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Post by vu on Nov 11, 2006 23:18:04 GMT -5
"Proud... it's Proud." Not merely correcting but almost reprimanding him for it.
Vu took the comment unemotionally, though wondering if he meant to say "Pride" intentionlly. If it was an unmindful action. Or was his mind not merely working consciously in deciphering her but now unconsciously as well? Intentionally and unintentionally switching back and forth between directness, baiting and even control.
So did that mean he said "Pride" in referring not only to her pet but her own pride as well? Probably not. Just coincidence.
For a moment she narrowed her gaze then looked away from him. A hardened and focus appearance came upon her face. "You say that as though it is so courteous of you to give me such a choice," she said. "Though you seem to pass by the fact that it is truly my choice whether or not I answer either."
Either way, there was a large, inward, grin mentally forming as she closed her eyes and then angrily furrowed her brow. She tried to hide it, turning from him as he began leaning over.
She was revealing more of herself to him than she wanted. Vu was mentally congratulating himself while she ran a hand, less delicate than the one he painted, along the ground and grasped a rock.
And yet as she whipped her arm out, slinging the rock downstream, watching her watching the rock he felt sorrowful maybe even compassion for her situation. Unfortunately his situation prohibited him from giving her what aid he could manage.
And while she began looking down at her tunic, Vu grew conflicted. She must still be remembering, he mused.
Finally she propped herself onto her knees and began nudging her Proud to stand. She lifted her tunic and began using it on the vole-tiger as a makeshift towel, aiding his drying process.
Rather than looking back down at his book Vu turned to the next page. Blank. Then began freehand brushing without ever looking at his strokes.
"There," she stated matter-of-factly. He posited and intone of asking "are you satisfied," and he nodded just in case.
Kage then began sitting back down, brining her knees to her chest then wrapping her arms about them. She looked across the river at Vu straight face and shrugged. She seemed to have regain her composure. Yet Vu was happy nonetheless that a river was between them as a part of him felt drawn to her.
His reverie was snapped when she spoke up again. "Where I come from, such an accent wouldn't be seen fit, and just because I travel doesn't mean I'd get it," she stated. "Though I lack it, however, at least I didn't have it plastered on and then all of sudden lose it entirely."
Was that a quip, he asked himself as she placed her chin on her knees and watched him.
Laying his brush atop the book, its end dangling from the edge, he grinned at the likely quip and toyed. "We recieve and obtain many a thing amidst our travels to be used and traded, to aid and endear us. I was mistaken to wear an article of clothing that I assumed would endear myself unto. And thus I merely took it off and placed it in a bag." He began tilting his head, a small and brief smile appearing then disappering.
"M'lady Gale," he grinningly plastered his accent in the other direction. Grasping his brush then bowing in his crosslegged position for added effect. "I beseech your forgiveness as I have never intended to truly force you into a choice. You see as a... traveling man of sorts I have come across many stories. Told, untold and hinted. Though there are some who wish to speak their stories there are those also unwilling. Or at least unwilling at first. But I never meant to pry into yours. And I may have to admit that I am not one who often enjoys stories and thus I must courteously decline in hearing yours." Bowing again.
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Post by leighanief on Nov 12, 2006 0:07:16 GMT -5
Courteously decline...? Her story he assumed was not as good as others he assumed? Oh from a narrator's view it was quite good she thought, but a mix between happiness and sadness, or where joy could have perhaps been if not for circumstance. She glanced over to Proud, as he'd laid back down again, finding none of their words interesting for most of the tones were remaining more or less constant.
He'd watched closely as she'd thrown the rock, and felt good when she'd paid attention to him, seemingly working out a bit of her harsher tone and though uneasy, calmer. So now he rested, more in tune to what was going on then either of them probably knew.
But she remarked as she looked to him, that there were definitely somethings in the story that were worth it. She brought a hand over and stroked him a few times before replacing it an looking forward again. Hers was no story... it was life, and she felt perhaps a life not to be told to a stranger who could care nothing for it.
"I'd much rather like to hear you speak naked," She continued with the analogy he'd started, comparing accents to clothing, "How you truly want to speak garmented in what makes you comfortable." She had been from the start, but the analogy did not suit her very well, and she would not continue it after, her point to replicate it though, did fall under her pride as it were.
