Laying in bed just long enough to admire the sight of Azura getting dressed, Ryn gets up, running herself through a series of Movement that have become a part of her morning ritual, her body already more than a little warmed up
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”Whazhuh, oh no. I’m sorry!” Zev let’s out as he fully wakes up and quickly puts all the covers on Ada to tuck her in. ”Um, if it’s okay, next time we can cuddle? You won’t get cold that way.” he asks before moving off to the bath.
Once you and Embyr are decent for the day, it's time to go run errands. You do remember you meant to get her a proper maid's uniform for work around the house...
...and there's the matter of possibly reuniting with the rest of the group.
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Azura goes into the kitchen to prepare a small amount of food as folks trickle in for the morning. "Hey Ryn, what did you want to eat?" she calls back down the hall. "I'll fix up some stuff for us and for Zev and Ada too."
"Thank you!" Zev calls from the wash room.
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"Morning Zev!" she calls back, her smile audible in her tone.
"Ryn did you decide if you wanted to go to the art show? I haven't decided yet if I want to paint or model."
”I’ll be right out if you need help with anything!” he happily responds.
"I definitely want to go! Should be fun, especially seeing you do either one." Ryn says exiting the bedroom dressed and brushing her wildly bed-tossed hair. "Morning Zev," she calls out, "Ada up yet?"
”Morning, Ryn,” Zev greets the Gladiatrix after stepping out of the washroom, freshly washed and putting back on his clothes.
”And uh... she might be now, she’s warming up. I-uh, stole all the covers in my sleep.” he sheepishly admits.
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"Silly puppy," says Azura with a grin as she produces some sliced apples and freshly-warmed fluffy biscuits that she's heated over the kitchen fire. "So I got a letter from my father and he's hosting an artists' gathering today. There will be painters and illustrators and live models. I'm going to go say hello and maybe do some of the art, and Ryn was coming too. You and Ada can come if you want, but if you have other plans for the day don't let me stop you!"
Zev can’t help but grin at Azura’s nickname for him, though the pungent smell of the fresh cooked biscuits certbaly helped. ”That sounds fun, I don’t think we had anything planned so I’ll ask. Do you need any help preparing in here? I promise not to eat it before it’s ready.”
"Depends on what you want to eat," replies Azura. "I haven't looked into making bacon or sausages, but we can pull down one of these hanging skillets to make some if you like." She indicates some of kitchenware hanging from racks.
"There will be naked models with people painting pictures of them, possibly including myself, so if that makes you uncomfortable you may want to do something else with the afternoon," she adds cheerfully. "Also I'm going to invite Saersha as well."
Ulfr spends every available moment of the morning on his drum in the basement of the Pitt. He works furiously. Playing the drums was one thing. Doing so and learning to summon his music at the same time without launchung into an oration is another beast entirely.
”Oh that sounds good,” Zev responds to the options presented. ”But only if you and Ryn and Ada want some, I don’t want to impose.”
When she explains the gathering more he tilts his head. ”That doesn’t bother me at all, it sounds wonderful. Are you excited?”
"None for me, but I bet Ryn would love some. Do you think Ada would like to go to the show? If it doesn't make her nervous, I mean."
"I'm mostly excited about getting to see my father again after it's been a while!"
”That’s great!” Zev responded, getting easily infected with Azura’s giddiness. ”And I don’t know, couldn’t hurt to ask though.”
After a second he nods. ”Yeah, Ryn will need her energy back.”
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"Here, I'll find the flitch of bacon and we can start cooking some for all of you. So do you like art? Have you ever gotten to draw or paint?" says Azura. As good as she says, she looks around for the meat-storage to pull a slab of bacon. "We'll have to make it up to Ms. Heidmarch after we sell our goods in town later," she adds as she starts peeling off the bacon and putting it in the pan.
Ryn chuckles at Zev's comment. " I don't know about needing it back, I don't see myself tiring anytime soon." the gladiatrix says flashing Azura a grin. "But I definitely have an appetite this morning.
”Mmmm, bacon,” he mumbles as his thoughts slip before her question brings him back. ”Uh, just on myself.” he says as he points to the scars running all over his visible flesh. ”I’d love to see more, um, Shelyn endorsed art though.”
He nods again and licks his lips when she mentions restocking, looking forward to going to the marketplace or even the butcher directly!
Ryn chuckles at Zev's comment. " I don't know about needing it back, I don't see myself tiring anytime soon." the gladiatrix says flashing Azura a grin. "But I definitely have an appetite this morning.
”Even more of reason a to stay on top then, just in case anything unexpected beyond that comes up.” Zev comments with a chuckle. ”Oh, are you going to model with Azura too today?”
"Yeah, Ryn, are you going to model?" asks Azura mischievously as the bacon starts to sizzle in the pan. "You'd be a wonderful study in anatomy of musculature."
Ryn pauses for a moment thinking it over, and not missing the mischevious twinkle in Azura's dazzling eyes.
"I've posed for a few portraits and one small statue, when I started winning in the arena, but nothing like that.....sure, why not?" she says with a grin.
”Awesome!”
Azura finishes cooking the bacon, which crisps up rapidly, and serves some out to Zev and Ryn while putting some aside for Ada.
"I'm going to see if Saersha wants to go, too. As long as she promises not to leer at the models!"
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Ada finds herself wrapped in blankets and Zev rushes to the wash room. She stays in bed a few minutes warming up as she hears everyone moving about.
