And I'll just leave this here. :3
Enjoy!
Obligatory Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The Coquettish Bard and the Awkward Teens
The chocked silence this time around Yu was sure had less to do with that fact that another counterpart was standing in front of them and more to do with simple, star struck awe. He was also fairly certain that it wasn't the afternoon sun that was making him a little hot under the collar, because wow . . . this woman was gorgeous . . . to the point where even the girls were struck speechless.
After about a minute of watching them moon at her, the woman-Rhysana-glanced back at her companions, feigning a worried pout, "Oh dear, do you think I might have been a little too forward?"
"You tend to render most of the people we meet speechless, so I would not worry," Nyras responded without missing a beat, smiling.
"Aw, stop, you're making me blush!" Rhysana replied, playfully waving a dismissive hand the ranger's way.
Tirin (who had been looking noticeably less annoyed with everything) edged closer to her side, leaning forward a little to get a better look at them and grinning, "Nah, this is a pretty normal look for them. Although, don't take that to mean they aren't appreciating the beauty only a desert rose like you could offer!~"
Rhysana wagged a finger at him, but the coy smile on her lips remained, "Still the flirt, I see, but ever lacking in actual tact. Desert roses are abhorrently sun-dependent, Tirin, not to mention garish. If you're going to try and woo someone with words, at least find a comparison that's appropriate."
"Ah, madam, you wound me!" Tirin placed an injured hand over his heart, but his smile was teasing, "Maybe I should compare you to a desert viper instead?"
Amazingly, rather than be offended, Rhysana only chuckled, a sound that brought to mind the image of a cherub, "Ah, so he can learn! I guess we do live in age of miracles!"
"Y- . . . y-you're . . ."
Rise's stuttering brought the counterparts respective attention back to them, and Rhysana tilted her head to the side, "Speaking of miracles . . ."
She walked toward them until she stood in front of Rise, close enough to Yu that the rosy scent she gave off became noticeably more acute and tantalizing to him. She was . . . really close . . .
It occurred to him that he might be being charmed somehow, but he couldn't quite grasp the wherewithal to break it.
"I'd love to hear your story, little me," Rhysana was speaking directly to Rise this time, and the poor girl's face began to bear a striking similarity to a beet.
Rhysana chuckled, "Aw, no need to be so shy! In fact, all of you, speak up! I'd love to at least know your names!"
"U-uh . . ." Yosuke stuttered stupidly, slack-jawed and red-faced.
"W-we . . . u-um . . ." Chie floundered, and looking embarrassed for it.
"I-I . . ." Yukiko started before trialing off, casting her gaze to the floor.
There was the sound of someone sharply clearing their throat, followed by Naoto valiantly taking the reigns despite the red that tinted her cheeks, "I apologize for our rudeness . . . my name is Naoto Shirogane."
"And no surprise, the little Nyras takes the lead!" Rhysana crowed. Smiling, she gestured to Naoto's head, tip of a slender finger brushing the rim of her hat, "Also, that is an adorable hat! It's such a charming little accessory that matches your quiet mystique. And your eyes, too."
"A-ah!" thrown off by the compliment, the red in Naoto's cheeks deepened as she self-consciously pulled her hat down.
"That was your cue to agree with me, by the way," Rhysana added, looking directly and expectantly at Kanji. Like she was waiting for him to . . .
Oh shit.
"H-huh?! C-cue?" Kanji shouted, looked absolutely bewildered as his face flushed crimson.
Nearby, he noticed Korval smack a hand against his helmeted head, muttering unintelligibly as Tirin began to giggle uncontrollably. Desperate to keep things from flying off the handle even more, he sent Nyras a pleading look.
Luckily, she was already stepping forward, "Rhysana-"
She leaned over and whispered something in the woman's ear (probably something along the lines of their secret), before pulling back with a searching look. Slowly, Rhysana nodded in understanding, "Ah, I get it. Well, that's disappointing . . ."
Inwardly, Yu sighed in relief.
"But I guess there's no helping that!" Rhysana continued, brushing the revelation off like loose dust, "So, what about the rest of you, huh? You must have names, especially if you don't want me to keep calling you 'little ones' all of the time."
