Completed Music of the Heart

[Ethan Terran]

Ethan was surprised to hear that Dominic was a local resident of Syliras. He had simply assumed she had traveled here, given that she was staying at the inn just as he was. He did not ask the obvious question, concerning her parents, and replied, "You are a native as well? Well then this is the best of luck. I am originally born within these walls myself, though I have lived in Zeltiva with my mother for some years. I only this season returned to the city of my birth. Looking in the direction of approaching footsteps, Ethan smiled at the server as she set down the two mugs of ale. He was amused to hear how quickly Dominic took to the mug, though Ethan himself had to take a moment to find the handle. After it was located Ethan sipped the hardy drink, chuckling at the question he was asked. He was very careful to set the mug down on his left hand side, just about arms length away with the handle toward him, "I see nothing wrong with enjoying a stouter drink at breakfast. It awakes the tongue and rejuvenates the senses, or at least it certainly does mine. He laughed. Settling back in his chair once more, Ethan looked straight forward as he talked, eyes flickering about for a moment as if he were watching something that only he could see, "Then from one Syliran to another... What do you think of the city?"

[Sigrun Dominic]

"You are a native as well? Well then this is the best of luck. I am originally born within these walls myself, though I have lived in Zeltiva with my mother for some years. I only this season returned to the city of my birth." Sigrun smiled. "It must come as a surprise to you that I'm living at Traveler's Row," she mused, taking another hearty sip of ale, "but I have my reasons to prefer... such temporary living quarters." The fire that sizzled in the hearth painted flickers of gold on Ethan's face, invading the corners of his pale eyes until they seemed to mirror the fiery tongues entirely. Sigrun watched with interest, smiling as she watched him move carefully, calculating each movement as to make sure that he knew where everything was. "I see nothing wrong with enjoying a stouter drink at breakfast. It awakes the tongue and rejuvenates the senses, or at least it certainly does mine." The young blonde laughed as she leaned back on her seat. "Well, those aren't my reasons," she raised her eyebrows and took a sip from her mug. She let out a satisfactory sigh, her eyes gazing into the ceramic with admiration, as if the ale were liquid ambrosia. "I like the taste," she murmured, licking her lips. The words were drawn out of her mouth softly, fluidly, as if she were describing something she felt intensely for. Ale was, however, something she did feel strongly about. A little too strongly, at times. "Then from one Syliran to another... What do you think of the city?" She eyed the fire in his eyes and leaned forward once more, with one hand interlaced around the handle of her mug, using her free hand to tap the tips of her fingers softly upon the wooden table. She hummed, looking down at her fingers as she pondered the question. "I can't complain," she shrugged, pouting. The young blonde had been in Syliras all her life and yet, she has yet to see the entirety of it in detail. She'd spent most of her time outside, or around the Nettle district, and during the times where she'd have to deliver flowers she would be led over to the other districts. However, only a few places in the city were strikingly familiar to her, she only knew just enough to get around without getting lost. "Syliras is beautiful," she added, her eyes focusing on the ale in her mug, "from the outside, when you're looking at it from afar." And it was true. The architecture was astounding, and Sigrun could never deny that. Whenever the young girl was out of the city walls and around Kabrin Road or the Cobalt Mountains, it was a magnificent, if not daunting, sight to see. "Can't say the same for the inside, but!" she breathed, "It's home. A very cramped, crowded, but well-guarded, home." Her eyes trailed the wood of the table, along Ethan's arms, until they reached his face. "And you?" she smirked, "do you have a story?"

[Ethan Terran]

Ethan's hands ran over the wood of the table, feeling each rough grain, every mark in the wood as he listened silently to Dominic's words. He then folded his hands in his lab, tilting his head to her as he replied, "That is an unusual stance to take. Most often I hear many who live within Syliras say it is the most beautiful city of them all, if only for the act of preserving their pride in their home. I cannot disagree with you though. I, after all, have no true concept of the beauty of this fair city." He smiled, "All cities, to me, are equally noisy and crowded." He could smell the coming food before the sounds of footsteps could be heard, and so Ethan turned his head in eager anticipation toward the server just before she rounded the corner with their breakfast. Ethan nodded his appreciation as the food was set before him, and Dominic, and he closed his eyes in order to better appreciate the scent of the cooked pork and eggs, and... Was that the scent of fresh bread as well. "As for myself, I believe that everyone has a story to tell. Some, perhaps, are more willing to share it than others, but still a story is there." he said as he picked up the utensils placed on the table. He sorted through his own, running his fingers over them until he had identified each one, and then placed his fork and knife on the right side of his bowl, the knife closer to the plate, and the spook on the left. He looked toward Dominic, "If you do not mind, could you tell me where the food is positioned on the plate? It is a bother to stab and cut at empty air while I search." he chuckled. As if to annunciate his claim he picked up his fork, poking around the plate a moment before he finally found a bit of eggs that he could bring to his lips to eat with a grin.

