New Gypsy in Town

[Rotzi]

The bard tilted her head. "What do you mean? I was talking more along the lines of being nomadic and fortune-telling." A smirk crossed her pale face, making her seem rather evil with the red eyes. "Besides, were you like any of the other gypsy you would have already tried to pick-pocket me either when we first met or anytime my back was toward you."

"Besides Miss Naoki, I can kinda tell whether someone is bad or not. Believe me, I wouldn't have bumped into you if I didn't trust you."

[Anima]

A sudden blush suddenly tainted her tanned,colorful cheeks. She looked down and said,

"Not all gypsies are without value and honor...some of us are as honest as any other person... we simply choose a less...common lifestyle."

She looked back to Vayu and smiled, "So... know any good locations where they may be needing dancers? Stealing is really my last option at this point."

Smiling, she looked back to the crowd and the warm tavern,gazing at the people around her and the way they spokeso easily, with no heavy burdens and nothing to hide.

[Rotzi]

"Lucky you," Vayu said with a smile. "This place is hiring. They're getting tired of just a bard." She held up a flute. It seemed to have appeared from nowhere, just like the dagger from earlier. There was an odd shimmer on her hand once more, just under the glove.

"I've a room here if you need to warm up and stretch." The bard offered Soraya her hand again. "We can practice if you wish. We've about four hours until I go on stage anyway."

[Anima]

Soraya looked at the Vayu's hand and said with an odd glimmer in her candid eyes,

"Such a pretty mark shouldn't be hid, Miss Vila..."
She stretched and stood.

"Thank you. I'll be fine."

The familiar smile was back in her eyes and lips as she tossed back the long strands of black silk away from her face and neck.

[Rotzi]

Vayu looked at her hand, then shook her head. "Sorry. I can't let this be seen, no matter what." A wry smile crossed her face. "I don't want to be exploited."

"Then again I already am for being a bard of my talents," she chuckled. "Do you think you'll be able to keep up with my playing?"

[Anima]

Soraya let out a merry laugh and looked at her slippers. She had the right shoes and the right attire.

"The question is...will you be able to keep up with me?"She smiled as she twirled playfully and said with an odd charm,

"You may have been raised by elves, but I am a spirit separate and of my own..."

She smiled as she picked up her long hair into a ponytail. Aqua eyes turned to the crowd, and some were looking at her with an inquisitive expression.

[Rotzi]

Vayu eyed the gypsy cautiously. "How did you know I was raised by elves? I never told you that."

[Anima]

Soraya giggled and said, "Give me a coin and I shall tell you your past,give me your trust and I shall tell you your future." With these simple words she left Vayu as she began to walk toward the stage.

[Rotzi]

Vayu stood up and grabbed her by the wrist before she could go on stage. "It's not our turn yet. The Keep gets pissed if we go out of turn." The bard motioned back to the table. "Let me buy you dinner. Then I need to rest." She smiled a bit again. "It's been a really long day."

[Anima]

Soraya blushed deeply as she felt Vayu's grasp tight around her frail, thin wrist. She looked at Vayu and said apologetically,
"Sorry... I didn't know..." she sat down almost obediently and mumbled humbly at the bard's offer.

"I couldn't Miss Vila... you have been already so kind to me.. I do not wish to take advantage of your kindness. What you have done is enough."

[Rotzi]

"You wouldn't be taking advantage of me, Soraya. At least I wouldn't be viewin' it as that. Besides," she looked up at the keep and held two fingers up, "this is where my paycheque is coming from."

Vayu winked. "If you want to pay me back, just stay a bit, all right?"

[Anima]

For some abstract reason Soraya thought back about the indecent proposals male strangers would make after those prophetic words. She looked stranged for a second and nodded.

"All right then... thank you very much Miss Vila, for being so kind to me. Such kindness without expecting much is not easily found.. especially for us gypsies."

She nodded and tried not to look too eager about the mentioning of food, hoping the roars her stomach gave out were drowned by the chattering crowd.

[Rotzi]

"Where I came from, you find kindness where you can."

A barmaid twirled over, two meals on hand. She gave a suggestive wink to the bard, "Hope you're gonna be working extra hard t'night, love."

"I think I will be, Assandra-san." Vayu laughed a bit. "Gonna be cheerin' me on? Like you usually do?" Assandra nodded with a blush, then pranced back to the bar.
"I hope you don't mind the choice of the meal." The roasted beef and herb roasted potatoes were very overwhelming to the senses, causing Vayu's mouth to water. "They have a fixed menu." With that said she began to dig in.

[Anima]

Soraya looked at the barmaid and seemingly paid little attention to their conversation. Hearing some words from Vayu, she assumed she was now being addressed. Soraya smiled almost delightedly and said humbly,

"I don't mind at all..."

She watched Vayu eat for a minute or so, before she picked up her eating utensil and began to wat in a slow and calmed manner. Quite controlled for a person that has not had taste of food for four days, eh?

[Rotzi]

Once Vayu had finished her meal, she excused herself from the table, explaining that she needed to see the owner.

About ten to twenty minutes later the bard returned, a smirk on her pale face. "The keep says that he doesn't mind if you go on with me t'night. He's even fixin' ya up a room."

She looked at the Soraya. "I also told him that you are a gypsy, and he didn't seem t' mind. The keeps says 'm an excellent judge o' character." Vayu turned her crimson gaze to the stairs.

"Feel like restin' for a bit?"