Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
He nearly dropped his staff in combined bemusement and embarassment. He could hide such things qickly though, face breaking into a broad grin. Mind settled once again, though palms still a little sweaty he drawls
"No apology required little miss..." Judging by the height her voice is coming from he could be fairly sure he'd not be inaccurate. "...you sounded like quite the fearsome predator to these ears."
He opened his eyes slowly, orienting them toward the sound of the voice "Were that I had eyes to see my fearsome foe though. You sound quite lovely." He still hadn't taken the offered hand, but by then it was obvious why, his irises and pupils a milky grey white.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Casamir smiled at the young woman. If he was surprised by the ears it didn't show, he was a consummate host. He glanced up at Adamina still running about the meadow, too, before waving his hands to shoo the stunned onlookers back to their jobs.
"No, no, you've not disturbed anyone."
Though, it was plainly apparent she had, that is if the looks the rest of the camp were giving her over their shoulders were an indication.
"Perhaps you'd like to join two bemused men, hm? If you do not my niece might follow you around for days."
Casamir was not above applying a little guilty pressure if it brought the strangers closer. What he had failed to tell Dominic or Katerina was that he had a bucket full of curiosity to match his niece. The apple didn't fall too far from the tree.
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Casamir smiled at Katerina and spoke quietly to them both.
"The camp is being put together directly in front of you, facing the setting sun as we speak. We had intended to make Wistvale today, but delays farther back on the road were not helpful. I have some very young mothers in my family and I do not wish to overtire them. We would be happy to share meat and some homemade ale with you this evening."
He did not offer to help Dominic. Casamir was sure he could find his way, after all he had been walking the common road had he not? Instead he did his best to usher his guests in past the din of barking dogs, racing children, and those whose job it was to prepare the meal this night.
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Dominic laughed easily deep in his throat, beginning to navigate as he usually does with his staff, resettling the lute on his back. He turned his face to Cassamir and bowed more deeply than before, reaching up and taking off his hat in salute.
"I'd heard stories of travellers hospitality. You truly are living up to your legend, sir" he said in a pleased, humble tone. "I've no coin to pay your generosity, but I've stories and songs from far and wide if you'd like."
He turned his unseeing face then to the soft padding sound of the newcomer, placing his hat back on his head "And pardon my rudeness at not introducing myself, miss Katerina. I am Dominic McAllister, sometime storyteller. If you've any good stories I'd love to hear them."
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Kat followed them with a light step and alert eyes. She, too, had heard tales of the Travellers, and though she was a thief herself she didn't want to get caught out by some light-fingered snitch. All the same, she wore her usual bright smile and cute expression. "I do not know if perhaps my stories are quite right to share. We shall see, yes?"
"Stories? Why, you've certainly come to the right place. We have stories that will fill your soul with passion, love, despair, fear, and hunger. Come. Come. We shall have some food, wine, and afterwards my wife will share a tale!"
Casamir clapped his hands and it seemed like Dominic and Katerina were surrounded in seconds by a dozen people all offering them different things, whether it was a place to sit by the fire, a spot to kick up their feet, food, something sweet, or just a fresh glass of water, they were rapidly being consumed by the swelling group of people from all corners of the camp.
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Never one to refuse an offered gift, Dominic took an offered apple, holding it in his mouth as he unshouldered his lute, his prized posession. He'd heard the rumours and tales of the Gypsies and their propensity for lightfingeredness, but he'd never experienced such things. He wasn't particularly worried.
He sat in an offered seat, a felled log laid out with blankets for cushions. He laid his staff upon his shoulder, holding his lute between his spread knees, chewing happily on the apple. Food, fresh food, rather than the road rations, was an absolute joy. Dense, coarse bread infused with cheap rendered fat only one step up from candle tallow might have calories enough to stop a journeying soul from starving, but it tasted like what it was, meltead dead thing.
He let himself take in every sound he could, every smell, taste and touch. Lacking one sense had taught him to appreciate all the others. His head perked a little as an idea struck him.
