RP:The Night Market

Synopsis: Brennia and Zahrani spend a very special evening in the bustling Night Market of Cenril, before retiring for the evening at the old hotel that's lived in and operated by the Isran Collective.

Open Market, Cenril

The Night Market bustles with activity. Vendors of many races set up shop for the evening; the smell of freshly roasted food and wood smoke wafts through the air. Lanterns are set up to illuminate the main pathways; pedestrians of varying degrees of hunger, and sobriety, wander along to see the sights and sample some of the port-city's most beloved street food. Zahrani wanders among the crowd, her more elf-like visage allowing her to feel the summer's evening breeze on her bare dark skin. She wears a loosely-fitting sleeveless shirt made of linen, the fabric woven with diamond-like geometric patterns. A utility belt, sturdy dark pants, and work hiking boots make up the remainder of her ensemble. Her hair is braided with turquoise and pewter beadwork, and the only jewelry she wears, besides her Amulet of Cyris, are a simple earring and nose-ring. She takes in the smell of pickled vegetables from a stall nearby, turning and grinning to the feline running it. Another neighboring stall roasts morsels of chicken, beef, and fish on skewers. It's a good night to just be among people.

Brennia easily looks over some of the crowd with her long legs and added help from the slight heel on her boots. She has a few flyers tucked under her arm and more of the same large sweater with black cotton leggings combo, but this time she wears a grey knitted cardigan which has a soft blue camisole hinting underneath that contrasts beautifully against her filigree inked caramel skin.  Thedez isn’t too far behind, seemingly on extra high alert without being too obvious about it. The bard smiles warmly to a man offering samples different cheeses and she takes a morsel of Gouda before popping it in her mouth with a nod of approval. Brennia smoothes her hair over to one side of her shoulders, which is cute and all, but it seems a little purposeful… as if she’s trying to hide something. “Miss Zahrani,” she broadly waves over the heads of the small crowd between them and her smile beams while poking dimples in her cheeks. “Excuse me- sorry, ope- just let me squeeze past ya. Sir-Sir! That was my wing not my hand - trust me I don’t want to touch your but.” Finally she reaches Zahrani and without really thinking, pulls the woman into an embrace which the wings, as dark as the current night sky, follow suit to envelop the feline. Even in the lamplight, brilliant hues of navy blues and forest greens shine in the alluring darkness of the large velvety wings before they refold along the avian’s back. “How are you?” Again, she’s smoothing the chestnut tresses over her own neck, but smiling with a genuine warmth to the paladin. 

Zahrani is pondering whether or not she wants chicken or fish when she hears a familiar voice calling out her name. She takes a half-step and turns to look towards Brennia. Her face lights up, the feline smiling and waving to both the avian and her naga bodyguard. The paladin migrates to a slightly less crowded portion of the walkway, between stalls so she would not annoy any patrons waiting in line for food, while the winged woman closes the distance between them. Upon reaching her, Rani says, "Hey -oh!" as she's pulled into an embrace. The panther is surprised, but pleasantly so. Her own arms wrap around Brennia's waist in a tight embrace, a soft laugh escaping her lips. She blushes slightly; Brennia smells really good. Better than the market, as crazy as that sounds. When the avian releases her, Rani offers a sheepish grin, reaching up to brush a hand against her braided hair before saying, "I'm doing alright. I was just about to grab a snack." She gestures to the stalls that she had just come from. The skewer stall is set up just outside a local butcher, serving up freshly cut and roasted bite-sized pieces of meat. Spiced chicken, beef, fatty tuna, salmon, and cod, to name a few. "How about some skewers for our date?" the dark-skinned feline asks with a grin. "Also, Gamsiz..." she waves to the male tattooed feline running the fermented/brined food, "...takes his pickling and preserving game to the next level. Name a vegetable and he's probably found a way to make it last longer in a pantry or on a ship." Zahrani offers a reassuring smile to Thedez, before glancing up at a nearby rooftop. Her own lookout sits in the shadows, surveying the market for trouble, but also keeping a keen feline eye on the paladin in case she needs backup. 

