All About Rain [Lion]

[Anonymous]

[OOC: I think you enjoy making Evadne go berserk even more than Taladan does. xD]

Evadne was completely flabbergasted. Frozen in place, she saw from the corner of her eyes how Taladan left the room, pushing against her shoulder as he went. The door closed behind him. Too softly, for Evadne's taste. Her father eyed her carefully from beside. "So... " he started. "Did you and Romeo have a nice ride?"

The young woman hadn't moved up to this point. But now, she turned her head with a jolt and stared at her father with so much anger in her eyes that he coughed and left the room, following Taladan. Evadne's eyes lingered on the place where her father's face had been. How can he?!

She couldn't remember the last time she had been this angry. It was possibly when she was around six years old, and Thayer had stolen her favourite wooden animal, teasing her with it for days until she almost literally exploded. This was even worse. Breathing heavily through her nose, Evadne leaned against the wall and buried her face in her hands. Her anger was so overwhelming she just didn't know what to do with it, and her mind just kept going over the same thing. She understood that Taladan would not want to be very nice to her, since she hadn't been very nice to him. She understood that he might want to get back at her for that. But he had crossed a line. And he had crossed it bigtime. He abused her father's miraculously conceived trust, and made her feel like she was the visitor instead of him. By acting this was his home, and completely winding her father around his finger that got up to the point of getting away with anything he said, and by placing the new bed -- HIS bed -- in her room without even the courtesy of asking her, he had lost any respect she had for him. Taladan was here at Evadne's mercy.

Slowly, Evadne lowered her hands and stared at the wall. She realised she had lost her one and only buoy -- her father -- and whether she liked it or not, she would be the visitor in her own house as long as Taladan stayed here.

Looking rather beat up, she opened the door again, and, with a blank expression and without taking note of the two occupants of the living room, took the big pot with hot water off the fire. Without so much as a word, she went back to her own room, closing the door behind her as softly as Taladan had done. Absently, she filled the tub with a mixture of hot and cold water, and a massive amount of lavender soap. When she was sitting in the wooden tub, stripped of all her clothes, she started thinking again. Evadne pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, leaning her chin on her knees. It was baffling how one man knew how to get to her so easily. A man she hadn't even known for a full twenty-four hours. Shivering, Evadne bit her lip, swallowing the tears of frustration in her throat. This was exactly why she never made friends.

After a good two hours in the bath tub, ignoring the knocks on the door and warnings dinner was ready, Evadne finally emerged from a cold water filled tub. Firmly, with some new found strength, she dried herself with a towel and shot in some wide, comfy pants and shirt that sometimes served as pyjamas. After brushing and drying her hair as much as possible, she slid beneath the covers of her bed, closing the curtains, and turned her face to the wall.

It had to be hours later when someone finally came in, but Evadne gave no response whatsoever and kept her eyes stubbornly shut. If you can't beat them... join them.

[Lion]

[Think what you like!]

Breakfast was cleared up with a scrap and clatter as the remaining dirty dishes and cup was all washed, dried and then put away.  By now, dinner was well underway and Taladan did not want to think about Evadne's more and more common silent outbursts.  She was the epitome of women.  Or at least the ones he encountered.  Some too graceful to voice their opinions when it really irked them, and others that had no bounds or decency whatsoever.  Evadne seemed to walk the threshold between the two.  He could admire a woman that spoke her mind, as well as the ones that smiled with societal constipation.  Each had their strengths in their own way.

Preparing food was something he felt he was going to be doing more and more often while he stayed here.  It wasn't that he minded, but if he was going to be doing a lot of cooking, Evadne better learn to appreciate at least that part of him.  It was not his intention to step on her toes what with her father changing her room and all, but nor was he going to let her anger torment him into sullenness.  He was a happy man!  Why shouldn't he enjoy his stay here?  He'd always been the kind to handle change with the flow of events, nothing was always the same one way or another and to try to fight it was only going to make matters worse.  If only his voice wasn't so gruff to the sound right now, a condition he was sure would pass by the time the festival arrived, he was sure he could sing to Evadne and maybe then she would lighten up!  But, of course, it would be better if she came around on her own.

