Open Chronicles The Rain Dance

[Skull-hammer]

For a stranger in this strange land Skull-hammer knew not what honour or richness he had brought that demanded he be seated first and by his hosts instruction no less.
The wonder of the plaza and the dim of the folk was not nearly as disrupted as he might have feared by his presence.
When he had sat and the little one began to clamber onto his legs he fell into his old habit which formed with his own niece. The game of stepping stones. He began a rhythmic turning of his arms, slowly, to prolong the climbing motion she used to climb up onto his bulk. He looked about again as the guests gathered. Surely one of them had seen the Orc with one Tusk. He had the words to ask now but it felt a burden to do such a thing after this great kindness.
He was in no hurry.
Content to play he let the tiny child balance hands and knees on his upper arm. She looked like a tiny panther kitten with her wide smile and shrieking laughter.
With his free hand he placed Tum-tum on the table and let him wander a bit. The turtle with the blue wode spiral on its shell was always popular it seemed. He would be looked after here.
"THANK YOU!"
He said to Noelani as she agreed to the childish request. He still did not know the full language of the Small-folk but he had gathered it was some specificity of his hair request.
His hair only grew in the middle of his head as a form of natural mohawk and was blood red, contrasting his deep green skin. Even sitting as he was he towered over many of the standing guests. He might even have to lay down to allow the procedure. The thought brought a smile to his face as the friendly child continued to clamber over his head.
With large and gentle hands he picked her down and turned her to face him. She sat in the palm of his hand quite neatly.
"I AM CALLED SKULL-HAMMER!"
He tapped his chest to emphasis himself.
"YOU?"
His great finger bumped her tiny chest.

Noelani

 

[Medja]

Each new sight in this place was more breathtaking and beautiful than the last. Medja was more than happy to take a seat alongside the others, nearest to Ashuanar as she could be. She, too, smiled at the antics of Lani, her niece, and the ogre that had followed them. For once, Medja felt like she could relax. No politics for the moment, no playing of the game nor plotting nor sorcery. Just enjoying the moment with her found family. Bliss.

 

[Wisteria]

Wisteria was used to sticking out, that's what drew people to her, what helped her gain the knowledge she needed from curious eyes and wandering hands. No, this was her bread and butter, she lived for it.

Still, the thought of Ashuanar being there would not be far from her mind. Perhaps they could steal a moment later, perhaps not. Medja would command attention, and Wisteria would not take from her benefactor.

Light music drifted through the air as guests arrived. There would be more to dance to once all the important attendees arrived. Then, she would dance and flirt, keeping her eyes watchful and her ears perked. Secrets always found their way to her.

 

[Len Dy't B-taa]

Len followed them all, guided by the waterfalls that coursed through the foreign paradise like blood through the veins of a grand dream of sand and sea. Somewhere along the way, the world around him began to fall apart.

The trees and buildings all crumbled to the ground, returning to the earth without a sound to signal their retreat, and without so much as scraping the bountiful nature they were so carefully constructed within. The sun above hung at high noon, and the clouds departed to give that blazing sphere of heat the center stage it so deserved.

B-taa moved to that pristine heart, that pool that all of the falls joined at in the center of this utopia. He was alone now. Noelani and Medja, the two beautiful women who treated him with such grace were but dust to his eyes. The mighty form of Ashuanar, and the massive stature of Skull-Hammer, they too faded to black.

There was but one thing that the rays of the sun shone upon, and the Grand Terios approached it now without trepidation. To any other, he would appear in a daze as he ignored the dias, the table his friends seated themselves at, and the grand view of the palace itself. Instead, he followed the pull of his heart, to that flat space where several others already had begun their dances.

Len thought nothing of what would be thought of him as he stood at the center of that sun-baked stage and drew his blade them all. Eyes would turn, leery and wary of the figure, that of a man who lived a life in perpetual movement. The very movement that chiseled his form now supported him as he laid his own blade across his broad shoulders, the slight chill of smooth steel sliding against his flesh, the curved edge of the blade gliding precariously against his bronzed skin as he released the hilt.

The sword slid down his outstretched arm, balanced perfectly along his humerus bone. Gravity did his work for him and slowly his weapon travelled the length of his arm until it began to fall to the floor. Spinning and springing forward on one foot, he grasped the tip of the blade in his hand, the hilt on the other end hovering mere inches from the ground.

