Seeing the mirror, Audria feels a cold sweat come over her, she grabs Aishe's things then pulls Moira and Salom out of the room, trusting Alexis to be wise enough to follow.
"Something bad has happened to Aishe," she whispers after closing the door.
Stomping out of the circus and glaring at the world around her until her feet find their way back to the tavern. The very picture of a surly youth, "He didn't know anything he was brave enough to talk about."
Glancing at Audria pulling the other two out of the room in a bit of a panic with a sigh but things are being grabbed before she can do anything about it. Sighing and waiting for the door to close before taking a moment to look around. Though she is careful to avoid the mirror.
There is no sign that anyone else was in the room... other than the broken mirror, there is no evidence of any struggle or suchlike - and the room, now that the group think about it, seems unnaturally chilly... certainly not as if anyone was here recently...
Leaping clear of the onrushing beast, Rigo quickly climbs atop an adjacent cage - the two dogs within awake now and excitedly clawing against the bars of their confinement - and beyond the reach of the owlbear. Dragging a heavy chain, secured to its left leg, Scarred Samuel's prized animal hoots disappointment at its departed prey...
...and, one by one as the ragged chorus of caged animals grows in volume, lanterns are lit in the various tents of the pier. Soon enough Grast and a number of his halfling labourers are making their way towards the boat - and seeing Rigo's predicament, are calling for Scarred Samuel. The animal handler, who definitely sneers at Rigo as he returns the owlbear to its cage, takes quite a while to find... there is consternation that he is not on the boat where he would normally be and, veiled beneath conciliatory language to Rigo, it is clear that Scarred Samuel will have to answer for his negligence.
Grast puts a comradely arm towards Rigo, the height difference rendering the gesture somewhat comedic, "A lucky escape my friend, and I am truly apologetic... please, would you not consider a tent on the pier itself?"
"Can't sleep indoors, makes me grouchy." He responds. "I'll sleep on top of cages, then nobody can forget to secure most dangerous animal's cage top, since it not open anyway. Would think owlbear cage be one cage everyone check three times."
Audria pulls the door closed after she, Moira, and Alexis were Moira's room. There was something about mirrors. What was it? How did she know that Aishe had been taken by something in the mirror, and why was she so terrified of them now? After a moment, she takes a deep breath and lets it out.
"No more mirrors," she says quietly, but with such finality that it's clear she's not going to accept arguments about this.
"Right you are!!!" Grast is surprisingly jaunty given the implications of what just happened... and indeed, what could have happened, "You will take breakfast with me in the morning? An apology for this unfortunate accident?"
...and, when people have drifted away - back to their cots and beds - Rigo's examination of the Owlbear's cage reveals no scents other than that of the creature itself and of Scarred Samuel.
The night, how little of it is left, runs a natural course... elsewhere in the vast city, lives are created, lost and remade, fortunes are made and fortunes are stolen - and through the ghastly metropolis, the vast river sends the city's stinking detritus and effluents through to the sea...
Soon enough, too soon maybe, the sun is rising and a new day has arrived...
As requested, Rigo meets the others with Grast for breakfast.
Audria doesn't rise with the sun. In fact, she curls up in a tight ball of blankets between Moira and Alexis, having insisted on the three of them sharing the bed. Her long hair spills over the pillows and her face as she scrunches up her face in an effort to block out the light.
"Someone tell th' sun t' come back t'morrow," she says, her voice groggy as she starts to bury her head into a pillow.
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Moira takes the opportunity to start singing "You are my Sunshine," which, of course, is her nickname for Audria:
...she nails it, singing so well that I doubt even sleepy-headed Audria could complain too much.
"Come on, then, sunshine! Wake up, kiddo!" She reaches over the lump of Audria to nudge Alexis cautiously.
"We've got so much to do today! Let's find the others and go to the nasty Grasty breakfast Rigo's arranged for us. Don't feel obliged to eat anything, I'll buy us pastries and coffee to cleanse our palates afterwards. I know it's a chore, but we gotta do it." She whispers in an overwrought, scary, faux-Transylvanian voice: "Maybe ve should pick up some nice silver daggers for that rat..."
Audria just curls up tighter at the prompting and prodding. It isn't until Moira strips the covers from her that she finally gets up.
"Fine, fine. I'm up," Audria mumbles as she shuffles to the water basin and splashes the chill water on her face. She takes off her nightgown, revealing the multitude of scars that crisscross her skin and the single massive one that covers her back. After washing off the grim of yesterday, she dresses in the dark blue outfit she'd gotten the other day. She tries to braid her hair, but the waist-long locks prove too much for her to handle.