Brennia’s writer is having a tough time of not having her character ask ‘didn’t you just grab a snack?’ in reference to the hug, but decides against it because that’s not how Brennia is anymore ~ “Yeah?” Her gaze follows the motion to the booth her friend is mentioning and in response to the offer of food, she replies, “sounds delicious! I’m all for it… you think he has pickled eggplant?” With that ever present smile, she links her arm through Zahrani’s as they make their way over. Either Brennia is a really chill date, or ‘date’ doesn’t really mean the same thing to her, but she’s still cool with the term and rolls with the flow. “Oh,” she remembers as they wait in the short line, “one of my students who makes jewelry returned to the college the other day and I saw this one,” she reaches into the hidden pouch under her wings and pulls out a simple rose gold plated cuff with a bit of opal stone mounted on it. “And I thought you might like it for your braids,” she smiles fondly as she recalls, “my mother used to put way too many of these in my brother’s dreadlocks and I used to call them goldenlocks, he hated it. I think you can pull the look off though,” that contagious raspy giggle follows the tale and then she waits for Zahrani to order. When it's her turn, “may I order the salmon skewer, please? She’s with me, by the way, so I’ve got her order, too,” she hands over enough coin for both their snacks before moving on to the pickled vegetables stand and aims her charisma to the male feline, “hello, Gamsiz.” Eyeing his tattoo work, “oh… wow. Nice artwork, does yours hold meaning to you or status?” Whatever answer, she’d nod a smile with interest before inquiring, “do you happen to have eggplant or cauliflower?”

Zahrani could round off several things Gamsiz keeps at his night market stall, but decides it best to just go over and show Brennia his selection. The panther gladly links arms with the avian, walking towards the two stalls once the line of people clears up a bit. Upon being presented the rose-gold-and-opal cuff, the panther pauses, looking at the well-crafted jewelry and accepting it gingerly, “This...” her cyan eyes level with Bre’s, blushing and smiling sheepishly, “...no one has ever given me something like this..Tell your student their craft is wonderful. I’ll try it on later...” The panther bites her lip slightly, glancing around and placing it inconspicuously into a pocket in her utility belt. Perhaps she was worried about someone trying to steal it? Ah, yes. Food. Once they arrive at the stalls, Rani greets the butcher and his assistant running the skewers, “Uh...could I have a tuna skewer?” The assistant smiles, the human recognizing the paladin as a local and retrieving the skewer. “It comes with garlic aioli, if you’d like it.” The panther nods, “That sounds delicious.” and graciously accepts the skewer. She’s unopposed to Brennia paying for them both. Her blush fades just in time for her to look Gamsiz in the face. The tattooed feline grins at her, then turns to the avian and shows her a marking on his forearm, “Just this one. It’s a symbol of Selene, our sea goddess. The rest were just because I felt like it.” His voice is a baritone, with a slight feline raspiness to it. “And do I have eggplant and cauliflower?” his smile widens as he shows her his selection, pointing with a pair of chopsticks. “Right there is pickled eggplant by itself, and I have a stuffed version filled with rice, diced cauliflower, and garlic. We also have dolmas; rice and veggies wrapped in pickled grapevine leaves. They give a nice brightness to the rice....And there's also spicy pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, olive skewers, cabbage...” The feline male, under his rugged sailor appearance, is a foodie at heart.

Brennia is always gifting her friends, not to buy them, but to show appreciation and most times it’s something useful. “I’ll make sure to bring you a few to choose from, she selects certain stones because of their meaning. I think that one means precious and it’s used to bring about a creative energy,” she half shrugs, “but I just thought it was really unique looking and how striking it would look clipped into one of your braids.” Brennia’s gaze did look from one tattoo marking on the male to the next with enthusiasm, “beautiful work. The island I am from, avians of different standings have a certain tattoo pattern and the more they have, the higher up in society they stand.” Brennia seems to be absolutely covered, so much that it’s even around her hairline - so… Who was she? It was when the feline talked and how he seems to positively glow when he talks about food that Brennia just took a half step back to watch him, “Gamsiz, have you ever considered doing a class on culinary arts?” She passes him a flyer for the bard’s college before tucking the rest away in her hidden satchel, “I know you’re not a bard, but the school offers many classes in the arts. I know students who would just eat this up,” she lets out a short chuckle at her own pun. “Could I get the stuffed eggplant, please?” Her teal gaze looks to Zahrani as she asks, “what will you have?” 

