Healing and Tourism, Open

[Visar Falmaien]

Torvus glanced at Kabria, concern in his eyes.  She was awake at least, but her eyes seemed dull and devoid of any mirth, as if she wished to be asleep but the agony of her wound kept her from resting.

 

Her wound had infected and gotten worse.  Now with Perivar riding ahead to get help to come back to them, Torvus only hoped that another Aes Sedai could get to them in time.  He needed to maintain the horses' pace at a walk, however; otherwise, the pain would be much greater for Kabria and the wound risked being reopened.

 

They were over the bridge now, into the bustling streets, and despite his preoccupation of making sure Kabria made it to the White Tower alive, Torvus could not help but stare in wonder at the grand city.  He could hardly believe how some buildings were shaped, almost as if stone was as organic as trees and could be as easily pruned to look like a thousand different objects.  Tar Valon seemed far too grand to be a home for a son of a country noblemen like him, even more magical than he had imagined it in his dreams.

 

Motion out of the corner of his eyes.  Kabria was awake, and weakly gesturing ahead.  Torvus followed the direction of her hand, and finally recognized Perivar coming out of the crowds, a woman following closely behind.  She must be an Aes Sedai, Torvus thought.  Thank the Light, Kabria was saved!

 

He opened his mouth to explain the situation, but thought better of it.  What could he possibly say that Perivar had no doubt already explained, and that this woman would no doubt already find out herself.

 

-Torvus

[Eqwina]

Darkness such as she had never known surrounded Kabria, and though she struggled to hold on to the glowing veins of warmth that flowed through her, she was losing the fight. Her face had grown pale, and her skin had long since turned cold. She could feel the icy fingers of death grasping for her, and yet a power beyond even death held on to her life. Images of a man, tall and strong with piercing eyes and bells.. bells…why was the thinking of bells flashed in her mind, and each time she felt like slipping away the strong hands gripping her seemed to kneed life back into her veins.

 

Her consciousness waned as she clung feebly to Blade’s reins, speeding to the one place that could offer her salvation. Thoughts fluttered through her mind, like so many leaves on the wind, but none managed to stay. Always when she thought she was coming to understand, another breeze blew and carried all thoughts away.

 

It was cold…so very cold and now the darkness seemed ever greater. She barely had the strength to point the way to…to who she could not remember, all she knew was that in the gleaming grace of those White Walls she would find healing. She could feel her love…her strength…her saving grace drawing nearer through the crowds and through clouded eyes she saw him. The last reserves of strength that she had left gave way and she fell into a dark and dreamless sleep.

 

She was unaware of the strong arms that carried her to her rooms, or of the warmth and strength he lent her in all the days it took her to wake.

 

Kabria Delondre

wounded, but alive

[Visar Falmaien]

The Aes Sedai took care of Kabria in short order, and with Perivar's help, they carried her back to the White Tower.  Torvus felt next to useless that he couldn't do anything to be of help.

 

Once they had finally arrived, the Aes Sedai left, saying that Kabria needed rest.  Sensing that he had no idea what to do now, she advised Torvus in passing that he could visit the White Tower grounds while he waited.  Thanking her, he wandered back where he came from.  Being stopped twice by young women in banded white dresses that he shouldn't be in that section.

 

Embarrassed that he had gotten lost so easily, Torvus breathed a sigh of relief when he finally came out of the main Tower building.  However, this exit was in a different area than the place he had come in.  It opened up into a vast network of well-maintained gardens.

 

Taken aback at how fresh everything looked, Torvus wandered these for a time, before his ears caught an odd persisting sound.  High pitched clacks at irregular intervals were occasionally supplemented by a shout or a curse.  What on earth was going on, it sounds almost as if people are...

 

Fighting! He reached an exit in the garden, and saw about a hundred men in an enclosed fenced area, going back and forth hitting each other with wooden weapons of all sorts.  Feeling drawn to the fence without knowing why, Torvus stared curiously at them for a long time.  Most of them seemed like they were very good.  More surprising to him, there were even a few women there practicing with the men, often hitting just as hard as the guys did.

