Dance a Measure [Derick and Loreley C Support]

[Derick]

The crowd roared and cheered as another song came to a conclusion. The area immediately in front of Derick started to clear as dancers made their way into the ring of spectators, of which Derick was temporarily a part of. The change in ambiance meant little to Derick, he could hardly hear anything over his pounding heart, and his attention was diverted by his clammy hands and knotted throat. I...I can do this. I will. The resolute thought rang out clearly over the panic in Derick's mind. He squared his shoulders, exiting the slump he had been after admitting to his new companion that he had idea how to dance. Derick turned to Loreley, subconsciously admiring her gold-tinted eyes and the slight smile on her lips as she replied, "I thought I was the only one who didn't know..."

So much for composure!... Derick's eyes widened at her statement. Why the hell did she ask me for a dance if she doesn't know either! Was she hoping I'd teach her!? I don't-- The stream of panicked questions entering Derick's mind was halted as he felt a tug on his hand. Derick emitted an audible sigh as Loreley confessed to having danced before. "Wake...? Where's that?" The question escaped Derick's lips before he could suppress it, and he hoped Loreley would simply ignore it. His nerves were interfering with his ability to keep up.

"--ready?" Derick swallowed dryly again at Loreley's question. He had faced death a number of times, and had been cheerful, blissful even, with each encounter. Yet the prospect of dancing in front of others, let alone with the company of this lovely girl from the Isles, made his heart jump in his chest. Derick closed his eyes, took a final deep breath, and turned to face Loreley after she led them out from the ring of people onto the dance floor.

In contrast to his own nerves, Loreley wore a grin that conveyed rising excitement. The expression was infectious. Derick attempted to mimic her smile and nearly succeeded, failing only because his jaw was still set with determination. She slipped a hand around his shoulder, and Derick felt his spirit soar of its own accord. It faltered almost immediately as Derick realized his right hand was hanging uselessly at his side. He flushed and started to panic, but Derick took note of a pair forming up next to him, and he soon found that his hand rested comfortably on the small of Loreley's back. To his own surprise, Derick felt a rush of confidence as they linked up. His voice matched her eagerness as he replied, "ready!"

They set off down the dance floor in a linear fashion along the edge of the crowd. Derick ignored the surprise of the dancers around him, choosing instead to focus on Loreley's feet. He found himself unable to do little more than stumble as they made their first run. Derick frowned, about to give up, but then the drum started. Relying on instinct, he began matching his steps to the drum's beat and found that he was keeping pace with Loreley much better this way. Derick felt a strong pull on his shoulder as Loreley pulled them through a turn, Derick's feet seemed to pivot on their own accord. She certainly wasn't kidding...she even knows how to make me dance. They started to make a second pass. Derick looked down again, matching the tempo of the music again and making an earnest attempt at copying Loreley's steps. When a few of their steps fell in line, Derick laughed, pleased with himself, and met Loreley's eyes. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this!" His feet immediately betrayed his credibility as he looked away from them, and he tripped, nearly bringing the pair down before he started matching the tempo again. I haven't had fun like this...in a long time... Derick's cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling.

[Loreley]

Ahahaha... He's so nervous. It wasn't hard to see up here as she looked up at him. It was always cute to see the hardened fighters quavering insecurely on the dance floor. She wasn't really sure just how much of a hardened fighter Derick was, in truth, but it was the same concept. He was doing a good job putting on a brave face for her though, and that was something she appreciated. His touch seemed the final touch for the dance, syncing them together as she looked up and saw his brilliant grin come alive right as they began. Wow. But this one did have a charming smile.

She'd not expected an expert dancer out of him, and so she wasn't disappointed when he proved adequately club footed as she started them off. She ignored that, taking perverse amusement from dragging him up and down the lanes. Before too long, he seemed to start to get it, Her own face stayed lit up as she listened to him saying he'd almost gotten it. That was promptly betrayed when he just about tripped over his feet. She very nearly lost her footing as well as she was pulled off balance by the blond haired spearman's awkward steps. In a fit of irony though, it was the same one that caused her to trip that kept her from falling. She caught herself against him, and picked up her feet to right herself before she could fall behind. Her face burned red at her misstep and at being so close to the young man, but she laughed it off and gave out a whoop with the rest of the crowd, thriving on the moment.

