[[This portion of the story is a multimedia experiment. I’ve done this before, but never with two other writers. At a specific point in the story, the reader is encouraged to start playing a song. But at the moment, in the story when Shani strums guitar strings, that is when the music should start playing. The reader will see the effect (or even hear it) when the song and story are combined. The song is Dwight Yoakam’s A Thousand Miles From Nowhere You may have to read this one or two times to get a tempo for it, and it’s even encouraged to read this aloud when the music is playing.]]
Lyssa walked down the stairs into the main room. Surprisingly, The Helm and Cloak was full of customers and travelers alike. The chatter was loud, no one paid attention to the hin as she moved through crowd to an empty table. The smell of ale was missing from the otherwise tavern like scene, on the stage was a performer who was currently juggling apples in one hand and spinning a plate on a stick in the other. She hopped into a chair and watched the stage. There wasn’t a grin or a smirk on her face, as she wasn’t amused by the act on stage.
“Pretty good act there, eh Lys?” Ari said, seating himself by Lyssa. He crossed his arms, leaning against the table. “Never get this much back up the coast.”
“It’s actually boring. Nothing I’ve not seen already. Only the act I seen the man was also eating fire and swallowing swords,” she replied cynically.
“Ehh, guess someone has to start somewhere, and what better way than to not burn themselves,” he responded with a soft sigh.
“Practice makes perfect,” she said smirking a bit as one of the apples flew into the audience.
“Nothing says perfect like lying face down in the mud, burning inside, huh?” Ari said.
“Sounds like perfection to me. Where’s Shani?” Lyssa asked, looking around for the pale elf, who would stand out even in the brightest light. “You’d think she’d be easy to spot, has she even come down?”
“Would either of you like anything to drink?” A waitress asked them sweetly.
“Hot chocolate,” Lyssa muttered. “Something stronger would be much better but rules are rules.”
“I’m good, thanks,” Ari said, leaning back in his chair lazily.
As the pair sat down and gave their orders, the pale elf finally came down into the room. Wearing a pair of worn and faded denims, the heeled boots that seemed to clomp on the floor only added to the picture that Shani produced just by standing in the doorway. A plain shirt covered her torso, as a tanned leather jacket displaying tassels along her arms and back hung on her shoulders. A guitar was strapped across her shoulder as her eyes surveyed the room beneath the brim of the stetson she wore.
Satisfied that there was enough of an audience in the room, she sauntered over to the bar, leaning across to whisper to the server, who pointed out one man by the stage to her. She grinned and nodded her thanks, her hand automatically touching the brim of the hat to add to the gesture. Lyssa motioned to Shani with a small smile on her lips. The waitress came back over with Lyssa’s hot chocolate, she smiled at Ari as she set it down on a small napkin. Lyssa pulled a flask from a small pouch on her hip and dumped some of the contents into the hot chocolate. Ari perked an eyebrow, looking to Lyssa silently.
“What?” Lyssa said with mock innocence. “I said I wanted something stronger.”
A short conversation with the man, the rather flamboyant individual stepped up onto the stage as Shani leaned against a banister, looking like a tall glass of water. “If I can have everyone’s attention,” he spoke with a smile as the hushed conversations died down. “Usually we do not have traveling entertainers, but this evening, we are graced with one. All the way from Mirabar, the Elven…” He paused as he leaned over to Shani for a moment and whispered. “What was that again you called yourself?”
“The Elven Cowgirl Crooner,” she whispered back.
He nodded with a smile, and returned his attention to the audience. “The Elven Cowgirl Crooner.” There was mild clapping as he offered the stage to Shani, especially from Ari. Except from Lyssa who let out a shrill whistle. Shani’s long, black hair spilled over her shoulders as she adjusted her guitar, flashing a smile toward Ari and Lyssa.
“Thank y’all,” she began. “I wanna play a song fer y’all, kinda tells a story ’bout what me an’ my friends’ve been goin’ through recently. Kinda fittin’, call it Thousand Miles From Nowhere.” There was a pause as she made sure the guitar was in perfect order.
And then her fingers gently strummed the strings.
She swayed her body lightly as her fingers began to slowly tease the strings. And then she added her voice and began to croon.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
Time don’t matter to me
‘Cause I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
And there’s no place I want to be
Shani had instantly drawn everyone’s attention with her voice.
I got heartaches in my pocket
I got echoes in my head
And all that I keep hearing
Are the cruel, cruel things that you said
Ari’s ears perked as he leaned back in the chair.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
Time don’t matter to me
‘Cause I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
And there’s no place I want to be
Lyssa took the words in somberly as she bit her lower lip.
Oh, I
Oh, I
Oh, I
Oh, Aye-eee-aye-ee-aye
The crowd was riveted to Shani’s figure on the stage, her legs moving in time to the music as she began the low, haunting guitar riff. The tune drifting around the crowd luring them into it’s depths. Lyssa watched, blinking back tears as she understood the song’s hidden meaning. Ari’s gaze drifted over to Lyssa then back to Shani on the stage.
Oh, I
Oh, I
Oh, I
Oh, Aye-eee-aye-ee-aye
I got bruises on my memory
I got tear stains on my hands
And in the mirror there’s a vision
Of what used to be a woman
Shani had peeked with the song, giving it energy.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
Time don’t matter to me
‘Cause I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
And there’s no place I want to be
People in the crowd had actually started dancing.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
Time don’t matter to me
‘Cause I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
And there’s no place I want to be
Ari did not even bother to look to the others, his gaze fixed upon Shani. He gently smiled as she strummed the guitar. His mind slowly wandered away from the event.
Oh, Aye-eee-aye-ee-aye
Lyssa glanced to Ari, then followed his gaze. For a brief moment she was actually jealous of her best friend’s newly forming relationship. Quickly she pushed it from her mind and focused on the music once more. The song pulled at her heart and made her miss her husband even more. She could only hope that he would hold on just a little longer.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
Her voice became as haunting as the tune she played on the six string. Drawing upon the emotion she felt in the crowd, feeling the eyes on her, sensing them with a longing that urged her on. She continued to let her fingers dance on the strings, as her voice was nearly a whisper as she would sing.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere
The patrons started to cheer loudly, sensing that the close was coming near, but only encouraging more from the songstress. Lyssa took a straight swig from her flask before she too started to cheer for Shani’s performance. Ari glanced about, suddenly coming back to reality as everyone cheered. He hopped onto his feet and began clapping his hands.
I’m a thousand
Shani crooned the last few lines and smiled with the response she was receiving. The music seemed to magically fade as she took off her stetson and bowed deeply to the applause, flashing her patented grin before dropping the worn hat onto her head again. Her smile stayed as she stepped off the stage, nodding to those who thanked her for the song. She stopped in front of Ari and Lyssa and bowed slightly in front of them as the clapping continued.
Ari reached his hand forward to take Shani’s hand. The crowd slowly dispersed from the table, leaving the trio to themselves. Ari pulled Shani close, wrapping one arm around her waist and kissed her passionately. Shani just let it happen, falling into the kiss as she threw her arms around his neck.
“Oh for the love of Eilistraee, get a damn room.” Lyssa said, pushing herself up and going to the room they purchased for the night, where she would lock the door leaving the love birds to get their own room.
[While I helped write this section of the story, the concept was completely Tim Holtorf’s idea. He is a wonderful story writer and has been wonderful to work with on this story. If it wasn’t for Tim and his brilliant ideas, this story wouldn’t have much of a life. I owe lot to him, and thank him much for his friendship and encouragement. You can read more of his work on his blog Middle of Saskatchewan. I urge you to read his work, you will not be disappointed.]]
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