Taladan soon snapped out of his thoughts at the pop and snap of cooking oil in the new cooking pan he was operating.  In it were fowl legs that her father had taken the liberty of butchering while Taladan worked the still flaming oven.  He tossed another log in there when the flames got too low.  And when the oil snapped to a finish he pulled the meat out with two rods, one poking each side, and laid it out on the plate with the rest of the finished main course.  While that had been going on, her father was busy crushing potatoes and mixing its mashed entrails into a bowl with seasons and a small bit of butter.  It didn't take long before he was done with that and onto mixing cabbage leaves with various other vegetables in another bowl. Soon the plates were all decked out on the table and meal laid out at the center, ready to be devoured.  The smells made the bard's stomach grumble and he rubbed it sympathetically.

Arthur called for his daughter to come to eat and when she appeared, all clean and in fresh clothes, Taladan's eyes gleamed and his teeth flashed.  "Oh you look really nice!" he said lightly and offered to pull a chair out for her.  "Dinner's ready, as you already know.  Let's eat," he declared before taking his own seat and grabbing a piece of the fried bird at the center.

[Anonymous]

It had been incredibly hard for Evadne, but over the past two days she had managed to keep up her mask of indifference almost flawlessly. With great discipline, she was learning to control and not to show her anger by meditation and placing her view of things outside herself, as if she was looking down on the situation, instead of processing events the moment they hit her. It was a tiresome road to walk, and at the end of both days she had been completely knocked out. A good thing too, because if she hadn't been, she would probably have refused to sleep in Taladan's presence. Her father, however, had apologised in his own, clumsy way, for bluntly placing the new bed in her room without even a moment of consideration or consultation for Evadne's ideas about that. And since Arthur Gabor hardly ever apologised, Evadne had found it hard to stay mad at him.

Now, as she was picking out her clothes for the festival tonight, she was looking forward immensely to talking to other people. People that weren't half as annoying as Taladan, not half so well-smelling, and twice as easy to reject. Hesitating, Evadne held up two different shirts. One was lavender, matching her eyes, with short sleeves, and the other was sleeveless, low cut and black. She decided on the black shirt, not feeling quite colourful enough for the purple one. Together with tight black pants and flats, she would look rather dark, which fitted her mood exactly. And it was a peasant's festival, with lots of beer if she assumed things were the same as last year, and since she was also going there on horseback there was no place to wear a dress. For which Evadne was most grateful.

She had only just dressed when Arthur knocked on the door and said dinner was ready, and about half a minute later Evadne emerged from her bedroom, pushing a hand through her damp, freshly washed hair. As expected, Taladan immediately took advantage of the occasion and complimented her on her outfit flamboyantly. Also, he pulled out a chair for her while taking the seat that had become his own.

Evadne ignored both.

Instead, she took the chair next to her father, opposite of Taladan. "Have a nice meal," she said in general, avoiding to speak to Taladan directly. She had figured that if happiness, anger and utter frustration didn't throw him off balance, something like this must. "Are you joining me tonight, father?" Evadne inquired while she put some salad on her plate. Arthur was already focused on his dinner, and Evadne had to repeat her question. "Ah," he said then. "Yes, I will. So I am afraid you will have to share your Romeo with Taladan. Emanuelle is not big enough to carry the burden to two people on her back, I'm afraid."

Evadne was determinedly avoiding any eye contact between her and the bard, so it took her a moment to realise her father had finished speaking. "Oh, no need," she answered lightly. "Thayer is coming here before we go, so I can ride with him."

