(2022-06-28) Wildcard RP: Kobold Company

Details

Author:	Athena
Summary:	Chuck and Merhea perform in Stormwind as Kobold Company to drum up some PR for Cobalt Company, and attract an audience. 6700-ish words.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Stormwind has already heated past the comfortable warmth of the morning to the type of summer afternoon that is perfect for remarking upon to random strangers, as they share in the mutual understanding of “sure is a weather we’re having.” The growing heat is diffused slightly still in the relative shade of the buildings near the Stormwind fountain, the subdued splash of the water picked up by a very gentle, lethargic breeze cooling the air just enough to be pleasant to walk by.

Standing with her guitar case already open on the ground, a tall woman dressed in dark blue clothing that makes her gray hair braided back along the center of her skull look even more stark white in comparison flexes her fingers – five on her left, three on her right – over the strings of her guitar. She wears a tabard with an image of a candle with wings behind it over her front, which is currently mostly obscured by the guitar.

She breaks the silence by humming the opening notes to a song that might be very familiar to some – a ballad that details the exploits of Cobalt Company rescuing a baby gryphon, framed as an upbeat sound that nevertheless carries a melancholy sense of the fear of being left alone, waiting for rescue, and the pain of growing up and away from those who once protected us.

[Sound inspiration for the song: "Float" - KT Tunstall : https://youtu.be/jOb8-odVq4w with Cobalt Company relevant lyrics]

Chuck breaks fully into song, playing at the perfect amount of volume to project across the square, without overwhelming those standing closer.

Merhea takes a few steps outside the inn holding her tambourine after stretching her body and doing some vocal warmups. This is her first, real, more or less organized show in years where the intent is not to rob the public. She can’t mess this one up with her voice breaking or some leg cramps! Although she’s coming as Merhea, her heavy makeup, middle-parted hairstyle, and simple white and blue dress are clearly Alba’s. The only new item of clothing is the Kobold Company tabard, which she is wearing over her shirt. She is still hoping that she might be able to live a different, separate life as both.

She smiles, listening to the first notes of Chuck's song. The dancer is still unsure if this Kobold Company thing is a good idea, but hell, she’s pretty happy about doing something as intense as singing and dancing at Stormwind’s fountain.

Merhea lets Chuck and her guitar shine for a moment, then runs towards the fountain and begins dancing energetically to the rhythm of Chuck’s song, accompanying her with her own instrument.

Chuck aims a grin at Merhea, as she plays, her dark eyes sparkling brighter for the moment as she goes through the familiar motions and lyrics of the song.

A slender kaldorei priest with long, smooth violet hair wanders by the bank, and pauses when he hears the music. He's wearing a green, patterned silk robe that flutters slightly in the slight breeze.

He stops and mouths a few of the words to himself with a smile, and claps along quietly to the beat, watching Merhea dance.

Merhea grins back at Chuck, before winking playfully at the kaldorei watching her. The way she dances and plays looks almost effortless as she seems fully aware of her surroundings and the audience, interacting with them whenever she can.

As the song moves to a middle, Chuck makes eye contact with the kaldorei, her head tilting to her right side a little, as her eyes go a little far away, like she's listening to something even as she plays.

The kaldorei man begins to shift slightly, reflecting some of Merhea's dance in small, graceful movements.

Attracted by the sounds of Not The Usual Stormwind sounds, a large man dressed in full Scarlet Crusade armor — that looks like it saw better days when it wasn't being worn by a walking mountain with no regard to his personal safety — walks closer to the fountain. As Torvald Fauntleroy GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER recognizes the song, with no regard for the sanctity of performance, joins in on the chorus in a loud, booming voice that is….well, it's hitting something. Notes might not be it, but the enthusiasm and joy in his voice is almost infectious for how he's gone all in on this song about this poor baby gryphon that is really a metaphor for the soul.

Chuck doesn't even miss a beat. She just sings a little louder, projecting her voice better to smooth out the vocal efforts of the mountain man.

The kaldorei, Celaven, winces for a moment, but good-naturedly, and raises his own… on-key… voice to help guide the growing chorus.

Chuck turns a wry grin on the kaldorei, matching her voice to his to create a better sounding harmony.

