Why Drayel hates Merchants

[Drayel]

"Calm down. I'm not going to do anything terrible." Drayel chided with a deep chuckle. This was revenge for the softie comment. He caught the eye of a passing 'entertainer' and within moments the gorgious lady was at his side, cooing at him and snuggling into his chest.

"Sir Drayel!" She cooed as she peered up at him with batted eyes. A caramel beauty with long lashes and plump lips. Around her body was a reveal purple dress. Drayel hummed at her in response causing her to squeal slightly. "I haven't seen you in ages! Girls! Drayel's come for a visit!"

Immediately a couple more squeals and three more girls appeared, surrounding the two of them and chattering in excited gibberish. It lasted only a moment, Drayel's eyebrow raised as they fought for attention before one realized there was a woman with him.

"Drayel's got a girlfriend!" she gasped startled. Immediately the others gasped as well. Then, gibberish turned to her. "He hasn't been unfaithful to you ma'am!"
" That isn't how we know him!"
" Yeah that's right!"
"Saved our necks he did!"
"Yeah!" Drayel cleared his throat but before he could correct their mistake a louder throaty bellow. Drayel blinked as he looked over, his back straightening slightly as he peered over at the wall with a spark excitement. A overly well fed woman came tromping out from the back, covered in beads and a more suited dress for her body proportion.

"What are you four doing? We have customers to-" She paused when she spotted Drayel. "Aw Honey! You came back for a visit did you? Come on over and give Mother Misho a hug!"

With that the large woman shoved none to gently a girl out of her way before opening her arms wide. Drayel bowed and hugged her with one arm, chuckling pleased as he squeezed her. Spotting the terrified girl holding his hand she blinked before turning a sly eye on Drayel.

"Honey, I didn't know you had a lady." she laughed jollily. "Come on! Introduce us!"

"Ah." Drayel glanced down at Talia and gave her a hesitant frown. "Well.... Talia, you explain this. I'm bad at words and you haven't spoken a word to these lovely ladies."

[Talia Idris]

Talia stood there with bated breathe. Sure Drayel had said that nothing terrible was going to happen but from her perspective, nothing really good was going to happen either. All of a sudden Drayel was being surrounded by beautiful and scantily clad women - who knew him much too well for her liking. She wrinkled her nose at the thought that any of the city guard would come to such a place and be so well known. It wasn't gentlemanly at all.

Talia was shocked and didn't know where to look....or how to keep from being seen. But that wasn't a problem just as soon as the girls noticed her. They had all rushed to his defense, and Drayel had seemed too keen to agree with them. She rolled her eyes at him, "I don't care what you do with your free time Drayel." Her words were downed out though by the presence of another women, this one different then the last.

Mother Misho?! This woman was his mother?! Well...I guess that would account for his behavior Talia continued to think to herself, still not quiet sure what was going on around her.

Drayel saying her name brought her back to reality and she shot him a glare before starting. "I'm sorry ma'am to bother you," she slowly began. "To make a very long story short, Drayel and I didn't know each other before this morning when a little old man forced us to hold hands, enchanted us with these rings," she waved her ringed hand to show them the ring, "and since then we have been trying to find out what to to get us unstuck from each other." She attempted to smile at the large women in front of them. "Oh! and I apologize for our state and smell. We had to go into the sewers because Drayel wanted to help one of his new recruits and on the way to the lake to wash up we discovered we were followed so Drayel brought us here. and that pretty much covers it, Right?" She looked at Drayel for affirmation.

[Drayel]

"Yes, I think that pretty much does it." Drayel agreed. He glanced over at Mother Misho and chuckled. "I was hoping you could-"

"What is this?!" Mother Misho gasped slapping a hand over her sagged breast. "You think to bath near a woman you are not married to?! Did your mother not teach you to behave like a gentleman? Shame! Come this way, the two of you. You will be bathed here and I will not hear a word of arguments!"

With that she snapped her fingers and did a dramatic twirl of her wrists. Around ladies squealed as they grabbed his arm and pulled on the startled Drayel. He glanced over to speak quick to Talia only to be blinded. Jerking in alarm he heard a woman coo in his ear as she tied the blindfold over his eyes.

