[G] [P] [EVENT] 741.12.09 | Fits and Starts

"Harper Gangleri. I'm Zarah, one of the candidates resposible for tonight," Zahrah called, waving as she arrived with a steaming mug of klah to press into his hands. "This way. I was told you needed a room and something to eat before you go about getting ready for tonight's little party."

It wasn't a huge thing, just a birthday celebration that the candidates had thrown together for one of their own. Even Zahrah had chipped in marks. She twisted and retied her dark golden hair back away from her face and peered up at him with bright blue eyes.

"You come highly recommended," she said with a grin.

"Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you, Zahrah," Gangleri said with a smile as he took the klah for a careful sip. He followed the woman to the room that had been reserved for the event. He took a look around and nodded. It looked big enough for dancing and a quick test hum showed the acoustics would be fine enough for his purposes. He gave Zahrah a charming smile. "I'm glad to hear that, hopefully I will put up a performance fine enough to match my reputation. And this will do very nicely! I'll just have a quick snack and then make sure I'm ready to facilitate a grand time."

He set his guitar safely down off to the side as he grabbed the plate of food that had been left for him to hungrily wolf down. The strange dark blueish purple berry in the dish was surprisingly spicy, leaving a tingle on his lips and tongue. But it also had a delightful touch of sweetness to it that encouraged him to continue eagerly devouring them.

Gangleri had just finished tuning his guitar when he realized he was beginning to feel just a little itchy. He scratched at his chest idly through his shirt for a brief bit of relief as he hummed a quick melody to help warm himself up. He could be professional and ignore a slight itch. He grinned at Zahrah. "Well, shall we get this birthday party started then?"

Zahrah nodded and clapped her hands - quietly - excited for the small party to get rolling. It was going to be wonderful. The birthday person was blindfolded and then sat in a chair, presents were lined up, and Gangleri was up for some music.

She made sure the Kitchen had send up the stew with finger roots, tubers, and other lovlies as well as fruit for those who wanted it. There were bubblie pies as well!

What could possibly go wrong?

After one final check to make sure things were right Gangleri got the show started with a boisterous announcement, his booming voice more than enough to fill the room as he announced the birthday and the festivities. He combined the notes he'd gotten before hand about the birthday boy's accomplishments and finer qualities with embellished stories of potential future accomplishments. Nothing too embellished, just grand and elaborate well wishing and hype of his potential in the turns to come.

He ignored the persisting itch as they got through the usual portions of the celebration. Gangleri hammed up the gifts as they were revealed one by one, adding color commentary when appropriate for laughs, careful to never punch down, always praising and lifting up. There were no bad gifts, just occasionally ones that needed a bit of positive spin to make them really shine. And that was all fine to Gangleri, this was what he lived for, bringing a bit of added life to these moments, a bit more joy.

But the itching was getting worse. Gangleri couldn't help but sneak a few casual scratches, shifted the guitar around so that the strap could rub at a spot on his back for a bit of added relief. By the time he got through his first full and proper song and not just a background melody to back his announcements, he realized something was very, very wrong.

The itch was overwhelming and refused to be ignored, but the show would have to go on. He would just have to be a bit creative. So instead of staying on his little stool to play he got up, moving around to casually lean against the wall to use the stone surface to provide a moment of glorious relief as he tried to disguise the scratching with a dance.

Zahrah kept her eye on the Harper after the first few scatchings and grew concerned the longer that went on but she also was in the middle of making sure people were having a good time. She was passing klah mugs and socialising and generally playing host as the party went on.

When she finally got around to him, her eyes were wide.

"Are you okay, Harper? Do you need a healer?" she asked in a quiet voice.

So far things seemed to be going as well as they possibly could. He hadn't missed a beat on his music, no one thought his dancing was that odd... except maybe the woman who had initially greeted him. Everyone else seemed happy to pay more attention to each other and just have a good time. Gangleri took a quick glance around to make sure no one else was staring before he whispered in an urgent hiss to Zahrah, "Has it spread up my neck?"

He didn't feel that itchy on his neck yet, but with how concerned she was staring at him he couldn't help but wonder. "I don't know what happened but... I think I might be allergic to something I ate." He kept his voice low as he kept playing, and even start to nimbly dance around Zahrah to maintain the illusion that everything was still perfectly fine. The skin on his chest and back wasn't an unquenchable sea of fire, it didn't feel like bugs were starting to crawl down his arms as things were spreading. This was fine.

Everything was fine. "I'm fine," he repeated aloud. "Don't worry about me. I've got this."

"Good thing this is a short party," she murmured. Already people were wandering out and back to other things while the birthday boy was gathering his presents and waving at Zahrah. There'd been plenty of dancing and merriment, so it had gone without much of a hitch.

