Another New Original Fic!
Not one to disappoint, I'm posting yet another original fic. I admit, I got the idea all from a name I hadn't heard in years. This tale is yet unnamed as well. Silly muse is being tight with titles again. ;-)
Enjoy and feel free to comment!
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Sasha danced in time to the drum beats, the music infusing her soul until she was aware of only the beat and the dance itself. She smiled as she moved; the dance was sensuous and one of her personal favorites. The men at their tables whistled and yelled their approval, clapping along with the drummer to keep the beat. This created a thirst for ale, which made the men order more. Sasha knew the barkeeper was a happy little man. The question was, would she see her fair share of the profit? That was the deal she made with him before the regulars came in for their usual night of drinking. He looked to be a man of his word, but Sasha knew looks could deceive.
The beat changed slightly, and she lifted her arms over her head, then bent backward to roll her body in a wave. The men were stunned into silence for only a few moments before resuming their noise. Several shouted out offers and prices for a chance to bed her after she was done dancing, but she ignored them. Most would drink themselves into a stupor before she was even remotely finished. Those that didn’t were worthy of her consideration, but soon were disappointed to learn they really couldn’t afford her. It was rare when a man could afford her, and then agree to her terms. She could count on one hand the number of times that happened.
Another change in the music, and Sasha began to spin, the red silks that made her dress flaring out around her. They lifted to a dangerous height, and she knew the men were trying to see more. But she was clever enough to have another layer underneath. She spun faster as the drums beat quicker, and the end of the dance was near. Admittedly, she was tired after having danced most of the night. If the barkeeper allowed it, she could be done for the night, and retire to her room with dinner. She longed to sink into the hot water of a bath.
The drummer ended the dance abruptly, as it was meant to end, and Sasha ended with her hands on her hips and a look in her eyes that mirrored defiance. The men were silent in appreciation, but it wasn’t enough for her. She strutted around the room, looking directly into the eyes of those who watched her. From behind her, she heard the stirrings of faint applause, which soon grew to include everyone in the common room. Even the barkeeper clapped his chubby little hands wildly. Sauntering back to the middle of the room, she bowed deeply, then made her way to the bar. Her employer for this night agreed to let her retire early, gave her the money she expected plus a little more because of the extra profit in sold ales, then she collected her dinner from the cook and went upstairs.
In her room, there was a screen with a tub set behind it, and a cauldron of water hung in the fireplace over a small fire. If she was right, the water would be just hot enough to tolerate sitting in, and the fire was low enough that the water wouldn’t get any hotter. Sasha considered taking her bath before she ate, but then the food would get cold. She set her tray down on the table, and made sure her door was locked before sitting down to eat. The cook had outdone herself tonight; the meat pie and vegetables tasting better than yesterday’s fare. She didn’t think it was because of their guest entertainment, though the thought did boost her ego somewhat. Sasha considered herself to be one of the three best dancers known far and wide. The other two were her elder sister, Katiri, and her best friend, Rozalee.
Both of them were in separate parts of the city, and their plan was to regroup before leaving for the next town a good twelve hours away. Kat was playing her music for one of the wealthier families tonight, and should also be retiring for the evening if she hadn’t already. Roz, on the other hand, came with no set agenda or job. She sent word to both Sasha and Kat that she set her sights on several young lads around her age, and would have her fun with them.
Roz was the more spirited of the three, and also the one most likely to share a bed with a man if he was handsome more than for the price. At twenty-seven, she never lacked admirers telling her she was beautiful, and somewhere along the line she began using it to her advantage. Her long, golden blond hair and emerald green eyes were her best features, and her slender frame made every man she passed salivate with lust. But it was her call who she chose to bed that night, which left many men jealous of the one she did choose. Many a fight had been started for the privilege of her favor. Often, neither of the fighting men would be granted it. Roz was used to this life she made for herself, and both Sasha and Kat never saw fit to change her. Their golden beauty of a friend was one of a kind.
Her sister, Kat, was the quiet yet steady foundation to their trio. She was the one given dancing lessons when they were little, but it was making music that won her heart. Mother always sighed heavily at the disappointment because she planned for Kat to be enrolled at the Academy of Dance; to become more than she had ever been. Instead, a roaming Bard’s influence set Kat on the path to apprenticeship, then to becoming a Bard herself. Oh, she still danced, and enjoyed it most when she danced with Sasha and Roz. But her music always took precedence, and when the three worked together, she played rather than danced. At thirty, her red hair and honey brown eyes caught at the attention of many men as well, but her quietness often turned them away. Only Sasha and Roz knew Kat was incredibly shy when it came to one-on-one talking to a man. And only Sasha knew the reason for the shyness was more from fear. Neither of them spoke about it, and they never forgot. Kat was determined to remain celibate for the rest of her life.
Finishing her dinner, Sasha pushed the tray aside and stood up to stretch. She loosened her dress enough so that she could shrug it off when she was ready for her bath. Going over to the fireplace, she took the heavy pads used to handle all cooking gear in the fire, and hefted the cauldron off its hook. She was, by far, the strongest out of the three women, and it was a wonder that she didn’t look it. Sasha could handle herself in any fight, and could wield any weapon if she chose to. Her daggers lay hidden in her bags, but were easily accessible if needed.