"We'll lead you! It's not right to see a proper lady naked without being married, silly boy!" chided the caramel beauty. There was a hint of naughty in her voice and immediately Drayel got suspicious. Seeing it caramel chuckled. "Of course, being blind somebody would need to help you bath~"

"Pants are staying on." Drayel growled turning until his nose brushed against her and he gave her a sharp look. Well, the best he could with a blind fold. "I don't want my southern soldier fondled by you ladies either. Hands up above!"

"Awww." A chorus of pouting.

"Wait! We can still feel up his muscled chest!"

"Yaaay!"

"Next time, we follow you." Drayel grumbled to Talia as he was dragged blindly by his arm. "My ideas never end well."

[Talia Idris]

Talia started to feel a bit less ill-at-ease at the house. Of course that didn't mean that she would willingly come here again but it was nice that Mother Misho was being so accommodating for them, and doing what she could to help protect what honour Talia would have left after this was all over!

She frowned at first when she saw that the girls were so eagerly getting all handsy with him but she couldn't help but laugh at how much he seemed to resent it, and seemed to regret coming here. "Well that's one reasons women ask so many questions, with your answers they can start planning everything for the next several years sometimes." She grinned "Well with men you all just seem to think what will happen for the next five minutes and leave it at that."

"Oh girls," she said with a mischievous grin and her own little twinkle in her eyes, "I think I know what Drayel is refusing your advances. You should have seen how he hugged this young man today. It was practically scandalous." She giggled, and that's for bringing me here, even if it was for good reasons and the people are nice.

One of the girls had already broken off from Drayel's mob and had come over to help Talia unbraid her long hair and help her out of her clothes. "Don't worry about the dress," she sighed, "just cut it off down the on arm. I doubt I will ever be able to get the smell out of it. It was old anyways."

"Its okay miss," The girl grinned at her. "I have something that should fit you. The colour doesn't suit me and I am sure Drayel will find it ravishing on you." she had whispered the last part into her ear and before Talia could say anything she was skipping off with Talia's smelly clothes.

Even though Drayel's eyes were covered Talia still attempted to cover herself with her hand, being careful not to use the one that was joined to his. She blushed as she caught a look Drayel. He wasn't wearing the same dirty pants as before, wouldn't want to dirty the water that fast. It was not surprise why the girls had been so giddy to help him bathe. "Let's get this done with." She said to him, hoping he didn't hear her voice quiver. She was most certianly thankful that he had been blindfolded, he wouldn't be able to see how red her face was at the fact that she was actually bathing with another man....with women all around them. At least one of them had offered to help her wash her hair.

[Drayel]

"Whoever is trying shove their hands down my pants, quit it." Drayel growled sharply as he faced what he presumed was the direction of the groper. "I may keep this blind fold on with respect for Talia but I will not- Oi! I said quit!"

"Awww." Hands retreated and Drayel sighed, stressed out beyond belief. He was blind, at the mercy of anybody with a blade. Hands kept grabbing, touching him with soap or without it, breathings and giggling surrounding him. He shivered anxiously. Each of those hands could kill him and he couldn't see it coming.

Stay calm. Drayel chided to himself though he couldn't stop the tremble that took him. It took a lot of willpower not to rip of the blindfold and just yell at them, to keep his hands down on his knees and near her in an attempt to give her more room but also some privacy. He didn't really care if he was seen naked but... a hand ghosted near his shoulder and he tensed up again. I don't like this.

"Here's the shampoo~" came the cooing of a nearby his ear. He cringed. Hands laced into his hair, scrubbing away filth with a rosmary scented goo. He shuddered again. "Rinse!"

A dump of water over his head, forcing with it a flashback of his training years. The cold water slammed into him ever time he misbehaved. He jerked again, forcing his breathing to slow. He needed to stay calm, to distract himself from being unable to see. So, he turned his head slightly to Talia and let out a growl.

"So, havin' the same treatment as me?"

[Talia Idris]

Talia giggled, the nature of the girls was catching. "Persistent, aren't they?" She grinned at him even though he couldn't see it. In another case, although this probably would never happen again, Talia would have been appalled by the girl's behavior or even having them in the room in general. But seeing how tense and panicked Drayel was, well it was simply entertaining.

She leaned back against the tub inhaling the sweet smells that came from the oils they so generously put in the water. "Well I don't know about you but I'm getting the royal treatment here." The young girl from before had brought a friend and together they had washed her hair and even given her a delightful scalp massages and even a shoulder rub, although that one had felt a little awkward but oh so good to say the least.