Arthur mumbled something unintelligible, probably remarking on her stubbornness to do anything that involved Taladan. It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed she was up ridiculously early every morning to be able to take care of the cattle and horses before Taladan could join her. Only when he sent her one of his angry gazes she occasionally answered the bard, always addressing him with "Mr Ewing" or "sir". Arthur rolled his eyes. It was about time this madness stopped.

[Lion]

Taladan shrugged little more when he noticed she didn't take his offered chair, and resumed eating, deftly using his foot to slide it into the table and wiggling a brow at Evadne humorously.  The cold shoulder was always comfortable to lay on when one had a fever.  Taladan didn't, but if only she'd know what a social animal he was (if such was even an accurate description) she would know that he was used to such treatment.  It was always much easier to react to people, when one let themselves present who they were as they were.  Actions always spoke louder than words.  He knew he would find a way to get to her one way or another, all he needed was time.  And with a man like him, time was what he plenty of.

Arthur and her were busy jabbering on, so he resumed his focus on the meal and listened with one ear, which twitched and swerved like an alert animal.  He was trying to be quiet as he did so, not really intent on bring too much unnecessary attention to himself.  He never did like being watched while he ate, it was kind of like being gawked at when one undressed, except it was ten times messier and the sounds of tongue snaps and lip lickings could prove quite unnerving for the unprepared.

He'd only made it seem as if he wasn't really listening, and perked up expertly at the last second.  "That's good, Evadne," Taladan said lightly.  "Then that means, I'm free to ride Romeo then, I mean only with your permission of course.  Would that be all right?"  He didn't expect her to answer and wondered if Arthur had any wagons lying about the place and why they couldn't all use it to save time, and go together as a group.  But he didn't dare voice his opinion in the faces of his host.  He could tell Evadne was intent on keeping him a distance, not that he minded if such was her share, but that didn't mean he couldn't at least try to peek beneath that guard of hers.

[Anonymous]

Evadne once again had no intention of answering him, and before he could repeat his question she stuffed a big amount of salad in her mouth. That would at least buy her some time, perhaps the men would have decided not to press on it at all. It might not be the most gracious of solutions, but it was better than the alternative. While she chewed fervently, she saw her father throwing her a look of warning. Evadne swallowed, oppressing a sigh. It was not going to work this time. Without looking up from her plate, she chose her words carefully.

"Anything that makes you happy makes me happy, Mr Ewing," she said then, feigning sympathy. Arthur on her right side was a bomb ready to explode. This is no way to treat a guest! he thought angrily. He wasn't much for manners himself, but he had raised his daughter better than this. She might not like him, but she could still at least show the decency of being polite without an undertone of sarcasm and contempt.

He coughed loudly, wiping his hands on a napkin. "Evadne, dearest," Arthur said in the exact same voice, "why don't you go ready the horses for us, eh? After all, you're the only one already dressed. And you must have been hungry too, because your plate is almost empty. Well, at least it's one less thing to prevent you from leaving the table."

Evadne stared at her father. She had never heard him speak like this before -- at least not to her. Slowly, she pushed her chair backwards, throwing her fork on the wooden plate. "Of course," she answered quietly before placing her chair back at the table. She left the house through the front door, but instead of fully closing it, she left a tiny crack open. Silently, she moved in on the crack and peered through the small opening, listening intently.

[Lion]

Taladan was pretty much done now with what was left on his plate.  He didn't want to eat like a slob, but it was scarfed down rather fast compared to how much was on the plate.  A gas bubble was coming on him, but he kept his mouth shut until he felt it come out of throat in a silent burp, then he released it when he wasn't watched.  He wiped his lips clean when she finally decided to answer and nodded to her with a congenial grin.  "Thank you, ma'am," he answered back quietly.

Everyone was soon done eating when Evadne soon was dismissed and Taladan sat still while Arthur began the clean up of the dishes.  "Is she always like that around friends, Captain?"

