[Central Square] A Little Song and Dance

[Pash Raj'oriq]

31st Ashan, 717, Early Morning

There had been darkness and cold. A bit of sun. Tornadoes. Ice. And finally—finally!—warmth. The season felt like it had actually turned, with that warmth creeping into the soil to begin welcoming green things to grow up towards the suns again.

Pash woke with the first light that filtered through his portholes and caressed the worn wood hull in the sloop he called home. Dawn was still chilly, and as he slipped from his deck over the gunnel and onto the docks, lute over his shoulder and his breath still visible in the air, he wished for a few trills that he’d grabbed his cloak. However, the docks were already busy, swarming with merchants and laborers unloading and loading goods. The warm press of fleshly vicinity more than made up for the lingering winter temperatures under the shadows of tall vessels bobbing in the port. With practiced ease, the seafaring musician wove his way through the bodies, catching snippets of their conversations—exploits, tallied goods, nel exchanged—until wet, salty wood became slippery, dirty cobblestone street.

Scalvoris Town was slowly becoming more familiar and the shipwright’s son was once again becoming acclimated to life on land instead of sea. He wound his way through the streets toward the Central Square, remembering the tower of the Scholar’s Nook was his best landmark to navigate by once it came into view. Light began to peek over buildings and spill onto the cobblestones, steaming away the cold and bringing spring warmth.

It was early enough that the Square wasn’t at all crowded; only merchants and vendors were setting up their stalls. Baked goods were still hot, imported produce was fresh off the ships Pash had left behind with his own, and townsfolk would be wandering in soon to do their shopping for the day or grab something quick before their classes. The Biqaj found himself a nice spot in the sun, closer to the delicious smells of the food stalls with a pleasing view of the fountain as a backdrop to his tall, seaworthy self, and slipped his lute from his shoulder. He took a few moments, soaking the rays into his salty, inked skin while he hummed and tuned his instrument. Once he was satisfied, he produced a clay bowl from its place tucked in his belt and set it at his feet with the hopes of catching a few nels for the day, especially for a meal or two.

With a couple of warm up strums, Pash began to play, filling the Square with a simple tune just as a few people began to arrive to shop. Light and airy, his morning selection of song was meant to be a spring tune full of warm, thawing notes and happy, wordless background music. He enjoyed playing and people-watching, lagoon blue eyes studying his potential audience all while scanning for potential breakfast.

[Kali'rial]

Kali had arrived in Scalvoris sometime before sunrise, gently guiding her mount through the still sleeping township. The young Sev'ryn had visited the city various times during the trade season with her grand parents, so her movements were fairly purposeful. After the boat ride over from the coast of Avaern, and the trek from Gunvorton to Scalvoris Town, Kali knew her sturdy chestnut horse needed to be watered and rested. Guiding him to The Four In Hand, the brunette purchased a basic room for the night and left the mount to the stable hand. Barefooted, she wandered from the inn, not interested in the well known shenanigans the casino-come-inn was known for. Vaguely, her stomach growled as the sun slowly began to light the sky.

Pulling her mantle closer around her shoulders, Kali breathed onto her hands to warm them, her breath a fine steam in the cool crisp morning air. She walked with periwinkle eyes searching the various shop fronts for signs of being open. There was something eerie about a town still waking up. Something empty and quiet, holding its breath before the bustle of the markets and merchants. Further away, her ears could pick up the faint sounds of the docks, perhaps part of the wider town that never truly slept.

As the sun turned the sky to a lazy winter blue, the sun quickly burnt off the chill of the morning. Kali's bare feet padded through the cobble streets, past the Scholar's Nook and towards the Central Square. Here, whilst not crowded, there were stalls and shops beginning to sell their wares. Hot baked goods and smoked meat, the smells of morning assaulted her senses and the young traveller breathed deeply whilst from the picturesque fountain in the centre of the square, the sounds of a string instrument came to her ears. A lighthearted warm tune, something pleasant to match the feel of the suns rays breaking through the winter. Kali turned and walked casually around the square, her feet and nose leading her. Occasionally she would pause, contemplating various vendor wares and trying to decide if she wanted baked goods or fruit and smoked meat. Or both. She had enough for both. Her dark hair fell like a soft curtain across her face as she leaned down to enjoy the fragrance of freshly picked flowers as the foot of another stall. There was something indulgent in picked flowers that she couldn't help but enjoy, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips as she straightened.

