"No don't worry, fo' little things,
It's gonna feel aw'right!"

Robert ended the song, and put down his accordion carefully, avoiding the puddles caused by leaks in the tent over the stage.
End of first set, Break time!
"Thank you all for your patronage, bear with us during the break, and don't forget to tip your waitress!" The voice, trained by months at sea, was as loud as during the singing.

As every eighth, Rob was entertaining the Mad Queen patrons.
And as the first eighth, since the rain had started, entertaining was relative. The rain clearly drove most of the party-goers underdeck, and the patrons who stayed above and were not simply gambling seemed to be looking for fresh air and calm, not for dances and shanties.
He even had managed to replace the last shanty of the first set - he was played to play shanties, and sailor classics, that was the deal, probably an attempt by the owner to return to the Queen some of it's ship atmosphere - with an original song of his own composition, without driving the crowd away. Another night, that would have been a victory, but tonight, the young singer just interpreted it as a sign that nobody cared.

The tall musician took a sip from his jug of beer - part of his fee for the night - and sat on the edge of the stage, looking at the sea. He fumbled in his pockets for a blunt and matches, and lighted the apah cigar with a sigh of satisfaction.
Problem number two, where do I sleep tonight?
He had spotted a woman he knew, but she was now downstairs with her new boy. No use to waste energy to ask her.
Looks like I'll have to use the Queen deck...

And problem number three, where the clock has Urchin gone?
He hadn't seen the boy in what now? Weeks? Robert sometimes had a fuzzy notion of the calendar. But he was sure it was long.
He hadn't any sense of responsibility over a child either. Especially one who seemed to fend very well for himself. Those things costed energy. He didn't like to spend his energy.
But during their meeting, one night Rob had to sleep on the beach - before the rain, obviously - he had promised he'd write him a song for his lady. Boys start early now! At his age, I was holed up at Maha, engrossed in my music lessons. And Rob didn't like lying to a child. Children were Vita's future! And they had a freshness that he was fighting to return to in his tries at lyrics. Even a street child like Urchin. But he'd never be able to teach him the song if the boy wouldn't show himself!

He started humming the song softly to himself. He was quite proud of it actually. Trying to imagine a child singing it had helped compose simple, naive even, but touching lyrics.

(( Sorry it took so long to get you a reply! ))

Gem entered the Queen, after he finished his set, with her usual appreciative glances at the establishment's scenes of debauchery and fun. She appraised the many patrons, and her eyes fell on a younger fellow who appeared a little down on his luck. Or maybe just down. Or something. Anyway, the kind of fellow who would be looking for the company of one fun-loving woman.

She sidled up to a seat nearby and heard him humming something lilting and sweet. She listened for a while, no mean feat within the din of the Queen, and then leaned in and joined him on the refrain as he came back around to it, adding her soprano tones to his lower, dulcet ones.

She grinned and winked at him, "Sounds lovely, love. It's not one I'm familiar with, though. Is it yours?"

Robert eyebrows raised as he heard another voice join his, but he didn't interrupt the song. He smiled at her, appraising her curves. And was glad to hear she sang in tune.

When the song ended, he pulled on his cigar before answering, still watching her. She was a curvy one, for sure.
Large enough for an honest man, as that song goes.
And her calling him love wasn't bad news either. The young musician smile grew even warmer.

"Nah, not my song. I'm just the composer. Thanks for liking it." He held out the cigar, wordlessly offering Gem to partake on apah. "That's a fine voice you have here. And you seem to have a good hear."

Whether she took the cigar or not, he would continue. "That's a song for this street kid, Urchin. Know him? Needs it for a girl he loves, but don't know where he's hiding those days." Robert was speaking quite slowly, giving all the time to figure out the missing words.

"Any song you like me to sing for you in second set, love?" He added with a hint of a wink.

"Thank you," she said, bowing her head theatrically, "You sound pretty nice, yourself."



She declined the cigar with a simple wave of her hand. Smoke screwed with her throat worse than a half-dozen shots of Magma, "I've never met anyone named Urchin. I knew a Squid once, back in the day. Couldn't swim like one, though. Died off the coast of Bastia, last I heard."



