Next chapter. Enjoy! :D

Part Two

~ in which Rae Fen saves the day, and Cirrustralyx has an Interesting Idea

Cirrustralyx was amazed by the crowd that had turned out.

It was the fullest he had ever seen the tavern, and he could hardly move to collect glasses between the tables. He supposed that it was hardly surprising. Rae Fen's performance was a break from the monotony of Crysila's routine; it wasn't often that anyone coming through Crysila had a purpose other than business. They didn't stay very long, and they certainly didn't entertain. In fact, travelling entertainers were all but non-existent.

As was Rae Fen. He still hadn't turned up.

"Cirrustralyx!" his father's gruff voice boomed over the noise and chatter of the patrons. "A word, please!"

His father never said that unless he was annoyed. Groaning, Cirrustralyx managed to balance another two glasses rather precariously onto his already loaded tray and struggled back through the maze of pulled-out chairs to the bar. "Yes, father?"

"Your friend hasn't arrived. It's gone nine."

"I know – "

His father waved an expansive paw. "Look at the crowd, Cirrus. How am I supposed to tell them that this wonderful performer they came to see isn't, in fact, coming?"

"From a safe distance?"

"Oh, Cirrus!" his father said crossly. "Wash those glasses and help your brother behind the bar."

The rap of knuckles on the back door cut across any further instruction and Cirrustralyx's heart leapt. "Someone's knocking."

"I hope this is your Selkie."

Ignoring this, Cirrus rushed through the back store room and wrenched the door open. There was no one there. Frowning, he looked left and right. "Hello?"

"Down here, copperbonce."

Cirrustralyx glanced down and was confronted by a Lilty youth. He was short, blunt and aggressive-looking; even the orange of his skin was brighter than any other Lilty's Cirrustralyx knew, as if the boy was doing everything he could to offend the eye. Kir, the archive of his mind supplied, the blacksmith's delivery boy, and a compressed explosion waiting to happen.

"Hello, Kir," Cirrustralyx said wearily. "What is it you require?"

"Your dad ordered some more barrels because the old rings were rusting," replied Kir, somehow contriving to suggest with a flick of his fiery bangs that he was not surprised that Cirrustralyx was ignorant of this fact. "I brought 'em for you. You want them?"

"Well, yes…" Cirrustralyx said, glancing around once more. "Bring them in."

Kir shrugged, and picked up the nearest of three barrels with apparent ease. "Whassamatter with you, skinny britches? You look distracted."

"I'm waiting for the musician to turn up and he… well, he hasn't."

"Shame," Kir commented with malicious glee. "Wouldn't like to be in your shoes."

"Put them there," said Cirrustralyx irritably, pointing to the corner of the store room. Kir obliged. Once he'd deposited his burden he straightened and cocked his head. "Sounds loud in there."

"That's because half the town has turned out," supplied Cirrustralyx miserably.

"Can you play? I thought you could," Kir said, voice pointed. Cirrustralyx scowled. "They're expecting a Selkie with actual talent, not me."

"I can see how you'd be a big step down," Kir agreed, "but the way I see it, what other choice do you have?"

In the expectant silence that followed, the muffled noise of the crowd in the bar beyond grew suddenly louder.

"I'll get my banjo," Cirrustralyx said weakly, giving in to fate. Kir smirked.

"Ah, don't worry. I'll come and watch. Give you some moral support."

Cirrustralyx looked down into his devilish little smile. "Oh. Great."

He tried to creep out of the store so his father wouldn't notice him, but to no avail. His father's attention centred firmly onto the banjo in Cirrustralyx's paws.

"Is that for him? Is he here yet?"

Cirrustralyx fidgeted. "Well, no… I don't know if he's coming. So I thought I should better get up and do something to keep them occupied. You know."

"You," his father said, "are in trouble. You'd better sort this out – hey! What are you doing with my saucepan?"

This was addressed to Kir, who was examining the said object with the air of an expert.

"You could do with another set of these," he announced. "They're getting a bit worn. Could do you a good deal on another lot?"

"Put it back and don't touch anything!"

Cirrustralyx hurried out from behind the bar and towards the makeshift platform they'd set up against the wall. There was an empty stool on it and not much else. With a lump in his throat, Cirrustralyx climbed up and set the banjo down carefully before raising his paws.

"Hello everyone! There's – there's something I need to tell you all – "

The hubbub quietened a little and several faces and highly polished Yuke helmets turned expectantly to him. Taking a deep breath, Cirrustralyx indicated the banjo.

"You probably all know that we hired a musician to come and play for you tonight. Well, I have to inform you that – "

The door swung open. Rae Fen slouched in with effortless grace, bringing with him a cool blast of air and sudden salvation.

" – he's here!" Cirrustralyx cried. Behind the bar Kir the Lilty burst into laughter. Ignoring this, Cirrustralyx jumped down from the stage and pushed through the crowd. Seizing Rae Fen by the elbow he dragged the Selkie into a corner.

"I thought you weren't coming! The banjo's on the stage – "

"Wait, what?" Rae Fen looked bewildered.

A horrible sinking feeling hit Cirrustralyx but he plunged on anyway. "You said you'd play for us. The banjo."

"I did?"

"Yes," Cirrustralyx said firmly. When Rae Fen continued to look bemused he conceded, "You… might have been a little drunk at the time."

Rae Fen stared at him for a moment. "I remember you." Then, slowly, he looked round as if he'd only just noticed the crowd. "Is that why all these people are here? You told them I was playing?"

"Yes." It was difficult to not sound like he was begging.