 

This must be where their guards train...maybe even the warders?  Torvus sighed, feeling a strong desire to jump into the yard and join them.  It had been almost a year since he had last picked up a lance or a sword.  But with his hand the way it was and his completely rusty skills, Torvus did not want to risk embarrassing himself in front of so many people.  After watching them as long as he felt like, he turned away to ask where the Great Library was.  Surely it was somewhere around here?

 

Torvus gave a start.  He found himself almost face to face with someone he did not know, and they looked back at him with searching eyes, curious at his unfamiliar presence.

 

"Er...Hello there." he said nervously to the person that had snuck up on him so easily.

 

(ooc: this could be anybody, Adela maybe, or anyone else that would like to join in. First come first serve)

-Torvus

[Eqwina]

Adela was anxious to see Visar again, but she did not want to seem too eager. The training trip they had taken together had broken down walls between them, but they were hardly friends. Intentionally taking her time she ran the brush through her long dark hair, and re-laced her boots twice before steeping out into the sunny day.

 

 

As always the yards bustled with activity, and it didn’t take long for Del to find the man she sought, but he was not looking for her. He was surrounded by a group of younger trainee’s and was too preoccupied trying to teach them not to cut off their own feet to even notice her. Slightly miffed, Adela decided to go and find someone to spar with. Now that she had accepted and embraced her training she was always eager to test her meager abilities. 

 

 

Following the sounds of the practice lathes she quickly found a partner and spent several hours sweating out her frustration. Just because Visar was bonded did not mean he couldn’t have feelings for her, and just because he was a Warder did not mean she could not love him. The word love was surely to strong an emotion for what Adela felt, but this was her first experience falling for a man and she didn’t know that there were levels to caring about someone.

 

 

As the sun reached its height, Adela’s strange “uniform” was drenched with sweat and her long hair hung limply around her face. Dropping her lathe back into the basket she took a seat in the shade to watch the others finish their practice. Watching though, had never appealed to her as much as sparing its self and very soon she was bored. Scanning the Yards she spotted an unfamiliar face and decided to see if she could find some fun.

 

 

Walking lightly across the yards she reached up to tap the stranger on the shoulder, but he turned around and came face to face with her eyes. Smirking slightly at his stumbling Adela jutted out her hip and pursed her lips just slightly. “Why hello there. You quite obviously do not belong here. In fact..I am not sure where you belong.” Her lips twitched to a would be smile, but her face did not crack. 

 

Adela

[Visar Falmaien]

Didn't belong here?  Why did she make that sound so threatening and yet so inviting...?  Well of course Torvus didn't belong to the White Tower, why should he?  He was merely a guest, he assumed.  Hopefully...

 

"Yes I suppose I do appear out of place.  I found myself drawn here.  The unmistakable sounds of practice, I'm sure.  I am not a stranger to it." he found himself saying, but stopped immediately.  This young woman did not seem to be the type to want to engage in small talk.  And what was more, he did not want to admit to her that he missed this sort of life.  The simple yet vigorous life of a soldier.  Would he ever be able to return to it?  True, his right hand was still crippled, but Kabria had Healed his leg, and he had considered that much impossible.  

 

"I am currently a guest here until my. . ." He didn't want to say Aes Sedai or give her name, as that might either imply that he belonged to her or implied a breach of protocol as to her identity so instead he used the word, "friend recovers from her wounds."

 

"I was wondering.  Where is the great Library?  Might you know where that is, young..." Torvus mentally fumbled for what word to precisely use.  "Young guardswoman?  I would be very grateful to you if you could show me the way.  If you have time, of course." he added.  She looked like she was not much of a reading type, so perhaps this was the wrong person to ask.  She rather looked like she wanted to have a spar, however odd a woman wanting to spar might be.  Still, Torvus knew some Saldaean women who studied martial arts.  Perhaps this woman here was like them in having a similarly fiery disposition.

