"Hey I was looking at that...all those pretty words and no pictures," he chuckles, lazily reaching for the book.
"Actual dancing? Not with a sword or anything? So...you want to be embarrassed by taking me to dance? Or embarrass me? I don't know if i like this..."
She puts the book on the floor, out of his reach. "Yes, actual dancing. You know you don't embarrass me, and I won't fall on you this time."
ReplyDelete"Aww why not?" he grins.
ReplyDeleteNot even looking up from his book, Otto says, "Hey! None of that while I'm still in the room!"
"There's not anything going on," she tells him. "...Yet. But if he doesn't take me somewhere I might have to resort to desperate measures."
ReplyDeleteOtto looks up at them and narrows his eyes. "You two had better get ready and get out of here," he chuckles.
ReplyDeleteGoddard laughs and stands up. "Ok ok we'll go. I'm not getting dressed up though. Sorry lecai. This is about all I can wear."
Aara squeals and grabs her backpack, running into the wash room. She quickly lines her eyes with khol and dabs jasmine perfume on her neck. Once she's changed into her black Walking Death dress, she lets her hair curl down her back. It's not much, but it'll do, won't it? Settling the pendant of Morr in the hollow of her throat, she emerges.
ReplyDelete"I'm ready, let's go," she says excitedly.
Goddard is ready in seconds and contemplates taking his scythe.
ReplyDelete"Take Sethai," Otto suggests. "Most people know what he is and who he belongs to and you won't have to carry that around. And I promise, I won't have anything to do with him and he won't talk to me about about anything," he chuckles. "And Arha can stay here and keep me company."
"Best idea ever," Goddard laughs. "Stay here Arha and keep visible."
Yes Master...
"Come on, Sethai," she says, grabbing Goddard's hand and pulling him out the door. "Thank you, Ustadh."
ReplyDeleteGoddard laughs and heads out with Aara. Once outside, he walks next to her and hooks his arm in hers.
ReplyDelete"The only places to dance in are taverns. I hope that's ok."
"That's fine," she says, tucking her cloak around her and putting his arm over her shoulders. "I've never danced in one, though," she tells him, biting her lip. "You'd better keep an eye out for anything I'm not supposed to do."
ReplyDelete"As long as you don't kill anyone, everything else is fine," he chuckles. "You're in the Empire. Not Araby."
ReplyDelete"I just don't want to cause trouble..."
ReplyDelete"Don't kill anyone and have a bit of patience with the more harmless drunks?" He chuckles.
ReplyDelete"How am I supposed to know who's harmless?! I've never done this before!" Suddenly she's wishing she'd just made him dance with her in front of the fireplace.
ReplyDelete"Remember when we had Morr's mead? And the guy at the bar who could barely talk said some stuff? That's one of the harmless ones. The ones that laugh and say the worst things. The ones you can hurt are the ones who touch you or move toward you in a way that you feel threatened by."
ReplyDeleteAara sighs. "And you say Araby is complicated. But I only brought four daggers with me, so I can't get in too much trouble, can I?" she adds with a smile.
ReplyDelete"That's not complicated," he chuckles. "And you only need one dagger to cause too much trouble. Four is over kill..."
ReplyDelete"It seems trouble follows us no matter how many I have. But I won't kill anyone, you always get so touchy when I do..."
ReplyDelete