Zahrani smiles at Gamsiz’s enthusiasm. She doesn’t get tired of hearing him show off in front of visitors. The male feline’s ears pique with interest at the idea of teaching a class at the bard’s college. He accepts the flyer and scans it over, “I see. I will definitely check this out. I imagine that kind of skill would be handy for traveling bards.” He folds up the flyer, putting it into a pants pocket, before proceeding to prepare a couple pieces of pickled stuffed eggplant. While he wraps them neatly in wax paper, Rani says, “I’ll have a couple dolmas.” The tattooed male nods, preparing those as well before exchanging the them for Brennia’s coin. After counting it out briefly and putting it in a pouch. “Enjoy, ladies...” and with a wry, mischievous grin at Rani, “...don’t forget, I can cater to special occasions...” The paladin briefly points a finger, giving a don’t-even-think-about-it look, before adding in a soft voice, “You know she didn’t know...I’ll explain it to her.” It in this context meaning the gift that the avian had given to her.The male nods and chuckles, “Yeah, yeah...” This is a multicultural port city; misunderstandings happen often. The panther grabs her food, then turns to Brennia with a smile and gestures to an area where they could sit and eat.

Brennia’s gaze keeps dropping to all the delicious foods, “maybe you can even teach the castle’s cook, Zachael, some things.” Brennia makes sure to have tipped Gamsiz just like she did with the skewer vendor. She smiles warmly to the man again, “thank you so much, Gamsiz. I will look forward to your visit,” she hands off one of the stuffed eggplants to Thedez and he gives her a confused look. “It’s tasty, just try it,” he thanks her, still looking confused, but Brennia’s attention is absorbed by the two felines’ exchange. They seem flirtatious and it amuses the avian, but now she’s being directed to a more quiet area which has a few tables of various sizes and candles on them; slightly romantic in a bohemian way. Thedez sits down far enough away to allow the two a little privacy, but he’s close enough to strike if things get out of control while Brennia chooses a small table with only two seats across from each other. “So, what did I do?” Her gaze finds Zahrani’s own cyan hues across the table as she smiles in a curious way for she loves different cultures and being educated of their rich traditions. “Also, are you and Gamsiz involved?” She leans across the table a little in her hushed question as is they are exchanging juicy gossip, but if they are on a spontaneous date - then why doesn’t the bard sound the least bit jealous?

Zahrani walks towards Brennia and Thedez, grinning when she sees the avian encourage her bodyguard to try something new. The panther takes a seat across from Bre, placing her food in front of her and sending up a silent prayer of thanks. She locks eyes with the woman after the question is asked, and the panther grins, “Nothing offensive. It’s just that in one of our oldest traditions, giving an opal to someone, especially in a piece of jewelry, is a sign that they want to engage in courtship. It’s like an engagement ring It’s not done often nowadays, but enough people remember it that it would raise a lot of questions if I put it on right then and there.” She was honestly more surprised at the next question. She blushes and laughs, “No, no. I’ve known him since childhood and he’s a cute one, but I’m not quite his type. Though some might confuse me for his type, from time to time.” What exactly that means could be either really easy or really difficult to guess. The paladin takes a dolma and bites into it, a look of pure satisfaction on her face; just the right amount of tanginess and pungency to complement the cooked rice. After finishing her first dolma, glancing occasionally at passersby, Rani then asks, “How about you? Are you involved with anyone?”

Brennia watches Zahrani with growing curiosity, “is everything okay with the food?” She doesn’t understand that people of faith thank their chosen deity for their meals. Then she blushes deeply, the color reaching down her neck and to the tips of her long tapered ears, “I…” Then she covers her lips as more contagious giggles bubble up. It’s such an awful faux pas, but she isn’t exactly sorry for it. “I am only laughing at my own blunder, but who knows,” she concludes with a playfully impish smirk and a wink which shows that the avian can totally laugh at herself. When the bard takes a bite of her food, her eyes roll and she lets out a soft moan, “oh… that’s delicious.” Brennia doesn’t like to assume anything even though she could infer some things, “oh? And what type is that?” She continues to enjoy little nibbles of her own food, but the question doesn’t surprise her, “I’m not. I almost was before I was forced to work on a goblin farm for the past couple years, but things were complicated then and I have no idea where that man might find himself this day. How about you, Zahrani?” A genuine smile of curiosity brightens her facial expression. 