Moving around the fountain, her blue gaze crossed to the sound of strings. The musician was a man, taller than she and tanned by the sun to a rich bronzed hue. His sun kissed hair was pulled away from his face, as he played his instrument with a simple ease. Framed up by the fountain behind him, Kali would by lying if she said he didn't strike an appealing view. His arms were adorned with tattoos, something that her grand father would have been keen to investigate the meanings behind. Turning away from him again, she browsed past the stalls again, acutely aware she was coming closer to the musician. Pausing at a small cart selling fruit, cheeses and smoked meats, the Sev'ryn bought two apples, a small wedge of soft cheese and half a smoked sausage. Paying the vendor, she threw all but one apple into her rucksack before turning with purpose towards the man. Biting into the ruby skin of the hard fruit, she stopped in front of him to listen. There was a small clay bowl on the ground before him, clearly for coin. Kali reached for her coin purse, pulling out a silver nel. Tossing the coin in her hand for a moment, the young brunette took another bite of the apple as she listened to more of his song. Leaning forward, she tossed the coin in the bowl, offering the man a small smile before straightening. She took another bite of her apple, making ready to move on.

Spending Note

i think I have this right??! Please let me know otherwise. 2 apples: 6 CN, 1/8th lb of cheese: 1 GN, Half smoked sausage pig: 1 GN, Busker payment: 1 SN

[Niv]

There was an important test in Esata Broca’s class on common chemical reactions that Niv desperately needed to prepare for. The Tunawa just knew the seemly sadistic women would fill the test with all sorts of nasty curve balls and gruelling complexity. Niv could almost picture the normally subdued women cackling on a stormy night as she devised the most challenging questions her twisted mind could conjure. In every other test Niv had just barely slid by or received a less than favourable mark, Niv needed this one to be really good. She couldn’t rely on just knowing that copper changes to green when exposed to air molecules, Niv needed to know who discovered it, how they discovered it and what they ate for breakfast that morning.

Niv was more of an early bird than a night owl like her other classmates and in her over eagerness to cram her mind to the brim she found herself getting up before the sun. So early that when her tiny legs brought her to the Scholars Nook, the doors were still closed to the public.

“Oh flaming toad warts!” Niv cried though pursed lips and clenched fists. She looked like she was about to box her way through the door nearly twenty times her height. Instead she simply sighed and huffed away in search of something to keep her mind off the growing disparity. There was no sense in seeking out the library since it was even more likely to be closed at this early break.

Niv found herself aimlessly walking along the creases in the street bricks like a tiny maze while she recited what she knew in her head. She somehow found her way to the town square while maintaining iron clad focus but lost it the moment music entered her ears. Before she could even stop herself, Niv began skipping towards the cheerful melody with a beaming smile.

The notes carried her to a man with strange markings covering his arms and with skin almost the same shade of brown as her bark. He was strumming a guitar with a small audience consisting of one sev’ryn women. Even in her approach, Niv couldn’t help but move her tiny feet about in time with the beat. Steeping forward, stepping back, spinning or walking backwards for a trill. Eventually her whole body gave in and her arms became like creatures with a mind of their own.

Niv pranced her way to the cup and encircled it with her moves, hitting the rim with her hands in time with the song. She had little idea why there was a cup with coins in it but it made a pleasant enough sound when her bark hit it, Almost like a dull chime.

She smiled and waved at the sev’ryn women and then at the musician when she made her way around. Niv would normally have spoken a greeting but she didn’t want to interrupt the music. She did however, begin to sing like the tiny birds did each morning. The tunawa hoped the musician would appreciate her addition but she really couldn't contain herself ether way.