"Of course you're getting it! it's easy!" Lore raised her voice to be heard over the singing, drinking, dancing, playing, and carousing that was going on all around them. She spun them through another turn, and before long they were headed back up the way they'd come, with occasionaly spins and twists on the way. A few times, his unpracticed step and her reckless behavior had her stumbling a few times, but she just used him to steady her, or turned the stumble into sway in the dance.

"Oh, I think you needed this!" She said, thoroughly enjoying herself. She'd needed this. "And, now for the spin!" The sunkissed blond flashed a coy grin at her partner before lifting a hand over her head and separating as she twirled fluidly, and then came back to him, ready to dive back in. "Now we do the same thing, but just reverse the directions.... I used to love this dance."

[Derick]

The musicians were speeding up as more people joined the dance. In the rare moments where Derick wasn't staring at his and Loreley's feet, he would look up and catch glimpses of his dance partner beaming. Each time this occurred, Derick would involuntarily reply with a grin of his own before mis-stepping and returning his gaze to the floor with a startled expression. Nevertheless, Derick could feel himself getting the hang of the steps, but his admission of such was their downfall.

His stare lingered on her exuberant expression for a moment too long, his feet got caught on each other and, unfortunately, Loreley's feet tangled as well. Both of their laughter was cut short as Loreley plummeted into Derick's chest. Instinct saved them both as Derick reflexively steadied his stance and Loreley caught herself against his frame. Derick's heart skipped a beat at the sudden proximity. His palms pressed lightly on her shoulders to help her back as he apologized in a rush of breath "Ahah!...I'm sorry!" Surprise lit Derick's face as Loreley finally gave him a crimson look of her own, but he immediately laughed it off with her and roared along with the crowd as well.

Loreley continued to lead Derick on the next pass. He smiled gratefully at her praise and was encouraged by his ability to hold eye contact for longer periods of time. It was a mixed blessing, actually, as Derick found himself by getting lost in some aspect of her striking appearance, which inevitably led to another mis-step on Derick's part accompanied by a nervous smile. Despite the hiccups, Derick was starting to feel in-tune with Loreley's steps. When she declared a spin, Derick was able to figure out how to 'reel her back in' before she could do it for him.

The song ended as they reconnected, Loreley had an impressive feel for music...The dance floor was a milling crowd as pairs came and went in the momentary absence of music and... I don't know what I'm supposed to do next! Derick's eyes widened slightly in horror at the thought, he frantically glanced around the room before taking Loreley's free hand in both of his own and honoring her with an unpracticed bow. Nevertheless, Derick was all smiles as he stood back up and readied his stance with Loreley. Sweat had started to bead at Derick's temples.. "I...didn't realize...this would be so much work!" Derick voiced the thought as a surprised realization rather than a complaint. He flashed another smile to mirror Loreley's and nodded enthusiastically in response to her directions.

The music started again and Derick and Loreley started to make their way in the opposite direction, with mirrored steps. Derick noted out of the corner of his eye that a few nearby couples were trying to mimic he and Loreley's dance as they started their first pass. "Seems you've attracted a following..." Derick made the remark in an dry, off-handed tone, but the smirk that slowly turned the corner of his mouth revealed both the joke and a rapidly growing sense of admiration for his new friend.

[Loreley]

She laughed as Derick gave her a bow, purposefully throwing herself into the atmosphere of the night. It wasn't the best of bows, but it was good enough for her. Wake had had a few who proclaimed themselves experts on dancing. Most didn't really care, and just did it to have fun though. That was all she needed.

