Chapter 10

The Old Oak

There was a knock at the door. "Five minutes.", a voice called out.

"Now I must prepare to dance for the audience of pigs.", Tshaya said. She took off the scarf that held her hair and combed through it.

Damon watched for a moment as Tshaya combed her hair. He was struck again by just how beautiful she was. As he headed to the door, Damon looked back. He considered expressing his thought in some way but instead only shook his head and left.

The two met again on the path to the stage. Damon had changed into a clean set of clothes and Tshaya had traded her boots for silver bangles around her ankles. As they neared the stage they were met by the announcer who nodded and walked out first.

"And now, all the way from Barovia, the greatest Vistani dancer in over a century, Tshaya.", the man said to a round of applause.

Tshaya stepped proudly out onto the stage, smiling at the audience. The announcer walked off the stage and Damon took his place, more than a little annoyed that he was not introduced as part of the act. Tshaya looked out at the audience. The scene was amazing, more so than when the place was empty. The tables surrounded her and were filled with well dressed elves and visitors from afar. With a flourish of her hands, Tshaya summoned three orbs of red, blue, and green light to illuminate the stage. Damon reacted quickly and played three rising notes as each of the spheres appeared. Then Tshaya tapped out an upbeat tempo on her drum, and summoned her phantom music in the form of a Vistani drinking song. She began to dance around the stage with Damon picking and strumming in concert with the illusory tune, losing himself in the song as his training and talent began to flow.

The crowd grew quiet and watched the gypsy dance. They were impressed by the magic and how it mixed with the music. Tshaya sang wonderfully, telling many tales of a drunken Vistani who tricked gaje without even knowing it. During the choruses Tshaya stood on the edge of the stage and encouraged the audience to clap along and sing the chorus with her. They did, happily, and they had more rhythm than Silas by far. After three rousing verses Tshaya ended the happy song with a long rolling beat of the drum. Then she enjoyed a rousing round of applause with a few whistles thrown in.

Tshaya leaned over to Damon. "Now you play something.", she said.

Damon grinned at the Vistani and let the crowd quiet down for moment. He then began to sing a very old elvish tune, slow and melodious. Tshaya stood aside for a moment and let Damon play, waiting for a beat that she could dance to. As the song reached its peak, Damon fell quiet and suddenly his fingers leapt into a frenzy across the strings of his lute. It was the same song but the tempo and rhythm had been changed in a most creative and modern fashion. Tshaya saw where the music was going and set her drum down on the side of the stage. Then she danced into the middle of the stage as the music picked up tempo. Things went a little bit awkward at first but soon the two got together and complimented each other. The crowd liked what they heard and more people began to clap along. Tshaya twirled and pranced across the stage, her feet stamping out the rhythm and her bangles jingling along.

Damon looked around the crowd for hooligans, but the elves were a well mannered people and they just watched and followed along. He scanned the tables and saw a number of humans at a few, including men in armor like the soldiers he saw in town. Tshaya moved through the audience as Damon played and as she danced she came across two tables full of soldiers. She saw that a few of them were Invidian mercenaries, but instead of looking like they were going to grab her and take her away they were smiling and enjoying the show. Damon noticed that one table near the back, the most impressive table in the place, was standing empty. But the table was set for a number of people, and every now and then a waiter would walk over to the table and make sure that everything was perfect there: that the wine was still chilled, that the appetizers were still warm, and that the candles remained lit.

As Damon's tune neared its end, the tempo again slipped gradually into the slow form of the original song. Tshaya returned to the side of the stage as Damon finished the slow elven song and then stepped back to center stage. Leaving no time for applause Tshaya clapped her hands and stamped her foot to the slow cadence, then began to move slowly as her magical music created a seductive tune. Tshaya swayed her hips and held her arms open invitingly. She kept eye contact with each member of the audience, making them believe that she was dancing just for them. Tshaya then took her skirt in her hands and lifted it just enough to give the audience a few quick peeks at her slim thighs as she kicked across the stage. Her hips swayed and her torso undulated, as if writhing from an expert lover. The crowd grew very quiet, and excited as well.

Tshaya stepped and moved across the stage, tossing her head around and letting go of her skirt. Her black hair whipped around her face and her skirt about her thighs, creating a frenzy of motion. Only his years of experience at performing allowed Damon to keep his accompaniment steady while watching the beautiful gypsy. Tshaya bent over at the waist and gathered her skirt, holding it as she slowly stood straight. Her hips gyrated as the hem of her skirt rose higher and higher, revealing her calves, her knees, her thighs, and slowly approaching her privates. The tempo of the music grew faster and faster but just before her skirt rose to her waist, she released it and straightened up. With her hands over her head, she smiled and the music and lights faded away.