Given enough time to recollect himself, Yu took a breath and gave the woman a courteous bow, trying to ignore the definite burn he still felt in his cheeks as he struggled to keep his voice stable, "My name is Yu Narukami. A pleasure to meet you, Tylvanni-san."
"A pleasure to meet you, too, even if technically we've already met. And no need to be so formal! Rhys will do just fine," The woman said, and Yu felt the weight of her gaze like a heavy, tingling shroud despite her warm smile.
A hand appeared around his arm before he could reply, and he looked to see that Rise had taken a position next to him, fingers clamping around his elbow tight. When she spoke, her voice seemed a little more clipped than was normal, as well as a touch defensive, "Rise Kujikawa. My name. Nice to meet you."
Rhysana picked up on the tone immediately, and she gave a quick glance at the hand Rise had placed on his arm. Oh, this might actually be bad. He really didn't want another situation like Rise and Marie breaking out here, that would cause disharmony in the ranks real quick!
Then Rhysana was leaning down so she could look Rise in the eye, smile never dimming as she politely replied, "Rise, hm? Now, doesn't that just roll off the tongue! Quite a lovely name for a lovely girl, I think."
At first, Rise faltered, obviously not expecting the compliment as her face flushed again. She lowered her gaze, looking a mite embarrassed, "U-um . . . thank you."
Rhysana's smile grew bigger before she stood upright, eyes passing on to the remainder of his group, "And what can I call you, sylphie?"
Yu turned his head just in time to see Yosuke sputter, looking profoundly confused, "H-huh? S-sylphie? W-what does that mean?"
"Calm down, it was just a nickname," Rhysana soothed. Placing a thoughtful finger against her chin, she added, "Although I guess you're right, it doesn't make sense when I use it on you. So, why don't we just stick to a real name, hm?"
Yosuke stared at her, and it wasn't until Yu gave him a quiet nudge to the side that he jumped and blurted out, "Yosuke Hanamura! U-uh," he paused to clear his throat, trying to sound more masculine, "Yosuke Hanamura. N-nice to meet you."
Under his breath, he muttered, "Man, really not the time to be screwing up."
Rhysana chuckled, covering her mouth slightly before reaching out and . . . patting his head like a mother would a child, "Don't try too terribly hard, sweetheart. You're a little too young for my tastes."
Yu's heart went at Yosuke's crushed expression, the boy making a pained noise in the back of his throat. He hadn't even tried to ask her out yet . . . talk about being shot down . . .
Behind him, he heard Chie suck in a breath between her teeth, "Ooh, now that was brutal."
"The harsh rejection of a beautiful songstress leaves the Junes Prince near tears . . ." Teddie hummed sadly, "Truly a sad sight."
"I'd feel bad if I didn't think Rhysana-san had just dodged a bullet . . ." Yukiko whispered.
"Breaking hearts even before they've been given to her. That's Rhysana!" Tirin said with a smile.
"Yeah, you've got experience there, don't ya?" Korval grumbled as he pulled Bone away from the other horses, who were beginning to huff nervously.
Without losing his smile, the gloaming replied, "Shut up."
"Sorry, Yosuke," Rhysana said, "But I'd rather we clear that sort of thing up now. And that statement applies to all of you, by the way."
He felt Rise relax next to him, grip loosening. Behind him, he heard Teddie whine in disappointment.
"Besides, aren't you . . ." Rhysana suddenly trailed off, her thoughtful gaze traveling towards Yu before flashing to Kanji and Naoto. Then she said with finality, "You know what, nevermind. Now, carrying on . . ." Rhysana turned her attention to Chie and Yukiko, who were both standing side by side, "What are you're names?"
The two glanced at each other, shifting a little awkwardly before Chie stepped up, nodding a little unsurely, "Chie Satonaka. Nice to meet you."
Following her friend's lead, Yukiko gave a formal bow, "Yukiko Amagi. Pleasure."
"Also lovely names!" she gave a cursory glance at Yukiko, a sad little frown marring her pretty face, "A shame about that gown of yours. It looked like it was quite the eye-catcher in its heyday."
The girl awkwardly shifted, seeming to just notice the tears and dirty smears on the once silken fabric, "It . . . does look pretty bad, doesn't it?"
"Don't worry, we can get it patched once we get to the next town. We can even get a matching one for your friend!" Rhysana promised her.