Zahrani offers a mischievous grin, “Like I said, I might put it on later.” Was that flirting? It sure sounded like it. The feline is glad Brennia is enjoying her food; she herself takes a piece of tuna from her skewer, popping it into her mouth like it was candy and giving an enthusiastic nod in agreement. To clarify what type Gamsiz was into, the paladin says without even blinking, “He likes his partner to be skilled with rope and rigging; and it’s a bonus if they have a well-kept beard.” She said it so casually; Gamsiz was fine with her discussing it with friends, with him being currently single. When they change subjects, Rani finishes her dolmas and says, “I was with a sweet draconian lady; she was a couple inches taller than you. Alas, she’s completely vanished, and hasn’t written to me. Before that, I was with a green-eyed witch briefly, but we decided to just be friends after awhile.” She pauses, before saying, “So, I guess the short answer is no.”

Brennia nods, completely non judgemental of Gamsiz while commenting, “I too like a well kept beard.” Niall had a beard, but she surprises even herself by saying, “and I like my women with braids.” In truth, she finds beauty in anyone and is accepting of many types, but she wants to flirt back a little. “That custom reminds me of some parallels that cultures or races share, like avians and their wings. If an avian takes one of their own feathers and offer it to another, that means they wish to go steady. If someone were to pluck one from an avian, it’s intent to mate or kill. Older avians harness entire control over their wings, I’m sure you may have noticed that mine do certain things depending on my emotions,” now that the bard mentions it. Her wings have been either twitching ever so slightly whenever she was genuinely curious or swaying subtly whenever Zahrani happened to give them a glance as if they were showing off for the feline. “Even if someone were to simply stroke one of the wings, doing such an act is heavily implying that the person is fond of the other,” with anyone’s favorite scent coming from an avian and how those hues reflect hypnotically within that alluring darkness.. it would be a challenge to not try to reach out and feel the velvety warmth of them. “If someone that is not an avian asks nicely to feel them, though, I allow it. It can be like playing with someone’s hair,” she then, without thinking, pushed her hair over her shoulder and reveals a puncture in her neck, it even looks a little torn as if she pulled away in defense. “Which is fine and all, but some spots I’ve got to look out for,” she pulls out a wooden bowl with a lid that latches on and puts the remainder of her food within. Seems she doesn’t eat too much and it’s unclear if it’s an avian thing, an unhealthy thing or what.  “I’m sorry about the outcome of those lovers, I know all too well what’s that like. I loved an avian woman who did the same to me and then not too much later an avian man before I went back to my toxic vampire ex,” a half shrug of her shoulders. “At least it gave good music inspiration,” she smiles warmly again, those dimples poking into caramel colored cheeks.

Zahrani grins, absentmindedly reaching up to stroke her own braids. They have a nice bumpy texture to them. The feline takes another bite of tuna as she listens with interest to avian relationship customs. At the mention of feathers being plucked when someone wants to mate, the paladin glances from Bre’s wings, then back to her face, saying with a mischievous grin, “Don’t let too many people know that; you’ll run out of feathers” She’s just going all-in with the shameless flirting. After pause, her smile fades and says, “But in all seriousness, I make it a point not to touch others unless they want me to. For us, allowing someone else to touch your hair is special. It’s a sign of trust. So...if you want me to stroke your wings or touch you, I’d be happy to.” She smiles, then glances to the two puncture wounds on Brennia’s neck before adding, “Speaking of which, I can help clean and heal that bite, if you want.” One of her talents as a paladin of Cyris. She can save others from death with relative ease, but she would have to rely on others to save her in a similar situation. Rani notices Bre’s decision to put away the rest of her food, though she doesn’t judge. She gently rests her elbows on the table, smiling at the idea of writing songs about exes. Not really her cup of tea, although. “I did recently start learning how to play an instrument from my birthmother’s homeland. A Jangalan sitar. So maybe someday I’ll write my own music with it.”

Brennia feels good that she just flattered Zahrani, but her teal gaze does widen at the feather comment and she feels her cheeks warm again, “oh… I wouldn’t be so sure.” This time, her wings sort of rub against themselves in a bashful manner. The avian’s solid colored optics rest on Zahrani’s face as if mesmerizing every feature of the woman’s face, “you’ve got this trustworthy energy about you and I’ll just say you can do as you please if it feels right.” With a nonchalant shrug which hints that she’s the type to just go with the flow, her wings relax again. Brennia saw Zahrani’s gaze drop to her neck and she caressed her fingertips over the slowly healing wound, “oh…. that. Just an incident with some crazed fledgling at the Hanging Corpse,” a soft smile curves her lush lips, “I’ve dealt with worse beasts in my life, but I got away. When I finally got home, I cleaned it and put some salve on it, but I'm just playing the waiting game now.” She gently flips her own hair back again to expose the wound some more before she leans on the table towards Zahrani and turns her soft smile on the feline, “you have my trust to heal it, though.” With a twinkle in her eyes she asks, “a sitar? Really? I would love to have you teach me how to play it. An old bird can learn new tricks,” a soft and short raspy chuckle comes from Brennia at her own expense. 