She watched him having bowed to her, feeling it probably not that he felt she was worthy of it, but a ploy to his speech as well. Her eyelids lowered slightly, and she remained in her position with again chin on her knees, as her feet turned inward slightly.
"If you're not one for stories, then I don't believe I have much to offer you. Since... a story-teller is one of the main things I am. Through many different ways, I suppose." She fell sort of elaborating, unsure if he would want her to. Afterall, it might turn out to be... a bit of a story in itself.
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Post by vu on Nov 12, 2006 0:51:50 GMT -5
She seemed to be taking in what he said. Maybe. Hopefully.
Vu wanted her to fall for the ploy. Him, not wanting to hear her story. Her, wanting to tell it to him anyway. Somehow, whether through little hints in her speech or analogies, gestures of her face or body, or even outright. Anyway should could manage to tell him.
To be honest Vu never did mind listening to other peoples’ stories much. And he was plying her for information to begin with. Making sure, if possible she did not pursue a trail towards the encampment. And if worse comes to worst… neutralize her and her pet.
But she’s a woman, thinking more about her story than slaying someone of her gender. Lying to her was another matter. It was just that for some reason a woman’s… “sob story” tended to pierce into him deeply for some reason. At times he wondered, if it was possible: that if all the world’s woman harmed in anyway by this war, from the youngest girl able to understand her surrounds to oldest widowed matriarch, existing presently or have lived as far back as the start of this war… if they were ever brought together in one spot and merely stood between the warring faction, sobbing, lamenting their pain and sorrow…
Would any man ever continue fighting… his head drooped.
Could they…?
Surely this Kage Gale—so she called herself—had a story with some sorrow of its own. Watching and listening to her long enough he could make overarching guesses that were seemingly correct. She had lost at least one person in her life, though he knew not how close she was to that person. She was traveling along save for her pet proud. She either had no home to return to or simply refused to return home.
“I’d much rather like to hear you speak naked,” she caused him to raise his head to look at her. Raised an eyebrow then realized she was merely continuing his analogy. "How you truly want to speak garmented in what makes you comfortable."
He believed himself to have nodded in reply. If you insist then. I shall grant you that boon.
"If you're not one for stories, then I don't believe I have much to offer you. Since... story-telling is one of the main things I do. Through many different ways, I suppose."
Vu did his best to hide his forming grin. “A storyteller,” he forced a raised eyebrow. Feigning skepticism. “As good as your skills are then in such a profession, how remarkable do you believing your skills,” not wanting to ask out rightly if she was any good—having heard of the ego’s most storytellers often possess. “And you must forgive my ignorance that I only know one way to tell a story. Not these ‘many different ways’ you are supposing.”
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Post by leighanief on Nov 12, 2006 1:22:59 GMT -5
She squeezed her kness tighter with her arms slightly, pushing her face down into her arms a little more to hide the smirk that was crawling on to her lips, when she'd seen how quickly he looked up, and arched his brow, obviously for a moment questioning if she'd just said she wanted him naked, before he realized its true context. But that nonetheless, was quite amusing.
He nodded to her to, slightly, as though he'd done it without conciously thinking to do it. That was also quite satisfactory in her eyes. He was complying at least... or so she could guess.
His words though threw her back into a bit more thought and she propped up her chin once more, only a slight curve remaining. I only know one way to tell a story. How was she supposed to explain it, she thought slightly. She'd never been the best with words, traditional story-telling. The way he knew was only any good from her if it was a tale she felt for or knew well, if it was newer to her, she sometimes bumbled through it. Less than she thought, to be truthful, but still wasn't her forté.
Forgivesness for his ignorance, he seemed to be asking for her forgiveness in many regards, though he still challenged her ego just as often. Definitely it was much more of a pleasantry than an actual request.
"Well... there is of course, your normal story-telling which I'm guessing is what you know. I have a number of those, from every nation. But normally those are for younger audiences or stormy nights."
