We Need a Second Guitar
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin, Len
Date Posted: 9th January 2026
Characters: D'ren, Jaylene, J'nne, G'wen
Description: D'ren joins in with a late night music session
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 13, day 11 of Turn 12
It was so late that only a few people were still in the Dining Hall. G'wen strummed his gitar and glanced out of one of the windows, still not entirely used to not being in a dining hall that wasn't carved out of a mountain. He caught J'nne's eye. "Was it me?" One of them had hit a sour note during the last reel.
J'nne laughed and placed his violin on the table. "I think it might've been my stomach. Too much late night eating." He took a quick sip of klah.
"We really need a second gitar," Jaylene muttered. Nothing against G'wen, but she just really liked the sound of a rhythm gitar with a first gitar, particularly when she was playing the lead fiddle to J'nne's second.
J'nne caught a familiar face coming towards them. "I think we might be in luck." It was too dark in the doorway of the hall to see if D'ren had a gitar or not.
D'ren had decided he shouldn't be alone with his thoughts, so he'd made himself go down to the dining hall. "Oh, hi J'nne. Are you guys playing tonight?"
"We are!" J'nne patted the seat beside him. There was his own gitar leaning unused beside the table. "Fancy joining us? We really could use a second gitar to play the rhymthm to G'wen's melody. You meet G'wen yet?"
The slender, rather pretty greenrider smiled. "Nice to meet you, do you play?"
On the other side of the table, Jaylene nodded to D'ren, blowing her thick hair out of her face and grinning.
"Fair skies, G'wen," D'ren said automatically. He felt pulled in two directions.
}:I like when you play music,:{ Menanth said, gentle concern touching his mind.
"I do play. I can go get my gitar," the bronzerider said.
"There's no need," Jaylene said, nodding to J'nne's unused gitar. "There's a perfectly good one and we won't have to wait for you to go fetch yours and come back." She tucked her fiddle under her chin and played a few notes of the reel that was dying to be played.
J'nne grinned at his sister. That reel was one that had been popular back at River Buff. He hadn't heard of it since they had gone to Dragonsfall. "Yes, please have my gitar." He picked it up and held it out to D'ren.
D'ren took the offered gitar and sat, warming up with a few quiet notes. "I know that one, though not well," he told Jaylene.
"I don't know what one at all," G'wen said, his voice wobbling a bit. It could be intimidating playing with two talented harpers and he was unsure where D'ren's skills lay.
Under the table, J'nne nudged his sister's foot with his toe. It would do no good to bring up a rare song and one that might bring up some sad memories from Rivers Buff. She really didn't have the same grief lingering in her about the place that so many other Rivers Buff survivors carried, J'nne included.
Jaylene got the message and flashed the guys a bright smile. "Okay, now we all know this one!" And she played a bar of a popular reel about the daring adventures of a greenrider and her dragon.
D'ren shifted his fingers and picked up the tune, strumming lightly. "Count us in?" he said.
Jaylene winked at him and let the three into the reel about the daring do of a fair green riding lass. She put a slightly heavier than usual emphasis on her bow to direct where the beat was, in case the two gitarists were struggling at all. It was always easier when you knew exactly where the beat was and they didn't have a drummer to help.
The pace and the beat was just what G'wen needed. He always enjoyed playing with Jaylene, she always had a sense of exactly what to do to make the group sound the best that they could. And with two talented fiddle players, it was hard to not sound great.
D'ren made a few small mistakes. He was definitely out of practice. But about halfway through the song he realized he was enjoying playing with others. Making music together.
}:I knew you would like this,:{ Menanth said.
J'nne adjusted his violin so it didn't rest tight to his chin. With his pleasant tenor, he sang the chorus and then launched into the tale of the song. G'wen joined him for the second chorus, his lighter tenor blending nicely with J'nne's. They glanced over to D'ren to see if he would join.
The bronzerider hadn't planned on singing but the invitation was obvious. D'ren's voice wavered at first, but it soon smoothed out as he harmonized with the other two singers. He hadn't forgotten _all_ his training.
J’nne led the two into one more repeat of the chorus before Jaylene placed a repeating refrain into the song to signal that they were launching into a jig, another popular song for the Weyr and this area. J’nne tucked his fiddle back under his chin to chase Jaylene’s melody just an octave under. G’wen followed along, picking out a little solo in the second repeat of the A part of the jig. He glanced over to see how D’ren was doing.
A little wrinkle formed between D'ren's brows as he tried to figure out where his gitar would fit, then he began strumming a simple rhythm to give the group a deeper, richer sound.
Jaylene nodded her approval to the younger lad. He was just the ticket their little group needed and she steered them to a slip jig to close their set. Again it was a popular dance song and even at this late hour, a few riders came out to the empty space before them and danced with their partners.
G’wen’s mind slipped back a bit during the song to those happy, content days with E’naer. He sighed inwardly, thinking back to those days. He had been so young then. Maybe it was better this way, not attached to anyone, not even speaking anyone out. Neath had only Risen once since moving here and that rider had been as indifferent as G’wen was.
J’nne caught G’wen’s expression as the song ended. Reaching out with his bow, he tapped the greenrider on the elbow and gave him an understanding smile. “Next song is your choice.”
G’wen tuned his top string whilst he thought. What song did he miss from Dragonsfall that would keep the dancers on the floor? “Do you know this one?” He picked out the first bar.
“Another reel, good choice,” Jaylene said as she picked up the refrain and led the boys into the fast tune about a brave wing and their exploits during a Fall.
D'ren played along, glad for the chance to forget about everything but the music. All that mattered was the flow of the notes, how the instruments harmonized, and the few happy dancers on the floor.
Last updated on the February 7th 2026