Disclaimer: Since this is a new fic I am rewording the disclaimer but it's still here 'cause unfortunately I still don't own any of the below ideas that can be found in the 'real' Valdemar *sigh*.
A/N same disclaimer as always… I love copy paste… okay I will now attempt to write chapter 2 since I finished mowing the lawn and all. But then harvest starts Monday… which means every spare moment I have that isn't occupied by school will be spent working and then falling asleep practically before I take a shower … yucky dirty harvest work… but it pays soooooooo well. But then there's also a horseshow during our three week long harvest break so maybe I'll get to do that instead. Right then, on to the story. Right and thanks so much to Stee Parker I'm not even quite sure which Cye will be yet, although I do have many ideas!
My father returned from his circuit a full three days later. On the bright side he wasted no time in bringing me to bardic to get enrolled. This was a simple enough task. By evening I had my things moved in alongside the other trainees and I had traded in my old clothes for rusty bardic trainee reds.
I had the entire evening to get used to my new rooms. It took a while to get used to not living at home though. I didn't mind anything so much as the new patterns in the ceiling. I missed my pictures, so I went to talk to Asia and Ralph. I didn't want the two-leggers in my family to regret letting me become a bard so I figured the companions would be good company.
:How are you Cye?: Ralph asked before I was even close to the stable where I knew I would find them. As always Asia was hiding from the dark within its dimly lit confines and her two best friends, Ralph and Tally, were with her.
"Fine," I replied dully, knowing he would pick up on the answer even though I didn't have mindspeach.
:Miss your old room?: Tally suggested helpfully, :My Freddy had the hardest time getting used to having a new room.:
"Yeah, I miss my old room; I guess I'm pretty lucky that my family is all right here though. I mean most of the kids that come to the collegium barely ever see their families."
:True, but at least the ones in gray have someone who loves 'em around.: Ralph replied.
:But then there are the others,: Asia pointed out.
Not wanting to spark a philosophical debate among the companions I broke in, "Healers and blues are too worried about helping people, themselves or others, to worry about home, and most bardic trainees love an adventure anyway. The heralds need a companion's comfort because they are the only ones who don't choose their paths."
:Unless their parents enroll a healer or bard, or even a blue.: Ralph persisted.
"But most don't. I'm fine, I just felt like a familiar voice is all."
:Well, you've found three, although we could just as easily have this conversation from your room!: Asia replied, :unless of course, you brought a treat for Aunty Asia and Uncle Ralph?:
I chuckled at the companion's greed, "I even have one for 'Aunty Tally'," I responded.
:Well, why didn't you say so? Come on in my dear boy!: Asia invited sweetly.
After spending more candle marks than I should have with the three companions I returned to my new room. Unfortunately, my roommate, who I had managed to ignore until that time, was sitting awake at one of the room's two desks.
"Who're you?" he asked bluntly.
"Cymon, this is my first night here…"
"So, you're the new boy? Starting classes tomorrow right? Think you're the best singer the world has known huh?"
"No," I replied quietly, shocked by my roommate's vicious display of animosity, "I just want to be a bard, I know I don't have the sweetest voice, but I bet I could play an instrument! I want to write ballads, not sing them."
"Write them? Are you nuts? That's that hard part!"
"I like writing," I shrugged, "I've always wanted to be a bard, that or a … never mind."
"Or a what?" my roommate asked, all traces of nastiness having vanished.
"I wanted to be like my parents," I said at last, compromising, I was sure that if this other boy knew I wanted to be a herald he would think me crazy.
"Oh," he let the subject drop, "so, you really want to be a bard? You aren't here to have your voice ooed and ahhed over?"
"Of course not! Bards aren't just singers you know."
"Yeah, but try telling that to some of the young upstarts that come here! Glory grubbers they are!"
"Well, I have no need of glory," I replied as I thought uneasily of my mother and father's fame, defeating the clan had been no small task… I sighed at the thought of this boy finding out about that.
"Alright, so Cymon, we're to be roommates then, I haven't had a roomy since I lived out by the north border!"
"You can call me Cye, what's your name?"