Zahrani returns a warm smile. Standing up, she lifts her chair with one hand and sets it down next to Brennia’s, taking a seat on the same side as the wound on the avian’s neck.The feline herself does not have a strong scent; it’s like a faint mixture of salt and spices (cinnamon and clove). With careful control, she rubs her hands together, muttering a soft prayer in a feline language. The magically attuned might sense the divine aura flowing around her, her fingers becoming interlaced with serpentine tendrils of amber-light. Her cyan gaze goes from the avian’s face to her neck. The cat scootches closer, placing a hand on the small of her back while the other comes into gentle contact with her neck. Bre might feel a tingling sensation as the paladin’s divine healing energy encourages her flesh to knit itself back together within a matter of seconds. A small wound, and thanks to it being cleaned already, all the more easy to heal. Rani’s hand lowers, her gaze remaining on her ‘date’s’ face for a moment. Speaking of music, the sound of a bhangra-style drum plays somewhere in the market. Judging by the style of music, it sounds like two of her colony have found a space to busk and entertain for the evening.

Brennia pulls all of her hair to the other side of her neck and the chestnut tresses cascade lazily all the way down to her hips. The avian takes an incognito deep inhale of Zahrani’s scent and decides that she enjoys the unique notes. That teal gaze is torn between watching the feline’s lips and the magic working in her hands, but one thing she does know, she wants to hear such alluring language again. Brennia isn’t surprised by the closeness nor does she freeze up with the woman’s hand on her back, but she relaxes into the touch with obvious trust. Her eyes flutter closed in the feeling of the Divine Magick working its power on such a small wound on the sensitive part of her neck and she lets out a soft sigh. When her eyes open again, her pupils have dilated a little when they lock to Zahrani’s gaze while she’s trying to work through her own thoughts to open her mouth and say something, anything! She crosses one long leg over the other towards Zahrani and her wings are subtly swaying in tandem with her somewhat labored breathing. Suddenly feeling too warm in her sweater, she nervously tucks her hair behind an overly long tapered ear just when her gaze drops down to Zahrani’s lips and she swallows hard because she can practically hear her own heart thumping away. She looks back up to those cyan eyes through long lashes as she places her hand on her own chair to lean a little into the paladin. If she is met halfway, that would be amazing, but if she isn’t - then the bard will have to improvise something to whisper about! Her mind a jumble and she feels like she’s floating as her stomach seems to be doing flips… it’s been so long since she’s tried such a daring move. 

Zahrani’s hand, the one resting against Brennia’s back, casually wraps around the avian’s waist when she begins to close the distance between her and the feline. The panther had looked from Bre’s face, then to the direction of the drums being played and the fanfare of the market-goers. She had half a mind to ask the bard if she wanted to see what was going on, but once her eyes travel back to the woman’s face, the bhangra rhythm feels like it’s miles away. She takes in the dilated eyes, the gentle breeze being created by the woman’s wings, the soft fabric of the sweater. She feels her heartrate pick up as she closes the distance between them. Her head gently pushes against Bre’s, the panther smiling as their lips touch. Rani sighs through her nose, her warm breath playing across both their faces. The heart-beat rhythm of the drum, the upbeat flute and string instrument accompanying them in the background. She pulls her date into an embrace. This night is perfect. The younger feline somewhere up on the rooftop, Rani’s lookout, rolls her eyes at the display of affection, and much like Thedez, she maintains her watch for any suspicious characters.

Brennia intakes another sharp breath through her nose so her senses are filled with Zahrani as soon as their lips touch and she can taste her while her eyes flutter closed. Brennia’s upper lip lands flush against Zahrani’s own and when she opens her jaw a little more to deepen the kiss, her lips part just enough to give the liplock a lasting impression, but nothing too wild. The bard’s soft hand raises to gently caress a few fine braids behind that fur tipped ear and rub fingertips over that feature a few strokes before gently trailing those fingertips down the length of one of the braids. Remembering what the feline was telling her earlier about her culture and their hair, she abruptly breaks the kiss and even though she looks a little dazed for a few seconds, her soft raspy timbre whispers, “I’m sorry for that, Z-Zahrani. You didn’t give me permission.” Her wings twitch slightly with embarrassment and uncertainty while she looks down. Brennia’s lower lip tucked between her own perfect white teeth while she slips her hand between her own crossed legs as if to restrain herself. “Thank you for healing my wound. That kiss is not a thank you for that, but it is the perfect addition to a first date,” that warm smile returns when she seeks to lock their gaze again, “and… do you hear music?” Or was that kiss so perfect that she just imagined it!?