Credit to Kidchan

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Pash had always been a sensitive, social animal—part of the enjoyment of performing for the seafaring musician was watching the crowd, interacting with it, and breathing in life like a fresh, sea breeze. If you really couldn’t read your audience, then you probably weren't really performing for anyone but yourself. Even when your audience was … well … small, for that meant there were less distractions. Not that it mattered—the most intimate of audiences still deserved entertainment and always had something to teach if you were paying attention.

He let the gentle tumbling noises from the fountain be his accompaniment. The rush of water a familiar sound that he could play off of, his tune still crisp and spring-inspired. Lagoon blue eyes drifted over the vendors and merchants, and as tempting as it was as an Empath to read others and to attract their attention in invisible ways, Pash often enjoyed the challenge of doing so without magical aid (though that wasn’t to say that magic wasn’t a challenge in itself, that reading and sometimes playing emotions wasn’t tempting on its own occasion, either). A few more early shoppers began to trickle through, and he watched them, too, shifting on his feet a little and relaxing into a comfortable stance while he strummed along. The vendors were mostly set up now and the suns had risen high enough to cast sharp shadows over the tower of the Scholar’s Nook.

The Biqaj noticed the way one particular dark-haired woman walked amongst the merchant stalls—barefoot—her motions revealing her to be one well-traveled but still curious about the world she saw. He offered a smile at her quick first glance in his direction, far from shy when he met her periwinkle gaze. He may have even began to change his tune just a little: calloused fingers subtly, slowly shifting to a faster, louder, more inviting tune than simply morning background music.

Pash understood when the young woman turned to explore the food, though he may have been somewhat satisfied once it became obvious that she was making her way closer over the still cold cobblestones after her delicious purchases. He caught a glimpse or two of treelike lines of ink, and she carried herself with the feral grace of one who spent time outdoors. Perhaps she was a Sev’Ryn, though that would have made her far from home, indeed.

Then, there was a coin in his bowl and the young woman stood in front of him, the melody of his lute a little livelier now, as if he’d chosen to echo her coming with the invitation of song. The seafaring musician smiled again in greeting, the color of his eyes shifting with his focus from blue to an emerald green,

"Thank y’much, m'lady."

He spoke over his notes, glancing briefly at her apple. His baritone Common was accented heavily by his obviously more native Rakahi, and he opened his mouth as if he was going to ask the lithe huntress what brought her to this island from her forested homeland when he noticed a flash of movement. Glancing down, he saw a diminutive creature moving delicately to the chords he’d been strumming. It was a tiny, amazing thing that had it not been moving, he would have mistaken it for some child’s toy—skin like treebark and teeny purple flowers in its—her—hair. Pash’s smile broadened, for he was quite sure he’d never had a Tunawa dance to anything he’d ever played before. The shipwright’s son had heard stories of the creatures, but never personally met one. The diminutive entertainment was cute, dancing and drumming around the faded clay bowl with the dark-haired woman’s generous silver in it. The rhythm made a nice addition to his own music.

"Well, hello t’you, too. Let’s see what’cha got, lil’ one." He added, grinning now, for a couple of other early morning shoppers had paused to listen and watch what would probably appear to anyone else as a coordinated performance. The Biqaj was happy to roll with that sort of tide if it encouraged a few more coins in his direction, and he looked back up with a sly sort of wink in hopes of keeping the barefoot Sev’ryn from wandering too far.

He let the motions of the plant-like Tunawa be his muse, calloused fingers moving to strum a pluckier, upbeat sort of ditty. Still far from bawdy tavern music, he played a tune that felt like a spring jaunt through the woods.

[Kali'rial]

Chewing on the apple piece, Kali's eyebrows rose for a moment in surprise as the musicians eyes changed from a lagoon blue to an emerald green right in front of her, halting her movement to leave. The brunette had encountered plenty of Biqaj in her travels, and had heard about their unique eyes, but not ever seen the change up close like this. It surprised her enough that she broke into a delighted smile and made a small soft laugh somewhere in the back of her throat, opening her mouth to answer his baritone comment and remark at the change, before she was distracted by the sound of clay-born drumming and...birdsong? Dropping her smile in immediate focus, she followed the mans gaze down to the small figure dancing and drumming on the collection bowl.