Merhea visibly cringes at the new voice joining them, but attempts to maintain her dancing as something graceful and entertaining regardless of… whatever Torvald is doing. She - still dancing - approaches him, holding her tambourine in one hand and offering the other to him, hoping that his dancing might be better than his singing.

Oh, boy. Dancing! Torvald is great at dancing! …..great at dancing to a song, well. He picks up Merhea's hand, and begins doing something that can only be described as strangely on beat to the song flailing that is, nonetheless, 100% invested in the performance of this song. His singing, perhaps blessedly, halts at the bridge. It seems Torvald only knows the chorus, perhaps.

An attractive older woman exits the bank. Wearing a fitted elegant navy dress, she is looking down and into a small bag. The afternoon sun hits her bright red hair where it hangs in front of her face. She looks up, startled by the sudden chorus of voices. A small smile slips across her face as she brushes her hair back. She shifts to the side of the bank stairs to watch the performance happening around the fountain.

As the song gets closer to it's last repetition of the chorus, glances at the movement, and then takes another longer, more appreciative look, before she turns her attention back to the dance, as though deeply considering whether this song needs to have one more repetition of that chorus.

Merhea, with her one hand, attempts to guide Torvald into doing something a little more… coordinate, although she does appreciate the fact that he does seem to have a sense of rhythm. She smiles at him as his singing comes to an end.

Celaven shifts over to the new listener, breaking off his singing. To her, he says quietly, "Have you heard this one before? I have met the subjects of this story, as it happens."

Torvald grins winningly back. His teeth are very white in his tanned face, and remarkably straight and intact for a guy who looks like he probably takes a beating for his living. (edited)

Zeldanna catches the appreciative glance from the singer and her smile shifts quickly to smirk and then back.

Celaven shifts over to the new listener, breaking off his singing. To her, he says quietly, "Have you heard this one before? I have met the subjects of this story, as it happens."

Zeldanna shifts her gaze to the side as the Night Elf starts to speak to her, also keeping her voice low she answers, "It is familiar, but not enough so I know the words. You know who it's about? Are they as impressive in person as they are in song?"

Merhea lets go of his hand and goes back to playing the tambourine, ready to follow along to Chuck's voice and guitar if she decides to have one more chorus or not.

A walking human curtain drifts into the area from the direction of the canals. It is probably a woman, though very little skin shows through her hooded mask. What her long dark robe doesn’t cover is hidden by gloves and shoes. How anyone can wear such an outfit in the heat of summer will remain as mysterious as she is. She stops near the inn and watches the performance from a distance.

Celaven chuckles, "I hope they are. It's about the mercenary company I work for. Though I confess I did not rescue the gryphon chick myself."

Chuck glances at Merhea and subtly shakes her head. She glances once more at the people who have paused, her eyes shifting rapidly between them, head titled slightly as though she's listening to something as she plays.

Merhea's eyes widen as she notices the mysterious person standing near the inn. She subtly uses a few dance moves to get as far away from that woman as she can, but still near enough Chuck that she hasn't left the "stage". If before she seemed to be aware of everyone around, now her attention appears to be elsewhere.

Zeldanna's eyes cut quickly to the block of shadow parading as a human for a moment before looking directly at her conversation partner. "A mercenary company?" She glances at the singer and dancer again noting their matching tabards. "Which one?"

"Cobalt, out of Ironforge," Celaven says, his eyes tracking briefly to the shadowed woman(?) as well. "I'm amazed she hasn't got heatstroke, that one. I should keep an eye, in case she needs assistance."

Chuck does a little strum on the guitar in place of the final chorus to the gryphon, and starts playing something else.

Her voice has gone clearer, filled with yearning and hope, as she starts singing a song of finding inner power to continue fighting to make a difference, to take back Azeroth from the clutches of despair with small ripples that culminate into changing the world. The word 'Cobalt' makes its way into the song several times.

[Song inspiration: "Fight Song" - Rachel Platten https://youtu.be/XbxNtPiCBK8] (edited)

Torvald, it appears, does not know this one. If this is good or bad, remains to be seen. He claps to the beat, still grinning.