The crowd erupted with applause and whistles, but some of the men were disappointed that they didn't get to see more of the young Vistani. The announcer returned to the stage and once again told the crowd who the dancer was, this time even mentioning something about Damon. Tshaya and Damon both took a deep bow and exited the stage.

Once off stage Damon slung his lute over his shoulder and smiled broadly. "Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?", he said more than asked.

Tshaya smiled from the performance. "No, not too bad.", she conceded, seemingly graciously.

Jayeis met them backstage. "You were great.", she said and asked that they join her at Silas' table. They obliged.

Once seated around the table, and away from the stage lights, Damon could see things clearly. At two of the tables Damon noticed a group of armed men who were different than the ones traveling with the caravan. Two soldiers had falcon emblems on their foreheads, which gave Damon a jolt of fear when he glimpsed them. But then he relaxed, remembering that it wasn't uncommon to find former Falcons in the ranks of Invidian mercenaries. The other armed men looked like typical soldiers of fortune, but two caught his eye. By their weapons and armor Damon could see that they were members of the Borcan army. They weren't mercenaries, they were regulars, and that didn't make sense to him. Borca and Invidia had been rivals for as long as he could remember. Damon wondered what Borcans were doing in Mal Erek.

Damon took a seat and said, "I hope you all enjoyed the show."

"That was truly inspired.", Silas said, smiling at Tshaya. "Keep working hard and you will be a big star."

Tshaya sat next to Damon and just smiled at Silas.

Arren wore a knowing smile. "You were good.", she said without really meaning it. "But you'll never be as good as Ghizlaine."

Tshaya just smiled at Arren, doubting her words in private.

"Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we.", Damon replied.

Damon turned to watch as three musicians came out on stage with odd looking instruments and began to play. The music was of a style that neither Damon nor Tshaya had ever heard before, but Damon had heard of it. The feel was rhythmic and seductive, like Vistani music, only slower and more erotic, with the strange instruments arousing sensations that reminded Damon of raw sexual desire. Tshaya kept her eyes on the stage and Damon listened intently.

The announcer came out on stage once again. "And now, ladies and gentlemen…", he began with a flare. "The shining star of the Old Oak, an elven goddess trapped inside a mortal body, the incomparable Ghizlaine."

The crowd fell completely silent and all eyes focused on the stage as two beautiful elven maidens emerged from behind a curtain. They wore veils over their faces and most of their bodies, but when they swayed their hips to the music they revealed the veils did not cover everything, and the audience caught glimpses of their bare flesh beneath. The two women worked their way through the audience, gyrating their bodies to the music and weaving their hands through the air like snakes. On their fingers they wore chimes, which they clapped in the air to the rhythm. They danced right in front of the men in the crowd, shaking their bodies before them and brushing their veils over the men's faces. Slowly they removed their veils, giving them to lucky men as souvenirs, until all they were left with were a few veils covering their lower halves. Provocatively the topless women moved through the audience, swaying gracefully while staying just out of reach of the many aroused men about them. Then they made their way back up on stage and danced until the end of the song, receiving a loud round of applause.

Tshaya watched with a frown. "This is not dancing, this is just whores debasing themselves and calling it art.", she whispered to herself.

Damon watched attentively and wondered which one was Ghizlaine, but neither one was.

The musicians picked up the beat and the two women danced at a quicker pace, shimmying their hips in a way that made their bodies shake and made the men in the audience stare with excitement and lust. Another woman appeared from behind the curtain, this one an elf with long golden hair and a skimpy golden costume with white veils. But what made her costume unique was the six foot long python that she had wrapped around her neck and body. Ghizlaine was a sight to behold.

Damon remained quiet, glancing occasionally at Tshaya and the others at the table to see their reactions as the show progressed. He could see that Tshaya wasn't enjoying herself. She thought that snake dancing was cliché and her face showed it. Damon noticed that Silas was smiling and looking at Tshaya, Arren was watching smugly, and Jayeis couldn't take her eyes off Ghizlaine. The elf seemed mesmerized.