Hmm how best to not embarrass myself in front of these warriors in training...or is it already too late for that?

-Torvus

[Eqwina]

Adela idly fingered her dagger at her waist, and tried to appear aloof. Her striking eyes, and soft features gave her a myriad of looks and she was highly practiced at them all. Soon, though she didn’t have to fake a look at all. She’d learned since coming to the yards that every body that found its way into the Yards had a story, and she was starting to think that this man’s might be interesting.

 

“The Library? Yes of course I can show you. I have a few books I need to return anyway.” She turned and set off at a trot towards her barracks not waiting to see if the young man would follow. Del knew that he would have to follow, or at the very least she would find him where she’d left him. It was not likely that too many of the others would stop sparing long enough to chat.

 

When she reached her rooms she ran a brush through her hair, and grabbed the two books she’d been meaning to return. Bounding down the stairs the met the stranger waiting outside the door to the Barracks. “You could have followed me in, I don’t bite you know.” Snapping at him with a small sly grin she nodded towards the Tower. “Be on your best behavior once we enter the Tower. The Aes Sedai that guard the Library are not too keen on us in their halls, but if you walk small and act right they do not say no.”

 

“My name is Adela, by the way.” She could tell that the boy was slightly surprised by her, or perhaps just nervous. “I know that this place can seem intimidating at first, but the Aes Sedai will heal your friend and you can be gone before you know it.”

 

[Visar Falmaien]

Surprisingly, the girl practically jumped to help.  Why would she do that?  Clearly she had better things to do, or did she?  Well Torvus could not complain at the moment, and so he followed her, trying to keep up with her brisk trot.

 

They reached a utilitarian gray stone building, and she went in.  Torvus thought that it must be a barracks, especially since the young woman had mentioned needing to return books to the Library.  So this was where she lived, and doubtless many other men and women training to be Tower Guard or warders.

 

While it certainly lacked in style, Torvus doubted that anything fancier would be impractical for a place that housed the Tower Guard.  Uncertain to enter, lest he be somehow tricked into recruitment with the Guard, he stood at the entrance and waited for Adela to return.

 

When she did, he admonished him with a grin when she came back, books under arm, but Torvus gave a nervous smile and shrugged.  She nodded towards the Tower, where the library most likely was.  He must have missed it last time he looked around there, though that was hardly surprising.  The complex was absolutely enormous.  When she gave her name, Torvus replied with his own, accompanied with a dipping nod, almost a nervous bow.

 

"I'm Torvus Arathel.  A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Adela," he said, reverting without thought to his more formal upbringing.  At least he had left out his house name; that would have made him seem like yet another stuffy noble born brat wandering around like they owned the place.  And he was not from such a very prestigious house to afford to do that.

 

They made their way to the library, Adela explaining to both be on his best behavior and to not be intimidated.  How could one be both?  This was the seat of Aes Sedai Power, and Adela did not know that Kabria herself was also an Aes Sedai.  Treading nervously to their library, which apparently the Aes Sedai themselves guarded, was hardly something to not be intimidated about!

 

Torvus thought of leaving once Kabria felt better.  Yet, where would he go?  Back to Saldaea?  To some other corner of the world?  He wasn't sure.

 

They reached open double doors leading inside the library.  A woman with a brown-fringed shawl greeted them with some suspicion in her ageless face, but allowed them to at least enter.  As they came in, Torvus caught himself being stupidly slack-jawed.  The space was so big, and there were so many books!

 

Thousands, no tens of thousands of them, easily!

"Blood and bloody Ashes!" Torvus muttered, loud enough only for Adela to hear him swear, or at least he hoped.  He wanted to sit down and read, but how would he know what book to choose from?  Where would he start?  The task appeared quite daunting.

 

Well, he would probably be here for quite some time if he was allowed to read here.  He turned to Adela, who was already depositing the books she had loaned.

 

"Thank you, Adela." he said quietly with a smile.  "If I could go without sleep, I would surely live here until my friend is well, and then I would not want to leave!"