It takes a moment for Merhea to stop playing the tambourine to the rhythm of Chuck's previous song, as she often throws small glances at the shadowy figure's direction. As soon as she realizes it, though, she attempts to seamlessly switch to the right song, which might have not been noticeable, depending on how well one is versed musically.

This time, her dancing slows down, and it's with the tambourine and her voice that she accompanies Chuck, harmonizing with the other singer's voice.

Zeldanna's grin turns smug as she murmurs, "Ah, Cobalt. I should have known" She looks like she's about to continue before the new song seems to catch her. Her gaze that had been roaming narrows to the singers, there is something intense about her now, focused.

But she recovers, and whatever that was fades. She turns back to her Kaldorei companion, "You're a healer then? Nature magic is the way of your people usually yes?"

Celaven nods slightly, turning halfway to face his conversational companion as the music continues. "Nature magic is common, yes. I follow Elune, however, and serve her Light."

The hooded woman takes a step back, pressing into the wall of the inn. It seems as though she is trying to reject the song, or maybe the feelings it brings her.

Torvald, with almost uncanny reflexes, turns his head to the hooded woman, still grinning like this is the Best Day He's Ever Had. (Is there any proof he didn't think the same thing about yesterday? No, no there is not.) He sweeps a bow to her. "Please excuse my manners. I am not blocking your way, am I?" His Lordaeron accent is audible, now that he's not singing. He looks like he's ready to move away in any direction, which might be necessary, as he is a bit of a wall of a human being, and could very well be in any number of people's paths.

The woman, it is clearly a woman from the sound of her voice, shakes her head. "No, please. Enjoy this how you will. Don't trouble yourself over me. I don't see as well as I once did, regardless."

A handsome, balding middle-aged human man wanders over wearing a lopsided grin, and tosses a coin into the open guitar case. He then folds his arms and stands back to watch the performance.

Chuck doesn't miss a beat as she sings, but it looks like she's laughing in delight as she winks at Elo.

He returns the wink in dadly fashion.

Zeldanna moulds her body so that it is clear she is focused on her conversation partner while still facing the continuing performance. She seems to be rapidly reasses him, "Ah, Elune-Adore, a unique path"

Merhea glances at Torvald as he begins speaking with the mysterious woman. She visibly relaxes - this wall is now standing between them. She seems to get more into the song, her voice getting a little louder, as she smiles and nods at Elohad.

Torvald's demeanor changes noticeably, as he calms his body language. "Do you need help getting somewhere, miss?" His voice sounds gentler, more rumbly, although still filled with enthusiasm like Tovald would absolutely enjoy helping this person with as much full throttled gusto as fighting at the King's behest.

"Unique, I am not certain I could claim," Celaven says, smiling, "Though rare, perhaps. Are you a healer as well?"

Elo warmly returns Merhea's nod. The next time Zeldanna's gaze passes his direction, he gives her a little wave of acknowledgement as well. A small gesture, not meant to interrupt her conversation, just a friendly little hey there, I know you.

Zeldanna is mid scoff in her response to Celaven when she clocks Elo's wave. She nods in return before speaking, "Oh no. I'm afraid I've no talents outside of a ledger"

The woman shakes her head once more at Torvald. "I simply let my whim guide me, and ended up here. I enjoy the arts, myself. It's nice to see them here in the open like this."

"Ah! A fellow follower of the Great Whim! I myself am also such," Torvald says, loud enough to be heard over the singing. "TOVALD FAUNTLEROY, GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER OF COBALT COMPANY!" Torvald's voice booms enough that Chuck doesn't miss a note, but she does glance over in his direction and there is a brief, dangerous look of rage that is swiftly covered by a wry grin as the singer shrugs.

"At your service, miss," Torvald says, in a more normal volume. He pats his shield. "Even if all you require is some shade to better enjoy this lovely afternoon with such glorious entertainment."

Merhea takes an opportunity where she can pause in her singing to take a deep breath after hearing Torvald's loud introduction. She then proceeds to sing as if nothing happened, almost relieved. If that mysterious figure had something against Merhea, there's no way they would act now.

Celaven jumps slightly at the shout, and then turns back to Zeldanna. "Perhaps I should go make certain all is well."

