Completed The Dancing Stallion [Garland]

[Sayana]

OOC: This is a continuation of the thread Cha-Ching!. There’s room for a 3rd character to join Sayana and Garland. For example, someone to chat with Garland, or a musician who might play at the Rearing Stallion.

Fall 26th 514 AV – Late afternoon

Sayana and Garland made their way from Sayana’s apartment through the winding halls of the fortress and out into the open air. The Eypharian wrapped her cloak around her to ward off the wind and led him on the short walk to the tavern she worked at. The Rearing Stallion. Simple in name and design but always quite busy inside. Busy enough to afford a dancer as regular entertainment.

As they entered the tavern, Sayana was greeted by the familiar bustle of the tavern. Even though it was only the late afternoon, it didn’t stop people from coming by for a drink – be it a break for knights and squires from patrolling the city or a hang out place for travelers. Sayana smiled as she saw a few regulars. There were a couple people who rarely even left the tavern. But that wasn’t her problem. So long as they continued buying drinks. She had only been performing for a few days but she liked to get to know her audience as best she could.

“I’m going to drop off my cloak in the back and then get myself ready,” Sayana said to him. She scurried off after giving a quick wink to a familiar customer. In the kitchen at the back it was just as busy but with less space. “Good afternoon,” she said cheerfully as she sidestepped a sizzling frying pan. “Oh drat, does anyone have any lip pomade?” She asked as she tucked her cloak into a corner. “I just got some, honestly, but I left it at home.” Fortunately one of the girls offered some up and Sayana promised to return the favor. She took the time to sort out her hair and make sure her clothes, and blades, were all in place. “Thank you so much,” she said to the girl and blew her a kiss before heading back out again.

Sayana glanced around the tavern looking for Garland. During her scan, it appeared that there was a musician setting up on the dais. Well that was good. She had expected one because the Harvest Festival was still in full swing and probably had brought many performers to the city. But it was nice to see the confirmation. Still, she’d probably figure out a way to incorporate the tambourine that she held in her low hand.

[Garland]

The hustle and bustle of the Rearing Stallion was a familiar contrast from quiet they had before. He sat down near the bar, he debated on whether or not he should order a drink. It seemed like a very bad idea, since he very well can't hold a drink. Or control himself.

One mug would lead to two, then three, then a dozen, and then he would usually make a fool of himself and any of his companions he came here with. He shook his head, saying no to the drinks the barmaids were handing out. He saw a few familiar faces here and there, mostly a few fighters in the pits or other knights he had met.

He rested his arms on the table, waiting for the show to begin. He might get kicked out if he didn't spend any money, but he'll cross the bridge when he comes to it.

[Sayana]

“You had to pick the table farthest from the stage?” Sayana asked incredulously as she strode up to him. She was somewhat exaggerating but it wasn’t like the bar was right next to the dais either. “So much for cheering me on,” she said with a laugh and a roll of her eyes. But despite her comment she gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder and then turned to make her way to the dais. She couldn’t help but make a grand flourish of her skirt as she got up onto the dais with a twirl. It seemed like the musician was ready as well and Sayana gave them a smile before they started things off.

The first song was upbeat and lively. Probably some drinking song to start the evening off, but Sayana was still new enough to Syliras that she didn’t recognize the old favourite of the region. Regardless, she was well adept to improvisation. She held the tambourine up in her high hand and started hitting it to the strong beat of the music. “Let me hear you, or I ain’t gonna start!” She called out to her audience. Soon enough there were people who started clapping and Sayana was soon pleased enough to begin.

Her dance had a lot of bounce and energy to it. When she wasn’t keeping time with the tambourine, her shoulders bounced with every beat. As she traveled across the dais she popped her hip with every other step and then finished the sequence with a twirl of her skirt. Moving back across the dais she circled her hips and topped it off with a chest shimmy. As she danced, her face seemed to glow with the smile that radiated from it. This was what she loved.

