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The Journey ((Vivid and MM))

As she turned to scurry away, the crowd exploded. They came to their feet, cheering and clapping, hailing the amazing performance. Not only was it so expertly done, it was entirely appropriate and fitting for the festival. Every man, woman, and ... okay, there were a few children, but not many, but even they were amazed and enchanted by the minstrel woman's performance.

Cedric was goggle-eyed at first, then entranced, and finally just overjoyed by the artistry she displayed. He was cheering with the rest after she finished and moved away. She would be the talk of the festival, and she had earned the appreciation of the entire community with this. Everyone who was not in the inn would be hearing tales of the show for weeks afterward.

He abandoned his post, as the minstrels weren't playing anymore; who wanted to follow that? They took a break, and perhaps when the crowd had had a chance to calm down, other performers would start up again. Cedric waited by the door of the little room that had been turned into Iona's changing room. The noise was still near-deafening, even though she'd been off the "stage" for some minutes, but he sucked it all in, made it quieter, but still present, so that he could call in through the door: "Lovely job! So... was it worth coming all this way for that command performance?"
 
Iona was overjoyed to hear the cheers as she moved to get back into her traveling clothes. As enticing and alluring her current outfit was, it was not fitting to walk around in. Nor did she want to. It was beautiful and she did not wish to ruin it. Humming to herself she began to strip off the pieces of wonderful cloth. The sound of his voice caused her to jump. With the way noise was still going through the tavern, it shocked her that she could still hear him through the door.

“It was amazing,” she called over her shoulder as she stepped out of the layered skirts. The coins attached made a rattling that only she could hear. “You have no idea what it means to me. Just being able to share my gifts with others fills my heart with such joy. When this adventure is done with, I am going to settle down in the capital of this country and open up my own cabaret.”

That was a dream of hers since she had been old enough to carry a tune. Being a travelling minstrel was only part of the plan to gather riches enough to purchase an establishment and make it into a wonderful theatre where she could perform and teach her art to promising young students.

In only a few seconds she had her other, weather worn dress back on to her body and was carefully folding her stage outfit into her bag.

“I am happy that I was so well received. I didn’t know how the people of Pleasant Bottoms would react.”
 
"I think it's clear, they loved it. And why not? You're fantastic!" He chuckled through the door, waiting for her to come back out. "I think you've got a performance date any time you want it."

He surveyed the inn commons, which was milling about in an approximation of a normal night; buzzing with talking about Iona's performance, but milling about as normal, waiting for enough time to pass for other performers to not feel intimidated.

"So, have you given any thought as to what you'd like to do next?"
 
“We should rest up for our research tomorrow,” she told him as she smoothed out the wrinkles in the rough material of her traveling cloak. Though he could not see her face, a smile was spread across it. No doubt was in her mind that she was going to return to the small town every year to perform at that festival.

Iona then opened the door and poked her head from behind it. Blush still colored the pale skin of her cheeks and she positively glowed. Nothing could have made her feel better than that. Her whole body was still abuzz.

“I want to see more of Pleasant Bottoms though! Even the places that aren’t active or full or people; I want to see it all before we have to leave. Will you do that for me, Cedric? I would simply love it if you could!”
 
"Your wish, my dear, is my command tonight," he said genially. "Whenever you are ready."

There wasn't really that much to the village, honestly, but it was pretty decent. The village greens in the center, with the common pasture/playground/festival grounds and central village well. The inn and the town hall and the temple and the smithy were all there, as well as the market stands and the dry goods stores. Away from the Green were the in-town residences, the smaller businesses, the stables and the weavers and the basketmakers, the village school, the feed store and Cedric's own shop, of course, and farther out, the butcher and the tanner and the undertaker. And then it was farmland or hill country.

You could walk up and down every street in the village inside of an hour, if you really wanted to. But everyplace was decorated for the festival, so there was reason to dawdle. And it was an opportunity to talk with her, which he valued very highly.
 