"Hmm," Gem put on a thoughtful look, leaning her cheek against her fingertips, "You know, I'd love to hear the words to the little ditty you were just humming. Sounds sweet. How long till your next set? You have time to buy a girl a drink?" She batted her dark lashes at him with a laugh.

Sarinah entered the Queen, pausing at the doorway..or at least implied threshold. She wasn't really interested in going out at night in the harbor, but she needed to start spreading the word of mouth about hiring soon, and what better place than a tavern? It felt odd to be in the loud and smokey watering hole, almost like being in the Place, but without all the red decor. And open air.

Walking through the establishment, she made her way to an empty table near the stage, sitting in one graceful movement, scanning the room. These were the people who would pay patronage to the...the....

"Vrunta." She said softly, still unsure of a name for the burlesque house. She had to think of something smart, witty and enticing. There came a soft bout of laughter from her right, and the dancer glanced over at a couple sitting on the stage. She knew that laugh. She'd used that laugh many times. The woman seemed to be confident in both herself and what she was upto. Sarinah smiled to herself. It was exactly the sort of girl she wanted in the...Place? No. The Dancing Moa...ew no. The Chroves Tail? No defintily not. Something more...enticing and feminine.

"Of course!" Robert laughed back at the batting eyelashes. He loved women who knew what they wanted, and were not shy about seduction.
And as long as it was just a drink or two, money was not going to be a problem: the young musician was at this stage of fortune where you're too poor for a proper home, but very rich for a homeless.

How about the logistics... He stayed still for a few seconds, while pulling again on his cigar, taking the time to appreciate both the taste and the buzz. The former smuggler was unwilling to let his accordion alone, but even more unwilling to haul the heavy instrument downstairs to the main bar.

Finally he spotted a waitress between the game tables, and handwaved to her. "Care to bring us a beer? On my tab."
"So what's you're doing here?" Rob turned back towards Gem. "First time I see you in the Queen." Which didn't mean much, as Robert was only playing there the eights, and only since last month, but it was a classic introduction. That the woman would surely recognize as such, but that did not necessarily make it less effective, just funnier.
"You live in the harbour? By the way, me name's Robert. Musician. Trying to live as one, at least." The last sentence emphasized with a wink.

(( Be wary of your grammar, ok? If you'll take a look, I corrected the quotes below for you. ))

"Day off," she said simply. In all honesty, she was still in search of the right place after quitting her last tavern and had decided to stop the job search for the night to have some fun. "I'm here on most of my off nights. There's always something to entertain a girl," she crossed her legs and leaned toward him a little.



"Indeed I do. Gem Toturi. Same, among other things," she held out a hand to shake, "Dancer, singer, bartender..." she sighed and looked playfully wistful, "Is there anything I can't do?"

She laughed again. You had to be confident, but you had to pad the fellow's ego, too, if you wanted your money's worth, "But an accordion, hmm? That's one I haven't played before. Seems to take some coordination and dexterity," she raised a brow in a flirtatious glance.

(( Message taken. I'll tone it down. ))

"Coordination? Nah, not more than piano. Just a different layout to learn. On this one, I mean. It's a chromatic, with all the notes available in any position."
As happy as Robert was with the flirtatious turn of the conversation, he simply couldn't use the allusion that way. Music was a serious thing for him, probably one of the only serious things in his life. A fellow musician deserved the truth about his feelings, whether or not it would help him to her bed.

He grabbed the heavy instrument and carefully sat it on his lap, putting the cigar down in the process. Then, he pulled a quiet scale, to demonstrate his point.
"Now, the diatonic, it's another whole beast. They had one in the shop. Cheaper, too. But you have a different note when you push than when you pull! Completely alien, for me who's learnt on piano and guitar!"
Rob was talking faster now, demonstrating his passion about the subject. Unless it was the effect of apah that made him euphoric.