As the song moved into another chorus she began to twist her hips back and forth to the beat and slowly walk forwards without stopping the movement. She jumped off the dais with a little hop followed by a twirl. She then set her hips going at twice the speed and proceeded to dance in a semi-circle past the closest tables, practically within arm’s reach. She stopped at one table, did a belly roll followed by a pose and then carried on dancing up close to the tavern customers.

The song was nearing its end and Sayana managed to get back onto the dais to do her finale for the piece. With the last repeated line of the chorus she spun several times on the spot, her skirt flaring out, and then finished it with a pose as the musician hit the final note of the song.

[Garland]

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A few beers wouldn't hurt... Those were the words preceding something going wrong for everyone, but not today. He resisted the temptation, but sitting next to the bar was not the smartest of ideas. Sayana clapped his shoulder and then he turned around. He he quickly grabbed her hand and said. "Good luck, love! You'll do great."

The performance started with a fast paced song, one anyone would be able to dance to easily. Though, Sayana dance was much more... Exciting than just random movement. She was an amazing improviser, he was sort of jealous of her. He bountiful swaying hips, her fluid movement, her beautifully in sync arms. It would make a great distraction to everyday life.

He clapped and cheered much louder than anyone else in the bar, of course he had no regrets about that.

Then she began her dance, the quick movements here and there made him follow her everywhere she went, like in a small trance. He sort of regretted staying at the back, near the bar, where he wouldn't be drinking.

He saw a small table right up front, looks like the only reason it wasn't taken was because of two big burly men sitting on the left and right of the table.

He would go there after the first dance was over. He was stupid but confident he could hold his own against these two if something broke out between the two.

He looked on, making sure the seat wasn't taken and at the same time, keeping an eye on Sayana's dance. She danced expertly with each sway of the hips and flow of her arms, it was captivating to anyone even partially interested in her.

The dance was slowly drawing to a close, she had made it back up to the dais, getting ready for her finale, it wasn't a big finale but it did catch the eye, with her skirt flaring out and the ending note did get anyone's attention. Garland clapped and cheered for her, along with the rest of the crowd. He got up from his seat and went over to the table he saw. He sat down without missing a beat.

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[Sayana]

During the applause Sayana gave a cute curtsy and then blew a kiss to the audience. She was able to pause a moment to regain her breath and she noticed a certain squire make his way to one of the tables up front. Now that was more like it. She gave him a smile and a wink before the musician got her attention so they could proceed with the next song.

This one was slower and more melodic, probably a ballad of sorts. Sayana’s high bouncy energy was replaced long fluid motions. She had placed her tambourine on the edge of the dais since for this song the instrument was hardly needed. Her arms flowed like ripples upon the goddess’s sacred rivers and it was as though her hips were pushed in circles by the river’s undercurrent. Holding all her hands high she undulated her whole body in repeated motions as she traveled from one side of the stage to the other. While the dancing matched the song’s tempo, it didn’t truly match the theme of lost love, but the dancer figured that the novelty of the movements would more than make up for it. At a sad mellow point during of the song her hands mimicked a water fountain. Her highs shot up in the center and then spread out to fall outwards to the sides, quickly followed by her mids and then her lows.

As the song came to a close she turned her back to the audience and held out all six arms. A ripple passed through her arms, then her lows came down. Another ripple went up her remaining arms, and she brought down her mids. Finally one last ripple and the song concluded. She stood there for a moment to wait for the applause and seemed uncharacteristically solemn. Then she sprung to life as she spun around with a smile on her face. She quickly convened with the musician and with a nod she returned to the center of the dais.

“For my next dance I’m going to need a sword,” Sayana announced to her audience. “And not some little dagger, mind you. I’ve got my own if I needed that.” She gave a light laugh and tapped the hilt of her blade. “I mean a sizable one, and straight. I won’t be taking any cutlasses for this. And don’t you worry, I’ll be sure to return the favour once the music starts.” She gave a coy smile and scanned the audience for any offers. Although she tried to be unbiased, she suspected that her new squire friend might step up to the request.

