Closed The Bizarre Bazaar(Oriah)

[Marrick Corvis]

Oriah and the other dancers glided like silken Ethaefeal across the carpets, yet Oriah’s natural olive silks drew the Kelvics attention. He found himself bound, and the bird in him watched transfixed upon the lithe Benshira’s movements. Every low and lengthy sweep of their arms, and every wiggle didn’t escape his pale blue eyed gaze. When their first dance ended, each dancer took their turn on the woven dance floor. Their dance was as incredible a tapestry as the rugs they danced on. Complicated, and full of emotion. After a while Marrick began to see something similar to a story, or at least the way they moved seemed to tell something like that. As Zelia took the floor the crowd grew wild with enthusiasm. It seemed that her appearance on the floor was a rare treat, one the Kelvic felt honored to witness. Her movements were filled with what Marrick would describe as endless energy and deft movement. Oriah’s friend was fire made flesh as she danced. Yet it was if she were held in someone’s hands. Her husband’s perhaps… the Madja. When she ended her performance the crowd seemed to take a leave of their sanity as many shouts rang out. The applause was deafening, and the stomping of feet shook the ground. Marrick’s eyes met Zelia’s husbands and the Kelvic could swear the man’s eyes seemed filled as much surprise, as pride, and something else. Future lustful intent perhaps. The thought made Marrick chuckle a little as he envisioned a little brother for Vina. The Kelvic finished clapping with the rest and at last took his seat again on the pillow. It seemed there was one more performance and the Kelvic wondered who it was. Surely they wouldn’t force Oriah to perform. It must have been more than a year since she’d performed anything more than a Jig or a little line dance with the locals. Sure as silver shines Marrick watched as Oriah took the floor. At first he covered his mouth to hide his enthusiastic smile. His splayed fingers then shifted to cover part of his face as his cheeks grew russet and his smile broadened to a grin. The Kelvic managed to gather a measure of his composure mercifully before the performance, and in proper form, he straightened his back, and perched on the edge of his pillow. The song began with a sad and somber note, slow and labored. Oriah seemed to move with that note like the musician were plucking at the strings of her heart. It was if her body stretched and flexed with that note, as she conformed to fit its tenor. Marrick watched fascinated as the Benshira’s back flexed and stiffened while her hips remained loose. Her arms waved almost as if they were holding someone, and then her whole form seemed to stoop as if she were laying someone to rest. Then with a burst of energy she turned to face him and her hands joined. Her whole body rocked, and undulated. The movements made Marrick’s heart flutter and he gasped away the air in his lungs in the hopes that the quick release of air might calm the heat that grew in his blood. As her hips seemed to roll about unhindered by the natural way they would when walking, Marrick bowed his head a little and he exhaled. This didn’t help much as his angle of vision gave him the best vantage of his companion’s long and sensuous leg as the slit in her skirt fell away from it. Marrick’s eyes grew wide with anticipation as he watched Oriah’s movements. It seemed impossible to him, yet here he was, his focus entirely on the Benshira. The world was her, all existence revolved around that womans hips, and the curve of her lower back as she moved. He felt the tug and release of his very soul as she flexed and relaxed. Marrick’s breath seemed lost, and the disappointment he felt filled him with sorrow as it seemed that the melody was dying. He let out a long breath as the melody faded to a whisper. Both to his surprise and joy the drummer that played let out a swift heart beat that revealed his sadness was unfounded. The music peeled forward with a heated beat that seemed filled with a life of its own. Oriah grinned as she filled the dance floor with the energy of her life. Marrick felt it almost as if it rolled over him in waves. Her beads clacked, and the metal of her dress jingled merrily with each shake of her hips, and legs. She moved around the dancefloor with the ease of a cloud on a breeze and the Kelvic realized that he was witness to Oriah, in her element. Her movements echoed, and answered the swift beat of the drummer as her body conformed to each note the horn blowers blew. As the music seemed unable to get any louder, and the beat any faster Oriah spun so fast that Marrick held a hand over his heart. With one final long note followed by a stinger and a last clap of the drums Oriah halted her arms seemingly at the ready, like she were prepared to fight. The crowd clapped and cheered, though none louder than Marrick. The Dark haired squire stood from his pillow and shouted out as loudly as he could. “flowers.” He said as he clapped. “Oi need some flowers.” He said as he turned toward the old man that had given him a seat. The old fellow fixed him with a broad grin and nodded in an understanding that seemed unparalleled between two people. The old fellow flagged down an older woman and he whispered into her ear. Marrick couldn’t tell what he had said to her but her face was soon parted by a grin similar to his, though it contained more teeth. Marrick took his seat again while the Dancers flooded the floor again with their colourful silks, and performed a final dance together. The Kelvic watched with anticipation while they flung their arms skyward and seemed to float together on the floor as if they were all caught in a breeze. A gentle hand laid itself on his shoulders and he turned his head up to see the old woman with a handful of lilies in her withered hands. Marrick smiled at her and nodded in thanks. “Asheen” he said as he took them from her and he warmed her cold hands with his a moment before he shook his head. “Please, take something from me for them.” He said, a furrow of concern marking his brow. The old woman simply shook her head and pointed at Oriah out on floor. “From all of us.” She said with smile. With a pat of her papery hands against his Marrick smiled back at her and hid the lilies amongst his cloak. His heart seemed to overflow with happiness as he waited patiently for Oriah to finish and come join him again. The dancers finished their revelry and disappeared like the mist in a wind, so like the silks they wore. The crowd seemed incensed with a passion and pride for their women, their dancers, their story tellers. Marrick felt a great burden of honor fill him. Though he felt proud to have seen it. However, to his delight, it was not the end. The dancers returned for one last dance. It was swift, and beautiful, and just the right follow up to end such a performance. Like a final goodbye. The kind with kisses, and hugging, and holding of hands. The dancers re-joined the throng of onlookers to many a cheer and hug. Some people threw rose petals. Others brought forth cups of wine, or water, and Marrick realized he had emptied Oriah’s cup. When had he done that?! The Kelvic scrambled for a nearby pitcher and refreshed his companion’ cup, and stood. As Oriah approached Marrick smiled up at her and watched gleefully as she laid down next to him all smiles and joy. She looked good in her dancers outfit, her skin glistening with sweat. The Kelvic wondered privately if he would ever see her like that again, the hopeful answer hovering in his head a resounding yes please. “Aye, Oi’m sure the food helped fuel the… the…” Marrick’s words failed him and he realized he couldn’t find the right words to describe what he’d just seen. “Forgive me.” He said as he took a sip of his wine. “There are no words teh describe jest how beautiful and powerful that was. It was as if loife itself were rolling out before me loike a beautiful tapestry. And yer dance. Oh my yer dance. It was as if yeh were sayin hello, n’ goodbye all at once!” Marrick gushed uncontrollably. He bounced between laughter and giddy grins as she polished off her cup of water. Marrick filled her cup again as she asked him about his dance with her friends youngest daughter and he smiled. “Oh,” he said with a little bit of the sorrow showing on his face. “She is the perfect reflection of her mother. Perhaps even more kind if that’s possible. She has a patience n’ kindness that’s… almost too much for one so young. She’s a sensitive and spirited little dancer. Sweet through n’ through.” The Kelvic said as he handed the pitcher off to another member of the crowd who was eagerly waiting for it. He sighed a moment before he remembered the flowers he had gotten for her. “Oh yes, Oi almost forgot. Oi have somthin fer yah.” He said with a grin. “Shut yer eyes lass.” He said softly and sweetly as he waited for Oriah to comply. When at last her eyes closed he pulled out the lilies and poured a fresh cup of sweet white wine for her. “Now the wee one, may have danced well, n’ been sweet n’ koind. But yer dance touched the foundation of my very soul Love.” He picked up the flowers and the wine in each hand and cuddled up beside her, took a deep breath and smiled. “alroight open yer eyes love.” He said in a low tone over the din of people returning to their meals and conversation about the excellent display of dancing they had just witnessed.