Zahrani finds herself leaning in slightly to the avian’s hand as it runs through her hair. The panther will most certainly remember this kiss. Her tail swishes, inadvertently brushing against one of Brennia’s wings as it moves. The paladin inhales again, her fingers gently rubbing the other woman’s back before the kiss is broken. Rani is dreamy-eyed with a blissed out smile, laughing softly in response to Brennia’s apology. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she says in a whisper. She regains her balance, leaning forward to rest her head against the bard’s. “It’s my pleasure...this is...wonderful. And so are you.” With a sigh, she turns to look in the direction of the music, and to answer whether or not she heard music, she says, “Mmm-hmm...Want to take a closer look at the performers?” She wouldn’t mind one way or the other. Judging by the sound of the crowd, she has an idea of who’s currently dancing to the music.

Brennia is relieved that she didn’t overstep and those wings had even trembled ever so slightly when attention was given to them. “Good, because I liked it and will probably do it again,” she whispers back as her forehead gently presses to Zahrani’s. She’s seen felines and even household cats do this, but never did she assume it felt so intimate in its own way. As if they are the only ones around and more than just their foreheads were touching. The bard raises her hands to gently caress their way passed Zahrani’s shoulders to rest on the back of the felines neck in order to lace her fingertips through the braids at the nape. “It really, really is, Zahrani,” she practically forgot all about Thedez, who was watching them, but not at the same time. Like a kid in the candy store, the avian nods her head quickly after pulling back a little and impishly smiling. With an excited little hop to her step, she laces her fingers through Zahrani’s and leads them towards the music. Her smile lights up her whole face and her infectious joy is caught by some nearby as her gaze drifts from the band to the dancers stepping to an upbeat tempo. As soon as the beat swindles to a slow rhythm, she grins to Zahrani and doesn’t even ask if she wants to dance as she pulls her in to a comfortably close embrace. Brennia’s arms drape over the felines shoulders and she gently presses her forehead to the  Paladin’s again as they sway in tandem to the beat, her heart still beating fast as her wings encircle them, not so much for privacy, just for closeness. No words are needed as she just enjoys this moment while she’s still in it. 

Zahrani eagerly follows Brennia towards the source of the music. Two older male felines play drums, and they’re joined by a younger elf-like feline woman playing a flute. A human male with dark-brown skin and rugged features plays a fiddle. Cenril’s nightlife is eating it up, clapping along and making space for the buskers and anyone who wanted to dance or toss some coin to the performers’ hats/tip jars set up nearby. Twin puma felines, a brother and sister, appear to be leading a small group dance during the faster-paced songs being played. J’darr and J’nira, choreographers and dancers extraordinaire. As the music winds down, the paladin happily pulls the avian in close for a dance, a warm affectionate smile as she stairs right into the bard’s eyes, their heads together and their feet in step with each other. J’nira recognizes the panther feline, grinning at how happy her favorite paladin seems to be before she and her brother take a seat and let the gathered couples of every shape and size have their slow-dance. And Rani is indeed happy tonight. To Brennia, the woman sighs, “I hope you’re enjoying this as much as I am.” Many of her favorite parts of Lithrydel are all gathered here in this port-city; the feline is grateful to share them with someone.

Brennia takes a deep breath in through her mouth before slowly letting it out while she continues to grin, “Zahrani, you have no idea. It’s been so long to allow myself to give into affection and enjoy a night like this without feeling guilty or being on alert in a political climate. There is so much love in this community and it makes me feel… safe and accepted without any judgement. I wish Schezerade to be just like this and I know that’s a long shot, but maybe it could be one day.” One of her hands gently stroke the length of one of Zahrani’s braids again, “I have a feeling I’ve only got a taste of this rich culture and I crave more, if you don’t mind.” There is more than one thing she could be referring to as her eyes look far off into the shorter woman’s as if she can connect right to her very soul. “It’s very late, after this dance, would you show me where I could purchase a room?” Brennia knows she won’t sleep, be it from tonight’s excitement or her night terrors, but she must try.