The sharp edge threatened to dig against his skin were Len to incorrectly shift his grip even slightly. One foot remained firmly on the ground, with the other extended behind him. Slowly, he would lower that leg while pulling the blade he so precariously held skyward.

Carefully he began to tilt the blade, as well as his body. The edge of the steel meets the flesh between his neck and shoulder as his hand makes contact with the floor beneath him, his feet swinging upwards to lift himself from the ground while balancing the blade against his neck.

He would rotate, land on his feet while rotating his head so that the sword spun around to the other side of his neck, and then repeat thrice more. He moved to a song that wasn't playing. That he hadn't heard in this life.

 

[Noelani]

The Princess had to clamber onto one of the rocks at Skull Hammers back in order to reach his head and hair, but she perched there as though she did it all the time. One of the men she had spoken to on their way up to the main party appeared with a basket of the delicate blooms and set it at Lani's feet along with a comb. He touched his fingers to his lips and then vanished.

"ʻAn-oo-oh-no," the little Princess in the orcs lap said slowly. She was still learning her words but she said her name correctly and beamed at her aunt who rewarded her with a matching grin. She ran the comb through what hair there was with gentle care, wisps of water drawing up from the little pools dotted between platforms to help ease the tangles. "You aw vwery bigs - like my big brother!" she said, puffing out her chest with much pride. "Cwan you dance wif spwears too?"

Lani laughed quietly beneath her breath.

"She means, can you fight. It is the phrase we use here," she murmured softly to his ear before resuming her braiding. Given what little there was she was doing surprisingly well in turning the Mohawk into a replica of a plaited fishes tail, dotted with pretty flowers. Her eyes drifted every now and then to the performance suddenly happening before them. The way he moved with his blade... The Princess found herself unable to look away, eyes wide, as the blade twirled. At any moment he could lose a finger, an ear, or sever an important artery but... no. This was clearly a warrior who had honed his craft.

"He's amazing," she exclaimed to the whole table. "Wherever did you find him, Medja?"

 

[Ashuanar]

Ashuanar would say he was enjoying himself, of course. The warmth in the breeze was pleasant. The food and drink too, which he casually partook of, was also delightful. The laughter of children proved oddly comforting as well, and it struck him that he'd not been around such youths since he himself was one. Then, drawn by Noelani's inquiry, Ashuanar's ears found the music and his eyes were upon the display.

He watched as the stranger who had arrived with Medja danced with his sword, and the skill in his hand was shown forth. The vizier studied his movements, and found himself to be more than impressed. Ashuanar was an able fighter and a deadly assassin, but this Len Dy't B-taa was indeed a master of his craft. Were it not for the strengths that the Band of Serqet afforded Ashuanar, he might feel himself lessened in the presence of one of such talent. But then, that thought in itself served as much.

He drank, his eyes falling slyly upon Medja as he too began to wonder just where she'd found him.

 

[Skull-hammer]

Keeping his head still to allow Noelani at his hair was a bit difficult when the little one was talking to him.
When asked about fighting he gave it some thought. The idea of a fight being like a dance didn't really make sense to him. Dancing was moving together and fighting was, the opposite of that.
"I AM STRONG."
He was, even among the Forest Ogres he was one of the strongest.
"I HAVE HAMMER. NOT SPEAR!"
He mighty arm gestured to the large tool at his side. It was a thick shaft of wood with a large stone head carved like a dragon skull.
"BUT PROWLER SAYS, SKULL-HAMMER SHOULD NOT FIGHT, SCARES SMALL-FOLK!"
He had never been asked about fighting. Usually the very idea that he might fight someone was treated with a dozen or so people standing up and drawing their own weapons.

Noelani

 

[Medja]

Medja watched as well as Len let himself slip into the trance of his dance, the world seemingly falling away from him as he moved to his own rhythm and melody. It was a sight to behold, that commitment and focus to his craft, displaying skill far beyond any she'd seen among her own array of dancers--including, she had to admit, herself.

Better warriors? That remained to be seen. She'd not yet witnessed Len in a fight yet, and he'd have to match many incredible contenders...one of whom she sat next to at that very moment.

"Wherever did you find him, Medja?"