The young musician calmed down and pulled on his cigar again, careful to avoid letting hot ashes on the instrument tissue, an attitude strangely contrasting with the obvious carefree way his clothes used to be treated. Then, he returned the woman a tentative smile.
"What don't we meet somewhere else when I'm done here, so I can let you try? I can play you my tunes too, not the shanties I'm paid to sing here. I'm looking for musicians to help me with them. I'll start the second set with your request, but then, I'll have to go back to the sailor's songs. You've got a place to stay?"

Concentrated on the discussion with someone who was both an attractive woman and a fellow musician, Rob was completely oblivious of Sarinah looking at them.

(( Sooo sorry! I thought I had already replied to this ))

Gem listened with rapt attention as he explained the instrument, nodding as he detailed the different types of accordion. Her internal respect checker bumped up a bit when he didn't return the flirt like most men would.



"Thank you. And yes, I live in town, not too terribly far. Just a little room all my own," she laughed, taking her drink from the returning bar wench. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before taking a sip. She sighed as the barley ale refreshed her, "Well, then, shall we see what you can do?"

She quirked a brow at him with a grin and hopped off the stage, pushing through the crowd to find an open seat to watch the next set.

Taking the hint, Robert returned the smile and extinguished the remaining half of his cigar. He watched Gem move around the room, a smile still playing on his lips, appreciating the silhouette of her curvy body.

After a short sip of his own ale, he stood carefully, the heavy accordion now hanging from his shoulders. The young musician took a second to adjust its position and relax his shoulders, before he started playing the introduction to the tune. A soft bitter melody, played with just the right hand, one note at the time, without any big chord. This was one of the time when the advantages of using the big clumsy instrument were clear. That melody, on a guitar, would have been completely swallowed by the ambient noise.

After repeating the melody once, Rob introduced the bass with his left hand, simplified his right hand melody to simple chords, and started singing over it. Simple naive words. A children love song, that might have been written for a mother as much as for a crush.

"Give me a lock, I'll never feel alone,
Give me a smile, I'll never feel sad..."

Robert closed his eyes and tried to remember that night on the beach under the moon, concentrating on his breath, letting his hands play the song without much monitoring. He was aiming for a powerful voice, able to compete with the accordion, while still staying soft enough to convey the atmosphere of the song. A balance much more difficult to achieve than with the guitar.

Only when satisfied with his voice did he seek eye contact with the audience again. He nodded at Gem between the first and the second verse, then scanned the room, smiling at Sarinah as he noticed her for the first time. The end of the song came, and Rob carefully decreased the pressure on his arms, letting the last chord die slowly, then, after a shy smile at Gem, glanced at the regular patrons.
Hope she liked it. Time to give the others what they want.

"Thank you! What about something more uplifting now? Something about sea? Something about beer?" His voice was back to his boomy stage voice.

(( You'll have to imagine the rest of the lyrics yourself, my poetry skills being nearly non-existent. ))

Sarinah looked up as the woman left the stage, indicating the seats beside her.

"Your welcome to take a seat rosh, ent expecting anyone." Smiling, she waved at the barmaid as she came past, ordering a Blushing Hingle out of whim.

"Ye a Rose occupant or visiter chip?" She asked politely as the musician played his song. It was nice.

"Thanks," Gem said. Taking the proffered space, she glanced at the witch who offered it. She looked ready for a night on the town, and Gem loved her hair. She nearly said so when--



"Occupant," she smiled and held out a hand, "Gem. Pleased to meet you."

She placed her now-empty pint on a nearby surface, "I don't think I've seen you around here, though. Or have I just missed you? I have to admit, in this kind of space," she gestured at the commotion and laughed, "It wouldn't be too hard to miss someone."

Robert was hoping for some sign of approval by Gem, but as he finished the love song, she started talking with Sarinah and he lost eye-contact. Pushing the discussion about his composition to the back of his mind, the former smuggler sounded the introduction to a shanty, taking his time establishing the quick, danceable rhythm of the capstan worksong that constituted the next number.

He then launched into the song, without much thought about keeping any softness. Actually, he even felt his voice still sounded too young, too nice. This was a shanty, right? Meant to be shouted above the howling wind by an old experienced sailor, while the crew battled with an heavy anchor.

What do you do with a gutte'd sailor,
What do you do with a gutte'd sailor,
What do you do with a gutte'd sailor,
Ea'ly in the mornin'.

