[Residence] Shakah's Home

[Hadrian]

"Crafting mostly," he said, nodding. He thought it was clever to drop the 'mage' in magecrafting; he was a little pretentious like that. "But it would be difficult not to dabble in everything, because any discipline can be worked into it. What was your discipline?" he asked curiously.

They were indeed approaching the harbor, so he turned them toward the guildhall. He thought he remembered a sign that read Paulina's, but many locations remained ephemeral in his memory until he actually had a reason to pick them out of the tapestry of buildings.

[Shakah Doviaire]

Shakah laughed a bit uncomfortably. This was awfully close to his issue. "Reimancy. I had an affinity for the air, but I never had the talent for much training." He shrugged. "That's life, no?"

He looked around, studying signs as they came up. He was looking for the shop, but had no idea as to where it'd turn up.

[Hadrian]

"I've studied it some," Hadrian offered; more theory than practice. "I'm not one of those people just born with insanely powerful connections to the djed, but world magic, what requires intelligence... that I can learn with much greater ease." He pointed them into a new direction. "That's a shame, though, to have that affinity without the will to learn."

Hadrian was sure he knew where the shop was now, so he walked confidently on.

"We're practically there, now."

[Shakah Doviaire]

Shakah smiled. "I'm sure it's reflected in me some how. It's probably why I took to the harmonica. I just had some trouble learning the magic, so I gave up. I could probably learn if I tried again..." He was coming close to admitting something he didn't want to, but he wasn't really thinking it through.

[Hadrian]

"I have books," Hadrian offered, missing the reluctance in his voice. He couldn't understand not wanting to study magic, especially if one had the talent for it as Shakah seemed to. "I mean, if you want to come over some time and look through them. Not to say your parents weren't good teachers, but sometimes it helps to hear things explained a different way. And some people learn better from books until they get to a level of mastery where they need the hands-on help from an instructor. Ah, here we are."

They were directly in front of Paulina's Musical Instruments, and Hadrian opened the door for Shakah.

"I don't know her, so I'll let you do the talking." He grinned.

[Shakah Doviaire]

Shakah frowned before going inside. "It's not so much that the lessons were tough to understand." He paused. "Hm... I'll explain once my thoughts are in order." He smiled, trying to be cheerful again, and opened the door to the shop.

Inside, it was much like the lute shop with shelves. Shelves lined the place with different types of wind instruments. Shakah found himself in awe at first. So many instruments, and he had to find one to replace his. He stepped around brass instruments, to a small wall with the harmonicas. "Hello," he called out to the shop.

Music didn't fill this shop, especially not when the voice called back. "I'll be out in a jiffy!"

Shakah smiled and looked at the harmonicas. Diatonic or chromatic? The diatonic ones were much more expensive, and he didn't feel he needed the extra ten notes. They were useful, but he just didn't need it when his skill wasn't really professional. He looked at the chromatics, checking the reeds, the holes, and inspecting each carefully. His eyes fell on a particular silver one with no real design to it. Simple, plain, yet with an elegance all its own.

"That one's a real beaut," a rough voice told him. A large and powerful woman stood there. She had hands that spoke of deft skill, but she could still knock a sailor around. It probably came with the territory.

Shakah nodded. "It is." The simple design masked its quality, so only someone truly interested would buy it. "Did you design it like this on purpose?"

The woman nodded. "Yessir. Figured someone with a sharp eye would notice it one day."

[Hadrian]

Hadrian's brow furrowed slightly as Shakah passed in a gust of wind. He looked back outside, standing their on the threshold, and wondered at the quick breeze. He followed, though, closing the door behind him. The sea air might not be the best for the reeds. He wasn't sure, but it was probably best to be safe rather than sorry. Djenov kept a fire going in his shop at all times, far from the lutes, but drying the air out to prevent any sort of rot or mildew.

As he listened to Madame Paulina and Shakah speak, he derived greater respect for music. He wished he understood it better, so he could understand the harmonics of auristics better. There was just so much to learn. Perhaps Shakah would be able to teach him a thing or two about reimancy, even. Or his mother. To learn from a Chaktawe would be a treat.

Rather than infringe upon Shakah's negotiations -- after all, he kept saying how difficult it was for him to keep his wits about him -- he perused the simple wooden recorders, wondering if he shouldn't purchase one to help him understand those harmonies of sound that related to the harmonies of light and djed.

[Shakah Doviaire]

The discussion went back and forth until they came to talking about a price. Shakah could feel the instrument, and didn't argue when she asked for the price of a gold mizah. It was about that cost in Sylira where she was from, and so she charged similar here. He didn't find a need to argue, and immediately pressed it to his lips.

A sweet sound came from the harmonica. He ran along each note, bending some, and then smiled wide. He took a deep breath, and started a melody. He didn't make too many mistakes, or perhaps none. He was no novice at this, that was certain. Not paying attention to the surroundings, he got really into it, bringing each note into existence with some hints of real emotion poking through at parts he new particularly well. It was something of his own creation, though not of a level for a bard. As he played, his thoughts organized, and everything made sense again. This was how he relaxed and let things fall into place after all.

The song ended on a long note, and he lowered the harmonica. He saw Paulina grinning. "I'm glad to see that in good hands. Take care of it."

Shakah nodded. "Thank you. I will." He turned to Hadrian, whom he'd seen admiring the recorders. "See anything you like? You can get more women with a flute than with a recorder," he said with a smirk. His mannerisms seemed a bit more together, and even his speech was in order now. He was stressed before, especially when he lost his old harmonica. Now though... He admired the one in his hands briefly, before looking back at Hadrian.

[Hadrian]

"I'll take your word for it," he said, smiling. He took a simple ashwood flute with a beautiful varnish over to Paulina and bargained for a fair 15 silver nilos, then returned to Shakah's side. "I think there are some books in the musical college, or I can get lessons from one of the advanced students. Unless you know how to play the flute too..."

He pushed the door open for them again, thinking Shakah would want to get those crafting materials today as well.

"That was lovely, by the way. Your playing."

[Shakah Doviaire]

Shakah blinked. "I know the flute scale, but that's it. I'm at my best with a harmonica. The playing's not that good though. I can at least play without mistakes on the simple stuff. I'm definitely not good enough to perform. Maybe I'd be better if I knew how to compose it..." It was sad, but true. He couldn't read or write music. He'd just trained his hearing to pick it up, and made up everything he played.

As they walked down the street, Shakah stopped. "Oh. Right. I suppose I should keep my word." He hesitated and then sighed. "It wasn't so much that I couldn't learn reimancy. I just decided to stay away from it. I guess I just wasn't mature enough to understand what I was doing." He stepped a bit closer to Hadrian, and the wind picked up around him, because of Shakah. He stepped back, and it died down. Then he stepped forward once more. "I started overgiving really early on in my training. The air follows me around everywhere now." He smirked. "Better this than dead though, right?"