[Eqwina]

Del smirked at his introduction, but decided that for once she would hold her tongue and not find a reason to rib at him. She’d managed to make a few enemies that way and while she was bored she was not looking for another one.

 

Watching his face as they entered the library, she saw the very same look on his face that she’d had on hers. There were only a few great libraries in the world and Tar Valon was the best of the best. Without the Brown Ajah Librarians and well marked shelving it would be quite possible to search for days and not find the title you needed.

 

“You’re welcome Torvus. It really is a wonder the first time you see it, and the second and third as well, but I am not sure I would go without sleep just to be here.” Patting him on the back she point towards one of the long rows of shelves. “I am not sure what your interest in books is, but this whole row is histories. They are my favorite.” Pointing farther along the line of shelving she pointed out the rows for battle tactics, and other rooms just for books on arithmetic. “You can find anything your heart desires here, except a good spar of course.” Laughing at her own weak jest, she walked up to the small desk and returned the books she’d borrowed making sure the Aes Sedai checked her name off the list before turning back to Torus.

 

“I think I am going to go and find another few to read. The Mistress keeps me busy, but since she restricts activity after hours I am usually left alone in my room. Not much to do alone, but read.” Nudging him in the ribs she winked and walked off towards the row that held the histories of all the world.

 

[Visar Falmaien]

Histories...

Torvus didn't mind history works, but they tended to be very long and dry, and not as practical for the present as his tastes desired.  He did his best to smile as if he were impressed, however.

 

“You can find anything your heart desires here, except a good spar of course."

 

Torvus smirked, though uncertain at exactly what Adela meant.  Was she implying that she wanted him to spar her?  But he had not practiced to fight for ages, not since before the injury.  And here he was, in the greatest library in the world, and his mind drifted to sparring!  Torvus shook those thoughts out of his mind.  They were of another life, he insisted to himself, and he'd best not distract his mind by trying to indulge in the desires of his mostly renewed body to discover what it could do.  Besides, he had only just arrived at the Tower.  There would be plenty of time for sparring later if he so wished to make a fool of himself.  For now, the learning experience of a lifetime lay within his grasp, and he meant to take advantage of it while he was here.

 

“I think I am going to go and find another few to read. The Mistress keeps me busy, but since she restricts activity after hours I am usually left alone in my room. Not much to do alone, but read.”

 

"Again, my thanks.  I will see you later I hope, Adela." he nodded.  He grunted as she elbowed him in the ribs, and couldn't help but smile genuinely as she turned to get new books.  He spoke half to himself as she moved away, "I think I shall ask to see if they have texts on inventions of complex tools, or perhaps find a good tome on northern herblore..."

 

After asking an Aes Sedai which sections he might find such works, Torvus received several categories.  He tried the first one, which was concerned primarily with scientific research.  He bowed to an Aes Sedai that was just coming from there, but she paid him no heed, her eyes glued to a book that she read while she walked.  Wandering the shelves for quite some time, Torvus's eyes finally managed to land upon a veritable gold mine: a book on the theory of chemical reactions, by a Jahander Souvran from Tanchico.

 

He absently thumbed the scar on his face as he took it from the shelf.  A few of the plates were illustrated here and there, but most of the work was in a beautifully old fashioned script, almost an artwork of itself.  He could just about read it, but a few of the words were archaic in their spelling, some terms even in the Old Tongue, it looked. Interesting...

 

Finding a table, Torvus sat down, and he dived into another world.  Of volatile liquids and powdered ores, that when mixed or heated certain ways, produced astounding results.

-Torvus,

Wish I had parchment to take notes...

 

----

It was later in the evening when Torvus finally took a break.  He had read two-thirds of the way in, but found that with an increasing tempo of yawnings, he could read no further.  Memorizing the page he was last at (plate 134! plate 134!), he went back to the shelf and put it back where he had found it.

