2.5, mini-adventure: Pretty women

"And yet I'm still here, back for more. Don't forget, I'm not some helpless child. If you want to bring the ice, I'll bring the thunder. May the best prankster win."

"I think it's a little more complicated than that," says Fedler.

"Yeah!" readily agrees Breeze. "Zelk would kick the ass of any stalker! But Steve, he wrote her poems."

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"I thought we agreed I was the definitive winner?" retorts Zelk. "Well, no matter. I have no reason to punish you. Yet."

"You're the overall winner of the Citadel my dear. The winner of your grandpa's party is yet to be determined."

Picking up on Breeze and Fedler - "If anything will start flying, we should know soon." - Mihai muses, not really serious -  "Might need to heal a broken bone or two."

Konrad sighs. "Just as long as they keep it off my ship, and as long as we have a healer, they have my permission to mack on each other's faces until they suck out their tongues."

"I would prefer if you didn't prank my grandfather or his guests," she informs Steve. "The staff included. Can I count on you for that?"

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"Hmm," ponders Breeze. "I can't heal broken bones."

"I can," reveals Fedler. "But I doubt I'll have to."

"Of course. I was just distracting you anyway." He reaches out and takes her hand. "See? It worked!"

Mihai's hand unconsciously goes to his ribs, and lingers there a moment.

Zelk tenses up for a moment. Steve can tell that she doesn't feel completely at ease, but she nevertheless makes the effort to squeeze his hand tighter.

"I guess it did," she replies with a small smile. "Just ten more minutes, and we should be there."

__________________

Breeze glimpses at Zelk and Steve, which is when Fedler decides to bring attention to something else.

"We're going to the upper city," points out the redheaded mercenary. "Probably the richest part of the district too."

Mihai asks Fedler - "Have you been here before?"

"I've passed through a few times," answers Fedler in a nonchalant manner. "I guess it won't be long before we're there."

He squeezes back and shares a smile with her. "Did you visit your grandpa often when you were young?"

"No," replies Zelk. "Him and my father didn't leave on good terms. I've only met-"

"Hey Songbird, look!" pipes up an unknown voice. "It's a fairy!"

Zelk stops in her tracks, and turns around to see a strange duo coming out of a small shop; a young man in his twenties, who is wearing a fancy red overcoat over a white shirt, and a male fairy who is now pointing at Breeze, his mouth wide-open.

"Can you believe it!?" asks the small fey creature. "It's a girl too!"

"Oh my, you're right," replies his companion. He puts an hand on his red cavalier hat, which is trimmed with a long white plume, and tips it at the party. "Hello! Hello everyone! What a pleasure to meet you!"

Mihai looks at the duo for a moment before replying evenly - "Hello sir."

"Oh another fairy!" He waves in greeting at the two newcomers and smiles at them. "Hi, I'm Steve. Who are you?"

Konrad snaps out of a blank wandering mind at the shrill voice of a fairy. Jeez, they need to put bells on you little fellows.

"Yes, a pleasure to meet you as well, Mister...?" he trails off, looking right past the man in red at the flying pixie. One guess as to what's really caught his interest. From the Enclave, maybe? Or perhaps some fairies have been "born" in the Free Feathers now?

"Let me introduce myself," says the man in red. He takes his hat off, and bows deeply. "My name is Songbird, a wandering minstrel and adventurer."

"I'm Peewee!" adds his fey companion, who immediately approaches Breeze and vigorously shakes her hand. "What's your name?"

"I'm Breeze," responds the blue-haired girl, more than happy to reciprocate the enthusiasm Peewee is displaying. "Did you wake up in the Free Feathers?"

"Sure did! Just a few weeks ago, in fact."

"I'm from Lofell myself. It's the first time I ever met a fairy from the Feathers!"

"It's the first time I've met a fairy at all! My siblings don't count."

"Fascinating," remarks Songbird. "And may I be so blunt as to ask the name of those lovely ladies?" he inquires, a magnificent smile plastered on his face.

"Fedler," replies the redheaded hunter. "Fedler Melan."

"Zelk Freeron," adds the black mage after some hesitation, her hand still joined with Steve's.

"Fedler Melan and Zelk Freeron," repeats the man in red. "What a pleasure to meet such fair ladies."

He bows again.

". . . ." - Mihai just looks at Mr Bird.

Steve raises an eyebrow at the man's audacity. "And what brings you to town Songbird?"

He straightens himself, and extends his arms to his sides as if the answer was obvious. "I have come to sing, of course!" He puts his hat back on his head, and slowly approaches the party. "There will be a ball come tomorrow evening, and I suspect I will see you there."

Zelk is a little taken aback by the man's perception.

"Oh!" exclaims Peewee, in awe. "How did you know that?"

"Actually, I don't. But the people who bear the name 'Freeron' are few in these parts."

He gently nods at Zelk.

"Ooh..." Despite this explanation, Peewee is still amazed.

"Lofell, the Enclave, now the Free Feathers," Konrad muses. "Well now I can't wait to visit my home someday soon!"

Zeiss wrote:"Fedler Melan and Zelk Freeron," repeats the man in red. "What a pleasure to meet such fair ladies."

He bows again.

"Oho, better gird your loins ladies," he snickers at the attitude toward the open flirting. Their problem, not mine, although I doubt I'll have to worry overmuch about whether they can hold onto their sweethearts.

"Just 'Songbird' though? Did they just not recognize the avian flying by when they had you?"

Zeiss wrote:He straightens himself, and extends his arms to his sides as if the answer was obvious. "I have come to sing, of course!" He puts his hat back on his head, and slowly approaches the party. "There will be a ball come tomorrow evening, and I suspect I will see you there."

"Well, I look forward to hearing your sonorous pipers when we are in attendance, Songbird. Do you play as well? I'm not overly fond of a cappella at lively gatherings, unless you're in a quartet."

Mihai blinks once or twice. Still looking at Mr Bird.

Fedler and Zelk sigh at Konrad's comment, fully aware they may have to put up with an unwanted suitor. Breeze doesn't seem concerned at all by this.

Konrad wrote:"Just 'Songbird' though? Did they just not recognize the avian flying by when they had you?"

This amuses him. "Oh, Songbird is the name I have chosen for myself. Do you like it? I do."

"It's a moniker then," points out Fedler.

"More of a title."

Konrad wrote:"Well, I look forward to hearing your sonorous pipers when we are in attendance, Songbird. Do you play as well? I'm not overly fond of a cappella at lively gatherings, unless you're in a quartet."

"Oh, he can play!" eagerly replies Peewee. "I've heard it myself!"

"Indeed," continues Songbird. "But I have something special planned for tomorrow."

Breeze cannot resist, and she asks, "What is it?"

"It's a surprise. And surprises cannot be spoiled."

His smile hasn't subsided.

Mihai's deadpan look at the man hasn't subsided either.