He shifts toward the shouting Cobalt Adventurer and the shrouded lady. He gestures slightly to Zeldanna so that she is invited to follow, should she want to.

Zeldanna makes a small gesture making it clear she will remain where she is. But that his company is welcome should he swing back around.

Celaven makes his way over to the shadowy woman and the adventurer, and says, "Ma'am, are you well? Is all well here?"

Azizia, who just flew back from Booty Bay, her bags full of new possessions, notices the song and dance going on at the fountain from afar. A show going on in the middle of the street? What's that, for a human custom? Do you need invitations to join? Is dancing and singing mandatory? Are they celebrating something in particular Azizia is not aware of? That's too much unknown, and she doesn't have the patience to learn more about this. She sighs, turns around, and goes around the Trade District, taking the long way home.

The woman shrinks back, suddenly getting all kinds of attention and not knowing what to do with it. "Everything is well, however I would advise you…the both of you…" she looks between Celaven and Torvald, "To limit your contact with me. I am a cursed individual. Becoming too friendly would only doom you."

Chuck brings her song to a close, and does the same glance around as she does, zeroing in on Elo for a moment.

She works a beat with her foot, tapping out a place that invites the audience to clap along in the same place, as she starts another song about taking a chance on starting over again, that despite all the darkness that has come before, that the best is yet to come. It's a song meant to invoke the sense of breaking free of the lack of action in the face of feeling numb, unable to change the emptiness of hopelessness.

She weaves in specifics of the things Cobalt has done, working to combat the despair of the Plaguelands, aiding the farmers of Westfall, and halting the growing threat of a 'dark threat.'

[Song inspiration: "The Best is Yet To Come" - Sheppard https://youtu.be/7qAQAajJPnM]

Elo 's eyes go all soft and misty as he listens to the song; he seems a thousand miles away as he watches and listens.

Torvald, unexpectedly, laughs in delight. "Oh, I admit I enjoy the occasional Doom! What an adventure! Tell me, were you cursed by a naga attempting to sacrifice you to an unknown dark god on top of piled ritualized dwarven bones? Because I do know how to break that one!"

Celaven nods to her politely. "As you wish, ma'am. Though I do know curse breakers, if that is your trouble. You might inquire with…." Celaven darts a glance at the enthusiastic Torvald. "…Cobalt Company, I suppose."

He backs away from the cursed woman, and makes his way back to Zeldanna, waving at Elohad when he sees him.

Elo gives Celaven a dadly little nod, a wistful smile still lingering on his face from the song.

"She is either cursed, or does not desire attention," Celaven remarks to Zeldanna. "In either case, I cannot help, except to grant her the second desire on my part."

Merhea has begun to sweat under the summer heat. She carefully places her tambourine to the ground, clapping her hands to the rhythm of Chuck's tapping. She dances to and sings the song enthusiastically.

Zeldanna is shifting slightly along with the song. She is not dancing, but she is also moving to the beat. She inclines her head to Celaven, "Cursed? Oh dear. best stay away then"

Elo taps one foot a little, but he is not much of a dancer either.

The woman stares at Torvald, before responding simply, "No, it is not that kind of curse. Though that does sound like a good story." The song catches her attention again when it mentions the Plaguelands, specifically. "Your company…likes to meddle, I see."

Another woman approaches the fountain. She shows no signs of carrying packages or so mundane a thing as a purse, so perhaps she came for the music alone. Gloved hands reach up to push back the voluminous hood, revealing dark hair, bronzed skin, and long, dark eyes fringed with inky lashes. She seems content to listen and doesn't push forward though she does, after a moment, make a beckoning gesture that concludes with her hand wrapping around a fan. So perhaps she had packages after all, and left them in whatever pocket dimension she got the fan from.

In his room overlooking the fountain square, Cambrin is slouched in an armchair, head lolling as he naps in the warm afternoon. In his lap lie the pair of socks he was darning before he dozed off.

Celaven glances over at the newcomer woman and smiles at her, nodding a greeting as a fellow listener.

"Oh yes! It's very exciting work," Torvald says with a bright grin. He is still dressed exactly like a Scarlet Crusader. "Curses! Doom! We do it all."