She raised her head, bringing up a hand and resting it on the back of her neck, stretching up her chin, and using it as an excuse to glance back to her bags as well before she looked back to him once more. "I shouldn't bore you with details, especially not about myself, since you aren't one for stories afterall, but my story-telling is in the form of movement and music mostly."
She brushed back her bangs over the crown of her head, exposing her face more, though a good deal of the locks fell back down once more. "I'm an entertainer... or performer rather, that is one of the ways I tell a story." She lowered her hand from her head non-chalantly and waved it in dismissal, "But it's really not that important. Compared to many performers, I'm not very good."
She brought both hands done to the ground and stretched out her legs some, looking off and out to over top the river, trying to make herself seem bored with the subject as well, though she glanced back out the corner of her eyes. Trying to see what his reaction would be to something she didn't suppose he'd expect.
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Post by vu on Nov 12, 2006 1:54:28 GMT -5
"Well... there is of course, your normal story-telling which I'm guessing is what you know,” she replied. “I have a number of those, from every nation. But normally those are for younger audiences or stormy nights."
He quietly chuckled at that as she raised her head.
"I shouldn't bore you with details, especially not about myself, since you aren't one for stories afterall, but my story-telling is in the form of movement and music mostly," she told him nonchalantly. Seemingly going counter to what Vu intended.
She began brushing back the bangs that fell over the crown of her head. Giving more exposure of her face for which Vu would remember. Using it to add a few details in her once, mostly hidden facial area. As the bangs fell back into place a part of him was forced to admit… he liked her face.
"I'm an entertainer... or performer rather, that is one of the ways I tell a story." Then waved the matter away with a dismissal hand gesture. As if it was not a matter of importance. “it in dismissal, "But it's really not that important. Compared to many performers, I'm not very good." Though Vu was uncertain whether she said that out of truth or general modesty.
Palms down her hands were on the ground and she began stretching her legs out from their position bent to her chest. She then began looking past him, over him. Was she trying to seem bored with the subject or baiting him? Making him interested in her performance storytelling.
Wait! She said she’s a storyteller, concluding matter of factly. Of course she was baiting him.
And he chose to go along with it. Partially to completely his own objectives but mainly from genuine curiosity. “If I were,” he grinned, “a random stranger and you chose to tell—perform a story for… what would that story be pray tell? Or does the stranger depend on the story?”
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Post by leighanief on Nov 12, 2006 11:21:32 GMT -5
She looked away more to hide her little grin, she quite wanted to rub it in actually, with a 'Oooh, so now you're interested?', had she been in proximity she would have coupled that with a poke in the shoulder, but she decided that might not be the best response, since really it might turn him off the topic again, then they'd be left with another silence, probably a slightly awkward one.
She looked back over lazily, tilting her head back slightly to continue her 'boredom' of the subject, but as she saw his own grin she tried less to hide her own. Smirking slightly, at his question. Were he a random stranger... She let out a short laugh, falling into a manner of ease again, one quite easily suited. "Well... you are a random stranger." She rebutted.
She propped her weight up in the more lounging way with her hands behind her, but nodded slowly. "More like the story depends on the stranger. If you tell a story that the audience can't appreciate well then you haven't chosen very wisely. "
Pulling her feet into a crossed position she leaned forward and propped her chin into her palm as her arms rested on her thighs again. A somewhat sly look coming across her face as she stared right to him once more, an odd intensity having come into her gaze. "The challenge... " She paused, the curve on her lips increasing a bit, "Is to make the audience appreciate it. One way or another."
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Post by vu on Nov 12, 2006 21:21:59 GMT -5
Hopefully she was smiling; turning away from him as she did after his “random stranger” comment.
Maybe she even tried to hide it after returning her facial expression to a “boredom” position. But that may have been too much to ask. At least, that was until her face cracked into a definite smile. She gave a short laugh, “Well” she rebutted, “you are a random stranger.”
She then began easing herself to a more comfortable position. Lounging back with her hands behind her and then explained to him that yes, the story depended on one’s audience.
