Open The Musical Farewell

[Ginchoeri]

11th of fall, 2012

Gin was humming as she walked towards one of the bigger fires of the camp, hoping that no one would mind a little music from a simple harpest. Her hood covered her hair, for she was still quite consiencious of the fact that she wasn't quite human. The darkness was all encompassing as she passed fire after fire until she found the one she wanted to be at.

It didn't have to little, or to many people. It was just enough people that she could maybe find someone to converse with about music, or something arbitrary, like their travels. But she'd also be able to have some time alone most likely with her harp playing or people just, sitting near her to hear the playing better. She smiled to herself as she found a spot to sit and took her harp gingerly out of it's bag.

She heard chitchatting from every direction, laughter and other human conversation noises around her. She smiled a little more and took out the L-tool, an instrument to tune her harp. She plucked her strings so lightly they were like whispers and found them all to be sharp, so one after the other, she nudged each string a little looser till they were all just right. She put the L-tool away and she warmed up the strings with a few runs, low C to middle C, middle C to high C and then low C to high C. Then she play a little of the start of her mothers song as she hummed along.

She paused when she noticed people looking at her, though she couldn't tell if they were expecting something more, or if she shouldn't be here playing her harp. Did it really matter though? She wanted to play so bad, and she wanted others to hear. So she was willing to get stared at because of her playing. She thought about what she wanted to play, something that people here might know the story of. The only thing she could think of that might catch their interest was a song about a horse. Oh well, nothing to do for it but sing it. So that's what she did.

"I can hear the horses,
as they prod along
friends with many courses,
so big and so strong.

Horses lead me on,
through life and through dream.
Horses lead me on,
through yonder blue stream.

Clacking hoofs I hear,
as I walk the path
I feel no fear
as there's no wrath.

Every step I take,
may be my last
but as I wake,
I follow my caste.

Strangely I know,
that things must end
but even as I go,
the horses comprehend.

The horses comprehend."

With each line there was a rise and a fall with both her voice and her runs on her harp. It was a sad, slow melody of a song. It was sweet, almost like a lullaby, and as she played the last cord she noticed how quiet it had become. She looked around, no one was talking, and everyone was either looking at her or sitting loosely, like they'd closed their eyes to listen. She blushed, and started to whimper an appology.

[Kai]

Kai was entranced in a particularly entertaining game of catch with her cats. In fact she had long forgotten her family, who sat around the camp fire, among the crowds of Drykas so alike them. No, she wasn't interested in family airfares; for she had done her weaving for the day and now it was time for fun.

She waved the piece of string in the air, as the larger cat caught it and landed somewhat gracefully, before preceding to climb onto her lap with a soft purrrrrrr. With a laugh she ruffled the beast's fur and fell to the ground, rolling around as if she was 5 again. That was when she heard the sweet music. Enchanting mellow notes of a harp, echoing around the camp fire. As if in a trance Kai jumped to her feet, completely forgetting to wipe the dirt from her face, and fallowed it.

"Every step I take,
may be my last
but as I wake,
I follow my caste.

Strangely I know,
that things must end
but even as I go,
the horses comprehend.

The horses comprehend."

With the last verse Kai hummed quietly, almost floating past the crowds, elevated spiritually by this melody. She didn't recognise it, for her mother had never sang to her. But instinctively she wanted to hum along. Alas! She spotted the one person upon which all eyes were now fixated. She crouched down before her, much in a way she would crouch before a religious altar and with eyes fill of awe, she listened to the very final lines.

"but even as I go,
the horses comprehend.

The horses comprehend."

As the song finished Kai could sense the timidness within the lady who had just played such a beautiful lullaby. " Play more." she pleaded. By now she noticed that the lady was not human and definitely not Drykas. But this made Kai somehow want to connect with her on a deeper level. "Please play more" she repeated with a child's determination in her tone and sparks in her eyes.

[Elvyne Shaakri]

The music was a welcome break from conversation for Elvyne. She looked across the fire, but the flames distorted the face of whoever was playing it - they had their hood up anyway, that was all she could see. The plump woman next to Elvyne sniffed indignantly as the harpist began to sing in the Common language. As the woman moved away, Elvyne gave a heavy sigh of relief - she had been Elvyne’s distant cousin, or aunt, or someone equally unknown, who clearly felt that they had some sort of responsibility to comfort Elvyne in her current time of mourning.
”It’s just like when my husband’s dog died. A great loss, I know what it’s like.” She had said.
No, your dog died. I lost my husband. There is a great difference you ignorant cow. Elvyne had thought whilst she smiled sweetly and thanked the woman again and again.