Elo suddenly gets a look like a candle has flared to life just over his head, and darts off down the street.

The woman attempts to meet his eyes, finally revealing her own blue ones. He is certainly taller than her. "I hope you don't regret that one day."

Zeldanna watches Elo shoot down the street with a confused glance. what on earth.

Merhea glances at Chuck as Elo leaves, curious to see her reaction.

As Elo darts off, Chuck, as she comes to the end of the song, bursts into a rich laugh of a warm blanket on a bitter winter night that rings out pleasantly in the brief silence.

She is still chuckling a little as she glances over at Merhea. Perhaps in a nod to the growing oppressive heat, she starts a softer song about going out into the world, afraid of the new and the uncharted, but not letting it hold one back from sailing on and forward. It's a song that invites a moment's pause, as it calls back to the dangers of traveling from continent to continent to the new. There's a sense of the Kaldorei in the lyrics, references to stars and the night in the song.

[Song inspiration: "Sail On" - Paden https://youtu.be/SoefmdHB3Tg]

"A life lived to its fullest is always worth living, no matter its length," Torvald says with genuine cheer. "I have never regretted following Whim or the great mistress ADVENTURE."

A young, plainly-dressed, dark-skinned woman heading out of the nearby general store is drawn to the sound of the music, and approaches to stand at the edge of the crowd. After listening for a few minutes, she wipes at her eyes with the heel of her hand.

The dark-eyed woman's fan moves more air than seems strictly possible, especially given the gentle, lazy motion she's using to fan herself. It's quite cool near her, though any who dare to get too close find themselves the target of a distinctly "You are in error, suggest correction immediate" sort of look.

Zeldanna takes a moment after watching Elo depart to clock all the others lingering. Her gaze moves steadily and her expression is pleasant, she is clearly enjoying the music. If anyone was close enough they may see something more behind her eyes, but then she blinks and smiles again at the attractive singer.

Merhea nods to Chuck, picking up her tambourine once more, singing, dancing and playing along, that triple threat. Her dancing here is slow, but she takes a lot of the available place, even coming and playing among the audience wherever she can, moving swiftly in-between the passing strangers. She has to pause for a second, confused, when she feels all the wind the woman with the fan is making, but she quickly sails on with her performance.

Celaven makes as if to go greet the fanning woman. At her look, he raises a hand and takes a step back, not losing his friendly smile.

Notes the aborted movement and leans over, "A friend?"

Celaven shakes his head. "No, I simply like to meet new people, when I find sufficient common ground."

The concealed woman lowers her gaze again. "Hold on to that, then. For as long as you can. Life will try to steal it from you. It may succeed, one day."

Torvald turns at the sound of the song, looking at the singer with a slightly slack expression that for a moment makes him look different, strangely younger and older at the same time. He smiles, and turns back to the veiled woman. "Well, the wind is at my back, and the stars are coming out," Torvald says, almost in perfect sync with the singer. Does he know this song? He's not singing along, he's speaking the words, and there's a wistful sound to his voice.

Kitseia notes the movement of the tall Night Elf and smiles a little as he backs up. Her eyes look him over as if measuring him for… something. Maybe to see if he'd fit in a carriage. Sure. That's it.

As the chorus starts, Torvald sings along, in a strangely subdued voice. It's still clear that he doesn't know how to really sing, and there's a wistful enthusiasm in his tone. He does know this song. That's odd. This is not an old Chuck Silversong song.

Celaven is quite tall, but would probably fit in a carriage…

The robed woman listens, giving due respect both to his efforts and the medium. Maybe she even understands a little.

Merhea, as she dances and without the use of her hands, manages to get her shoes off her feet and jumps into the fountain's water. She dances, sings and plays her instrument around the statue, sometimes playfully throwing a few drops of water at members of the audience with a graceful move of her leg. She grins as she does.

Zeldanna shifts backwards slightly and runs a hand through her hair. using both to camouflage the slightly lingering glance she sends at the dark-eyed woman.

Chuck grins lopsidedly at Merhea as she plays. She ignores Torvald.

