Well, we're all in the mood for a melody...

[sapphira_ststep]

[The Tavern of Hell]
[It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, February 6 (day 251)]...and the regular crowd rushes in. And I know the faces you see at the bar, making love to their tonic and gin

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[sapphira_ststep]

Brown leather and bronze ribbons and red-gold cider, how autumnal, all told. I take my drink and stand and move to the end of the bar nearer the door. I pass a would-be couple as I do, the youth yearning after the woman's attention and her indulging... him? perhaps... and herself. Whiskey and a child on a woman whose skin is too pretty, even at her age, to be a souse... No, I do not think she is much for indulging others, despite the thin restraint in her hand as she sips. I think of asking for a song, but I prefer rags and opera. The one would give her no chance to sing, and I think the other would be rather overlong for the Tavern, and so I pass them by.

There is a boy who is nearly a perfect setpiece of young and tousled confidence, and one of the bartenders whose shoulders bespeak an assertion of self that is still finding its place... Lannie, I think I've heard the others call her. A thin knot of young women, standing at the bar a little too close to each other to be as comfortable here as they are trying to be, but

I come to a clearer spot by the end of the bar and stand there a moment, and the opening of the door directly as the jukebox pauses before bubbling into another song catches my attention. You say I waste my life away, but I live it to the full... Black and purple, and not what I often see but certainly carefully designed.

"I do like your inkwork," I say conversationally to her as she passes. "Do you often add to it?"

[verite_belrose]

I do like your inkwork,Do you often add to it? Someone, a woman, says to me as I walk into the Tavern. I give her a smile. The brown leather mask is sort of familiar, think I've seen her before in the market. "Thanks. Not often but that's because I'm a little picky. Got to be the right thing before it goes on permanently." And then I stick out my hand hoping she'll take it. "I'm Verite. And I like your mask."

[sapphira_ststep]

"Thanks," she says, and I think rather pleased. "Not often but that's because I'm a little picky. Got to be the right thing before it goes on permanently."

I smile in agreement and take her hand as she introduces herself. "That's very true, I think. I'm Sapphira St-Stephens," and she says that she likes my mask and I smile.

"Thank you," I say. "I thought I'd dress it up a little, tonight," I add, brushing one hand across the ribbons, and then I look thoughtfully at her. "You said it has to be the right thing... do you design your own?" I ask, stepping back a little so that she can get to the bar while we talk.

[verite_belrose]

Oh good she does take my hand and introduces herself. I'm Sapphira St-Stephens, I get a smile for my compliment of her mask. Thank you,I thought I'd dress it up a little, tonight, She adds, one hand gently brushing at the ribbons fastened to the side.

You said it has to be the right thing... do you design your own? She asks with a thoughtful look at me. Lannie brushes my arm as she goes past and I give her a smile. She seems to be heading for a table nearby. I'll catch up with her in a bit. Sapphira is stepping back a bit which lets me get closer to the bar, and I take the next empty seat. Wave to catch Thomas' attention. And answer my new friend, "Yes, I do. As well as design them for others. Part of my business. Is that mask your own work?" It probably is.

[sapphira_ststep]

The bartending woman goes by, touching Verite lightly on one arm; friends, I think, and probably quite familiar ones for the quick I'll see you later to be so casual.

Her next line confirms my suspicion; "Yes, I do. As well as design them for others," she adds. "Part of my business. Is that mask your own work?"

"All mine are," I say, smiling. "And all the ones I sell or trade, too. That's my work and my business both. What's yours-- wait," I say, interrupting myself and looking at her curiously. Her hair is really remarkable, the kind of thing that could overwhelm a smaller or quieter person, but as deliberately assembled as the whole look is... "Do you work at Dyed for Beauty?"

[verite_belrose]

A smile,All mine are, And all the ones I sell or trade, too. That's my work and my business both. What's yours--wait, and she stops briefly to look at me again and then as she asks if confirming something, Do you work at Dyed for Beauty?

I grin at her, "Own it actually." not sure if I ought to correct her on the name. It's a very minor thing to leave off the I. And some people take it badly if you correct them on things. "Your stuff's beautiful. Haven't seen much of it since Halloween. At the party." A memory of the large room full of people dressed fantastically comes to me.

[sapphira_ststep]

"Own it actually," she says with a grin, and I raise my eyebrows (and tilt my head, since eyebrows won't show through the mask), impressed and a little surprised.

"Congratulations, then, chere," I say, smiling. I don't think it's such an important thing here as it is in the cities down south to take your own shop, move out of journeyman, but she's clearly quite pleased and has a right to be.

"Your stuff's beautiful," and I believe she means it and I smile. "Haven't seen much of it since Halloween. At the party."

"That was lovely, the whole night," I say in agreement. "And no, people don't often wear masks without an excuse, I find, not in most places I've been. Still, I make them, and sometimes they find homes." I shrug and smile. "So we both use needles and ink to decorate hide, and have run into each other by chance. Would you like a cider to celebrate?"