Now alone, she stood up and made her way over to sit closer to the harpist. She picked her way through groups of Drykas, carefully avoiding people she recognised in the smokey darkness, in case they also felt they had to ‘comfort’ her as well. The familiar sounds of hooves told Elvyne that her strider was moving too, showing Elvyne’s own movements. Majesty was one of the few living beings that Elvyne happily shared company with, now. The horse simply knew the best thing to do.

Finally, Elvyne chose to sit to the left of the harpist, not directly next to her (at least, Elvyne assumed it was a woman), but a few paces away. Even though her knowledge of the Common language was pretty basic, she could still make out a few words of the song, mainly ‘horses’, ‘blue’ and… ‘strong’? Still, she liked the melody and it bought a rare smile to Elvyne’s lips.

The song ended, and Elvyne noticed the player suddenly freeze awkwardly. All the people around the fire had stopped, and were now watching the harpist keenly. I know what that feels like, Elvyne thought sadly, thinking of when she had first returned to Endrykas after her husband had died, and all of the friends and family she had grown up with suddenly stared at her strangely and sadly.

”Don’t… speak sorry.” Elvyne muttered, trying to remember the correct phrasing in the Common language, ”You… play… very… goodly.” She smiled kindly, hoping she hadn’t just offended the player in the different language without realising.


Ooc I kinda guessed that Ginchoeri would be singing in the Common Language? Let me know if not and I’ll change my post!

[Ginchoeri]

Gin was startled by two voice which stopped her appologies. One was young and sweet, and the other was, tripping over the words of common language. She looked from one to the other not believing what she was hearing.

"Play more. Please play more." the little one said. Well she was not exactly little, just, young. Not quite the age of a full woman. The girl had a little bit of dirt on her face and clothing, she must have been playing when Gin had started to sing.

"Don't... speak sorry.... You.. play.. very.. good." The woman beside her spoke broked common. This is when Gin realized that maybe not everyone could understand her. She blushed a bit, she felt dim for not figuring this out, and found that the compliments made her stomach turn. Not in a bad way, but it was a different kind of feeling for her. She very rarely played for a crowd.

She could her calls of agreement from other onlookers and listeners around the fire. She blushed even more and hid a little more under her cloaks hood. They wanted more, but.. she suddenly could not think. She was drawing blanks on what she should sing. Should she sing her mothers song? Another lullaby? She looked at both of the people who had actually bothered to come up and talk to her, trying to draw some kind of inspiration. Did she have another song about horses somewhere in the vaults of her memories? She could not think.

She took a deep breath and address the woman first, her pavi was poor at best, but she at least knew the two words she needed to say to this woman in pavi. The rest she said in common as slow as she could without making it sound like she thought the woman was stupid, because she did not. "Thank you." she said in pavi. But then she continued in common, "I have been playing for only two years. I am glad you like it." She gave a sweet smile and then turned to the girl.

"You would like me to play more huh? It seems like a few others out there are in agreement with you, but I would like to ask. Would you like another song about horses, a lullaby, or a song I love very much for it was one made by my mother for me?" She asked calmly. She figured that this would be the best way to make her happy. Plus this way, she did not have to worry about picking the wrong song as long as the girl gave her a real answer.

[Kai]

Kai watched with enthusiasm as the harpist spoke. "Thank you." she said in pavi, addressing the familiar looking woman next to her. But then she continued in common, "I have been playing for only two years. I am glad you like it." She gave a sweet smile and then turned to Kai. "You would like me to play more huh? It seems like a few others out there are in agreement with you, but I would like to ask. Would you like another song about horses, a lullaby, or a song I love very much for it was one made by my mother for me?" She asked calmly.

The face Kai pulled was one of deep and determined thought. It was times like these that really brought out her child like side. The side of her which acted impulsively and awkwardly, yet making her seem completely adorable. "Play your mother's song." she cried, almost falling over with excitement. The thought to her seemed so romantic. A very special song passed on from her mother, to the very woman before her. Definitely a gesture of love. It reminded her how her own father passed down the knowledge of weaving to Kai her self, his hay of showing his love. Memorised, she leaned on her hands and watched very closely.

[Ginchoeri]

Gin smiled at the girl sweetly. She found it so cute that she acted to young for her apparent age. "Okay then, my mothers song it is," She said styffling a laugh as the girl almost fell over.

