IC Story Thread: Chapter I, The Pride of Lions

As Marabi and Enise approach the winery and villa buildings, two of the Sandemin's dogs come running out from the interior courtyard. They're both barking at first but the pup, upon seeing and smelling who's there, just wags her tail and goes about trying to wind herself in-between the both of your legs to get some pets.

The older dog, nearly blind with age, stays back and appears to be intent upon contining barking, if no one tries to convince him to do otherwise. The old hound's continued barking could no doubt alert anyone about that someone or something new had arrived...

The interior courtyard of the villa is lit with hooded lanterns, but it sounds like the music is coming from a out-building, beyond the winery villa. The two could go through the well lit villa courtyard, or they could go around the villa completely to get to the music source...

Marié arrives at the lone tree on the vineyard's modest entry road, panting with exertion, but she's able to gather herself quickly. She sees Marabi's blade leaning against the tree, but she doesn't see Marabi or Enise anywhere, despite knowing they should be somewhere ahead of her...

She can however hear a dog barking up ahead, perhaps within the winery complex?

...

Marabi moves through the winery villa directly for the sounds of music, clearly - and nobly - far more concerned about any harm occurring to others, rather than potentially bringing harm upon herself or her ally. Enise follows. ooc: That accurate LightofMidnight? The music can only be heard in bits now in between the old dog's barks. But nothing has changed about the sound with the animal's clamor...

The two comrades emerge from the winery's modest courtyard on the south side of the structure and they can see the work building where the music is coming from. There are several windows cracked open toward on the western two thirds of the building and a couple of half-and-half bay doors - the kind used for livestock stalls, with the top halves open toward the eastern third.

Your can make out a few forms, moving languidly, perhaps dancing? ... through the west-end windows.

Marié can't immediately find a good spot to get a purchase. And soon from her explorative movements, two dogs come pealing out of the inner courtyard of the winery villa, one almost immediately becomes docile and friendly - sniffing and pressing up against her legs, the older one just sits a few meters away, continuing to bark.

It's a surreal scene in the out building.

First, you can see that there are people dancing. Or at least dancing is what it most closely approximates... Many of the dancers look like they could be dead, were they not upright and shuffling about in loose time to the rhythm. And the floor they dance upon is virtually covered in blood, smeared streaks trailing behind bloody feet and knees.

But also there are ppl laying on the floor, slouched against the wall, and sitting in seats face-down on tables. Many of this contingent have their fronts and bellies wet and stained with vomit, and food remnants, and probably other liquids.

Eyes pass over you both at the window, but either don't register your presence, or don't care. Many faces are wet with tears. Many bruised. Many smeared with traces of blood, or food, or vomit, or wine.

And the smell that meets your noses is sickly-sweet... The stench of food that has gone over, spilt alcohols, the metallic tang of blood, the musk of sweat.

But most every face has some state of a smile...

As the dog continues to bark, and Marié evaluates the situation, a woman steps out of the winery courtyard into the front yard area of the buildings where the tabaxi girl stands. She kneels, beckoning to the old hound, "Bear-girl, calm down. It's okay, girl...", and the dog grombles and comes over to lick the woman's hands before laying down, no longer barking.

The half-elven woman is wearing a pretty sundress made of modest but good-quality cloth, appropriate for a celebration like a wedding. Marié doesn't recognize her, but again, for a wedding going on, this isn't surprising. She smiles softly at the old dog and pets her before catching sight of Marié out of the corner of her eye, and startling.

"Oh!", she yips, standing. "Goodness, you startled me. Eh...", she smiles looking a little unsure, "Hello... can I help you?"

It is only now that the dog has stopped barking that Marié hears the faint sound of music on the evening breeze.

The half-elven lass recoils at the mention of pandemonium or killing, and she looks befuddled, "What!?", she says rather incredulously, looking over her shoulder to where the sound of music is eminating from.

"Not... to my knowledge?", the expression on her face is such that she thinks you're making some kind of bizarre jest." Friends?", she asks, looking about, confusion growing.

"Tis my cousin's wedding, but... eh, forgive me. But... Were you invited?", she smiles sheepishly apologetic.

...

The out-building has a pair of large double doors, big enough for a cart to pull through, just around on the western side.

Marabi and Enise enter the main room, which is really just a large barn and equipment storage space that has been emptied of farm things, and filled with tables and chairs and bales of hay. The improvised dance floor occupies the space infront of those doors inside, and so it's impossible to enter the structure that way without moving through the bloodied dancers.

The two recognize the Sandemin family, as well as a few other townsfolk - including the husband and wife who operate the meadery up the road where the farmhand works that interrupted the council meeting - and there are a number of people they don't recognize.

As Marabi and Enise come through the door, a man approaches Marabi in a stumble. Now up close you both can see the blood on the floor appears, at this time at least, to be from the feet and knees and elbows of the revelers. As their shoes or boots have been abandoned, and their clothes have been worn through in places from lots of recent use, or falls, or other violence, and their flesh is raw, and blistered, and abraided, and bleeding.

The stumbling man, smelling of sweat and alcohol and blood, croaks, "DaNCe, m'lADy!?", and nearly falls over offering his arms up in the posture of a waltz.

A woman who was slouched against the wall by the door grasps at Enise's legs, and sobs up at her with an expression of agonized joy, "Da-ha-haaance...??"

Marabi is a physical girl. She likes to dance, to move, to run, to climb, to fight. Sitting still is torture. So on some level, she can understand the attraction of dancing oneself to death.

YOU WILL COME WITH ME she shouts - the clay still plugging her ears.

WE WILL DANCE ON THE ROAD OUTSIDE

She makes a grab for the old man to drag him outside.

Spry old bugger thinks Marabi as she attempts to get a hold of him.

Marabi grabs the man, his stench pressing up against her, and she's able to drag him a good 15' (or more if she wants to take the time) outside of the out-building.

He struggles and makes gurgling sounds that were probably intended to be words in protest.Once Marabi releases him, he takes a wild swing at her! But he is either drunk or exhausted or both...

His swing is not even close and he goes down on his face, and doesn't move, except for the slow heaving of his chest.