"Uh, I don't know if that'll really work with me . . ." Chie interrupted.
Rhysana waved a hand at her, "And who told you that? Sure, maybe the color's a little unflattering, but that's easily remedied with some dye. Maybe a nice emerald . . . ah, but that's a conversation for another day."
Chie's cheeks bloomed red even as the woman turned her attention to Kanji, "Now, how about you, strong-man?"
"U-uh . . ." Kanji stuttered and abashedly rubbed the back of his head before continuing, "Kanji Tatsumi."
"Kan-ji," Rhysana repeated, testing the way it felt on her tongue, "Hm, strong and bold. A good fit."
"Um . . . t-thanks, I guess . . ." Kanji mumbled awkwardly.
"And . . ." Rhysana turned to Teddie, who lit up under the attention, "What about you, goldie?"
"My name's Teddie!" the bear responded exuberantly. Placing his hands behind his back, he added coyly, "Buuut, you can call me Goldie, too! Whatever makes a fair maiden like you happy!"
"A fair maiden? Ha," Rhysana laughed, "You like to play the cute card, don't you?"
"Hee hee, that's me!" Teddie moved a little closer, "Are you suuuure everyone here is too young for you?"
"Absolutely everyone," Rhysana replied without hesitating.
"Gah!"
A flurry of movement nearby distracted Yu's attention, and he saw that another one of the odd traveler's was running up to them. His clothes were patchy and hanging loosely from his body, a baggy wrap of roughly stitched brown wool wrapped over his head. A large, splodgy dark mole covered his left cheek, a gap showing clearly between his two front teeth as he talked rapidly to Rhysana, keeping his head bowed in a show of respect. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Nyras subtly pull her hood back over her head.
Rhysana nodded before replying, gesturing to her companions and his own before pointing to the caravans. The man's eyes bugged, mouth hanging open as he beheld Rhysana's friends with nothing short of reverential awe. Then he hastily bowed, blabbering almost incoherently as he backed away. When he turned, he began shouting to the others, who hurriedly began to clamber back around the caravans, the horses snuffling in eagerness to be away.
Yu looked to Rhysana for answers (or anyone, really, since he hadn't understood a word that had been said), when Nyras took a step forward, her frown of disapproval just visible beneath the shadow of her hood, "While we appreciate the offer, I'd rather we stay away from the road, Rhysana."
"That's just your paranoia talking," the woman replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"For good reason," Nyras said stiffly, giving a pointed glance at the bandits who were being rounded up into the caravans.
"Wait, what's going on?" Yu stepped in, "Some clarification would be nice."
"I've asked the traders to give us a ride to Sedgeridge!" Rhysana said with a beaming smile. She pointed down the road that was carved into the earth, "This path goes right by the town! It's quicker than trying to skirt by the lake, and you can keep off your feet until we get there!"
"Seriously, there's a road?" Yosuke said, "Why didn't we just take that in the first place?!"
"Because bandits like to use this road as well, as you can see, and frankly I had no desire to put you in harm's way," Nyras cut in, crossing her arms.
"That's true . . ." Yukiko said, glancing at the unconscious men.
"That's sweet of you Nyras," Rhysana put in, "But I think they'll be fine for the rest of the way, especially with us watching their backs. Besides, I just took out a whole group on my own without even lifting a finger. Even you can't argue with those results!~"
Nyras pursed her lips, but before she could reply, a scuffle distracted her.
"Woulda get out of there? No one gave ya permission to freeload!" Korval was glaring at Tirin, a hand clutched around the gloaming's ankle as he tried to clamber inside the last caravan.
Tirin leaned back out of the vehicle, frowning, "But they said it was fine! And shade!"
"You weren't complainin' about the sun two minutes ago!"
"Shade!"
"Hmhm, those two haven't changed a bit," Rhysana laughed, amused.
Nyras sighed, though there was a touch of fondness on her face, "No, they have not."
"It looks like Tirin's made up his mind too, and we know Korval goes wherever you go, so that just leaves . . ." Rhysana looked at Yu, "Well? Do you want to go back the way you came, or hitch a ride with me and the rest of these lovely people?"
Yu looked at his friends, "Well? This is your guy's decision."
" . . . I wouldn't mind getting off my feet," Yukiko admitted softly.