[verite_belrose]

Her head tilts and then she smiles and congratulates me, Congratulations, then, chere And I beam back at her. "Thanks!"

That was lovely, the whole night,And no, people don't often wear masks without an excuse, I find, not in most places I've been. Still, I make them, and sometimes they find homes. I nod. So we both use needles and ink to decorate hide, and have run into each other by chance. Would you like a cider to celebrate? Sapphira offers. "Sure. Always happy to meet and drink with another artist."

[sapphira_ststep]

"Sure," she says cheerfully. "Always happy to meet and drink with another artist."

"Excellent," I say, waving to the bartender. "Two ciders? Unless you know that my friend hates them, please--then I'll trust your excellent, monsieur." I pass one to Verite when they come.

"To putting the right face on things," I say cheerfully, and knock back a swallow of the cider.

[verite_belrose]

Excellent, She says, waving to Thomas. Two ciders? Unless you know that my friend hates them, please--then I'll trust your excellent, monsieur. She passes one to me as they arrive and cheefully toasts,To putting the right face on things,

I grin back and echo her toast and take my own healthy swallow. It doesn't matter waht kind of cider you get here, they all taste good. I sneak a look in Lannie's direction and see Conley smiling at her. Damn him, I was gonna stay here awhile and slowly drift over but maybe now I'll drop by sooner.

[al_shairan]

I've finished with the newspaper man, and so I turn my attentions to Verite. I stroll across the room. She is talking to a woman wearing a mask. They make an interesting pair.

"Hey, Ri," I say. "Alright? Who's your mate?" I look at the masked woman with an expression of curiosity.

[verite_belrose]

Almost like he could read my mind or something Conley comes over to us. All casual curiosity, Hey, Ri,Alright? Who's your mate?

I want to grin back or maybe touch him just casual like, instead I give him a bit of a smile in hello and gesture at Sapphira with my mug. "Hey Conley. This is Sapphira, she makes beautiful masks and sells some of them." I take a quick sip of the cider and then carry on.

"Sapphira, this is Conley, who does odd jobs unless he's found somethin' even." I give him a little grin at this along with a quick sideways look.

[sapphira_ststep]

She downs the drink well enough, but her attention's over by her friend, who's sitting with two others. I think she's going to go over, but then one of them comes over--

Oh, and it's the tousled boy, and there's a presence to him--I want to look again, to see if he's really so young, because he carries himself so clearly. "Hey, Ri. Alright?" he says, and she doesn't move towards him as much as she might like. "Who's your mate?"

"Hey Conley. This is Sapphira," she says, smiling a little and her voice is quite steady. "She makes beautiful masks and sells some of them," and she really does have that perfectly. I hold out my hand to him and smile as she continues. "Sapphira, this is Conley, who does odd jobs unless he's found somethin' even." Oh, I like this one, the way she's willing to play, and that she understands the difference between making masks and selling them.

"I'm pleased to meet you," I say. "I was just buying cider, would you care for one?"

[al_shairan]

Verite says that the woman is called Sapphira; a fanciful sort of name for a fanciful person, I suppose. I wonder if it, too, is a mask.

"Sapphira, this is Conley, who does odd jobs unless he's found somethin' even."

I laugh and take Sapphira's hand.

"At your service, darling. And yeah, if you're buying I'd love a drink. Stroke of luck, that - the two most striking birds in the room are happy to chat to me, and one of them will buy me booze." I grin. "So, Ri, broken anyone's heart since I saw you yesterday, or do I get to try for that honour?"

[verite_belrose]

Sapphira smiles at Conley and holds out her hand to him as she offer to buy him a drink. He laughs and that makes me feel much better about my little joke. He takes her hand, At your service, darling. And yeah, if you're buying I'd love a drink. Stroke of luck, that - the two most striking birds in the room are happy to chat to me, and one of them will buy me booze.

I'm glad he's flirting with both us not just with her. I also like his grins. Like the one he's wearing as he turns to me and says, So, Ri, broken anyone's heart since I saw you yesterday, or do I get to try for that honour?

My turn to grin at him. And blush a little as well. "If I have broken anyone's heart they haven't had the decency to to let me know." I raise my mug to him. "You're welcome to try."

[al_shairan]

I grin at Verite.

"I've been called a heartbreaker in my time, I'll admit," I say. "And I'm probably only to be trusted when I'm talking about sex and having fun. I'm a chancer and no mistaking, but I hear I'm charming." My smile widens. "So, would you fancy a date sometime, possibly ending in me finding out about that piercing you mentioned you had?" I raise my eyebrows at her rakishly. "I'm glad you're not dating Johnny," I add, "cos it'd be a shame to waste a pretty girl like you on him. He's a nice bloke, Johnny, but he's not got much flash."