"Well, now you know." Loreley gave a contented sigh as the music started to change. "I used to dance every week back home. We were fond of parties there." Every week may have been an exaggeration, but she'd done so whenever she could. And there were plenty of those in town who knew how to play sing. Whenever they had friends come in off the ocean, it had been custom to spend the night at the local tavern. There were many friends in Wake, so maybe it wasn't so much of an exaggeration after all.

As the music started them off again, she heard Derick's comment and turned her head just enough to see the others on the floor. It was true! As they went up and down the floor, there were others following them as best they could. Oh, there were still others doing their spinning circular motions and steps around the floor, but plenty more were following her and Derick. She questioned for a moment, and then the answer hit her. It was so obvious that it hurt. "Haha! They didn't know either. Our dance is simpler, so it coaxed some of them out." The floor did seem fuller than before. She looked back to Derick, amused by how a little bit of bending the rules could encourage others to make a go of it. It was also novel, so others had come out just for something new.

They finished the next dance and song, and she decided she was done for the moment. A little breather wouldn't hurt, and she wanted to just talk with this Derick.... At least a little. "Ohh... I think I need to go sit down for awhile." She saw a pair get up from the counter and head out to the floor, and pointed it out to Derick as a place they could sit. He might spot another place, but that was where she'd pick.

After taking and getting settled in where she could still see the dancers and players, she looked over at the blond haired spearman. She didn't know much about him. Just that she liked his smile and the way his hair seemed windblown. He was cute... and it reminded her of the winds around her home.

"So... you said you came from the isles." She nodded towards Derick armor and weapons. Even his clothes. They had a feel about them that seemed like they'd been made in the wilderness, for the wilderness. It made him stand out a little here. Hers carried the same feel, but they were made for city and sailing work. Not soldiering or navigating the islands rough lands. They had a much more muted effect. "What'd you do out there. You didn't dance. I know that." She smirked, teasing him as she held a new mug in her hands. It wasn't the local stuff. This was a smaller mug for the same price, but hopefully, being brought from the next town over would make it a little less... obtrusive to her tastes.

[Derick]

Derick nodded as Loreley explained her traditions back home, but had to work to suppress his amazement. Derick himself had lived in a village in northern Bern, and there had almost never been dancing, or even feasting. That may have been because of his village's small size, or perhaps because the villagers had been too worried about preparing for the vestiges of Ilia winters that blew their way. Still, based on Loreley's account, it was a small wonder she was so adept at dancing, and it was thanks to that knowledge that they were having such a great time right now.

"Do you really think so?" Derick replied on hearing Loreley's revelation about their new-found entourage. Truthfully, her answer made perfect sense. Derick's neck and shoulders dropped their tension as he felt the pressure to impress rise off his mind. Through the rest of the next song, Derick made a point to smile the entire time, often exchanging a smile with his dance partner or with the people following behind them. He still tripped occasionally while doing so, but Derick made much less of production of it, choosing instead to simply laugh it off and fall in line with the next step.

The song ended too soon, in Derick's mind, but when Loreley suggested they take a break he became all too aware of the light sheen of sweat coating his brow. As they took a spot at the counter, Derick took a cloth napkin and surreptitiously wiped his brow at a moment when Loreley had her attention focused elsewhere. A smile found its way onto his face unconsciously as Loreley turned back to address him. Derick felt himself sit up straighter as she addressed him, her brilliant eyes held a warm regard that Derick's own gaze was mirroring, and she wore a small, inquisitive smile that Derick found absolutely charming.

Derick glanced back at the former spots in the room as Loreley voiced her question. Kellan and Vic were still there, and seemed to have kept his lance safe while he was out dancing. He attributed the favor to Kellan, denying Vic any sort of credit.