Rob glanced at the regulars. The song was one the most famous ones, they'd surely have recognized it from the first words!

Wey-Hey! And up she rises!
Wey-Hey! And up she rises!
Wey-Hey! And up she rises!
Ea'ly in the mornin'.

Despite the weight of his instrument, Robert mimicked two dance steps to better put himself in the mood. He looked towards the two women again as he segued into the second verse. That was a nice view to linger on from the stage. The younger, gorgeous one, and the older, curvy one, sitting next to each other. The younger one looked wickish, though. Nobody's perfect...

He continued into the third verse, wondering how long to make the song. He had a whole set of improvised verses in his mind. But that could be boring. He'd have to watch for audience reactions.

Shave his balls with a rusty razor,
Shave his balls with a rusty razor,
Shave his balls with a rusty razor,
Ea'ly in the mornin'.

(( Credits: famous traditional worksong. Plenty of (usually tamer) versions on internet, like this one, if you happen not to know it. ))

The dancer laughed a little and nodded.

"Oes, its quite the caoja in here. But ne rosh, ye ent missed me. I've only moved to the rose at the start of this month. Came down from Vienda to start my own business with my kov." As she spoke Roberts song ended and the new one began. Glancing at the stage, she laughed loudly in suprise, both eyebrows rising. Looking back at Gem, she shook her head.

"I tell ye, it takes some getting used to, the Rose. But I ent had this much fun in a long time!" The waitress returned with her drink, and taking it with an exchange of coin, she sipped on the reddish drink. It was pleasant tasting.

"Oh? I hadn't heard of any new places going up..." Gem looked pensive, tapping a finger on her chin.



"Oh, aye, it's fun!" Gem squared her shoulders and joined loudly on the last line, "Ea'ly in the mornin'. Put him in the hold with the Captain's daugter!" She shouted out the words for the next (in popular ordering) verse.

"So, what is this business of yours?" Judging by the wick's dress, it could be just about anything.

Having a supportive audience was definitely more fun! Robert smiled when Gem joined him and launched the next verse. He would gladly have gestured for her to join him on stage, but the accordion used his two hands. Besides, he was the one paid to sing.

And she was discussing with that wickish girl anyway. That gorgeous wickish girl, Robert had to admit. Still not being ready to fully accept racial equality in his world view, the young musician just hoped she was "one of the good wicks", as most racist people do when they find they can meet good people in the despised race.

He stopped trying to bring Gem onstage, just hoping she wouldn't leave without explaining him where to meet her, and finished the song. The deck was more crowded that during the first set, and this was starting to look as a good night.
Let's keep them in the mood!

The next song was more a drinking song than a shanty, but that was also part of what he was supposed to sing here. And it had went well the last time, sang a bit faster to make it danceable.
Got to calm down a bit, after. Can't use all my crowd-pleasers on the second set!

I was paid off at the Home,
from a trip to Suli Island,
Two birds and ten pennies was my pay,
When I drew the tin I grinned,
but I very soon got skinned,
By a girl by the name of Maggie Day.

Oh, Maggie, Maggie Day,
they've taken you away,
We'll never see you again above the shore,
For you robbed so many a sailor,
and skinned so many a smuggler,
And you'll never shine in Circle Street no more.

(( Don't wait for me to talk. I'll pitch in when I can to add atmosphere, or when you decide time has passed and the set is over.
Credits: another traditional song, just slightly modded to fit it in the Thorniverse. An interesting take here. ))

Taking the woman's hand, she shook it firmly.

"Sarinah, likewise." Clapping along to the new song, Sarinah flashed the performer a smile, before turning back to the woman.

"Actually, I am starting a dancing house, ye chen? A place where the men can waste their ging on the pretty dancing girls, but the girls know they ent expected to tumble after." Smiling widely, she continued clapping.

"I came from Cooks Place in Vienda, and I saw the way the girls degraded there. The kovs, they want to spend their ging honestly, I am more than happy to take it. But no rosh should be required to sell her virtues to survive." The musician was good. An idea formed in her mind as she reached out to take a sip of her drink. As the song came to a close, she continued clapping.

