On Prancing

tenebrae - Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 8:33 PM

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-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A07: Local Alexandria Market District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=-

Just west of the Northern Highbridge and east of the arena, commerce blooms. Noisy and bustling, most anything may be purchased here for a price. Vendors from all cultures sell their wares from exotically colored carts, and the smells of different nations and far-off city-states mix with local ones from Alexandria and its riverbanks.

For all its commerce, visitors are advised to keep hold of their purses. Even the merchants possess a certain, cunning look. Most are positioned at carts or stalls as opposed to a formal storefront, with trade here being mobile, and visiting from all parts of the world.

Though the quality of goods suffers here compared to Upper Alexandria, the options are more diverse. Too, the oversight of the Watch is slightly less, and during times events are held at the Arena, chaos abounds. After dark, the square becomes a hangout for bards and other entrepreneurs whose business is best conducted by night; the shadows at the edges of the square often contain furtive figures engaging in their own brand of business.

Jessa's gray charcoal skids to the side mid-stroke, causing an ugly line to skid across the page of sketches on her lap. "I'm sorry. What?"

"I have seen elves prance," Tatyannah informs Jessa seriously, "It turns out, they don't just do it in the woods. In fact, I saw elves prancing through the streets of Alexandria. Vennan seemed /very/ upset." She rearranges facts and such around blithely for the better story.

Jessa blinks slowly and then starts to smile. It is a slow smile but it is getting larger by the moment. "Really."

Mikilos wanders the market as he does now and again (who knows when a good deal might crop up?), and spying a familiar Lucht, wanders her direction. Over hearing a bit of the conversation, the elf's brow quirks. "Now, I've never been quite clear. Just what does it mean to 'prance', anyway?" He smiles, nodding hello to Jessa.

"Well, you're an elf, you should know from prancing. I think you should demonstrate to us what you think it means," Tatyannah gets distracted by Mikilos, no matter how that grin on Jessa makes her happy and warm inside.

Giving Mikilos a thoughtful look, Jessa taps a finger against her chin. "Hm. Yes. I would be fascinated to know what you think of that, Mikilos."

Mikilos shrugs, and frowns thoughtfully for several moments. "Well, I would assume it to be a variation of 'dance'. Outside of elves, I've heard the term used in regards to the equestrian, which I believe is the proper terminology. Something of a variation of 'pony dance'. Which is to say an energetic movement of high-stepping springing walk. In vernacular, I'd would assume the average to use the term in referance to a carefree unstructured dance, predominantly without partner, with a strong implication of the dancer appearing foolish."

Tatyannah's eyes appear to glaze over even as she stares at Mikilos, "That is a lot of words, most of which I don't understand. I'm really much more a visual person." She waves her hand, "You should really demonstrate what you mean." Only she can't quite hide the mischieviousness of the request from her expression. "So we can see the difference in what you mean."

"You are -such- a wizard," Jessa says. She sounds almost regretful, sighing a bit as she says that. Then she returns to her sketching. "Now. You are certain of this?" she asks Tatyannah. She gives the other woman a sidelong glance.

Mikilos eyes Tatyannah and smiles. "Even if it were a real thing, which I doubt, I don't think I'm the 'prancing' sort. Though if you really want and experience of what it's like..." The wizard gestures, and the air around his hand distorts for a moment. "...wait, no, I didn't memorize that spell today. Nevermind."

"Damnit," Tatyannah mutters, "I have /got/ to work on my face." She gives Mikilos a suspicious look before looking to Jessa, "I did see it with my own eyes. In fact, it was so affecting that I got swept up in the whole situation and ended up prancing right along with Vennan." Again, there's a quick change in the schedule of facts.

"Vennan doesn't prance." Jessa may be a lot of things but a sucker? No. She just studies Tatyannah then, waiting.

Mikilos frowns and quirks a brow. "As little as I see myself as a prancing sort, Vennan is less so."

Tatyannah sighs, "Fine! You are completely spoiling this." Then she start to explain about a job for the Explorers' Guild and that there was an evil cobbler who had enchanted his shoes to magically put themselves on peoples' feet, which would make the wearers dance. She also takes the time to explain that the group she was with were elves and half-elves, save for her. "And then - Solace came in." She lets a dramatic pause fall there.

"An elven cobbler did this?" Jessa asks with a completely serious face.

Mikilos frowns thoughtfully. "I've heard of cursed shoes before, but ones that attach themselves is a new twist. Tales usually just speak of those foolish enough to put them on."

"Yes," Tatyannah grins. She asides to Mikilos, "Okay you? Need to stop being scholarly, because it is interrupting the flow. Just hush, and enjoy the story, because it's funny." Then back to Jessa, "So, there we were, some of us dancing and prancing about. The cobbler ordered the shoes to attack and I got /kicked/!" She waves her hands, "Anyway, once we killed the shoes and subdued the the cobbler, well, the shoes were still on and making us dance and so, we had to prance our way back to the guild."