Derick smirked appreciatively at Loreley's jab and turned in his seat to address her. "Well, 'from the isles' is a bit of a misnomer." Derick turned to the counter, his hand found a cup of water. He took a long drink before continuing: "I'm originally from Bern... I guess you could say I'm a mercenary of sorts?" He smiled ruefully, that was the best description he had for his time with Clair, Cefia, and the others. "A friend of mine and I happened to get separated from the rest of the group in Etruria. She had some business to take care of in the Western Isles with her crew, and I came along for ride." Derick blinked a little as he paused. He was reluctant to share his story with others, but the words came smoothly with Loreley. "We got into some trouble with...unfriendly pirates?..." Derick scratched his head, he had never had a chance to suss out why Cefia was a 'good pirate' and the others weren't. Other than the fact that the other pirates tried to kill me. Derick cracked a grin at the thought, but transitioned smoothly into his conclusion. "A few days ago I woke up in the wreckage of a few small passanger ships... It must have been quite the skirmish..." I'm sorry I missed it... Derick pushed the thought aside. "...I found most of the possessions I have now in that wreckage..." Derick finished the story with a slightly smaller smile. That could have been put better... Admittedly, the premise of wearing dead men's clothing and using a dead man's lance had sounded much less creepy to him at the time than it did right now.

Derick cleared his throat, wanting to move past the subject of violence in the presence of such lovely company. "But, what about yourself?... I thought I heard you mention a 'Wake' earlier? What is that?"

[Loreley]

Loreley listened intently to Dericks story, getting lost in her imagination as he told it. It was vaguely put. No names. No context. Just a basic idea of what he'd been through to get here. She could feel a couple of tales weaving away in her head. One telling deserters leaving a battle that they didn't care for anymore. They didn't believe in their commander's cause, and so Derick and his friend had fled to the isles to escape. Perhaps the friend had contacts there that could get them respectable work in one of the big cities. Caravan Guards through the mountains? Or maybe patrols to protect the outlying lands. They'd run afoul of pirates on the way though, and now Derick found himself here.... She gave a mental roll of the eyes and took another drink to dispel her fancy. Fascinating story though it would be if told, she knew little to give it truth other than Derick's own vague accounting.

She felt a little sorry for him, having to go through all of that. He was lucky to be alive after that experience. The sea wasn't always so kind to shipwrecked souls. She looked at the armor he wore, not knowing who or where it had come from. The weapon he carried wasn't your typical sailor's weapon. They tended to stick with shorter and handier tools.... She thought of her own bow, and how that wasn't standard either. Bows were difficult to care for on the sea and in the wet.

"Well, hopefully you'll bear those arms longer than whoever held them before." It wasn't the most cheerful topic. Death never was. But she was glad he was alive, even if she'd just met him.... I hope that didn't come off as too critical to him.

"Hmm... Wake?" Well that would be an easier topic, though now she knew that he hadn't on the seas for long. Not touring the isles at least. It had a great many superstitions surrounding it. With good reason as well. Wake was special.

"Wake is where I grew up." She smiled, and brushed a few errant strands of hair out her face as she met his eyes. Several generations back, a small fishing village started to grow on the cliffs overlooking a beach and a small bay. We always seemed to have a few craftsman and hunters in the village, and there was an iron mine further up in the hills. The people there were close, but outsiders were always wary of coming because of the rumors of a curse on the land around it."

She scoffed at that. The idea that her home had been under a curse was preposterous, and anyone who'd lived there for any length of time would know it.... "That's foolish talk, of course!... But there is something special about Wake.... It always did well by it's people, and rarely were threatened by the troubles that assail other villages in the Isles."

She sighed to herself, lost in memories of dancing and parties that had been there. The long hours spent wandering the hills and watching the night sky. Learning to sail around the bay with her father, and then moving on to sailing the oceans around their home by herself on her family's old boat: Loreley's Promise. It was hers now, since she'd inherited it, but she'd had to leave it with her family and friends to go on this soujourn across Elibe.

"I miss Wake."

