Delendir looks at the woman a bit dizzy because of the beer. "Everything is ok Amaiko. What time is it? Aproximately"
"I don't know, perhaps I shall go check my trapps." and looking to Daud "What do you plan to do for living?"
Daud looks at her with a happy grin on his face. "Everything has been vonderful milady Ameikosan, zhough if you have any stronger drink zhat would be most velcome."
Turning to Delinder, "Living? Ha!" he lets a few more deep chuckles escape before continuing with a shrug. "I do not know. Ask around town about odd jobs, zhough if it doesn't require a fist to the face or an axe to zhe head I am vithout luck."
Vivi's innuendo brings Jessica up short and cases her to blush so bad she looks sunburned. She collect herself before she says anymore, "I had intended to learn elven and I intend to learn yours too Vivi, I have only just met you though so I haven't had the need to learn for that long." She thinks a bit more, "What you say of learning the language best able to convey the meaning to my audience does make sense, thank you for that jewel of wisdom."
Vivi smiles at Ameiko. "I am fine, Lady Ameiko. Perhaps some tea would help soothe everyone here."
Turning back to Jessica he bows with his right fist placed against the palm of his left hand, pushing them out toward her swiftly, holding them there as his head dips, then dropping them as his head rises.
"I apologize. I let my emotions get the better of me. I of course would be honored to help you learn the finer points of Tien, and I am sure that Ameiko would also be happy to help you as well."
Turning to Sunday, he shrugs. "Yes, spirits would be an acceptable translation... though gods might also be, depending on which kami you were refering to. If that land truly is cursed so it is good that you have left. Travelling to wholer lands might impart the blessings of kinder spirits to you, if not to your homeland. There are only a few such places where I was from, and most civilized people avoided them for that reason."
I probably should try to do something productive as well as public... any huòbì I get in addition will help when I do leave here as well...
"I think I will teach writing for those that wish to learn. I might need to charge for the paper and ink, given the provisioner might not want to see me around any time soon... but no more than that. Tal, where would you recommend? I would prefer somewhere outside so that the townspeople can see me."
Delendir yawns a bit raising his hands "In that case I will go to sleep. I want to wake up early tomorrow, maybe go say good bye to Shalelu and Hemlock, then to my traps. If any of you wants a walk in the forest you are more than welcomed." he taps Daud shoulder as he goes upstairs "Don't drink too much youngster, a tough day waits for you tomorrow."
Once at his place Delendir goes to sleep without much problem, only to awake at dawn.
Ameiko nods to Jessica, indicating her assent to teaching the woman Tien if she was inclined. She then turns to Vivi, wide smile forming. "Speaking of learning languages, don't we have someone else who was interested in lessons?"
Daud just shifts his head back and forth, letting the dry whispers come forth, but with a bemused grin.
"F#%+ all of you and your fancy talk."
Bringing his empty glass up in an attempt to drink something that is not there he will glumly put it back down before turning to Ameiko, arms lightly waving/grasping/flailing to get her attention. "Can ve have some more drinks, pretty please Milady Ameikosan?"
"Surely, my man. Not too many, though. You have a town to look after for a few days, and you won't set a fine example as a teetering drunkard." The Minkai woman chuckles, going and getting Sunday (and anyone else who wants one) another drink.
Happy taking his new drink he quips back, "Anything sober Daud can do, drunk Daud can do just as well, if not better! Or worse? I forget..."
"I vould much rather balance a beautiful lady in a dance zhan a plate. Oh! Dancing! Vould you like to dance miss Jessica?" His happily bubbliy voice is a great distance than when you were first introduced to the Ustalav, as well as his slight swaying from side to side, as if listening along to a song only he can hear.
Smiling at Daud's invitation, Jessica replies, "I would like that very much Sunday.
Standing up and taking a bow with ostensibly more grace than he had previous displayed while in his stupor he will then extend his arm towards Jessica. "Might I have this honor, milady?"
Taking his hand and standing, Jessica smiles at him, "Yes sir, you may."
"Thank you, milady." With a childlike grin on his face he'll place his other hand at the small of her back and begin sweeping her about he room in slight twirls and shifts, not a rather structured routine but also not something done by someone foreign to the act. "You'll have to forgive me for having no idea vhat I'm doing, von't you? I haven't danced in ages."