[/quote]

[Oriah]

The more Marrick spoke of the dancing--of her dancing in particular--Oriah felt the room grow ever warmer. She accepted his compliments though with good cheer, drinking them in like liquid joy. Her companion seemed just as excited as he gushed in awestruck appreciation. Oriah almost laughed up the water she'd just downed, finding his enthusiasm flustering, pleasant, and amusing all at once.

At her mention of his little dancing partner, however, the Benshira was surprised to find Marrick answer with a tinge of sadness. She couldn't understand why, given his overwhelmingly positive descriptions. Though, she was more surprised at how perceptive her fellow squire was; in just a short a time he was able to pick up on so many traits of the child, and it warmed her heart to know Vina was in such good hands while they'd been gone.

Before she could thank him in earnest, Marrick told her to close her eyes. Confused but intensely curious, Oriah did as she was told, a small grin tugging at her lips.

He was moving...there was a gentle rustle, then the trickle of water being poured into her cup a second time. Another deep felt compliment came drifting her way, making her cheeks flush as she tilted her head in anticipation, before Marrick finally allowed her to open her eyes. A when she did, she was met with the sight the other squire holding lilies in one hand and a cup of wine in the other.

"For me?" Oriah beamed, eyes twinkling with incredulous excitement. It had been a long, long time since she'd received anything for her dancing that wasn't room and board or the occasional admiration.

She scooped some of the lily heads gently into her hands and breathed in deep, savoring its fresh and fragrant scent.

"They are beautiful, Marrick," the dancer sighed, smiling at her companion through the soft, white petals of the lilies. "Thank you...for these, for spending the day with me, for dancing with Vina, for...everything."

Oriah was suddenly acutely aware of his warmth against her and took a hasty sip of the sweet wine, trying not to choke as the sip turned into a gulp and her throat burned from contact. "You know you did more than just dance with little Vina," she said to him in the same, low tone as others went about with their conversations. "You gave her very tired mother a chance to dance, to feel beautiful again. And her Tent loves her even more for it. Because that is what our dancing means. It is to celebrate life. And..."

She was about to say more, the wine loosening her tongue faster than anticipated, but the music struck anew and people were pulling them to their feet, bringing them back into the circle with merry cheers and laughter.

And so they celebrated well into the night and wee hours of the morning, dancing and singing and laughing and eating until there wasn't an unhappy face left to be seen within the Tent. The happiest all was, arguably, that of Oriah's, as she reveled in the company of Marrick. The one person who was able to make the ghost of her lost twin fade ever closer into the obscurity of the past it belonged to.