| Logs |
2012 October 08
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
From Ember to Spark
Some time later, Malachai is surprised at how much he enjoys dancing with Sabrina. She's fully human and is by now one of the elders of the caravan, but an active life has left her still fit and agile as she teaches Malachai how to dance to the caravan's type of music. Those townsfolk who aren't dancing are still getting the dinner ready. There are tables of all shapes and sizes scattered over the grounds of Malachai's house. The food itself is set up on a couple of large tables, giving people a place to fill their plates, though no one has actually begun eating yet. The caravan children and the townie kids eye each other a little warily at first, but then the easy camaraderie of childhood sets in and it becomes more of a general mob of children.
Suraksha is true to her word: she does her best to dance with flare and fire with her beloved Rattler! Her jet black hair swirls, her lithe form moves with easy grace, and her teeth flash with her delighted grin as she darts and twirls light-footedly through the steps, following Rattler's able lead. She can't help the mischievous glint in her eyes as she cheerfully decides: she's with quite the most handsome man there tonight! Rattler is not above showmanship; in fact, he fairly much revels in it. He's not quite in full-on royalty mode, though. In ancient parlance, he's dialed down the presence to about a seven instead of a nine. In unabashed "I am king!" mode, Roy tends to put people's teeth on edge if they have an aggressive bone in their body.
Suraksha is quite willing to be a suitably stylish and brilliant partner for her beloved! By the time the dance ends she's laughing and her eyes are shining, and right after she does the closing curtsey to her partner, she throws herself into Rattler's arms, "Oh, that was wonderful -- been too long, sweet man!"
Rattler grins down at her and kisses the bridge of her nose. It takes some measure of willpower, but he does it instead of giving her a very meaningful and heated kiss on the mouth. He's here to show a peaceful resolution, not stir shit up. Elsewhere on the dance floor, Malachai bows over Sabrina's hand and steps off the floor after the dance, very carefully not watching 'Chana and Rattler. Suraksha wrinkles her nose and giggles, then reaches up to lightly tap the tip of Rattler's nose, "Silly man!" More softly she murmurs, "I'm thinking it might be good if we did like at court, and danced with all the appropriate folks. That okay with you, handsome?"
Rattler grins and nods, talking through his grin, "Was my plan, actually." He escorts her off the dancing space and looks around, finding Vashti and making his way toward her. Suraksha too glances around to see who she can invite to dance... Abishai, maybe? She's heard the young-looking man is actually one of the older wolf-hearted. She should wait on dancing with Rufus, if she's understanding the ranking system here correctly -- which, admittedly, is not a given. She snorts in quiet amusement to herself at that thought, and mentally shrugs -- if the townie males are shy of dancing with her, she can always pick up a dance or two with the other caravaneers.
Abishai is watching the dancing with his head bobbing. He's very carefully noting the way people's feet move, and simultaneously tapping one of his feet a little -- he's studying up, really. At the edge of the party Meshek stands out of easy sight, watching how things are going. This is meant to be a peace-making gesture, but he's got a good idea he can turn it to his advantage -- or at least cause Malachai some irritation. Suraksha smiles as she steps around the circle to Abishai and grins up at him, "Well, hello there! Abishai, yes? So, care to dance?" She's not sure what the precise protocol is here -- she's pretty sure, in fact, that she's breaking it in multiple ways -- but she can always say that she didn't know the guy was supposed to ask the girl to dance, or that the lower ranking person was supposed to have eyes submissively downcast, or whatever the town's usual rules are.
Abishai does indeed blink at her in some surprise, and in a little startlement too. He's not entirely sure why she'd ask him to dance, but he's happy to oblige, taking her hand and bowing over it. His voice, when he speaks, is a rumbling, almost furry sounding bass, "I would be honored, ma'am." Meanwhile, Sna'tha has presented herself as a partner for Malachai.
Suraksha grins and drops a quick, courteous curtsey, then heads onto the dance floor with the slightly built young man. She doesn't want to overwhelm Abishai with a new dance as well as a very strange partner, so this time she asks the caravan musicians if they could play one of the very common country circle dances, please? She's pretty sure that will be an easy one to pick up even if the townies aren't immediately familiar with it. As she steps to her partner's right in preparation for the beginning of the dance, she murmurs with a smile, "Do you not dance often? Or was your mate otherwise occupied during the last dance?"
Abishai smiles the close-lipped but friendly smile that 'Chana is coming to recognize as a Friendsville grin. "She is flittering around with the food. She made the desserts, so she's anxious they came out well." The Friendsville folk seem actually familiar with, if not this dance, something very similar.