Finally getting out of bed she heads downstairs without brushing her hair. It's standing out weirdly, and she's got a sleep crease on her face. "Is there any coffee?" she mumbles as she settles at the kitchen table.
She listens for a while sipping at the brew and getting a refill before it finally sinks in that everyone is talking about going to an art exhibition this afternoon. "It sounds like fun. I've seen loads of naked bodies in the arena. I had to patch them up until I got tired of fixing the same bruises week after week."
When Ada joins them and asks about coffee, the warm strong smelling drink he knew about, he pours her a cup and waits a bit to bring anything up given the morning’s predicament. But when she joins in anyway he smiles. ”And this will be under more pleasant circumstances too, no need to patch anything.”
”The bacon is yummy.” he tells Azura.
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Ada continues to sip her coffee. "Maybe we need extra covers Zev. It was cold last night." She takes her share of bacon, and slips him one of the pieces.
Zev's tail sank when Ada brought that up, though it immediately shot back up happily when she gives him some bacon. "I'm so sorry about that, I won't let it happen again. More covers would be a good idea." he says before quickly eating the gifted bacon.
Azura cleans up a bit and says, "Then we can get some extra blankets in the market after the art festival. Let's go see if Ulfr and Saersha are interested in joining us!" She puts away the trencher that she used for cutting apples and shoulders her traveling pack. "Everyone ready to head out? Let's check on Ulfr first, he's close by, then we can visit Saersha's house."
Once the group has had their fill of breakfast, they set out for the day--making a stop at the Pit first.
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The group arrives at the Pit before too long. Coming from the cellars is a passionate, powerful drum beat, accompanied by musical notes that sound like they were crafted from raw arcane power mixed with some manner of lightning.
Azura heads carefully down the stairs. "Ulfr?" she calls out. "Spare a minute?"
"That definitely sounds like Ulfr." Ryn says as the takes in the wild primal drumming. "It's insanely powerful!"
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Azura wryly says to Ryn, "Yeah, I haven't felt a pounding like that since last night."
Your music session comes to a brief close as you notice Azura coming down the stairs across from the stage. Mach's wild solo pauses as he also notices her presence.
Roarus, the massive Shoanti bassist, blinks. "Friend of yours, Ulfr?"
Ulfr, himself dripping in sweat from the workout, looks up and smiles. Ya. Roarus, meet my little gang. Guys, Roarus, my mentor.
Azura comes down from the steps and curtseys. "Pleased to meet you, Roarus! Um, Ulfr, it looks like you're really busy, but some of us are going to an art festival for painting and illustration; I'm thinking of modeling. After that we're going to the market for a few supplies. Did you need anything? How is the training going?"
Mach puts his axe-lute aside for a moment and sighs in exhaustion. "I think we're about ready to take a break."
He slides his armoured coat off, revealing his well-formed, pale white chest. He keeps himself in good shape--about as good as Ulfr does. His tail flicks from side to side.
"Art festival? I think Nyxra said something about going there..." He shrugs.
"Yeah, my father's organizing it. Models for painters and illustrators to practice. I will probably do a little of both - modeling and painting," says Azura. "I don't know how long it's going on, probably a few hours."
Sure. I'll tag along. Don't expect me to do anything with a paintbrush though. Besides maybe stab someone with it.
Ulfr stows his thick drumsticks in his belt and stands from the large skin drum he was breathing to death.
When do you want me back, boss?
"Don't take too long, eh? We've got another session planned by sundown!" Roarus grins. "Your rhythm's improving, Ulfr. But there's still more to learn."
Mach sits at a nearby table, fishes out a waterskin from a backpack and starts drinking greedily from it.
"You boys want to do any modeling? Probably full-body nudes for figure studies, but if you're feeling shy we can compromise, I'm sure," says Azura.
Mach pauses in his drinking.
"Uh..." His eyes dart around the room for a bit.
"...can't say I've ever done THAT before."
Ulfr gives a deep, rumbling chuckle. That's proof positive you've never fought in the arena. We had nude inspections for infections and signs of illegal tampering all the time.
He turns back to Azura, Will anyone else be strutting their stuff?
Mach's brow furrows, then he huffs and gets to his feet.
"What, you think I can't do it?"
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Can't? No! I'm certain that you can wander just about anywhere naked as a jay-bird. But can you do it well? Ulfr shrugs. I, on the other hand have probably the most viewed manhood in the city. There was this one time, in the area, I barely dodged this vicious bull. Just enormous. Im pretty sure they magically engaged it too. Anyway, it's horn caught on my loin cloth string and... he mimes the piece of "clothing" ripping off. I got a lot of money that day. And a couple notes too. And not just from the ladies. he chuckles again.
As you're getting ready for the day, Embyr approaches you, dressed in her usual leathers and hood. The charm you gave her is beneath the cloak she's wearing.
"So, where are we going to go first, Mistress?"
Zev follows Azura down the stairs, holding a tight smile to keep himself from chuckling aloud. After greeting Ulfr’s bandmates he stands back a bit as they chatted before curiosity got the better of him. ”Illegal tampering?”
Mach moves to fetch his armoured coat and looks back at Azura. "So, uh... what normally goes on at these art sessions?"
Zev follows Azura down the stairs, holding a tight smile to keep himself from chuckling aloud. After greeting Ulfr’s bandmates he stands back a bit as they chatted before curiosity got the better of him. ”Illegal tampering?”
Subtle magical enhancement usually in the form of temporary magical tattoos that fade once activated or disguised one-use magical items. You might be surprised how creative people get with that kind of thing.