Chapter 29: New Persona

Nell watched with an increasingly bemused expression. When Elara finally came to a stop, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, the younger woman burst into peals of laughter.

"Oh, me duck!" Nell wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "That was somethin' else, it was! All them twirls and bows... you looked like a right proper puppet on strings!"

Elara felt her face grow even hotter. "I told you it wouldn't be suitable," she muttered.

Nell's laughter subsided, replaced by a look of fond exasperation. "Now, don't go gettin' your feathers all ruffled. It's not that it wasn't grand - in its own way. But them fancy steps ain't gonna set the punters' hearts a-flutter down here."

She stood up, a determined glint in her eye. "What you need, me fine friend, is a proper education in the art of the common folk's shimmy and shake. And lucky for you, you've got the finest teacher this side of the slums right here!"

Before Elara could protest, Nell grabbed her hands and pulled her into the centre of the room. "Now, forget all that prancin' about like you've got a stick up your bum. Down here, we dance with our whole bodies, let the music take control!"

What followed was perhaps the most unorthodox dance lesson in history. Nell demonstrated moves that made Elara's eyes widen in shock - hip swings that would have scandalized her old etiquette teacher, footwork that seemed more like a brawl than a dance, and gestures that bordered on the obscene.

"Come on, duck!" Nell encouraged, gyrating in a way that made Elara blush to her roots. "Loosen their joints! Shake what your mama gave ya!"

Hesitantly at first, then with growing abandon, Elara began to mimic Nell's movements. It was ungainly, undignified, and utterly unlike anything she'd ever done before. But as she let herself get caught up in the rhythm of Nell's enthusiastic counts, she found herself grinning despite her embarrassment.

"That's it!" Nell crowed as Elara managed a particularly daring hip sway. "You're gettin' it now! Bit more practice, and you'll have them lushingtons eatin' out of your hand!"

As they collapsed onto Nell's rickety bed, breathless and laughing, Elara felt a strange sense of liberation. This new style of dance was wild, almost primal, but there was a freedom in it that she'd never experienced in the rigid formality of her previous life.

"Well, me duck," Nell said, giving Elara an approving nod, "we've made a start. But we've got a long night ahead if we're gonna turn you into the toast of the Anchor by morning. 

As Nell launched into an enthusiastic, if somewhat tone-deaf, rendition of what seemed to be a popular tavern song, Elara steeled herself for another lesson in the ways of her new world. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but for now, she allowed herself to be swept up in Nell's infectious energy and the excitement of learning something entirely new.

As the impromptu dance lesson wound down, Nell flopped onto her rickety bed, a sheen of sweat glistening on her brow. "Blimey, duck! You're comin' along right proper with them moves. Bit more practice and you'll have the whole Anchor stompin' their feet!"

Elara, still slightly out of breath, couldn't help but smile at the praise. "Thank you, Nell. It's certainly... different from what I'm used to."

"Different's good, innit?" Nell grinned. "Now, let's give them pipes of yours a go. You said you can sing, right? Let's hear what you've got!"

Feeling a surge of confidence from her dance success, Elara straightened her posture and cleared her throat. Without accompaniment, she launched into a rendition of "Ombra mai fu" from Handel's Xerxes, her clear soprano filling the small room with rich, controlled tones.

As the last note faded, Nell sat in stunned silence for a moment before letting out a low whistle. "Cor blimey, birdie! You weren't kiddin' about that voice of yours. It's right angelic, it is!"

Elara felt a flush of pride at the compliment. "Thank you. It's one of my favourite arias."

Nell's face scrunched up in confusion. "Arias? That some kind of fancy bird?"

Stifling a laugh, Elara explained, "No, it's a type of song from an opera. It's meant to showcase the singer's skill and emotion."

"Ah, I see," Nell nodded, though her expression suggested she didn't quite grasp the concept. "Well, it's proper lovely, no doubt about that. But..."

"But it won't work here," Elara finished for her, her heart sinking a little.

"'Fraid not, duck," Nell said apologetically. "Don't get me wrong, you've got a voice that could charm the scales off a snake. But them high-falutin' tunes ain't gonna cut it with our lot. They want something with a bit more... oomph, if you catch my drift."

Elara sighed, "I'm not sure I know any other types of songs."

Nell's eyes lit up with mischievous glee. "Well then, me fine feathered friend, looks like you're in for another lesson! What we need are some good ol' tavern songs - the kind that'll have the whole place singin' along and sloshin' their drinks about!"

She hopped up, practically bouncing with excitement. "We need songs with a bit of spice, y'know? Ones that'll make the fellas blush and the ladies giggle. And humor! Nothing gets a crowd goin' like a good laugh!"

