Evening, Day 5

[lei_miao_shan]

The gazebo is lit with lanterns draped in soft, red silk.  Lena brought them down from my rooms earlier today and set them as I'd asked her to.  They are too small and few to give much light, but what illumination they do give spills like blood along the gazebo's painted floor.   I smile at the sight.  It has been almost three weeks since my last

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[kora_gareth]

The courtyard is stunning and Miao even more so. I've never seen something like this before and I am so impressed. I'm standing with Carmelo and Alana. They're sweet, everyone that works here is, in their own way. Carmelo doesn't talk much but he keeps eyeing me. Alana isn't quite as friendly as Miao, but Miao is like my big sister. Adonis is so over-protective of Karina; it's cute.

Karina takes these dances very seriously. Lena hasn't been available all day, because she was preparing everything for Miao. And the doors of Follow Me Boy have been locked for the duration of the performance. It's obvious that Miao and Karina have a very special relationship. It makes me jealous that it's not me.

The dance starts and I'm just awe-struck.

[valmont_vicomte]

After Karina's coolly polite goodbye to me after the carnival, I thought it best to stay away from Follow Me Boy for a day or two. What a frustrating evening that was - two opportunities dashed in one night! I haven't had that sort of bad luck in a while

[kora_gareth]

Miao's dance is amazing and the men around the gazebo are silent in their appreciation for her. I wonder who in this crowd she'll pick for her bed tonight. From the way she moves as a dancer, I imagine that will be a very lucky man.

I'm aware of someone standing next to me. I glance at him and look back at Miao. He's very attractive and he's staring at me. I look back at him and smile sweetly.

[valmont_vicomte]

Ah, this girl's a charmer. I don't know if she's naturally sweet and shy, or if it's an act, but either way it's quite fetching.

I shift myself a little closer to the girl, so that we're only a couple of feet apart. I decide to play this one gently - to be charming but not devilish. There are lots of ways to seduce, after all.

I purposely look intently at Miao.

"She's very lovely, isn't she?" I murmur quietly. "Are you a fan of dancing? I haven't seen you here before." This is the moment to glance over at the girl and compliment her, so I do. "I would remember someone like you." I smile slowly, fixing her gaze with my own.

[docconstantine]

As promised, I had come to The Follow Me Boy to drop off the sample bottle for Devlin. It had really taken only an hour or so to mix, but I always felt that restless anticipation made the concoctions that much stronger. I could have added something in to make it a little more addictive, but I was fairly certain that the effectiveness would be the key addiction to it

[karina_vb]

I stand leaning against the porch and my eyes scan the crowd watching Miao. I wish I'd had a chance to talk to Maryk already about security, but I haven't seen him and I don't know how to reach him. I've been on edge all day and having so many people here at once makes me nervous. Adonis hovers nearby, no doubt worried too. Kora is with Carmelo and Alana, all ready to take Miao's leftovers. Alana's the only one I think resents that, but she won't complain. I notice Valmont is eyeing Kora. I'm not surprised, but I bristle slightly. At least he'll have to pay her, I think with a smirk. I'm surprised to realize that I've missed his presence. He's not been around the past couple of days, no doubt thinking I'm mad at him. What a shame. It would've been nice to have a client like him.

[norn_verdandi]

As I join Karina on the porch, I smile and greet her with a kiss on the cheek. She's looks as pretty as usual, but her dress is a new one to me. She's even done her hair differently. She's dressed to entertain as the host and this is a slightly different Karina than I'm used to. I've been looking forward to this event since Karina first mentioned it. I've never seen a dance of this type and I'm dazzled by the colors of Miao's outfit. She's incredibly beautiful and I can barely look away as she moves through the dance with quiet grace. I had no idea she danced until Karina mentioned it and I'm thrilled to get a chance to see this

[karina_vb]

With a grin, I silently thank the gods for Verdandi's presence. She's a welcome distraction from my fears and from that Valmont. The man beside her isn't Maryk, which is surprising, but I learn that it's Iago. The bartender she mentioned. He's cute, but doesn't seem anything like the flirt she described. Perhaps he's not feeling well. I play the gracious host and give them both a kiss on the cheek.

"Does Miao always dress so pretty? That fabric isn't like anything I've ever seen. And do you know everyone here? And please, tell me to shut up if I'm asking too many questions," Verdandi says quietly. I laugh.

"For the dances, yes. She looks gorgeous, doesn't she? The blonde is a doctor from the carnival... I can't remember his name. Of course, you know Valmont and everyone else that works here, I think. No one comes to these without permission. For safety reasons, you know." I place my hand on hers and smile. "You're not asking too many questions, don't worry."

[iago_excolo]

Verdi's pulled me along for this excursion, telling me I'll have fun. I just wanted to stay home and drink some more. Damn this woman for getting me out and damn that other woman for affecting me so. Glass... No. Don't think about her. Just pretend it was all a dream. A nice, little fantasy but not real. Never real... Damn...

There are quite a few people here and Verdi greets this gorgeous creature on the porch with a kiss. Karina kisses me, too and the scent of unknown female flesh gives me a wake-up boost. This performance might actually be a spot of fun tonight.

