The next step (Open)

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer walked into the tavern formally known as "The Ram". It was a busy place full of bustling men looking for a good time. Gambling and alcohol conquered the tables of men being served by women with enough cleavage out to smother a baby. In Dreamers quick assessment, it wasn't exactly the quietest place he had been.

Dreamer had a tough time maneuvering around the room to approach the bar. He had almost been knocked over three times, and had only evaded spilling a whole tray full of ale a woman was holding all over her. That last one might had given him some cheers from other men around the room, but not exactly what he was looking for.

He was finally able to arrive at the bar, but had to wait at least ten minutes before he caught the bartender’s attention. As he prepared a round of beverages he looked at Dreamer with a hint of humor in his eyes. "Aye, aren't you a little young to be looking for a good time ere?" he said. Dreamer was quick to fire back, "I aint here to suckle on a tit or drown myself in your finest, like these other men here, I’m here to play" He raised his violin from the sack.

The mans eyebrows raised slightly in surprised, but a smile appeared none the less, "Aye, you’ll have to see to the owner in the back, go on ahead and tell him Smith sent you with a recommendation boy". Dreamer nodded and made his way behind the bar and in threw the back door.

The back room was a small, dimly light, room. All it held was one rack of barrels, a cellar door in the corner, and a single desk with a man behind it. The man was busy writing on a few papers for a moment before he noticed he had company. The man stared at Dreamer for a second before signaling him to come forward. Dreamer did so, and looked at the man square in the eye.

The room was silent for a moment before the man bellowed, "Well Blast It tell me why you are here!” That caught Dreamer by surprise for a moment, so he was quiet. The man sighed, and Dreamer hurried to answer his question, "I'm here to play sir, to earn some coin as your entertainer" he pulled out his violin and said, "Smith gives his recommendations".

The man buried his head in his hands sighed even deeper, "That man smith! If he wasn't the best bartender in Camelot i would have him kicked out for sending me every entertainer with an instrument". Sweat ran down Dreamers forehead as he waited for the man’s decision, which didn't seem to be leaning in his favor at the moment. The man surprised him though, he lifted his head and said "Well?” Dreamer was perplexed, "Well what sir?”

The man gave an irritated huff, "Well aren't you going to play, I cant have an entertainer whom I don't even know can play or not". Dreamer hurried to grab his bow and place his violin on his shoulder when the man bellowed again, "Not Here you dimwit! Out there! You have to play out there". Dreamer tilted his head and gathered his things to hurry out into the tavern's stage.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante followed the new face in the Ram as he entered and exchanged words with the barkeeper. He was younger than Dante by a few years and for some reason Dante was intrigued. He saw the boy pull out a violin and he nodded to himself and drank deeply from a glass of ale sitting on his table. He was seated alone, as usual.

He watched as the boy walked towards the stage and started playing. He found himself mesmerized by the sound coming from the small violin. He stared at the boy playing and in turn he noticed all the other patrons gazing, glassy eyed at the boy. When the song was finished a roar of applause rose. Dante made a personal note to himself to talk to the boy after his set. There seemed to be some magic in the boy's song, it almost hypnotized them all with its tone, the decrescendos and tempo changes had everyone waiting in anticipation to see where the song would go next.

Dante finished his mug under the hood that seemed to always be over his face and couldn't take his eyes from the strange instrument.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer walked up to the stage and turned to look at the crowd. Not many were too interested in his performance at the moment. Dreamer knew he was going to have to change that to land the job. Placing his packs down, Dreamer raised his violin to his shoulder and the bow to the strings.

The first note was struck high, as to surprise the crowd, and then he moved himself down to deep tone to begin. He paused then for a moment, withdrawing his bow, and then began to let loose. His bow danced across the strings, his fingers hitting the notes in perfect harmony. Dreamer was putting all of his fear, excitement, worry, and joy into the song.

Dreamer had his eyes closed the whole performance, letting himself become lost in the music. He was a gypsy at heart and this is what they did, they performed with their own spontaneous style of music. No sheets of low octaves and high notes, just the music. When he was finished he let the note ring until it died. When he did, he opened his eyes to an awe struck crowd.

