Ch 3 Paint the Town
Van hesitated as he entered the room. The cheerful chatter of voices quieted for a moment when he entered, the rose again. He realized that black was perhaps not the best color he could have chosen to wear.
Most of the people here wore uniforms of some kind. He saw white, grey, blue, greens and reds, but he was the only one who wore black.
Her noticed the curious looks he was getting and considered turning around and forgetting supper, when a boy in grey walked up to him.
"Are you lost" the boy asked.
"No, I was directed here" he said, adding "I was told I could find a meal here".
"Who told you that" he asked Van.
"She said her name was Sayvil, she was kind enough to direct me here after I was done sketching".
"You're the artist, Cheran told me about you" The boy exclaimed.. "Can I see what you've done" he asked. "Oh by the way, my names Denrick" he said.
"After I get something to eat, I'm starving" he said, when he had a chance to say anything through the boy's excited chatter.
The boy turned to the crowd at the tables "Gerol get this man some food, he's the artist we've been hearing about" he yelled. Then he steered Van over to a empty spot and asked" how about showing us some of your work while you're waiting for supper".
Van sighed and nodded, setting his bag down he pulled out his sketches and watercolors.
Everyone at the nearby tables crowded around to get a look as he spread out his afternoon's work.
"Can I" Denrick asked, touching the edge of one of the watercolors. He nodded, it wasn't as if they were anything but studies for the mural he was working on.
"This is Cheran" he said his voice awed. He turned to Van "How did you capture her, most people can't tell them apart".
"I only painted what I see, nothing is identical" he said looking critically over his work.
"Not even twins" one of the girls in blue asked. Some of the others laughed and Van noticed another girl that looked like her in the crowd.
"Not even" he said shaking his head.
"Oh look, it's Hanel" one of the voices exclaimed. Others joined in as they excitedly tried to tell who he had drawn.
"Can we buy these" a soft voice asked from his side. He looked up into a pair of soft green eyes.
"These are just studies for a project I'm working on" he said looking at the woman in white, she was not beautiful, but her face was full of character. She brushed back her dark brown hair and gave him a wry look as he continued to stare at her.
He started and flushed, embarrassed to be caught staring, looking down at his work he said "If would give me your names, I can give you these after I'm done with them, I wouldn't sell sketches".
He pulled out a scrap of paper from his bag and grabbed a stick of charcoal. Voices clambered in his ears as they vied to be first on his list.
"Quiet, let's have some order here, one at a time please, let the poor man write" Denrick shouted.
After that, it went smoothly and he filled out his list. Making a mental note that the woman's name was Charol. "Where can I send these to make sure everyone gets their sketch" he mused out loud.
"Where are you staying" Charol asked.
"At Lady Herent's townhouse, at least until I'm done working on the murals she wanted" he said..
Denrick helped him put his sketches away as Gerol who had been standing impatiently with his dinner put it on the table.
"I'd like to see them" she said.
"I don't think she would mind if I had a visitor" he said. "She's been trying to get me to take a break, and maybe get out more, but I don't know anyone here" he said.
"I noticed you have a faint accent, where are you from" she asked sitting nearby.
"Jkatha, but my ancestors came from Valdemar originally" he said starting on his dinner.
"There's a delegation from Jkatha here now" she said.
He nodded "I know, I saw them when Lady Herent and I arrived at the palace today".
"Maybe, you'd like to visit with them when they are settled, it can be arranged, I know it can be hard living in a place so far from home" she said.
"Maybe" he said thinking probably not, he didn't want people to find out about his father, he just wanted to be judged for himself, not his family.
As he finished his meal he noticed the room had been clearing and the cleaning crews had already come in and started getting ready for the next group. He looked up at Charol's face "I don't think I gave you my name, you must think I'm terribly rude" he said.
"It's Vandoryn" she laughed at the look on his face "Companion's gossip just like anyone else, what you tell one the rest will know eventually".
"Seriously, why didn't you eat at court, someone who looks like you would be a big hit there" she asked.
He frowned "I'd rather be boiled in oil".
"But don't you want commission's, you need to be seen if you want people to know about you" she asked watching him as he answered.
"I'm good enough so that people will eventually hear about me and right now I have all the work I can handle" he said.
She shook her head "I'm not sure that's enough".
He made a joke "Well, there's always the mysterious stranger angle".
She laughed, then stood up "Well, I have to go, I'll be looking forward to seeing your murals". He nodded and watched her go before picking up his tray and taking it where he had seen the other's take their empty trays.