[Anonymous]

Arthur groaned at Taladan's question. It had been almost unavoidable, but it was still not a pleasant question to answer. "Well," he started slowly, contemplating his words, "first of all, Evadne don't have many friends. Thayer's one of the very few. But him she's known since she was a little girl."

He pushed around a chicken bone on his plate, thinking about his daughter's unusual attitude. "Look, I'm not sure what is making her behave this way, and frankly I don't want to know, but if it has nothing to do with you I'm sure she's just getting used to you still. She's not the type of person to socialise with everyone that comes along."

Evadne, behind the door, also heard her father apologise profusely for her behaviour, and angrily she marched to the barn. While she worked on getting Romeo and Emanuelle ready, she wondered for the thousandth time how it could be that Taladan could get under her skin so easily. She thought about the other day, when she had first noticed his scent, and blushed unwillingly. Luckily, she had been able to avoid smelling that a lot with her escapes from the house. But there was a certain new aroma in her room now, a mixture of hers and Taladan's, though she wasn't ready to admit that at all.

Finishing saddling Romeo, Evadne sighed and leaned against his neck, winding her fingers around his manes. The horse was her best friend without a doubt. At least he never tried to annoy her. He just took her for what she was. But that was never the problem, was it? a small voice nagged inside of her. Evadne shook her head forcefully and pulled Romeo out of the stall, tying him to the ring in the wall, ready to leave. As she put a tight knot in his reins, she heard footsteps outside. Heaving a relieved sigh, she walked towards the barn doors. That had to be Thayer.

[Lion]

"That makes plenty of sense, I guess," said Taladan with some solemnity.  In a way she was a bit like a wary dog.  Those that didn't get much socialization were bound to be tight knit into their own little bubble and were quite territorial when it came to outsiders trying to get it.  Of course, Evadne had told these things to him in a much brasher, straightforward way.  But it seemed to have so much more resonance when it came from her father, someone who could elaborate on her in a slightly differing light.

 But the bard could only grin, the corners of his mouth turned down wryly in something that was hardly humored.  In a way it was not exactly a sad grin, but more of one came about from someone who knew that not everyone could have good friends.  He doubted Evadne would care, but now he only wanted to try harder to be her friend despite her seeming indifference toward him.  He had to try, if only for her sake.  Taladan had never made friends out of pity before, but she'd sparked a genuine interest for him that he couldn't ignore.

Then when Arthur started to apologize for her, Taladan shook his head.  "No, no, no, no, there's no need for that, Mr. Gabor," he tried to assure him.  "I completely understand, I think.  At least as much as I can.  She'll come around in her time, you don't have to apologize for her.  I think I admire her formidableness too much to want to pressure her into doing something she's not quite ready for, friendship and all."

"Can you take care of the dishes?  I think I'll go outside and help her out with the horses if she isn't finished already," Taladan said, bowing as he excused himself and headed toward the front door.  He headed out across the growing darkness of the oncoming evening.  Taladan was about to knock on the barn doors before they opened gradually.  "Oh, ahem, evening, Evadne," he said softly.

[Anonymous]

The shock of seeing Taladan's figure appear behind the barn doors instead of Thayer's was much bigger then expected. "Oh," Evadne blurted out, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She had thought that Taladan would give up his attempts to talk to her by now, but apparently the silent treatment hadn't worked. She took a step back, trying hard as hell to recapture the attitude she'd made hers for the past days, unfortunately without success.

"Uh.." she started sheepishly. Turning around obstinately, Evadne could strangle herself for the failure. She wished she hadn't stopped and listened at the door now, she wished she'd just got on with saddling the horses. Then Emanuelle would have been as good as ready now, too, and she could simply have left Taladan in the barn. In the worst case, she would just have started walking towards Thayer's home. Forcing herself to walk at a normal pace, Evadne retrieved Emanuelle's saddle and disappeared in her stall, grateful for the darkness that would hide the blush on her cheeks.

