He had, actually. At her cry, when he had a hold on her again, he gave her hand and hip a comforting squeeze. He wanted her to feel safe in his defined arms, something he felt was important for what they were going to be trying to do at the upcoming event. "Sort of the same. I am trying for something a little different. While normally you would come to the Herald to purchase pleasure, you can actually purchase different things from a Escort. For instance, you could buy a night of just having a warm body next to yours. You could purchase a date, if you want the pleasure of being taken out without the commitment. You can purchase the escort to come with you to a social event, if you don't want to go through the trouble of finding someone yourself. All professional and safe. It is even better for the employees. Each Escort determines the services they offer, instead of the house deciding it for them." He spoke enthusiastically, this being the first time this morning that his cool exterior betrayed a bit of normal human emotion. His eyes sparkled while he spoke, further pronouncing his apparent passion of the topic. She told him to look forward, and he felt the tips of his ears heat up just a tad. He had known that was going to come up at some point. His jaw setting, he slowly looked up, his movements even more stiff than before. She would have to work a little to keep out of the way of his feet, but he did manage to do it without staring downwards. Slowly, her magic working on his nerves, he began to settle down and move a bit more naturally. His hips started to sway a tad, and his natural grace slowly returned, body brushing hers as they slowly moved around in the simple dance. He was slowly getting more and more confident, and as he did, his body eased back into the sultry thing she had seen the night before. "What about spinning? Do you think I will have to spin you?" He tilted his head, fixing her with a curious eye, heading back towards the well to go around it one more time.

OOCI'm impressed by your iPod skills.

[Reine Darlyeo]

OOCHaha. Been doing it a lot lately

"Of course," Reine said with slight nod, understanding his need. It made sense though she would've thought that someone like Matthew would have covered those fields well without any help. "If tonight went well, we can talk about it." What if it didn't?, she thought silently.

Everything should be fine, they were not exactly doing anything illegal.

When she listened to Matthew, Reine realized this man had given a lot of thought to this business of his. He talked with a passion that she saw lots of times in Delvor's eyes when he talked about traveling and leaving everything of his old life back. Maybe every noble had thought of leaving their lavish lives. But Matthew seemed to be one of the few to actually do it. "It's an interesting idea for someone like you," Reine said, referring to his noble blood. "How did you get the idea at the first place? I mean, there must be something to make you interested in the work of . . . seduction." In her own way, she was interrogating him, trying to find out a way to map out his life. It's not that she expected him to betray her, it was simply something she had learned to do from her master.

As they talked and danced, Matthew's shift in movements was clear to her. His former seductive grace seemed to return little by little and she found it easier to follow his lead. Their bodies moved more in sync than ever. He would've been a good dancer, if he pursued the arts.

"Spinning is really quite easy," Reine explained, squeezing his left hand as they paused. "All you need to do is . . ." Her voice trailed off, figuring that it would be easier to show him rather laying it out in words. She lifted his hand above her head. "Your hand should make a circle above my head in the direction of my spinning. Clockwise . . . Uh sorry, I've never really taught anyone before. I'm not sure I'm the best teacher." After she said it, Reine twirled slowly, taking careful steps rather than twirling in the normal speed. She let his hand lead her, as it should. When she turned back to him, she smiled lightly. "That wasn't so bad. Twirling shouldn't be a problem. The tricky part is to spin as we glide across the floor."

Boxcode by Nakuli