"Sarinah! Ent you a sight for sore eyes!?" A voice from behind Sarinah called moments before she was locked in a hug. Tito, looking somewhat outlandish in his mixture of purple and black clothing, stood back and grinned from ear to ear.

Sarinah jumped, but she recognised the voice with a laugh. Only moments before, she had been looking at that tattoo and piercing shop again with heavy contemplation. Returning the hug, she looked at him.

Tito, looking somewhat outlandish in his mixture of purple and black clothing, stood back and grinned from ear to ear. Behind him there were two other wicks each carrying a guitar case while another that appeared to be part of the group was laden down with large sacks, straps, and circular cases and still pushing through the crowd behind trying to catch up. All of them had a black handprint stamped on one side of their face as though they had stuck their hand in black ink and slapped themselves.

"Hesta Tito! I ent seen you in ages!"

"I was wondering how you fared during the 'Exodus'! It's good t'see you here, rosh! Let those galdori have their lousy city," Tito grinned and threw a hand over his shoulder and made a face like he was tossing away something distasteful, "I just wish I coulda persuaded Ginny to come..." For a moment something like sorrow glinted in Tito's eyes, but then it was gone and replaced by his usual look of merriment mixed with mischief.

"But let's not talk about such distasteful stuff! These here are me brunnos: Eric, Mani, and Brolly in the back... How long've ye been here, Sarinah, and how've ye been?"

As Sarinah looked at the quartet of wicks, there was no family resemblance whatsoever. The first two, the guitarists, looked like mirrored replicas. They each held a guitar in opposite hands and the black hand on their face was on opposite sides. Besides that, they appeared rather disinterested yet menacing as though they epitomized everything the Black Hand tribe was known for. Brolly, the one carrying the large burden, was taking deep breaths as though he had been trying to catch up with them for a while. His cloths were less gaudy and somewhat more revealing--meaning tight. His muscles bulged with the weight of his equipment and he was considerably larger than the other three. Sarinah looked back at Tito.

"I only got here yesterday, and I've been benny. Spent most of it talking to my da and daoa. Ent really concerned about those gollies. Most mung thing they ever did, but it ent my issue anymore." She put a hand on his shoulder.

"What about you kov! Obviously still playing your music. How did the exodus go for you?"

"Wo Chet! That's putting it lightly!" Tito frowned, "I know a lotta benny tekaa that had ta dust fast! You'll hear a lotta similar stories around here. I dunno about you, but this is the largest festival I've seen in a while, considering how early it is..." The wick looked around at the crowds that mulled about. "A lotta wicks're trying to piece some of their lives back together, trying to find a job or direction they can set their feet... Only good thing about this is a lot of drifters got back in touch with their families... It's good to hear that you got to see yer folks."

Tito smiled a bit, "Ah, well that's a tale! Suffice to say, some blighters took advantage of the situation to deny me pay for services rendered... I lost a good bit of tallies of my time... But that's jents for you... can't trust em any further than you can throw em! I've still got my things and my friends. What more can a kov ask for?" The wick grinned a bit before cocking an eyebrow and looking around. "Where's that benny kov of yours? Trist was 'is name?"

Sarinah shook her head sympathetically, sore for Tito. It was always the way, people took advantage of bad situations.



The dancer smiled.

"Tristaan? He ent here yet." Her smile turned a little sad and she shook herself with a big breath.

"He's on business, but he'll be here soon. I'm sure of it." The conviction he would be alright was all she could go on right now. Clearing her throat, she made a wry face.

"Ye alone here too eh kov? I mean, without a lady friend?"

As he saw her reaction, he was instantly sorry he'd asked, understanding that it was a touchy subject. "Oes! I'm sure of it. He's a good wick, that one!" He put a hand on her shoulder, hoping Tristaan would appear at this very moment, but knowing it wasn't likely to happen.
Immensely happy for a change of subject, Tito leaped into his reply, "Oes, I've already seen me daoa and gitgka, but I haven't had a lady friend for a while and haven't met up with any old flames since I've gotten back 'ere! Hrm, I don't think I've ever heard what tribe you're from...?"

