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sagesariaKarrah chapter 6: Chapter wordcount: 1021
Chapter 6
The next morning came, and the party set off right away. They had been walking for hours across the plains, mostly through the rain that finally decided to show up that afternoon. By the time it decided to take a break they were all soaking wet and trudging through mud.
But in spite of that, the three bards were in as high spirits as ever. They talked, they laughed, they sang some and danced around the muddy field, making marshy footprints in the grass. Karrah stayed a few paces behind, merely watching them. If she wasn't looking at them, she was looking at her feet. She had to abandon her sandals several miles away when they got ruined by the overuse and the moisture. She felt better without them anyway; she preferred walking barefoot. She watched the wet grass accumulating between her toes and the dark pads that started to form on the soles of her feet from walking on the dirty ground, and was silent the whole trip.
By her side there was a squishing of muddy ground getting close to her, along with the jingling of the tiny metal coins that encircled Ameila's dress. Sure enough when Karrah looked up, said dancer was beside her.
"Come now, love," she said, "There's no need to be so secluded. Come, have a chat with us."
"I don't feel like having a nonsense conversation." Karrah answered a little coldly, combing her bangs over her face again, "I just want to get through these plains. The sooner we get to Freeport the better."
Ryder looked over his shoulder at her, still walking slightly ahead of the others.
"There's no need t'be so serious all the time! We won't make it t'Freepo't fo' another foyve days. The least we can do is make the best of it." he turned, walking backwards as he tried to urge Karrah, "Come on, take some toym t'enjoy loyf!"
Karrah didn't answer, once again watching her own feet. Ryder made a slight pout and turned to walk normally again. Karrah peered up from behind her bangs, watching as Helen walked close by Ryder, leaning in and whispering something in his ear. He looked at her, then glanced over his shoulder again, a playful smirk on his face.
"Oy, Karrah." he said. She looked up fully, raising an eyebrow in questioning. He turned to face her again, still smirking.
"Ye wanna dance?"
Karrah stopped. She blinked. Her mouth gaped a little.
".....I-I beg your pardon?"
"You 'eard me." he hurried up to her, taking her hands and tugging her gently, "Come on, let's dance."
She dragged her feet a little, flustered and caught off guard by the question.
"But...but why right now?"
"Whoy not? Come on, it'll get ye moynd offa things a while. A few minutes won't 'urt ye."
The bardesses meanwhile found places to crouch in the grass, taking out their instruments. As Helen tuned her lute quickly, Ryder smiled at Karrah, moving one hand to her waist.
"I.." Karrah flustered, almost indignant at Ryder's move, "I don't even know how to dance."
"No be'er toym t'learn, wouldn't y'say?" he winked at her, then looked to the girls. "Ready ladies?"
"Ready!" Ameila answered, shaking her tambourine playfully, "What should we play?"
"'Ow about Bristlebane's Polka?"
The girls looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Karrah meanwhile tried to distance herself from the man pressed against her, but he held her firmly around the waist and hand control of one hand. A quick count-off and the two of them played. Helen began to play a quick, upbeat melody as Ameila shook her tambourine in rhythm.
"Ready?"
"Ryder, stop." Karrah's protest may as well have been to a deaf man. Ameila's shaking turned to a tapping and Ryder smiled, tightening his hold on her and beginning to dance, carrying her around the field in a polka. She helplessly held onto him lest she fall over in the fast paced dance, only lifting her feet so they wouldn't be dragged in the mud. She shut her eyes right, wincing at how she was carted around.
Listening to the ground sloshing under Ryder's boots, there was a sudden tickle in the back of her mind. The rhythm of the tambourine, the melody, the upbeat romp around the field, all causing something to swell inside Karrah's head. Her mind suddenly linked with the song, the moment froze. She opened her eyes, and just in time for the second verse she suddenly tightened her grasp on Ryder and aggressively taking the lead in the dance. There were excited calls from Helen and Ameila, and Ryder's smile brightened, following her lead. The steps grew more lively, Karrah's feet barely touching the ground as they danced.
The next thing she knew she turned out of his grasp completely, starting off the third verse on her own with a single dance. Ryder laughed as he watched, impressed, clapping with the rhythm to cheer her on along with the bardesses' cheers. Then Ryder joined her, mimicking her moves exactly with as much grace as she suddenly found herself with in all of this. The tambourine jangled, the lute sang, and the two dancers seemed to know nothing else. The chorus came along for one last time and the two joined again, taking one last romp around the field before the song wound to a close. Ryder lifted Karrah by the waist and spun her around once before setting her back down on her feet and the three bards erupted into applause.
"Well well well," Ryder smiled fondly, "I jus' moyt start callin' you Feather Feet."
"Karrah that was amazing!" Ameila exclaimed, "Where did you learn to dance like that?"
Karrah blinked, looking around the three watching her in awe.
"I...didn't." she said with a few blinks, "It just happened..."
"Well wot 'jus' 'appened' is the best dancer I've ever seen."
Karrah looked about the same as always, in thought and quiet. But the trio smiled among themselves as they packed up and continued, because for once they all saw Karrah truly happy and carefree.