Elara felt her cheeks grow warm at the implication. "I'm not sure I'd be comfortable singing anything too... risqué."

"Don't you worry your pretty head about that," Nell reassured her. "We'll start you off easy. How about this little ditty?"

Without warning, Nell launched into a boisterous rendition of "The Lusty Young Smith," her voice cracking on the high notes but her enthusiasm more than making up for it. Elara listened with wide eyes as the lyrics grew progressively more suggestive, though cleverly veiled in innuendo.

As Nell finished with a flourish, Elara couldn't help but laugh. "That's certainly... different from what I'm used to singing."

"That's the spirit!" Nell beamed. "Now, let's see you give it a go. Don't worry about gettin' all the words right just yet. It's all about the feeling, the energy!"

Hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence, Elara began to sing. Her trained voice brought a new dimension to the bawdy tune, and soon Nell was clapping along, encouraging her to ham it up even more.

As the night wore on, Nell introduced Elara to a whole repertoire of tavern songs - some sweet, some sad, but most brimming with humour and thinly veiled innuendo. To Elara's surprise, she found herself enjoying the challenge of these new, less formal songs. There was a freedom in them, a connection to raw emotion and simple pleasures that she'd never experienced in her classical training.

"You're a natural, duck!" Nell exclaimed as Elara finished a particularly rousing rendition of "The Barley Mow." "Bit more practice, and you'll have them eatin' out of your hand!"

Elara smiled, feeling a newfound confidence. "Do you really think this will be enough to impress Maggie?"

Nell's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh, we ain't done yet, me fine friend. We've got all night to polish you up into the brightest gem the Anchor's ever seen. We can take inspiration and write different lyrics.

As the night wore on, Nell turned her attention to Elara's stage presence and appearance. "Right then, me duck," she declared, eyeing Elara critically. "You've got the voice of an angel and their feet are coming along nicely, but we need to work on your... well, everything else."

Elara looked down at herself, suddenly self-conscious. "What do you mean?"

Nell circled her, tapping a finger against her chin thoughtfully. "Well, for starters, you still carry yourself like you're at some fancy tea party. We need to loosen you up a bit, make you more approachable-like."

She demonstrated, slouching her shoulders and adopting a more relaxed posture. "See? You want to look like you belong here, not like you're about to have tea with the Queen."

Elara tried to mimic Nell's stance, feeling awkward and ungainly. Nell clapped her hands encouragingly. "That's it! Now, let's work on your expressions. You can't be all prim and proper when you're singing about sailors and tavern wenches. You need to look like you're having fun!"

What followed was a series of increasingly ridiculous facial exercises as Nell coached Elara through various expressions - from saucy winks to exaggerated pouts. Despite her initial embarrassment, Elara found herself laughing along with Nell's antics.

"Now for the finishing touch," Nell announced, rummaging through a battered trunk in the corner of the room. She emerged triumphantly with a bundle of fabric. "Can't have you up there looking like a lost duchess, can we?"

Elara eyed the garments warily. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

Nell's grin was positively wicked as she shook out a dress that was decidedly more... revealing than anything Elara had ever worn. The bodice was cut low, the skirt shorter than was proper, and the whole thing was adorned with an assortment of colourful ribbons and lace.

"This'll do nicely," Nell declared. "It's got just the right amount of flash without being too much. You'll have them all goggle-eyed, but in a good way."

Elara hesitated, her ingrained sense of propriety warring with her newfound determination to fit into this world. Seeing her reluctance, Nell's expression softened.

"Listen, duck," she said gently. "I know it's a far cry from what you're used to. But down here, this is how you get noticed - in a good way. It's armor, just as much as them fancy gowns you used to wear. Different battlefield, different rules."

Taking a deep breath, Elara nodded. "You're right. I trust you, Nell."

With Nell's help, Elara donned the new outfit. The fabric felt strange against her skin, the fit, unlike anything she'd worn before. But as she caught sight of herself in Nell's cracked mirror, she had to admit there was a certain allure to the transformation.

"There's me girl!" Nell crowed, adjusting the ribbons in Elara's hair. "You look like a proper Anchor gem now. Maggie won't know what hit her!"

As dawn began to break outside, Elara stood in her new attire, practising her songs and her newly learned expressions. She hardly recognized herself - this bold, vibrant creature was a far cry from the prim lady she'd once been.

"Ready to face the music, duck?" Nell asked, offering an encouraging smile.

Elara squared her shoulders, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement bubbling up inside her. "As ready as I'll ever be," she replied, surprised at the confidence in her own voice.

Together, they set off to face Maggie and whatever challenges the new day might bring. Elara knew she was walking a fine line between her old self and this new persona, but with Nell by her side, she felt ready to take on the world - or at least the Anchor Tavern.