"Moira? Would you mind helping me with this?"
Moira helps Audria with her hair, blow-drying it with Prestidigitation and arranging the thick coils one after another until a tolerable hairstyle appears.
Gosh, I haven't done this in years... not since I was a little girl. But I loved braiding my friends' hair back then. Still remember how, I guess. Such lovely hair.
She takes the opportunity to examine the damaged woman's back, peering down the back of her tunic, getting a closer view of what she'd glimpsed earlier. "Sunshine, I know these things are foggy for you, but do you have any idea what might have caused these scars?"
"They look like... burns... but if they are burns, you're lucky to be alive!"
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Curled into a tight ball throughout the night, each shift of her bed companions causes her fingers to twitch. Simple shifts in the padding of the bed foreign and terrifying. Unable to chose the bigger threat she tucks her head under her arms though out the whole night.
Peaking an eye out when Moira starts to sing before tucking head back into the darkness of arms. Letting out a yelp and resembling a startled cat in the way she leaps off of the bed and lands on all fours on the floor.
Poking her head over the pile of the jumbled blankets and glaring at Moira, "I accept your offer and forgive you your sin."
Crossing her legs and tugging her bag out from under the bed and digging though to halfway pull out a change of clothing that just dangles in her fingers as her eyes are draw to the fire kissed skin. Biting her tongue hard before laying on the ground to change with the bed safely between her and the other two. Once dressed in a sort of privacy she sits on the floor with her back against the bed.
Audria curls up onto the chair, looking even smaller and younger than normal. She pulls the tunic tight against her back to hide the scars. Moira can feel the tension in the younger woman's shoulders and back.
"They aren't foggy," she says quietly, her voice strained. "I remember nothing beyond a year ago. The first memory I have is lying in mud as pain and rain washed over me. I remember the searing agony in my back and the thousand stinging cuts in my skin, then blackness as the pain overwhelmed me. The healers told me I was lucky to be alive, but am I really alive? Am I just a lie? A fantasy in place of some horrible truth? I don't know who I am or where I come from, Moira. Did I deserve to die? Did someone just want me dead?"
She looks up with tears in her gray eyes as her voice breaks. "Who am I, really? Why was I found on death's doorstep just outside of Wicken?"
Moira leans around the younger woman and gives her a firm hug, then sticks a finger on Audria's throat to take her pulse. "Still beating. I'm inclined to believe I'd have noticed if you were dead, that's kinda my specialty, sunshine. And, well, someone wants all of us dead... so at least you're not alone, there."
She thinks back to the training she received from the bard marooned in her country village, trying to remember something about memory magic...
"Sunshine, I have an idea. There's a spell that will me peek into your memories. If we can find a place that sells magic scrolls, and if we can scrape up about 200 gold, I should be able to cast it on you. I could peer in and see if your memory banks are truly empty or if there's anything lingering in there... and if we get good results, maybe someday I'll get good enough at magic to learn the spell myself, and we can really get to the bottom of things. I'm sorry if that's an invasive idea, I just want you to have some answers."
After taking care of Audria, and checking that Alexis is ok, Moira dresses herself. After a layer of soft white linen, she puts on her black doublet-tunic-thing, black hose, and her road-weary brown boots. She layers her armor over all that, straps on her drum, slings on her bag, and tops it off with her hat.
Audria sniffles a little as she nods at Moira's suggest. It was invasive, but at least it'd give her some closure. She finishes getting ready grabs her violin.
"why are we having breakfast with Grast again," she asks as they leave.
Glancing up at Moira with a sad expression that vanishes as she stands up. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, "Nope Moira bribed us with sweets."
"Oh, what kind? Pastries, candies, or fruits?"
"Pastries, sunshine. Pastries and coffee. What good's being in the city without pastries? It's remarkably difficult to make them at home. You need a really hot oven and a bunch of equipment and some helpers it just doesn't make sense to do unless you can make a ton of 'em and sell them while they're fresh."
"Oh, I don't think I've had either pastries or coffee," Audria admits. "The coffee doesn't make you cough does it?"
Feeling thing shift from the pain to the past to something less stressful has her muscles finally relaxing. Grinning at Audria, "It never did for me. Though not all of it tasted same."
A bad cup can indeed induce coughing and spitting. But a good cup can induce euphoria, and, better yet, productivity. Moira smiles, thinking about the few chances she's had to taste good coffee in her wandering life. This is not her stage smile--it's totally real, and it's not just the memories.