Chapter 6
The next morning came, and the party set off right away. They had been walking for hours across the plains, mostly through the rain that finally decided to show up that afternoon. By the time it decided to take a break they were all soaking wet and trudging through mud.
But in spite of that, the three bards were in as high spirits as ever. They talked, they laughed, they sang some and danced around the muddy field, making marshy footprints in the grass. Karrah stayed a few paces behind, merely watching them. If she wasn't looking at them, she was looking at her feet. She had to abandon her sandals several miles away when they got ruined by the overuse and the moisture. She felt better without them anyway; she preferred walking barefoot. She watched the wet grass accumulating between her toes and the dark pads that started to form on the soles of her feet from walking on the dirty ground, and was silent the whole trip.
By her side there was a squishing of muddy ground getting close to her, along with the jingling of the tiny metal coins that encircled Ameila's dress. Sure enough when Karrah looked up, said dancer was beside her.
"Come now, love," she said, "There's no need to be so secluded. Come, have a chat with us."
"I don't feel like having a nonsense conversation." Karrah answered a little coldly, combing her bangs over her face again, "I just want to get through these plains. The sooner we get to Freeport the better."
Ryder looked over his shoulder at her, still walking slightly ahead of the others.
"There's no need t'be so serious all the time! We won't make it t'Freepo't fo' another foyve days. The least we can do is make the best of it." he turned, walking backwards as he tried to urge Karrah, "Come on, take some toym t'enjoy loyf!"
Karrah didn't answer, once again watching her own feet. Ryder made a slight pout and turned to walk normally again. Karrah peered up from behind her bangs, watching as Helen walked close by Ryder, leaning in and whispering something in his ear. He looked at her, then glanced over his shoulder again, a playful smirk on his face.
"Oy, Karrah." he said. She looked up fully, raising an eyebrow in questioning. He turned to face her again, still smirking.
"Ye wanna dance?"
Karrah stopped. She blinked. Her mouth gaped a little.
".....I-I beg your pardon?"
"You 'eard me." he hurried up to her, taking her hands and tugging her gently, "Come on, let's dance."
She dragged her feet a little, flustered and caught off guard by the question.
"But...but why right now?"
"Whoy not? Come on, it'll get ye moynd offa things a while. A few minutes won't 'urt ye."
The bardesses meanwhile found places to crouch in the grass, taking out their instruments. As Helen tuned her lute quickly, Ryder smiled at Karrah, moving one hand to her waist.
"I.." Karrah flustered, almost indignant at Ryder's move, "I don't even know how to dance."
"No be'er toym t'learn, wouldn't y'say?" he winked at her, then looked to the girls. "Ready ladies?"
"Ready!" Ameila answered, shaking her tambourine playfully, "What should we play?"
"'Ow about Bristlebane's Polka?"
The girls looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Karrah meanwhile tried to distance herself from the man pressed against her, but he held her firmly around the waist and hand control of one hand. A quick count-off and the two of them played. Helen began to play a quick, upbeat melody as Ameila shook her tambourine in rhythm.
"Ready?"
"Ryder, stop." Karrah's protest may as well have been to a deaf man. Ameila's shaking turned to a tapping and Ryder smiled, tightening his hold on her and beginning to dance, carrying her around the field in a polka. She helplessly held onto him lest she fall over in the fast paced dance, only lifting her feet so they wouldn't be dragged in the mud. She shut her eyes right, wincing at how she was carted around.
Listening to the ground sloshing under Ryder's boots, there was a sudden tickle in the back of her mind. The rhythm of the tambourine, the melody, the upbeat romp around the field, all causing something to swell inside Karrah's head. Her mind suddenly linked with the song, the moment froze. She opened her eyes, and just in time for the second verse she suddenly tightened her grasp on Ryder and aggressively taking the lead in the dance. There were excited calls from Helen and Ameila, and Ryder's smile brightened, following her lead. The steps grew more lively, Karrah's feet barely touching the ground as they danced.
The next thing she knew she turned out of his grasp completely, starting off the third verse on her own with a single dance. Ryder laughed as he watched, impressed, clapping with the rhythm to cheer her on along with the bardesses' cheers. Then Ryder joined her, mimicking her moves exactly with as much grace as she suddenly found herself with in all of this. The tambourine jangled, the lute sang, and the two dancers seemed to know nothing else. The chorus came along for one last time and the two joined again, taking one last romp around the field before the song wound to a close. Ryder lifted Karrah by the waist and spun her around once before setting her back down on her feet and the three bards erupted into applause.
"Well well well," Ryder smiled fondly, "I jus' moyt start callin' you Feather Feet."
"Karrah that was amazing!" Ameila exclaimed, "Where did you learn to dance like that?"
Karrah blinked, looking around the three watching her in awe.
"I...didn't." she said with a few blinks, "It just happened..."
"Well wot 'jus' 'appened' is the best dancer I've ever seen."
Karrah looked about the same as always, in thought and quiet. But the trio smiled among themselves as they packed up and continued, because for once they all saw Karrah truly happy and carefree.
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