<TIAMAT> *About the same time as Pacheco was ready to rip Teal apart up there, Lady Gwen's is calm and peaceful; it's early evening, and most people are home by now, if they're coming home, or out, if they're spending the night out. The quiet is broken, however, by a loud scampering of feet from the hallway and Kender's door suddenly bursts open.

<JETMODE> *Kender is in the middle of searching through his bag for something when the door bursts open. He looks up in surprise.

<TIAMAT> *He might briefly see a goldenish ball of fur barreling toward him, squealing loudly, before it plows into him, tackling him (possibly to the ground) and hugging him. "Kender!!"

<JETMODE> *Kender utters a whoof of surprise as he's tackled, trying to sit up and catch his breath at the same time. "C-cassie?"

<TIAMAT> *Cassie sits up a bit, positively beaming at him. Clarra laughs lightly from the doorway. "Cassie, dear, I think you knocked the wind right out of him!

<JETMODE> <Kender> *sits up the rest of the way, ruffling her hair* Good to have you back, eh?

<TIAMAT> *Cassie: I'll say! It was ... it was scary! I mean ... I don't really remember too much ... but it was scary! And so lonely...I missed you guys! *she hugs Kender again*

<JETMODE> *Kender pats her again, returning the hug. "Yeah, it was pretty scary, all right.."

<TIAMAT> *Clarra comes up and pats Cassie's hair a little, smiling fondly. "She suddenly came back to herself a few hours ago -- you have no idea how relieved Cal and I were! And we thought you'd like to know -- and she wanted to see you, anyway.

<JETMODE> <Kender> *nods* Absolutely. I'm glad you came. *grins* Jarod'll be happy to hear about it.

<TIAMAT> *Cassie: Aw, where is he? Off chasing his girlfriend? *grins*

<JETMODE> *Kender laughs. "Er, actually, I don't know. I haven't seen him around much today."

<TIAMAT> *Clarra: Oh, that's too bad -- we were going to see if you boys wanted to go out to dinner with us.

<TIAMAT> *Cassie giggles. "Let Jarod chase Jukka -- you'll come, won't you, Kender? We can go find Whisper too. *grin*

<JETMODE> <Kender> Er.. sure! I wasn't really doing anything anyway. *grin*

<TIAMAT> *Cassie crows and jumps up, skipping back to the door. "Come on, then!

<TIAMAT> *Clarra laughs and offers a paw to help Kender up, then follows Cassie over to the door. "I'll go get your father, and you can meet us at the Rustling Ghost, hmm?

<JETMODE> *Kender clambers to his feet with Clarra's help and dusts himself off a little. "We better go find Whisper, then."

<TIAMAT> *Cassie grabs Kender's hand and scampers out and toward the stairs, chattering happily and excitedly. Just like Cassie.

<JETMODE> *Down at the road outside the arena, the carnival-like affair that was the gypsies' camp has gradually been disassembled, and the tribe is preparing to leave.

<JETMODE> *Jukka's family is gathered outside their wagon, giving last farewells and best wishes. Timya is also lurking nearby, looking very much as if he wishes to speak with Jukka, but she's ignoring him.

<JETMODE> *Tula keeps giving Jukka significant looks and glancing at Timya, but Jukka is ignoring her too.

<JETMODE> <Jukka> Safe travels, Mama, Papa -- don't forget to come by again. *smiles*

<JETMODE> <Dovuk> Forget? It's on our route! You'll never get rid of us!

<JETMODE> <Hatani> Ha, that's what he says. [But if you actually manage to keep this scholar-boy of yours, Mama will never let you hear the end of it.]

<JETMODE> <Jukka and Tula> HATANI!

<TIAMAT> *Jarod shoots Hatani a side-ways glance, then starts a bit when the two ladies yell.

<JETMODE> <Hatani> Feh! *tackles Jukka into a rough embrace, which the elf girl returns, then turns to Jarod and grabs him in a headlock*

<TIAMAT> *Jarod yelps loudly, stumbling and fumbling and rather pleading -- in muffled terms -- to be released.