The regent gave a wry half-grin at the question.
"Would you believe that I dug him up?" she jested, then let out a tittering laugh. "The man out of time...he stumbled into Annuakat a while ago and managed to catch my interest with his tales of hailing from an ancient civilization, long since passed. I've been harboring him as a diplomatic emissary ever since."

Her gaze slid over to meet Ashuanar's, and she slid her hand behind him to rub the base of his neck. A small act of assurance, comfort, and endearment, if nothing else.

 

[Wisteria]

Wisteria was quick to plant herself in within the crowd. Eyes were quickly drawn to the singular figure placed amongst the other dancers. Everyone seemed to pause, eyes hypnotized, mouths agape. She stood silently as she watched, there was a certain danger to what he was doing.

On a whim, Wisteria approached the man as he finished. He had arrived with Medja, she was curious about his story. She waited patiently for him to return, she could see the far off look on his face, a true dancer. Perhaps she will have to take a turn with her own talents later on.

Len Dy't B-taa

 

[Len Dy't B-taa]

Len hadn't meant to make himself the center of attention, honestly. It had simply been so long since his last dance, and even longer since the last not soaked in blood. For it was these motions that he displayed before his growing crowd of onlookers that had earned him his title of Terios.

Many in his time could fight, and many could be considered champions. None, however, could make the obscenity of death into a display so beautiful. When faced with opposing forces seeking to end his dance, the battlefield became a meadow, a garden of violence and carnage, and Len Dy't B-taa was the single scarlet rose, blossoming from the earth at its center.

There was a lull in the music, and reality began to creep its way back into B-taa's mind. The visions of war around him fell away, the corpses at his feet dissipating back into the recesses of his mind. There had been a time when his dance was not haunted by visions of conflict, long ago. Perhaps someday, the purity he'd lost would return. For now, he became suddenly aware of the eyes upon him and felt a small heat rise to his face.

One particular pair standing right in front of him, that exotic, fox-eared woman he'd seen wandering about before was suddenly perched dangerously close to somebody who had just been prancing about with a sword. What was more concerning than her proximity was the heat behind her eyes. She was looking over him as though he could see right through his flesh.

"A-ah... Excuse me, Miss. I didn't mean to wander so close to you. I should... probably go and take my seat." He stammered, somewhat taken aback by the stranger's boldness. "Please do feel free to join me, if you wish." He'd gotten caught up in the moment, embarrassingly. Giving a bow to the elderly couple he assumed to be the Rulers of this paradise, he quickly whisked himself away towards the table that Noelani had led the rest of the group towards, brushing against the soft form of the stranger as he found his seat. Giving a brief, apologetic bow of his head towards the Princess, he gently pleaded, "Pray forgive me, Princess. I lost myself for a moment, it was rude for me to do such a thing before I was properly seated and introduced."

No apology would reverse his actions though, and whereas he'd remained rather inconspicuous until now, he'd felt the gazes of Noelani, Ashuanar, and more. So much for keeping a lower profile. "This celebration is not about me. I was out of turn."

 

[Noelani]

"Me no swared!" The younger Mchawii princess proclaimed after looking at the hammer which was more than likely taller than she was. She puffed herself up and, like all children her age unable to sit still for too long, she hopped off the ogres lap and fell into a surprisingly good imitation of a defensive stance. It lost most of its intimidating edge however with her flowery crown and dress.

"I'm gonna be like my mummy, and fwight with the ocean!" barely more then a whisp of water suddenly sprung up from one of the various pools surrounding them. It wobbled as the young girl spun it around her in what she clearly deemed an impressive gesture. "Hyah!" The stream of water shot straight for her aunt.

***​

Noelani, meanwhile, had become utterly distracted by Len's dancing. Her people may have called fighting a dance, but this man was proving it to be true. She had only seen that gracefulness from the her fellow Sea Witches as they wielded their weapons of water. From the way the rest of the crowd had quietened the others knew it too and watched in deep appreciation. The musicians did not falter though their beat changes to that of the a war dance. It seemed to fit what Len did seamlessly.

"Perhaps I need to visit your deserts more. The men you keep finding there are certainly.... exquisite," Lani mused as the dance finally came to an end then winked at Ashur to show she did indeed include him in that summary. More than a few groups murmured in appreciation and the applause as Len left the platform was more than simply polite. The Mchawi were a people who could appreciate talent no matter who wielded it. When Len joined them once more professing his apologies the Princess merely shook her head with a smile.

