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Barsoom Tales I - COMPLETE
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<blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 1172617" data-attributes="member: 812"><p><strong>Bayonne Opera Blues -- Part One -- A Book By Its Cover</strong></p><p></p><p>Elena concealed her amusement at the sight of Arrafin's wide eyes turning into massive circles of surprise as the girls descended on her, giggling.</p><p></p><p>The Naridic scholar made a few, mild protests, but was entirely too shocked by the sudden attention to do anything but make querulous comments about was this really necessary and would anybody really notice and wasn't it awfully hot in here all of sudden? The wagon rocked its way along the unpaved road, setting curtains swaying, but Nitara's girls, eager to turn the shy Arrafin into a glamourous dancer like themselves, had no problem applying fine lines of kohl, rouge and other substances to their new friend's face. Elena couldn't even see Arrafin anymore; the girl had entirely disappeared behind the silks and long black hair of the Hinsuan women now attending her.</p><p></p><p>The Saijadani woman looked around, wishing she was outside, helping Isaac with the big parasaurs hauling the wagons down the riverside road to Bayonne, home of the King Percival de Beliard. King of the Gap.</p><p></p><p><em>My friends,</em> Isabella's letter had read, <em>I have learned of a secret agreement now being brokered between de Beliard and the del Orofin Familia. The del Orofins have promised to support de Beliard's efforts to subjugate the rest of the Barons if he will grant them rights to collect any and all tariffs and tolls throughout the Gap. We must oppose this not only because of the economic implications, but because we believe a strong Gap is one governed by independent Barons, not a single despot. A civil war now will fatally weaken the Gap, and that will expose Burnoll and all of Saijadan to Kishak expansion, which we fear will fall our way soon.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>What the del Orofins are doing is in direct contravention of the Customs Act, and if we can acquire evidence it could not only preserve the strength of the Gap, it would be a great blow against the del Orofins themselves.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Go to Bayonne, acquire the agreement, and find your way down the Bayonne River to the sea. Our agents will meet you there.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>My thanks, as always.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Isabella del Maraviez</em></p><p></p><p>Elena sighed. She didn't have any great loyalty to the del Maraviez. She'd never even met Isabella. Nevid and Isaac jumped to this woman's every request, sure enough, but infighting between Las Familias held no interest for her.</p><p></p><p>The idea of a Kishak invasion, however, gave her pause. She'd been born years after the Battle of Fort Burnoll, of course, but her parents had both fought Kishak armies, and their stories of the ferocity of the red-skinned devils of Kish had kept her awake many late nights as a child, either terrified that in the shadows lurked some agent of the insidious Nevakada, the Kishak secret service, or daydreaming that a Kishak army would come over the ridge and she would have to organize the defence of the villa, heroine of the day.</p><p></p><p>Arrafin squawked as evidently Bel or Jesara pinched a little too hard while curling eyelashes. Elena chuckled, but her laughter died off as the dancers stepped back to show off their handiwork.</p><p></p><p>"Arrafin?"</p><p></p><p>The transformation in the young girl was remarkable. She'd gone from unkempt, unpolished and frantic to coiffed, pristine and gleaming. Her usual grubby robes replaced with a fine silk gown and her hair drawn back, she fit right in with Nitara's troupe. Elena grinned, then scowled as the dancers turned to her, makeup at the ready.</p><p></p><p>"No, I don't need anything..."</p><p></p><p>Bel, the sauciest of the troupe, smirked.</p><p></p><p>"You don't want anyone recognizing you, now do you?"</p><p></p><p>This time, it was Arrafin who watched in bemusement as four slender Hinsuan girls transformed a scowling Elena from Saijadani ranch hand into beautiful Hinsuan dancer.</p><p></p><p>Isaac and Nevid looked at each as laughter exploded yet again from within the wagon they were driving. Up ahead they could see the lights of the border fort shining in the dusk shadows. Their parasaurs bellowed, calling out to the beasts already tethered outside the fort's hostel, and soon the twilight air reverberated with the drawn-out croaks and roars of the animals as they greeted one another.</p><p></p><p>The presence of other draft animals reassured Isaac. At least they wouldn't be the only travellers on the road, rumours of war notwithstanding. This would be the first test of their anonymity -- if the Bayonne soldiers were looking for them, here was where the journey would end.</p><p></p><p>Unless the disguises that Nitara had promised were as effective as Isaac was sure they wouldn't be. Until the wagon door opened and six beautiful Hinsuan girls stepped into the flagstone courtyard, stopping dead in his tracks the young ostler come to lead the parasaurs to the cavernous stables. Isaac, expecting to see such a gaggle appear at their day's journey's end, didn't look twice.</p><p></p><p>Something in the voices made him look back, however, and that's when Isaac's eyes fell out of his head and landed on the mucky flagstones at his feet.</p><p></p><p>At least, that's how it felt.</p><p></p><p>"Elena?" His voice was little more than a squeak. He stood rigid for just a second, then realised that Arrafin as well was among that group. Both of his companions suddenly radiant in flowing, if not especially modest, gowns, hair piled high and gleaming, faces perfectly polished and eyes unbearably bright beneath lines of kohl and dark lashes.