[Garland]

Garland watched the dance intensely, he remembered the love he had lost, he didn't even know if she knew he liked her before moving to Mura. He shook away the thought and just watched the dance. The crowd was watching the dance solemnly, no cheers or clapping hands that followed the rhythm, just eyes all on Sayana and ears all to the bard, some even weeping silently.

The Konti girl he had his first crush on. He remembered everything about her, but he doubted that she would remember him. He wondered how she and her mother were doing.

This time, the urge to drink came back, but not for pleasure but for drowning out a bit of sadness he had, he sighed. He wasn't going to embarrass Sayana today by causing a scene, maybe some other day, but that day is not today.

He felt a wet tear run down his face, he quickly wiped it off, he wasn't sure why he was crying, he had accepted Lora moving away because of her mother, he had never known his parents and thus he never known any parental love, some people take it for granted, but not him, he knows its value, so he accepted the fact that they left. He had hoped to move to Mura as a knight, eventually. But now he wasn't so sure. He had never had any close friends here, but now he had met Bakar, Saede, Suresslynn, Archalist, Ball, and Sayana. He wasn't sure he could leave his friends forever.

He shook away the thought and just listened and watched. Her fluid motions reminded him of an old fountain here that was destroyed during the Djed storm. He gave a smile, Sayana was no expert, but she was experienced enough not to make mistakes and do it amazingly to an inexperience watcher.

When the dance ended, she had needed a sword for her next dance. He stood up and raised his sword. "Sayana! Over here."

[Sayana]

Sayana had barely even finished her request when Garland jumped up to offer his sword. With a delighted smile she approached and carefully took the weapon in her two mid hands. “Why thank you kind ser,” she said with a wink, more for the benefit of the audience. She held the blade horizontally and outstretched in her two hands. It was a nice weapon, of good weight and balance, or so she thought. Not the finest, but it certainly didn’t lack style, at least with respect to the pommel and hilt.

The next song was of a medium pace and had an earthier feel to it. There were no lyrics and it had the slight flavour of the music of Eyktol. Sayana figured it was the musician’s best mimic of the Eyktol music, but for the purposes of the tavern it certainly fit with what she wanted to do. She started on the dais with a few slow but large motions with the blade. She held it in her right mid by the hilt, and when necessary used her left hand on the flat of the blade to brace it and keep it steady. She didn’t know much about swordcraft, but her slow sweeping swings were done well enough to get people’s attention.

In a slight lull in the music, Sayana stopped her swings to hold the sword out horizontally in her hands once more. Tucking her other fingers in, the blade now rested on just her two fore fingers. Slowly she brought them together to find the midpoint, and thus balancing point of the blade. With a grin she placed it upon her head and followed up with a light chest shimmy. From then on, the sword remained balanced on her head as she popped her hips in time with the beat and flowed her arms about herself never leaving the spot where she stood.

But how could one do a full dance without moving from the place they stood? The Eypharian slowly shifted her weight from side to side as her hips traced figure eights about the floor. Then she began to take small steps forwards and back, while keeping her hip movements and balancing the blade. The trick was making it look really challenging. With a good sized blade with some weight to it, as long as you take the time to find the exact point of balance it was rather easy to do the rest so long as your head remained still. And that was exactly how she had been taught – that all body movements could be completely isolated when needed.

She slowly built upon the repertoire of moves. A body wave here, a shoulder shrug there, and throw in a chest pop. It felt good to be dancing to some more traditional music even if it was just an attempt at the tunes of Eyktol. The tricky part now was to get down from the dais, but she managed it slowly and with only a slight wobble of the blade. With a series of body waves she side stepped her way to position herself in front of Garland. As promised, a favor returned.

