estdeus_innobis | (no subject)

{Early Evening- Tuesday, 29th June ~ Day 394}
{Crossroads DanceHall}

Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time
I feel alive
And the world turning inside out, yeah
And floating around in ecstasy, so
Don't stop me now
Don't stop me
'Cuz I'm having a good time, having a good time

It is finally time to open the doors.
The lights are on- thanks to a couple folks from the fair who came out to help me with 'em. And the musics' done warming up now- sounds of instruments tuning and and the player's psyching each other up have given over to songs playing and feet stomping along.
A few brave souls have opened the dancing and there are mostly smiles all around.

So far so good.

A lot of the younger set know me by now from hiring them for the clean-up, and I put up some signs around town, so hopefully we'll have a good turn out.
And now that the greater part of the haying is done, people are in a good mood. People like to dance and come out and see each other when they're happy. Even in a strange town like this that holds true.

Smooth my skirt as I circle the floor towards the drink stand. I'll probably take a few turns of my own tonight, but mostly my job is to meet people who don't know me yet and get them to like me enough to come back. If the night continues like this, I do think it'll turn out fine.

The band starts another song, and I find my smile is genuine.

(The DanceHall is open to all! Come on in and have fun!)

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I almost feel bad turning Jarmyn down- he does do that inadvertent kicked puppy routine quite well.

"Verite's not pleased with me. Thought we could put things aside for today, but...."
Ah, youth. Any of those times I miss never having had any of that, I just have to look around to totally not regret it in the slightest.

"I'm sure that you'll do very well! As long as it won't make Verite more unhappy with you, I'd be happy to dance with you."
"You two go ahead- if your husband comes looking, I'll wrangle him for you," Hermia is a much better choice to dance with him. She's happily married and shouldn't feel like a threat to Ri.

I know Hermia cares about Ri and me, she's shown that, but I'm glad she doesn't ask any more questions. Not in front of the sheriff. I nod to Mab before taking Hermia's hand and leading her out onto the floor.

It's a waltz. Kind of wish it were a faster dance, though, so I'd have an excuse not to make small talk. "Sure you've heard the gossip going round, about what happened at the Cafe'. It's that that Ri's mad about, I think. Didn't actually get a chance to ask her." There. It's not small talk, but it'll get things out in the air so they won't be awkward.

"Thank you," I say to Mab with another quick smile. "I doubt there will be much need for wrangling, but you can tell him I'll be back soon.

I follow Jarmyn out to the dance floor as the music picks up again. He is a fairly good dancer, I see, as I fall into step with him. At least, he is good at the waltz. But his nervousness gets in the way of his movements - I can feel it in his shoulder where my hand rests.

"Sure you've heard the gossip going round, about what happened at the Cafe'. It's that that Ri's mad about, I think. Didn't actually get a chance to ask her."

"People talk," I admit. "And I've heard something, although not many specifics. Or rather, too many contradictory specifics," I qualify, with a small wry twist of a smile. "But I gather there were some raised voices?" And I have raised eyebrows to go with that question, to point to the understatement that i know that it is. "And whatever happened, I'm sure that Ri would be set at ease by knowing the truth of it directly from you."

Of course she's heard. I sigh. Can't imagine she thinks much of what went on, even if she has the good sense not believe all the gossip. But she's being good enough not to hold it against me, I guess. We go lightly around the dance floor and I find myself thinking how lucky Valmont is and wishing Ri could be just a bit more, well, nice would be a good start.

"I should've known better than to get between them," I admit. Know better than to speak badly of Iago or his shrew of a wife to Hermia. "And none of the three of us can let a thing go once it's said." There. That's quite enough to be saying about that. "I did try explaining what happened to her. Ri, I mean."

"That's all quite true," I say, still mild, although I can see from the look on his face that he wishes he could say quite a bit more about Glass and Iago, and nothing good, either. I'll give him credit for the good judgment to stay silent, at least.

"And it's good that you tried." Although I fear the poor boy probably made a terrible mess of it, given the way he's tried to sort things out with Ri before… "What did you tell her happened?" I ask, as we spin around the corner of the dance floor.

I have to think a minute after she asks me what did I tell Ri. That's a little hard with her nose five inches from mine. I can watch her watching me trying to come up with a good lie. Close my eyes and sigh. Not going to lie to Hermia. "I told her most of it." And leave it at that. We're supposed to be having fun tonight.

The matter's not really closed, though. "It's hard to keep my temper when people are speaking ill of those I l-love and other people are laughing over it." And as the music ends, I bow to her and lead her off the floor toward the drinks table again. I could certainly use one.

"I told her most of it."

…oh dear. Which means that he thinks that I know absolutely all of it. I really don't like to listen to gossip. I must ask Valmont all of it when I have the chance, for he is the one always listening and asking about people. It comes of owning an inn, I suppose - always the one to listen to people's troubles…

Well. I don't need to know every detail in order to surmise how Verite reacted, from the way Jarmyn is squirming. "What did she say in return?"

"It's hard to keep my temper when people are speaking ill of those I l-love and other people are laughing over it."

"I imagine that you're not the only one who feels that way," I say gently. And then, because he's said it first, and in such a hesitant manner, I repeat it with a little smile, so that he can hear that he's said it, "About people you love."

And it applies to Glass and Iago, too, for if that quarrel had anything to do with him insulting either of them…well, then I can understand why there was a quarrel.

The song comes to a close, and I dip my head to Jarmyn when he bows, and follow him off the dance floor. "Thank you," I offer. "That was a lovely dance."

Hermia asks me what Ri said to my story, and I can feel my face getting hot. Not from the dancing or the drink, either. "She asked me did I pick a fight, and I told her no, which is true." I'm not stupid enough to start fights in public, and I'd thought she knew that. "She'd already heard a good bit of the story going around before she heard my version, though."

People you love. Hermia says it again after me, and I look over at Ri, who's being helped to a chair by Glass, of all people. My stomach turns over. I want Verdi very badly right about now. Nod to Hermia, words stuck in my throat. I should offer her a drink, or just say thank you back. Anything.

I see Hermia is dancing with Jarmyn, and I don't want to interrupt. So I wait until they have stepped off the dance floor to walk over.

"Jarmyn, good to see you outside of work," I say, smiling. "Are you having a pleasant night? My dear," I say to Hermia, "might I borrow you for a moment?"

"She asked me did I pick a fight, and I told her no, which is true. She'd already heard a good bit of the story going around before she heard my version, though."

"Then perhaps you should tell her the rest?" I say gently. He's bright red, poor boy, and looks as if he can hardly speak.

Before I can say anything else, though, Valmont comes up…and he is not bright red. If anything, he looks a little pale. Oh dear. I fear that the conversation with Micah did not go well…

"Jarmyn, good to see you outside of work," I say, smiling. "Are you having a pleasant night? My dear," I say to Hermia, "might I borrow you for a moment?"

"Of course," I say at once. I give Jarmyn another quick smile and say,"Thank you again for the dance," before I slip my arm through Valmont's, and let him lead me away.

cont here (http://estdeus-innobis.livejournal.com/452344.html?thread=11415288#t11415288).