Moving To A Different Beat

[Anonymous]

"This mixed green material is not the finest," Aidain commented, as Nellie said that she liked the colours. "But for a traveller it will last longer than the finest, most of which I've seen worn only for hours at a time before being changed in a court environment. On the road they're entirely unsuitable."

Of course, he didn't know how long Nellie was planning on staying, if she was going to continue travelling with her father or if she was old enough to make her way on her own. but he was making the assumption that the girl would continue to travel with her father. This material would show the workmanship of Connlaothian haberdashery to the world, yet still last Nellie a good while.

"And... I guess black would go well with the pants, using that material. Maybe with green stitching?"

He made it a question because in truth he was clueless about this kind of thing. He mostly just chose the materials he wanted and let the tailors get on with it. Obviously females had more of an idea about this kind of thing than he did.

[Anonymous]

Nellie had listened to Aidain's advice on the green material in question, still looking over the various options indecisively. This trip meant a lot to her, and it made it hard to focus on just one thing. She really did want the outfit, but when placed against all the rest of the things that were to be done and decided on the trip, it seemed rather trivial. Had she used the idea of this visit to the tailor to put off a more difficult decision? Maybe.

When he suggested green stitching on black pants she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "That might look good, actually." She sighed softly. "You know, you're probably right about choosing fabrics that are a little more...practical. I'm sure I can still look presentable and be functional at the same time." Curse men and their logic.

Tatsu shifted uncomfortably by the door, glancing in Nellie's direction frequently. He bit his tongue as long as he could, but finally couldn't keep from saying what was on his mind. "I don't understand why you wish to look even more Connlaothian than you already do."

Nellie didn't turn around, she kept looking at the materials, but she'd heard her father all right. Sighing as she put the black material for her pants over her arm and then took the green material Aidain had suggested and placed it over the black material she'd suggested. It had merely been an excuse to gather her words carefully.

"Because, father, I wish to fit in, or at least appear to fit in. We move so much that I never get a chance to fit in, to make friends, or do anything normal people do. Not this time. We've always done things your way, but this trip...this trip is mine."

[Anonymous]

"I was taught that the trick to presentability is confidence," Aidain commented with a slight smile. "Which is why I can get away without the adornment other noblemen my age might go for, and break Mistress Lowryn's heart every time I walk through the door."

The young man was aware that the tailor was listen, and her chuckle made him smile; he might not always hit it off with members of the opposite sex straight away, but he could charm their socks off if he took his mind to it. Once he took his mind to it.

He was going to say that there was nothing wrong with looking like any nationality when Tatsu complained, but as ever Nellie got in first. She knew what she wanted, and presumably she knew where best to push her father to get it, and while Aidain had intruded into their sightseeing trip he didn't think that intruding into their relationship was a good idea at all.

[Anonymous]

Nellie listened to Aidain as she fiddled a moment longer with the fabrics before chuckling softly at him. Her emerald eyes flashed teasingly at him. Nellie had so far been rather impressed with him overall. It was nice to meet a polite, helpful young man so unexpectedly. Maybe she would actually get to make a friend or two for a change. "I see. Well if that is the case, then you must have the young Connlaothian ladies falling all over themselves."

Tatsu's eyes flashed between the two of them for a moment. He had the sinking feeling that Nellie was actually going to come to like Connlaoth during their, intended, brief stay. What if she wanted to stay longer? Could he stand to be in this kingdom for more than a few days? It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for all the anti-magic laws and attitudes. In fact, if not for that, he'd probably have been somewhat fond of the people here. They were a stout, hard-working lot, who had a good sense of honor and progress, but the anti-magic sentiment they held really bothered him.

"Nellie, child, please pay more attention to picking your fabrics and less attention to flirting with Sir Aidain. I'm sure the tailor doesn't want us loitering in her shop all day."