She took a deep breath and started to play the melody on the strings of her harp. D, D, E, F, F, D. D, D, C#, E, F, D. A, F, D, D, C# D. In the rythem, half note, half note, quarter note, quarter note, half note, half note. Quarter note, quarter note, dotted half, half note, hafe note, half note. Half note, half note, half note, dotted half, half note, half note.

"The ghouls are lurking,
as the birds are chirping
all in the forest, she sleeps."

She started singing in that same melodic line. Her harp and voice as one. Though her fingers seemed to want to add a few notes here and there. She seemed so immersed in it already, that even if she did mess up it would not matter. She loved the song with all her heart, and it showed in her playing.

"The cries of the widow
and the flowers in the meadow,
With furry comp'ny she keeps."

Still following the original melodic line as best she could, her voice cracking here and there, she let the melodies out of her, like she were baring her soul to the whole of Endrykas.

"The horse has a start
and the man with a heart,
will reach out to her as, she weep."

The this verse was changed up, a little bit of a different rythem, but the whole melodic line her her voice changed, though she missed a note once she kept on going with it, like she had intended to do what she did. The best way to give a convincing performance, she had once been told, was to act like you knew what you were doing, even if you had no clue. Even if you messed up. Do not give it away by the look on your face.

"The land as it mends,
and the hand that depends
on the man that makes not, a peep."

She returned to the original melodic line. Her voice going down to almost a hushed whisper. Though in this open and completely quite area made her sound quite loud. She was still forcing her listeners to listen closely. Another trick she learned at some point and thought useful to keep their attention, not let them loose interest.

"The hope in her eyes,
that will be your demi-i-ise,"

This is where she breaks off completely, coming back up in volume,her melodic line only part way finished and drawn out to a sweet but short silence. She took a quiet breath, while still playing the last piece of the motif with her harp.

"No one can pretend
when the day comes to an end,
that she is the wolf and the sheep."

She finished, holding on to the last word as if she did not want the song to end. Her eyes were splattered with tears. Small sobs, barely audible ran through her, but she fought to shake them off. She almost jumped when people started to cheer and whoop and clap. She looked around wide eyed with wonder. There were people other than her crying, which astonished her. Had her song held more meaning than she thought it did?

[Kai]

As the very final notes of the song seized to ring in her ears with their sweetness and emotion, Kai's heart seemed to stop for a moment. She so desperately did not want the melody to stop. A compelling thought overcame her, fr a moment she wanted to ask the lady to play the song again. Or perhaps even teach it to Kai. But that was a foolish thought, as Kai could not play the harp.

A warm joy overcame her as the crowds clapped. There were women and men who took to weeping as a means of letting out their exquisite emotions. For music like that indeed brought out such emotions in people.

"What's your name?" whispered Kai, in hope that perhaps the two of them could become friends. A fine musician like that is a treasured acquaintance indeed.

[Ginchoeri]

Gin jumped when the girl spoke again. She wiped at her eyes as she registered the words that came from the childs mouth.

"What's your name?"

The words came at a whisper so it seemed almost a wonder that she had even heard them. Gin looked at the girl and thought for a moment. She seemed so sweet, such an innocent looking girl. She seemed to genuinly get to know her. She thought about it and nodded to herself, she could tell this girl.

"My name is Ginchoeri. Though you can just call me Gin for short. Tends to be what people do. A little easier on the tounge." as she spoke, she seemed to have that same sweet honey, smoothness on her voice that she had when she was singing.

"And you? What is your name?" she asked, tilting her head, adjusting her harp in her arms and smiling. She felt like she was going to really like getting to know this girl.

"And you seem to want me to sing that song," She looked around, "Along with a few others here." she looked back at her. "I would not mind doing so if that is what you would like me to do."

[Kai]

"My name is Kai Firetongue." she said with a note of childish pride in her voice. "And I would be most honoured if you sang some more. I wish I could play and sing just like you."

Gin... she thought as the name turned over and over in her mind. She loved the sound of it. The smoothness and the precision of each syllable. It seemed so musical, just like the woman herself. A fitting name, she thought. There was a softness to her voice too. Like fresh honey in mid-summer, that kind of softness. And the smile upon the woman's face made Kai smile too.

[Ginchoeri]

Gin smiled as the girls name filled her ears. Firetounge, she had not heard that family name before, interesting. So many people to know. But this Girls true name was Kai, and that was what Gin would call her. It would be easier anyways.

She sat there and thought for a moment, "Would you really mind if I sang it again? I do not want to start singing and then have it end up that, that was not what you wanted."

She looked to the girl before her, awaiting her answer. As she did this, she tried to think of another song to sing if it was said she needed to sing a different song.