The little creature was Tuwana, a race familiar to Kali in the sense that they were almost a cousin race of sorts. Her smaller smile returned, and she waved her fingers back at the bark-skinned creature. It was delightful to watch her dance, so carefree and joyful. Part of the Sev'ryn felt a little pang of regret, wishing she could be so free. It was right there for the taking, but she'd spent her whole life being raised to take things seriously and dedicate herself to the task at hand that it was difficult to even begin to understand how to 'let go' as they would. Glancing back up at the musician, she saw him wink and couldn't keep herself from shooting him another smile, shaking off the slight melancholy mood as the tune became more jaunty.

"You're becoming quite the attraction little Ọludïbọ Rïnlẹ." Kali said, looking down at the Tuwana with a nod, using the Xanthean words for the closest translation of 'tree talker'. Moving to look up at the Biqaj she finished the apple, throwing the core into a nearby planter.

"I imagine this is your partner, seafarer? A Tuwana dancer and a Biqaj musician, quite a clever match up." She said in common, her own Xanthean accent only very lightly dancing around the seams of her words. Clearly the young brunette had made the assumption most others in the square had probably made, that the wooded Tuwana and the musician were in fact working together on the performance itself.

[Niv]

“With you I drunk dolphin!” Niv replied gleefully To Pash in some rough Rakahi after recognizing his accent. “My burps are the loudest!” Since she had been too busy moving about she hadn’t thought of structure or even if they were appropriate phrases she was regurgitating. If she knew what she had said she might be embarrassed but it was even more likely that she’d laugh until her sides split. The words she borrowed were from two sailors that frequented the local bar in Ne’hear. Their bearded faces always had permanent smiles and she enjoyed the way there tongues clicked and wagged as they spoke. She couldn’t help listening in from a nearby tree top and absorbing their drunken singing as they stumbled out of the bar each night.


Niv closed her eyes and let each new strum of the guitar inspire her next movement. The musician may have been using the Tunawa as a muse of sorts but what was a dancer without music. A dancer was sustained by the beauty the carried with each note and the images they conjured.

The Melody the Musician played reminded Niv of her life among the trees in Desnind. it made her want to do moves inspired by the creatures she encountered there to embody this vision. Her arms clawed the sky and lifted her knees as if she was a squirrel climbing an invisible tree. She then flapped her wings like a bird and tumbled forward like she was swooping down to catch an unsuspecting mouse. Niv ended up hitting her head a bit and stumbled on her way up but she kept moving in hopes that no one would notice.

The women spoke up and made it apparent she was a Desnind Native like Niv. As the the Xanthean words entered her ears, Niv halted her dancing and looked at the Sev’ryn women with wide eyes.
“Oh you’re sev’ryn! I’ve been far from home so long Its nice to know I’m not the only one lost.” Niv’s eyes began to sparkle and her smile became bolder but she couldn’t help feeling a touch of sadness underneath it all. Being reminded of the life that had been taken away from her was bound to stir up unpleasant feelings.

“Oh no I don’t know him” Niv replied with a rapid shake of the head. “I should probably introduce myself, I’m Niv I’m studying Chemistry at deh moment.” She gave a quick bow and moved so that she could get a better look at the both of them. “what about you two?”

When the introductions were done Niv happily went back to dancing, after noticing a sudden influx in people walking over to see the performance.


Credit to Kidchan

[Pash Raj'oriq]

A handful of people had gathered to watch the seafaring musician and the tiny Tunawa: a mother and her two children; an older couple munching on pastries; a young man who looked to be on an errand (and was probably now very late); and the dark-haired Sev’ryn who had been there since the beginning. Another young woman walked past, her basket full of her morning shopping, and she slowed to linger, looking from dancer to musician. A well-dressed man and his dog also arrived, the well-behaved creature sitting as the man stopped to listen, though it was a slightly tempting situation for the dog as its dark eyes followed Niv’s every move and its tongue wagged eagerly. Lastly, just before the diminutive dancer began to shout in Rakahi, one of the vendors wandered from his stall to get a better view. Pash wanted the crowd, enjoyed the attention, and was pleased by those who gathered for the song as well as the dance.

