Originally written for SMACKDOWN 2011, Team Circlecest.
False Summer
By icecreamlova
Music
- : -
One week.
They'd agreed on one week of practice (though any musician on the street knew that it took far, far longer to master an instrument), and then a display.
Fortunately for Sandry, she'd touched the lute before, and a passing musician from Yazmin's studio had given her a few pointers.
Aware of her siblings' eyes upon her, Sandry stood up her full height (which was almost the same as Daja and Briar, sitting down) and moved the lute into position.
"Ready?" Briar prodded. It had been his idea, though he had thus far refused to explain where it had come from.
Tris and Daja, who looked somewhat less interested, simply watched.
Sandry strummed.
Oh, a mistake there...
Was that a mistake? She wasn't sure!
And yes, the easy part of the simple piece!
And... finished.
"Well?" she demanded. "What do you think?"
Now Daja smiled as well. "We cast our votes. You don't get to know until everyone's had a turn." They all turned to look at Tris, who grumbled.
- : -
Tris still wasn't sure how her (annoying, meddling) brother had managed to pull her into their lute-playing competition. Maybe it had something to do with her desire to actually do something with her siblings, now that she was finally back from Lightsbridge.
It did amuse her, that her certification at Lightsbridge meant that Daja, Sandry, and Briar watched her expectantly, because they joked about how Lightsbridge FORCED its students to learn music. They spoke in jest; it amused her even more that they were right.
Tris strode past Sandry, who gave her a huge smile, and Briar, who had a smirk plastered on his face. Daja, however, was as cool and calm as ever.
Tris strummed the lute Sandry handed her thoughtfully, enjoying, wickedly, their surprise that she did, indeed, know how to play. It was one skill, at least, she could be proud and comfortable to display.
"No fair!" Briar, who was going last, said.
"You were the one who came up with the idea, boy," Tris said, and began to play.
- : -
Daja actually didn't mind joining the lute competition that Briar had set up. When Tris finished her part, she took the lute from her sister, received an encouraging smile from Sandry, and stood up.
Their playing 'platform' was simply a space they'd cleared in the living room of Daja's house.
Daja closed her eyes, imagining the song she had learnt for the past week - because that was the first time she'd touched the lute.
Her long fingers strummed over the strings, and they pushed into her fingers, but she barely felt it; she was used to metal-work.
"Are you going to start now?" Briar asked.
Daja did.
She played the song that she'd practiced, at the expense of actually learning anything about the lute.
It was simple, single-notes, and it reminded her of home.
When her eyes opened, and she prepared to receive her critique, Sandry reminded her, "We'll tell you when it's over."
Well then. Briar had better start playing.
- : -
As the final notes of Daja's piece died down, Briar realized he would cheerfully have hugged Pasco. There was fire in his sisters' eyes, and pleasure, at the simple thing of competing in a lute-playing competition.
Briar had started the lute competition because Pasco had prompted it. He hadn't, initially, been convinced that the benefits outweighed the problems (one hour or so of fun, listening to everyone, compared to the week they'd spend apart while practicing), but he was convinced now. Because quiet contentment was a good thing, but joy, actively trying to do things together, was even better.
It was actually a bit intimidating, though. Daja had grown up around her distinctive Trader music; Sandry had access to the great musicians of the realm; Tris had actually studied a bit about music and the lute in Lightsbridge. Briar? He was just a street rat.
Nevertheless...
Daja handed him the lute, and he took it. He wouldn't get sappy or something like one or two of his sisters, but he wasn't too embarrassed when he started playing. Not when he was playing to them.
- : -
To his great astonishment, Briar won the competition.
- : -
Well?