Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Hama Valon, the city around the Grey Tower.
Forum rules
Welcome to Hama Valon! The aptly named 'mountain guard' is the city that has grown up at the gates of the Grey Tower at the western edge of the Two Rivers. Like all cities, there are quiet quarters with pleasant inns, such as Elman's Creek, which used to be the nearest village when the Tower was young, but was absorbed as the new city grew; its Band of Brothers Inn is still a favorite relaxation spot for many of the Tower's denizens. And again, like all cities the world over, there are less pleasant places--narrow, nameless streets that house hells and other houses of ill repute. Most of the city falls somewhere in between, with hawkers crying their wares in the streets, respectable shopkeepers ready to serve you, and petty cutpurses happy to follow you.

Novices, Soldiers, and drin'far'ji must be accompanied by a chaperon when outside Tower walls or they risk being picked up as runaways and duly punished.
Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Elan » March 11th, 2017, 9:22 pm

Jaren
It’s what Warders often have to do. Jaren glanced at the younger man again. Johan hadn’t seemed all that certain that he wanted to be a Warder — or Gaidin — when they’d first met; Jaren wondered if that meant he’d made up his mind. “I suppose that would be good practice, yes,” he agreed. “Start with smaller channellers — I’m not too big, I think,” he snorted at that, “Light knows I’ve certainly never felt too big in my life — and then gradually move to wrestling ones like Asha’man Gareth or M’Hael Zeen.” Well, that was a peculiar mental image.

The route Johan was taking was perhaps a little on the unconventional side. Not that Jaren minded; he was content to leave the navigating to someone who was clearly familiar with the city, and… Trusting the Gaidin to know their stuff is what channellers do. He smiled a little at the thought.

“So do you think… you’ll be staying, then? In the Grey Tower? As a Gaidin?” He hesitated a little; it really was none of his business, but… “No, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to. I’m just asking,” he added, “because I enjoy talking to you, too, and I’d be sorry to see you go.”

Cat
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 374
Joined: November 2nd, 2016, 8:22 pm
PC: Johan Albaer
SC: Tristram Baryn

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Cat » March 11th, 2017, 11:03 pm

Johan
The alley opened up into a larger street. They were now long past the centre of Hama Valon where the marketplaces and the main inns, taverns, shops and routes in and out were. The surrounding buildings were now mostly residential, a couple of smaller shops dotted here and there. The street was a lot quieter, enough that there was no worry about losing Jaren in the crowds. A group children played at tag nearby, and they stopped to watch the two pass. Those in uniform weren’t often seen here. The Red Lion had supposedly been here when Hama Valon had been a village. It had been popular, then, but now it mostly served the local residents; it was, therefore, the perfect place. It wouldn’t be busy.

Johan glanced back at Jaren, biting back on a snort. He wasn’t exactly the tallest person in the world, and the thought of him carrying Asha’man Gareth or M’Hael Zeen was a ridiculous one. He was slowly coming to believe that the M’Hael wasn’t entirely crazy, but he was still someone to be wary around, and Johan wanted to keep avoiding him.

“I think if I tried to carry Asha’man Gareth,” he said, “I’d end up breaking my back and he’d have to Heal me. Somehow, I can’t really see that working particularly well. But.” He paused, shrugging his shoulders and thinking of the offer Tristram had made. A guaranteed job…He bit his lip. “I don’t know what I’m actually going to do. I want to finish the training, yes, get the cloak even if I never wear it, but, after that… Some… Well, sometimes I don’t even know what I’m going to do tomorrow.” He paused again, and then grinned, attempting to push the subject away from him. “Are you sure you’re not asking because you want me to be your Warder? I mean, I’ve got you this far without getting us lost, and then I’m going to drag you all the way back again. And then you'd never have to see me go. Perfect, no?”
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Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Elan » March 12th, 2017, 11:57 am

Jaren
Jaren hadn’t even known that this particular corner — well, district; he didn’t know if they were anywhere near a corner — of Hama Valon existed. Which, he supposed, just went to show how little he knew of the city he’d lived in for three years. Well, sort of lived in; the Tower didn’t really feel like a part of the city in any other sense than geographical. The Tower’s initiates lived their lives walled away for the first several years of their time there, and even once they gained the right to visit, many only did it to seek out entertainment. Jaren thought he should probably make a point of getting to know the city better. At some point.

Johan’s question, joke though it was, startled him a little. Or at least he was fairly sure it had to be a joke; surely Johan wouldn’t have been that forward if he was seriously considering it. Nonetheless, there was no harm in answering honestly, in this instance. “I could think of worse solutions,” he said with a small shrug. “Though there’s a couple of problems with it, too. Namely that I won’t be Asha’man for a while yet and you probably won’t want to sit around waiting for me, nor would I ask anyone to. And the other matter of your feelings towards being a Warder…” And Jaren’s own confused feelings towards having a Warder; could he be responsible for someone else’s life like that? But no, the question wouldn’t be relevant for years yet.