[Derick]

At the mention of his equipment, Derick glanced over his shoulder to inspect it, out of habit. She was right, spears weren't a typical weapon found among bandits, Derick himself had been astonished when he had discovered it among the driftwood. But, it wasn't an ordinary lance. For starters, the haft was thicker and heavier than his Bernese military-style lance, which gave the weapon a completely different weight and feel. This effect was intensified by the lance's tip. Instead of a traditional leaf-shaped spear tip, this lance bore a much heavier head that was nearly twice as long, twice as heavy, and formed in the shape of a sword. Derick allowed himself a cynical grin at Loreley's comment; he wanted to reassure her that he could handle himself just fine, but couldn't make any promises on his longevity until he better understood his new weapon of choice.

Wake... The name has a sort of mysticism about it... Derick's smirk relaxed into an easy-going smile, he put his arm up on the counter and cradled his chin on his hand as he settled in to listen to Loreley's account. As Loreley recounted the tale of her homeland, Derick absentmindedly noticed the melodic quality of her voice. On hearing Loreley describe her upbringing, Derick could almost feel the tropical sun beating down gently on his skin, the roar of waves crashing onto pristine sands...But, as Loreley described the kinship the village provided, Derick's heart skipped a beat.

"Th-the pirates I sailed with spoke frequently of curses while we were out on the water." The sentence fell out of Derick's mouth a bit a bit too quickly. He blinked twice, casting out...whatever that feeling was. Derick's eyes felt misty, he blinked again as he struggled to reign in his thoughts. "Yet, they almost never spoke in specifics. No locations, no names... I'd wager some of your countryman aided those rumors to keep your island safe." Derick's composure returned, he sat up and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Or, maybe it was just providence." Derick winked and felt his reckless grin return as he reached for his cup of water. I've certainly felt some of that tonight myself... Derick drank to the thought. He turned back to Loreley and felt himself falling back under the spell cast by her looks. "Regardless of how Wake came to be the haven it is, it sounds wonderful..." His smirk melted into a sincere smile, he couldn't directly sympathize with her longing, but even by just listening to her tale, he thought he might share a bit of that pain himself. "Perhaps I'll even get a chance to go there myself one day."

[Loreley]

The golden haired archer rambled a little about her home, and she decided that Derick was a good listener. She hardly ever got to talk about home anymore. It was a touchy subject to bring up among her family and friends. And talking about it with outsiders could be dangerous for the sake of the town. It was nice to be able to relax her guard a little around Derick and just... remember all those times.

Her smile took on a knowing aspect as Derick suggested that the people from her home had built up the rumors of curses. Or that they'd just lucked out. Some of her people thought that was so, but they'd spent as many years as she could remember performing old rites relating to the enchantress Loreley who'd lived in her home generations before.... Some would call it superstitious fancy, but she believed in more than that. She remembered.... She remembered the work of the magic in the air around Wake. She remembered how she'd been called by Wake's guardians, and how she would have died if her Father hadn't held her back.... Best to let others remain mostly oblivious to her home's quirks though. That was the strength of rumors and myths, after all.

As he mentioned the idea of going there to visit, her face fell a little and the smile wavered some. That was the trouble with remembering Wake. It's end.

"That... could prove difficult...." She looked away and took a sip from her mug, buying a little time as she remembered the empty buildings of her home.

"It's not there anymore. A couple years or more back, an attack got through to the village." She saw him watching her as she turned back to look at him, disappointment written on her face. "Oh, it failed. In fact, one of the ships damaged itself on the rocks, and barely managed to limp away. We hardly had anyone injured when it was over... The elders thought that it was time for us to relocate the village though." Her voice turned harder as she said that, flat with disgust? Pain? What was it in her voice?

"With Etrurian sending more of a campaign into the isles than it had in the last decade, I guess they thought it would be safer to move to one of the bigger cities...."

"I visited the town a few months back." Her voice grew small as she remembered. It had been a wrench to leave the place again. "The buildings are all still there. Empty.... It's like a ghost town now."

She tried to recover herself a little. She didn't need to go and pour out all her feelings to someone who was little more than a complete stranger to her. It just hurt though. "I'm sorry." She wiped a few crystal drops from her eyes as she brought herself back to the present. "I just remember all the time that we spent there. I should be thankful that so many of my friends and family are still alive, but I guess it's the home that I'll never forget."