[Lion]

The faint light of the barn lantern cast thick shadows around the hay-covered structure.  Taladan sighed and brushed his hair back and entered further inside.  "I'm sorry for interrupting you," he said quietly with a genuine tone.  "I just wanted to see if you needed help with anything and as I can see you're already hard at work.  Would you mind if I got Romeo's saddle?"  He sauntered forth with great care, not wanting to disturb her or have her lash out at him.  And soon found where the other saddle was.

He strode over to the next stall over and found the large horse he knew to be Evadne's and began to put the saddle on him as soon as the cover was on.  Taladan wasn't an expert on horsemanship or being an ostler but he'd seen how it was done once or twice and figured if he didn't do something right, she'd show him soon.  When he pulled the clasp tight, too tightly and made Romeo grunt and snort with irritation.  "Goodness!  Sorry!  Um Evadne could you help me with this?"

[Anonymous]

Taladan's sigh had not escaped Evadne. For a moment, she was entirely still, hoping there was something in him that could feel anything else but happiness and the joy of being drunk. She said nothing when he asked if he could help her, but this time it was not with the purpose of ignoring him. She just didn't know how to go from completely ignoring to speaking neutrally again. She went on quietly with making Emanuelle ready. The mare seemed not in a mood to go out at all, as her head was hanging down a little and she refused to take notice of Evadne's silent commands, stubbornly nomming (<3) oats from her food bucket.

When Romeo snorted angrily and Taladan called for her help, Evadne left Emanuelle alone for a moment and moved to the adjacent stable, lingering in the door opening for a couple of seconds. She almost smiled when she looked on the scene. Taladan obviously wasn't used to working with horses. Evadne took a deep breath.

"Well," she said, having to get used to hearing her voice again in such a normal way in Taladan's presence, "at least it's not entirely your fault. And Romeo is mostly exaggerating." She moved towards her horse and released the clasps. She saw that the girth was twisted also, and turned it back the right way. Then she pulled on it, tightening the girth just a little bit, and pointed at Romeo's belly. "See? He's making himself bigger. Something he does often." Evadne leaned on Romeo's back with her weight, and felt the air escape from the strong body. Then she quickly pulled on the girth some more and clasped it down the way it was supposed to be done.

"All done," Evadne said, looking at Taladan directly for the first time in days.

[Lion]

The horse he'd been preoccupied with chuffed unpleasantly as if to say that he would surely kick him if he ever was caught standing behind him.  Taladan remembered now why he didn't stay around animals longer than he had to.  Still the good-mooded bard couldn't help but offer a sly spread of his lips, amused at the kinds of ways all creatures could react in response to the most minor of discomfort.  Then he stepped back when Evadne took over the machinations of the saddle.  He watched her expert hands, mesmerized.

When it was all done, he took a breath and his face was awed, a genuine awe.  "Wow, well done.  Making himself bigger, eh?  A lot of men do that; then they don't know what to do when it comes out that they're just a bunch of hot air.  Thanks, Evadne, that was really kind of you."  What else was there to say?  She'd been ignoring him almost his entire stay here, but that didn't mean he was going to just start being an asshole.  At least she was talking to him now.  He cleared his throat and kept smiling.  "You know, I don't say this too often, but do you realize how pretty you are?  Especially now, so up close?"

[Anonymous]

Hot air, Evadne repeated silently. If Taladan had been all hot air, they might actually have become friends. She still hadn't figure out whether she hated him or not. If she hadn't changed yet, she would have gone out in the fields and asked herself again when it was all quiet in her head, but now she'd have to wait until a better time. "You're welcome," she replied softly while stroking Romeo's nose. Taladan caught her attention again when he coughed, but what followed next hit her like a baseball bat smashing into her with 150mph.

Do you realize how pretty you are? Especially now, so up close?

Immediately, Evadne took a few steps back, away from Taladan, taking heed of the last words. "I am not pretty," she said brusquely, and turned around to finish Emanuelle's saddling. "I am just a farm girl. There's no need for me to be pretty."