He drew a deep breath, then released it in a half-sigh, half-chuckle. “Honestly, Johan… and I say this fully aware of the risk of sounding overly sentimental… I know you were probably joking, but I’d be honoured if you ever did consider me.” In another world he had, somehow. In another world that wasn’t real, another Johan who wasn’t real, had consented to being bonded as a Warder.

Cat
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 374
Joined: November 2nd, 2016, 8:22 pm
PC: Johan Albaer
SC: Tristram Baryn

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Cat » March 12th, 2017, 7:19 pm

Johan
The Red Lion came into view, but Johan barely noticed it. Instead, his attention was on Jaren, unsure quite how to react. He had meant it as a joke, something else to further lighten the mood - he hadn’t, after all, attempted to hide his thoughts about becoming a Warder the last time they had met, and he remembered that Jaren also hadn’t been all that keen -, and so he hadn’t been expecting the serious answer he now found himself with. He wondered for a moment if it was simply Jaren’s way of being polite and not rejecting him; that perhaps the other hadn’t realised that he had indeed been joking.

It would be years until he finished training, he was sure. You didn’t find too many fully-fledged Warders still in their early twenties strutting around, after all. The Tower demanded the best, and that took years. It was one of those things he preferred not to think about, because he didn’t think he had those years to give. Or, at least, the desire to. He wouldn’t be surprised to find Jaren raised to Asha’man before he attained the cloak.

“Why, Jaren, I will. Next time, though, maybe get down on your knee?” he said, again trying to make it more of a joke as he pushed opened the door to the Red Lion. If it was years, then likely Jaren would forget about it by the time he was raised. They both would. “I’ll make sure you’re first on the list, although you might change your mind once you see how terrible at picking up dancing I am.”
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Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Elan » March 12th, 2017, 9:08 pm

Jaren
Jaren simply laughed, glad that they’d reached the tavern. He sure did have a talent for making things awkward with the best of intentions. He clasped Johan’s shoulder briefly and flashed a grin as he brushed past the other man into the tavern. “And I repeat, I have faith in your footwork,” he said as he made a beeline for the bar.

“Wine,” he told the barkeep. “Red.” He looked around, assessing the the clientele and what level of produce might be served here. “Second best you’ve got. Bottle, two glasses.” Jaren didn’t expect Johan to drink, but he’d have felt like a jerk if he didn’t offer. He dished out the coins, gathered the bottle and the glasses and headed to a table out of the way. He sat down and poured himself a glass, gesturing at the other glass as Johan joined him. “If you like. Well. If you want to try?”

Cat
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 374
Joined: November 2nd, 2016, 8:22 pm
PC: Johan Albaer
SC: Tristram Baryn

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Cat » March 13th, 2017, 9:04 am

Johan
Johan glanced at the glass in front of him. He really genuinely did never drink, or, rather, he’d sworn never to after watching his drunken father. The man had always had the best intentions, had tried to do what he could for them, but the drink had always inevitably won out. What money he had earned went on it. Johan was never going to be like him. He was going to be different.

There had been a few times when he’d ventured to the taverns and inns in his early days of coming to the Tower, because that was the way to make friends, but even then he’d avoided actually drinking. Now, though-? He didn’t want to reject Jaren’s offer or seem like he was purposely leaving the man drinking on his own. It was awkward to be the only person drinking, after all, and he didn’t want to bring the focus back ‘round to him. He was here to keep Jaren company and hopefully cheer him up a little, not stare judgingly as the drank his sorrows away.

He shrugged his shoulders and just nodded, reaching for the glass. He took a sip, and his face immediately scrunched up. One hand lifted to cover his mouth as he still grimaced, seemingly desperate to rid himself of the taste.

“L-Light! How do you even drink this stuff? It’s… It’s….ugh!” He grimaced again.

Maybe some of the reaction was faked, but at least this way he wouldn’t feel like a jerk for just flat-out refusing.
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Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Elan » March 13th, 2017, 7:10 pm

Jaren
Jaren shook his head as he leaned back, smiling a little. “Tastes differ, I suppose,” he said lightly. “I once read a theory that things actually taste different to different people. Like,” he tried to figure out how to explain it so that it made sense, “not simply that I like wine and you don’t, but that different people experience an entirely different taste when they drink wine. Or certain other things.” He shrugged, a little sheepishly. “No idea if there’s any truth to it, but it would certainly explain a lot.”

Truth be told, Jaren himself was having second thoughts about the bottle of wine already. It had been a reckless whim fuelled by embarrassment — he’d meant it when he said that he didn’t approve of drinking wine for the sole purpose of getting plastered — but he’d paid for it and now he was stuck with it. At least the quality was decent, very much like he’d expected.