</p><p></p><p>Isaac fled. The parasaurs needed looking after, and the wagons ought to be checked and...</p><p></p><p>Nevid stood by the other wagon. He helped the elderly Kalibar down from his seat, the thin Hinsuan man smiling his thanks. Nevid swallowed as Kalibar's companion, Nitara descended, offering her his hand. She smiled graciously, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement at the giggling of her troupe. The dance mistress stood taller than Nevid, dark-skinned and lovely enough to stand out even amongst the beauties that formed her dance company. She allowed the Saijadani youth to accompany her to the rest of the group and they entered the hostel together.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>Isaac had not before considered the advantages of attractive women when attempting to travel under assumed identities. The fort commander barely even remembered to ask their names before planting himself next to the newly-made-up Arrafin and paying her more compliments than she'd received in all her years at the University.</p><p></p><p>Arrafin, for her own part, although she certainly was aware of the make-up (her face felt all stiff and she kept wanting to rub at her lips), was entirely ignorant of the effect she was having and proceeded to ply the commander with all sorts of questions about the history of the fort, the Barony of Bayonne, the rise of King Percival and every other detail that caught her attention. Which, predictably enough, had the effect of only increasing her charm in the eyes of the dashing commander, who came to the conclusion that he was succeeding very well indeed with his exotic lovely.</p><p></p><p>Elena ignored the other garrison members, and one particularly insistent Bayonne merchant who claimed to possess the perfect fragrance for one of her complexion, and found herself next to the elderly Kalibar. He smiled paternally, his eyes studying her with an intent quite different than that of the merchant.</p><p></p><p>She noticed the fine tracery of what looked like tattoos all around his throat, descending down beneath his collar. The lines were impossibly thin and perfectly formed, as if somebody had draped his skin with black thread, woven together in a loose arabesque. Kalibar saw her studying him and smiled again. Elena blinked.</p><p></p><p>"How long have you known Nitara?"</p><p></p><p>"There are two paths. The path of the child and the path of the mother. I have walked the path of the child, but you, Elena, you walk the path of the mother."</p><p></p><p>Elena blinked again.</p><p></p><p>"Is one of us confused?"</p><p></p><p>Kalibar only smiled.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>To Elena's disappointment, Kalibar refused to become any more communicative. To her further disappointment, the evening remained civilized and quiet. She half-expected to find herself and her friends arrested in the morning, their disguises seen through and their mission a failure.</p><p></p><p>But nobody troubled them as they organized the wagons and set out down the road to Bayonne, where the King and the del Orofin family were cooking up plans that Elena didn't much care about.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="barsoomcore, post: 1172617, member: 812"] [b]Bayonne Opera Blues -- Part One -- A Book By Its Cover[/b] Elena concealed her amusement at the sight of Arrafin's wide eyes turning into massive circles of surprise as the girls descended on her, giggling. The Naridic scholar made a few, mild protests, but was entirely too shocked by the sudden attention to do anything but make querulous comments about was this really necessary and would anybody really notice and wasn't it awfully hot in here all of sudden? The wagon rocked its way along the unpaved road, setting curtains swaying, but Nitara's girls, eager to turn the shy Arrafin into a glamourous dancer like themselves, had no problem applying fine lines of kohl, rouge and other substances to their new friend's face. Elena couldn't even see Arrafin anymore; the girl had entirely disappeared behind the silks and long black hair of the Hinsuan women now attending her. The Saijadani woman looked around, wishing she was outside, helping Isaac with the big parasaurs hauling the wagons down the riverside road to Bayonne, home of the King Percival de Beliard. King of the Gap. [i]My friends,[/i] Isabella's letter had read, [i]I have learned of a secret agreement now being brokered between de Beliard and the del Orofin Familia. The del Orofins have promised to support de Beliard's efforts to subjugate the rest of the Barons if he will grant them rights to collect any and all tariffs and tolls throughout the Gap. We must oppose this not only because of the economic implications, but because we believe a strong Gap is one governed by independent Barons, not a single despot. A civil war now will fatally weaken the Gap, and that will expose Burnoll and all of Saijadan to Kishak expansion, which we fear will fall our way soon. What the del Orofins are doing is in direct contravention of the Customs Act, and if we can acquire evidence it could not only preserve the strength of the Gap, it would be a great blow against the del Orofins themselves. Go to Bayonne, acquire the agreement, and find your way down the Bayonne River to the sea. Our agents will meet you there. My thanks, as always. Isabella del Maraviez[/i] Elena sighed. She didn't have any great loyalty to the del Maraviez. She'd never even met Isabella. Nevid and Isaac jumped to this woman's every request, sure enough, but infighting between Las Familias held no interest for her. The idea of a Kishak invasion, however, gave her pause. She'd been born years after the