Today’s snippet, titled “And then she smiled”, is a piece I wrote about an NPC in my Pathfinder Campaign.
      Be forewarned, there are mature themes and naughty language below.
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      The fifth day of Gozreh (April) dawned cold and clear and beautiful.
      Frankly, she preferred it a bit warmer – fewer clothes were always better – but at least the skies were clear and the snows had melted. Flooding all along the Thorn, the Shrike, the Skunk, and the Gudrin had created endless mudslides, mires, and mess. The worst winter in a decade had hit the fledgling nation of Phoenixa quite hard. Unfortunately, it did not find the Council wanting – they employed a legion of young prentice wizards to keep the streets cleared of snow and several of the veteran mages employed powerful spells to direct excess water into the lake.
      For all that she appreciated not soaking her boots every single time she stepped onto the street, and that mud would not be as horrible a situation in Ryvendale as it was in other Brevic cities (New Stetven, I am looking at you, bub) – Tess Tam sort of hated their efficiency. She sort of hated their perfectly cohesive collective mentality, their rules and how eagerly (most) people obeyed them, their warm relationships and the way everyone smiled at each other all the time. A creature who thrived on spontaneity and whimsy, Tess found that all this order was stifling her creativity.
      She stretched her arms above her head, palms to the sky, and let the motion pull her body from head to toe. It was a graceful, languid gesture and she did it purposefully, standing all but naked before the windows of Alexis’ apartment with the golden morning sun caressing her curves. For the briefest moment, she forgot that her lover had gone off on some dangerous adventure without her and she swung around to face the bed with a carefully constructed ‘come hither’ look. It had never failed, not even with the somewhat uptight paladin she had been bedding.
      “Be safe, lover,” she had whispered as Alexis took her leave. “I will be waiting.”
      “With bells on?”
      A private, intimate little smile. “Even less than that.”
      Tess Tam cast a glance at the handsome perpetual calendar that hung on the wall. Each of the Councillors – and their deputies – possessed one; they were elaborate mahogany plaques with golden scroll work and beautifully illustrated images of each of the months’ patron deities inset above the dates. Originally, Alexis told her, they had been manually updated each morning by a troupe of servants, but as a gift to the Council after her granddaughter’s ascension to Magister, Illiae Morwenilliae had enchanted them to cycle automatically.
      How fancy, she thought wryly.
      Lots of things here were very fancy indeed. Phoenixa was a well-run, profitable, wealthy little nation and other nations could probably learn a lot from them. Then again, the Council here was singularly unique in all Tess’ experience of the world – they were the most benevolent tyrants she had ever heard about.
      And, as an itinerant Bard, surely I have heard about many such, Tess chuckled.
      She moved across the room to gather her clothing. After a long, hot bath (the hot water piped through the walls was nothing short of a miracle, as far as she was concerned, and one of the best perks of her current circumstances) she would leave the keep grounds and walk about the city. Perhaps she would visit Alexis’ coterie of musicians at the brand new theatre, to hear what they were working on and, if they were game, teach them a few of the most raucous (and vulgar) bar room bawdies she could recall.
      When she emerged into the noon-time sun, a few hours later, Tess Tam was bundled up in a fox-fur coat that was nearly the same hue as her thick, red-gold mane. She lifted her face to the rays, enjoying the warmth, though her pale complexion was one more suited to the cool kiss of the moon and stars.
      Security was still on high-alert, thanks to a hideously unsuccessful attempt on Duke Abraxis’ life. Despite the fact that she had been living in the General’s suite for several months, and the fact that the General herself had given the order that Tess was free to come and go from her living quarters, inevitably, she was stopped upon exiting the keep.
      Fortunately, the men on duty today were interested in doing their due diligence by checking her identification, but they were also young enough to be struck dumb by a fluttering pair of eye lashes and a bit of cleavage. She stepped out of the gate into the streets of Ryvendale and inhaled deeply.
      Beautiful day for a constitutional, she thought, and strode off in the direction of the classier shopping district. She made her way through frozen streets, smiling and greeting those who recognized her (and since her position on the arm of General Alexis Novokovsky was extremely visible, Tess Tam was a highly recognizable face in the city).
      “Oy! Tess Tam!”
      Oblivious, Tess continued on, humming the tune of a particularly nasty song she could not wait to teach the eager young bards at the theatre.
      “Tess! Madam! Tess Tam!”
      Tess stopped short, composing her face in a heartbeat before turning to see who was calling her.
      “So sorry, Ulrikka! I was so deep in melody that I didn’t hear a thing.”
      The dwarven woman tossed her thick braid over her shoulder, waving away the apology with a dismissive hand. “No mind, no mind. The Lady Anson is often like that too – lost in the numbers, I nigh-on have to shake her silly to get her attention some days. Especially now, seeing as she’s just found out she’s pregnant again.”
      “Pregnant again,” Tess repeated, attempting valiantly to appear interested. “Ah. How lovely.”
      Ulrikka motioned for her to continue on her way, and she did, but of course, the Treasurer’s deputy followed, keeping pace. “Right. I reckon Lord Erin’ll be thrilled, them as were highborn always seem to need more’n one heir before they can feel secure. I always been right surprised your Lexi ain’t had any children, but long as she’s happy, we’re happy for her. Uh- Anyway, I’m glad I saw you on me way back. I was wondering if you might know any old tunes from Taggoret or thereabouts?”
      “Sure, a couple. Why do you ask?”
      Ulrikka’s face colored and Tess suspected it was not just the chilly wind.
      “Stiggard’s natal day is coming up in a fortnight and I was gonna throw a bit of a wild shindig – he’ll be the big five-oh, afterall – but I ain’t been able to find a single soul in the city who knows any Dwarven songs besides ‘The Beehive’ or ‘Bearded Bess’.”
      Laughing, Tess shook her head. “I admit, I have never heard ‘Bearded Bess’, but oh! The imagery the very title conjures!”
      “It is every bit as naughty as you imagine,” Ulrikka said. “If you’ll honor us with a song or two, I’ll teach you the melody and the words.”
      “When is the big event?”
      “The sixteenth of Gozreh.”
      “I shall mark it on the General’s calendar. You may count on a song or two.”
      Ulrikka smiled, patted her shoulder, and then excused herself in a rush – she was on an errand for the Lady Anson and being tardy would never do. Tess Tam rolled her eyes and continued on her way.
      What is wrong with you? Agreeing to perform at a birthing day celebration like some common minstrel? Ugh!
      She paused outside a new shop, admiring the gleaming wares in its windows. A riot of color, the enameled ceramics and pottery shone like gemstones. There was a tall vase – crimson with a rim of what appeared to be genuine gold and a swirl of honey-yellow – that somehow reminded her of Alexis.
      I think I’ll buy that for her. Have it filled with fresh flowers when she-
      “Shhssss.”
      Tess went cold, her blood ice in her veins. A frown furrowed her brow and she felt something drop into her palm. She recognized the voice, of course she did, though by the time she turned around to verify – he was gone.
      Inconspicuously, she shifted the object around in her palm and glanced down. Her eyes skimmed the words and her frown deepened.
      Then, she smiled.

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Note: Image is “Brevoy” by (Pathfinder/Pazio) and edited by me