"Eben," Eben suck out a hand and I shook it firmly. My father had always said that he didn't trust a man who didn't shake hands properly, he had taught that point of etiquette quite well. Eben broke into a broad grin.
I just laughed; something about the other boy's open smile was contagious.
"Well, tell me a bit about yourself, where are you from? What in the world kept you out so late? What's your family like?"
"I have a brother, Jedric, and sister, Melly, they're twins. We live in Haven," I responded not wanting to tell him my parents were heralds as I was afraid of his reaction.
"What about your parents?" Eben asked as if he had picked up on the thought.
"First tell me about your family," I requested. Eben shrugged and obliged.
"My father is a blacksmith up by the Forest of Sorrows. My brothers and I used to explore the forest all the time. I have two sisters and three brothers, and too many cousins to list off …"
"What are you siblings' names?"
"Ah, come on, fair's fair, you tell me about your parents first!"
"My mother and father are both heralds," I half-whispered avoiding Eben's eyes.
"Heralds? You grew up with two Heraldic parents, and companions? But…."
"It's a life bond, yes, I know, heralds generally don't have kids, but my parents did!"
"No need to get defensive about it Cye, you're pretty lucky to have two heralds in you family!"
"Thanks," I replied not feeling very lucky.
"Cheer up there's nothing to be worried about, what? Are you afraid I'll think you're Mr. Bigshot just because of your parents? Come on, we're both going to be bards, and we're roomies!"
I had to smile at that, "Thanks, it's just … well I've never had much luck making friends before," if that wasn't the understatement of the month! I had totally botched every social interlude I tried to make since I was younger than the twins. I just couldn't seem to say the right things and the few times I had managed start a good conversation I ended up totally offending my potential friend. That was why I had retreated to the companion's field for friendship.
"You'll get over that, Bards are bold, and we know how to talk the ears off a wall, if we need to."
"I'll take your word for it."
"I suppose you don't want to tell me where you've been all evening?"
"Visiting with Ma and Pa's companions."
"Oh, well, just a bit of friendly advice, get some sleep while you can, you'll have enough school work tomorrow for any two kids!"
"Thanks for the advice," I replied as I crawled into my bed quite exhausted from my first day as a trainee, but of course I was interrupted from my much needed rest by Ralph saying that Father wanted to see me.
Grumpily I got back out of bed and started to leave.
"Where are you going?" Eben asked, once again poring over whatever was on his desk. I looked at the rugged boy and wondered if he would try to stop me leaving.
"My father wants to see me, he just got home from a circuit today," I explained.
"Oh, wow, I bet your parents are away a lot aren't they?" Eben thought about his comment for a moment and then smacked his forehead, "I'm sorry that wasn't the way I meant that to sound …"
I shrugged, "no big deal, that's the downside to having a herald for a parent. I'll be back as soon as may be, I'll try not to wake you if you're asleep."
"Oh, don't you worry about that! I'll be up all night trying to order this composition!"
"Well, good luck on it then," I called over my shoulder, relieved that the friendly side of my roommate was more prominent than the nasty one.
I didn't spend much time thinking about Eben though; I was busy anticipating the sweets and snacks that would wait in my parent's rooms. The sweets always abounded when one of them returned from a circuit.
As I entered the familiar room my nose proved that my taste buds would not be disappointed.
"Ah, there you are Cye, come and sit, have a sweet cake. We barely saw you today."
"I know Father," I responded as I sat beside him on the couch and accepted a honey cake.
"So, you're to be a bard. I can scarcely believe it. I remember when you were still a little baby…"
"Pa," I objected weakly. He chuckled.
"Alright son, I'm glad for you, your hair will match your clothes!" he added with a sly grin.
"Red's better than boring old white any day Pa, I won't have to wash my clothes every three seconds!"
"What may I ask is wrong with clean clothes?"
With no ready retort I stuck my tongue out at him. Smiling he tickled me and soon it escalated to a full scale tickle war and the two of us wrestled right off the couch. Laughing we helped each other to stand up.
"I was just going to mention how much I've missed playing with you these past few years and then you go and spoil it with a wrestling match!" my father said happily.