She gave a quick chest shimmy as if to get his attention and then began to pick up the pace to better match the music. As she danced her footwork accented her hips and often she’d throw in a chest pop to finish a phrase. Her arms would either frame the body part that was moving or would playfully point to a place before she started accenting it. However, the two moves she avoided were spins and head slides. She wasn’t quite skilled enough with balancing the sword to risk those.

[Garland]

Garland rather impressed with her balancing skill, despite his smaller sword compared to the patrons here, which were mostly large wielding great sword users. Some of the other patrons were also impressed with her skill, wielding a sword is one thing, balancing it on your head is another.

He clapped and cheered with the crowd for her impressive balancing and dancing, he looked at her with shining eyes, maybe she could teach him a bit of finesse, it would be useful for his fighting.

She had expertly balanced the sword on her head as she stepped down, she had made her way towards him, moving expertly. She gave a little chest shimmy which made him blush a bit. He sighed and looked at the other patrons, some with a bit of envy, others with a sly grin. Some of them probably knew him from the time he had spent in the pits, they must know quite well that he was horrible with good looking women. During any of his spars with young girls, he had avoided grappling and limited as much contact as possible, until recently where he finally broke out of his shell.

He a rude, playful gesture with his hand to some of the other patrons. It was just for fun, and he wasn't challenging anybody. The others just laughed at how red the boy had gotten and returned their focus to the dance. He wanted to talk to her, but it seemed like she was busy with her dance. He leaned back into his seat and gave Sayana a small wink.

[Sayana]

She smiled at his blush and laughed openly when he made the gesture to the other customers. At his wink she glanced over her shoulder with her back nearly to him. Then with a shoulder roll and a wink in return, she strutted back along the front row of tables so as to engage the rest of the audience too. With her mid hand meaningfully placed on her dagger, she carried on her sensual dance up close and personal. The couple of hands that reached out were easily brushed away, though one had to be slapped. But of course, she was the one doing the teasing – her hips swaying and her shoulders shimmying.

She glanced past the front row towards the corner of the tavern and spotted the familiar face of Chuck. Chuck Thorson. It seemed that even her dancing didn’t bring him out from his favourite place. Though he was plenty friendly to chat up. She carried on with the dancing and only once had to use her high hands to catch and adjust the sword upon her head. One might point it out as a mistake but she’d rather put on an entertaining show than do every move perfectly.

At the end of the song she held the sword up high in two of her hands and made a grand bow bringing the weapon down and back up with her. “I will have a quick break with the fine gentleman who owns this blade and then I’ll be back for more dancing after a couple of songs,” she announced and then made her way over to Garland’s table.

“I like this one,” she said as she held the sword in her right mid and flipped the hilt in her hand. She had to quickly use another hand to catch it because she wasn’t used to the leverage of the weapon. “Though I’ve never learned to wield something like this,” she added with a laugh. She then held it out to return it to him.

[Garland]

Garland gave a large smile, and offered her a seat. "Well, it seems like you don't need a bodyguard to keep those horny buggers off you then? Ha! Anyway, great show, Sayana. You are amazing." He gave her a quick hug, and sat back down. He took his sword and placed it by the side of the table.

"I could teach you a bit of what I know if you're interested?" He offered and motioned to his weapon. "Its basically a hybrid between the longsword and the greatsword. You can use two hands or one." He explained, showing the longer than average hilt. "I'm trying to learn both styles for flexibility in combat... That reminds me, could you teach me how to be a bit more flexible like you? It would help me a lot."

He looked longingly at the sword. "It was the only thing my parents left me before they died." He gave a large smile. "I wonder if my father was good with this weapon, its nothing special as a weapons, but the design could be worth a lot, I wonder where my father got this sword." He thought about it for a little bit, Swede had said something about his parents, but she never elaborated properly.

The two large men rolled their eyes, thinking that Garland was trying to flirt with Sayana.