 

A Brown sister shooed him from the library, as if he had been delaying the inevitable clean up and reshelving from the day's visitors.  He would have to find a way to have permission to borrow books.  Adela could, apparently, and she was a trainee.  But how would a guest obtain permissoin, when they might up and leave at any day and be unable to return the books? 

 

Perhaps the Aes Sedai had some way of tracking their books down with their mystical Power...Yes, that must be it, otherwise many of the library's contents would no doubt be missing.

 

To his surprise, Torvus found himself greeted by Adela on his way out of the Tower.  Truth be told, he had not expected to see her again until at least tomorrow.  One could easily become lost around here, much less expect to find another person among thousands.

 

"You weren't waiting for me, were you?" he asked, incredulous, but glad to see a familiar face after doing nothing but read for most of the day.  In the back of his mind, he tried to remember where he was supposed to sleep, but didn't remember.  Did Kabria or Perivar say anything to that effect?  Light, why couldn't he remember?

-Torvus

I'm hungry, too...

[Eqwina]

Clutching “Caemlyn and Daes Dae’mar” tightly to her chest, Adela smiled reassuring at the Aes Sedai who’d allowed her to take out the book. She was amazed that after nearly a year of taking out books and returning them in the same flawless condition, she was still scrutinized and doubly warned about the horrors that would await her if she returned a book damaged.

 

 

Laying the book carefully on her nightstand she decided to find a bath before an evening of reading. She wouldn’t want to get dirt on the book after all. Smirking at her reflection in the mirror, she grabbed her basket of soaps and headed into the bathhouse. As she always did, she waited until the last of the boys were drying off before starting her water. Adela didn’t believe that ten years would be long enough to get used to bathing with men. Once her water was hot, she striped to her skin and sunk into the luxuriating warmth with a happy sigh.

 

 

 

The room slowly filled with steam, and Adela’s eyes grew heavy. Waiting until the water was not far short of cold she sleuthed off the days dirt and dressed in the clean clothes she’d brought with her.

 

 

Falling onto her bed with a happy smile, she propped open the book on her pillow and tried to read. With every line she managed she’d have to read it twice just to make sense of it. The reading was not above her head, she was just finding it hard to concentrate. The sun was still filtering in through her window, inviting and antagonizing. It made it hard to breathe, hard to focus, hard to sit still. Giving up on attempting to stay indoors she headed back out into the yards to see if she could find a spar.

 

 

With the sun sinking over the walls everyone was more ready for a bath, than to start a new with her.

 

 

Bored and anxious Adela fond her feet caring her back towards the library, but as the approached the gleaming walls she didn’t enter. For some reason, she found herself wanting to speak to Torvus again. He was different from the other men in the yards; he seemed to see with more than just the end of a weapon. He saw more than just blood, sweat, and the Tower. It was intriguing…

 

 

The sun sank even lower, and even her desire to speak with someone different was not enough to keep her sitting on the low bench outside the library any longer. She got to her feet and started to head back towards the barracks when she saw Torvus emerge looking haggard and worn. Smiling she walked towards him and fell into step.

 

 

“And what’s it to you if I was? I am sure it’s not everyday you have a woman waiting for your presence.” Scanning him with her eyes she made it clear that he should be feeling very lucky to have her attention. ”I thought you were willing to go without sleep to stay in the library? What happened to your resolve?”

 

 

When he didn’t respond, Adela just laughed. “Well, I suppose after a day of hard studying you could do with some food? If your are up for it I will buy you a meal and a drink.”

 

Adela

feeling amused

 

[Visar Falmaien]

“And what’s it to you if I was? I am sure it’s not everyday you have a woman waiting for your presence.”

Torvus smirked, amused at Adela's sarcastic tone.  As to not staying up all night, he simply shrugged, not having the energy to put an excuse into words.  He liked to study, but he had just arrived and the all-nighters would have to wait until he was settled in and could afford to sleep in.

 

“Well, I suppose after a day of hard studying you could do with some food? If your are up for it I will buy you a meal and a drink.”