I'm happier with these girls than I've been since I left home. I wish I could take them away to somewhere they'd be safe.
Arriving at the Great Tent where Grast has already had a table set up overlooking the dubious grandeur of the Lyme, the group are enthusiastically welcomed to break their fast, "Friends!!! Colleagues!!! My most favourite acts... please enjoy our humble fare and take in this wondrous view!!! Breath in the air... the murk so full of minerals and let it strengthen you". A grin breaks across Grast's face, "I'm joking!!! Kidding around... don't breathe in that poison... here, take a nose posey each..."
The circus proprietor tosses a small bag of herbs and potpourri to each of his guests, "So, I thought maybe another day of drumming up some business? It was close to a full house last night... seems you have a gift for advertisement!!!!"
...and the whole while that the pretence of a normal al fresco breakfast is maintained by Grast and his halfling underlings, Scarred Samuel glowers from his nearby boat.
"I've heard the same about wine, beer, ale, and gin and so far I haven't been impressed," Audria says as they head out, "but I guess I'll give it a try. It can't be worse than the gin smelled."
===
Audia just barely manages to catch her posey as she sits down. She takes a delicate sniff of hers, and is sure that if she thinks it's overwhelming, it must be driving Rigo bonkers. Poor guy. I can't be mad at him over the whole stupid "property" thing, still. He lost his whole family and then had to wind up in this place with a nose that smells everything. As other memories from that night, and the night before when she'd been playing rather horribly, come to mind, she mentally adds, I still need to get Moira back for roping me into that. Something embarrassing, but not too mean. I guess I could see if Alexis would be willing to help me out with that. She got embarrassed too, after all.
"I'm sure the others did more than I did. I just played so horribly that they called the watch on me," Audria admits before nibbling on a strawberry while considering what to fix her plate with. Then her eyes meet with Scarred Samuel's as she looks up to ask Salom to pass the butter and honey. Her skin feels clammy and something cold with lots of legs runs up and down her spin.
I bet he won't scowl at you if you burn his face off, a singsong voice says in her head.
Pointedly ignoring both the voice and Samuel, she asks for the butter and honey while she grabs the bread and slices off a few pieces for herself and moving on to the ham and eggs.
Aw. They're runny.
Rigo catches the small bag before it gets anywhere near his nose, and then lets out a massive sneeze that reverberates around the inside of the tent a just under a dull roar. He tosses the bag to Audria instead, giving her two. "No thank you. Allergic."
He avoids everyone with one of the small bags, and even scoots his seat further away from them to avoid the smell. He does give Scarred Samuel a full toothed grin, showing off all his pearly white teeth, and gives the man a small wave with his paw.
Salom tucks the packet into his breast pocket, electing to save it for a time it is truly needed. For now, the smell of breakfast is sufficient.
"Thank you." Salom replies with a small smile. While he might have drawn a modicum of interest with Thea, it had not escaped his notice that the crowd had been less than enthused with his comedia. If this farce was to continue, perhaps he would need to re-think his act.
Then again, Audria is right. No one had called the Watch on him.
"Cheer up, my dear," he offers with a mouthful of jammed toast. "Simply more bodies in the audience! That's what we're after, isn't it? Bodies!"
"Now now, Audria, you may not have played your best at the bar but you absolutely slew at the circus." She turns to Ammos and smiles.
As someone accustomed to bad stenches, and as someone who recently equipped herself for such, she pulls out some of the orris root mixture she used to mask the double-deceased Liza Spindleshanked's awful odor and artfully ties a handkerchief around her neck, creating a deep pocket of fabric just in front of her mouth and nose. Into this, a sprinkle of orris.
"Mornin' Ammos. No thanks on the posey, brought my own, all in the line of business, you know. Speaking of which, I might drum up some business for you, thought I'd head down by the Licorice and see what's stirring. What's on your docket for the day?"
Gods it stinks out here. Coffee and pastries. Focus on the coffee and pastries you're gonna have later.
"No, that wasn't what got the watch called on me, it was playing so horribly near the ferry," Audria admits as she shrinks into her chair and continues to eat her breakfast, notably avoiding the perfectly fried eggs. She leaves the poseys next to her plate while she eats, not sure if she wanted to smell like what those did.
"By the way, do we need to have a license to perform in public? They mentioned something about it when they came about the awful playing," she asks when Moira mentions canvasing the Licorice, then her face suddenly brightens as she has an idea. "Oh! Could we get some painting and drawing supplies? I could really make something that'll get the crowd's attention!"