[Anonymous]

Aidain smiled sheepishly as Nellie complimented him; he couldn't expect her to understand court life if she'd only been in the city a day or two. Sure, he could get ladies to like him as a friend, but otherwise? Too many of them looked for potential partners whose eyes they could look into while not throwing their necks out. Nellie, living with Tatsu for so long, obviously didn't get that. Aidain had been raised Connlaothian, he dressed to the styles, lived to the laws and spoke the language, but he was, everyone knew, half-Serenian. Even if he showed no signs of magic himself the taint was there, and his wielding iron swords without harm to himself was of little concern.

He shot the other tall male a look as Nellie was scolded for flirting with im. Obviously Tatsu had never had sisters. Nor had Aidain for that matter, but he'd been around plenty of sixteen year old girls, and you might as well tell them not to breathe as not to flirt. Half the time he was sure that they weren't even aware of it themselves. But he said nothing to the older male, since that would be rude, instead steering Nellie towards the materials better suited for cloaks, so she could pick the materials for that instead.

"We wear fur lined cloaks in the winter," he said, deciding to not comment on Tatsu's impatience. "Most people have these furs, but if your budget can stretch rabbit or ermine are better."

He gestured to each in turn, knowning where they were depite the fact that his personal cloak was in fact insulated with bear hide. He could afford that, he wasn't sure that Tatsu would be so willing to pay that much since his dislike for Connlaoth was more than apparent.

[Anonymous]

Nellie smiled brightly in response to his sheepish smile. Aw, did her compliment get to him? That was so cute! Actually, her eyes travelled up and down him quickly, making a quick assessment. He was as tall as her father, but she was used to such height, and overall, she found him rather handsome, truth be told. The fact that he was half Serenian didn't really bother her, she had been raised by a dragon who could use magic, Connloathian she might be by birth, but she was not raised with the same bias towards non-Connloathians and to people 'tainted' by magic.

When her father scolded her for flirting, her cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment, but she lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm sure the tailor is far more patient than you give the kind lady credit for, and who I 'flirt' with is my business, thank you very much."

Really now, her father was being so grumpy and unreasonable today! Huffing slightly she allowed Aidain to direct her to the cloak fabrics. She listened to his suggestion on the type of furs she had available to her.

Tatsu piped up with his own opinion on the fur selection. "Do you have fur from silver fox? I think that would go very beautifully with a green outter lining." The question was directed at the tailor, and his tone was extremely polite now.

[Anonymous]

Both Aidain and the tailor were surprised when Tatsu spoke up, and the tailor's initial reticence with the man (or male form, that bass line couldn't possibly be human, could it?) seemed to melt away as she nodded.

"Yes, yes we have that," she said. "The blue is more expensive than the darker silver, which would perhaps go better with the green? Did you want a green cloak, dear?"

Of course, Tatsu was paying. But the clothes were being made for Nellie, so Mistress Lowryn would take instruction from both. Aidain, on the other hand, would rather face Nellie than the tall stern figure near the door. When people suddenly started acting nice after having been grouchy, he always felt a little wary, was if wondering what trick the world was going to play on him next.

[Anonymous]

Tatsu's posture had changed, he looked more relaxed, not as tense. His expression had even become calmer and even mildly pleasant. There was just a hint of amusement in his eyes. Yes, Nellie had told him off. Yes, he was in Connlaoth. Yes, he was wearing a mage mark. And yes, his daughter was flirting with a young Connlaothian knight. It didn't matter to him at that moment. He had been hearing music since just before Aidain had joined them, and he had just realized that it was coming from the young man himself. He said nothing, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Nellie gave her father a suspicious look, but smiled pleasantly at the tailor. Such a nice lady. She liked these people. They weren't anything as horrible as her father had made them out to be. The way her father had talked about Connloathians on their way here she'd have expected murders running wildly in the streets, witch hunts, and hanging mages on every street corner.

"A green cloak would match the rest of my outfit, and fox fur sounds wonderful. Ah, price doesn't matter much, whichever color would look better with a deep forest green would be lovely." Tatsu was nodding his agreement as Nellie spoke. His daughter would look lovely in her new outfit. He threw a glance at Aidain and couldn't keep himself from giving the boy a knowing smile.