Pash read their faces as he looked up to glance over the features of his audience with a smile, studying their expressions and noting their body language as he played, drawing his attentions away from the dancing Tunawa to focus on the crowd. He was about to explore an emotion or two, ever curious to peer past the surface of those who were watching and listening through Empathy in hopes of scratching their itch to be entertained—

But, instead, Niv’s nonsensical words in his native tongue made him laugh, jarring his attention suddenly and causing his fingers to slip on the strings of his lute. While nothing quite tarnished his amused expression completely, he realized the creature was either shouting the only phrases she knew or just making up things to be funny. Either way, it was enough for the Biqaj to miss a few glaringly obvious chords before regaining his composure and rhythm. He took his musical mistake in stride as well as he could, much to the giggles of children and chiding smirk from an old lady. No one walked away, however, distracted by the unusual dynamic between the tall, seafaring minstrel and the tiny, exuberant thing.

He quieted his playing for a moment, just strumming a slower melody when the Tunawa slowed down and the Sev’ryn spoke up. Pash found himself under the expectant gaze of his audience for the answers, which were made for him by Niv herself. He waited his turn to reply, shifting his stance on his sandaled feet,

“Ah, no, we’ve no’ met b’fore, but clearly I’ve been missin’ somethin’ in my performances all these arcs. It’s been a long time since I’ve been anythin’ but a one-man sorta’ show. ” The shipwright’s son’s expression was almost chagrined, looking first to the lithe huntress and then to Niv before he stopped playing in order to offer a little bow with a wave of his tattooed arm in a warm sort of acknowledgement and greeting to the Tunawa, “It’s an honor to play together this mornin’.”

He then offered a wink in the Sev’ryn’s direction, teasing her in a way that was both flirtatious and sincere. His words made the old lady with her pastry chuckle, “An’ thank you for attractin’ such a crowd. I couldn't’ve done it alone.”

The tall Biqaj then let his tidepool gaze sweep the crowd, calloused fingers reaching up to play at tipping an imaginary hat in humorous greeting, “Pash Vy’Ryn a’ your musical service t’day here ‘n fine Scalvoris Town’s central square—”

He gave a wink to the children that still hovered expectantly, not yet willing to be dragged off to market by their mother. The youngsters both beamed back and giggled at the man’s expressive gestures, “—would y’like to hear somethin’ else? Are we still in th’mood for dancin’ music?”

The seafaring minstrel paused to run a hand over his sunkissed hair and tuck stray strands back behind his pointed ears—ears he’d never bothered to hide—before he put his fingers back to their familiar places on his beloved lute. He’d happily play to the requests of the crowd if anyone spoke up, though he plucked a few light notes again while he waited, eyes a brighter shade of blue in his expectation.

OOC

Feel free to do as you wish with the crowd. Pash will play anything. I just didn’t want to get too wordy with my reply since there's 3 of us.

[Kali'rial]

Kali shot the little dancer a curious look, wondering what she meant about being lost. It was a good deal of time to travel back to Desnind, but by horseback it couldn't be to hard for the little tree to get home. The brunette paused her musing for a moment to reflect. The way home might be easy enough for her, but a tiny Tunawa would find it much longer and much more dangerous. Much like being lost could in fact be a genuine statement for the creature. If she was more socially aware, Kali might have offered to help the creature out, but as it stood she had left Desnind with a purpose. It would be a waste to turn around and go back to help a stranger.

So it was, Kali let the Tunawa continue speaking, jolting suddenly at the laughter from the musician. It had thrown his song, whatever had amused him so, and in the moments he took to catch up the Sev'ryn glanced around at the growing crowd. It had bloomed significantly, with Kali and Niv head of the pack beside the musician. The brunette felt a little chill of anxiety creep up on her, and turned quickly back to focus on the performers, ignoring the feeling of eyes on her back - even imagined ones.

