"Are you really a girl?"
The little choir elf and I sat on some stones outside of the music hall. With the session being over, conversation brought us at length into the afternoon.
"Sure am! Though I don't look like it do I?"
She shakes her head: the kind of way little girls do. You know, when they go fwipping their head from side to side so that their hair gets all over their face. It falls, tangled in front of her eyes.
I smile and bring my hand out slowly to brush the fine auburn hairs away. You know, she kind of reminds me of my little cousin. All cute and stuff, I can't help but warm up. I move to take her braided ringlet in hand and start to straighten it behind her head.
"I'll be changing back into a girl (I hope) come sunset, so maybe you'll get to see some real magic with your own eyes, howz about it?"
"Really?"she pipes, trying to look back at me.
I grin and straighten her head to continue, "Yeah sure! When we walk back ok?"
(I hope I don't faint on the floor and make a scene oh dear Jesus)
I finish her braid and take a moment to pause, "You know kid you might just be my first openly nice friend around here (other than Cilivren maybe? But even then she's pretty...stoic?) I was starting to feel a little hopeless... so thanks for sticking up for me back there."
I'm talking about after when she shouted out that my little stunt from earlier today actually counted as music.
The cup song had gotten a mix of reviews to put it lightly. The old man snuffed any chances of me actually performing at the banquet from what he'd heard until little kid here started making a fuss. Eventually one by one the other corresponding members relented. I still have a place amongst them for next meeting at least.
1 point for Hufflepuff.
You know, if word had gone out I was some mistake. I don't know what would've happened.
So, I ended up hanging out with Angel McSmalls in the end. I taught her the cup song. Apparently the kid's name if Gladwell, which means song of gold. Her parents named her really well too because she absolutely blew me away with her voice.
Grown man tears were shed.
Well, he-man-she-man tears.
He-she tears.
Sigh.
(Whatever my tears are considered as)
(She was so adorableeee though, ahhhh!)
I found out that she's the youngest of the music group. Her Gramps is the old man. His name is Idhrenion. Er... maybe? I forgot, oops. I'll just refer to him as gramps.
There are two women who are twins named lindariel and linnadheil (I have yet to be able to distinguish who is who though…) They are the second eldest.
Then there are two other guys named Maethirion and Nithron. The latter of which is closer to Gladwell's age (although he's still older by some years so maybe that would mean that she is like a grade-schooler still and he is an elven tween?)
*Shrugs*
Wish I knew.
So as we started walking back, Gladwell tugs at my sleeve "Eldry- I mean Elle! Don't worry about today ok! I'm sure that everyone will like your new songs. We just learn the songs passed down from our parents, from their parents, from alllll the great founders of music, as grandfather says."
Gladwell gestures with her arms signifying the vastness of their musical history. All I see are her tunics' sleeves waving like flags as she exclaims with a twinkle in her golden eyes. Though I still listen, I can't help but think. It's a funny thing having her explain to me what music is like here when I realize she doesn't know any of the musical genres of the modern world: I wonder how things differently on Middle Earth. There's no Bach, Mozart or Tchaikovsky. No today's pop hits, rap, rock: no anything. How do I explain to this kid the depth of musical theory as I know it? How do I bring over music from a completely different planet anyways? Would anyone believe me that these pieces even exist and are revered? Or the songs that I sing are actually sung by people out there in my country or something?
It's a sobering thought.
Gladwell stops walking and looks up at me worried, "Ittle be ok Edr- Ell-" the words muddle in her mouth.
I shake my head and laugh a little. "No don't worry about me kid, I'm fine." I pat her head "We just gotta do the best we can right? And you can call me anything you want, because at this point it doesn't matter to me. I'm a little bit of everything and so are you."
"Hmm. Ok" she cups her chin ,pensive, then stops and blinks at me. " Your face looks different now!"
I blink too. Did I change?
...I squish my boobs.
No pain this time?!
YOOOOO!
WHA-
What is even happening.
"UHHH…."
... I let go of my chest.
...
" You SEE? TADAAAA! Magic!"
I add jazz hands.
It's underwhelming.
Her eyes get all big and shiny though.
Oops. Abort, ABORT.
" Alright Gladwell," I kneel to face her at eye level "Don't go spreading around it's actual magic Kay? (And don't do what I just did with my chest) This going to stay our little secret how's that?" (because I don't even know what changes me for reals, and I've freaked enough people out already)
She nods.
I nod and hold out my pinky.
She stares.
I put on my best Harry Potter puppet pal Dumbledore voice "This the pinky promise. It is an agreement done by friends to keep things unspoken. It may never, ever be broken...ever."
She nods vigorously and returns my action.
Having successfully taught the promise I get back up "Good! Thank you very much, now, which way is home? It's getting a little darker out yes?" I try to steer her back on track to her parents and away from my boob growth transformation.
She chatters then, attention successfully diverted, showing me all of the little landmarks that distinguish certain paths all the way back to her dwelling…and I try to utilize whatever she said to get back to mine.
*BAM BAM BAM*
I spring up from the mattress with a shout.
"MOTHER OF- WHO THE-"
Who in their right minds does this shit every morning?
Another bang at the door.
"It is Cilivren! Eldryn, answer! You've an order from the king and we are to meet at the training grounds immediately!"
What.
HAH!?
DONT THEY KNOW ABOUT BEAUTY SLEEP?!
"Allonen awaits us as I speak!"
...
...
...
C'MAWN MAN!