"Another dancin' song balach!" She called out with a giggle. Turning back to Gem, she nodded.

"What about you Gem, what do ye do in the Rose?"

Gem tapped her foot along with Sarinah's clapping-- her enthusiasm was catching-- "I think I've heard of Cooks. There are plenty of tumble huts in Old Rose, it's nice to hear you're not opening another-- but a dancing house, hm?"

The cogs in her head started turning. New joints needed new employees, right?



Gem cheered and clapped in agreement. Robert was good. She appreciated his talent.



Oo! An opening! "I'm a woman of many talents," she grinned, "I can sing, dance, play guitar, drums, and flute, and I can juggle a bottle like no other. And currently," she raised herself up and squared herself toward Sarinah, "available for employment."

Sarinah raised an eyebrow with a smile, more than interested in Gem's work skills. Turning her full attention to the woman, she tilted her head slightly.

"Avaible for employment? That's rather benny rosh. I like what ye have to offer. At the moment, I am just spreading word of mouth. On the 21st, I will be holding auditions for dancers. Also looking for bartenders, a cook and kitchen hands, waittresses, extra protection, musicians, lighting operators and possibly someone who can play the piano." Lifting her drink, she finished off the pink liquid with a toss of her head. Putting down the glass, she nodded.

"Can ye be there after sunset on the 21st rosh?"

Gem nodded as she listened to the potential employer's list of needs, mentally checking those she knew she could do.



"Oh, I can, indeed," she smiled, a twinkle in her eye, sometimes you have to take a rest from what you're seeking and it'll come to you.

"If you'll tell me where to find it, that is," she laughed. She pointed to Sarinah's empty glass, "Was that a Blushing Hingle you had? I haven't had one of those in a while," she slid her foot out of her shoe and pulled out a coin, handing it off to a nearby bar wench. Since there was an employment opportunity in sight, she could afford to buy a drink for herself for once.

"Something sweet in celebration of our meeting," she said to Sarinah, "It's been awhile since I felt so optimistic about the job market."

(( Are you guys okay for some off-screen time? ))

While Sarinah and Gem discussed and drank, Robert continued singing bawdy or sadder sailor's songs. The audience had been getting larger and warmer, and the young musician was now enjoying himself. This was his first good night in the Queen since the rain had started, and those song not being his, nor being very refined musically, he needed audience appreciation to enjoy playing them.

When the set ended, it was with a big smile that he put his accordion down and went to join the two women. The fact that Sarinah was gorgeous didn't mean he wasn't a bit wary of her. She looked to wickish for him not to be. Not sure how to interrupt them, he cast a tentative smile towards Gem and settled into quenching his thirst with his ale.

(I was actually waiting for a reply from you robert. lol sorry.)

Nodding as she gestured to the waitress to make it two Blushing Hingles, the dancer smiled at Gem.

"Oes, Blushing Hingle. Nice drink and good for a chippy, ye chen. Looks fancy too." Handing a coin to the bargirl, she leaned closer to Gem, moving her fingers on the table as if she was tracing a line through the streets of the Rose.

"We're down by the waterfront actually. It's a big place, two stories. In the middle of renovating, so you really can't miss it. Take the second street across from here and follow it to the end, then turn left, then right. That will take you right down to the water if you keep going. We are about five houses away from the waterfront, on your right." Sitting back, her chocolate eyes glanced over as the musician ended his routine, coming over to join them. Unwilling to let an opertunity slip by, the witch turned her vixenish smile on the man.

"Hesta kov, you play a good tune. Ent heard such nice music in a while." Taking up her drink as it arrived, she lifted it with a nod.

Gem smiled when she saw Robert had come over, but finished listening to Sarinah first.

"Oh, that sounds easy enough," she said when directions had been relayed, "I'll be there."



Gem grinned and nodded, "Very nice. The tune you wrote for your friend was sweet. There's no denying you've got talent." She shouldered him gently in encouragement.

Noting the drinks had arrived, she took hers and tipped her head to Robert, "To good music," then to Sarinah, "and to good tidings."