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 the horror that is potato harvest has begun! And I, of course, get the extreme 'privilege' of working it! Mind you, it isn't really the fifty pounds of dirt brought home daily on your person, or the disgusting rotten potatoes, or the finger jamming rocks, or the dangerous whirling gears and axles, or the twelve hour daily shifts, or the constant fatigue, or the waking up before the sun's up to get on a loud irritating machine, or the fact that you can't hear for at least half and hour after getting off the machine that makes this job so … um … wonderful? Oh, no the word I was looking for there is wretched, yes wretched, but wait, yes it is those things that makes it wretched never mind. ( I actually don't mind harvest all that much, but it is tough work so in short I probably won't be writing as much until it is over, luckily I've still got a week of school before harvest break (3 weeks off so farmers can put us high-schoolers to work) so I might get another chapter in before it starts.
I spent the next two weeks studying tuning with Tatty, she drove me crazy, and yet I was extremely grateful for her tutelage. On the first day of the third week though, we didn't meet in our usual practice room. Tatty let me choose any out of the way place I liked. Naturally I chose a spot near the grove in companion's field.
So we sat together on the cool grass and Tatty started teaching me chords. At first I stumbled through hopelessly but by the end of the lesson I felt I was doing splendidly.
"How was that?" I asked brightly.
"Alright, for a baby beginner," Tatty returned, "But not for you, I know that you can do better."
"How? I played it perfectly," I groaned in frustration.
"You played the simple chord very well, but there are variations on it, and your form was sloppy, that translates to the sound you know!"
"I'll try again," I said grudgingly accepting the criticism.
"No, that's enough for today; tomorrow we'll work on the variations of that chord. Actually we may spend the rest of the week on it."
"The whole week on one chord? How will we ever reach them all?"
"Well, this is you first chord. Most of what you'll learn will apply to the others, so maybe a few months?"
"Oh great, and then I have to learn to play songs…"
"Oh, but first you need to learn individual notes, and of course, embellishments…" Tatty said gleefully tormenting me with the specter of longs hours of work.
"Okay," I growled in feigned anger, "I get the point, this is going to take a while, no shortcuts. I get that a lot lately," I added the last as I thought about my recent encounter with my teachers. They had confronted me about doing my schoolwork in class, they had complained that it reflected low quality workmanship and insisted that they would double my workload anytime they saw me taking class time to do the work. I had reluctantly agreed and done my homework in the evenings, but I didn't appreciate the teachers' concern for my shoddy work. No shortcuts then.
"As you should, there are no shortcuts to where you're going Cye; you can be a great bard, a legendary one even, but not if you take shortcuts."
"I know, shortcuts get people killed, just look at Herald Talia …"
"Talia?"
"She was the queen's own a long time ago, I read about her in the library, her gift was empathy and short-cuts were taken in training to it went renegade and she nearly killed the herald she was interning with, herself, and both of their companions… I guess shortcuts are kind of frightening when I look at them like that."
Tatty nodded, "That's exactly what we've all been telling you. I'm glad you understand."
"Yeah, I still don't like it though."
"That's fine," she ruffled my hair and set out for the collegium.
"Wait up," I called as I rushed to stuff my harp back into its case.
Tatty slowed down and I jogged to catch up with her, "I hope you remembered to let the tension out of the strings before you jammed your poor harp in there like that," Tatty said gesturing to my harp case.
"Oops," I hurriedly unfastened the case and did as she had suggested.
"No shortcuts Cye," she admonished me. Shaking her head woefully.
"I know, but every time I go to do something the perfect way to do it faster comes to mind."
"It's alright, just focus on the right way and you'll be fine. It's okay to make mistakes as long as you are willing to own up to them," Tatty reminded me for at least the fiftieth time.
"Yeah, I know."
We walked the rest of the way to the fence in silence, but as we started to climb over a companion, Asia actually, came over and nudged me.
"You go ahead, I think she wants to talk to me," I told Tatty who was already on the far side of the fence.
"Okay, should we save you a spot at supper?"
"Yeah, that would be great, I'll be in soon."
:I should hope you would have come to speak to me! I haven't even seen you, except at a distance since Savannah left.:
"Do you want all the sweets my not visiting deprived you of?" I asked coolly.