Zahrani looks out at the crowd of people enjoying their evening, the sound of music and dancing coupled with the smell of woodsmoke hitting and Brennia’s scent hitting her brain in all the right palces. She offers a restful smile, before responding, “The kind of love you see here also comes with vigilance and a lot of rough past experience.” She grins as she feels the bard’s hand reach up and stroke her hair, the paladin reaching up to gently grab the hand and rest it against her neck. Her eyes close and she sighs. Her cyan gaze opens once more and with a grin, “I’m always happy to give you a taste.” At the request of where Bre could find a room to sleep in. “East Cenril has an inn near the north side, but if you want to stay somewhere a bit closer and cheaper, the Isran Collective lives and works out of an old hotel. The room next to mine is empty, last I checked.” The feline smiles sheepishly, hoping the winged woman will accept the invitation.

Brennia follows Zahrani’s gaze, “I can see it in the closeness. I would like to begin to understand,” the avian seems very wise and it might hint at the fact that Brennia might be older than Zahrani, much older. The avian’s wings shift subtly in uncertainty when her hand was taken to stop stroking the feline’s hair, “oh. I keep forgetting. Your hair is just alluringly beautiful,” she said shyly as if she were a kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. The bard then quirks her brow with a sly grin, wondering if she was supposed to take that ‘taste’ comment a certain way. “A room next to yours?” She was feeling her heartbeat pick up again, “I’d be honored. Let me just tell Thedez about the inn because we don’t like sharing a room,” she chuckles with a shrug and from a distance, the pair’s body language seems familiar with each other. It’s obvious the naga cares about the avian, but more in the way an older brother does and they even bicker like siblings. When the avian meanders on back, she rests her hand in the crook of Zahrani’s arm, “lead the way, gorgeous.”

Zahrani responds to Brennia’s apology by planting a kiss on the avian’s hand that she had previously placed on her neck. With a grin, she responds, “You’re fine, dear.” In oh so many ways. With a soft chuckle, she waits for the woman to explain the plan to her bodyguard. Upon returning to her side and linking arms with her, the panther heads south and west, stopping by the table to grab her own food and wrapping it in parchment paper. The cat’s not the type to waste good food. Once it’s secure, the paladin leads them down an older, less-traveled street, her eyes adjusting to the darkness quite readily. The alleyway they venture down is old and slightly run-down, but it’s been kept clean by the residents that call the neighborhood their home. Rats seem to be completely nonexistent on the street. A few minutes of walking later, they’re in front of a very old, but well-taken-care-of hotel. It’s largely rectangular with inner and outer windows, with the inner ones facing a very generously-sized courtyard. Catwalks have been made on the upper floors that extend to neighboring buildings. “Welcome,” a deep baritone voice with a thick feline accent comes from the large repurposed building. An old burly feline with gray mane and beard exits through the central archway to meet them. His eyes scan over the avian and the naga, before greeting the panther, “Rani, you bring company. Will they be staying the night?” The feline woman nods, “Are the two rooms next to mine open?” The older cat sniffs the air, taking in the scaly smell of Thedez, and the love patchouli smell coming from Brennia, before responding, “Of course. Follow me, we’ll get you your keys.” The gray feline, known locally as Bruiser, escorts them to a humble reception area; prices for rooms and additional services are plainly written behind the desk. The prices are fair; the cats of Isran know what they’re worth. As soon as their guests sign their names, and pay for the evening, Bruiser would provide them keys.