The fanning woman waits to catch Celaven's eye, then gestures next to her and arches an eyebrow. He has received An Invitation.

Celaven raises one long eyebrow slightly, and says to Zeldanna, "Perhaps we have enough in common? I'm going to say hello." He moves next to the fanning woman, and says, "Hello, miss. Are you enjoying the music?"

Zeldanna gives a distracted nod. She appears to be, for all intents and purposes, completely enraptured with the splashing dancer and striking singer.

Kitseia looks back at Chuck. "I am, actually. The bard is well-known, of course." The direction of her fan shifts just a bit, giving Celaven a nice cool breeze. "Have you heard her perform before?"

Celaven sighs, appreciating the breeze. "I haven't had the pleasure, but I can see why she's known. This is far above what one would expect from a street-side performance."

"It is, actually. She can command a very hefty fee to entertain at gatherings." She looks over — and up because Nelf — at him. "Kitseia," she says by way of introduction.

"Celaven," he answers, similarly concise. "Then we should count ourselves lucky. Have you heard of the dancer, as well?"

As Chuck lets the last notes linger in the air for a moment, she looks once more around, and her eyes zero in on Merhea. She makes a bit of a hmmm-ing noise, and then starts tapping out a beat, murmuring something to herself before she inhales and starts singing. Her voice sounds….almost exactly like Merhea's has. She's pitched her voice in such a way that it's a good mimicry, but there's a professional sounding clarity to it.

The song is an upbeat, cheerful sound with lyrics that tell the listener that they can definitely trust the singer, who confesses that she does this to survive, and yeah, the world is cruel but she promises she'll never lie again.

Psych.

[Song: "the other side" - margø https://youtu.be/AO5uc-GEW8g]

I think it's kind of funny
That I make you run and hide
Why am I a villain?
If I speak what's on my mind
Now you're on your knees, say a prayer for me
'Cause I'm misunderstood
Please, explain to me how an enemy
Could ever look this good?
So, give me your secrets
Just look into my eyes
You know you can trust me
You know you can trust me, right?
Psych.
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
They say I'm the devil
So, I painted my heart black
I kinda like the danger (I kinda like the danger)
So, I'm never turning back
Don't you know that I do this to survive?
Please, forgive my sins
Yeah, the world is cruel, but I promise you
I'll never lie again
Give me your secrets
Just look into my eyes
You know you can trust me
You know you can trust me, right?
Sike
La-la-la, la-la, la-la
I'll see you on the other side
Maybe, someday we could be friends
I'll see you on the other side
You know you can trust me
But, I wouldn't trust me

Elo returns, a little out of breath, just in time to toss a white rose into the guitar case at the conclusion of the song. Tucked into the crook of his elbow are roses of various colors as well as a few other types of long-stemmed flowers. After making his offering, he begins to move carefully through the gathering crowd.

"Anyone want to show the performers some love?" he says in a quiet voice as he circulates.

"No, and I'm intrigued. She's good, don't you think? I hadn't realized Bard Silversong had a dancer and accompanist." Kitseia looks over at Elo as he works through the crowd. "Do you think he works with them?"

Zeldanna makes a small gesture at Elo. She would like to yes.

"Yes, I think so," Celaven nods. "That's the founder of Cobalt Company—the Company I belong to, as it happens. I believe I've read that Bard Silversong is with us as well."

Elo moves over to Zeldanna with a smile and lets her peruse his selection. "No charge or anything," he clarifies.

The fan slows as Kitseia looks Elohad over, too. He'll definitely fit in a carriage. "Is he really?" she murmurs.

Celaven glances sidelong at Kitseia and adds, "He's been away until recently. His wife had a child."

Zeldanna smiles at Elo and brushes her hand against his elbow, "A wonderful idea and gesture" She indicates a bright pink rose.

Merhea seems to be a little unprepared when Chuck begins her last song, as if she hadn't planned a dance or learned this one. She doesn't sing along this time, and it takes her a few seconds to find dance moves that fit. She throws her tambourine toward Torvald and the mysterious woman, and stays in the fountain, her dance now more subdued and mysterious. She turns around the statue, slowly and effortlessly climbing up on the different platforms in the fountain as the song goes on. The whole time, she seems to be staring in Chuck's general area, a curious look in her eye. She does not notice Elohad and his roses.