Suraksha is pleased to see she chose well regarding the dance, and she moves with lithe grace about the circle with her chosen partner. She wonders idly, as they move through the swift steps, if she'll ever know how these folk see her and her family. She's quite curious, but she also knows the blandness of not-knowing also means there'll likely be no fighting. She's not sure which she wants more, really: to have to deal with the dullness of a perfectly calm and courtly dinner party -- or to finally learn what the hell is going on here. A small, rueful grin crosses her lips, and she glances to see how Roy and Malachai are doing.
Roy and Vashti are dancing quite well together. Roy has to really work not to flash a lot of tooth, since big open grins are a large part of his facial expressions. Vashti seems to be enjoying dancing with the king-in-exile. Malachai and Sna'tha also both seem very comfortable with this dance. Sna'tha has done this sort of dancing across several generations, after all, and circle dances are passed down in most rural places. Meantime, Meshek is moving around the edges of the party, out of Malachai's sight and taking every opportunity to speak with and touch the caravaneers so that they carry his scent and he theirs.
Suraksha nods quietly to herself; she knows Sna'thaid will keep the town thane from doing anything foolish. That means Sura can just relax and enjoy this dance... and plan silently who she'll tap next. She mentally reviews the wolf-hearted. Since there are only... what, nine? -it should be easy to make sure she dances with all the males, and then perhaps with some of the human-hearted -- just to be sure it's clear she doesn't favor wolves. She wonders idly if that's why Meshek spent the last night at the caravan in wolf-form, in fact. He'd come to her for reassurance, and after she'd petted him she'd allowed him to help Alg out with the night watch for a few hours.
Roy, meantime, is asking Vashti in a very artfully casual way which of the women are wolf-hearted. Vashti is glad to tell him. She's just as proud of the pack as Malachai and obviously just as invested in them doing well. In other words, she's a good beta. Elsewhere, as Meshek makes his way around the edges of the party, small but serious conversational groups begin to form up as the Friendsville folk watch his behavior. He's acting very oddly, almost ignoring the other townies.
Once the dance is finished Suraksha grins and pats Abishai's arm, "Thank you for the lovely dance! Maybe later you could introduce your talented wife to me? For now, though... hmm, I think I have a few more dances in me! Can you introduce me to... Gabriel, I think it is? Yes, that's the name." She laughs, adding cheerfully, "I've only met him as a wolf, to my knowledge, after all!" Abishai offers his arm to 'Chana as the dance finishes and Vashti parts from Roy to find Malachai. So far, this seems to be going well. Meshek's mischief is taking place as far from the dancing and the alphas as possible, after all.
Suraksha smiles with quiet pleasure, complimenting the young man on his lovely manners as she strolls around the dance floor with him. She'll occasionally ask him to introduce her to someone, as she spots people she doesn't yet know. She'll offer them her hand and be charming to them, trying her best to let folks know she's not a threat. It hasn't yet occurred to her that, in the local parlance, she's effectively "marking" all the people she's touching -- like a pack claiming. Further, it's not just Suraksha, but Rattler as well who seems to be performing this pack "claiming." Everyone that 'Chana meets does drop their gaze at least temporarily, and many of them bow or curtsey, but many meet her eyes again after that -- though there is some amount of nervous laughter, as if they are doing something slightly naughty.
Gabriel turns out to be a bearded man that looks just barely into his twenties. His beard is as white-blonde as his hair, and his eyes are a very soft blue. The hat he wears shades them very deeply. He's built like Malachai, all barrel-chest and sturdy limbs. Suraksha thanks Abishai nicely for the introductions, then smiles sweetly at Gabriel as he bows over her hand, "How nice to meet you in human form, Gabriel. Would you care to dance?" Rattler, meanwhile, is introducing himself to Selah and asking the woman to dance. She seems slightly leery of this, but agrees. Sna'tha interrupts Vashti and Malachai to introduce Malachai to Natalya Sokoloff and suggest that they might enjoy dancing together. She wants to speak with Vashti herself.
Gabriel replies to Sulochana, "It's very nice to meet you in this form, ma'am." His voice is lighter, sounding as if he would be a clear tenor if he sang. He's more than happy to accept the dance, and during the circling portion he learns to match the other men's steps fairly well, especially since the dance is almost waltz-like. Elsewhere, Malachai takes Natalya's hand and moves into the dance with her. Something is tweaking his senses; he's not sure what, but something feels not quite right. Suraksha is pleased as she glances around -- it looks like there's plenty of mingling occurring between the various partners being taken by her, Rattler, and Malachai. Excellent! With luck they'll pull off this evening smoothly, and be none the worse for wear.