Brennia walks the same pace as Zahrani with her hand in the crook of the woman’s arm and stealing glances at her between looking around at the beautiful scenery until it turns into a cozy alleyway. Her wing curves around Zahrani in a comfortable way as if it were simply her arm draped around the woman, “you’re a wonderful dancer by the way.” A night like this made Brennia selfishly want to hide away here for an extended period of time, but she knows that’s not rational or responsible. Maybe there is a way she could ask Zahrani to help her with Schezerade if only just to see the feline a little more frequently.  Brennia starts to reflect the night’s events and remembers that she used to be a slow starter, but something about Zahrani made her just open up like a book and want to get lost in the pages of Zahrani’s own. The bard smiles softly to herself and decides to just continue going with the flow while keeping her mind, soul, and heart open because there has already been so much darkness in her life. When lightness is trying to shine in, this time, she will bask in it. She smiles warmly to the more mature feline and curiously glances over her shoulder before sort of flinching like Dwight did Angela in The Office, “you’re still here?” Thedez rolls his eyes, “trust me, this is just as interesting as watching paint dry, Nia.” She lets out a short raspy giggle, they really do bicker like siblings. Once they get their keys, she waits for Zahrani to make introductions if it’s necessary and smiles sweetly to Bruiser, “thank you, sir.” She fists her hand over her heart after breaking from Rani and bows her heard which is a sign of greeting and respect between avians. Once Zahrani leads them to their rooms, Thedez quietly ducks into his room first and Brennia waits before her own door while caressing the key in her palm with her thumb. There is a soft bashful curve to her lush lips as her eyes finally look up from the room key to Zahrani, “I want to thank you for everything tonight.” She tucks some of her own hair behind her ear as she looks back down at the key in her hand.

Zahrani grins at Bre’s compliment. After they arrive and the old man gets them signed in, she leads them up the stairs to the hallway where their rooms would be. The windows were facing inward, towards the courtyard. A large firepit with cooking braziers nearby act as the centerpiece for the outdoor area. Tables and chairs could be set up at a moment’s notice, and one of the doorways on the main floor leads into a communal kitchen. “Breakfast starts at 7 tomorrow morning, if you’re hungry!” Bruiser calls after them, just loudly enough for them to hear, but not so loud that they awaken anyone already sleeping. The hallways have a warm reddish earth toned color scheme; overall quite cozy, despite the obvious age and wear in the building. As soon as Thedez enters his room, Rani gently wraps her arms around the avian, “You’re welcome. And thank you for spending tonight with me.” Reluctantly letting go of her embrace, the paladin adds, “Just knock if you need anything.” She opens the door to her own room, revealing a cozy looking queen-sized with a few pillows and woven blankets for sleeping in the summer. The only other features were a washing basin and mirror, drawers for clothing, and a door that could be opened to allow the neighboring room’s occupant entry. A handy room design for when multiple people traveled and rented rooms adjacent to each other.

Brennia glances from this or that, thinking the place really has a certain charm about it that she loves. At the mention of breakfast, the avian grins impishly, “if it is anything like dinner, then count me in.” The bard wraps her arms around Zahrani’s shoulders in the embrace and also reluctantly lets go, “any time. If it wasn’t obvious, I had a blast.” She was so trying to give body language clues that she didn't want to retire to her room just yet… no, what she wanted was just one goodnight kiss. Brennia tucks her own bottom lip between her teeth as she nods once at the invitation to knock, but she finally plucks up the courage to reach her hand out and snare Zahrani’s wrist, “one last thing?” Her voice a near whisper when she pulls the paladin into herself so they are flush against each other for one last amazing kiss. It lingers a little longer than the first as one of her arms wrap around the feline’s waist and the other is cupping her cheek with affection, but when the succulent smooch ends, she gently presses her forehead to Zahrani’s, “goodnight, Zahrani.” With a sort of dazed look in her eyes, she fumbles to get her door open and blushed with embarrassment before closing her door gently. The avian doesn’t sleep for fear of waking the patrons with her night terrors, but she pulls books from her satchel and reads. Every once in a while, she quietly tiptoes to the window to look out to the courtyard and presses her fingertips to her lips as if she can still feel the warmth of the paladin’s upon them, but only once did she silently make her way to the door to rest her hand on the cool wood and debate on opening it… no… she's not that courageous just yet.

Zahrani nods, only to find herself being pulled in for another passionate kiss. The panther’s eyes close, her warm dark hands gently cupping Brennia’s face, finger gently running through the bard’s hair in that blissful movement. She breathes deeply through her nose, her heart pounding as she’s held by the other woman. When the kiss ends, her eyes drift open, the feline idly biting her lower lip as she looks into that beautiful face, taking in the gorgeous tattooes that outline it before settling on Nia’s eyes. In response to the goodnight, the feline simply offers a nod, a dreamlike grin on her face. Eventually, she convinces herself to finally go into her own room. She slowly shuts the door, draws the curtains before undressing, then sits down on the bed. Her back rests against the wall that divides their two rooms, the panther sighing as she looks up at the ceiling, waiting for her heartbeat to calm down a bit. She brings a hand to her mouth, dwelling on the memory of their kiss before curling up and dozing off.