"How sweet," Kitseia says absently. Then looks back at Celaven and smiles. "I think the performers deserve at least a rose for their efforts, don't you?"

Elo hands Zeldanna the pink rose, gives her a friendly little bow, and keeps circulating, presenting his floral offerings enticingly to the members of the crowd.

At the roses, Torvald reaches a hand near his shield, and pulls out an only slightly squished flower that looks like it came from somewhere in the Blasted Lands. "Capital idea!" He tosses the flower at Chuck's case. It lands on the edge.

"Oh, certainly," Celaven says, pulling out his own coin purse. "Do you have any preference for color?"

Torvald snatches the tambourine out of the air. That man has some serious reflexes. He beats it against a thigh, weirdly on beat. There's no flare but there is ….ENTHUSIASM.

Kitseia laughs and rests a gloved hand lightly on Celaven's wrist. "Let's go and see what he has."

The peasantry may now feel the breeze from Kitseia's fan. You are welcome, peasants.

Zeldanna nods at Elo in response before moving forward towards the singer. She is holding the rose up where it brushes against her lips and nose. She pauses in front of the open instrument case, as she lowers the rose she murmurs, "An honor my dear". There is a small stack of gold coins deposited with the Rose and she moves off down the street, leaving the square.

Elo seems to sense Interested Parties and begins to move toward Kitseia and Celaven, proffering the floral assortment enthusiastically. "No charge," he says. "Take what you like."

"Are you sure, sir?" Celaven asks, one ear twitching with curiosity. "It was a lovely performance."

Chuck sings with her eyes on a middle distance, as if she's no longer seeing anyone or anything, but almost…reading music out of the air, perhaps? To those who have watched Chuck compose on the spot, it's a very familiar look. Chuck's not really 'singing' so much almost channeling a song she's 'hearing.'

"She's a friend. But I can't throw them all at her myself." He smiles at them both.

Celaven looks to Kitseia and gestures to the flowers, "After you, miss."

"How kind of you," Kitseia says, tipping her head to eye the selection. Instead of a rose, she selects a daffodil. Y'know. A narcissus. "And please allow me to congratulate you on the birth of your child, Sir Elohad."

"Oh, thank you!" Elohad says delightedly to Kitseia, not seeming at all surprised that Random Strangers know his life story. He has the air of a man who is used to being Recognized and Talked About.

Celaven selects a yellow rose, to match the daffodil.

Merhea is now around the actual statue of a man in the middle of the fountain, dancing around him. Her dress makes a beautiful twirling motion as she moves dangerously on the edge of the small platform, the statue sometimes getting in the way.
She finally notices the flowers, and her face lights up.

Chuck gets to the end of the song, and just. Stops, as if she's stopping hearing something, and blinks a little at the audience, as though just remembering that they're there. "Huh," she says, only audible to those standing fairly close to the singer. She shrugs, and turns a lopsided grin to the audience, rotating her guitar to one side of her hip to sweep a bow — there's a slight hitch to the movement, as though her left hip twinged. She grimaces slightly before covering it with another grin.

There are now a bunch of flowers in her guitar case, as well as some coins. Elo passed flowers to some other people we don't care about, you see.

"You're very welcome." She turns slightly as if to make her way to the front of the stage. Her step is discreet enough to let her move away from Celaven without disruption if he wants to let her go, but small enough to give him time to go with her if he chooses.

The robed woman drifts into the nearby bank, returning with her own carefully preserved flower to offer. A sorrowful purple bloom. Arthas's Tears. She drops it into the case, then returns to her place near the inn.

Chuck looks down at her flower collection and there's a warbling of an expression over her features, as the bard appears to go through seven emotions very quickly — flashes of grief, joy, pain — and then lands on amused, as she laughs again, a beautiful sound of cool splashing water on a hot summer afternoon.

Celaven stays with her and walks to the stage. He leans down to place the rose into the already-flowery guitar case. "It was a lovely performance, Bard Silversong. My compliments to your dancer, as well."

Elo watches Chuck's face do All the Things and beams her a smile of pure friendly-dadly love.

