Drifting down the halls...

[Stefan Connelly]

Smiling broadly now. Mr. Connelly returns the greeting,
"I must admit, I too am impressed with the quality of the kindred here in Calgary."
At this his eyes dart towards the Prince.
"I do hope we have chance to speak at length in the near future."

[Wendell Vaughn]

<Wendell strides boldly into the centre of the room and looks around. As he spies the Prince, a smile teases the corners of his mouth. With only a momentary pause, Wendell gives the Prince a short bow.>

"My Prince."

<Turning around, Wendell sees Danny Finch on the other side of the room. He gives her a low bow and addresses her.>

"My dear Lady Finch, it is good to see that you continue to walk in beauty like the night."

<Wendell's gaze continues around the room once more before he continues talking to her.>

"As it would seem that that the Prince and Regent of Midnapore are having the Crone over for coffee, I was hoping to find Lucas here. Obviously he is not. I don't suppose you've seen him recently, have you?"

[Danny Finch]

Danny's head dips very slightly, her eyes meeting Wendell's through her eyelashes. Against all odds she manages to make the little gesture seem innocent rather than coquettish.

"Oh Wendell, I suspected you had the soul of a poet. Byron has always been a favourite of mine.

"Unfortunately, Lucas is often difficult to get a hold of. The dual roles of Daeva Priscus and Circle Hierophant keep him very busy. I would be happy to carry a message to him for you."

She glances back at Beck, tilting her head to the side as she considers something.

"Regent Beck, I hate to impose, but is there any chance you might play a little of Swan Lake? I find that I would really like to dance."

[Beck]

Mumbling under his breath, "Having the Crone for coffee? Door's open, music's ok for now..."(Beck shifts to the opening stanzas of Swan Lake, embellished with an unmistakeable jazz influence.) "...If the Crone are the ones to show up, they get the show. I didn't invite or uninvite anyone..."

Sounds like there's quite a bit of sarcasm in his voice as he keeps grumbling quietly to himself...

[Stefan Connelly]

Overhearing Beck's grumbling, Connelly's smile grows.
He closes his eyes for a moment and sways slightly to the music whispering something under his breath.

[Wendell Vaughn]

<Wendell chuckles when he hears Beck's grumblings.>

Regent Beck, I meant no offense. Just my own poor attempts at humour. I've little doubt that all present were lured here by your captivating musical talents. Much like sailors seeking out siren calls.

<Wendell then turns his attention back to Danny.>

Just tell Lucas that I'm looking for him please. Priscus business of course.

I'm so pleased to hear that Byron is one of your favourites. Indeed, he is one of mine too. He had a fascinating life philosophy. Did you know that he is creditted with saying, "There is no sweeter sin than the corruption of innocence."?

<Wendell manages a most ominous wink at Danny. He then holds out his hand.>

May I have this dance?

[Danny Finch]

Danny quickly slips off her boots - she hasn't needed ballet slippers to go en pointe since her Embrace - before raising her arms and twirling languidly in a small circle and drifting almost weightlessly towards Wendell.

"Troublemaker." The term is accusatory, but her tone is warm. "It is not the Crone in me that was drawn here by the promise of hearing the Regent play live, it is the Daeva."

She has closed the distance between them, and placed one hand lightly on Wendell's shoulder. Matching Beck's jazz-influenced style she abandons her classical ballet training, instead swinging her hips more sensually than a ballerina would dream of.

"The Regent's music is intoxicating," her voice is pitched to carry her admiration to Beck's ears. She smiles archly, her eyes unreadable for the first time since she entered the room. "Can you resist such beauty?"

[Beck]

At the end of the opening stanza, Beck takes a deep breath, and with the speed and precision granted only to the very old, fills the room as though playing three pianos simultaneusly.
A wry smile crosses his lips as he leans from the keys, seemingly trying to hear Mr. Connelly's whispering over the din.
As the tempo and cresendo increase, so does the complexity, and after several minutes one would have to listen quite hard to distinguish and influence of Swan Lake imbedded deep within the notes.

(Daeva beware, this is played at Expression 8.)

[Wendell Vaughn]

<Wendell is a competant dancer, but his talent is a guttering candle next to Danny's talent. Nonetheless, he manages not to step on her toes and manages not to embarrass himself. Still, his dancing looks, to the trained observer, as a rather textbook attempt.>

<As Beck's playing fill the room even Wendell finds himself lost in the music. His dancing becomes more primal as he puts less thought into it and more feeling.>

"Troublemaker!", he says with mock offense.

"I never make trouble, I only resolve the troubles that come my way. Of course, I suppose that my resolutions could cause trouble for others. Perhaps your sobriquet is apt."

"Well, here's to hoping that this gathering of Daeva and/or Crone will attract Lucas as well. The man is deucedly hard to get a hold of."

<As Beck's playing reaches it's climax, Wendell stops talking and loses himself in the music. When it finally ends, Wendell kisses Danny's hand and then begins to applaud Beck.>

"Bravo sir! Well done."

"I've often wondered Regent, what on earth did you do without an outlet when your hands were growing back? I can't imagine what it must have been like for you to have all that talent with no place to go. I would have had to take up serial killing in your place."

[Beck]

Beck straightens up and flexes his hands, "African hand drums. Djembe, doumbek, bougarabou, doun doun... All sorts of possibilities open up if you tape the stumps... But then, all the rhythm in the world doesn't quite compare to melody."

After some thought, he again shuffles from his bench and retrieves a large wooden drum from a corner and sits with it, his back to the piano, and begins to gently tap out a beat. As he does, a nostalgic smile spreads across his lips.

[Trent MacGregor]

with a lopsided grin trent's head begins to move in time to the beats.

"beck, 'dem is some crazy beats. thanks fer the coffee. huh-huh. um, evenin' yer regent & majesty-ship's. brother and sister's until again. nice moves danny, nice moves. love ta stay and soak up the rhythm but i gotta go see a lady about a horse."

with that trent shuffles out the door and from down a raspy chuckle can heard "... crazy, crazy beats."

[Danny Finch]

Danny lays an affectionate hand on Wendell's shoulder. "Thank you, and thank you Regent Beck, I didn't realize how badly I needed that."

Her eyes shift, following Trent out of the room, and she turns to sit in the chair he just abandoned. Settling back into the lavish upholstery, she notices something.

"Prince Eisley," she rises and moves towards the Prince, "it would appear that somebody has left this for you." In Danny's hand is an envelope with "The Prince" written in red ink across the front. She presents it to the Prince with a tiny bow, so subtle that most North Americans wouldn't even have noticed.

[Beck]

*A buzzer goes off somewhere in the room*
"Well folks, that would be one hour to sunrise." He sets the drum aside and rises, "There's rooms here if you don't think you can make it home, otherwise you should get going. I'll meet up with you all at La Caille tomorrow night and be back in here playing the next night."
In a flash there's a silver cane in his hand and he offers his arm, "Michelle, shall we?"