The crowd watched the woman dance with the snake, and after a while Damon couldn't help but stare along with them. Ghizlaine wasn't the most beautiful woman that he'd ever seen, but the way that she moved was so smooth, graceful, and erotic, that the flaws in her face didn't seem to matter at all. The way that she flicked her wrists, the way that she curled her arms, the way that her hips swayed when she walked, moves that she'd spent years perfecting, dazzled Damon and he lost himself as he watched her. Ghizlaine worked her way around the audience, dancing before both the men and the women, arousing strong emotions of all kinds in the members of the crowd. Then she made her way to where Damon was sitting, dancing just inches away from him, and nearly drove him mad with desire.

Damon sat motionless, watching the woman dance. His fingered twitched, wanting to reach out and touch her but he somehow held back. Ghizlaine then danced over to Tshaya and lifted the snake up off of her shoulders, raising it into the air. Then she spun around twice and held it out to Tshaya, offering to place it on her shoulders. Tshaya watched the woman spin with a bored expression on her face. Having seen many snake dancers, and bear dancers, she was not very impressed. But, not wanting to be showed up, she leaned forward to accept the serpent. Ghizlaine draped the python on Tshaya's shoulders and reached down to take her hands and pull her to her feet, all the while swaying back and forth. Tshaya saw that all eyes were on her and the gaje dancer. Thinking that she might as well play along, she rose to her feet to join the woman.

Ghizlaine started to dance with the Vistani woman. She placed Tshaya's hands on her own hips and swayed back and forth, but Tshaya didn't like the closeness to the woman and pulled back so that she was only holding the dancer's hands. Tshaya danced along with the elf, her hips matching Ghizlaine's as best she could. Ghizlaine started making some of her sexier moves, wanting Tshaya to match them. Then she pulled Tshaya close once again. Tshaya matched the elf's moves, but pushed away from her, keeping her distance.

Ghizlaine looked deep into Tshaya's eyes and smiled broadly, but she kept her distance until the song ended with a flourish. Tshaya tried to keep up with Ghizlaine's vibrating hips but she couldn't, and she was angry with herself that Ghizlaine could do something that she couldn't match. Once the song was over, Tshaya lifted the serpent off of her shoulders and handed it back to the dancer, looking as if she would drop it if she had to hold it one second longer. Ghizlaine took her snake back and held it aloft once more to thunderous applause. Then she walked back to the stage and soaked up the accolades for a while before disappearing behind the curtain.

As Tshaya sat back down she noticed that Damon was still a bit dazed. Damon had had dreams that had been a lot like what he'd just seen and he continued the fantasy in his mind. Jayeis was applauding wildly and Silas and Arren were also clapping, but were more restrained in their appreciation.

Damon broke out of it and whispered to Tshaya, "I think we've been upstaged."

Tshaya whispered back, "We'll see."

"One day that will be you.", Silas said with a grin.

Tshaya just smiled at Silas, though she really wanted to slap him. Damon took a drink of whatever was at hand, trying to regain his composure.

"Would you like to go meet her?", Jayeis asked Tshaya and Damon.

Tshaya looked to Damon for a translation, but her eyes told him 'No'.

Damon provided the mock translation and said to Jayeis, "She's…a bit tired. But..." Damon didn't want to say no. He was torn between staying near Tshaya for fear of the presence of the mercenaries and following his more basic instincts and going with Jayeis.

Tshaya stood up and said in Vistani, "I'm going to bed."

Damon paused and shook his head. "I'm sorry. Perhaps another time.", he said, knowing that Tshaya would never forgive him if he went to see Ghizlaine. "We need to rest up and practice if we're to match that."

Jayeis frowned and nodded. Tshaya walked back to her room and closed and locked the door.

Damon glanced at Tshaya as she left and turned to Silas. "Those men over there.", he asked, indicating the soldiers. "Who are they?"

Silas shrugged. "Mercenaries.", he said. "We've been seeing more of them around lately."

"Has there been any kind of trouble around here recently?", Damon asked.

"Something happened in Verbrek a few months back. Werewolves or something.", Silas said with a shrug. "Maybe they're hunting them."

"Hmm, well I guess that doesn't concern us then.", Damon replied. "What about that table there? The empty one? Who was supposed to sit there?"

"That table is reserved for Azrael.", Silas said, lowering his voice so that no one else could hear. "May it always remain empty."

Damon frowned at the mention of that name. "I see.", he said. Then he stood up to go. "I should go to bed now. I think we'll have a long day tomorrow." He looked specifically at Jayeis and smiled, "Good night."

Jayeis smiled back. "'Night.", she said, her eyes still a little dazed by the show.

Damon stopped by Tshaya's room again and knocked softly. Tshaya heard the knock and came to the door without opening it.

"It's me.", Damon said.

Tshaya opened the door to let him in and then closed and locked it behind him.

