Vaan whistled to himself as he strolled through Archadia, his hands behind his head. Several people gave him odd looks and mothers nudged their children away from him. He rolled his eyes, ignoring their stares and the hushed scoldings. He was 'beneath' them, but sheesh.
He tilted his head when he heard some music playing and wandered to the plaza, smiling widely at the musician playing. The musician glanced up at him and paused, smiling widely at him. "You are from Rabanstre, are you not?"
Vaan nodded quickly, stepping forward. "I am. Do you know any songs from there?"
The musician nodded, adjusting the strings. "I have a drum, if you'd care to join me."
Vaan smiled widely and sat down on the steps, setting the drum in between his legs. "Do you know Lost Lives?"
The musician smiled slightly. "A sad song, eh? Alright, let's play."
Vaan nodded and tapped his fingers on the drum before giving it a few test pats. He nodded at the musician to start and took a deep breath, playing along. He smiled slightly as the musician began singing and closed his eyes, continuing to play the drum as he focused on the lyrics.
The lyrics told of war, of the lives lost and the families that were torn apart. Of the sons too young, losing their futures, and of the men too old, fighting for the futures of others. Of the children, left behind to weep, and of the parents, left behind to bury their children.
It was a popular song when the war was at it's height, people gathered around and shared what they had, listening to the music and sharing stories. People would sing and laugh and cry together, holding onto each other for all of it. When some of the young musicians were recruited, the music often became off beat and the singing out of tune.
It was a somber song, despite the upbeat tone. It brought back memories of Reks and their family, of happier times when the war was at it's lowest, and of a king that loved his people. It brought back memories of families still alive and together.
Vaan took a deep breath as his hands faltered and finished out the song with a few slow beats before wiping his eyes quickly. The musician smiled and gently patted his shoulder before offering a handkerchief.
Vaan smiled slightly and took it, wiping away his tears. "Thanks. You played really good."
The musician smiled, lightly bowing. "You're a good drummer. Thanks for joining me."
Vaan chuckled softly and shook his head. "Better make some money and start travelling, Rabanstre would love you."
The musician laughed at that, pocketing his handkerchief. "This is only a temporary stop, don't worry. I'll be sure to mark Rabanstre on my map."
Vaan nodded and waved as he walked off, taking a deep breath. He wiped away a tear. It was a good song.