He looked around in the tavern again; there was a small clear space that probably functioned as a dance floor when there was music, and he saw a chair sitting conspicuously apart from any tables, where he could imagine a musician playing if there was one… “Is there usually music here?” he asked out loud, just before his gaze spotted a flute case leaning against the wall near the vacant chair. The flutist was probably taking a break to eat or something. “Oh.” He looked back at Johan again and grinned. “There I was thinking you’d brought me to a tavern that doesn’t have music so that I’d forget about the dancing.”

Cat
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 374
Joined: November 2nd, 2016, 8:22 pm
PC: Johan Albaer
SC: Tristram Baryn

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Cat » March 13th, 2017, 9:13 pm

Johan
The wine could have tasted absolutely bloody marvellous, and Johan still wouldn’t have liked it. He didn’t want to like it, because that was one step closer to becoming like his father, and he wasn’t going to allow that to happen. The fact that things tasted differently for different people wasn’t a concern of his. He liked what he liked, and he didn’t like what he didn’t.

He pushed the glass away, leaving the rest of it untouched. It was a waste, he knew, and he felt slightly guilty about it, but there was no way that he was going to drink the rest. He remembered that he should have been the one buying the drinks, and he made a note to order some more later or give Jaren the money, but for now his attention was on following the Dedicated’s gaze. He pulled a face at the sight of the flute case. He really wasn’t going to be able to get out of this, was he?

Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and grinned, though it was his turn for it to be slightly empty and lacking in enthusiasm. “How did you guess? Although, no. I’ve never actually been here before. Just heard it was nice.” He stood, then, before his nerves had a chance to stop him and on impulse grabbed Jaren’s hand, pulling him up. “You can teach me now before there’s music to complicate things. I don’t want to have to think of two things at once… where my feet are and keeping time to the music. I-I’ll freeze."
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Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Elan » March 14th, 2017, 11:55 am

Jaren
Jaren was taken a little by surprise when Johan suddenly took his hand and pulled him to his feet. He probably could carry me, he thought, a little wryly. All that running around with, what was it, sandbags? had undoubtedly done its job. Anyway, that was not relevant. Dancing was relevant. Or, well, not dancing quite yet; meticulously imitating the steps while watching one’s feet could not be called dancing… but it would be a start.

“Alright, so.” Jaren stood next to Johan, not like he would if they were dance partners; it would be easier to show the steps if Johan didn’t need to mentally turn everything Jaren did around to imitate it. “You step your left foot forward,” and he demonstrated as he spoke, “and then bring your right foot forward and to the side, aaaand bring the left one next to it. Then backwards with the right, backwards and to the side with the left, and bring the right foot next to it again and you’re in the starting position.”

He looked at Johan and tilted his head, smiling. “Doesn’t look terribly elegant when demonstrated like that, and without a partner, but it gets better. Once you got the basic sequence down — it’s called box step if that’s relevant — anyway once you got that down, things like changing direction are just a variation of the same thing. A longer step in the desired direction, stuff like that.”

Cat
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 374
Joined: November 2nd, 2016, 8:22 pm
PC: Johan Albaer
SC: Tristram Baryn

Re: Just Smile and Dance [attn: Cat/Johan~]

Post by Cat » March 14th, 2017, 2:44 pm

Johan
Johan couldn’t stop himself from self-consciously glancing around, worried that people might be watching, but thankfully the tavern was pretty empty, the few others there were engrossed in a game of dice. It still didn’t make him any more comfortable, and he had to fight the urge not to run away. He could already feel his cheeks starting to warm, and he wondered if there was a way to shut the shutters without anyone noticing. Darkness would certainly help. No could see him then.

He liked to think that footwork in fighting was something like dancing, or, rather, it was an easy comparison to give, but right now it felt like that couldn’t be further from the truth. His steps were awkward as he placed one foot forward and then the other, and then the first foot to the side, stumbling ever so slightly and thinking about it far too much. He didn’t know what to do with his arms or his hands, and he bit down on his lip, blushing even more, feeling like a complete and utter fool. The dances he had always seen were fast-paced, a blur of action. He was never going to be able to do that, he thought. Not that he was ever going to do this again. This was simply for Jaren.

He moved his left foot instead of his right, and swore under his breath as he completely lost track of what he was doing and nearly toppled. Knowing that it wasn’t related to fighting made all the difference. It made it ten times harder.

Biting his lip again, he pushed the hair from his eyes and glanced at Jaren, raising an eyebrow, “I always thought you’re supposed to spin your partner around and make them dizzy enough that they don’t notice when you stand on your foot. I’m not sure I’m supposed to be learning to dance by myself…I feel…” He grinned, looking sheepish. “…like an idiot. I probably look like one, too.”
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