Suraksha dances in complete and graceful courtesy with the young-seeming man -- just as she plans to do later with Meshek, Rufus, and Malachai. She may take a dance off between one or two of them, just so it's not too obvious she's being a good courtier, of course. So far, at least, it doesn't appear the caravaneers have committed any faux pas, either. That too is excellent. The little knots of conversation are starting to move further into the party and closer to the dance floor. The children are still running riot as one large mob.
Sna'tha and Vashti are discussing the way the caravan is run versus the way the town is run. The tall sidhe, as she listens to Vashti, gets the strong impression that Vashti actually sees herself as a sort of honor-guard for Malachai, performing more direct discipline than he. Clearly, when the elder passes on Vashti will have built a very solid respect in the pack, and it will be hard for anyone to displace her unless they literally jump over her, like in a game of checkers. In other words, it would take a direct challenge to Malachai to bypass Vashti becoming alpha almost by default. Vashti also seems quite intent on hearing from Sna'tha about ways a female might be able to offset the difference in mass between herself and a male to make a fight more even. Slowly, almost without anyone noticing, the cheerful mood of the dinner is starting to get less cheerful and more serious, though not yet tense.
Suraksha grins as, in the next dance, Alexander Sokoloff mischievously bows his way into position as her partner. Like his twin sister Natalya, he is lithe and lovely and an excellent dancer. The next dance Sura makes sure is with Rufus, since she can't immediately find Meshek and she wants Malachai to have more dances with the caravaneer ladies -- they all know how to put townsfolk at ease, after all. Malachai is a little bemused by the way the caravan ladies seem to be handing him off one to another. It's done very smoothly, of course, but they want him to dance with several of them, and they know how to make things look very collegial. It's not until several dances have occurred, in fact, that someone starts ringing the dinner bell.
Suraksha raises an eyebrow, then grins up at the adorably shy Rufus, "Goodness, I'd forgotten dinner was involved -- I was having such fun dancing!" She'll stroll off the dance floor with Rufus as her escort for now, glancing subtly about to see how her people are doing, and if the children need more folks keeping an eye on them. She makes a mental note: only Meshek and Malachai left to be sure to dance with, and then she can have fun with the Friendsville human folk and her caravan family -- and Rattler too! Excellent; things seem to be progressing smoothly.
Rattler was dancing with Phoebe, a young wolf-hearted woman who is more buxom than usual for the Friendsville folk. She's got the rosy-cheeked bloom of youth about her, and at first glance she is perhaps eighteen. She looks almost star-struck as she gazes at Rattler, who has obviously been plying his charms. There are several smiles flashed his way as he makes his way toward the food. Suraksha beams in quiet relief -- she really did choose a great partner in Roy! He's smart, beautiful, smooth, and just generally wonderful, she thinks. She dimples in pleasure, her eyes sparkling as she watches him for a moment. Then, still glowing with happiness, she continues her progress towards the dinner tables as well, being just as careful as Roy to be charming and reassuringly calm to all the folks she passes.
Meshek hasn't yet made his way into the middle of the group, but he has touched enough of the caravaneers that, when Malachai moves to gather with everyone for food, the younger man's scent is suddenly much stronger. That makes the alpha hesitate, his brows drawing together -- Meshek was specifically not invited. The old thane shakes it off as best he can and raises his voice, making himself heard over the murmur of voices, "Let us bow our heads in thanks!" The townsfolk all quiet down and lower their heads. Suraksha smiles and tilts her head slightly along with everyone else -- but she's surreptitiously continuing to observe. She still has that odd sense that something is... not quite right, though she doesn't know why yet.
The prayer that Malachai says is full of what would be called Biblical language, but it doesn't speak of a father-god. Instead, it speaks of the blessings of life and of family and calls for blessings on those that make up the family of the town. He's careful also to call down blessings on the caravan. Suraksha smiles again at that; she thinks that's sweet of Malachai. It doesn't occur to her that the blessing could possibly be seen as an appeasement to her, though; that's not how she thinks. Instead she murmurs a polite, "Amen," with everyone else, then cheerfully waves to Roy once folks are looking up again.