After a split second of worry, The crowd started to clap at an alarming level. Dreamers cheeks grew red as he ducked his head and bowed. He put his violin back within its sack, the bow placed neatly to the side of it. He withdrew from the stage and made his way back to backroom door. It was slightly easier to move threw the crowd now since people noticed him.

He met the Owner at the backdoor, he had been watching. He just stared down at him for a minute before saying, "There's just something about you boy, i haven't seen a crowd go wild like that in awhile....your hired" with that he turned and walked threw the door. Dreamer could hear the owners voice rise up so he could hear, "You better not be late!". Dreamer smiled and spin in a circle, letting his fist punch the air in triumph.

Dreamer made his way to the bar and the bartender smiled, "Welcome to the crew son". He then moved to grab a pair of ales and pass them along to a waitress on the other end. Dreamer just let his head drop and rest on the bar, a wide smile spread across his face.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante watched the violinist leave the stage and take a seat at the bar. He finished his mug of ale and rose and grabbed the seat next to the boy.

"Where did you learn to play like that?" Dante asked removing his hood to reveal his face. Few people knew his face but that was because of the discretion he used in who he showed it to. He could be anyone with it up, and with it down people never were able to recognize him as the man who moments age was under the hood. It was almost strange that someone could become a different person or disappear entirely simply by pulling a piece of cloth over one's head.

Dante was able to get a good look at the boy now and he looked like he had traveled a lot for someone so young. It intrigued Dante and added to the list of things to ask him.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Where did you learn to play like that

Dreamer looked up and smiled at the stranger sitting beside him. He had a hood over his face at first, but soon took it off. Dreamer took in the mans appearance, long brown hair with matching eyes and pale skin. He was an average looking man, maybe a little tall, but everyone had their own special traits.

The thought of that made Dreamer happier his hair was covering his golden eye. It made him self cautious when people stared at it, and he didn't want to seem squeamish to the first normal person he met. "I watched the other musicians in my caravan and learned from them" it was a poor excuse, and a rather simple one.

Dreamer piped up and sat straight and continued to talk, "I did other things to, i danced and a san...well i danced" . Dreamer didn't want people knowing about his singing ability, he wasn't sure if his magic would always come out when he sang or not. Dreamer extended his hand to the stranger, "I'm Dreamer".

[Dante Grixis]

Dante gripped it tightly. "Dante." He said and smiled.

So, he was a gypsy, he could dance and play violin like a god. He was a rather interesting person. Dante knew basic music skills but if he ever toughed a bow to strings he could only make a sound like a dying bird. He almost wished he could play music but listening to it was pleasing he supposed. And less work.

"So, Dreamer, where have you traveled with the caravan?" He asked. He wondered if the boy had been across the sea and if he had visited his homeland of the Ottoman Empire or his boyhood home of Spain.

Dante ordered two drinks and slid one to Dreamer. He grabbed his own and took a long swallow. The cool refreshing drink slid down and the alcohol warmed his stomach. He loved the taste of the ale around here, nothing like anywhere else he had drank before in his life.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer listened to the mans question and relaxed, it was good to find a person who didn't push something. Dreamer knew he was a pusher, if he wanted to know something he would find the answer. It was good there were people who weren't like him, people like scarlet.

The thought of scarlet made Dreamer blush for a minute, so he turned his head. When he turned it back, a pitcher of ale was in front of him. Dreamer looked at Dante and saw him chugging his down. Again, not wanting to ruing anything, Dreamer took a sip of the ale.

Dreamer had drunk some alcohol before, it was apart of growing up. He had never had such a drink that burned his throat though, and he coughed. He placed the drink down and coughed for a moment, his eyes watering. "Not what i remember it tasting like" he said, indicating the ale.