She next began pulling her feet into a crossed position, leaning forward then propping up her chin. She indeed seemed to be getting comfortable and even at ease. This may be helping, Vu thought. But Vu was well aware that a part of himself was happy and comfortable as long as she was as well. Though he was suddenly a tad uncomfortable with her looking at her, and that was even before he registered the sly look on his face. Vu fiddled with the pages in his book, memorizing both Proud’s features and his needed-to-be-discerned-legibility of his no-look sketch painting of him.
“The challenge,” she paused while he was turning back to the main page of use. “Is to make the audience appreciate it. One way or another.” Was there a sly smile coming across her lips?
He grin closing his eyes for a moment. He tilted a bit with his own grin. “’One way or another.’ So if the audience doesn’t appreciate the performance… I’m betting you threaten to have Proud eat them,” he jested. “I would probably appreciate your performance too if that was the case.”
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Post by leighanief on Nov 12, 2006 22:16:49 GMT -5
Her smirk died slightly as she started to think through her observation. Nhat had seemed to grow a bit antsy as she'd look directly to him. Had she really been intimidating or something? He didn't seem like the type who'd get like that easily, so what had she done?
The thought of it died out as he commented on what she'd said and admitted how he'd appreciate something were he threatened with Proud.
"No!" She bellowed out of surprise for his comment, trying to hold back her laughing. "That'd be awfully cheap!" She lowered her head, shoulders hopping slightly from the more quiet laughter that continued. She sat back up straight as she regained herself more fully, the idea had just been so amusing to her, maybe overly, but she quirked her brow at him, with still a crooked grin. "So you're afraid of little He..." She caught herself, brow pinching forward slightly, but she lowered her chin and feigned clearling her throat if that was the reason why she'd stopped. She pressed her hand against her collarbone to help act through the fake action.
Looking up she offered a sheepish grin, as though embarrassed her voice had gone rough, but really just somewhat concerned he'd found it odd, "You're afraid of little Proud's wrath, then?"
She cleared her throat again, lightly this time, actually needing from the tickle she'd gotten from the fake one. "I just meant... if you can get a person who wouldn't normally like something like that, to appreciate it..." She lowered her gaze to the water, looking at the reflection, continuosly distorted by the ripples and movement, "Then... you've really accomplished something."
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Post by vu on Nov 12, 2006 23:47:36 GMT -5
She suddenly bellowingly blurted a "No!" at his comment. And through her laughter, though she was trying to hold it back, mangage to reply, "That'd be awfully cheap!"
He couldn't help but laugh with her.
"You're afraid of little Proud's wrath, then," she managed to question the second time around. How absurd, he thought through his own laughter. Sure, it was a wild animal and maybe an omnivore if not a carnivore, and came just above his knee but he shouldn't fear such a creature. He was a soldier, a firebender and a man. Only women, children and cowards and the meek should be afraid of Proud, was his prideful conclusion.
"I just meant...," she began clearing her throat again. "if you can get a person who wouldn't normally like something like that, to appreciate it...," then lowered her gaze to the water. "Then... you've really accomplished something."
"Hmmmm...," he began. Making swift strokes for Proud's stripes. "... ... so if you had a chance to give a performance to someone that normally would not give much to something like that... if this someone was curious enough to want you to give a performance" He tapped the handle end of the brush to his cheek. "What would you perform under such a circumstance?"
He then looked up and at her. "And for the record," there was a brief huff of a laugh. "I'm not afraid of little Proud, not in the least." Then sitting straight, "Sure, I may be briefly unnerved but not scared. After all," he shrugged his head behind him indicating the woods, "if I can face and outsmart a beast larger than him--with no fear I might add--I have nothing to worry from him."
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Post by leighanief on Nov 13, 2006 0:29:30 GMT -5
"Okay okay." She raised up her hands, open palms out in a sort of mock defense as she let out another small chuckle. She'd got him to laugh with her, though she figured it was probably more at the oddity of her sudden burst, but either way it'd been nice. It'd been quite a while since she'd been sitting down with someone... or, well coming close to it. Its still counted if there was a river between them she figured. But still, sitting and laughing, chatting.
Though there'd been some rough spots, she was rather starting to enjoy herself at the moment. Surprising for a day she thought would be a more or less lonesome walk through the woods, with only Proud to keep her company.
"I was only teasing don't worry. Though you shouldn't take Proud for granted, he's not a nasty bite." She warned in a warmer still quite light-hearted way.
