08-27-2016, 02:16 AM
A few months back, Ingrid would never have so much as glanced at this performance.
She'd certainly seen dancers before, of course; her parents had been quite fond of the arts, including music and dancing, and she'd watched performers with them many times. Yet as a child she'd found such things boring, and would much rather be riding or painting or studying magic, activities that involved doing instead of watching. And even when she acquiesced and watched such performances, it had been court minstrels and stage dancers and the like, never young women in front of seedy taverns in dumpy towns. She'd been a member of the Etrurian elite, after all, and it would be unbecoming to mingle with commoners in such a manner.
But that was before.
In her new life, she'd gained an appreciation for any form of entertainment. Life on the road was hard and often dull, and dealing with the sick and injured stressful and sad. Watching this dancer's graceful, fluid motions was calming in a way Ingrid couldn't put her finger on. Standing near the center of the crowd, she joined the villagers in cheering her on.
Right until the dancer's sudden collapse.
She swiftly pushed past the crowd and knelt beside the girl. One hand on the staff at her hip, she spoke with gentle concern "Miss, are you hurt? What's wrong?"
She'd certainly seen dancers before, of course; her parents had been quite fond of the arts, including music and dancing, and she'd watched performers with them many times. Yet as a child she'd found such things boring, and would much rather be riding or painting or studying magic, activities that involved doing instead of watching. And even when she acquiesced and watched such performances, it had been court minstrels and stage dancers and the like, never young women in front of seedy taverns in dumpy towns. She'd been a member of the Etrurian elite, after all, and it would be unbecoming to mingle with commoners in such a manner.
But that was before.
In her new life, she'd gained an appreciation for any form of entertainment. Life on the road was hard and often dull, and dealing with the sick and injured stressful and sad. Watching this dancer's graceful, fluid motions was calming in a way Ingrid couldn't put her finger on. Standing near the center of the crowd, she joined the villagers in cheering her on.
Right until the dancer's sudden collapse.
She swiftly pushed past the crowd and knelt beside the girl. One hand on the staff at her hip, she spoke with gentle concern "Miss, are you hurt? What's wrong?"