Iona clapped her hands together and smiled broadly. This was just wonderful. For the first time in many months she was going to be able to enjoy a town; enjoy a person even. Only a night of relaxation but one that was going to be relished and milked until she got every last bit of satisfaction from it.

“Splendid!” she announced as she took his arm, entwining it with her own before pulling him towards the entrance of the tavern. For someone so tiny she certainly was able pull him along easily. During her travels she had to be able to protect herself, there was a lot of strength hidden in that alluring body.

As they entered the main room people clapped and motioned in her direction. A bright pink tinge worked its way back on to her cheeks. When not caught in the moment, the pretty girl was shy and humbled by such praise. In almost a childish fashion she placed herself slightly behind Cedric and peaked out from behind his arm.
 
He laughed and held up his hands to fend off the crowd. "People, people! She's new! Give her some space!"

He used humor and some deft blocking to edge them out of the inn, a job made easier when the matronly innkeeper swept out from the kitchen and berated some of the more grabby and/or insistent patrons.

As they moved out into the evening, which was still crowded with celebrants from all the surrounding hamlets in their festival clothes, Cedric moved to stand beside her as they walked. "Well, now. I don't imagine most of our opponents will be quite so easy to avoid, but it's a good start, nonetheless. So, shall we take a tour of the greens and then work our way around? You'll get to see everything at its dressed-up best."
 
Iona was pleased that he was so effortlessly able to lead her through the crowd of the bar. Clearly he had experience in weaseling out of such situations. The minstrel had no such talent. Whenever she performed she always took the time to talk to anyone who approached her, even if she did not want to. Perhaps when they were alone she could ask him how he could disperse and finagle through a sea of bodies with so little effort.

When the pair stepped outside she took in a deep breath of fresh air. The itchy, excited thick air of a bar or venue was nice but the sting of such deliciously clean wind was something that she reveled in each and every time. Closing her eyes she moved with the feeling of the breeze. Something about a light wind just made her feel at one with everything on the planet.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. When he spoke, she was snapped out of her own little world. A slight blush crossed her face in realization that he had caught her drifting off so. "Y-yes. That would be lovely. This town is so charming."
 
"Charming is not something I would have originally considered. Quaint, sure, and sleepy, but 'charming' is so subjective. Still, I enjoy it." He patted her hand on his arm, smiling. "Let me show you around."

They spent the next couple of hours enjoying the festival sights, all around the village. He took his time, and tried to tell amusing stories about just about any of the buildings. It wasn't often he got to tell the story about the piglet and the mayor's brother; everyone in the village already knew it, after all. They spoke of many things, all inconsequential but entertaining and

Frankly, it was the finest couple of hours he'd ever spent touring the village since he first arrived.

Finally, they were back in front of his house/shop. "And back where we initially started." He looked up at his upper windows, then at Iona. "You came straight to me when you hit town. Shall I set you up with a room at the inn? No, wait, you'll be hassled... If we're going to be traveling, we'll be in proximity anyway. You're welcome to the spare room, if you like. Guaranteed, no bedbugs." He smiled almost shyly.
 
Iona was happy to have a normal night. Anything outside of running for her freedom was charming and she took in every sight and moment as if it were the most wonderful thing in the entire world. This place would be just that for her; Pleasant Bottoms was where she met this kind man who promised to help her and it was the place where she could ground herself. He would never know how much an evening of relaxation meant to the weary minstrel.

As they approached his house she sighed. It was a shame that it had to end. This escape had been wonderful. The morning brought uprooting for Cedric and his friend and likely tearful goodbyes. Tomorrow meant that she was going to have to be ultra aware of everything again.

“I’ll sleep in your house,” she agreed. So wrapped up in her own issues, Iona hardly noticed his shyness. Though she did regard it for a brief moment with a pale raised eyebrow, wondering what it was that had caused him to behave so. “At least you have a guest room but, honestly at this point, a particularly plush carpet would be like heaven.”

Or some of the pillows that had been her bed when she was a prisoner. As much as she hated to admit it, those were comfortable, and if she could she would acquire one or two when she was able.
 
