This is another challenge from the Collegium, I based it on one of the characters from Dark Rider, it takes place a little before that story too. Mercedes Lackey owns Rethwellen, where this takes place.
A Fall into Darkness
Merrol sat in the Inn, sipping his ale. He kept apart from the others as they laughed and talked. Gossip, he thought to himself, they're worse than a gaggle of women. He wouldn't have been here himself, except he had to get away. He couldn't stand that She was visiting, his brother's wife Graella.
He shook his head, even the child was gifted. It ate at him, even after all this time. They had the gift he would have killed for and Rannel's son would become what he should have been. At the first sound of the gittern, Merrol stiffened and stood up abruptly. He pushed his way out of the room as quickly as he could, a grim look in his eyes.
Gedley looked up "What's wrong with em, he's always been a sour one, but tis rude to leave just when the bard's starting his set".
"Oh, don't mind him, it's just sour grapes, he wanted to be a bard himself, but didn't have the talent for it" Jed said, before sipping his ale.
"What do you mean, I've heard him as a boy. He was good" a man from the next table asked.
Jed grinned, he loved a new audience "it's like this, You know Rannel don't you" he asked the other men.
At their nods he added "You know he married a bard, well, they met when the Lord hired a group of bards from Valdemar for his eldests coming of age party. When the bards heard about Merrol one of them looked him over, he wasn't what they wanted. The boy hasn't played a note since then".
"That's stupid, we can't all be best, it's a crime to deny the talents you have because it isn't what you wanted" one of the men muttered.
Jed nodded " It's something he hasn't learned yet, give him time".
From the a nearby table a man glanced over at the group from the caravan, hmmm, this could be what I was looking for, he thought to himself.
-
Merrol walked through the street of the town, he kicked at the dirt. There would have to be a bard here, he thought glumly. Most days he could forget and there were times that he was almost happy.
"Heyla" the voice called from behind and Merrol glanced back wondering who would be following him. Most of the others left him alone, something he encouraged. He frowned, this man wasn't from his caravan.
"What do you want" he growled at the man.
The other shook his head "And a good day to you too" he said with an amused tone to his voice.
Merrol shook his head and turned back to the road.
"My name is Dherin and I have a proposition for you, something I'm sure you'll be interested in" he said.
"Talk to the master trader, he handles those things" Merrol said.
"It's not a matter of trade" Dherin said, watching the other man closely.
"Then what is it" Merrol asked, glancing back at the other.
"A chance to do something yourself, without standing in anyone elses shadow" he said.
"What" he asked, confused.
"I heard the men talking about you, that your dreams were taken from you, perhaps it's time to make some new dreams for yourself" Dherin said.
"What do you mean" he asked warily.
"Riches, fame, a new life for yourself in the shadow of no one" the man said.
"I don't care about those things" he growled, what good were they when he had lost the only thing that mattered.
Dherin smiled a small satified smile "Perhaps, you could use what money can buy".
"And what's that" he said, beginning to tire of this conversation.
"The bardic gift" Dherin said, watching his eyes.
Merrol shook his head "You can't buy a gift, you're born with it or not".
"You can if you have the potential, one that's not developed" he said.
"What do you mean" Merrol asked, an uneasy feeling growing.
"My gift is the sensing of another's gifts and I can feel it in you, but it's sleeping. However if you had the money to pay a mage, he could awaken it" Dherin said.
"Is that possible" Merrol whispered, hope stirring within his heart.
Dherin nodded, his smile growing wider.
"What must I do" he asked, watching the other man's face.
"Join my band" Dherin said.
"What" Merrol asked.
"My band, I'm what would be refered to as a bandit" he said, watching the man carefully, if the man didn't join it would be unfortunate, especially for him.
Merrol thought about it, he didn't like the idea of living that way, but what did he have now, and this was an opportunity, he could get his dream, something he had given up on.
"Alright, what do I need to do" he asked.
Dherin relaxed and smiled handing him a small bag "this is a little gift for the Caravan guards, if you can get them to eat this before dawn in three days, You may join my band".
The next day the other men were shocked to see Merrol walk into the common room holding what had to be a gittern in it's bag, the strap over his shoulder, he walked up to the master trader and sat with the other junior traders watching while the master did the days trade and he kept quiet when the caravan left for the road again.
The other men didn't know what to think, it was like he was another man entirely, he smiled and joked with the guards and when in two days he offered to cook the evenings meal, they just shook their heads, mystified at the change.
That evening he sat staring into the dark, waiting for his new companions to come visiting. He could hardly wait.