[Anonymous]

Aidain didn't like that look that Tatsu gave him, instead finding it quite unnerving. The young knight was always aware of his music, what if the tall outlander was aware of it too? Nobody else with a mage mark had ever commented on it, or given him that look, and when he talked of it to the priests they insisted that it was just in his head, not any kind of magic. They'd tested him, after all, hadn't they? And found nothing. He lowered his gaze and looked at the floor as Mistress Lowryn stood and headed over to Nellie, starting to talk through all the details with her.

Aidain, though, headed over to the tall man, standing beside him after the tailor's aide noted his own personal choices of material.

"That language you spoke to Nellie earlier," he said, conversationally. "Would you mind teaching me it?"

He didn't expect the man to say yes, it was just a front to have an excuse for being alone if he required it. True, he did quite like learning new things, but languages could be quite personal sometimes. The young knight wouldn't be offended if Tatsu told him no.

[Anonymous]

Nellie had moved off to chat with the tailor about the specifics of the outfit she would be getting. Tatsu's eyes followed Aidain, they were still ice in color, but they were no longer cold as they regarded him. He could almost feel sorry for the kid. They were in Connlaoth, Aidain had been raised here, he grew up believing magic was evil. Still, he was impressed, how had he managed to make it this long without getting branded with the same mage mark he himself had to endure.

Now, were Tatsu a lesser man, with a weaker set of morals, he might have thought turning Aidain in as a mage would be wildly satisfying. Here was a young noble with everything to lose. However, that would be very wrong, on so many levels. Still, he wondered if Aidain was even aware that he had a gift. Although, with such a gift...how could you not? Heavy denial, he figured. Well, that wasn't going to work for him, at all. He might not be willing to out the poor kid to the authorities, but he wasn't going to let him off pretending everything was okay, either.

He raised a brow quizzically as he was asked to teach Aidain the language he had spoken to his daughter. That alone put a brief spark back into his eyes, an icy flame smoldering momentarily before he pushed his anger back down. Composing himself, his voice was rather flat when he answered him. "The language of my people cannot be taught to anyone who is not part of the clan, it is forbidden, you would have to be indoctrined before I could teach it to you, and I doubt you really wish for that."

It had taken years for him to properly groom Nellie in the ways of the clan, enough to perform the initiation ritual that would allow him the freedom to teach her more sensitive things about his clan. He lowered his voice, giving a wary glance in the direction of the tailor and his daughter. "You and I have much to discuss, Sir Aidain, but it is not a conversation for just any prying ears, so perhaps we will have time to speak alone later?"

[Anonymous]

The young knight nodded seriously when his new acquaintance declared that the language was not for him, and accepted it without argument. The assumption was that magic was involved, and if that was the case then Aidain didn't want to learn that much. It would have been interesting had magic not been involved, but because it was, and because of the sounds he heard in his head, he figured it was safer to not inquire further.

"I know several places in the city where we cannot be followed, Master Drake, as long as you don't mind a climb?"

That was a benefit of being tall, of course. And to being different. He fought well, and he hid well, in places that other people couldn't reach. And the song in his head told him when things weren't right. He'd avoided ambushes, rock falls and other such surprises by listening to the music, and that was what made him suspect that it was magic, but he couldn't just switch it off. He'd tried not listening to it, but it was still there, and ignoring it made him feel like something was missing. And if he'd ignored it this time, then Nellie wouldn't have a new outfit and Mistress Lowryn wouldn't have new custom. But that was the way that these things started, wasn't it? If you could justify the use of magic for a 'good' act, how long would it be before you started justifying it for every day use?

[Anonymous]

Amusement flickered in Tatsu's eyes as he watched Aidain. Of course he didn't really want to know. Well, that was all well and good, because Tatsu wasn't inclined to go around brining people into his clan. There were stict guidelines to those not born into the clan, one had to be utterly devoted to being accepted or they would never be considered part of the community. They could not learn the deepest secrets of their breathen without a brutal approval process.