[Derick]

Derick watched Loreley's face as he spoke. The night's events had raised his spirits immensely, so when Loreley smiled in response to Derick's predictions, he subconsciously took it as praise for guessing correctly... But I made two different guesses... Derick cocked an eyebrow at the thought, but chuckled and dismissed it shortly thereafter. Derick wiped the last remaining droplets of sweat from his brow and stole a glance at his surroundings. The din of the tavern was settling as the dancers tired, and the musicians shifted their music accordingly toward a more laid-back atmosphere. Distractedly, Derick picked up his cup, intending to finish the last of the water.

"That...could prove difficult..." Loreley's change in tone made Derick finish the drink a little faster. He set down the cup with a slight huff as he regained his breath, but when he looked up at Loreley, she had turned away, denying Derick any clue as to her mood.

As Loreley's gilded eyes met Derick's again, her expression was unreadable, leaving the question of her mood unanswered. Did I say something wrong...? the worry repeated itself in Derick's mind, erasing the cheeky grin that he had worn moments earlier. Derick involuntarily leaned forward on his stool, combined with his straight-mouthed expression, he was the picture of rapt attention as Loreley continued. Her village was destroyed.....fantastic work, Derick... Derick felt himself going red again, but flattery wasn't the cause, nor was it embarrassment.

It was shame.

Loreley spoke again, drawing Derick out of his beratement. He lightened up somewhat at the mention of the ill-fated attack, but didn't dare interject, as Loreley's tone still hadn't changed. A puzzled frown asserted itself on Derick's features, but quickly resolved as Loreley explained the evacuation. So it was deserted...

Memories sprang unbidden into Derick's thoughts. A small, snowy village appeared in his mind's eye. The stone streets were splashed with blood, and a building burned in the distance. The memory flickered, it was the same village, but the blood had faded to brown, and the signs of fired had disappeared. Derick suddenly recognized the village as the battleground where he had first encountered Bern again after deserting. The village had seemed full while they were fighting, but afterwards... He still remembered the chill he got walking through empty streets, a chill that had nothing to do with the cold.

Derick pulled his gaze from the floor, back to his conversation partner. He spoke gently, his voice contrasting his stern-looking expression. "I've experienced that myself... seeing a ghost town that is. It was a small village among the snows of Ilia...The villagers had abandoned it fearing occupation by Bern." Derick's eyes were glassy as he explored the memory. That must have been over a year ago! Derick continued, his voice solemn as he explored his recollections further. "The whole experience was... unsettling... like something out of a strange... dream." Derick mentally cringed, he had nearly said 'nightmare'.

Loreley's shoulders shook regardless. Derick's shame deepened, he frowned and cursed himself. I'm a fool, I shouldn't have danced with her, or dared to think that maybe we could... The stream of poisoned thoughts cut off abruptly with a choked-up apology from Loreley. Get it together! the thought held clarity. Derick acknowledged it and seized an opportunity to improve his posture as Loreley wiped her tears. Her gesture made him feel another pang of guilt, he did his best to ignore it as he heard out the rest of Loreley's story.

There was silence after the fair-haired archer finished her apology. Derick sat motionless, staring at the floor as he attempted to respond to the situation. Just apologize, pay for her drink, and leave... You've caused enough pain for one night. The thought pained Derick, but he retained enough sanity to brush the thought aside after a moment's struggle.

"It's alright..." Derick felt a small smile blossom as he recalled the laughter they had shared as they danced less than an hour before. "Those memories are something special... they made me feel more at home than stories of my own home would have." There was a dark truth buried in that statement, Derick wisely kept his tone lighthearted to avoid diving in to that subject.

