The dancer shrugged. The clothes she wore were filthy, and although the thought of performing in them was unpleasant, any chance to change was welcome -- now seemed as good a time as any to get this task over and done with. She could see no one nearby, thankfully, as she warmed her muscles for the act. The ground was uneven but it would have to do. "I'll show you a few of the more popular dances, before you take me somewhere to clean up."
Without awaiting a reply, she began with a graceful, sweeping dance reminiscent of birds in flight, and followed this with an artistic interpretation of sword-fighting. Finally, a more passionate style of dance involving hand-claps and high kicks, among other things, ended the short performance. It had been a little clumsy, but Arusa forgave herself with the acceptance that these were not typical circumstances. She had smiled the entire time, at least, and that in itself was praise-worthy.
Thwarted Ambition
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Fulbert watched Arusa. He watched her without deviation, without distraction, as if he might capture her movements whole in his memory and recall them at any time. He showed no appreciable expression. As her sole audience, perhaps he was not what she might have hoped for. She had his attention, but not the participation a performer might hope for from her audience. Given Arusa's self-indulgence, maybe his quiet intensity would be akin to insult. Once she had finished, however, he broke into a warm smile. He applauded, politely. He complimented her.
Yes. Yes, she would do. She wasn't ideal -- not even he would go so far as to even suggest it -- but there would be clients. Even better, she was stupidly trusting. A haughty bitch without the honed instincts to go with it: prey ripe for the plucking. She would take his guiding hand, and step down into the pits of an existence she would never have imagined.
He talked. He talked and gave her enthusiasm, gave her praise, gave her all the glory she so obviously wanted. He insinuated promises, implied people at her feet if only she'd stay and perform for some small time. It only took a few minutes to coax her into the barn, through the trapdoor that lead ever down into the dimly lit dark.
He had her.
_____________
Crunchsplat, thudflat, plopthwack. Fun sounds. So right, because one of the small strangers, one sized like her, had finally crossed the line. Filthy grubby-sounded mouths gaping, fingers slick over her spear, her pack. These were Amm's. They had been given by Zuuu, and were only for Amm. She wasn't to fight them, but she had to protect herself. Her spear was her weapon, her defense, her way in this tall world with its stone giants and overwhelming sound.
Two of them had fallen by use of knee and elbow, all the while she buzzed at them with mouthspeak. It was a warrior's cry to the lesser creatures, a warning before strike. They weren't worthy of stealth, of silent appraisal. They deserved no mercy.
Her body flowed, answering quick to her needs. They were so soft, so weak. They could not stand up to her, and when the last tried to run away -- gibbering loud wailing cries to the sky, though Amm hunched Sky Will Not Hear -- she struck it from behind.
Three had sought to disgrace her. Three now had cause to never do such a thing again.
Yes. Yes, she would do. She wasn't ideal -- not even he would go so far as to even suggest it -- but there would be clients. Even better, she was stupidly trusting. A haughty bitch without the honed instincts to go with it: prey ripe for the plucking. She would take his guiding hand, and step down into the pits of an existence she would never have imagined.
He talked. He talked and gave her enthusiasm, gave her praise, gave her all the glory she so obviously wanted. He insinuated promises, implied people at her feet if only she'd stay and perform for some small time. It only took a few minutes to coax her into the barn, through the trapdoor that lead ever down into the dimly lit dark.
He had her.
_____________
Crunchsplat, thudflat, plopthwack. Fun sounds. So right, because one of the small strangers, one sized like her, had finally crossed the line. Filthy grubby-sounded mouths gaping, fingers slick over her spear, her pack. These were Amm's. They had been given by Zuuu, and were only for Amm. She wasn't to fight them, but she had to protect herself. Her spear was her weapon, her defense, her way in this tall world with its stone giants and overwhelming sound.
Two of them had fallen by use of knee and elbow, all the while she buzzed at them with mouthspeak. It was a warrior's cry to the lesser creatures, a warning before strike. They weren't worthy of stealth, of silent appraisal. They deserved no mercy.
Her body flowed, answering quick to her needs. They were so soft, so weak. They could not stand up to her, and when the last tried to run away -- gibbering loud wailing cries to the sky, though Amm hunched Sky Will Not Hear -- she struck it from behind.
Three had sought to disgrace her. Three now had cause to never do such a thing again.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Nic was torn. The girl needed help -- she clearly wasn't right in the head -- but she was dangerous too. It was clear she knew how to fight by the way she anticipated the moves of her opponents, her agile and precise strikes against them, and her ability to use her strength to the fullest. Nic hadn't seen anyone as skilled as her at such a young age. Had she been trained? Most likely, from the looks of things, but he couldn't rule out magic either.
Weird, for a little girl; is that how they do things in the east?
He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. He didn't need her flying off again. Instead, he moved in on the fight -- or the aftermath, at least -- and reached for the girl's arms. His own boy wasn't quite this much trouble, but Nic had still grown used to seeing this sort of scene, as the father of a young trouble-maker himself.
Weird, for a little girl; is that how they do things in the east?
He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. He didn't need her flying off again. Instead, he moved in on the fight -- or the aftermath, at least -- and reached for the girl's arms. His own boy wasn't quite this much trouble, but Nic had still grown used to seeing this sort of scene, as the father of a young trouble-maker himself.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
To stand among the fallen was insult apiece, and it was one Amm gave carelessly as she surveyed the things that had been to hand not so long ago -- though a hand was not among them. Foot down, sideways, she skipped out of reach and noted the position of the big Stranger -- close to her spear. It vibrated close to her heart, and for a moment she could feel its shape in the curves of her palms, where its reach could be used to poke at the innards lest their owner decided to test her.