[Sigrun Dominic]

Sigrun watched as Ethan's fingers ran across the wooden table, growing dangerously close to her rapping fingertips. For some strange reason, it bothered her quite a bit, sending a chill up her spine that made her shift in her seat. She stopped tapping. "That is an unusual stance to take. Most often I hear many who live within Syliras say it is the most beautiful city of them all, if only for the act of preserving their pride in their home. I cannot disagree with you though. I, after all, have no true concept of the beauty of this fair city." Her attention was diverted by his response, and she hummed in approval. "It's like an old friend, Syliras; we've been through enough for me to have both good and bad things to say about it." "All cities, to me, are equally noisy and crowded," he smiled. The smell of their food seemed to interrupt their conversation. The both of them were momentarily silenced by the serving girl as she placed the plates of food before them. Sigrun licked her lips and grinned excitedly, as her stomach was finally going to be satisfied. The young blonde picked up her spoon and knife as she listened to Ethan speak. "As for myself, I believe that everyone has a story to tell. Some, perhaps, are more willing to share it than others, but still a story is there." "So the question is, willingness." The cooked pork was soft and succulent, not at all dry and old like she feared it may be, and the eggs were not overcooked. The young blonde pressed a finger on the piece of bread by the side of her plate and smiled. It was baked exceptionally well. Their hunger had them sitting in silence for a moment as Sigrun immediately dug into her meal, only to pause when she noticed how much Ethan took his time. She was about to offer some help, but he'd beaten her to the punch. "If you do not mind, could you tell me where the food is positioned on the plate? It is a bother to stab and cut at empty air while I search." "Uh, a little to the left, uhm..." she watched him hold out his utensil over his plate, but found it quite difficult to direct his hand properly. Slowly, albeit reluctantly, she leaned over and put her hand over his. "Here," she said softly, as she pressed his hand down so that the utensil would press onto the pork.

[Ethan Terran]

Ethan was surprised when he felt the hand on his guiding his fork to the food on the plate. Smiling his thanks he picked up the knife, slicing off a piece and chewing it with more vigor than there really need be. He had not eaten since noon the past day. Money was a bit scarce for him at the moment, so it was rare that he ate such meals. He was not about to waste the opportunity. With Dominic's help Ethan found every bit of food, and then using his fork and knife he positioned the food in piles in very particular places on his plate. The pork he pushed to the upper left, and the eggs he scrapped to just before him on the plate. The bread he placed in the upper left of the plate, closest to his mug of ale which he sipped on just before continuing, "Your right, the willingness is certainly all there is left. So then the question is, am I willing to tell you my story, and you yours?" Ethan was careful that none of the food mixed, always scraping what was left to its appropriate corner so that he would not miss anything by accident. He enjoyed the pork most of all, the meat soon gone within the first few chimes. While he ate he was slow to continue, "I am of course willing to tell you mine. I was born blind as I am no, and if it were not for the care of my Father I would be helpless and without hope. Even though I could not see he never once let me use that as an excuse to get away with any misdeeds. I was treated as any other boy. I was beaten like any other boy, played games as any other boy, and I worked (in what ways I could) as any other boy. It is thanks to my father that I know the city as well as I do." He fell silent a chime as he ate a few more bites, and drank on the ale, "My father died when I was young, and my Mother took me to Zeltiva where she hoped I could gain an education." Ethan smiled, a sort of bitter smile, "But of course that was always impossible for me. I hated my time in Zeltiva most of all." He fell silent for a time, simply eating and enjoying the food, but after a couple of chimes he would continue, "My mother passed away in the plague that took Zeltiva this past winter season, and I came here to find a better life for myself. I am still searching at the moment, but," He smiled at Dominic, "For now I am content with the present company."