"And besides," Derick reached and placed his hand gently on Loreley's shoulder as a comforting gesture. "There was something else I felt as I wandered through that village in Ilia... It was a sense of... anticipation?" The small smile widened, and Derick's voice grew more earnest as he continued. "From the sounds of it, nothing in Wake is truly lost, you can continue it at another time..." Derick's confident smirk returned. "And when that time comes, that's when I'll visit!" Derick barked a laugh at the statement, but he let it peter out quickly. Something feels...warm? Derick blinked, then took stock of the situation...

When did I start holding her hand?! Derick's cheeks burned crimson as he withdrew the hand to run it hastily through his uncombed hair. It had slid down Loreley's arm at some point and... "S-sorry!" Derick reached for his cup as an escape, but the gesture was in vain, he had emptied it earlier. "I...U-uhm..." Derick peered around for something to talk about, but to no avail. He glimpsed Kellen sitting alone at the table with Derick's lance pointedly looking away, which only made matters worse. "Is...i-is Etruria the first place you've b-been to since, then?" The question was pitched somewhat desparately, Derick felt like his face was on fire as he forced eye contact with his newfound crush.

[Loreley]

THe Sunkissed blond turned her head over to listen as Derick told his own story of an abandoned home. Perhaps it hadn't been his, but he'd felt the strange emptiness that accompanied these wasted towns and villages. It made her feel a little better to know that there were others who'd seen the pain she felt, and who knew what it was she and her neighbors had gone through. Still, they'd moved on with their lives and found a home in the new city they'd emigrated to. She'd been frustratingly unable to settle once her tie with Wake was gone, as though there was no place for her among her friends anymore. The wind, waves, and road were the only things that could seem to provide any relief for her now, and still... her home of Wake in the isle called to her.

She tilted her head to the side a little and smiled at him fondly as the adventuresome lass felt his warm hand placed comfortingly on her shoulder. He was talking of a return to Wake, and of picking up where they left off. Of coming and visiting then, once it was alive again. It could happen, she knew, but it would be a difficult road. And it wouldn't come on it's own. Someone would have to pave the return way for the seaside utopia.

She glanced down at his hand as he took hers, and then quickly back up as he suddenly realized what he'd done. His cheeks looked on fire, and he quickly withdrew his hand and ran it nervously through his hair, floundering for words.

"I think I'd like that." She smiled genuinely, then broke into a laugh and shook her head at the young spearman keeping her company. "Oh, haha.... Derick, your face is as red as a beet." She pursed her lips, still smiling, and went back to have another small drink from her tankard. He was a cute one. Especially with that smile. He seemed considerate, honest, and was a terrible dancer. He seemed friendly and familiar to her, and yet he wasn't like most of the other boys had been back in Wake.

She rested her chin on a hand, all smiles again as he tried to extricate his tongue from its tangle. "Oh no. I've been traveling since the evacuation finished. The only country I've not made port while sailing in is...." She glanced up towards the ceiling briefly, as though it had an answer for her, then kept on speaking. "No. Actually, I've made port in every country now. The real adventure started more recently though. I left my sloop with my family to take care of, and made sail on a ship to Bern. Since then, I've crossed it, and part of Sacae. And now I've ended up here. Just call me, Loreley the Adventurer!" She looked a little too pleased at that particular self given title.

[Derick]

The smile Loreley wore after Derick withdrew his hand was an empty omen. Derick could almost feel sweat beading on his forehead, as it had a short while ago after dancing. Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, which in turn seemed to stretch into hours. Derick's thoughts raced to fill in the void. I'm a lout. A lecher who can't be bothered to mind himself. She's probably disgusted with-- The tanned blonde's smile widened, and Derick's thoughts slowed as his ears were filled with Loreley's musical laughter. Derick released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in a quiet sigh of relief. He met her assent and encouraging smile with a shy smile of his own as he started to relax again...

Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived. Loreley shook her head, Derick's brow furrowed as he detected some sort of bemusement on her part...and then she called me out for being a grinning fool... Derick groaned in response to the covered his face with both hands, hiding the fact that his cheeks were positively burning at her remark. After a moment and a deep breath, Derick removed his hands from his cooling cheeks and smiled shyly at Loreley as he replied in a slightly flustered tone, "I-I'm sorry...that t-tends to happen sometimes..." A jolt of confidence broadened Derick's smile as he continued a little more naturally, "I b-blame it on a night of good company..." Derick's lips formed into a more genuine smile, acknowledging the authenticity of that statement. As he observed Loreley's casual posture and easygoing smile, Derick felt himself ease down from his peak of embarrassment.

Multiple countries?... Derick's eyebrows rose with the thought before he quickly hid his surprise. He did not have Loreley pegged as a world traveler. "Every country?!" There was no hiding the surprise this time, Derick smiled ruefully and scratched his head after blurting that out. And here I was thinking she was a simple island girl... The thought bore admiration and self-embarrassment in equal parts. Derick regretted underestimating the sailor, she was more traveled than he was, after all, and he'd seen most of the continent! Something about the blonde sailor's account of her travels pulled Derick from his thoughts. "Wow! You've come as far as I have!" Don't mention Bern The mantra reflexively echoed through Derick's mind, a precaution against the nation he betrayed.

Derick paid it no mind, chuckling at Loreley's self-given title and the exuberance with which she spoke it. "Well, miss Loreley the Adventurer," Derick's tone was laced with mock-grandeur, he smiled playfully at Loreley. "You can just call me Derick the...the..." Derick's voice faltered as his imagination filled in the gap. traitor. crazed. bloodthirsty. He stared past Loreley, trying to come up with something more...noble, but nothing came to mind... "Uh...heh...I guess I'll h-have to work on my own title..." Derick looked away sheepishly for a moment, and noticed that most of the group had left, and that the musicians were preparing for another round of dancing. Derick resolutely pushed doubts of himself from his mind, rose from his stool, and gallantly offered the golden-eyed lass his hand once more. "Loreley the Adventurer, would you favor me with another dance?"

[Loreley]

"I b-blame it on a night of good company..."

Loreley smiled at his comment and glanced away, her face blushing a little at the compliment as she looked down into her half empty mug. Derick was a good sort from what she'd seen. She thought he meant what he said, even though he stuttered. It was a little endearing. And when he smiled,... he still had all his teeth. She turned her eyes back and looked back at that smile, and that wavy gold hair. Those piercing blue eyes..., like the line separating the sea from the horizon.... Ohhh, Loreley, stop that. You're listening to the drink again. You don't even know him.... He was a handsome one though.

"Oh, I've a long way to go before I can claim to actually know about all the countries!" Lore said, almost defensively. She didn't want him thinking that she was some expert on the nations. She knew a little about them, but just because she was well traveled didn't mean she had experience to match.

"You don't learn much about a land from just docking at one of its ports. That's why I've started traveling the roads." She was a good deal more relaxed talking about why she was traveling. "You can learn alot more about a place by walking its roads than by making berth there. Hopefully, I can see some amazing sights along the way."

"Ohhh..." Something between a laugh and an "aww" of sympathy came out of her mouth as Derick failed to come up with a suitable name for himself. She was glad he'd been playing along with her. It was fun to be excited with life! They'd have to figure up some title for him before the night was out now though. She was pleasantly surprised by his offer of another dance, and smiled up at him as he stood. She felt liveliness coming back, and eagerly placed a hand elegantly in his and rose.

"I would love to, Kind Sir. Before the nights out, we'll be calling you Derick the Dancer!" She smirked up at her new friend and started to leave the bar where they'd sat. As they headed to the dance floor though she thought better of it and leaned back, reaching with her free hand and balancing on one foot to get the extra distance as she twisted to reach her mug. With it retrieved, she downed what was left of it in one go, and set it back on the bar with a firm clack.

She let the taste of the local brew linger in her mouth as she came back around to join Derick. Hmm... Maybe it tastes better than I gave it credit for before. That was the last she thought of the beer though. She had more important things to think of, like music, dance, and good company.

"After you, Derick!" She said, waiting for him to lead her to the dance floor.