Charlatan

The crowds began to thicken as Beckyann pushed her way through towards the Trade District of Stormwind. She was out on errands again and had to make purchases from several of the merchants there. Unfortunately, what could only be described as a 'herd' of people had gathered along one of the canals, pushing and shoving and packing into a tight, cramped mass that was blocking her path.

As she squeezed her way in amongst the people, she heard a loud voice carrying out over the crowd. She looked past the people to see a man standing on a crate addressing the crowd. It was clear that he was the reason for the mass of people, and as she watched he gestured rather theatrically at the audience before him.

The man was of middle age and partly balding. He wore long white robes with a blue sash and blue tassels of fabric that hung from each shoulder.  On his head he wore a cloth hat in white and blue that much resembled one that a person would see on a priest nearer to the cathedral. All in all, he looked to be a holy man and his words and gestures seemed to confirm this.

"And they will say that in these dark days all are doomed!" his voice echoed. "But I tell you this is not the case! You can take steps to protect yourselves friends! The Light sees your need and provides! I can show you the way, and with this miracle holy water, you can defend your homes and your very lives from such horrors!"

Beckyann rolled her eyes beneath her tinted glasses, a smirk playing across her face as she imagined the 'horrors' that the man likely had described before her arrival. The pompous fool continued to gesture, holding up a vial of water and proclaiming its properties in a kitsch display of showmanship that rivaled even the best snakeoil salesman she'd ever seen.

As he continued, Beckyann couldn't help but notice that the crowd was enamored with his performance, watching him attentively as he waved his hands and made the golden rings on his fingers flash in the sunlight. It was clear that there was still enough fear in the common people to allow such a charlatan to ply his trade anywhere, because beyond seeing the crowd's reaction, Beckyann also noticed a distinct lack of discomfort from the presence of the Light which would be the case if the man was really what he claimed to be. A sneer crossed her features as she watched him.

That was, of course, when he looked directly at her.

"You!" he pointed. The crowd before her parted as they all turned to see what the man was looking at. "I can tell you are in need of cleansing! Please, let me help you so that these others can find their way to the protection of the Light. Let them see its benevolence and feel its warm embrace."

Beckyann paused in surprise, looking around at the faces turned towards her. After a moment, she shrugged and offered the charlatan a smile, nodding her head. "Sure."

The man grinned and stepped down off his crate, quickly hurrying up to her. He brought the vial up again, letting it shine in the sunlight, "I bring you inner peace and cleansing miss! You will be bathed in the Light's embrace and protected from Darkness! Let your soul be cleansed!"

Before Beckyann could say anything, the man uncorked the vial and threw the water in her face. As she knew it would be, it was just plain ordinary drinking water, and had absolutely no effect on her. Her eyes met the man's gaze from behind her tinted glasses and something in the way he looked at her spoke volumes. It was almost as if he were asking for her help.

Beckyann blinked once and then coughed and sputtered out, "O-oh...oh my...I...I CAN FEEL IT BURNING ME! THE LIGHT IS SO POWERFUL!"

She tore off her glasses, her glowing blue eyes making the crowd back away. With a whispered word, she enhanced the glow of scourge magic there, clawing at her face in mock agony, "I-it's too strong! Such a powerful elixir! I am undone!"

With what Beckyann considered to be a well performed showing, she pretended to stumble sideways, crashing into some other stacked crates and laying atop them. The crowd watched her for a moment and then broke into applause, already beginning to thrust coins at the charlatan's face.

Some time later, the crowd had dispersed and the 'holy' man stood alone on the street, counting his coins happily. As he finished up, a shadow fell over him and a female coughed lightly. He looked up to see Beckyann standing there, her hand extended, palm upwards.

"Oh come on now..." he began to complain. Beckyann merely stared at him with her eerie blue eyes, her golden hair still damp from the water he'd thrown on her. After a moment of her staring him down, he sighed and dumped a fistful of coins into her palm.

Beckyann grinned, slipping the coins into the bodice of her dress before giving him a mock curtsey. "It was a pleasure doing business with you."

With that she turned and walked away, heading back to take care of her errands. Some might think it wrong to lie to the innocents lining the street, but if less of them believed in the Light then less of them would burn her with it in the future. Plus she'd made some good coin. A win-win situation in anyone's book, and a bonus for the day.

If only her hair hadn't been messed up in the process....