"Please, don't apologise. Your performance was a gift, my parents certainly enjoyed it," indeed the elderly couple were chatting with great animation. The King even seemed to be demonstrating with a salt pot how he thought Len had managed to twirl on the spear in such a manner. "Perhaps later you can show--"

Suddenly her words were cut off by the splash of water to the side of her face.

"ʻAnoʻono!" The child let out a wicked laugh of delight before bolting under the table to hide from any type of revenge. With an exaggerated sigh she pulled the water from her skin and let it snake back into the pool. Then she patted Skullhammers shoulders. "You are all set my friend. Please, eat. I'll attempt to protect you from the terror that is my niece."

Maniacal giggles came from beneath the table.

 

[Ashuanar]

Medja's idle touch had, at first, afforded him a mild comfort. He finished taking of his drink and set it back down onto the table before them, and shared with the empress a passing smile before he sank comfortably back into his seat once again. He watched as the sword dancer concluded his impromptu performance, and witnessed another interesting thing. It seemed this Len of Terios or whoever he was had garnered quite a bit of attention indeed, having the whimsical Wisteria approach him so boldly.

He could not deny that there was then a quiet fire that roused in him.

The corner of his lip shifted some.

As the pair of them approached his eyes descended though his chin remained set, and he glanced over his hands placed passively across his lap. And despairing thoughts found their way to him, and he was reminded that while it may be that he was a vizier, he was in the presence of those who had for much longer been a noble sort.

He was a slave, with power given to him only through the power of others.

His eyes looked to the golden band upon his wrist.

The fire in him faded, and subtly his shoulders slowly fell. Then, a contented breath, and he afforded a smile as the little girl carried out her innocent act of mischief. In the excitement, he feigned a curiosity elsewhere, and departed from the table.

 

[Skull-hammer]

A roaring laughter came from Skull-hammer as the tiny warrior defied her elder as all young are want to do. Still it was remarkable.
His people were not granted power over water or fire. They had the strength of the hills and the wisdom of the woods.
"THANK, YOU!"
He said to Noelani as he stretched his mighty neck, free to move again and he knew play when he saw it.
"ANO'ONO MOVE WATER?"
He felt it easy to ask among such a group though he turned his head to cast the remark at Noelani. The ability caused him some confusion. There were things of wood and river that moved the world and some of the Small-folk he had seen use strangeness he did not understand but it was a curious thing to see one so small and young perform the act.
He did not have the proper words to ask his questions in full but he doubted these Small-folk spoke the language of hills.

Noelani

 

[Wisteria]

Wisteria was slightly amused at the suddenly bashful sword dancer. She certainly wanted to learn more about him and his culture. It seemed something she could learn from and add to her own talents. At his apology, she smiled and began to follow him to the table. Others were quick to garner his attention however and so she made a quick apologetic bow and smiled. "Perhaps when your attentions are not needed, another time Sword Dancer"

In honesty, it was the departure of Ashuanar from the table that pulled her from the stranger. A stolen moment alone with him was more enticing, it had been a while since she had last seen him. She followed slowly behind him, worry across her pretty face. Maybe he didn't want to see her at all, still, she hated for him to be alone.

 

[Theodore Aleson]

The scholar was beginning to regret his decision in attending this event. He was out of place amongst all these high status individuals and grand personalities. While the big one known as Skull-hammer was the loudest they were not the biggest problem. What was a big problem was all the tension centered around four individuals that included the Empress.

Theo truly held his heart out for the hostess. She didn't deserve this happening. All this lovely food and preparations was in danger of being in vain. He remembered how much work festival day preparations were for his family tavern. All the planning of meals and drinks and entertainment. Getting everything clean. Finding the right scents to fill spaces and later cover up the stinks of merriment. Special clothes on tables, benches, and walls. Flowers in vases and hanging from the roof. So much work for a single building and she had to over see it for an entire palace with guests much harder to please.

He did hope nothing much happened. Not that he would step in to stop it. Not his place. Be the end of him. More importantly, Sammy was beginning to lose patience and required his constant attention to keep from raiding the kitchen.

 

[Medja]

"You couldn't be more correct, dear," Medja replied to Noelani, sharing her look of admiration towards the Red Sun. Ashuanar, for his part however...