He listened to Aidain absently, trying not to seem too absorbed in their conversation. It would look suspicious if he suddenly because all friendly with the young man when he had obviously disapproved of him only moments earlier. "I wouldn't be a man if I were afraid of a little thing like climbing. Later, after Nellie is settled at the inn, where I will know she is safe."

Tatsu would never simply leave Nellie in a strange city. Once they had stopped off at the inn and she was safe and settled, they could go talk. He wasn't sure just how much talking Aidain would be doing, though. He could get angry, deny everything, or he could fall silent in shock and shame. He didn't know the young man well enough to make a proper guess as to what his reaction might be to the news that he was going to be getting.

[Anonymous]

Aidain raised an eyebrow at Tatsu's answer. He had merely stated minding a climb, not fearing it, but it seemed like the older male had upped the ante, so to speak. Well, Aidian wasn't going to play that game. It was what his parents considered common; if you were good enough people should just know it without having to be told, and bragging was a strict no-no. Not that he thought that Tatsu was bragging, just that he was a little strange. Not just as an outlander, but as an individual.

"I'll warn Perryn off flirting with her," he commented, keeping his tone as light as he could, even managing smile. "They're roughly of an age. But he'll make sure nobody harms her. He's a good kid."

[Anonymous]

Tatsu was a strange individual. Humans didn't understand him, and he didn't understand them. There were words in common that did not exist in his language, and he still, even after all these years, had trouble with it. Nellie corrected him sometimes, when she was paying attention, but she wasn't at that moment, and it was hardly worth bothering over if she had.

He raised a brow at Aidain's comments. A slight smile curved his lips, perhaps one of the first truly amused smiles he'd given since stepping into this blasted country. "Do you think warning him off will really do any good? You've met my daughter, if she takes a notion to do something, she's going to do it." Tatsu made a face. "With any luck she won't think he's good-looking, then we won't have a problem. I appreciate the idea of him looking after her though. It makes me nervous to think of leaving her to her own devices in a strange city."

[Anonymous]

"I shall warn him off," Aidain said again. "Then, should anything happen, we shall both know that he has yet more practise required to hold his nerve in the face of frustration, and that your daughter is as persuasive a person as they come."

In other words, he was covering himself in case something did occur. He seriously doubted that it would; Perryn wore a coat of arms almost as strong as Aidain's own, and few in Connlaoth would mess with it, even when worn by a boy who wasn't even shaving yet. Nellie might push and push at him, but that was a risk Aidain would take. sometimes people needed a bit of pushing.

"He's training to be a knight, see," he added. "All things are tests at this stage in his life. Protecting the virtue of a headstrong maiden should do the trick."

[Anonymous]

Tatsu nodded his head once again. This squire of Aidain's wasn't what he was really worried about. Really, he wasn't that worried about Nellie trying to flirt with the boy all that much. No, unfortunately she seemed to like slightly older men. That thought alone was almost enough to make him groan and roll his eyes.

"I wonder, how much longer is this going to take? I'm not much for shopping and tailors, really. This is becoming tedious, although my daughter seems to at least be enjoying herself." Tatsu sighed softly. There were things he needed to say to Aidain, but he really wanted to get to the inn and just relax with a mug of mead, then head to bed and stay there until Nellie was ready to go back to Serendipity.

[Anonymous]

"I find that when females start talking clothes it can take a while," Aidain commented. "My mothers both take an age, and Nellie is experiencing Connlaothian tailoring for the first time..."

He shrugged a shoulder; if Tatsu wanted something doing fast then he could say, and Nellie would probably take notice. But it seemed to be a natural thing for women to talk shop a lot; in Connlaoth meny of the masters of crafts were in fact mistresses, and that was only right since the men had other duties to attend to.

"We can arrange for things to be delivered to the inn," he added. "Master Lowryn, mistress Lowryn's son, knows where I stay when I'm in Uthlyn."