"Yeah, kinda agree . . . these boots are really starting to chafe," Yosuke said, but he still looked hesitant, "But the stuff about the bandits . . ."
"That is a concern we shouldn't dismiss," Naoto said.
"But the road will get us there quicker, and it's not like we're taking it by ourselves," Chie put in, "I mean, Rhysana-san just took care of a whole band by herself, and we've also got the others too!"
"Sides, worse comes to worse, we can fight back," Kanji added, looking determined, "I ain't gonna let some scrawny pack of thieves lay a finger on anyone!"
Yu smiled, "That's a sentiment I share completely."
"So, road?" Yosuke prompted.
A chorus of affirmative sounds rose up, and eventually, Naoto and Nyras both had to fold in acquiescence.
"Alright, then let's head out!" Rhysana said, leading them to the last caravan, "Up you go everyone, there's plenty of room!"
"WA-HOO! ROAD TRIP!" Teddie shouted in delight.
The interior was indeed surprisingly spacious despite the small crates that were stacked against the walls, the wooden vesicles wrapped together with rope to keep them from toppling over. He could occasionally catch a whiff of different foodstuffs and herbs, but most of it was overpowered by the smell of horse. Four small, glassless windows were set into the wall, the two near the back pulled open to let in some light while the ones further in were closed via wooden doors.
Tirin was sitting on one of the crates near the front, leaning against the rough wooden hull of the caravan and idly carving a piece of timber with a small knife. Where he had procured it in such short time, Yu couldn't begin to guess. Rhysana walked ahead, taking a seat opposite him, white cloak flaring around her.
Slipping inside, he took a seat on another crate next to Tirin, and slowly, everyone began to climb inside as well. Yosuke sat next to him while Naoto, Kanji and Rise sat on the opposite side, commandeering crates for themselves. Unfortunately there were only a limited number of available crates, so Chie, Yukiko and Teddie ended up on the floor between them. Korval and Nyras took the other end by the doors, Korval's massive frame taking up much of the available space, and behind them he could see their horses waiting patiently behind the caravan. Rise would occasionally give quick, surreptitious glances at her counterpart before looking somewhere else, fiddling awkwardly with her hair.
It was a little cramped, but Yu was grateful to be off his feet. And, with any luck, they'd reach the village soon.
A small shape appeared by the painted doors; a young woman dressed much like the man had been save for the patchy skirt around her legs. Her face was lined with sweat and her hazel eyes were huge as she stood before them, voice a tiny tremble as she talked.
Nyras gave her a patient response and nodded, and the woman bowed and scurried away. She returned a moment later, handing Nyras a small burlap sack and a cutting knife that had been recently sharpened. The ranger took the proffered items with a grateful nod, and the girl bowed again and left, closing the doors as she did so.
Left alone, Nyras reached inside and pulled out the contents; a long loaf of bread, a hunk of yellowed cheese, and a large raw onion. With quick twists of her wrist, she cut a neat slice off of each piece and laid them together so the cheese and onion rested atop the bread like some kind of incomplete sandwich, which she then held out to Yukiko, "Pass that down, if you will."
She went back to her work, and as the rich smell of the cheese and the onion began to fill the caravan, Yu's mouth began to water.
Yosuke handed him the first slice, and his stomach grumbled impatiently. But he staved off the desire to shove the food in his mouth and instead offered it to Tirin. Passing it down and all that . . .
He grinned, "Ooh, for me? You shouldn't have!"
He took the slice and popped it in his mouth, the onion crunching juicily between his teeth as he chewed. Yu looked back to Nyras, eager for his own.
Thankfully, the slices were handed out fairly quickly, and without hesitating, Yu bit into his own. The sharp flavor of the onion blended exceptionally well with the stronger taste of the cheese, and he sighed in bliss.
"I don't suppose this cheese has been pasteurized?" Naoto asked, lightly pulling a corner of the cheese up so she could give it an incredulous stare.
"Huh? Is this another 'technology' thing?" Korval asked as he munched on his own slice, "It's just cheese."
"Its good cheese," Yu added, taking another bite.
"It's not polite to waste food after it's been so kindly offered," Rhysana put it.
"That . . . I am well aware of that, and I didn't mean to-," Naoto's defense fell silent as Rhysana laughed.
