[Party] - There's no I in Team...

[taur]

He had quietly watched the world and its people, walking through the rejoicing with a sense of awe. These people, while not fighters, did know how to enjoy their lives. It was a strange new perspective, and it made him understand a few things... he always knew these people didn't have the same values as him, which was to be expected, but now he realized just how important entertainment was to them. The pit fights, deadly as they were, the party... all of it was a party for them. He wondered if they had earned that through rights of battle, or if it was because they lived in safety?

Taur brought his eyes to the woman when she spoke, and the corner of his mouth moved upwards slightly. It was about as close to a smile as his usually blank face got.

He takes a few steps towards her, tilts her head up, and then kisses her. He was not one to back down from any challenge.

[Minnow]

The Elf stands on tiptoe, throws her arms around his neck and kisses him back passionately, leaning close against him. Her bracelets tinkle on his shoulder and her skirt waves around his legs.

[Elanorîn]

The merry sound of the distant parties could still be heard as much as before when Minnow and Taur eventually emerge again from behind the sheltering weeping branches of the big Willow tree by the bridge.

Little has changed about them. The ducks are still there, albeit on the other side of the pond now and a good way down one of the lawns two figures sit closely huddled looking out over the river and on to the part of Fardinn on the other side.

A party of three young female Halflings skip along merrily on another path and on to the bridge they just emerged from having hidden under. They laugh and giggle among themselves.

G [Halfling]"...will most certainly be there."

N [Halfling]"Yes. No doubt."

The third blushes and giggles.

G [Halfling]"No worries we can fend for ourselves."

N [Halfling]"Oh yes!" She does a twirl and loses her balance a little, but catches herself. "Many hearts to break."

They all laugh.

[Minnow]

The Minnow binds her headkerchief over her head again, and quickly counts her bracelets before completely leaving the area under the bridge. She beats some sand off her skirts, but does not seem to care about it overly much. She gets all her weapons back in place and puts the small backpack on her back again. She should still be smoking, really. A smoke would be good now.

She glances at Tah and gives him a wink.

[taur]

Taur pulls his vest over his armor, checking to make sure he had everything before sliding the Notbora back into its sling. He adjusted one or two things here and there, noting that his braid was still fine.

He looked down at the woman to his side and smiled, briefly. His heart was still pounding. He was certainly ready for just about anything they threw at him in the arena now. It's strange how close lust and violence were.

[Minnow]

She laughs softly, ignoring the girls on the bridge, and takes his arm again.

"There, did I waste your time?"

Again she laughs, and puts her black head against his shoulder, but only briefly. Still holding his arm, she dances by his side.

"Let's go find your long-winded friend."

[taur]

"No. I waste yours?"

Taur nods to her second comment and begins to walk on, not really paying attention to the small people.

[Minnow]

"No."

She walks along with him, humming softly to herself an old Gypsy song.

[Elanorîn]

The way Minnow takes back is not the same as the one they walked to get to the Gardens.

First the follow one of the gravel paths winding through the gardens a little way and the head almost straight South, crossing the Westoria still midway through it's nightly revelries and up through smaller alleys.

The warmly loloured houses with their black windowframes stand tall and close making even just normal footsteps on the cobbled stones echo between their mostly straight walls. There are washing lines tied between them and even some lines with baskets hanging on them.

Every so often, at the end of many little alleys they come to a small square or a courtyard, hidden among the houses where several little lanes come together. Trees grow there offering shade during the day and at night carry the mutitude of little coloured glass cups with lit candles. Even these small hiden places are active though with smaller crowds around some kind of bar or eaterie. The air is rich with the smell of ale mingled with food and smoke.

The alleys continue to take them through the Vyne. While some have lanterns off of the House walls some don't and can only be manoeuvred by the dim light from lit windows overhead.

The alleys are mostly clear but there are invariably some buckets, sweeps and small brewers trolleys lying around though mostly up against the walls.

[Listen and Spot checks? ]

[taur]

Taur's head follows the sound, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from. The conversation interested him, as gambling meant the games, as far as he knew.

"...rigged?"

He thought on that, stopping. He pretty much ignores the rat.

[Minnow]

The Minnow's ears turn up ever so slightly. Her arm still hooked in with Tah's, she suddenly trips, and falls. She crawls back to a crouch and starts tying her shoelaces, sitting right under a certain window.

[Elanorîn]

The room falls quiet.

The rat flees as Minnow trips and scurries off down the alley.

There's the sound of a door closing from inside.

[Minnow]

The Minnow finishes with her shoelaces, and looks up at Tah, then she stands and takes his arm again. She resumes walking, headed for the Fifth Glass.

[taur]

Taur follows, noting a few things along the way. Strange woman, this. He knew she had faked that trip, because he knew she wanted to listen.

"Where now?" Taur gestures to their surroundings as they walk on. "Different."

[Minnow]

Minnow glances aside at the tall man with a glint in her eyes. She laughs softly.

"Now we've come to the tour, hm? We're in the Vyne, where the fun is- for a price."

She turns a right corner somewhere and leads him down the street.

"I am pretty sure we'll find your sophisticated little friend around here somewhere, if he hasn't already got a private room by now."