As it had turned out, her assumptions were incorrect. The duo were not a surprise act but merely two souls that happened to occupy the same place and enjoy the same song. Kali couldn't help but smile briefly at the genuine playful interactions the Biqaj had with the youngest members of the crowd. It was important for children to know their Elders cared, even if the Elder was a stranger or a close family member. As the man made a rather overflourished introduction, the Sev'ryn nodded to both himself and the Tunwana.

"Many warm greetings to you, Niv the studying Chemist and Pash Vy'ryn the musicial Servant." Kali said with utmost seriousness on her face as she gave them both unofficial titles.

"I am Kali'rial, daughter of Moseke, hunter of beasts and trader of hides. Except I am not trading at present." Her greeting was formal, no nonsense and informative, but her face was relaxed, somewhere close to a smile but not quite.

The woman nodded again, before someone from the crowd called out for Pash to play another song. Kali vaguely recognised it as a folk song from the Eastern shores, recalling it walked an intricate yet jovial path about a man pining over his love who lived far across the sea in Western Idalos. Some of the older folk agreed with the choice, whilst a few children asked for the better suited songs about play and spring weather.

"It appears you have a choice, Pash." She said with a smile at the musician and the Tunawa.

"Niv, what would you choose? The lovers tale or the children's bard?"

[Niv]

Niv couldn’t see much of the crowd, she was too close to the ground and her dancing kept her from looking up. It really was for the best, Niv was a social creature but being surrounded by giants would make just about anyone uncomfortable. The only people she needed to acknowledge were the musician and the Sev’ryn women, Niv felt good vibes from them.

Niv was a bit taken back at Pash’s response to her words, She was fairly certain what she said wasn’t funny. She stopped dancing for a moment to recall the context she had heard the words in. They were during a performance but the people saying them were possibly under the influence of that poison humans drink. The bark around Niv’s cheeks began to glow slightly with embarrassment as she realized what she might have said.
“Sorry my Rakahi could use some work.” Niv mumbled.

Niv caught a brief look of sadness in the Biqaj’s eyes as he stated his long period as a solo artist. Niv wondered if he had lost someone or possibly had a falling out with a musical partner, but such things couldn’t be brought up now. It was best to wait for others to share those kinds of things.

“It’s an honour for me as well.” Niv ginned and nodded repeatedly up at the man.

“Oh..a crowd.” Niv turned and finally looked up at the people that arrived. “Oh..dere is a lot of dem.” Niv said with only the slightest bit of tremble in her voice but it quickly petered out when she stopped looking.

“Nice to meet you Pash and Kali’rial” Niv nodded to both of them while donning another bright teeth filled smile. Kali wasn’t saying much to Niv but the tunawa could see the sev'ryn was deep in though. Likely a sagely type, Niv had meet a few of those and they always seemed more interested in thinking things through then putting those thoughts to words. Niv could respect that, It was better than letting it all out and saying the first thing that came to mind. Niv had a friend like that growing up called him the squaker, practically had to stuff his face full of grubs to get him to stop talking.

“Oh dats good question..” Niv bit her lower lip and tapped her finger on her bark covered cheek as she weighted the options of songs. Up beat spring time ditties were much more fun to dance to and it made the children happy, but Niv loved romance and a slower song might give her the challenge she needed to elevate her craft.

Niv slowly lowered herself into a crouch, then suddenly sprang up and shouted “Deh Lover's Tale!”
The children looked disappointed but they would surely change their tune when the performance started. Though Pash would have the final say in what was played of course, so there was still hope for them yet.

Niv continued her dance along with whatever song was played, mostly keeping it safe but throwing in the occasional pizazz when needed. A few more people trickled in to see the little show including two of Nivs classmates.

“Brax we gotta go..” The young freckled female student with braided red hair impatiently whispered to her friend with a hard nudge.
“just a minute I wanna hear this song-“ Brax the dark haired boy protested.
“Mrs. Broca just said she was gonna add twenty more questions on a mystery subject to our test, we have no time for lolly gaging.”

