"I need some. Could you help me get them?" she asks.
|
Ashlion watches the whole situation and roars with laughter from besides his own fire when Tom starts flailing around. "THAT IS NOTHING LITTLE BLADE. YOU TRY TO SATISFY A WOMAN WHO CAN GO TWELVE TIMES A NIGHT AND THEN FIGHT ALL DAY. THEN YOU WILL KNOW WHAT PAIN IS LIKE. VERY PLEASURABLE PAIN!" He adds with waggling eyebrows and a ridiculously devoted look at the wagon when his heavily pregnant wife is watching everything and shaking her head in exasperation.
----------------------------
Some time later there is a heavy knock on the door of Tasha and Ruine's wagon and outside proves to be Ashlion holding two fists of flowers. One hand is full of long grasses with a scattering of bright yellow flowers in it, and the other has slender red blooms.
"FOR THE LADIES WHO FOUGHT WITH ME TODAY!" He offers, quietly for him. "YELLOW FLOWERS FOR SUNSHINE AND RED FLOWERS FOR PRETTY DEVIL. SINCE YOU DIDN'T BLEED SO MUCH TODAY I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE THE COLOR?" His smile is so open and sincere that he's clearly trying a joke, rather than an insult. "I DID NOT GET FLOWERS FOR LITTLE KNIFE... WILL HE FEEL LEFT OUT?" He adds, still grinning.
"Oh, Ashlion!" Ruinë exclaims, eagerly snatching up the yellow flowers and putting them into the case Tasha had set out earlier. "No one has ever gotten me flowers before, I love them!" she declares and leaps into his arms, wrapping herself around him in a big hug.
Tasha accepts her flowers with a downcast look.
"Thank you, Ashlion," she says. When she sees how happy Ruinë is, she returns to the bed and her book without a word.
|
|
Ashlion, who despite his general appearance is not a fool, notes Tasha's downcast reaction and soon leaves the two women alone.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO TASHA?" He asks his considerably better half later that night. "WHY IS SHE ALWAYS SO SAD? WAS IT SOMETHING ABOUT THE CIRCUS THEY ALL CAME FROM BEFORE?"
Ruinë dotes over her flowers in the vase with much excitement. She tries to sit down and read next to Tasha like they normally do, but she just can't sit still. "Don't they smell amazing? Do you want to smell them again? I do."
She stands and takes the flowers out of the vase and brings them to sit down next to Tasha, holding them out to her to smell, again, as she drips water over her book pages. "Don't they just smell amazing? Ashlion is so kind to me." she says dreamily.
Tygrah rolls over in bed—a considerable effort with her belly in the way—to regard Ashlion. ”Remember the way everybody looked at us when we first got to Sargava? Now imagine being looked at like that your entire life. Aside from whatever personal tragedy Tasha might have experienced in the Celestial Menagerie, just by virtue of being a tiefling, her life has been harder than most. So do not judge her too harshly, husband.”
She kisses the barbarian’s brow. ”I love my flowers, by the way.”
"They smell wonderful," Tasha says as she hides further inside her book. A sniffle follows. "You deserve wonderful flowers like that every day." Another sniffle follows. "And someone thoughtful enough to bring them to you."
”You forgot to mention pretty!” Tygrah says, playfully punching Ashlion hard enough to leave a bruise. Then it is her turn to grunt in pain. ”Oof! Your son is kicking me again!”
Ruinë stands up and puts the flowers back, smelling them one more time. When she sits down again, she uses her hand to close Tasha's book gently so that the tiefling looks at her. "Do you know what is more important than the beautiful flowers? The vase of water that sustains them and keeps them alive. Though often overlooked as nothing more than a pot of water, the vessel that sustains life is the truly magnificent gift. It represents the union of you and I, I am your vessel that sustains you and you are the beautiful flowers inside that bring me joy and happiness."
She slides her hand over top of Tasha's and closes her eyes, her mind racing. "The one that is so thoughtful to provide that sustenance, that is the one that cares the most."
With her hand on Tasha's, she says "I would like it very much if you let me kiss you now."
When the book is pulled away, Ruinë can see the tears in Tasha's eyes. She reaches up to brush them away as the half-elf speaks.