“Not to worry,” Cedric assured her, “we do have a guest room, and it’s very comfortable. Merrick set it up, and I believe he put our most comfortable bed in there. Of course, I think that mostly because he prefers an old army cot, and he refuses to let me get a new mattress. Something about deprivation being good for the soul. I’m sure you’ll hear that a lot as we travel.”

He ushered her inside. The front room was dark, now, lit only by the small lamp on Merrick‘s table, where the older man sat poring over a thick tome, doing the research he had said he would pursue. “Hello!” Cedric called. “You know, there’s still plenty of festival going, if you want to take a break.”

“I’ve taken a break, and eaten my fill, and I’m back to work, thank you, Master Cedric,” Merrick said coolly. He glanced up at Iona, and his expression warmed. “I was most sorry to hear that I missed your performance, my lady. You shall be the talk of the town for weeks to come.” He favored her with a small smile, and then turned back to his book. “I prepped the guest room, and turned down all the covers. It would be best if you both got plenty of rest.”

“Yes, yes,” Cedric said, waving his hand dismissively and then gesturing for Iona to follow him to the back room, where the stairs to the upper floor bedrooms were. “You should get some sleep yourself, old-timer.”

“I shall get what I require,” Merrick said distractedly, absorbed in his reading. “I still have to prep the horses in the morning, though I suspect we should eat at the inn for breakfast, to maximize our efficiency.”

Cedric waited until they were in the back of the house, which was really just a kitchen and dining area with access to the upstairs, before he leaned close to Iona and whispered, “In all honesty, he does take care of me quite well. If it weren’t for him keeping an eye on the small stuff, it would be very difficult to actually get things done. He is remarkably clear-headed, despite his age.”

“And my ears are still sensitive,” came the other man’s muffled voice through the door. Cedric suppressed a laugh, and then led Iona up to her small but quite comfortable room, where he left her with a lamp, a washbasin and pitcher of clear water, and the most comfortable bed in the house.
 
Iona watched the exchange between the two men with a bemused smile on her face. This sort of conversation was common amongst people but it was so alien to her. Strange how the normal could turn into the abnormal with an abysmal turn of fate wasn’t it? Perhaps one day she would be able to have a conversation like that with her own family. That seemed like a dream induced by particularly bad mushrooms to her; something that she wanted so badly but would never have. While that nasty and horrible Emperor was still alive she would be haunted and hunted.

A sigh sounded from her lips when she was lead to the backroom. It was another step closer to the bitter reality of their up and coming trip. Yet she would not allow herself to succumb to her self-pity. This adventure, and it was certainly guaranteed to be that, was to protect the incarnation of the Goddess from that lecherous, power hungry bastard.

When her eyes landed on the bed her mood lightened considerably. Oh! It was just beautiful! Tears rose to her eyes and inwardly she chastised herself for being too emotional, it was just a bed after all, but to her it was glorious. No hard ground for her that night! She could even wash away the dirt from the day in water that wasn’t from a freezing brook. How wonderful that was!

“This is just perfect!” she exclaimed as she threw herself on the bed. She dug her face into the pillows and nearly screamed into their fluffiness. Her legs kicked playfully; their shapely length poking out from beneath her skirts. From the plush pillows she continued, “thank you so much for letting me stay here!”
 
Cedric chuckled from his place in the doorway. "See, the way you say it, it's like I'm doing you a favor, rather than you giving me the honor of your presence." He tilted his head to the side. "You should get clean and get some rest. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other on the road."

He moved back a bit, easing the door closed as he spoke. "You're safe, and I swear to you, I'll keep you as safe as I can until this whole thing is finished. You're in good hands." He winked, and closed the door.

Moving back to his own room, the smile fell from his lips, as he thought ahead. It wasn't going to be easy, but he could do it. He and Merrick, that is. He needed the other man's help with this mission, even more than he normally did. After all, until they could both be sure she was competent, he needed someone to help him keep his promise.
 
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