“Twenty more questions!” Niv repeated with a wide eyed look in the middle of her dance. she nearly stumped to the ground in shock at what she was hearing.
“Sorry I gotta go!” Niv gave a worried expression to Pash before gathering her things and running toward the Scholars Nook.
“We should do dis again sometime!” Niv waved back frantically as she made her exit.


Credit to Kidchan

[Pash Raj'oriq]

The seafaring minstrel nodded at everyone’s introductions, tide pool gaze drifting from the dancing Tunawa to the serious huntress with a friendly grin, realizing both were a long, long way from the Southern region of Idalos. If he lingered at all on the dark-haired Sev’ryn, it hopefully went unnoticed, eyes shifting away to his instrument and then the crowd instead. While he’d never personally sailed that far south, growing up in Ne’Haer meant he’d met plenty of freed Tunawa in his time, though he’d never performed with one,

“’S a pleasure t’ meet y’both.”

Pash smiled at the choice, and a few members of the small but enthusiastic crowd that had assembled that morning in the Square clapped their hands or voiced their own opinions. One of the children was most disappointed, but a few encouraging pats from his mother seemed to do the trick. The tall Biqaj may have noted the discomfort of both the Sev’ryn and the little plant creature once they realized by just how much their audience had grown, but he was more than thrilled to see how many had come to hear him play and watch the tiny dancer.

He cleared his throat and shifted his feet a little, warming up to actually sing with a few more strums of his lute. Choosing to sing in Rakahi, he told the musical tale in the language that flowed more naturally from his lips and sounded much clearer with his baritone voice, for in his mind the language mattered little so long as the feelings in the song could be conveyed through the melody and his voice. As he sang, anyone could notice the shift in color in his eyes from lagoon blue to a warm almost crystalline violet, for the tide-like change was slow much like the build up of the romantic ballad that rang out above the splash of the fountain behind him and the busy thrum of economic exchange going on throughout the Square in these early hours before noon. By the time the song had obviously reached its crescendo, whether or not anyone understood his native tongue, he was clearly involved in the singing and playing of it, sweeping a glance across the audience to make sure they were enjoying themselves, to make sure they were just as caught up in the experience as he was—because that was the fun of it, one of the driving reasons he performed at all.

Niv danced along, her interpretations allowing the crowd to participate in a visual way that Pash found himself very grateful for. It was a really lovely touch and one he’d make mental note of trying to include again sometime, as if it were at all possible to carry around a Tunawa dancing friend. Well, maybe it was, but he’d have to work on that as an act in the future. He would have liked to wave at her when she suddenly rushed off—a student’s life was very outside of Pash’s understanding—but he tried to flash her a grin and a nod, none the less while attempting to keep from losing momentum with his singing and his audience.

As the lovely song wound down, his smile broadened and he made sure to wrap it all up with a flourish. There was some clapping and the tall Biqaj bowed before reaching an inked arm up to run tired fingers through his sun-kissed hair that had fallen loose,

“Thank y’much. Thanks for listenin’.” He addressed the audience, but looked last at Kali’rial, not watching whether or not any of the others who’d stopped to listen and enjoy left coins behind to become companion’s to the Sev’ryn’s first offering, “I think it’s time I found some breakfast.”

He made sure to grin again at the children before they were led away, pet the dog, and shake any hands or return any smiles, the touch and words of strangers something the seafaring minstrel clearly enjoyed, if not craved. He’d shoulder his lute and pocket his coins once the audience had dispersed, hooking a thumb in the strap of his instrument while he considered his vendor selections, perhaps a little biased by what the dark-haired woman had been enjoying when she first stopped to watch him.

OOC

And I … don’t know where to end this … so if you want to another post, Kali, cool. If not, cool, too. I just figured this is done. I’m sorry it took me a while to figure out what to post here. We can call this a wrap up and I’ll submit it for grading. Niv, please perform with Pash again soon!