Toting the cauldron over, she upended it into the tub, the steam rising in a great cloud above her. Putting the cauldron down, she dipped a finger into the water; a little too hot, but tolerable. Sasha went to her bags and brought out a few vials of soaps, all in her favorite scents of lavender and gardenia. She took out the stopper from the bottle of lavender and emptied its contents into the steaming water, and was rewarded immediately with the lavender’s flowery, yet earthy, fragrance. It would soothe her and help her sleep, which she desperately wanted. She loved dancing, but two nights of dancing at least ten dances was taking its toll on her body. Stirring the water with her hand to spread the lavender scent through the water, Sasha set the other bottle in the water. It floated with the little current she created, and hopefully the gardenia soap would be warm when she was ready to use it.
Crossing the room again, she opened another bag that held her regular clothes and her towels. It was a good thing she remembered to have them laundered at the last city they were in or she’d have to settle with air drying herself while having them done here. Thought the weather was warmer than usual this time of year, and though Sasha often found lounging about her own room naked as a jaybird exhilarating, she wasn’t going to do it here. She recognized the face of a man she hadn’t seen in years. How he managed to find her again was beyond her comprehension. The manner of their first meeting was magnetic, and strangely enough, she felt that same pull now. Why he didn’t shout his offer like the others did baffled her even more. They both knew she would have accepted him. She always did.
Laying the towels near the fireplace, she went to the small vanity and began to take down her hair. She had gone through the trouble of curling her long, dark brown hair before putting the whole of it up in a ponytail at the crown of her head. It took a few minutes to undo the curls with her brush and her hair was once again the wavy mass it always was. She shrugged out of her dress, leaving it where it fell, and took a quick look in the mirror. Her eyes looked more gold than hazel this evening, and her face was slightly flushed. Sasha didn’t dare think he had anything to do with it, either, though memory proved otherwise. Which made her think again; what was he doing here? How on earth did he find her?
Dipping her hand in the water one more time, she found the temperature satisfying. Without further ado, Sasha got in, sighing as the hot water surrounded her. Muscles began to loosen already, and pushing every last thought from her mind, she enjoyed the smell of lavender and gardenia along with the bath in general. Tonight, she would sleep well.
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Coming out from the dark corner of the common room, he sat down at the nearest empty table. One of the barmaids came and gave him his ale. She continued to work her charms on him, but he wasn’t interested. He played along with her, of course. Far be it from him to chase away such a lovely little thing. He knew what she wanted from him. At least for this night. Not interested was not interested, though, and he’d tell her so when he was ready to leave. Corren didn’t think it would break her heart as much as she’d say so. He’d witnessed her carrying on with quite a few other men as well. Likely one of them would end up in her bed. When the barmaid went to serve others, he returned to his thoughts.
He recognized the dancer girl, of course. Who could forget her? When she danced, a smile was always present on her face, and her eyes were bright gold. He figured that’s what drew him to her the first time. That night was still so vivid in his memory, as was their last. How many years had it been since then? At least four, by his reckoning, and they hadn’t parted as he’d wished. In fact, they fought rather viciously. He wanted her to come with him, to travel with him to meet the only family he cared about. She had another dancing job to get to, and her work ethic wouldn’t let her drop out. Besides which, she was going to meet her sister and best friend. Accusations flew, and the next thing he knew, she was gone, slamming the door behind her.
Corren laughed shortly. His dancer girl packed rather hastily, and managed to leave behind one of her silk scarves. The sheer white material was used as a veil to cover her face. It went with the rest of her costume; a harem girl, dressed scantily and all in white. Publically, she’d dance with her daggers as the dance required. Privately, she used the veil to tease him, being the last thing left on her, and she wouldn’t let him take it off. He would anyway, when she was too wrapped up in desire to care. Their loving was always rather spirited, and he found that she was the only one who could please him. All his other affairs left little to be desired.
Reaching down to the pack at his feet, he opened the flap and felt the scarf, which lay on top. Sasha would most certainly think he followed her here. He hadn’t, but now he wondered. In the four years since they’d been apart, they’d cross paths several times. Well, his path crossed hers. If she laid eyes on him, she never let on. Until tonight, that is. Tonight, he made sure she saw him. Their eyes met for only an instant, and when her dance was over, she left rather quickly to her room upstairs. He considered going up himself, but it was too soon. If she wanted to see him, she’d come back down. There was a slight curiosity in the moment their eyes met, and Sasha was as curious about things as any cat would be.
The barmaid returned with another mug of ale, replacing the one he emptied. Determination was written on her face. She chose him as the one she wanted to take to her bed, and for a moment, he considered it. After all, he hadn’t slept with a woman since the last night with Sasha. He wondered if Sasha knew about that, or what she’d do if she found out. Looking up at the barmaid, she winked and smiled, and passed him a piece of paper. She winked again and sauntered away when another customer bellowed. Reading the paper, he saw a time and a place to meet her scrawled hasitly, and a rather imperitive ‘Be there!’ underlined three times. Tucking the paper away, he figured he had another couple hours to consider the offer.
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Unless lj hiccups, it's all under the cut. :-) Another day, and there may be more. Depends on my muse... ;-)