"You are so not fine," Zahrah said softly. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm taking you to a healer before whatever that is gets worse. And yes, there is a rash on your neck. Everyone is clearing out anyway. You've done your duty. Let's get you taken care of before anything else happens."

He was under her care at Benden and so help Faranth...

"The only thing I remembered you eating was the fruit. Can you remember if one of them tasted odd to you?"

At least he'd managed to carry the entire party while he wanted to rip his own skin off. Gangleri at least finished the last bit of music with a flourish before ducking to the side so he could vigorously claw at his chest through his shirt. "Odd? No... nothing odd that I can think of. Those little dark bluish purple berries were delightful, I'd never had them before. A bit spicy, but also sweet."

Gangleri started to scratch at the base of his neck and let out a pleased hiss as his eyes rolled. The hives were definitely still spreading. Maybe he should accept a bit of help after all. "So... a healer. Maybe they can just give me something to help with the itching before I send for my ride and get back out on my way and out of your hair. I do hope everyone enjoyed the party. You don't think anyone noticed did you?"

"Those are just meant to be sweet," Zahrah said in quiet alarm. Her brown pffted from between. "Be a love and tell Healer Amete that Harper Gangleri is allergic to blueberries and needs attention."

She tilted his chin as gently as possible and winced.

"You were lovely," she hummed gently. "They were too busy dancing and carrying on to give two wits to your improvised dance moves." Her eyes crinkled at the corners a little as she smiled.

"Easy, Harper. You gave a wonderful performance. Stop scratching, you're making it worse." She took his hand in hers to keep him from doing any more damage. "Just squeeze my hands. You won't break me."

The brown firelizard reappeared with a two-tone note and very swiftly came the healer, a dark haired, grey eyed woman with a basket who shooed the last strangler out and took a look at Gangleri.

"Just sweet?" Gangleri frowned. "Oh dear..." Well that certainly explained a few things as he tried to reach around and awkwardly scratch at his back. It was nice to hear that he'd done well enough that no one else noticed. Even if Zahrah insisted on fussing over him.

"Really, none of this is necessary, I'll be fine just as soon as I get some snow or cream or a nice soothing skinning." He tried to bat her hands away to defiantly continue scratching at himself. "But I am glad that everyone liked my performance. And I'm not making things worse, I assure you I'm not scratching myself all that hard. Just a little bit of a nice soothing rub." Gangleri didn't even bother to hide the brief bout of vigorous scratching before his hands were captured once again.

Between the healer and Zahrah his scratching was forcibly ended for the moment as he was stripped of his shirt so that the angry red hives covering his torso could be soothed with whatever concoction the healer deemed necessary. It both burned more and felt freezing at the same time and he did his best to not just scowl and fight them like a petulant child. "Really, I would have been fine, this isn't necessary. I hate to have troubled you so much."

At least it didn't take too long for them to finish up so he could pull his shirt on, and his skin was beginning to feel a bit less itchy. Gangleri still gave himself a subtle scratch before turning back to Zahrah and quietly mumbling, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she murmured. "Those hives look much better, less angry already. You know I couldn't let you go without being seen to - that's just not what a host does. Now, Harper, you know to stay away from blueberries. I just wish it were more...pleasant."

She set a large bag used to carry marks drawn from her pocket next to him on a small table.

"Your marks. And I took the liberty of making you a Harper blue glass pendant." Zahrah withdrew a beautifully crafted little star shaped pendant. With the way the room was lit, it shone enough to create a pool of light in her hand.

"The glows put in here," she gestured to the tiny clasp, "will give you a light for your travels wherever they take you."

Gangleri nodded, still a little embarrassed by all the fuss that had been caused. "Yes, and again, thank you so much for the help. Sorry I was a bit difficult at first, but I do feel much better now." That didn't stop him from trying to sneak in another scratch across his ribs though. At least the job had still been well enough done that only one person had noticed and gotten distracted from the fun of the party.

He graciously accepted his payment though the little bonus caught him by surprise. When had she made that? Maybe she already had some pendants and just threw one onto a nice bit of cord for him. "Oh, you didn't have to do that, but thank you. I will wait until the itching is completely gone to try it on."

He eyed the necklace curiously, admiring the craftsmanship for a moment before carefully tucking it away into his bag. Gangleri wasn't sure if he would wear it yet, he wasn't normally prone to wearing such accessories in general, but maybe for special occasions or if he hosted another party here he might. At the very least he could add it to Bart's bridle or saddle for a bit of extra light when they were out late. "Thank you again. I will call for my ride and head back home, please write should you need my services again."

Gangleri gave a sweeping bow before collecting his guitar, Fret already pestering K'dar for his ride back. Though instead of taking him back to the Weyr he might ask the man to drop him off at the tavern instead so that he could try to convince Quil to skin him alive or at least let him soak himself in alcohol.