""Mmmm, I could stay in here forever." Talia dreamily sighed sinking up to her nose in the water.

"Miss?" On of the girls had left and brought back the promised outfit. "I'm just gonna leave the dress hanging her for you. I picked da one without sleeves so all you're gunna do is sew an inch. Let one of us know if you need help. Okay?" and with that the two of them left leaving the dress behind the door. It was a sleeveless gauzy purple dress and Talia couldn't tell if their was a slit in the side or not, she hoped there wasn't but taking a dress from this place the chances were higher that there would be one. "Oh! They even left a pair of matching shoes!" Talia exclaimed happily. "I am going to have to find a way to repay them....Hey Drayel?" She looked a bit worried over at him. The rest of the girls were still bustling around the room, talking and giggling, but Drayel seemed like he was trying to disappear into a ball in the tub. "Drayel? You okay?" She hesitantly reached out and poked his shoulder.

[Drayel]

"I'm fine." Drayel spat as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. There was too much movement, too much noise. He couldn't keep track. He began to shiver as he forced himself deeper into the water, head jerking at the loud clattering of what sounded like a bucket of some kind. "How many are in here?"

He needed to figure this out. He couldn't hear right, he couldn't see, the smell of shampoo polluted his nose and the only thing he could really feel was water and Talia's hand. She would warn him, wouldn't she? He grit his teeth and forced his head lower, bowing forward until his chin rested under the water and his nose remained above. He shuddered and instinctively huddled closer to her when one of them wandered a bit too close.

"Damn this." He grumbled lowly when fingers touched his skin causing him to jump. This warm water was causing his old battle wound to ache a bit too, along with the lightheaded feeling that was causing his brain to scramble. He pushed his arm flat against hers, lining them up as close as possible. That way, if she tensed up or panicked he could feel it and pull of the blindfold. He'd have a chance to defend them, even if they took his sword when he entered the baths. "I hate this."

[Talia Idris]

Talia was sensing Drayel's increasing sense of panic. Although at what she wasn't sure. She looked around the simple yet brightly lite room. Her eyes widened and her face got more red, if that was physically possible. Drayel was touching her! Beyond just holding her hand that is, up until this moment he had tried to avoid her while in the tub yet something caused him to schooch over until their shoulders where touching.

Talia knew he was still blindfolded but nevertheless she still attempted to cover herself a bit...just in case. "There are five girls scurrying around the room." She whispered softely to him. "Wait....did you hear that?" Talia's ears perked up as she tried to hear what she was listening for. A loud laugh clued her in. "Um....Drayel...you know that guard we meet at the barracks earlier this morning? Well I think he's here."

Talia's assumption was quickly followed by one of the girls burst in the room and slamming the door behind herself. "Sir Drayel, we have a problem, a city guard is here looking for you. He's insisting on checking the rooms, for our protection. If you hurry and change we could possibly sneak you out the back entrance. What would you like to do Sir Drayel?"

[Drayel]

Drayel pursed his lips, gritting his teeth slightly as he wondered what he should do. He was probably surrounded, the guards covering the exits and windows with watching eyes. So, he turned his head upwards and grunted.

"Give the lady some underclothes, something noticeable but decent." Drayel ordered with a growl, reaching up to tap at his blindfold. "Talia, you're not going to like this but we haven't much choice. If we run, they'll see us and spread rumors much worse. If we get you clothed in something that bastard notices and I have pants, he can' make up stories. We're here for a bath amongst witnesses to save your dignity and if we run now it'll be worthless."

He heard somebody running around outside the hall, his lip twitching in irritation.

"We're going to act like we have nothing to hide." He growled as a weak grin tugged on his lips. "C'mere, put your feet up or lay sidways when your dressed, then I know your decent. Since we're burning our reputations today anyway, lets put a show on for them hm?"

[Talia Idris]

The men were coming closer, she could hear them just a few doors over. She sighed, " There's no time for that Drayel, they are too close so they definitely catch me changing and you still blind folded and won't they have a story to tell at that sight!." She thought for a second. "Girl, grab some of that lip and eye colour and do me up quickly." The tension, and of course promise for excitement gave the girls incentive to do what Talia asked with out questions.

Once they were done Talia took a breath and submerged her head under the water causing some of the make up to run. "Why did you do that after all our work!" one of the girls wailed even though it hadn't even taken a minuted between all of them to fix her up. Talia hoped that her wet hair and smudged makeup would be enough so that the guards wouldn't recognize her.