She forced her lips to form a frown, the same one she'd seen over Guppy's face so many nights. She was leaving. West, where the spawning ponds called to her, where the young needed a caretaker. Healer she wasn't, teacher she wasn't, but protector she was. It was a role she took seriously, and one that no fumble-fingered Stranger would prevent her. So it was that she stooped to the ground-flopping of tongue-sick Strangers, putting fists to hips and legs spread wide. I-Am-Better-And-You-Will-Fall streamed through the set of her shoulders, the proud stiffness of her neck as she faced him.
"Leave. Go. Now."
She forced her lips to form a frown, the same one she'd seen over Guppy's face so many nights. She was leaving. West, where the spawning ponds called to her, where the young needed a caretaker. Healer she wasn't, teacher she wasn't, but protector she was. It was a role she took seriously, and one that no fumble-fingered Stranger would prevent her. So it was that she stooped to the ground-flopping of tongue-sick Strangers, putting fists to hips and legs spread wide. I-Am-Better-And-You-Will-Fall streamed through the set of her shoulders, the proud stiffness of her neck as she faced him.
"Leave. Go. Now."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
She was quick. One moment she was within reach, and the next she had her spear aimed at his guts. Nic was surprised, and took a step back. He wasn't keen on meeting his end to a child with a pointy stick, so he decided to play it carefully. Normally, his strength did all the work. Up against someone so small and agile, however, he wasn't as prepared as he'd like to be.
"I'm not gonna hurt ya," he offered, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. If she tried to take a stab at him now, he was ready to grab the thing before she did any damage. "We just wanna help ya out. That woman ain't yer mother, right? We can help ya get back to yer family."
"I'm not gonna hurt ya," he offered, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. If she tried to take a stab at him now, he was ready to grab the thing before she did any damage. "We just wanna help ya out. That woman ain't yer mother, right? We can help ya get back to yer family."
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Strangers had no truth to them. They were jabber jabber this and reach grab take that. How could they earn trust and truth when they flapped tongues so loudly and moved with such clumsy ignorance? It was to his muscles that Amm looked, ignoring his feckless tongue and meaningless body-patter.
Gut him. Don't gut him. Gut him. Don't gut him.
Amm pulled her spear up. Ready. Not ready to strike, but ready. She started to edge sideways, bright eyes on him with all the focus their facets provided. "Go," she insisted, the micro-movements of her insults too numerous to even form full thoughts. Worse-than-fish. That's what this one was.
She would leave without gutting him. For now. Leave them all behind, and make her way to Eyropa. To her nests. To her duty. They would all pay, but it would not be now. Amm could be patient. Amm was a good hunter.
Gut him. Don't gut him. Gut him. Don't gut him.
Amm pulled her spear up. Ready. Not ready to strike, but ready. She started to edge sideways, bright eyes on him with all the focus their facets provided. "Go," she insisted, the micro-movements of her insults too numerous to even form full thoughts. Worse-than-fish. That's what this one was.
She would leave without gutting him. For now. Leave them all behind, and make her way to Eyropa. To her nests. To her duty. They would all pay, but it would not be now. Amm could be patient. Amm was a good hunter.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Nic's mind raced, searching for ideas to convince the girl to trust him. She was unhinged, obviously traumatized; he probably couldn't convince her of anything right now. If she didn't have the spear, he might consider letting her go, but what if she were to hurt somebody? Perhaps, he considered, it would not hurt to let the authorities know what was going on. Nic hated to turn to those corrupt and power-hungry bastards in Marn, though. Best not to risk it, he decided.
If she left, he probably wouldn't bother chasing her. Surely she would come back in her own time, but then again, there were beasts in the woods and his conscience wouldn't rest with the idea of her getting lost in there. "If yer gonna run off, at least stick to the roads, kid, please. What's in those woods is scarier than people. Ya might get eaten by a monster or somethin'."
He was tempted to grab at her again, but she was too alert. If she wanted to do something, there was no way he could do anything to stop her, besides keeping that spear out of his own innards.
If she left, he probably wouldn't bother chasing her. Surely she would come back in her own time, but then again, there were beasts in the woods and his conscience wouldn't rest with the idea of her getting lost in there. "If yer gonna run off, at least stick to the roads, kid, please. What's in those woods is scarier than people. Ya might get eaten by a monster or somethin'."
He was tempted to grab at her again, but she was too alert. If she wanted to do something, there was no way he could do anything to stop her, besides keeping that spear out of his own innards.
Re: Thwarted Ambition
Faster. Faster than this lumbering less-than-fish. He was not worth time, not worth spear, not worth Aniz. As he blabbered and sloshed mouth-juices and mouth-sounds, she watched his body and its language. It was not true language, but that of muscle and movement. I go here and I will do this and I will try to stop you. Crude, but visible.
He was no warrior.
He could not stop her.
Insults were wasted upon him. She slow-stepped sideways, feinted once, and dove backwards. She looked back once to see if he might give chase, and defeat had settled upon him. Tense, but he was flat-footed and slow. No match for her. No match for Aniz Tera. Yes. That was how it was supposed to be.
Bereft of her two guides and not keen to repeat the experience, she left the grouping of loud-gawping strangers and kept pace until she was beyond them.
It was time to see to the young of her people.
He was no warrior.
He could not stop her.
Insults were wasted upon him. She slow-stepped sideways, feinted once, and dove backwards. She looked back once to see if he might give chase, and defeat had settled upon him. Tense, but he was flat-footed and slow. No match for her. No match for Aniz Tera. Yes. That was how it was supposed to be.
Bereft of her two guides and not keen to repeat the experience, she left the grouping of loud-gawping strangers and kept pace until she was beyond them.
It was time to see to the young of her people.