She turned at the waist slightly, hand reaching out to pester the little vole-tiger. "Isn't that right, you bully." She rolled her hands over the animal, moving back the loose fur back and forth. He stretched slightly, protesting in an annoyed whine before swatting at her. She grinned and pulled back her hands to let the 'beast' lie. Beast, eh? She looked back over to Vu, glancing to the trees behind him briefly. She couldn't help but wonder what he meant. What sort of 'beast'? If it was really so fierce then was it really safe for him to be idly sitting around? Maybe he was trying to impress her...? She smirked at the thought. Pfft, yeah right.
She thought of asking, but then she recalled he'd asked her something too. Really the same as his previous question just more descriptive this time, so he would hopefully not get a circular answer. Which was really close to what she had for him.
"Well... um," She tried to think while answering. His question had almost been a request, but she didn't want to take it as that. It'd make her look or perhaps more importantly feel silly, should he have no real interest in anything but a worded answer. "It depends on the person still. Their nation, sometimes political view. Even the type of stories they like. But at the same time sometimes none of that matters if it can touch them. "
She lifted up a hand a rubbed the back of her neck. She was doing badly with words it would seem but... examples! Those normally worked pretty well. "Some more universal stories are of lore, like the Sun and the Moon, or the Moon and the Tide. Representational works well sometimes too. When I arrive in towns... if the tavern or inn, what have you sometimes lets me perform."
She nodded to herself, feeling as though she was getting a bit more on track of hopefully what would be a decent answer. "If they let me, I often do a performance about the four nations. Or..." She lowered her chin slightly, "I used to, at least."
Her gaze drifted for a moment but she looked back up to him, pushing force a somewhat feigned grin. "Perhaps not a very good answer to your question." She retorted in addition, to try to end her talking on not such an odd note.
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Post by vu on Nov 13, 2006 1:15:38 GMT -5
"Perhaps not a very good answer to your question," she finally finished. Vu twisted his face and nodded. It really wasn't. At least not as much as he hoped, but he still manage at least some of what she said.
"I do not think I have ever heard a story... a story about the four nations." He pursed his lips inward. it was mostly true, at least as far back as he remembered. He might have heard a few things from his grandparents or mother at the least. But even if he did, he was trying now, but he could not recall any.
"I think I may understand why some would perfer not want to hear such stories...," his voice trailed off. Wait, he found a few but those where of heroes and wanderers traveling through the four factions. And there were the stories belonging to Elightenment cosmology. But were those much?
Tapping on his book, he leaned back. Dipping the brush into the ink stone then going back to his book. "A shame! Now you probably do not do such performances. I am sure they might be interesting to watch"
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Post by leighanief on Nov 13, 2006 1:41:36 GMT -5
She watched as his face changed and he nodded. She gave out a small sigh. This was greatly why she took to a lot of small jobs, labour mostly when she came to towns, it was hard for her to communicate exactly what her performances generally entailed, and the more she tried to explain the more she got discouraged. It hadn't always been like that, actually.
She very much liked to explain her dances and would do the nations spectrum at any communal place that would have her. She got whatever people chose to give her, and normally the inns didn't mind if she made some profit since it brought in customers for them as well. However... after a while her finale was less and less appreciaed, until she took it out altogether. Which was a shame indeed, since it was her most practiced and most impressive part. After that her piece had just seemed imcomplete.
"The four Nations performance... isn't really a story. I mean, not with words that is. It's a series of dances..." She looked back to her feet as her legs pulled back up, and she ran a hand over the ground. "I thought they were, but apparently I was wrong. Like I said, I'm not very good, so I can't get people to appreciate them anymore."
She lifted her head up again and glanced to his book, which he seemed content within again. She'd even lost his attention. "Oh well." She piped up, "I do still do them here and there, but I suppose it's not much of a lose in the end." She smiled half-hearted, simply at the irony of it, since she didn't believe that at all. She was not the only dancer in the world though, so perhaps it was true, her contribution in the end was so very little. She pushed herself up, stretching her back and arms a bit, and even her legs as she got to her feet. The day was not as young anymore, but she thought over how far her and Himizu could probably still make it.