"Shush," Talia scolded, "Now if anyone comes through that door have fun making a big deal about them coming in....it is a female bathroom after all." She said with a wink. She heard stomping footsteps coming towards the door. "Well, Drayel, I hope you can hold your breath." She tried to give an apologetic smile that seemed more like a mischievous grin. ""Now take a deep breath..."

As the door swung open Talia shoved Drayel's head underwater and assumed a casual bathing position with her feet resting on the bathtub. A head peeked in before the whole body followed. "Excuse me ladies..." the guard had tried to begin before Talia let out an earsplitting shriek which was soon followed by the other girls in the room. "What do you think you are doing in here?!" Talia screamed at him, "I'm a lady and I am taking a private bath! Now get out,NOW!" She said as she started chucking bars of soap at him.

He ducked and started backing up but didn't fully leave "I'm sorry miss....considering your um...location I didn't feel like there were any ladies here." That comment brought about another fury of soaps, scrub brushes and other such articles, this time thrown from the girls who had been assisting Drayel bathe.

"Well Mother Mushi just so happens to be my Aunt. I had decided to pay her a visit and in thanks she decided to give me a luxurious bath. Just wait until my father hears about how you imposed on me! This is just down right humiliating. You will pay! And my..my fiancee.....he..he will refuse me!" Talia leaned on the side of the tub and started to sob.

"No! No need to tell your father." The man stuttered, "And don't worry, no need for your fiancee to find out either. I'll be on my way now." and with that he closed the door. Talia let out a sigh of relief. Outside the door she could hear the mumbles of their intruder talking with some of the other guards. By the sounds of it they were withdrawing from the house but were still going to watch it.

Talia sqeeezed Drayel's hand and gave it a tug. "All clear!"

[Drayel]

When Drayel's head broke the surface he spluttered, coughing and wheezing as he tried to dislodge whatever water was in his lungs.Damn, he got spooked. He turned his still blinded face towards Talia, snarling to show his distaste but coughing too hard to snap at her.

"Y-you....you're.... a bitch....." Drayel spat out between wheezes and coughs. He shuddered and gave his head a shake, much like a dog trying to dislodge water from its fur. He was blind, angry, soaked, and now thoroughly spooked. He didn't like being forced underwater. It felt too much like those damn 'interrigation' methods he'd been forced through. Idiots. "I...Know why you.... did... but I still.... hate you for... it."


With that he tightened up his body and shoulder butted her hard, growling breathlessly at her.

"I... nearly drowned you...idiot!"

[Talia Idris]

"I am not! I'm enough of a lady to do what you were suggesting!" Talia snapped back indignantly turning her nose up at him haughtily before breaking down into giggles. It was hard to have a straight face looking at a blindfolded man sputtering in the bathtub...not matter how angry he seemed.

"Anyways it's not my fault you could have drowned." She continued, shrugging her shoulders and trying to act innocent. "Once again, your men were the ones who followed you regardless of what you said. You really need to get some control over them, this wouldn't have happened if you had. Plus you should have taken a bigger breathe! You were barely under there! I could have held me breathe for that long!" Before he had a chance to challenge her on that, because no doubt he would, Talia stood up and stepped out of the tub. "Come on now, lets get dressed and figure out how we are going to sneak out." She paused looking at Drayel. "Will you be able to handle dressing yourself with one hand? Not that I'm offering to help!" She quickly corrected herself. "I just want to know if I should turn away and send our generous hostesses away."

[Drayel]

"I'll be fine." Drayel grouched as he followed her from the tub. He grimaced a little when the cold hit him, still peeved at all of them. "I have no shyness of my body and as for the breath thing, I didn't get one. By the time I understood you, I got my head shoved under!"

With that he turned and growled at a nearing set of feet, showing his displeasure to them as well. The footsteps stopped immediately and he huffed, not wanting whoever it was anywhere near him. After all, even if he was half naked and blindfolded, he was a guardsman and guards had a tendency of getting violent when pushed to their limit.

"Just grab your dress." Drayel growled as his head remained turned for her. "Put it on, and I will try to find a way out of here."

Dress like an entertainer then slip out the back. Nobody would recognize you. Drayel frowned as he mentally squashed that idea. No way was he dressing as a woman. Not all entertainers are women you know... and you are wet and shirtless. She's suppose to be a rich lady visiting, wouldn't she want to sample some... 'goods'?