Asia advanced and pinned her ears back at me, :Listen here you silly boy, I've missed you. You used to come visit me daily, that's a big change. What's an old pasture pony to do when its only friend in the world leaves it?:
"Ha! You are no pasture pony Asia, I saw you and mother out on the course yesterday, don't you dare tell me you've been mistreated or deprived," I softened a bit though, it wasn't her fault that I had too much work and a terrible case of melancholy whenever I even looked at a companion.
:Look, I didn't come here to complain, I know you're growing up and I'm proud that you're working hard at your studies, I actually came to guilt a few treats out of you and tell you that Savannah will be here by the end of the week.:
Out of habit I reached into my pocket for a treat that wasn't there, "Darn, sorry Asia I don't have any treats on me," then an idea struck me, "Say, you don't still happen to like math do you?"
:I have always liked math,: Asia agreed.
"Alright, I'll get some treats at supper, then after I eat I'll bring my schoolwork to the companion's stable and you can chow down while you help me with my math and stuff …"
:I am not doing your work for you!: she exclaimed, shocked at the audacity of such a request.
"No, I don't want you to, I just want help with the math; it confuses me sometimes."
:Alright, I'll meet you in my usual stall then, goodbye Cye,:
"Bye Asia, I'll see you later."
I then proceeded to run to dinner, which by then was a rushed affair. After wolfing down my meal I collected school supplies and some treats for Asia.
"Where are you going?" Eben asked as I scooped things from my desk into a bag.
"Out to visit Asia, she's pretty good at math, and I could use some help …"
"Oh, well, when you are done the math, come in and we can help each other with composition."
I nodded, "Great, composition is always easier with another person to help!"
"You got that right, see you in a bit," Eben grinned and turned to his own work. I bolted for the stable and fed Asia until she actually refused to take another bite. Then she helped me to finish my math, and then all the work for the classes that I had to take in general studies, except history which she hated. I didn't mind because I was pretty good with history and then I went back up to my rooms to finish my music related work.
"Good, you're back, I was thinking about the third movement of my composition, what if we did it in all minor chords? You know to make it seem darker?"
"For the transition, yes, but I like to way you have the third movement right now, it sounds mysterious."
"Okay, sure, that would work," Eben bit his lip and marked a few notes on his paper, "How about if we add a soprano part in minor to the third? Or flute, something high and haunting…" he suggested looking up at me.
I thought about it for a moment, trying to conceptualize the sound such a part would make, "Yes," I said slowly, "That would definitely work, especially if it paralleled the major chords in the tenor part."
"Ooh, I like it," Eben picked up a different paper and was scribbling like a maniac trying to get the new part to match his vision of it. Finally he set his writing implement down and handed me the score without a word. I looked it over and hummed a bit of it.
"Shall we try it?" I asked when I saw that it most certainly met approval.
"I don't see why not," Eben shrugged and rummaged around until he found his flute, "There now, I'll play the new part you sing the tenor?"
"Sure," I agreed. Eben tapped off the start and we played the third movement. The flute moaned sorrowfully in its high range and sent chills up my back. It was a nearly perfect complement to the part I was singing.
"There's something off about it," I said carefully. Eben slowly lowered his flute as the last note died away and nodded.
"I just can't ever seem to get all the parts to work together …"
I thought for a moment and then looked down at the much used sheet of parchment, "What if you changed some of the tenor part to minor chords so there is less clashing?"
"That would work," Eben said glumly, "We can work on it some more tomorrow, time to do your homework."
I willingly submitted my composition homework for his inspection. It wasn't actual composition yet, just mechanics. Even so it was an advanced class for a new trainee and I was very pleased that I had been assigned to it.
"It looks fine to me; just make sure you mark the time signature …" Eben handed the paper back to me, but I was too busy staring at him to take it, "What's the matter?" he asked worriedly.
"That's it!" I cried triumphantly, "The time signature, put the whole third movement into ¾ time and I bet it will come out brilliantly!"
"But, darn it, that's a lot of work …"
"I know, but it will fix it, I know it will!"
"Okay, I'll try it, but not right now, now it's time for bed."
"Alright," I agreed glad for the extra sleep and pleased that Eben's piece was coming along so nicely.
A/N okay there's this chap; hopefully there'll be another before the week is out. Bye.