"Cassamir, good man. Perhaps I can provide accompaniment to a show. Perhaps some of your young folk can dance well enough to garner coin from a crowd?" He turned to Kat "Or you, o swift predator girl. Walking on your hands did I hear? Perhaps we can earn a crust to pay these fine folks."
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Kat chuckled softly, "not quite walking on my hands, though I can do such a thing. I was hunting, and I can run down prey over short distances better on all fours. The young lady is still doing her best to imitate it."
Adamina was indeed still trying to run on all fours. It made the older children shriek with laughter and the wildly barking dogs to caper about her body. In essence, it created quite a din, and was probably painful to both Kat and Dominic’s sensitive ears. But, the meadow was wide open; both children and dogs flowing ever outward as the meal progressed.
Dominic had spoken during one such outward lull of noise. The offer of music brought some of the older children back into camp, and attracted the presence of Casamir’s young wife who had been introduced earlier as Ilona. She was radiantly beautiful, long multi-colored hair pouring off her shoulders and a proud smile across her face. The reason for the smile was very apparent, too. She was carrying an infant child wrapped up in swaddling clothes in her arms.
She gave the baby to Casamir and spoke to Dominic.
“If you would favor us with a tune, I am sure we can find someone to dance.”
Half a dozen voices from the crowd immediately piped up after her.
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
He heard the request and the shouted responses. This would be possibly the hardest thing for him to do with his condition. He would have to trust his ears to hear the footfalls of the dance to ensure he played in time. Even so he always revelled in the challenge.
"It would be my pleasure." he quipped lightly. He unslung the instrument, christened Prudence, from his back, taking a moment to ensure the strings were in tune. He began to play, a tune of a style common to the travelling folk, twangy and intricate. It was meant to be played in a round, speeding up every rotation of the melody, purely instrumental.
He began to pluck happily, the notes riding over the chatter and the barking, listening out for the start of the dancing footfalls. Perhaps she'd wear some bells to aid him in keeping time, though he'd do his best either way.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Ilona was not wearing bells. However, she did have a belt wrapped around her waist made from beaten copper and the metal disks attached to it rung every time her hips swayed. Her feet were bare, she had dropped the cloak off her body to the ground and the belt shone with fiery highlights when she began to dance.
There was nothing formal about it, either. The dance was purely celebratory in manner, without rehearsal, without specific steps, and without any partner beyond the bard. Ilona danced like she did everything else in life, with abandon. Her hands come up over her head and set of little wooden castanets were clicked, too.
The crowd, of course, was quick to pick this up; clapping in time to the smack of the castanets and Dominic's playing. The rhythm built higher and the girl in front of the fire moved even faster. She whirled so quickly that whatever danger might have been accrued by her dancing so close to the flames was spun away.
The thudding sound of feet joined the clapping hands. Obviously many of the others had joined in.
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Time then, he thought as the crescendo began to build and more people began to join in, to step it up a little. He rose from his seated position, hunched slightly over his instrument and while not quickening the tempo of the tune particularly past the normal progression he seemed to make it sound like there were two players plucking at once. The lowest string was hammered with a thumb, creating a hammering baseline while his fingers flew across the rest of the strings to create the melody.
Still not enough, he thought, not enough to give the crowd what they deserved. He began adding a sort of percussion by slapping the heel of his hand to the wooden body of the instrument and added little yips and hollers of his own voice. All this was done at an increased volume, his desire to please and push more fire into the music was plain to see.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
Ilona 's fiery energy swelled. The beat of Dominic's hand upon the wooden instrument echoed her tiny castanets. It was enough to throw her upward, back and spine all bowed out. Casamir's eyes started to glow. He had been talking when the dance started, but he wasn't talking now. He was watching his wife whirl in front of the fire. The smile on his face said a thousand things all lovers know. And when she dropped down from the air he was there to catch her.
Casamir held his wife to his chest, her wildly colored hair brushed away from her face. He kissed her, too. Something that probably would have lasted much longer if the crowd had not started hooting at him.
At that he laughed and gathered up the infant baby he'd handed off to another before catching Ilona.
"Wondrous! Dominic! Simply wondrous. We have no heard such playing in ages."
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”