The Start of Something?

Writers: Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 14th April 2007

Characters: Hartam, Tayette
Description: As Hartam enjoys the early morning sunlight and writes a song, a young woman joins him and presents him with a mystery.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 3, day 7 of Turn 4

Morning had always been his most productive time but with his recent assignment and accompanying late performances at the Tavern, Hartam had seen few sunrises. Today he had promised himself that treat, to enjoy the beauty of the changing sky colours, though it meant traipsing about in cooler temperatures than those he had known at the Harper Hall. He settled himself onto a rock, facing east, his gitar resting in his lap, his fingers gently plucking at the strings.

"Oft I've wished I could go back To days of Turns gone by."

He sang the words softly, eyes on the sky, though his mind was on the tune and the way the words blended with the music. He stopped, started again, singing the same words, then nodded.

"But what next?" His fingers described the next few notes, though he simply nodded in time with them. "By. . . fly. . . try. . .why. . ." Again he played the music, frowning to the words forming themselves within his head.

"I like the tune, but I can see your problem ... try this, 'When all we had from overhead, Were dragons in the sky!' " Tayette rose from behind a tree stump, a clump of fungus roots in her hand, and a large smile across her face. "Sorry, I couldn't help that."

Hartam started at the sound, but cocked his head and softly said the words, tapping the body of his gitar in rhythm. "Yes. . . almost, but not quite. It almost scans. . ."

His fingers picked the melody as he sang, her words elided to fit:
"Oft I've wished I could go back To days of Turns gone by When all we had from o'erhead Were dragons in the sky."

He nodded, a slight smile on his lips. "That works quite well. Thank you!"

Tayette covered her laughter with a hand, "I'm sorry, I _really_ was joking, you know." She stepped over the smaller rock that emerged from the ground, and moved closer, "You have a pleasant voice, one I could fall asleep to quite easily."

"My dear woman, I should hope that I don't put too many to sleep. If the audience starts to doze while I entertain them at the Tavern, Bherhevan will have me reassigned rather than allow me to lose him marks."

"Oh! You're the new Tavern Harper!" Tayette's surprise was genuine.
"Sorry, I didn't realise, though the knots should have given me a clue."
She shook her head, she really needed to be more aware and pay attention to things, and people. "It really was supposed to be a compliment." she dropped her gaze and looked down at the fungi in her hand. "It is soothing, and warm...like klah."

He smiled at that description. "In that case, I'll take it as a compliment
- but hope that my more boisterous songs don't have the same effect."

"Oh! I'm sure they wouldn't..." Tayette lifted her head, her eyes meeting the Harpers again. "I'd like to hear one of your more boisterous songs, sometime." She felt a warmth crawling up her chest and neck, and knew she was probably now bright red.

He found her blush to be charming and grinned even more. "If you come to the Tavern, you'll be able to hear more than one of my songs. In fact, since you've helped me with my current song, perhaps you should join me as my guest some evening."

"I'd like that... but - " Tayette desperately wanted to go and hear Hartam play. Music, real music, not just what she heard in her head, and laughter and people... Her thoughts came to a halt, that was the problem, people.
"No, I don't think so." Once again her gaze dropped, and she turned to go.
She looked down for her basket. "I must get back..." she mumbled an apology.

How confusing! She had seemed eager, but then had rebuffed him. Hartam found himself intrigued. "Already? Don't you at least want to stay and help me write a little more of the song?"

"You don't need my help." she shook her head, her eyes still not meeting his. "You're a Harper." The last was said quietly, in awed breath. She bent to collect her basket, placing the fungus gently so not to bruise it.

"True, I am a harper," he agreed. "But harpers are not the only ones to have thoughts that can be put into songs - and you _did_ supply a perfect line already."

"I did that by pure bluff." she gave a half laugh, it wasn't exactly true but he didn't need to know that. "I really must go.." she turned to face him, her eyes meeting his, "One of these days I will come to the Tavern, and listen to your songs." she gave a nod of affirmation and a brief smile; then turned and walked away.

He watched her go, eyes on her until she was out of sight. "Quite a mystery," he murmured to himself. Then with her gone, he turned back to his song. "I guess I'd best finish this so that when she does show up I can play it for her."

Last updated on the April 14th 2007

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The Start of Something?