Kitseia offers her daffodil directly to Bard Silversong, letting a few silver coins drop into the guitar case as she does. "A delight to attend one of your performances. My compliments to the lovely dancer, as well." She inclines her head toward Merhea.

Merhea climbs up and sits on the statue's shoulders and bows to the audience, a huge, bright smile on her face. She quickly jumps down from there and joins Chuck, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Well, that wasn't half bad," she whispers to Chuck, before thanking Kitseia and Celaven.

"Thank you," Chuck says to Celaven, her voice lower than her singing voice, as she looks up at the Kaldorei priest.

She turns to Kitseia, and accepts the flower, her eyes moving briefly to the silver. "I appreciate it, thank you."

Chuck chuckles (heh) at Merhea, her hand coming up briefly to pat the dancer's. Up close, it's clearer that Chuck's been sweating pretty heavily, although the dark blue clothing covers most visible signs, but there's a sheen of moisture on her upper lip and around the edges of her hair.

Kitseia turns fully toward Celaven. "I'm afraid I must continue my errands. Your company was a pleasant surprise. I hope we'll see each other again, some day."

Celaven bows his head slightly at her. "It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Kitseia. I also hope that our paths may cross again."

In the absence of something actively holding his attention, Torvald spots something shiny — oh no, it's the people throwing fire — and wanders towards it.

…I'm sure it'll be fine. What could go wrong with Torvald and fire tossing?

Merhea thanks other people - the ones we don't care about - who came to congratulate Kobold Company, and in-between two conversations, she whispers, almost directly into Chuck's ear. "You'll have to tell me more about your inspiration for that last song."

Kit slips her hood up again, protecting her um, bronzed skin from the sun. B…because. Whatever, it's mysterious, OK? Go with it. As she does, she gives Elo another look and, with an oddly smug smile, she walks down the street.

Celaven makes his goodbyes to the performers and Elohad, waves to Torvald, shadow-woman and Zeldanna, and finally heads off to continue his business in Stormwind.

Chuck puts a hand to her head. "Oh, sometimes I just hear things," she says enigmatically, in a low voice to Merhea. "You know how it is. Inspiration, the muse, etc." She grins, and there's something briefly there in her eyes, almost calculating, before it's covered with good cheer. "Incredible work, today. Really, well done. I've got the room up in the inn here, for you. It's just for the day, but it's got some sort of mage thing, give you a chance to get some relief from this fucking heat."

Elo makes sure everyone gets flowers who wants them, and then after blowing one last friendly kiss to Chuck, heads north into the city.

The human curtain is spotted by a passing priestess — a very casual priestess with dark hair, who does not seem too pleased to see Cobalt Company nearby — and dragged away the way she came. Yes. Dragged.

Chuck looks at Elo, and blows him an overly dramatic — William Shatner thinks it's overdone and overperformed — kiss back. She's still grinning, but there's that hitch again as she shifts her weight, as though she's been standing too long.

Chuck moves to close the guitar case, her guitar still slung over a shoulder. "I gotta get the fuck out of this heat or I'm going to start seeing shit," she says to Merhea. "I'll be in the H-Q, eating like, nine apples and drinking that watered down whatever is in the corner. See you, around, kid."

Merhea bows to Chuck. "Alright, I see. Inspiration works in mysterious ways, sometimes, I get that," she says, a not-so-convinced smile on her face. She wipes some sweat off her forehead. "Yeah I probably should go somewhere cooler for a little bit, although the fountain water was quite refreshing." She picks up her shoes from the ground, doesn't look for her tambourine and, as she takes her few first steps into the inn, looks at Chuck and says, loud enough for her to hear. "You did great, too. Maybe we should get Kobold Company some other gigs."

She turns around, and walks up the stairs.

Chuck smirks and nods at Merhea. "Yeah, I'll make it happen, kid." Does Chuck know Merhea is like, barely ten years younger than her? Possibly. Does this affect what Chuck says? No.

Moving as though she's regretting her life choices of standing still for three hours, Chuck makes her way to Ironforge to do exactly as she planned re:apples and liquids, and then crash on a free cot. The good life.