"It's okay, I was just teasing you! The cheese is perfectly fine, I promise," the woman reassured her.
"Ah . . . of course. My apologies. I shouldn't be so guarded towards an offering like this," Naoto said after a moment. She hesitated a second more, then leaned in and finally took a bite herself.
Yu polished his off quickly, going so far as to lick the crumbs from his fingers to get every scrap. The sweet bread and the jerky had been satisfying, but this was the closest he'd come so far to something definitively normal. Now, if only he could have gotten his hands on some mayonnaise . . .
"Is there anymore?" Teddie asked, looking eagerly for scraps.
"We'll have a proper meal once we reach Sedgeridge," Nyras informed him, and Teddie's face fell.
There was a shout outside, followed by the sound of reigns snapping, and suddenly the caravan rocked forward as the horses began to walk. The road was bumpy, the caravan jostling them around with every uneven rut the wheels hit, and it wasn't long before Yu started feeling uncomfortable.
"Okay," Yosuke said, looking discomfited, "Maybe this was a bad idea."
"It could be worse," Yu said, trying to stay on his crate as the caravan pitched down sharply before rightening itself, "Okay, maybe it can't . . ."
"You made the choice," Nyras reminded them, sitting poised on her crate but still looking a little uncomfortable.
"Well, we still have a few miles to go, so you best get used to it," Rhysana said, somehow managing to look radiant even with the harsh rocking, "But, since we have so much time . . ."
She looked meaningfully at Nyras, "Mind filling me in on what exactly the three of you have been up to?"
"It is quite the story . . ." Nyras said.
"You know how I feel about stories," Rhysana replied smoothly, leaning back against the hull, "Now stop holding out on me. I'm dying to know!"
Rhysana listened patiently as they filled her in, nodding and only asking questions when necessary. Unfortunately, since none of them really knew how they got here, their explanations felt broken. Even so, it took some time to tell it all, and by the end of it the light outside had tinged red, the sun dipping closer towards the horizon.
Still, once it was over, Rhysana smiled brightly, a gleam appearing in her eyes, "Now, that really is quite a story! If only there was more to it, I could weave it into a ballad!"
"I don't think that would be wise," Naoto said, "That sort of attention wouldn't be beneficial in any way."
"Relax, I was just kidding!" Rhysana reassured her, "I know something like this requires some discretion. Don't worry. A bard knows when to keep her mouth shut."
Yu's ears perked up, "A bard?"
Rhysana winked at him, "My trade, of course!" Realization flickered across her features, "Ah, but you wouldn't necessarily know what that means, would you?"
"A bard is . . . a singer, right?" Yukiko asked.
Rhysana pointed at her, "That's one branch of entertainment a bard can excel at, definitely! And, not to brag, but I'm pretty good at it!"
"Ooh, you're a singer just like Rise-chan!" Teddie pointed out excitedly.
Interest sparked in Rhysana's eyes, and she looked at Rise, "You're a singer too? Ooh, now this is exciting! Tell me, what sort of ballads do you know? I'd love to try for a duet!"
Rise flushed as her other's attention fell on her, "Um, yeah, I'm a singer. But I don't think we really sing the same genre."
"That can't stop us from learning!" Rhysana insisted, "True bards always look to improve their repertoire and skill! And I think it would be fun to learn about the kind of music your world has!"
"Always trying to be better . . ." Unbidden, Rise smiled, "Yeah, I can agree with that. And . . . I guess it would be kind of fun to learn about the music here."
"That's the spirit!" Rhysana cheered.
"Perhaps you could save trading lyrical tastes when we're in a less cramped environment," Nyras suggested, looking more and more put off as the rocking continued.
Korval chuckled softly before patting her on the knee, and Yu forced himself not to wince at both Teddie's and Yosuke's curious stares. Not to mention the wondering look and raised eyebrow from Naoto. Oh, please don't figure anything out.
Thankfully, Chie spoke up at exactly that moment, "So, can bards use magic? Tirin said that was what you were doing back there."
"Indeed I can," Rhysana replied with a smile, "Bards are good at using music as a weapon. Magic is just one way to do it!"
"Magic music, huh? Just one more thing . . ." Yosuke mumbled.