Her heart was beating like crazy. She couldn't remember the last time someone had given her a compliment. Her father never said anything of the likes, but then again, he never really noticed things like that. Beauty never lasts, he used to say. Thayer might have said something about her hair once, but compliments from him were like compliments from Arthur. Completely unnatural. And on top of that, Evadne had no idea what beauty was. She didn't know what people thought of her. She might be too skinny, or too small, or too white.

Evadne took up a bridle and pushed it over Emanuelles head, forcing her to stop eating to be able to fit the bit in her mouth.

[Lion]

Taladan gasped lightly and didn't take his eyes away from her before she responded.  He didn't mean to make her feel uncomfortable if such was the emotion that was coming over her.  He couldn't see her face that well now that night had almost completely fallen.  But there was still that faint lantern glow that stretched out across from where the lantern hung by the open barn doors.  He breathed softly and waited with biting anticipation, what she would possibly say.

And when that answer came, he didn't expect it.

"What?  How can you say such a thing?  Maybe I'm just speaking from the sum of my experiences, and I suppose I've seen many beautiful women, but don't you think that would give me some foundation that I would at least know what I'm talking about?  Whether you need it or not, I still think you're rather beautiful, and you show the most when you least want to I think.  And whether you care to know it or not, I think your looks suit you,"  Taladan offered.  He lingered outside the mare's stall and watched her hands take the bridle deftly and practically force onto the mare's head.

[Anonymous]

Evadne remained by Emanuelle's side, tightening the clasps around the mare's head and throwing the reins over her neck. Yeah... those women of yours, Evadne thought obstinately. She had no doubt he was a merry man, like her father had been, but one day or the next he was going to be settled with a baby from a woman he hardly even recognised, too. She doubted the bard would even know how to deal with the kid.

And what he said had been a compliment he only rarely gave was probably just something she would have to believe in. It was an easy way to seduce women, using those words. Most of the time, that was all any woman would want to hear. Evadne scratched Emanuelle's neck, jealous that the mare never had to worry about such things. Then she hooked two fingers through the bridle near Emanelle's mouth and guided her outside. Just before Taladan, she paused and looked at him hesitantly for a while. Clearing her throat, she came to a decision as to what she would say.

"Well. Thank you, Taladan, for the compliment you are obviously trying to give me, but beauty means nothing to me. Nor do the people that see only that, or ugliness."

If she had wanted to say anything, she was interrupted by the sound of horse's hoofs galloping over the grit outside. Sensing that this time she couldn't be wrong about who it was, Evadne bound her father's horse to a ring in the wall.

"Tell my father the horses are ready, will you?" she said, looking back from the doorway she had been going to.

[Lion]

If a man was a liar, he was often bound to always lie.  If a man was honest, he was often bound to always to tell the truth.  With Taladan, it was not always a simple case of either being a liar or an honest man.  Only immature minds confined themselves to such black and white views of the world and he'd grown out of that right quick as a boy.  Taladan knew that she probably would not take what he said seriously.  All the same, however, he meant every word of it.  If he'd wanted to be known as a liar and manipulator to her from the start, he'd have lied and tried to manipulate her as soon as he saw her.

It was all up to her to mull over what he said and decide upon it.  When she responded, he merely nodded and patted the horse's shoulder then started to step toward the barn door.  "I'm glad you're comfortable to be so blunt about such a thing.  Beauty is such a relative thing, dear friend, and you'll be smart to treat it as such.  That doesn't mean that I'm not obligated to what I think of you, and I do think you are beautiful, whether you see it or not."

With that, he watched her leave and bowed as she did so.  "Anything you wish, dear."

[Anonymous]

Evadne lingered in the open door frame, hesitating. Her expression was a mix between wanting to be friendly and feeling like she should remain her distant self. But when she opened her mouth to say something, she heard Thayer's voice from outside. "Evadne! What are you waiting for?"