Moira supports her companion's artistic side, saying, "Yeah, is there a good art supply store? Or does the circus make its own posters, so sunsh... Audria maybe could make a few?"
For such an innocent event as breakfast, there are many subtexts flowing through the interactions here - some, such as the posturing from Rigo towards the resentful Scarred Samuel, are obvious - some are less so... Grast, a braggart and showman, is cheerful enough through the conversation and smiles at the suggestion of drumming up trade in Liquorice, "A good bit of local custom... tell the punters we serve the meanest black root tea in the district - it ain't true but nothing a nip of cheap grog won't disguise. You folks keep on doing whatever it is that you've been doing and we'll have the Circus filled every night!!!"
...it is when Salom talks about 'bodies' in the audience that the mood, briefly but certainly noticeably darkens, "Sorry? What's that mister? Bodies? Why do you say that? ...oh, you mean bums on seats? Yes that's right... more bums on seats!!!"
The question about art supplies draws an unexpected snicker from Gride, "Dare say there's some on the narrowboat... Ammos would know wouldn't you??? Or maybe you didn't notice when you were over there!!!" Smiling at his own wit, Gride points out that, "Young Ammos here is sweet on Dandelion... you saw her last night, one of our acrobats, fine performer... reckon he thinks he's got a chance there!!!" ...Grast pointedly ignores Gride's jibes, "You could try over on the narrowboat if you fancy... or we can shout you some coin to get what you need from Liquorice".
"Sorry? What's that mister? Bodies? Why do you say that? ...oh, you mean bums on seats? Yes that's right... more bums on seats!!!"
"Naturally," Salom says evenly, cognizant of the ambiguity in his remark but determined not to resolve it himself. "We want the tent packed so tight it'll give the fire marshal a fit." He glances at Audria.
Audrai raises an eyebrow and turns to Moira, mouthing "fire marshal?" She shrugs and turns her attention back to conversation at hand. "I think it'd be better to get the supplies from Liquorice. We can tell the shopkeepers why we need them and hopefully get them to talk about it to their customers. The more that talk about the Circus, the more that will come to see what a show it is!"
Moira grins slyly at Salom's joke, but it's Audria's reaction that makes her laugh aloud (well, chuckle quietly).
"So, Grace isn't the only one in your heart, then, Ammos?"
Grast places his poorly baked pastry to one side at Moira's question and looks dreamily over towards the narrowboat with its crimson outlined advertisement of 'The Circus Macabre is in town! The greatest show in the world!'
He smiles, "Grace? nothing more than a dalliance and one unlikely to be repeated!!!! No, there is another who has my heart. You probably saw her last night with her sister... such a performance, such beauty and poise... she is a wonder. Oh, my love belongs only to Dandelion... and, if she will have me, then I will take her for my bride". Gride, sour-faced as ever, merely shakes his head at what he obviously consider foolishness from Grast... seeing that, Ammos sneers, "Jealous!!! Oh I thank the day that Uncle Marren gave me the circus... that I would find love!!!"
Guess Alexis and I are just there for him to lust over, Audria thinks while trying hard not to roll her eyes. Wonder what Gride's problem with this is.
"Mr. Grast? Would you mind if I used Dandelion, her sister, and some of the other performers as models for some of the advertising," she asks, trying to bring the topic of conversation back, and hoping to get a convenient excuse for her and Moira to be talking to them.
Moira wants to be on a poster. So bad.
I wonder if my look has changed enough that nobody will recognize me...
She weighs the risks against the rewards... and decides she'll bring it up with Audria later and see what she thinks. Out loud, she says,
"That sounds fun! I'll help you out if you want, but I'm not sure I'll be much use."
Catching the little bag and tucking it into one her pockets, "Thanks."
Quietly selecting a few things to munch on while everyone talks. Flinching at Salon's new name for Audria.
Grast positively beams at the suggestion from Audria that she use some of the circus' performers as models for any banners or posters advertising the entertainments available at 'the Macabre', "Oh... I am sure your skills with the brush are a wondrous as your performance last night - but, I tell you now, that you will surely be unable to capture the beauty of Dandelion... and to think that I shall make her my wife". Still waxing lyrical about his 'soon to be betrothed', Ammos ushers the group aboard the narrowboat alongside the pier... with five passengers on deck, the vessel seems to lie a little lower in the water - not enough to suggest that there is any great risk of sinking but certainly noticeable and consistent with the level of disrepair aboard the boat.