"Seriously?" Rae Fen looked amused. "Well, I'm not surprised that so many people came to watch me, but, well, I'm just not feeling it. I don't think I want to play."

"You don't want to play," Cirrustralyx repeated.

Rae Fen shrugged self-consciously. "Not really. I'm getting, what do you call it, artist's block. Can't express my talent properly, you know?"

Oh good grief. "But you played my banjo last month and you were amazing. Just… go up and play some improv. Look, all these people want to hear you."

"You think I'm good enough to play live?" Rae Fen. A lazy smile curled across his face. "Really?"

"Yes!" Cirrustralyx leapt upon the thin thread of hope. "And everyone here thinks so too. You don't want to let them down, do you?"

And there it was again. A sudden aura of absolute confidence oozed from the youth in waves, surrounding him in a heady, almost alcoholic, haze. Rae Fen stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Where's the banjo?" he asked smoothly.

Cirrustralyx pointed. A quick shake of the head revived Rae Fen's impressive tousled purple hair and then he was strolling towards the stage as if he owned the tavern. A hush fell as he ascended onto the stool. Picking up the banjo, Rae strummed it reflectively and then addressed the crowd.

"Hi there. I hear you all came to hear me play."

A murmur of assent swept the room like wind across the corn fields. Rae grinned.

"All right then, here's a little something I came up with just yesterday - "

And then he started to play. Cirrus realised he was holding his breath.

Good! It was good! Better even than last time! Without the sluggishness of alcohol in his fingers Rae was practically dancing his hands over the banjo, picking out a strangely addictive jazzy melody that caught the unwary on the first row and started their feet going before they realised what was happening. Within moments half the room was dancing along and the scrape of pushed-back chairs sounded. Suddenly exhausted, Cirrustralyx slunk behind the bar and sat, grateful to be off his feet while the anxiety-induced adrenaline ebbed away.

Gradually, as he fought his way out of the golden musical fog suffusing his vision, he became aware of a rhythmic tinny noise. He shot a look sideways. Kir was absently tapping his fingers along to the beat on the back of a saucepan. Sensing he was being watched, he glared over at the Yuke.

"What?"

"Nothing," Cirrustralyx replied, surprised. "It… it sounds good."

Kir chuckled. "You can bang just about anything along in time with a beat and it sounds a whole lot better. Like... gives it depth. You put another note in there and maybe you got yourself a symphony."

"Another note?"

"Another instrument," Kir explained haughtily, the music prodigy.

Cirrustralyx glanced involuntarily over to where his father's horn lay hung under the bar, veiled in fine dust. Kir saw where he was looking. "Yeah. Like one of those."

On stage, Rae Fen began a new, faster tune. As if he couldn't help himself, Kir went back to tapping on the saucepan and left Cirrustralyx with a new, ill-formed but Interesting Idea.

"Cirrus!" his father yelled. "Please serve the customers!"

There was a queue at the bar. Cirrustralyx took the saucepan from Kir and said, "You finished work?"

"Maybe."

"Hang around after my shift ends."

Kir stared at him suspiciously, then shrugged. "Yeah, alright."

About three hours after Rae Fen had arrived the tavern was packed to bursting point. The Selkie was still playing his uproarious melodies, although the music had slowed a little. Cirrustralyx pushed another half dozen pints onto the bar and shooed the recipients away to make room for the seemingly endless tide of customers. All of them seemed in a euphoric state, as if Rae Fen's music had somehow triggered epiphanies. They were all enjoying themselves at any rate.

Sighing, Cirrustralyx reached for another glass when a hand shot out and seized his elbow.

"Hey!" an angry female voice snapped. "What do you think you're playing at?"

It was a Clavat. Cirrustralyx couldn't really comment on her attractiveness but she was quite petite, standing a good deal shorter than him, and her apron clung to her in a manner that suggested pleasantly-developing curves. Her short, stiff blonde plaits bounced as she shook his arm again and he looked down into fierce blue eyes.

"Can I help you?" It was hard to hear even his own voice over the din.

"You're stealing our customers!" the Clavat maiden accused.

Realisation dawned. "You're... from The Vines? On the other side of Crysila?"

"Yes I am and we're practically empty! Half our crowd is swigging in here with you! What are you trying to pull, exactly?"

Cirrustralyx gestured helplessly. "Your customers, apparently – "

"Is that a joke?"

"No! No, no. We got a Selkie in to play tonight and everyone seems to like him – " He winced. "Miss, can you let go of my arm?"

The girl pulled her hand away abruptly, scowling. "Where's this Selkie? Playing what?"

"The music! He's on stage!"

She finally got the message and half turned on the spot, eyes seeking the target of the adulation of the crowd. For a second her expression glazed – Cirrustralyx recognised the effect of the Selkie's music on the unwary – and then she blinked and shook her head slightly. She whirled on the spot.

"What's your name?" she asked sharply.

"Cirrustralyx."

She jerked a thumb. "And him?"

"Rae Fen – "

"Well, my name's Nell and you better not forget it. If you pull another trick like this it'll cost us some serious gil and you some serious hurt." She paused, and glanced contemptuously to where Rae Fen was cradling the guitar and crooning a wordless hum along to his music, all grace and style and unbearable Selkie cockiness. "And you can tell him he's such a poser."

She turned and stalked out, although the effect was somewhat spoiled by her hampered movement through the crush.

"I like her," Kir said affably.

"Shut up, Kir," Cirrustralyx said wearily, just as his father shouted, "Last orders folks!"

End of chapter.

For the record, Nell is the only character I'm still struggling to entirely visualize. I like her though :)

Come back next chapter guys!