Sarinah turned and pointed at the tattoo on her back with a grin. It extended from her right hip to her left shoulder, a train of tribal designs, but one of the most predominant was the Yellow Eye symbol.

"Yellow Eye kov, born and raised." Turning back, she nodded.

Tito laughed and pointed at his face, "Black Hand if it wasn't apparent." He leaned in slightly and whispered. "I'm sure you heard about the fight and riot in the market that led to the wick eviction... Where were ye during it? Did any of yer mates get hurt?"

Sarinah shook her head sadly.

"Ne kov, I wasn't in that one, but I heard a lot about it. Lot's of people died, its all just mung, ye chen? Didn't need to be like that." She pursed her lips.

"How 'bout you? Benny kov like yourself must have heard something on your gigs?"

Tito smirked, "Well, I was actually there. I 'ad to help a few friends get to medical attention wot had gotten a tad injured..." Fion and Khymarah, the wick's eyes glazed over for a moment as he wondered how they were doing. Fion'd be fine, she was a fighter. Khymarah though... She had that doctor friend to look out for her, she be fine. He told himself that, though the thought tasted bitter. "Yea... I'ma 'fraid I had to crack a few skulls in the process. Wicks just shouldn't be fightin' betwixt ourselves; there's already to much against us in this world..."

Sarinah nodded as he looked distant, obviously the riot had affected him.



The dancer put a hand on his shoulder. She wished her Da thought the same way.

"Ye got that damn right Tito. If we can't trust each other, who can we trust." Pulling her hand away, she crossed her arms.

"So, what do you have planned for the festival? Apart from music?"

"Weeeell... me an' this lot'll be performin' for the next three days'r so. I hear old Hale is going to be tellin' his'stories agin, so I'll probably swing by for that. Then, I plan on spending some time wit me sister and her brood at some point." Tito winked at the dancer, "Other than that, I'm free for light-hearted merriment: drinking, dancing, and singing til sun-up every night. What've you, luv? You got any plans"

The dancer brightened visibly.

"Hale is here? I thought maybe that balach had gone onto greener pastures!" She loved Hales stories, he was like the grandfather everyone wanted.



Sarinah laughed and shook her head.

"Ahh if only you had winked at me sooner Tito. But seriously, no not really. So far the festival hasn't left me feeling very festive. I need to do something fun, something distracting." She sighed.

"I think I need a dose of that drink, dance and sing you have in mind."

"Hrm, what say you catch up with me after Hale's story... on the tenth I believe... That should be when everyone's arrived and festivities'll truly begin!" The wick smiled at the prospect, he had lots of old friends to call on and parties to crash.

One of the wicks behind him tapped him on the shoulder and whispered in his ear. Tito nodded and gave a sweeping bow. "Miss Sarinah Lissden, it has truly been a pleasure running into you this afternoon, but I am afraid I must be off if my compatriots and I are ever to have our debut. Feel free to stop by and listen, we'd enjoy your patronage. As for now, sweet water and light laughter until our next meeting!" He took the witch's hand and gently kissed it before tipping his hat and heading off into the crowd.

Sarinah nodded an affirmative. If Tristaan was back by then, it would be a nice way to enter the festival. A party was always fun.



The dancer gave a little giggle and a smoldering look as he kissed her hand and left, before catching herself short with a horrified expression. What was she doing? She didn't have any feelings for Tito, but the moment he started sweet talking her, she'd turned on the act. It was part of the job, but this wasn't a job. This was real life, Tito wasn't paying for a lap dance. Turning, she suddenly needed to find somewhere to be alone, disgusted at herself. She planned on starting a burlesque in Old Rose after the festival. It had been before Tristaan. How would he feel about her batting her eyelashes and sliding down a pole for all the menfolk? The dancer made a commitment to speak to him about it as soon as she could.