She peered outside, seeing Thayer's horse Wolf prance with anticipation, no doubt contaminated by his owner's enthusiasm. Evadne looked back at Taladan once more, and then ran out of the barn towards Thayer. He stretched his arm out for her and with one giant hop, she jumped up behind him on the back of the horse. "Are you ready?" Thayer asked, turning his head to see her. Evadne forced herself to smile and nod. "Yes. Let's go."

She put her arms around him to prevent falling off, and then they were gone.

Ten minutes later, Arthur emerged from the house, locking the door with a rusty old key. "Ready to go?" he asked Taladan with a half smirk, untying Emanuelle to lead her out of the barn.

[Lion]

Like clockwork, wasn't it?  Taladan crossed his arms over his chest just as Thayer's voice called to her and she went dashing out and he heard the sounds of a frantic horse clopping nearby.  The brief exchange of voices checking assurances and then the horse started off.  What a fascinating, distant creature she was.  And Taladan followed suit without another thought as he heard the distance of the hooves grow between them.
   
He met Arthur outside as the older man locked the house and came out with the horses.  "Aye, Captain.  I'll leave it to you leading the way however.  I'm not so familiar with this area."  Taladan leapt up onto Romeo's saddle and gripped the reins gently.  "I'll follow you.  Go when you're ready."

[Anonymous]

By the time Arthur and Taladan arrived at the centre of the town, where huge tents had been raised to protect the party goers from any possible rain, Evadne had found a couple of people she knew, whom she was talking to (or rather, they were talking to her) while she was watching Thayer making himself merry on the dance floor with a willing maiden. Evadne took a sip from the pint of beer she was holding, feeling better every time she did so. She didn't care that Thayer wasn't dancing with her, in fact, he knew very well she didn't enjoy dancing.

With the pint against her lips, she saw her father enter the tent, followed closely by Taladan. For a moment, she was wondering whether she should go to him, but her father made her reconsider by gesturing Taladan and saying something to her. Watching while they made their way through the crowd, Evadne drunk the last of her beer and excused herself to get another one.

--

"Come," said Arthur loudly, raising his voice to be audible for Taladan over the noise of the crowd and the music. "I'll introduce you to your employer." He had already spotted the man somewhere in the back of the room, contently watching the villagers enjoying themselves from a secluded spot. Arthur raised his hand towards him while he cut through the last lines of people that separated them. "Will! Over here!"

Mister Will Scarsly looked up at hearing his name and his eyes lit up when he saw Arthur. "Captain, how good you have come. Is this the man you promised me?"

Arthur nodded. "Taladan Ewing, meet Will Scarsly, the organiser of this wonderful festival."

[Lion]

Arriving at the festival was quick work, even with Taladan being as unaccustomed as he was to the bouncy gait of a horse.  Another reminder towards him of why he usually walked everywhere he went.   It was an interesting journey despite being uneventful and arriving there allowed him to give some consideration as to what song he would sing during the festival.  His voice had cleared up over the past few days and he promised himself that he wouldn't touch another bottle of Elmari Sister's Vintage,  Bottle 315 until the day he'd retired.

Taladan viewed the partiers, all twirling and laughing and drinking to their hearts content.  My kind of people, he thought with glee and only spotted for a second, the rather 'rude' Thayer spinning with another girl.  Hm, even he wasn't dancing with Evadne, the bard was still sure he was rather soft on the Captain's daughter, even if she didn't notice it.  Taladan gave a subtle grin, deciding on the song he would perform.

"Ah Mr. Scarsly!  It's a grand pleasure to  meet you," Taladan said, shaking his hand enthusiastically.  "What a nice even you have set up here.  Might I ask what it's in celebration for?  Or is just a kind of festival you throw for the hell of it?  Whatever the case, I'm sure I'd be happy to sing for here."