Torvus thought the offer awfully generous of her.  He amended it, knowing his usual habits when it came to drink.

 

"A meal would be lovely, thank you.  I'm afraid the drinks will have to be on me, however.  I still have some left over from my journey and besides, I seriously doubt you would be able to drink as much as I do."

Torvus felt a stirring in his gut, a longing that the length of the journey had for the most part suppressed until now.  He needed a drink, or more precisely, he needed a Lot of them.

 

Ice Peppers and Brandy! I feel like I have not had any liquor in me in more than a month!

 

He detected a challenging look in the woman's eyes.  Of course, it must be his age, he thought.  Just because he was still seventeen, they all assumed he was an innocent, dry light weight.

[Eqwina]

Del rolled her eyes and threw an arm around Torvus’ shoulder. “The first round at least is on me. After that we shall see.”  With gentle pressure on his shoulder she led him out the front gates and to the nearest Inn. It was a regular gathering spot for trainee’s and members of the guard alike.

 

Stepping in out of the darkened streets a warm glow met their eyes, and only added to the comfortable feeling that the hum of conversation created. Spotting an empty table near the corner of the room Adela drug Torvus along behind her. A few of the guards gave her odd looks, but she only stared at them pointedly until they looked away.

 

With her brother absent from her side, Adela had taken on a few of his old habits, but Torvus hardly looked the sort she would normally choose to flirt with. Smiling at him from across the small table she raised her hand to motion over one of the serving girls.

 

Pulling a few coins out of her purse she handed them to the haggard, but pleasant serving girl. Smiling up into the girls brown eyes Adela added another coin before placing their order. “I would like two brandy’s and keep them coming as long as there is coin, and please bring us two of whatever is making this room smell so delicious.”

 

Leaning in so she could be heard over the growing noise of the room, Adela pulled out another coin. “Are you a betting man Torvus?” 

 

Adela Naurel

feeling lucky

[Visar Falmaien]

Torvus let himself be led to an inn, already looking forward to a fun night.  He might have to pay for a few more rounds, but having assistance part of the way would help him attain an impressive collection of empty bottles he hoped.  Not to mention he would finally be able to live freely without any inhibitions.  Pain wasn't the only reason he wanted to drown himself in alcohol most of the time.  It was just too plain fun.

 

As they arrived, Torvus grinned widely at the festive common room in the inn.  There were many people inside, though not too many as to be crowded.  It would be the perfect place.  For what, though?  He would soon find out.

 

The serving girls looked tired.  It must have been a busy night for them already.  Torvus didn't spare them much more thought or sympathy, however.  He merely seconded Adela's request for a continuous stream of drinks with an enthusiastic "Yes!"

 

The place began to get even more noisy, as other patrons stumbled in, some of them already tipsy from visiting other taverns.  Some few filtered upstairs, having enough already, but most packed the tables of the common room, eager like Torvus to end the night on a swimmingly good note.

“Are you a betting man Torvus?”  

 

"Oh?" Torvus raised an eyebrow, wondering what sort of bet she had in mind.  "I think I'll take your wager and double it!"  He quickly pulled out two coins of approximately the same value as she had and set them on the table.

 

Finally, the serving maid arrived with some food and their drinks.  Torvus, somewhat hungry, initially dove into his food, but after feeling that he would not starve the night, he quickly switched to taking long pulls of fiery brandy.  It was a good vintage, he thought, though perhaps a bit too watered down for his tastes.  After getting something into him, he finally asked, curious.

"Now...What exactly are we betting on?  You think you can out drink me?  Or is this some other game?"  He flashed a youthful, confident grin, not thinking how this could possibly go wrong.

 

-Torvus,

about to lose a lot of money.

[Eqwina]

Adela grinned even wider as two of his coins were put out to match her one. Trying to appear casual she rolled her coin slowly across the back of her fingers, a skill she had just recently acquired and was very proud of. It also bought her time to think; she’d had not thought Torvus would be the betting type. So, she’d had no wager in mind.

