Valusia VI
Da'Karis had remained outside for a long while and after finishing with Lily's hair Rosi went out to talk with him for a minute. When they returned Rosi announced that she believed Lily could remove the towel from her head and they could see how it had worked. He nodded and almost smiled, "I believe the color suits you Lily and as long as you can remember your new mannerisms and speech then you should pass fairly well as a Valusian." Rosi grinned and added, "And to give you a fair test tonight Da'Karis will take you into the city for a fine meal and perhaps a stop at the ampitheater to hear the opera." She looked at Da'Karis and batted her eyelashes at him and he sighed and nodded his agreement.
"Alright but what's an Opera?" Lily asked her head felt light too light, and the color she kept seeing out of the corner of her eyes made her keep looking left and right. It was strange having such short hair or shortish hair and it was a different color to boot. "You really think I'll pass for a Valusian? Or at least someone not nobley born?" Lily asks hopefully, though she wondered if she had any clothes good enough for fine dining and this Opera thing Rosi had mentioned. Why they had to test it out she didn't know but it was hard walking around slouched with her hips out. That's really all she could focus on was doing what Kar had taught her.
Rosi about died laughing when she saw how Da'Karis was teaching her, "Oh no, take everything he taught you about standing and forget them. Da'Karis you go get cleaned up, I will give Lily a proper lesson!" He left a little disgruntled that Rosi thought his lessons were wrong. Once he left Rosi turned and looked at Lily, "Okay, now just do like I do and everything will be fine dear." She then began to walk around the room, so Lily could follow easily and do like she did, which would be easier to remember.
"Um... how do you swing your hips while walking... I can sway my hips but not that." Lily said watching Rosi walk, she then tried it herself and she really didn't get it at all. This was a lot harder then she thought it was going to be. Besides she thought Kar was a fine teacher, though maybe he taught her how to be a valusian man that would make sense.
Rosi went over it until Lily could do it as well, "There I think you'll be a fine Valusian woman. Just remember how I told you to think and you'll walk just fine." She smiled and took Lily to the mirror so she could see herself in her new disguise. "You've never been to an opera before? There is singing to tell a story instead of talking so it is sort of a drama or comedy. Most of the songs are very haunting or moving, I enjoyed going with Da'Karis as he had a contract there that night."
"Does he have a contract tonight? Think like you are a sexy beast isn't exactly the best advice But I'll do my best Rosi I promise! Wow I look really different... Look at how pale I am! I didn't realize I was inside so much that I lost my tan! Wow I look just like my brother now! Only my hair's red and I'm sure he'd never wear a dress." Lily giggled, it made her lonely to think of her brother though, after all she was only one half of a twin. He made up her other half. And she just had to run away from home and now look where she was. In trouble with an assassin as her only hope of freedom.
Da'Karis returned clean and dressed more to spend a evening out than going to murder someone. He smiled at Lily, "I think you look very nice and if you are ready then we can leave." Rosi nodded and gave Lily a squeeze, "You will be fine, I just know it." Then they left the inn and headed into the city's center away from the slaver camp and more toward the richer side of town. Many people were walking around them and Lily noticed that if she relaxed she walked like them and no one noticed her.
Lily tried to relax, but the more she watched people walking and the more she tried it out the better and more natural it felt. "I should dance for you sometime, maybe then you'd be surprised at some skill I know." Lily teased softly since he wasn't really speaking since they had left the tavern. She was already almost calling the place home now, but she was also keeping an eye out for anyone who might be a member of the guild of Soth. She couldn't help but worry about things and be a little afraid which was why she was ever so glad he had let her strap her blade back on before they had left and that he was leading her with his arm.
Her offer to dance for him made him a little disconcerted, he hoped she wasn't developing feelings for him. Da'Karis had little practical knowledge in deep emotional connections, as he had no family and only Rosi and a couple others were counted on as friends. He sought to change the subject, "Here is where we will be eating dinner tonight." The place looked like a garden and had a beautiful view of the city below them. Lily could smell roasting meat and other wonderful smells coming from the place and her stomach growled just a little.
"Oh sorry... I kinda skipped lunch today. I'm just a growing girl I guess." Lily laughed softly before blushing brightly, how embarrassing that her stomach growled in public! This did look like a wonderful place though and Lily wanted to remember it for maybe some other time, the whole city was sprawled out before them for her to see and look she did, she could even see the big ships in the docks. "You think I'll be able to save up enough money to get a ride home Kar? I mean really... without getting caught by anyone or attacked or killed or anything. Do ya think I've got a shot at it?" Lily asks softly looking out at the boats masts. She seemed kind of sad.