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Post by vu on Nov 13, 2006 14:58:46 GMT -5
Obviously, the woman was lying. ‘Oh well’, her voice repeating in his mind, ‘I still do them here and there, but I suppose it’s not much of a lost in the end.’ Briefly, he looked up in time to catch the tail end of a half-hearted smile. Hiding a look of skepticism as best he could.
Speaking such talk seemed to be an outright lie to him. Performers. Dancers, artists, muscians, poets, storytellers, acrobats, animal tamers and trainers and artisans, florists and anyone else he missed. What they did mattered to those people, themselves. Even minute details had some place in their hearts. And no doubt this woman’s performance meant something to her. Even more so if it was something original, her creation and not merely just something left to starve and die over the last century. And still, even if the performance of four nations was not her own creation, but still a creation left to be abandoned by the world’s politics, that she instead chose to continue… then that still meant something to her.
Glancing from his book to the river to her, as she pushed herself onto her feet and began stretching, he sighed. He had hoped she would have gotten the hints, as he had not wished to ask her outright. Nor did he wish, for some foolish reason, to ask her outright, possibly due to pride or staying true to his made up story. And yet he could not let her depart on such terms. With such feelings—at least for him.
Loudly clearing his throat he looked around for something to say. Wanting to alleviate her situation in at least some small means. Unfortunately the scenery was giving him no hints on what to say to her.
“Before we decide to leave... Kage...” sitting the brush between the pages. "Whenever that is," he muttered low enough for her not to hear then speaking up again. “I like to propose a… a small trade,” he tugged at his collar for a moment. “If the matter should agree with you, of course.”
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Post by leighanief on Nov 13, 2006 18:15:53 GMT -5
She continued her bout of stretching, arching her back, then pulled her tunic down again, readjusting it and fixing her two strapped letter belt on her hips, the pouch that held her sheathed wheels, moving with the belts. Her gaze wandered aimlessly, wondering idly where she'd end up next and if they'd accept her performances or not. She could probably find a job painting a house, or building a fence. Something simple and not excessively hard. I mean really as though a woman could handle much more. She rolled her eyes briefly.
Tilting forward she leaned her head down and started brushing her hair foreward. The strands that normally sat a couple inches below her shoulders, was bit tangled, but she pulled it all together, trying to get more of her shorter front locks and pulled it up into a higher pony-tail.'Before we decide to leave... Kage." She glanced over unsure of what he was going to follow with. Kage. Though an alias, she didn't really take to it... or rather being called it. Were you supposed to though? Probably not.
She straightened up again, her pony-tail bopping back as her hair fell into its directed place. "Eh...?" She listened to the rest of what he said, or at least what she could hear of it. A trade...? She arched a brow slightly, and crossed her arms over her stomach. Looking back to him with a questioningly curious gaze. "What... sort of trade do you have on your mind?"
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Post by vu on Nov 13, 2006 21:05:47 GMT -5
Curious at his proposition she looked and waited, arms crossed at her stomach, waiting.
Sucking in his breath and with an almost dramatic exhale Vu began. “Merely the sort of trade often performed amongst people like us,” speaking and meaning innocently enough. But he will laugh, inwardly, moments later on how his saying could be construed.
“I… I dearly would like, at least once in my life experience something concerning the four peoples. Given how things are, how things will be… ” he glanced downwards at the river, “and my own life…” He then looked back towards her. “I must admit that this may be my only chance—,” he felt himself stumbling. “Yet I have no money nor will I possibly have any for quite while—still—but—surely you’ve been curious about my book—” He held up his hand for a pause.
Eyes closed, he sat upright. Straight back, sucked in his chest a moment then huffed. “It would seem you and I possess a particular talent we are fond of. A talent we are less inclined to display given people and circumstance. Even lesser still: those who can appreciate it.” Placing his left fist into his right palm he bowed for a moment. “Therefore, as gratitude for allowing me the chance to view the complete performance of the four Nations dance, it would be my esteemed pleasure to relinquish this page I have been working on unto your possession.”
Hiding behind his hands he sighed, thankful to finally get the matter out and across.
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