How would I actually pass of as a damn male enterainer when the guards know my face? They'd recognize me in an instant. Drayel pointed out irritably. My reputation would get shot.

Some make up around the the eyes, shaving, some styling with that mop on your head, and hey. You'd look just as sexy as any freaking woman in this place.

.... Drayel sighed out loud as he slumped his shoulders. When did I develop a voice in my head?

Since two women with the same name decided to write together and this random shit popped up. was the flat response. They also are scheming horrible things, hoping to drive you and your poor Talia friend into either romance or madness. I think think they're going for latter but somebody keeps making it sound like a cheesy romance novel.

Who?

I just told you, the two woman with the same name that decided to write together and must have had a good spirit before they write their respected parts. Either that or they're both mentally unstable at best and have pleasure in screwing all of you over. A sigh of discontent escaped his mental voice. Well, what's the plan then?

"I'm dressing like a entertainer and you'll be my rich employer." Drayel pulled out gravely. He shuddered as he looked the other way and blushed heavily. "Seeing how I'm half naked anyway...."

[Talia Idris]

Talia was just biting down on the thread that she had been using to quickly sew the shoulder of her newly acquired dress. The shock of what Drayel was suggesting nearly caused her to bite down on the needle instead. Tucking the tail of the thread underneath the cloth of the dress she slowly set the needle down before replying.

"First of all you can take that blindfold off now...I'm decent. Secondly...WHAT?!" She stared at him. "I do hope you mean a male entertainer, not a female one." she tried not to smirk at the thought of him trying to dress up and pass for a women. Even if he found a dress that could fit him, stuffed the top and did something for hair and makeup I doubt there would be a way he could act like a woman. He is much to stiff....although, she grinned it would be entertaining to see him try.

While Drayel tried to further explain his plan Talia quickly wrapped up her ensemble. The girls had given her permission to use whatever they had and then left the room before she changed. Running a brush through her hair she decided that it would be too much of a hassle to attempt to do anything with it and just left it to hang there, sticking a flower from the vase on the table in her hair. She had washed make-up job, that the ladies had so kindly given her, off while she was in the job. If she was to pass for a rich lady then she would have to redo it. Choosing purple to match the gauzy dress she was wearing she quickly did what she could before turning around.

"Okay, would I pass for rich lady?" She bit her tongue to keep herself from sticking it out at him...she felt utterly ridiculous with the makeup and outfit.

[Drayel]

Drayel pulled of his blindfold with a grunt, blinking hard a couple times in order to readjust his eyes. Glancing over at her he gave her a thorough look over before humming lowly. Taking their connected hands he gave her a gentle pull closer as his other hand reached up to fiddle with her hair.

"A noble rich woman spends a good two hours on hair alone." He rumbled, using both hands (hers connected so technically three) to play and alter her hair. Pulling the flower free he stuck it in his mouth sideways, much like a rose in the mouth of a Spanish dancer. He glanced down at her and gave her his crooked grin, flowers still held in by his teeth before continuing to fiddle. "Her makeup depends on the richness and class. Too heavy, you're looked down on. Too light, and you are though of as innocent, not rich."

Leaning back slightly Drayel examined his handy work. A braid spun around in a bun, the flower he slipped neatly through the top so it sat prettily atop it like a hairpiece. He frowned for a moment, narrowing his eyes as he thought before gently pulling a thin strand free from the side of her hair and let it lay beside her face. He snorted in approval.

"You need no help with makeup, it is fine." Drayel stated firmly as he gave her another look over. He snorted again though this time it came out scolding. "Yet you do not play the part. You're a noble woman, not a bread maker. Look down your nose at people, don't look at the lower class unless needed, sneer at local jeweler for having such 'unbecoming riches'. Crap, have a couple good complaints stored away and think you're better then everybody else. Remember, nobody looks down on you but you look down on everybody."

Drayel chuckled as he lowered his eyes and bowed on one knee, glancing up but no higher than her knees. After all, an 'entertainer' was an ornament, an item. She was the master here. She held him, not he her. With a low humble rumble, he spoke even and deep.

"So, my mistress." He purred in a voice he tried to match with Shade's. "Do I have your permission to be readied for you? May I dress to the occassion, my lady?"