Battle of Fort Burnoll, of course, but her parents had both fought Kishak armies, and their stories of the ferocity of the red-skinned devils of Kish had kept her awake many late nights as a child, either terrified that in the shadows lurked some agent of the insidious Nevakada, the Kishak secret service, or daydreaming that a Kishak army would come over the ridge and she would have to organize the defence of the villa, heroine of the day. Arrafin squawked as evidently Bel or Jesara pinched a little too hard while curling eyelashes. Elena chuckled, but her laughter died off as the dancers stepped back to show off their handiwork. "Arrafin?" The transformation in the young girl was remarkable. She'd gone from unkempt, unpolished and frantic to coiffed, pristine and gleaming. Her usual grubby robes replaced with a fine silk gown and her hair drawn back, she fit right in with Nitara's troupe. Elena grinned, then scowled as the dancers turned to her, makeup at the ready. "No, I don't need anything..." Bel, the sauciest of the troupe, smirked. "You don't want anyone recognizing you, now do you?" This time, it was Arrafin who watched in bemusement as four slender Hinsuan girls transformed a scowling Elena from Saijadani ranch hand into beautiful Hinsuan dancer. Isaac and Nevid looked at each as laughter exploded yet again from within the wagon they were driving. Up ahead they could see the lights of the border fort shining in the dusk shadows. Their parasaurs bellowed, calling out to the beasts already tethered outside the fort's hostel, and soon the twilight air reverberated with the drawn-out croaks and roars of the animals as they greeted one another. The presence of other draft animals reassured Isaac. At least they wouldn't be the only travellers on the road, rumours of war notwithstanding. This would be the first test of their anonymity -- if the Bayonne soldiers were looking for them, here was where the journey would end. Unless the disguises that Nitara had promised were as effective as Isaac was sure they wouldn't be. Until the wagon door opened and six beautiful Hinsuan girls stepped into the flagstone courtyard, stopping dead in his tracks the young ostler come to lead the parasaurs to the cavernous stables. Isaac, expecting to see such a gaggle appear at their day's journey's end, didn't look twice. Something in the voices made him look back, however, and that's when Isaac's eyes fell out of his head and landed on the mucky flagstones at his feet. At least, that's how it felt. "Elena?" His voice was little more than a squeak. He stood rigid for just a second, then realised that Arrafin as well was among that group. Both of his companions suddenly radiant in flowing, if not especially modest, gowns, hair piled high and gleaming, faces perfectly polished and eyes unbearably bright beneath lines of kohl and dark lashes. Isaac fled. The parasaurs needed looking after, and the wagons ought to be checked and... Nevid stood by the other wagon. He helped the elderly Kalibar down from his seat, the thin Hinsuan man smiling his thanks. Nevid swallowed as Kalibar's companion, Nitara descended, offering her his hand. She smiled graciously, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement at the giggling of her troupe. The dance mistress stood taller than Nevid, dark-skinned and lovely enough to stand out even amongst the beauties that formed her dance company. She allowed the Saijadani youth to accompany her to the rest of the group and they entered the hostel together. ***** Isaac had not before considered the advantages of attractive women when attempting to travel under assumed identities. The fort commander barely even remembered to ask their names before planting himself next to the newly-made-up Arrafin and paying her more compliments than she'd received in all her years at the University. Arrafin, for her own part, although she certainly was aware of the make-up (her face felt all stiff and she kept wanting to rub at her lips), was entirely ignorant of the effect she was having and proceeded to ply the commander with all sorts of questions about the history of the fort, the Barony of Bayonne, the rise of King Percival and every other detail that caught her attention. Which, predictably enough, had the effect of only increasing her charm in the eyes of the dashing commander, who came to the conclusion that he was succeeding very well indeed with his exotic lovely. Elena ignored the other garrison members, and one particularly insistent Bayonne merchant who claimed to possess the perfect fragrance for one of her complexion, and found herself next to the elderly Kalibar. He smiled paternally, his eyes studying her with an intent quite different than that of the merchant. She noticed the fine tracery of what looked like tattoos all around his throat, descending down beneath his collar. The lines were impossibly thin and perfectly formed, as if somebody had draped his skin with black thread, woven together in a loose arabesque. Kalibar saw her studying him and smiled again. Elena blinked. "How long have you known Nitara?" "There are two paths. The path of the child and the path of the mother. I have walked the path of the child, but you, Elena, you walk the path of the mother." Elena blinked again. "Is one of us confused?" Kalibar only smiled. ***** To Elena's disappointment, Kalibar refused to become any more communicative. To her further disappointment, the evening remained civilized and quiet. She half-expected to find herself and her friends arrested in the morning, their disguises seen through and their mission a failure. But nobody troubled them as they organized the wagons and set out down the road to Bayonne, where the King and the del Orofin family were cooking up plans that Elena didn't much care about. [/QUOTE]
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