At her request the tiefling turns nervously away and considers it. She finally looks back. "If that is what you wish," she whispers and then closes her eyes.
Ruinë listens to Tasha's hesitation in her voice and tries to piece together what's going on. The tears don't help sell this either.
She pats Tasha's forearm twice, gently. "Thank you for allowing me. Knowing of your consent is enough for me however, I know these intimate moments are challenging for you so I will leave it at that and consider my request fulfilled."
She turns and wraps her slender arms around the tiefling, leaning her hand on her shoulder and holding her there.
Tasha pulls Ruinë in close and holds her tight. She sits there for a moment enjoying the closeness. "Close your eyes," she says after a moment and shifts around. Once she's sure the half-elf's eyes are closed she leans in and presses her lips against Ruinë's. The kiss lacks skill and subtlety. It's more a pressing of lips than an affectionate gesture.
She turns to hold Ruinë in her arms again.
"W-was that ... ok?" she asks in a small voice.
The most intimiacy that Ruinë has ever had comes from Tasha kissing her forehead. When something other than that presses against her lips, she has no idea what to think.
"That was... amazing!" she says excitedly, reaching up and pressing two of her fingers gently to her own lips, rubbing them gently. "It made me all tingly inside." she admits, embarrassed.
"Oh," Tasha says looking away. Her skin is taking on a decidedly darker purple cast. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure if I did it right."
Ruinë takes her hand and says conspiratorially, but her eagerness betrays her "Maybe we should try it again, just to be sure, you knwo?"
She closes her eyes and makes a puckered kissy face in from of Tasha that would likely cause her to be ridiculed if anyone outside of this wagon saw her.
Worried that she might cause Ruinë to 'Tingle' again, Tasha falls back to what she feels at least partially comfortable with. Leaning in close she softly touches her lips to the half-elf's.
When she feels Ruinë begin to press into it, she pulls back to hold her again. Her stomach rolling. "I-is that enough?" she asks.
Ruinë squeezes her muscles so that her thighs rub together and her neck rubs against her shoulder. Even though her eyes are still closed, she smiles and responds only with "Mmmm." and crawls back into Tasha's embrace, giddy and nearly bouncing with delight.
She reaches up and rubs her lips again, tracing the contours as if she could still feel Tasha's lips on her own.
Tasha holds the half-elf in her arms, her book forgotten. Memories of being touched in so many distasteful ways echo in her mind as she attempts to calm the feelings of anxiety that threaten to overwhelm her. She takes comfort from Ruinë's smell and the feeling of her nearby heartbeat.
Grelda sits on her chosen boulder again, staring up at the starry sky. Her gaze keeps drifting back down, though, to the wagon that Ashlion and Tygrah share. The young witch has managed to keep her feelings to herself thus far, but it's getting harder for her to deny her growing attraction for the burly barbarian. He is uncouth and boisterous, but that's what makes him unique. His prowess in battle cannot be matched--and judging by the satisfied noises coming from the wagon, it seems his prowess in the bedroom is equally superb.
Grelda scowls and shakes her head. It would not do to dwell on these thoughts, or her jealousy of Tygrah. Perhaps one day, if the stars are right...
***
Over the next several days, Grelda takes the lead promoting the circus to the people of Abberton. She organizes small performances from the clowns and offers to tell a few citizens' fortunes, urging them to come to the performance for the full show.
Tom runs into the wagon circle with a bundle of papers and runs up to Grelda.
"Hey Grel! Turns out 3-finger Bill with the Ugly Mugs has quite the eye for art. I'm going to put these posters up EVERYWHERE. I'm just not allowed to tell anyone that 3-finger Bill made 'em. He doesn't want to ruin his rep outside the bar..."
Once the crowd has gathered and Tasha is ready to talk them up, she looks to Tom.
"Get ready to go on," Tasha says with a grin that could be considered friendly. "You're going to be the opening act."
Tom's posters help to generate anticipation for the performance, ensuring that a sizable crowd has gathered. Just before the show is about to begin, there's a commotion from the animal pens. Growls, roars, and hisses fill the air as the beasts break loose, running rampant around the circus grounds.