Jessica follows his lead, stumbling through at first but quickly catching on to the sweeping moves of the dance. Smiling brightly, "This is fun! I hope I'm doing it right, I'm not used to dancing."
Daud arches an eyebrow in bemusement but doesn't let it interrupt their movements. "You are not? I expected you to be admonishing me by now for poor form or missing a step or zhree." The last he says with a grin.
Laughing at his comment, "If you were singing I could do that, but I am not one to dance often, though I do enjoy it." She continues dancing with Sunday for the time being.
He returns her laugh. "Zhen you have no worries zhere, for I have no ability of song vhat so ever. I leave zhat delight entirely up to you Miss Jessica. Zhank you for zhis by the way, I do enjoy it as vell." With that he'll continue the dance for as long as she wishes.
Ameiko continues to keep drinks and food coming for as long as the companions want, until they decide to retire for the evening.
After a while, Jessica finally gets tired enough to go to bed. "Thank you for thw dance Sunday, it was fun." Jessica yawns, "I think I need to go to sleep though, good night and I'll see you in the morning." She looks to her friendabwho are still here, "Good night, and I will see you in the morning. Night Ameiko!" With that, Jessica heads to her room for some much needed sleep.
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Vivi smiles and sips his tea, watching as Jessica and Sunday dance.
For two that just met and both profess not to dance, they are actually quite graceful.
"Thank you too, Miss Jessica. Until zhe morning returns, I bid you adieu." With one last bow with his arms crossed on his front and back he will turn and return to the table. "Bothered to bother you Milady Ameikosan but do you have any rooms avaible for zhe night? Or a comfy ditch you can point me towards?"
Ameiko smiles at Vivi, nodding. To Sunday, she replies, "Room is on the house for tonight, courtesy of being Shalelu's friend." She retrieves a key and hands it to the man.
After the last patron has left, she starts to clean up, taking Vivi up on his offer to help. She will name each thing in first common, then Tien, then finally Minkai. She is a patient teacher, making fun of his clumsy stumbling with the language, but never growing frustrated or angry.
"Hurray for Shalelu!" Grasping for the key with both hands like it might save his life he seems to have reverted to the addled stupor he possessed before the dance.
On closing he thinks for a moment to help tidy up but stops when he notices the rapport between the two only other people in the room. With a faint smile on his face he'll stumble up to whatever room the key corresponds to, enter and lock it behind him, proceed to crawl under the bed, and fall dead asleep for the night.
Vivi's aunt Koya is sawing logs as he enters, and he is more than stealthy enough to remain undetected.
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Everyone awakens in the morning! (Hooray!)
Grumbling as he returns to the world of the living Daud will shuffle out of his room and down to meet Ameiko, his eyes half lidded with a sour look on his face, partly due to last night's drinking, and this morning's waking up. Giving her a slight bow when he greets her, "Good morning Miss Ameikosan, do you require help with anything today?"
Delendir wakes up quite early in the night drinks a goat milk glass and takes a cheese and bread slice as he goes check for his traps in the forest.
He will come later on if nothing special is found, probably by the time everybody have waked up.
If Hemmlock or Shalelu are found leaving in their respective misions, Delendir greets them and provides his best wishes, without more ranting about how much he would have prefered to follow them.
Jessica comes into the common room the next morning wearing her actual clerical vestments. She performs her morning song for everyone who wishes to listen and eats breakfast. "Good morning every one, I see that Shelyn has painted us a beautiful sunrise this morning."
"I vill take your vord for it." he happily says as he tries to look out a windoe but then flinches from the concentration of the light.
As he comes over to the table with whatever Ameiko has provided for breakfast he sits across from Jessica. "Zhank you again for zhe dance last night, I had a lot of fun."
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For one of the few times since most have met him Tal is back at the inn quite early and in time for breakfast.
"Good morning Jessica, I see you have your beautiful outfit on again today. It looks ravishing on you.
Ameiko, I'll have some fruit juice and bread with butter and goat's cheese if you have any please. And do tell me, how quick a study is Vivi?" Tal can't help but grin. After all the times Ameiko teased him, now he can finally tease her back.
He takes his breakfast with the others and greets them as well, then starts eating.