"So...an elven cobbler purposefully enchanted shoes to make people prance. And all the people involved except you were elven or half elven." It appears that Jessa's just clarifying details now.

Mikilos blinks, and smiles mildly. He's been spoiling tales with logic since before he could walk. "So you were one of those pranceing? I'm still not clear on what you mean by that term. But sounds as if you're experienced enough to demonstrate yourself."

"He does have a point," Jessa agrees.

"Yes," Tatyannah grins at Jessa, then between Mikilos and Jessa, she frowns, "Zip it. If you two don't hush, I'm stopping right there and you'll have to remain unsatisfied." She mmmfs and shoves some food in her mouth.

"Except now that I know there's a story, you know I'll be able to get it from Vennan." Jessa's certain of that. "I notice that you want to humiliate everyone else in some way. You shouldn't be surprised that those same people want the same from you."

Mikilos nods, looking to Jessa. "She's flustered. I'm pretty satisfied. How about you?"

"She works too hard to screw others over. It certainly works to see it in reverse." Jessa is smiling again.

Tatyannah shrugs slightly, "Get it from Vennan, then. I'm not flustered, just irritated." She stands up, "Have a good day," and is going to leave the food there.

"Now come on. That's bullshit." Jessa says immediately in a loud voice. "You can dish out absolutely horrible things at people but once it is turned on you you run away? You always call me a coward when I do that!"

Mikilos nods thoughtfully. "Irritated works too. But I still think flusted is correct." He turns focus to Jessa. "So anything new and intresting with you?"

Tatyannah turns towards to Jessa, "It isn't about running away, honest. You want me to dance? Fine." She dances, and she dances well, a few steps of something of where she's from, no embarrassment. "See, no bullshit." Then she salutes them and wanders off. "Have a good day," she repeats.

Jessa watches that and hmms. "So how was Vennan pulled in I wonder?" Then she sighs. "No."

Mikilos shrugs. "Magic items have their own rules. Espically cursed ones." He sighs, and shrugs. "Not so much for myself, either. Not to say things have been dull and colorless, but nothing that really bears repeating."

Tatyannah has left.

"You know. She doesn't handle people dishing her own medicine back on her. I shouldn't be surprised." Jessa sighs heavily. "I suppose many Tarienites aren't the best at receiving the jokes."

Mikilos nods, and shrugs. "A lot of people are that way, really. Those who give violence seldome receive it well, those who give lectures seldom receive them in good grace, and so on."

"She's certainly gone out of her way to be borderline torturous to me at times. She's a good heart in there though." Jessa goes back to a little sketch of the giantess in one corner of her book. "And frankly, she's hilarious toward Vennan at times. He's certain very easy to tease and takes himself /so seriously/. And she likes children. I like people who like children."

Mikilos nods, and sighs. "Vennan does tend to bring it on himself. I agree with many of his viewpoints, but his presentation of them could improve. And people who like kids tend to be worth knowing, though certainly are exceptions."

"Well. Many Llyanost types get like that. I have heard my share, I am sure you will not be surprised to hear, because people seem to think being a Lucht mean being some sort of child or halfwit." Jessa smiles slyly. "That's sometimes a handy mistake."

Mikilos grins, and nods. "I've seen that. Also seen where those assume that a small size means physically weak. I've made that mistake before myself, and now firmly recall it is indeed a mistaken assumption."

The sly grin grows wider but the Jessa sighs. "I'll have to make it up to her a bit though. I should have realized she'd be overly sensitive. She was far far too thrilled to crow about that."

Mikilos shrugs. "I don't know her that well, so can't really say. Though I really don't understand this sudden upswing in 'prancing' referances. It's been a steriotype for a while, but only recently have I heard it discussed."

"Vennan." That's all Jessa needs to really say but she adds, "He gets so violent about it. Thus it is SO hilarious to refute him."

Mikilos snorts softly. "Yeah, I'm really not susprised. Though I somehow suspect Sandy is involved on some level. Likely against her will, but that tends to make whatever it is more popular."

"No, I think she's stayed out of /that/ one. She's caused other problems." Jessa scowls.

Mikilos quirks a brow. "Something in particular you have in mind?"

"Just Sandy in general. The woman is okay but she tromps around and causes so much /trouble/. People give her too much credit while being willfully blind about her lack of peopel skills." Jessa is awfully opinionated.

Mikilos mmms, and nods. "I think her lack of people skills are one of her foremost heraled traits. Celebrated, to an extent. I don't really understand it, but admit to getting caught up in it at times."

"I like Sandy very much. But I am also very aware of what she is and isn't good at." Jessa sighs heavily. "Ah well."

Mikilos ponders. "I'm less certain. I think she -could- be social, if she so chose, but has firmly chosen against it. And assorted urgings over time have just pushed her further away."

"Please. She behaves exactly the way she wants to behave." Jessa eyes him. "You're doing the very thing I was just talking about."