 

Letting the moments until their food arrived pass in silence her mind spun with ideas, each more devious than the rest, but she finally settled on a bet she couldn’t possibly lose. In her time in the yards she’d become quite practiced at drinking, and she had no doubt that this young man would pose no problems. “Your gold for mine that I can drink you under this table and back over again.” Winking at him she pushed her half eaten plate aside and took a long pull from her brandy. The room temperature liquid burned on the way down, but when it hit her stomach she smiled. “The first one to fall out of their chair is the loser. You cannot use your hands to support you though, and cannot rest on the table. That way you can’t just drunkenly prop yourself up.”

 

Leaning back in her chair she pulled out another coin and set it on the table next to his two. “Also, other side bets are allowed.” Winking she crossed her legs and pulled them beneath her so she was sitting up very straight in the chair. “That way the night won’t get stale while I drink you silly.”

 

Torvus seemed slightly perplexed at the idea of a side bet, and so Adela decided to go ahead and lay down another of her ideas. ..just to give him an example of course. “How about this, I will bet you that I can get that pretty serving girl to dance with me, before you can get any other girl in here to dance with you. The stakes are the next round of drinks?”

Adela

feeling mischievous

 

[Visar Falmaien]

“Your gold for mine that I can drink you under this table and back over again.”

 

Torvus flashed a grin.  How much did this girl know about him anyway?  "You are so on!"  She winked and took a long drink, as if the extra brandy would not have affected her.  Torvus briefly wondered whether this was for show or that she really could drink a lot.  He had never found anyone close his age in Saldaea who drank as recklessly or as frequently as he did.  Even if he did meet his match in Adela, he doubted he would mind.

 

She explained the rules.  The first to fall lost.  However, the prospect of side bets made things even more interesting, though Torvus was confused as to how that would work, since he had not done a game like this before.  Trying to concentrate on other things than just sitting up would make it harder to concentrate on drinking for the longest without falling.  But while they were doing the other things, did getting out of their chair count for falling down?

 

“How about this, I will bet you that I can get that pretty serving girl to dance with me, before you can get any other girl in here to dance with you. The stakes are the next round of drinks?

 

Torvus blinked.  He had to dance with one of the other girls in here?  When was the last time he had danced?  And how would his legs served him?  They had been healed, but he hardly had their former level of coordination...

 

Don't focus on the problem, but just do! he thought to himself, and he took a draught of brandy, emptying his glass.  He stood, his head still perfectly clear, and looked around the room.

 

If there was to be a dance, there needed to be music.  Torvus looked around for musicians, and found a woman sitting by a dulcimer on one side, next to a man with a fiddle idly fingering his instrument to tune it.

 

Torvus clapped loudly to get their attention.  Many of the other people in the common room looked up at the noise, curious as to what this was about.

 

"Good musicians!  I need a tune to dance to! Will you oblige me?"  After a brief conferment with each other, they nodded and got together to figure out what to play.  One of the men nearby called for another drink.  The serving woman, who had moved dangerously close to Adela, wearily shuffled over to take his request. 

 

Not her, she's tired, Torvus thought, scanning the room for an eligible young lady to dance with as the two musicians starting picking up a lively reel.

 

I know this song!  Torvus thought triumphantly, though as some of the people in the inn started to sing, some words were completely different.  Ah hah! Her!  A young woman got up, a bounce in her step, and headed over to the clearing where Torvus stood.  The man she was with was a bit too focused on his drink to follow, so Torvus took that opportunity to ask her to dance, the brandy in him giving him just enough courage not to care if he looked like a complete and utter idiot.

 

To his luck, she agreed, and Torvus flashed Adela a triumphant grin as he danced in circles near their table.

 

After some time passed, the song finished and Torvus sat, conserving his strength for the rest of the game.

"I believe the next round is yours." he said calmly, as he felt the warmth in his stomach slowly spread in his midsection.

 

They drank their next rounds, and slammed their glasses on the table.  Now it was Torvus's turn to think of something to dare Adela to do.