Delendir rises early, but not early enough to catch either Shalelu and Hemlock before they have departed on their respective assignments. The town is now nearly naked (kind of like Jessica), it's military leader departed, it's eyes gone out into the wilderness for more information.
Ameiko is conspicuously absent this morning. When she has been up late drinking, this has happened before, so no one worries much as the servers bring out breakfast, knowing their boss's fancy well enough to make sure that in addition to the normal fare they have plenty of fruit for Vivi.
As you are nearing the end of your meal, one of Ameiko's employees, a cute halfling woman approaching middle age named Bethana, approaches your group. She appears near in tears. "May I speak to you all in private?" She asks huskily, seemingly holding back her tears with a mighty effort. "Now?"
Wiping his mouth Daud will stand and motion for the halfling to lead on, her distraught proving a very sobering sight.
Jessica nobs and rises to go with her, "Of course miss."
At Tal's words Daud brings his axe free in a reflex. "If so, ve fix zhat."
The little halfling leads you to Ameiko's chambers, closing the door behind you all. She then breaks down in tears. She attempts to speak a few times, but breaks down each time. She hands you two notes, in the end, unable to talk. The first note is a folded affair, riddled with creases. It is written in a language none of you recognize (although Vivi probably can guess it is close to Tien, and Tal could figure it out with enough time). However, the guesswork is taken out of the equation by the second sheet, which is in the halfling's own handwriting. She apparently took the time to translate the note.
Hello Sis!
I hope this letter finds you well, and with some free time on your hands, because we've got something of a problem. It's to do with father. Seems that he might have had something to do with Sandpoint's recent troubles with the goblins, and I didn't want to bring the matter to the authorities because we both know he'd just weasel his way out of it. You've got some pull here in town, though. If you can meet me at the Glassworks at midnight tonight, maybe we can figure out how to make sure he faces the punishment he deserves. Knock twice and then three times more and then once more at the delivery entrance and I'll let you in.
In any case, I don't have to impress upon you the delicate nature of this request. If news got out, you know these local rubes would assume that you and I were in on the whole thing too, don't you? They've got no honor at all around these parts. I still don't understand how you can stand to stay here.
Anyway, don't tell anyone about this. There are other complications as well, ones I'd rather talk to you in person about tonight. Don't be late.
Tsuto.
Peering over the shoulder of whomever is reading the translated letter Daud will turn to the halfling with a hint of confusion on his face. "Is tonight zhe tonight? Or has it already passed?"
The halfling pauses her sniffling for a moment, "I'm assuming it was last night, good sir. When I came to check on her this morning, she was not abed, and this note was on her night stand."
Quickly rounding on Vivi Daud will speak low but sternly, more urgency in his voice than accusation or condemnation. "You vere zhe last one I saw last night with Miss Ameikosan, did you two do anything zhat would result in her simply sleeping somewhere else? Or do you believe her to have gone to zhese Glassworks?"
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Tal slams the table in frustration "That bloody Kajitsu. No wonder he wanted to disappear, he knows more about this whole thing. Oh if I get my hands on him, I'll charm him and make him crawl around the town dressed like a jester in the mud like the pig he is.
Still we better go check it out. Ameiko should have been back."
Jessica kneels next to the halfling and will hug her, trying to calm her down while everyone is reading the note, "There, there, calm down miss, it will help us if you can calm enough to answer any questions that come up."
Tal thinks for a moment, but is unable to come up with anything regarding a Tsuto. If he was indeed legit, he was a well kept secret.
The halfling looks up at the priestess with tremulous eyes. "I will help however I can, my lady."
When Delendir comes back to the Rusty Dragon he makes his greeting as always. "Hi people!" but no-one answers as the main room is empty. Where is everybody?
The half-elf hears then Tal's shouts from the rear chambers and decides to walk in.
When he arrives he founds the nasty situation with the halfling sobbing and the others reading a note with unbelive in their faces. Once he is handed the words and he reads it while the other discuss, he gets on fire himself.
"What the hell is that? Tsuto... I get from the note that he is Ameiko's brother... 'It's to do with father'" he places the note back over the desk.
"Camo'n, I think we have to pay a visit to the Glassworks, are you ready?" without not much waiting he darts out making sure all his equipment is on place. "If Ameiko is on trouble there is no time to lose." and so he waddles out of the Rusty Dragon.