Roy raises his hand in greeting and lets her know via the caravan's little vocabulary of hand signs that he'll be right with her. He lets Phoebe show him to the food and says something that makes her laugh and blush delightedly. Suraksha nods to Roy, then pretty much does the same: she turns to Rufus and thanks him prettily for the dance, then stands on tiptoe and gives him a gentle kiss on the cheek. That leaves him blushing and stammering, his eyes shining with happiness at how well the alpha bitch seems to appreciate him. Considering her unwittingly very alpha-like behavior, it's hard to remember -- in fact, it hasn't quite registered -- that technically Sulochana doesn't truly hold that position. As the lovely woman moves slowly through the small crowd, 'Chana makes sure to speak to everyone she knows, pausing for a hug and a smile here; a pat on the hand and a lightly teasing comment there. She's determined that there'll be no trouble this night caused by her and hers, after all. She wonders where folks are supposed to sit, though -- is this a buffet dinner, or will there be ranked seating again?
Though they do not realize it, both Sulochana and Roy are behaving like properly reassuring alphas. Roy, of course, would not think of it as behaving like an alpha -- he's just got on most of his court manners. But he's been royalty for so long that it shines through when he's doing so. Malachai is doing much the same: talking with people and touching all of his folk that are around. But his edginess makes it seem like he's reassuring himself more than them. Meshek murmurs this into a an ear or two around the edges, staying out of Malachai's sight. The old thane is indeed starting to feel quite edgy. He can smell Meshek all over the place and it's making him angry that the little troublemaker is here somewhere.
When no one seems to know where folks are supposed to sit, Suraksha just smiles and mentally shrugs. She goes and quietly helps make sure the caravan children all get a plate of food, and she keeps an eye out for all her people to do the same. A smiling Papa Sokoloff brings Sura her plate, piled high with meat, while Mama Minta makes sure Rattler is served as well -- and that both of them are seated together on a nice bench with a blanket on it, by the fire. Suraksha looks slightly puzzled as it registers: there are a few tables near those with the food on them -- rather as if a few kitchen tables were brought outside -- but, to Sura's perplexity, it's clear there aren't enough for everyone to sit. Rather than cause any sort of kerfuffle about that, however, the Hetaera decides it's far easier to go along with Mama Minta's quietly whispered suggestion, and sit by the fire.
After that the caravaneers just settle around the couple wherever is most comfortable, sitting cross-legged on the ground, a blanket, chunks of wood, little stools, or whatever else they can find. They make sure there's room for the townsfolk as well, not realizing how their behavior looks to the Friendsville folk. 'Chana is pleased when a few of the townsfolk come tentatively wandering over as well, and the caravaneers do their best to make them feel welcome. Some of the townies have invited caravaneers to sit at the tables with them. From the way people are arranged, something 'Chana may not have previously realized becomes evident: the lower-than-the-alpha principle seems to work very much on a proximal basis. Since the folks sitting at the tables are simply on higher ground, they aren't being higher than Sura -- it's the folks sitting near her who are careful to keep their heads lower than hers.
Malachai has been given his own plate of food and Vashti has quietly suggested in her soothing way that he perhaps sit up on the porch that overlooks the lawn. It sets him somewhat apart, but it also gives her a chance to speak softly with him about the nervousness she's starting to sense in the crowd. Meshek is simultaneously keeping out of Malachai's sight, and murmuring how interesting it is that everyone is gathered around 'Chana and Roy, while Malachai is off by himself with Vashti. To Meshek's way of seeing things, he's fairly certain he can set himself up as beta to 'Chana. When she declares herself alpha over the town as well -- as he's certain she will -- he'll have effectively done a hierarchical leap over Vashti. He doesn't want to fight Vashti, but he's getting cockier; the arrogant young wolf-hearted thinks if Roy can beat Malachai, then surely Meshek can as well.
Suraksha has no idea of Meshek's plans, of course. Instead, she is a good hostess and a superlative Hetaera. Between her training and Roy's roguish charm, she makes sure the group around them at the fire is happy, relaxed, chattering together freely, and entertained as they eat their dinner. The children are well-behaved -- thanks to much previous training as well as the watchful eyes of the various caravaneers -- and the delicious food is devoured with pleasure. Sura's careful to make sure she eats plenty of meat as well; it's been an exhausting week or so, and she's happy to refresh herself with much extra protein. As she's finishing her last tidy bites 'Chana glances around with a mix of pleasure and relief: so far, so good! Looks like everyone's calm and fed. She tilts her head with a touch of perplexity, wondering why Malachai chose to eat alone like that... then mentally shrugs. Must be a Friendsville alpha thing, she supposes. She'd consider it lonely, but... well, diff'rent strokes! Well -- she grins to herself, amending: relatively alone! Vashti is still talking quietly with Malachai.
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