Looking over Karina, I ask, "Do you mind if I smoke, luv? And I'm assuming you're the lady in charge here. Verdi's said quite a bit about you. All of it good though." Chuckling, I add, "Are you as good as she says you are?"

[maryk_graeb]

I step around the corner from the side steps I used to get onto the back porch. A pretty Asian is dancing on the gazebo. I've seen similar dances. This one, though, strikes me as far more authentic than the ones I've seen before. This woman is serious about her art and not just doing it for show.

Close by me, Karina, Vee, and Iago are standing at the edge of the porch. I consider stepping forward, but something Iago and Karina are talking about stops me.

"Are you as good as she says you are?" asks Iago. Karina responds, "Better. I regret that I have not had the pleasure of 'Dandi's company."

I smile and lean my shoulder against the building, instead of moving to join them. Verdandi might not know, but I'm a different story.

[glass_beddau]

Folk are clustering up tonight; less people travelling alone or even in couples, more small groups. I'm a little surprised at how worried I'm not...

...but of course, I haven't exactly been to work lately.

I'm glad the Apothecary's doesn't have a basement.

I'm walking downstreet, a cup of coffee from Miskatonic in my hands, when I see a faint red glow on Silk Road. My first thought is fire, but the light's too steady. I draw closer and see the woman dancing. I've heard mention of this, but never seen it, and I stop to watch for a moment.

...she's lovely.

It's not what I think of when you tell me dancing; her feet barely move. But she's swaying like a flowerstem topped with a blossom of purple smoke, body and arms weaving traces of translucent violet through the red light. I draw closer. More people there than I care to deal with, but more than enough to watch

[maryk_graeb]

There are soft footsteps behind me. Not the type of sneaking. Not the type of silent violence. The type that want to go unnoticed by the world. Whether because of shyness or physical deformity or some other social stigma. People like that are not the ones that slip a knife into your back.

I turn slowly, taking my eyes off the dancer and the three people directly in front of me. It's the woman from the bar, the one that was there when I left Wanda with a kiss on her cheek. She seems startled that I noticed her.

I take the new pack of cloves I got at Kate's General Store from my pocket and light one. I smile, thinking of Kate's surprise when i bought ten packs at once. She told me I didn't have to horde them. She was sweet. Certainly not the kind of woman I'd expect to survive in a town like this. But maybe she has a guardian angel watching over her. Maybe we all do.

"Hi," I say to the girl sharing this little corner of porch with me.

[glass_beddau]

Good ears on this one. "Evening," I say softly, still watching the crowd. Most people are focussed on the dancer, but I see a few whispering to each other... Kora and Valmont, Karina and Iago.

(Oh, bloody hell, that grin...)

Townfolk, mostly, although there're two blonds I don't recognize, a man in black carrying a satchel and a woman standing by Karina.

"Did you ever find whoever you were looking for?" I say absently.

[docconstantine]

The dance continues, and I am entranced, as is every other man here. I hadn't come here tonight looking for any companionship, but now I can't imagine leaving without knowing this delicate flower. It's my understanding that after her performance she will chose a suitor for the evening, and I'll be hanged if it's not me. Realizing that I need to make myself known to the dancer, I stand up a little straighter and fix my gaze right on her, hoping to catch her eye, adding just a bit more sparkle and light to the sky blue iris' that have caught more women than I can count unawares. The garden falls away, the people around me cease to be, and all that exsists is her.....

[lei_miao_shan]

In this white wave
I am sinking
In this silence
In this white wave...in this silence ...The singer's voice rises and I rise with it, arching my back and letting the gauze fall across my face like a veil. Always, my body sways with the rhythm and the deep chanting, and always my eyes, near invisble behind the silken sleeve, scan the crowd. Ha, so many people! I had not been expecting such a crowd. Perhaps I will take more than one...it has been months since that last happened

[docconstantine]

As the Lotus Flower scans the crowd, she meets my gaze for a moment. In that moment I can see within her soul, her serenity, her light, the goodness that seems to radiate from within... and the demon within me howls for release, to take her, bend her to my will and see if her light could be diminished by my darkness. It takes a few seconds to quiet the shadow side of me, for as much as I want to ravage the woman before me and make her scream in the pleasure that comes from pain, I want to enjoy her, and see if she moans in English or Japanese.
I smile at her now, not a playful or charming smile, but a seductive one, full of the promise of the night to come WHEN she chooses me.

[lei_miao_shan]

In this white wave I am sinking,
In this silence...
In this white wave,
In this silence I believe...

He had been standing in the shadows until a few moments ago, just watching idly, but now he has stepped out. Now he wants me to see him. He wants me. And for a second, just a split second, when I look into his eyes I see them flare from sea blue to flame red. There is something very, very dangerous about this man.

But that...that just firms my resolve. With all of the energy from the crowd, all the warmth and the need and the eagerness, I feel as though I can do anything, mayhaps even mend the wound in this man's soul. Even if I cannot, I need to try.

And I wanted to believe that
I'd get caught up when the rage in me subsides....

Turn and sway, let the gauze ripple behind me in a silken shadow. Let the split in the costume show just enough leg to titillate as my body undulates to the last beats of the song.

I have seen you in this white wave, you are silent...
You are breathing in this white wave,
I am free...The