"You did wonderfully, again.", Damon told her.

Tshaya smiled. "I know.", she said smugly. "You were better this time. We should probably play more often."

But on the inside Tshaya wasn't so sure of herself. Ghizlaine and her 'whores' were beneath her, but she was used to being the star of the show, and hearing the audience cheering so much louder for Ghizlaine made her green with envy. She wanted more than anything else to show the snake woman up.

"I was going to say the same.", Damon replied. "Shall we tomorrow?"

Tshaya thought for a moment. "Yes. We will play in the market.", she said.

"A good idea.", Damon said nodding. He grinned at the girl. "You didn't seem to think much of the snake-lady."

"Ugh. Snake dancers are so common.", Tshaya hissed. "Besides, how much talent does it take to get naked? She has no real talent."

"There was something about that music. I'd wager that the instruments were enchanted in some fashion. Though, my daughter would probably know more about that than I would.", Damon said distractedly.

Tshaya looked at him strangely at the mention of his daughter. "Yes, she used magic to make people like her performance. We don't have to enchant people.", Tshaya said, but she was lying and she knew it. She'd used enchantments on her audience many times before.

"Indeed. So, the one night went well.", Damon replied. "You're willing to try for one more?"

Tshaya thought for a moment. "Yes, one more.", she replied. It would give her one more chance to top Ghizlaine.

"Well, I'll let you sleep then.", Damon said and went to the door. "Good night Tshaya."

"Good night.", Tshaya replied. Smiling she added, "Enjoy your snake woman."

Damon paused in the doorway. "Why do you say that?", he asked.

Tshaya smiled. "Oh no reason. Now leave so I can sleep.", she replied, knowing that he would be knocking on Ghizlaine's door before the dawn.

Damon went to his room and sat awake for a while, thinking. Images of the show drifted through the bard's mind. Watching Ghizlaine dance had turned him on and the thought of meeting her in private was causing a rather noticeable stirring in his breeches. That Jayeis would be there only added to the allure. There was only one thing keeping him from running to find the two. Tshaya.

Damon knew that if he slept with Ghizlaine, Tshaya would think even less of him than she already did. He wasn't entirely sure why that mattered to him. She was arrogant, opinionated, and insulting. She was going to believe what she wanted about gaje no matter what he did. Still, a part of him did care. In addition to that, Damon's own feelings about the elven dancer were giving him pause. There was something unsettling about the ease with which she had seized the crowd and himself. And that music...

Damon had almost talked himself into just going to sleep when Jayeis' smiling eyes appeared in his mind. From their talks during the trip to Mal Erek, Damon realized that he had a lot in common with the elf. They were both getting on in years but trying to stay on with the young crowd. Still, whenever she smiled at him, he felt his heart miss a beat. Finally, Damon came to a decision. Ghizlaine was exotic but dangerous, and Tshaya was an exercise in futility, but Jayeis, he knew, was just there waiting for him to take her hand. Damon opened his door and looked down the hallway. He was surprised to see Jayeis knocking quietly on the door to Ghizlaine's room.

Damon approached her quietly. "Jayeis.", he whispered.

Jayeis turned and smiled at him. Then she turned to the door. "It's me, Jayeis.", she said.

Damon came up behind the elf and waited for the door to open.

"Come in.", said a voice on the other side.

Jayeis opened the door and they both walked in. Damon noticed that Ghizlaine's suite was much larger and nicer than his or Tshaya's. She sat alone in front of a mirror, taking off her makeup. Her snake lay peacefully curled up on a chair.

Damon closed the door behind and said to Ghizlaine, "I don't believe we've been properly introduced."

The dancer looked at him through the mirror. Then she turned around. "Damon, is it?", she said.

Damon nodded, impressed that she remembered his name. He wondered if his performance had made an impression on her.

"Do sit down.", Ghizlaine said. Even her voice was sexy. Jayeis sat down at the edge of the bed.

Damon took a seat next to Jayeis. "I will admit, I was impressed tonight.", he began. "I had thought that what I had been told about your show was exaggeration."

Ghizlaine smiled. "The Visti girl has a lot of talent.", she said in all honesty. "With some work, a lot of work, she could be a legend."

"Yes, she still has a lot learn about many things.", Damon replied. "Though she would disagree, I imagine."

"Then she'll never be more than what she is.", Ghizlaine said harshly. "I could teach her though.", Ghizlaine added, rising to her feet. Slowly she sauntered over next to Jayeis.