"Don't just stand there! Round them up!" Alainn cries as she chases after Bardolph the Bear. Tygrah puts Leandrus the lion in a headlock to try to wrangle him back in place, while Elizia the snake charmer shouts for her python Mister Tickles to get down from the rafters!
Despite the chaos, the audience hoots and hollers, thinking it part of the opening act!
Ignoring the calls and cries of the freed animals, Tasha strides boldly into the center ring to bow low, sweeping her hat off of her head.
"Welcome to the Circus of Wayward Wonders!" she calls out to the crowd. "Where excitement is around every corner, thrills are waiting at every turn, and the unknown can be encountered in the very next moment! Don't touch that serpent, little girl!"
"Amidst the cacophony of the bestial world, you will now see the magnificent knife skills of our very own Tom! And knives aren't the only things he's skilled at. If any of you eligible young men in the audience are looking for someone skilled in the 'Fine' arts - see him after the show."
When the Ringmaster announces Somber Tom a spotlight illuminates the center of a ring. Tom is standing there, unseen until the spotlight, with a knife cradled in his arms like he's dipping a lover in an exotic dance.
He begins twirl, his dancing scarf swirling around him making it hard to tell where he ends and the shadows around him begin. The spotlight goes out for the briefest of moments, then they come up and Tom is in the stands! He begins a story about succubus concubines on the moon, and his daring escape from the pleasures of his bedchamber. "No sleep, day or night.
All the while {A}Juggling 5 of his knives that he's coated in phosphorus.
He [A}snaps his fingers and a ghostly SCREAM emits from the center target! Then he hurls a dagger into the center of the bullseye and it EXPLODES into a blaze from the alcohol he soaked the targets in! Grelda's magic causes the flames twist into a swirling column before they burn out!
Hero point.
The crowd cheers as Tom performs his trick, marveling at the flames dancing through the air. From backstage, Grelda throws the rogue a wink.
"Wasn't he wonderful, folks?! And so handsome! And so single!" Tasha shouts out with another bow. "And if you liked his skills with fire, you'll love one of our next acts! The Flamboni Sisters and their fire juggling! And in the other ring, the Sure! The Stout! The Swift Dwarven Throwers!"
Unfortunately the Flamboni sisters are having an off night. They botch their act, narrowly avoiding setting each other on fire! The Dwarven Throwers do a bit better, but overall the buildup is kind of a wash.
Tasha's smile is perfectly intact as she takes the spotlight again to introduce the main attraction. "Weren't they wonderful, folks?! Yes! Yes, they were!" She struts across to stand to one side, allowing the main act to set up in darkness as the light follows her. "But that's not who you've come to see, is it?! I know who that is. She's magical. She's magnificent. She's the Mysterious Mordaine!"
She gestures with her hat and the center ring is illuminated to show her water-filled tank.
"Gods, please don't flub this up," Tasha mutters to herself as tries to decide what they can do for closing acts without any animals.
”Ah, the spotlight!” Mordaine says, beaming as she takes the center ring. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite as planned with her escape trick, as she starts to run out of breath mere moments from being able to escape. Her assistant is forced to open the tank early to rescue her, to the jeers of the crowd. Mordaine storms off, dripping water and muttering about poor maintenance of her trick shackles.
Refusing to let the disaster of a main act phase her, Tasha steps back out into the spotlight.
"Now, as your final treat and something to remember as you go home tonight. I give you the spectacle of Strength!" A light shines upon the left ring to reveal the shirtless form of Ashlion. "Skill!" The right right is lit to show Ruinë alone in the ring. "And Daring!" She gestures upwards and lights reveal the high-wire act above the center ring.
Ruinë takes her cue and begins the her act. Her take off is executed perfectly and as she she sails through the air and is performing her sweep, something goes disastrously wrong and she looses her grip on the bar.
As she starts to fall, she casts the new spell she just learned which causes a tremendous fireball to explode from her fingertips! Remembering the force it generated while she practices it, she uses the explosion to propels her back up towards the swinging bar, tumbling in various directions out of control. Luck is with her however and she manages to grab the bar with her feet and flip herself back around, making an accident look like a daring magical stunt instead.