Mikilos nods. "She behaves as she wants to behave. She -could- want to be social, but doesn't choose it." He pauses. "Which thing am I doing?"

"EXCEPT. You are blaming outside influences which hint that you might be thinking that if she were just approached right, she'd be different. NO. Sandy is Sandy. HER. CHOICE." Jessa is very opinionated.

Mikilos quirks a brow and smiles mildly. "So you're saying that you couldn't find a manner in which to approach Sandy that she'd be social and polite? That such a task is beyond your abilities?"

"I just don't expect her to do anything more than her normal. /That/, you see, is my point." Jessa leans forward. "That's what people get wrong about her. They buy into the title and the Sandrial and blah-di-blah-di-blah. They talk about nobility and they talk about how she's one of the leaders and whatever. And thus they expect somethign other than what she is when they ask her to do things."

Mikilos nods. "Which is exactly the right way to encourage an anti-social responce. Certainly it's her own choice to respond in such a way, but her choice is prompted by the presentation."

Jessa just studies him for a moment. THen she sighs. "Well. You know that now. Make sure you don't make the same mistake yourself."

Mikilos smiles. "Oh, I know better than to make it as a mistake. I grew up aorund enough nobles to know they respond diffrently when addressed by title. But sometimes it's fun to bait her."

"I'm glad we don't have things like that on the river. You have the captains because each boat has to have one and patriarchs or matriarchs but not this....nobility thing." Jessa waves her hand around, not getting it and apparently not caring.

Mikilos nods, and shrugs. "Diffrent settings have diffrent cultural quirks that work for them. But it can be taken too far. It's... like someone is Captain because they know the right thing to do, yes? But comes the point where someone may assume they know the right thing to do, simply because they are Captain."

"Well, ultimately on the river it has to come down to /someone/ to make the decision." Jessa spent the first fifteen years of her short life that way, after all. "Still, mostly people do a good job once they've gotten to that point."

Mikilos nods. "Orginally, those of nobility roses to positions of leadership because they were the best leaders. Their children were taught how to elad, and thus were best qualified to do so. But the children's children, and those beyond, may loose focus. Come to mix cause and effect, assume that a noble leads because they are nobel, not that they are noble because they were best. If they are no longer best, they no longer deserve to be nobel, a fact lost upon many."

"Good lord, that sounds terrible." Jessa shakes her head, exhaling sadly.

Mikilos shrugs. "The initial set up works well enough. The long term results... well, the kingdom still stands, so must be something to be said for it."

"Elves don't appear to like change." Jessa eyes him with a little quirked smile.

Mikilos mmmms, and nods. "A little change is fine. Too much is, well, too much. Though I think we tend to define 'too much' as much less than some others."

Jessa just gives him the challenging look of someone whose entire culture revolves around constant change.

Mikilos shrugs. "Perhaps it would help to view it as a desire for a set number of changes within ones lifetime? With a long lifespan, a lower rate of change is desired, to end with the same number of changes over all."

"Oh I seriously doubt that." Jessa is laughing. "Vennan about fell out of his chair when I told him I'd left my family at fifteen."

Mikilos chuckles, and nods. "I'd guess his initial mental image to be of someone too young to even walk properly. I admit I tend to think in terms of my own people as well, though think I've gotten better about it."

Jessa just raises one eyebrow before bursting into laughter, shaking her head. "Goodness me."

Mikilos grins, and shrugs. "Day to day, it's easy to forget the diffrences. Can come as a shock when years are brought up. While back was speaking with Abrahil, he'd been so happy to track down an orginal copy of a play by one of his favorte playwrites, who had passed on before he was born. I recall meeting the fellow back when he was just comming into his craft."

Jessa just studies him for a moment, the smile leaving her face. Then she says quietly, "We're just memories for you in the end, aren't we? Even if we're around you our whole lives, it is barely a moment in yours." She isn't angsty or emo as she says that. Instead it is just a much quieter sort of bittersweet edge.

Mikilos sighs, shrugs, and nods. "More than a moment, but yes. Here in Alexandros, amoung those in the Guild, I'm one of the eldest. Certainly there are those older, but overall, my age is a high number. Yet I get letters from home urging me to return. I'm too young to be off on my own. Though to be fair I think Aunt Marith shall never loose that image of me. But what some consider history, I consider a clear memory."

Jessa looks away from him then, working on a few more sketches. "Yes. That's what I thought." Then she's putting away her things and putting them into the bag at her feet. "I should go."

Mikilos mmms, and gives a quick hug. "If we're reluctant to change, perhaps it's because too many changes are sad one."

Jessa allows the hug without returning it, nodding slowly. "I suppose so." But she's now lost in thought and it probably isn't a good thing at this point. "You take care." With that, she disappears into the market crowd in that unnerving way halflings are do.

Mikilos sits and ponders a bit himself before resumeing his wanderings thru the marketplace.

Jessa has left.