"You don't look like the singing type..." he started.  "You should go to those two excellent musicians and ask them to accompany you for a song!  In front of everyone!  If you don't get at least five people to sing with you by the time you're finished, you'll have to pay for the next round!"

 

[Eqwina]

Adela finished off her drink and watched Torvus grab the attention of the room. He certainly seemed to be in his element in the limelight, not something she would have expected of him; not from what she knew. Motioning for Marina their serving girl, Adela put on her most winning smile. One fact that she’d not bothered to disclose to Torvus was that she and Marina had a previous relationship. They had flirted on occasion, and could perhaps be called friends. Del had no fear that she would be losing this bet, but before Marina could cross the room Torvus ha twirled a pretty young girl out onto the floor.

 

Passing another coin to Marina, she regained her seat. “Add that to what I already gave you sweetie, and keep the drinks coming.” Not even cracking a smile she walked away to retrieve more drinks before Adela could say anymore. Waiting impatiently for the song to end, she idly drew small circles on the table with her brandy. She hated to lose, even small bets and Torvus’ knowing smile did nothing to sooth her temper.

 

Shooting him a slightly heated look, she took another long pull from her fresh drink as he sat back down. Beginners luck she grumbled in her head as they finished this round and motioned for another.

 

Watching him closely for signs of trickery, she waited to hear what his retaliation would be.

 

SINGING! Inwardly Adela laughed. Her voice would not win her any awards, but this would not be the first time she’d sang in front of a crowd. Smiling a slightly triumphant grin Adela reached across the table and finished of the dregs of Torvus’ mug. “We have a few more rounds on my coin, but I will still take that bet.”

 

Sauntering over to the musicians, Adela leaned in close and explained her choice in music. Throughout the travels she’d made she knew that one song could be known by several different names, even just a town away. Looking around the room she knew that it was mostly locals tonight, and so she chose a song that was sang often in Inn’s and Taverns in Tar Valon.

 

Motioning for the bartender to help her, she pulled one of the smaller tables over by the musicians and allowed him to help her up.  From her raised vantage she could see the entire room, catching Torvus’ eye she smiled and waited for the music to begin. The upbeat steady rhythm filled the room, and within a few bars dancers had taken the floor.

 

Belting the song out loud and clear, she swayed in time to the music and by the second time she sang the chorus most of the room was singing along.

 

“And the Seanchan girls with the way they slur

They knock me out cold on the floor.

Two Rivers farmers' daughters

Like to thump you on the head,

And the Aes Sedai with their Warder's Bonds--

I'd protect them all, unless they're Red.

 

But I wish they all could be Taraboner girls...

 

When she finally jumped down off the table, many of the men were clapping and calling for more. “Later boys, I have my winnings to collect.”

 

Flopping back down at the table she wiped the sweat off her brow and grinned at Torvus. “How about you make it a challenge next time?? If this is all there is to your bets I am going to win for sure.” Her head and stomach were filled with a warm tingle, and as the hot liquid slid down her throat she had a devious idea....

 

Adela

tipsy

 

 

Song Courtesy of the Texas Darkfriends'

Tenth Social

[Visar Falmaien]

Torvus could feel his head start to buzz as the drink started affecting him, its fire slowly spreading from his belly.  He would not have long before he would have difficulty sitting straight, he knew.  If he was going to win this he needed to decide his strategy here and now.

 

Have to keep from falling over, have to keep from falling over.  But make her fall over first... But how? She had sung well enough, and even Torvus had heard some version of her song before.

 

But for the life of them, as they returned to their main drinking game, taking down mug after mug of fiery brandy, he could not thing of an appropriately embarrassing thing to dare her to do.

 

"Well this is no fun!" Torvus declared, slurring his words intentionally to appear worse off than he was.  "Just drinking and drinking won't get us anywhere. I think it's time we both went for a dance or three!"

 

Torvus stood, and directly offered his hand to Adela just as the next song was starting up.

[Elgee]

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