He cleared his throat for a moment and looked up at the man. For a split second he could see him with both eyes, but Dreamer quickly covered his golden one with his hair. He breathed relief at catching it, and hoping to distract Dante he answered his question, "Ive been all around Camelot and beyond a way's". Dreamer had been to so many places, he had started to forget their names.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante set his now half empty glass on the table and laughed at Dreamer. "Not accustomed to the strong drink I see." He commented in a good natured tone. He looked at Dreamer and saw him quickly cover one side of his face with his hair. He shrugged, he probably had a scar on his face like Dante but was more self conscious about it. Dante didn't mind the few stares that the crimson like on the right side of his face produced. It was part of who he was, a part of his past.

He looked at Dreamer and asked "Ever been across the sea? Over in another country called the Kingdom of Spain?"

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer shook his head and pushed the drink a little ways from him, steadely losing interest in it. Dreamer was breathing fine now, and took a drink of water after the bartender put it beside him. His throat was clear so he was able to pay a much closer attention to the conversation.

"I have not been beyond the great sea, but i have heard tale of other places and have even done some trade" Dreamer took another drink of water and cleared his thoat, "And im not sure if we ever did trade with spain or not, i cannot seem to remember". Dreamer didnt handle the trading for the caravan, all he ever did for his people were play for whomever would listen.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante nodded. "Just curious. I lived there a good portion of my life and was wondering if you might know any news from Spain." He said and shrugged. He grabbed his glass and down the rest of his ale and handed the bartender the glass.

"So will you be in town long?" Dante asked. He hoped that he would get to hear Dreamer play again. He appreciated music but he had the feeling that Dreamer's music had some kind of magic in it. It intrigued Dante and would give him another reason to spend his evenings in the Ram.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer nodded and took another sip of his water. He set it down then and rubbed his hands together, it was starting to get cold. Dreamer looked outside, night was beginning to fall upon Camelot.

"I've decided to take a permanent residence in Camelot, hopefully i can figure a few things out here, that is why i have taken a job here at the Ram" Dreamer smiled. He looked around the bar for a minute, noticing the place didn't look like it was going to close any time soon. He accepted that and turned his attention back to Dante. "Its going to be pretty hard though, going to have to find a place to stay" That sentence was intended for himself, but he absentmindedly spoke it out loud.

"So Dante, all this talk has been about me, what about you? What do you do for a living?" Dreamer was looking straight at Dante when he asked this. His curiosity had come into play and Dreamer was already starting to feel his need to know rising up.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante silently cursed to himself. He hated it when people asked what he did for a living. It wasn't socially acceptable to say 'Oh, I kill people for a living.'

"I work in the spice trade. We collect a few native spices here in England and I sell them to a global supplier. He ships it to India and such." He replied. Spice trader was always a good cover for his job. "Pay isn't amazing but it puts food on the table" He commented with a genuine smile. He hoped that Dreamer would simply believe this without too many more questions. He was under the influence and likely to slip and say something he shouldn't.

He asked for a glass of milk and greedily drank from it. It was an odd combination with the alcohol but he didn't mind. It washed the acidic burn of ale from his tongue.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer nodded, he had learned the mans proffession. He was a spice trader that traded with england and other nations. Something seemed off about it though,"Do you trade spices with spain" he asked. There were more questions than that, but that was the first he could think of.

Infact he had dozens more questions to ask the man. Where had he been? How long had he been in Camelot? How did he preform his job? Dreamer had always been a curious person, some would say too curious.

[Dante Grixis]

Dante shook his head. "I don't manage the actual trade. I'm more of the supplier. Another company handles the trading. I'd imagine Spain is on the list though." He replied in a nonchalant tone. He took another sip of the milk, grimaced slightly and looked at Dreamer awaiting the next question. He would be sick in the morning, he knew it already. His head was spinning slightly and his speech was a bit slurry. He leaned heavily on the bar and looked around the room. It must still be early, there were dozens of people here all laughing a having a good time.

[Jasen "Dreamer" Masters]

Dreamer nodded and continued with his questions, " So how do you do what you do? How do you get the spices from here to somewhere else?" Dreamer shot the questions out one after the other. When the bartender came back around Dreamer waved him down with a smile and asked for two more milks.

Dreamer still had enough gold for himself to live another week in his side pouch. He wasnt worried about ordering anything. It wasnt like he was going to be buying the whole tavern a round of drinks, but he could pay for him and Dante.