He made up his mind from the look in her eyes, "Yes, I believe you will get back home to your family. We will work together to make sure you get back to them and safety." They were shown to a table and the servers brought out the food, Da'Karis explained the meat was lamb and he showed her how to do it correctly. The man who owned the restuarant was from Shadizar and had employed Da'Karis to rid him of some thugs who were accosting him. He poured Lily a small glass of wine and smiled, "Have no fear this time for it is safe."
"Um... okay but only a little. So how come you uh well... How come you're always alone and so broody. I mean I know the whole job thing and that but you never seem to be happy ever... what does make you happy? What would make you smile? I think I'd like to see that." Lily said cautiously looking at the glass of wine and then taking a sip. She set the glass down and wait a few moments, she wanted to make sure it wasn't going to do anything to her like the last wine she drank did. But it was true she did want to see a smile out of him though. She wondered what it would look like but she really couldn't imagine it herself.
"The nature of my profession is bloody and would leave me open to revenge, that is not a place for much emotion or connections." he said in low tones. "My master trained me to take up the mantle of Da'Karis and hold it until I passed it to another or I die. As far as you seeing me smile how do you know that I have not already smiled?" They continued to eat as the evening fell and Lily got to see the sunset at the ocean's edge as they ate dessert. "Come I would wish us to have good seats for the opera, I think you will enjoy it."
"So a bunch of singing huh? My mother and grandmother sing a lot, but their songs are about events and emotion. they are very beautiful though, I have always loved listening at the hall of songs. Grandmother says that's where they sing about fallen hero's and their histories, so that they'll never be forgotten. Is the Opera anything like that? Besides the whole mantle of responsibility junk I've heard that before, One of my brothers married into the family he was the protector, but that didn't mean he couldn't be happy. No one says you can't kill people for a job and then be happy when you aren't killing them anymore. Like a job and a life outside of that you know?" Lily said with a giggle, she was serious and she seemed to perk up a lot when talking about her home and family and then she got serious again when talking to Kar.
They left and headed to an ampitheater nearby and found seat that not only would allow Lily to see, but hear the performers on the stage. He did not speak of his job and happiness, the environment was competing for her attention. As the opera began Lily could tell even though they spoke another language it was a sweeping story about love in a time of war and two people's desire for a happy ending. The female lead sang a beautiful song when it was believed her lover had been murdered by her father and how it tore at her heart. Da'Karis spent some of the time not really hearing the music but watching Lily's reactions to it.
Lily cried during the sad parts and laughed at the funny parts. She was worried during the parts that were tense and cheered on the woman no matter what. Lily was completely enthralled by the show and the sweeping notes they sang and the complex story they were telling. Lily loved it all very much. She'd never seen anything so amazing. This was the best day she'd had ever! She stood and clapped hard at the end of the play or opera. She was so happy things had turned out well in the end of it.
He found her interest in the opera very uplifting and waited for a while the others left. "I am glad you enjoyed the performance tonight Lily, we should be on our way now." he said offering her his arm. They walked back along the route to the inn and stopped briefly to see some musicians playing in a square. Da'Karis had put his coat around Lily's shoulders to ward off the chill coming off the ocean. While he was aware of their surroundings for danger he allowed himself to listen to the music and enjoy her company.
Lily yawned covering her mouth with her hand as was proper, for a girl like her. She had so much fun she hadn't had real fun like that in a very long time. Mom and Dad never let her have so much fun before. Not going out with a boy who wasn't her brother or cousins and after a while going to court wasn't fun anymore. Especially since Poppy was always there. But being here was scary... mostly scary, well kind of scary anyways. It was an adventure after all and it was kind of fun after all if there were times like this then they were good times.
They arrived back at the inn and Da'Karis walked her up to her door and waited. "Out into the world beyond this inn and nothing evil befell you?" he said opening the door for her. "We will train some more tomorrow after you are done working in the kitchen. If you so wish." he finished turning to leave. It was praise, his own master never praised him, but he hoped he was a better teacher than his mentor had been.
Lily had giggled she couldn't actually believe he had just joked with her. Lily smiled and shut her door, she then realized she was still wearing his coat. She blushed more and cuddled into it deeply, inhaling his scent. It was very faint but it was there, beneath the paraffin stuff and beneath the scent of the oils he used for his blades, and the slight burn of poison was his scent and it made Lily wish for something she had no knowledge of. She went to bed and changed into her sleep dress and instead of using the blanket used his coat to cover with. She had strange dreams of running through shadows and being carried over rooftops. It was a very restless sleep, though she wasn't scared of it.
Valusia VIII
Stumble!