I grinned broadly, "I missed it too… but I'm too old to play kiddy games."
This bold comment elicited another round in our fight, as it was designed to, but our second bout was put to an end by Mother wading into the sitting room groggily.
"What's going on out here Mew?" Mother asked still part-way asleep.
"Pa and I were just playing," I quickly explained.
"That's right El, I had Ralph get him out of bed so I could talk with him. I got to spend the day with you and the twins, but I barely saw Cye at all."
"Fair, enough, but keep it down! A girl needs her sleep!" Ma smiled at us, kissed Pa, hugged me and pinched my cheek before going back to bed. As she shut the door between the sitting room and bedroom Pa and I exchanged a glance and burst out laughing like schoolboys caught in a joke.
"I guess I should have remembered she was sleeping in there," Pa said impishly.
"Yeah."
"Alright Cye, I know you have your first day of school tomorrow, so I won't keep you long, I just wanted to say that I am very proud of you for making something of your life. Dreams are good but …"
"But I shouldn't cling to dead ones, I know. I don't mind. I really do want to be a bard. I only wanted to be a herald because I like Savannah, but she's going to pick someone totally amazing!"
"That doesn't exclude you Cye," Father replied gently. For a moment I was shocked by the statement and I just stared at my father. He kissed my forehead, "Good night Cymon, get yourself to bed okay?"
"Goodnight Pa," I finally found my voice. I hugged him around the neck and snatched another cake before heading back to my new room.
As promised, Eben was still awake, and he was still hunched over his desk.
"I just can't get it to come out right!" he grumbled angrily.
"What?" I asked.
"Wha-?" he spun to face me, "Oh, it's just you, you near scared me to death. This roommate thing will take some getting used to!"
I smiled sheepishly, "sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Maybe I could help with your work?"
"I don't know, it's pretty hard. It's just that the meter won't fit with my melody. I can't seem to get the right key either. It's just a mess."
"Oh, well have you tried singing it?"
"Yeah, but it's got three parts. I can drum out the bass beat," he held up a small drum, "And sing the tenor, but the melody just keeps getting all jumbled up!"
"Let me see it."
Reluctantly he handed me a much-used piece of parchment.
I glanced at the simple rhythms. After a moments examination I whistled in admiration, "This is great!"
"It's going to be one of the themes in my master work, every bard needs to come up with one to get full reds… but I just can't work it out!"
"Let's try it," I asked.
Eben shrugged, "no harm in trying it I guess."
With that he started to tap the drum and hum. For a moment I was lost but then Eben started singing words and I saw where my part fit in. I joined my voice to his and sang through the composition.
When we finished Eben blinked and his wide grin once more spread across his face, "That's it!" he breathed, "That's exactly how it's supposed to sound! You've got an ear for this Cye! Wow, quick give me the score so I can write it down, amazing, simply amazing!"
I smiled at Eben's enthusiasm.
"That's truly an amazing piece," a new voice spoke from the door.
We both spun to face its origin.
"But I don't recall giving you boys permission to wake everybody up this late at night!" the woman in the doorway added severely, "Eben you know the rules, why would you lead this child into wrongdoing?"
"He was helping me with my composition," Eben said squirming, "You know that theme I couldn't get to work? He figured it out, just sang it right out he did!"
She raised a blond eyebrow, "Really? Well, we'll have to see this talented new boy tomorrow at lessons. Please try to keep it down though?"
"Yes Bard Pisa. I'll see you tomorrow."
The bard smiled and left.
"Don't pay her any mind, monitoring the boy's hall is her hobby. She just loves picking at us."
"Oh," I replied slightly taken aback by the bard's visit.
"Well, anyway, thanks for the help. I don't think I ever would have been able to fix that bit without you!"
"No problem, what're roommates for?"
"What indeed," he smiled and turned back to furiously scribbling down new notations.
I returned to my bed and for once fell deeply asleep immediately.
A/N alright, there then! Chapter 2. I hope y'all like it! Posting two chaps in one day… maybe I should wait, but I'd rather start chapter 3 for y'all. Anyhow. Good bye and God bless!