Aboard the boat, three dwarves; each of them tuning a fiddle and then launching into a series of short - and somewhat nautically influenced - jigs. Seeing Ammos, and no doubt recognising the group, they nod amicably, "If its Dandelion or Sedge yer after... well, they be down below..." And, as an aside after Ammos has bid the group 'good day' and wandered back to the Great Tent, "Sulking no doubt..."
"Sulking too much to have some company," Audria asks quietly as she watches something on the far side of the boat. "Wouldn't happen to be related to a certain amorous halfling, would it?"
Moira thumps her drum a little, Thumpathump thump... "Hi folks! Kid here's an artist, she's going to paint some of the performers for posters. I'm along to keep her company, but I'd gladly pass the time by keeping it for you, if you want."
"Ooo what a lovely cat! Do you think you could paint her into one of the posters, Audria?"
"It's not like a Dandelion to keep the shadows," Salom adds dreamily over Moira's beat, tugging Thea by the collar of her harlequin outfit to keep her from chasing the cat. "Come now, don't be shy. We're all friends."
Rigo looks at the cat, then everyone else, then huffs, and tosses some of the meat on the table a foot or two from the cat. "Animals like food, earn trust with full belly." That's the limit of his knowledge of animal handling, and it's mostly a survival thing, knowing that investing a bit of food today will make animals more likely to stay around you so you can eat them later. But he keeps that part to himself, as he's unsure how the others would react to it.
Rigo shrugs about the cat.
Rolling her eyes at Ammos and offering the three dwarves a tired smile. Looking around at the mention of a cat. Having spotted the small critter and shrugging before looking away. Pets are for people who have a home.
Maybe realising that it is being observed, the cat on the far side of boat stretches its paws dismissively and slinks out of view... whilst the dwarves, their instruments tuned now and placed on the deck beside them, take turns to introduce themselves properly, "Grutt", "The name's Lutt" and "Bruck... pleased to meet ya properly". They make a number of pleasant comments about the quality of the performances the night before and declare - rather enthusiastically - that, "Any friend of Ammos is a friend of ours" before taking their leave to start their day's labours...
Left alone aboard the boat, there is only one entrance into the cabin... knocking the door gains a muffled - and not very enthusiastic, "Come in... if you must"... and, upon opening the squat wooden door, the group are confronted with unexpectedly luxurious furnishings... the quarters are cramped but fitted out with some taste. Even in the suft glow of the lantern light, it is possible to see that all the necessary home touches are here... cupboards of fine pottery, a silver service, a tin bathtub, a pot-bellied stove, and a small - and rather short - bed.
Watching from the far corner, and making themselves rather small, are two of the halfling acrobats from yesterday's show - the red-headed one being Ammos' intended - Dandelion... although it is the other, slightly plainer and with mousey-brown hair, who talks first, "What... what do you want? Please we just want to be left alone... please"
Rigo tilts his head at the two, and nods. "Ok, sorry. If need anything, let me know." He steps out of the room.
Audria flinches as they are told to leave the halflings alone, but she does not turn to follow Rigo out.
"I wanted to see if you were alright, but anyone can tell you're not," she says as her shoulders slump and she stands like she wants to curl up into a ball and hide.
Moira sees that her young protege is not quite up for the role of trauma counselor.
Thankfully, that's Moira's forte.
She gives Audria a reassuring little hug and turns to the halflings, saying, "Hey there, I'm Moira. Sorry to intrude. We came because we're doing paintings for the circus (we performed last night, too). But let's chuck the painting right now... look, I know we're just strangers who just invaded your space, but if you care to share your troubles, we're also good listeners. Or... heck, we're going out for coffee and pastries next, join us if you want? My treat. We'll tell the boss that you're coming along to help with our publicity work and play hooky as soon as we get out of sight of the circus."
Looking around the room but Moira chimes in first, and with a lot more tact than Alexis could manage. Gods does she just care about everyone?
The halflings' voices are filled with trepidation, and a clear mistrust that is only slightly muted by Moira's friendly tone, "Mr Grast says we are to stay here... that we're to stay out of sight and that Dandelion has got a few days to decide. You work for the Grasts... don't you? Is this one of his tricks? Are you trying to get Dandelion on her own with Mr Grast?"
There are, as Ammos and Gride suggested, various other items stored in the cabin - several acrobats' hoops, a plethora of instruments in varying degrees of disrepair and, as promised, several canvasses alongside a spectrum of paints and chalks...
Listening from the doorway, Rigo huffs. "Maybe they know where that bird you wanted to paint went? If know, maybe everyone can be happy, and end up on painting together?" He hopes that one of the humans is smart enough to know he's talking about the swan tattoo when he references bird.