Damon watched her movements. "I'm sure you could.", he said, his lust returning. Then he thought to himself, "If she didn't slit your throat in the first ten minutes."

"I'm sure that we'd get along.", Ghizlaine said. She put her hand on Jayeis' cheek who responded by sighing and turning her head to face the dancer.

Damon changed the subject. "The music that accompanied you was rather exotic.", he asked. "Where did the instruments come from?"

"They call it 'Per-zhon'.", Ghizlaine said, staring into Jayeis' eyes and stroking her cheek. "I find it very erotic."

Damon leaned back, propping himself up with his elbows while he watched the two elven women. "How long have you been dancing?", he asked.

"Only a few decades, on and off.", Ghizlaine said. She bent down and kissed Jayeis' waiting lips. Her hand slid down Jayeis' body and inside her blouse.

Damon enjoyed watching the show briefly before sitting up moving close to Jayeis. With one finger he hooked a stray lock of hair behind her delicately pointed ear. Still kissing the silver-haired elf, Ghizlaine looked deep into Damon's eyes. Her hand slid further down, beneath Jayeis' skirt, causing her to moan with pleasure. Damon returned Ghizlaine's gaze as he began to softly kiss Jayeis' slender neck. Jayeis shook with pleasure as Ghizlaine laid her back onto the bed. Then the dancer stepped away and left her to Damon.

Damon looked confused for a moment but shrugged it off and laid down next to Jayeis. He looked into her eyes and whispered, "I wanted you the first moment I saw you." His hands roamed over her body as he kissed her deeply.

Damon found that Jayeis was really turned on. She said nothing but moaned and gasped as Damon caressed her soft flesh.

"The Visti girl.", Ghizlaine said, sitting back in her chair. "I would like you to bring her to me tomorrow night."

Damon began to remove Jayeis' blouse. He looked at Ghizlaine and said, "She won't come."

"You can't make her come?", Ghizlaine said slyly.

Damon slid his hand into Jayeis' open blouse and caressed her breasts gently. He grinned at Ghizlaine's double-entendre. "She will not see you and my words mean little to her.", he said and kissed Jayeis deeply.

"I'm sure that you can find a way, a handsome man like you.", Ghizlaine said as she watched the bard.

Damon's hand strayed down and slipped under Jayeis' skirt as the elf sighed in approval. "Why do you want her?", he asked.

Jayeis parted her legs and kissed Damon's face and neck.

"Because she needs me.", Ghizlaine explained.

Damon tenderly glided his hand between Jayeis' legs. Breathing faster, he said, "She's just a child."

Damon's stubbornness upset the dancer. "I think that you should leave now.", Ghizlaine said sharply. Her words broke the mood.

Surprised, Damon looked at Ghizlaine questioningly and saw that she was angry. Here she was giving Damon this wonderful gift and he couldn't do one simple thing for her in return.

"Damon, she is old enough to handle herself.", the dancer explained. "Perhaps the trouble is that you are too old."

Stung deeply by the insult, Damon glared at Ghizlaine, unable to reply. Damon withdrew his hand from Jayeis and slowly stood. Composing himself he quietly said, "Maybe I am getting too old or maybe I just recognize someone who, at their heart, is an innocent who doesn't deserve to be dragged into a life like this."

"Perhaps both.", Damon thought to himself. Then he headed for the door.

Ghizlaine frowned but said nothing. Jayeis buttoned up her blouse and followed Damon into the hall.

"Damon.", Jayeis said. She couldn't think of anything else to add.

Damon looked at her. "Tshaya was right.", he replied. "Coming here was a bad idea."

Jayeis stopped and frowned. She felt ashamed and buttoned up the rest of her blouse.

Damon turned fully around. He looked at the elf and his heart went out to her. "Jayeis.", he said softly.

Jayeis stood silently, looking into Damon's eyes.

Damon stepped close to her and took one of her hands in both of his. "When we leave here, I want you to come with us.", he said.

"Where?", Jayeis asked.

"I don't know. Richemulot? I hear it's nice in the summer.", he replied.

Jayeis smiled and her eyes sparkled. "Yeah. Okay.", she said. Then she gave Damon a look that he had come to know well. It was a look that said that she would not refuse anything he asked.

Damon brought Jayeis' hand to his lips and softly kissed her knuckles. With a smile he took a few steps backward, leading her toward his room. Jayeis followed him. Damon showed her inside and locked the door behind. Once inside he cupped her face in his hands and gazed into her eyes. The elf gazed back, unable to say anything. Letting the silence speak for itself, Damon kissed her passionately and Jayeis melted in his arms.