<JETMODE> *Hatani snorts and bends close to his ear. "Good luck, eh. If she gets stuck with Timya, I won't ever forgive you, scholar-boy."

<TIAMAT> *Jarod: Right, right -- *chokes a little* -- will you please -- let me go now?

<JETMODE> *Hatani releases him with a grin. Jukka gives her a suspicious look, but she doesn't say anything.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod coughs a little, standing up and taking a few deep breaths. He glares at Hatani for a moment, sending her a wave of irritation, but follows up almost immediately with one of amusement and a slight grin.

<JETMODE> *She snorts again, grinning, and Dovuk glances over at the other gypsies, who are apparently just about ready to move. "Ah, time to get along." He grins at Jarod. "It was a pleasure to meet you, ren'iri."

<JETMODE> *Hatani blinks, and Tula gives a sharp gasp, elbowing her husband in the ribs with a stare of doom. Jukka just sighs and rolls her eyes heavenward.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod blinks in bemusement, but goes to shake Dovuk's hand anyway. "Er...yeah, it was nice meeting you, too.

<JETMODE> *Hatani takes charge, at this point, shoving her parents away before anything else can happen. "Another time, Jukka, Jarod!" and she hurries them to the wagon.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod waves until they disappear into their wagon, then turns to Jukka. "Ren'iri?

<JETMODE> *Jukka colors slightly. "Er, it's a term of kinship -- it's usually a little informal to use on someone who.. isn't family." She doesn't look inclined to explain further and, in fact, starts to hurry away.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod blinks and trots after her. "Hey, what's the rush?

<JETMODE> <Jukka> Oh, it's -- *breaks off suddenly*

<JETMODE> *Timya has caught up to them both and taken Jukka by the arm, talking to her urgently in gypsy.

<JETMODE> <Jukka> Ah -- I'll -- I'll be right back, Jarod. Please wait for me --

<TIAMAT> *Jarod nods. "Oh yeah ... sure thing.

<TIAMAT> *He watches them, looking puzzled and a little concerned.

<JETMODE> *They move aside -- perhaps a bit redundantly, as Jarod can't understand gypsy -- but continue their conversation from several feet away. Timya has, by this time, clasped Jukka's hand, and his expression is earnest and pleading. Jukka looks frustrated and embarrassed. The conversation continues for several minutes, and Jukka finally ends it by stamping her foot and walking away.

<JETMODE> *Timya calls after her, looking dismayed, but she walks up to Jarod, takes him by the arm, and steers him toward the Arena. Her face is even more flushed now, and she looks terribly agitated.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod picks up Jukka's projecting frustration and can't help but watch them with a little frown. He blinks as she approaches and stumbles a bit as she drags him off. "Er...Jukka...is everything all right?

<TIAMAT> *He glances back at Timya once or twice, but is mostly watching Jukka worriedly.

<JETMODE> <Jukka> *tightly* I'm fine. He.. ... OH. He makes me so angry!

<TIAMAT> *Jarod: What...what happened?

<JETMODE> *Her face goes bright pink. "He.. .. he proposed." Her grip on his arm tightens.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod, a little dizzily: Oh... *he suddenly comes to an abrupt hault before they enter the Arena, pulling Jukka around until they're facing one another. He looks ... confused and worried. "I ... ... are you okay?

<JETMODE> <Jukka> Of course. *forehead wrinkles* Of course I am. I turned him down, Jarod.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod: I gathered that much. *pause* I was just making sure that's what you really wanted. He's from your tribe--

<JETMODE> *Jukka rolls her eyes at him and reaches up to tweak his nose firmly. "I know exactly what I want, Jarod. Don't worry about it." She smiles at him.

<TIAMAT> *Jarod wrinkles his nose a bit, then smiles back. "Well, good, I don't know what we'd do around here if you couldn't dance for the Rustling Ghost.

<JETMODE> *She grins and takes his arm again, starting inside. "I'm sure you'd suffer terribly."

<TIAMAT> *Jarod follows after, twining his fingers around hers. "We would! You have no idea.

<JETMODE> *Jukka sniffs. "Well, I'll just have to stay, then."

[There's a story you should read before starting the next interlude!]