She soars through her hollow, force out, sweep and the seven, executing them flawlessly.
|
|
Ashlion meanwhile summons two volunteers from the audience, a burly man who looks like the town blacksmith and a small girl who seems delighted and terrified in equal measures to be chosen. The assistants wheel out a table and Ashlion, through gesture and mime, encourages the blacksmith to sit opposite him. They lock arms in a classic arm wrestle and the little girl is positioned as judge to decide who wins.
Unfortunately the sight of two men straining to wrestle each other's arms down is not terribly exciting, and it makes the follow-up where Ashlion and the little girl 'arm-wrestle' and the little girl manages to win with such power that Ashlion turns a somersault from his place fall slightly flat.
Somber Tom sneaks into the ring during Ashlion's act to aid the little girl, making the ending where the burly half-orc flips through the air slightly more believable. The audience applauds.
The Feather Fall Five get off to a shaky start, but they are able to recover swiftly as they bounce, flip, and perform tricks on their tightrope.
But it is Ruine who steals the show. The audience gasps in awe as the fireball propels her into the air. As she spins and flips, they sit on the edge of their seats, and when she sticks the landing, they cheer and rise in a standing ovation!
The Abbertonians leave quite satisfied with the show. The performance was a success!
It is clear that Abberton isn't large or wealthy enough to support the Circus of Wayward Wonders for long. It seems the time has come to seek out other venues. Escadar is the island's largest city, but Escadar is also the home of Mistress Dusklight's Celestial Menagerie. Some of you have an unpleasant history with the amurrun ringmistress, and the agents she sent to Abberton show that she hasn't forgotten about her new rivals.
But, as always, the show must go on!
When the show is over, the cleric makes her way to each and every performer in the show to tell them how wonderful their performance was, even if it wasn't all that great. She comforts them with encouraging words or hugs and cheerfully applauds their success. She attributes her fantastic finish as nothing more than pure luck.
"Tom, the explosion at the end was fantastic. I was really impressed. You are truly too good to be in the middle of the show and definitely should be the closing act."
"Ashlion, you had them right where you wanted them. I couldn't catch all of it because I was otherwise occupied, but I heard the roar of applause and I am glad you stole the show."
"Tasha, our success can only be attributed to your leadership and presence. I am glad that you are centerstage before them all and not I, for I could never withstand their gaze like you do. It is you that build the excitement ensure our success."
"Grelda, your magic and manipulation behind the scenes to ensure everything goes off according to plan is instrumental. No one gets to see the hard work you put in, but I want you to know we all appreciate it and know we wouldn't be able to get them cheering without your help."
To everyone she says "Thank you all for letting me be part of your family. You make me feel wanted and loved. Thank you."
Grelda wraps Ruine up in a big hug. "We love you, too. We're all better for having your warmth and light among us."
The witch then eyes Ashlion. "I liked your act the best," she says, blushing slightly.
"I liked it too, Ash." Tom says with a wink and a grin he can barely hide.
"Grel, how are you with animal shapes? Wouldn't it be something if the explosion looked like a dragon? Or Ashlion?"
Then he shouts over to the Flamboni Sisters: And another wink at Ashlion.
Grelda closes her eyes in concentration, waving her hands over the circus's fire pit. After a bit, the bonfire begins to waver and condense into an impressive replica of Ashlion himself! The crowd applauds.
one of the Flambonis calls back to Tom.
shouts the other.
|
|
Ashlion poses to match the flames, laughing hugely at Grelda's magic. "I MIGHT BE TOO HOT FOR THE LIKES OF YOU!" He tells Tom with a loud chortle at his own wit.
"YOU ARE VERY KIND GRELDA." He adds. "I AM NOT SURE IT WAS BEST ACT. WHAT COULD I DO TO MAKE IT BETTER? I DON'T NEED TOM COMING TO SAVE THE SHOW EVERY TIME. HE MIGHT GET A BIG HEAD!"
"You were amazing, Milaya," Tasha says, taking Ruinë into her arms and touching her forehead with a gentle kiss. "Perhaps I shall have you as the main attraction next time, eh?" She gives her another hug and then turns to the others, keeping one arm around the half-elf's waist.