Initially, a wave of concern washed over Medja as Ashuanar silently stood and wandered off. It was unlike him to just...leave like that. Something must have been bothering him, and it didn't take someone with Medja's years of experience to understand that.

She turned towards Wisteria, beginning to speak before she'd actually laid eyes on the girl.
"Wisteria, dear, would you--" but the demi-fox was already chasing after the Vizier. "Oh. Hmm..."

A curious turn. She'd thought to have Wisteria check in on Ashuanar, but now she reconsidered. Medja's intrigue had been piqued, and she wanted to know what strange turn of events had transpired in her busy duties as both Vizier and regent.

 

[Len Dy't B-taa]

Noelani's assurances were appreciated, but Len nevertheless felt as though he'd made a fool of himself with his actions. His intentions for coming here had been to quietly study and learn more about the culture in which he had found himself thrust. Instead, he once again found himself the center of attention, the one people's eyes were drawn to.

To one who had lived a long life of humble servitude, it was the antithesis of his environment. His new position within the Empire had seemed a simple and modest one when he'd accepted it; the bodyguard of a Noblewoman belonging to a dwindling house.

Then, she'd been attacked, and word of his defense had traveled to the Empress herself. Now not only did Ahti Merira weigh on his mind, he'd also found the affection of Medja, and had even been so foolish as to display it before her lover.

That wasn't even mentioning the strange fox-woman or the spark that Noelani's twinkling gaze sent down his spine. This place was just as dangerous as his old Kingdom was, but for far different reasons, he was realizing.

Ashuanar quickly made his exit soon after Len's return, and the Terios hung his head to gaze at the surface of the table, hoping he'd not caused more trouble. Wisteria left after him, and Len allowed himself to follow the antics of the small child, wishing to distract himself from the awkward feeling in his gut.

 

[Noelani]

Lani ran a hand through her hair to ensure all of the water was out of it least it frizz and gave the sigh of a long suffering relative. Giggling still came from beneath the table as she sat herself on one of the chairs this time, rather than the rocks behind Skull Hammers head. She nodded to his question as men and women approached with dishes and more wine.

"She is our the youngest Namaka in our family, to my sisters great pride," the Princess helped herself to a large helping of yellow spiced rice mixed with an assortment of shellfish such as prawns and clams. At the smell of food the young girl in question finally poked her head out from beneath the table and clambered into a vacant seat. The look she gave her aunt could have been the sketch dictionary authors included under the description for innocence.

"Command over water is a common gift amongst my people. The story goes that at the Great Beginning, when sea and land finally met as once, my ancestors were curious of this new creation - the Earth. They walked from the oceans depths made of nothing but seafoam but the longer they stayed, the more they learned to love the Earth as much as the Water, their forms took solid shape."

 

[Skull-hammer]

Listening intently Skull-hammer pondered her words.
So her people came from the sea. That was not so hard for him to believe. Ogres came from the Earth so why not Small-folk from the sea?
Addressing Noelani he replied.
"MY, PEOPLE DON'T, COMMAND WATER, OR FIRE BUT WE..."
He searched for the words.
"THERE ARE, BEASTS, WITH TIME, WE CAN, TALK. NOT, COMMAND, ONLY ASK!"
He hoped he was being understood. Though his grasp on the common tongue was much improved there were concepts he had a hard time translating.
Leaning down he gently patted Ano'ono on the head with a hand that she could have curled up and slept in.
On the table Tum-tum was moving towards a bowl of fruits eager to munch.
"MY PEOPLE, COME FROM THE HILLS. WE, TOOK WORDS FROM STONES AND STRENGTH FROM TREES. SO WE STAYED THERE. LOOK AFTER TREES AND HILLS."
It was a poor excuse for his people's creation myth but it was all he could muster in common.

Noelani

 

[Ashuanar]

When Wisteria was finally caught up with him, she'd find him beneath the shade of a tree, knelt with his back to the commotion of the festivities. Whether or not he detected her approach was not at first obvious, but as she drew nearer to him he rose again to his feet. Then, as he turned to face her, a black cat slyly scampered away and out of sight.

"Wisteria," he said to her, "I am glad you were able to attend. Noelani's home is certainly something to behold, don't you agree?"