"It sounds impressive," Yu said, fingers clutching the ends of the crate to keep from slipping off.
Rhysana tilted her head slightly his way, beaming with appreciation, "Thank you! Perhaps, when we reach the inn, I'll give you all a little personal performance to show you just how magic my music can be!~"
Everyone shifted awkwardly in their seats (save for Teddie, who just looked excited), and Yu felt heat rise to his cheeks. He was pretty sure the double entendre was not lost on the woman, especially seeing the amused smile on her face.
Rise's face flushed just a little deeper than the others, looking slightly mortified by her other's bold toying.
Then Rhysana was turning pointedly to the girl, smiling and speaking sweetly, "Would you like to perform with me, Rise? It'll be lots fun!~"
"U-uh . . ." Rise stuttered, looking flustered.
"If you don't like that, you can always dance with me instead!" Tirin piped up, smirking.
Rise gave him a flat look, "Stop."
"Jesus Christ . . ." Yosuke mumbled, staring sidelong at Tirin, "You're worse than Ted when it comes to flirting with girls . . ."
Tirin crossed his arms, eyebrows going up as he looked at Yosuke with a small half-smile. Then,
"Would you rather I flirt with you instead?"
Yu stared, mind drawing up only a soft . . . oh . . .
Yosuke's face went red, "W-what?! D-d-dude, knock it off! Okay, its cool when Rhysana-san does it-I mean, it's not cool, its-" Yosuke was tripping over himself now, "I-its not weird! That's it! A-and why the hell would you even say that anyway, you're a guy!"
Tirin's smile grew a little bigger, " . . . I'm flexible. In more ways than-"
"No, NO, stop talking!" Yosuke shouted, waving his arms spastically in front of his face and nearly falling off his crate. It was funny to watch, actually, funny enough Yu had to fight not to smile for his friend's sake.
"Whoa, watch where you're kicking!" Chie snapped.
"Uhh . . ." Kanji mumbled, cheeks tinting a little red as well.
Rhysana lightly kicked Tirin's leg, smiling despite her chiding words, "Leave him alone, Tirin."
"What, it's funny!" Tirin said, holding up his hands.
Nyras sighed, kneading a finger into her temple.
Teddie looked around curiously, not quite understanding why everyone was in such an uproar. Then, his puzzled gaze landed on Tirin, head tilting to the left as he asked, "Do you . . . try and score with boys too?"
Buuut still knew enough to get the gist of Tirin's actions. Oh boy . . .
Tirin lifted an eyebrow, "What?"
"No, don't answer him! Teddie, stop asking questions!" Yosuke ordered, looking more and more mortified as the conversation went on.
And finally, Yu couldn't contain himself, "Well, at least he'll stop asking you how to score with girls now."
Yosuke spent the next ten minutes with his face buried in his hands, too embarrassed to even look up.
Ten minutes was all he had, because another chorus of shouts rose up from outside and the caravan slowly dragged to a stop, the harsh jostling growing still.
"Finally," Korval muttered, but it was Nyras who was throwing open the door first, cool fresh air drifting inside on a welcoming breeze. Blinking, Yu and the rest followed them out, stretching his legs as he looked to see where they were.
The light was no longer as strong, the sun dipping below the horizon and streaking the sky red and gold. The hills around them and lost their tree covering, replaced by sedge and plots of reeds that grew around small, marshy bogs. The caravans had stopped near the edge of the road, the land sloping down into a small valley surrounded by hills. An inlet ran into the valley from the lake, surrounded by reeds and flushed green grasses. And nestled in the valley, surrounded by sedge groves, was a small town. Quaint cottages bordered the edge of the town, some scattered even farther out amongst the hills, thatched roofs and stone bodies belching out small clouds of smoke from indoors fireplaces. Stone pathways wound between the houses, bordered by low-laying grass and the occasional marshy pond. Further in, he could make out larger buildings of more sturdy make, and on the edge of the inlet he could see wooden piers occupied by numerous boats, some even farther out on the water with nets cast out into the waves.
He knew immediately where they were without even having to ask.
They'd finally arrived at Sedgeridge.
I hope you guys enjoyed Rhysana Tylvanni. I sure did! :)
Next up, tomfoolery in the town of Sedgeridge!
Rate and review if it pleases you!