"Everyone did wonderful tonight!" she announces. "Although, I think Mordaine needs to spend more time cleaning her equipment." There's some light-hearted laughter.
"We will be setting out tomorrow morning for Escadar. So everyone be sure to get plenty of rest."
Grelda's smile broadens. "I do have a few ideas. Maybe we could discuss them--"
Before she can continue, Tygrah emerges from the crowd, grabbing her husband by the cheeks and kissing him passionately. The witch's smile fades and she steps back.
"--um, maybe at another time." She quickly scurries away.
Chapter 2: Legacy of the Lost God
10 Calistril, 4720 AR
The next morning, the circus packs up its tents, bids farewell to the people of Abberton, and begins the three day overland journey to Escadar. The trip largely uneventful, beyond a growing restlessness among the circus performers and hands.
Escadar is not the most enticing location to set up, and it is not without risk. Many performers and hands are anxious about Mistress Dusklight, the cruel circus master who manages the rival circus Celestial Menagerie. Performers whisper stories about her kidnappings, mistreatment of animals, and use of magic and drugs to force performers into compliance. Some of you also have had your share of sordid experiences with the cruel catfolk.
Soon enough, though, you arrive in Escadar. The sharp tang of salt permeates the air, and the gulls that swoop and cry overhead mark the city’s proximity to the sea. Grandiose buildings at the city’s center rise above sprawling markets and squalid tenements. Proud ships sail in and out of the harbor with the wind as laborers and travelers mill about the docks and quays.
The tide of humanity ebbs and flows throughout the port city. Hawkers pace the crooked streets and shout various offers to passersby. Fishmongers sing out the daily catch, traipsing in meandering paths through crowded markets. Armed guards in navy‐blue uniforms with bronze badges patrol the busy intersections, their eyes scanning the crowds. Dirty‐faced urchins dart underfoot, seeking dropped coins or untended purses.
Walking throughthe streets of Escadar is similar to peering through the pages of history, as newer projects are built practically on top of older buildings. Foundations millennia old support brand‐new structures, the city growing proudly higher and higher.
Though Escadar teems with distractions and your investigation into Moonstone Hall beckons, you have a significant concern that demands immediate attention: your performers need to make a living. You require a plot of unused land to house your circus, and every circus owner knows that good relations with the local law helps prevent trouble. A good first step would be to speak with the head of the city guard.
|
|
Ashlion picks up on the mood of the circus changing as they head to Escadar and, being a curious and gregarious soul, attempts to find out why. Over the three day journey almost everyone is approached, politely and usually quietly (for Ashlion) and asked why they dislike Mistress Dusklight. He accepts rebuffing without comment or pressing.
He also rides with Grelda for a while, apparently genuinely interested in tips for his performance in the ring and keenly appreciative of the witch's skill in stagecraft and pyrotechnics.
Ruinë is very uncomfortable with the questioning regarding Mistress Dusklight.
"She was not nice to me." is all she wants to offer up. When Ashlion waits, the cleric opens up a little.
"She told me I had the body to be an aerilist, so she made me learn. Without nets. I would fall repeatedly and injure myself badly. She knew I could heal myself, so she made me do it and when I ran out of healing and kept falling, she made me keep performing."
"In retrospect, that wasn't so bad. It was when she learned that I had the ability to make fire that things got really terrible. There were... so many burns. She kept pushing me to do more dangerous tricks and I started getting hurt a lot more frequently." she looks away.
"You see, Mistress Dusklight wanted to punish me for my failures so she sent me to Burlaq the Brave's wagon to entertain him. It became apparent his definition of entertainment wasn't conversational and when I ran, he beat me. It's how I met Tasha. She saved me that day. I owe her my everything."
"Anyway. It is not a pleasant place, Ashlion. Nothing good comes from that place. Other than my family that came here with me that is."
When Ruinë gives hugs they are always the gentlest of touches. She never squeezes her body into someone, instead allowing her skin to drape over the others. So when Ashlion comes in for a huge, she tenses to prepare herself to be crushed. When he doesn't, she just lays her head against him and says "It's okay. I have forgiven her and moved on."
She doesn't pull away and says "Thank you."