[Sigrun Dominic]

"Your right, the willingness is certainly all there is left. So then the question is, am I willing to tell you my story, and you yours?" "After you," the young blonde responded with a smirk, "I insist." As she listened to his story, however, her smile faded. They were getting closer and closer to the part where she had to divulge information of her own. Ethan's was interesting, decidedly so, but her anxiety to reveal her own story began to distract her. She did, however, managed to catch the gist of what he was saying. She paused from eating, her plate half-empty, the clacking sound of her utensils stopped. "I wanted my brother to have an education," she responded fondly, her voice growing distant in a way, as if it had to reach out into the past in order to retrieve the words she wanted to say. "In Zeltiva as well, but that didn't happen," her eyes fixated at the wooden table, her brows furrowing as she struggled to change the subject, "your parents sound quite fascinating." "They raised you well, and it shows, however I am very sorry about their passing." She remained silent for a moment, pondering over what to do. She couldn't decide whether or not she could trust Ethan, and while she had no doubts that he was harmless, she found it hard to open up, as she hadn't ever done so in such a long time. "I... Grew up here," she mused, "you know that. And..." She willed for a distraction. Something, anything, it could even be danger for all she cared, but it didn't come. She instead continued to eat, speaking in between swallowed morsels. "My father was part Svefran, a fisherman. My mother, a serving girl at a tavern." "Passionate lovers, they were," she grinned, looking up from her plate for a brief moment as she remembered seeing them together when she was much younger. They were so in love. "I can't imagine ever having something they did with each other, it seemed like a rarity." She continued eating. "I had a brother," she said casually, "Sigmund, his name was based after my mother's, if you didn't notice."

[Ethan Terran]

Ethan ate slowly as he listened, taking in every word. He had always thought the world was so cruel to him, and yet here she was, someone right before him who had suffered as much as he, if not more so. A sinking feeling filled his heart as he felt a guilt rise within him. What right have I to complain when so many others suffer around me... he thought, finishing his meal that began to taste like sand on his tongue. Setting his utensils to the side, and pushing his plate up, Ethan took the ale in his hands instead, sipping it from time to time as he pondered how to respond. "To a man who is blind, many things can be heard in the voices of others," Ethan began, "There sadness, their grief, their uncertainties. Sometimes even their hopes and their dreams come through no matter how much they try to hide them." He paused, collecting his thoughts, "In your voice I can hear your reluctance to talk of such matters, though I am unsure if it is because we know so little of each other, or because of something deeper still." Looking directly at Dominic Ethan smiled, a reassuring smile, "I do not wish to cause you distress when we have only just met." He stopped again, and then reiterated, "I do not wish to cause you distress ever, but particularly not now when we are barely more than strangers. However, I will say this." He leaned in a bit closer, though he was not exactly sure how close, "If what you truly desire is a passion for another, a love that could stand the ages, then my lady you shall have it. If it is something you truly want with all of your heart then do not give up on your search. There is a man out there who could truly make you happy. Of this I am sure." Leaning back Ethan took a few more swigs of his ale, nearly finishing the mug, "Now I am very interested in hearing your story, but if this is not yet the time to tell it then let us be off somewhere else. There is still much to see in the city!" Ethan offered Dominic a way out, a way to avoid revealing these personal feelings that she might not yet feel comfortable talking about, especially with with someone she had only just met. Ethan could tell she was uncomfortable with the entire situation, and he wished to aid her however he could.

[Sigrun Dominic]

Ethan's words barely reached Sigrun's ears. The young girl's gaze was fixated upon her mug, where she was sure the ale inside of it would taste sour and stale, as her tongue was coated with lead. "Sigrun..." Sigrun's body curled inwards as she clutched the side of her head with her hand. Grumbling softly, she attempted to continue listening to her companion. "Sigrun, how does papa bring all those fish home?" "He strings them along with a magical piece of thread from the sea." "Where did papa get the thread, Sigrun?" "He prays to Laviku and he blesses him with rolls of it!" Sigrun shut her eyes and balled her fists, lifting one of them in the air and preparing to slam them on the table. The memories were too much for her. Tension rose up to her chest from the pit of her stomach, causing her breath to hitch. She lost Ethan for a moment, and the rest of her surroundings as well. "If I pray hard enough, sister, will Laviku bless me too?" "Only with hard work and dedication will you achieve anything, Sigmund. Remember what mama always says!" "Mama knows so much, sister!" "And someday, you will too!" Her eyes snapped open and she directed her lifted fist to her thigh, barely making a sound. She bit her lip and scrunched her brows as the pain rippled through her leg, lingering for a moment before becoming a dull soreness. Her face softened and she sighed, her eyes closing for a moment, only to open wide when she'd found her nose merely inches away from Ethan's. The young blonde gulped nervously. "If what you truly desire is a passion for another, a love that could stand the ages, then my lady you shall have it. If it is something you truly want with all of your heart then do not give up on your search. There is a man out there who could truly make you happy. Of this I am sure." The young man moved away. Sigrun sank in her seat and turned towards the hearth, her eyes scanning the glowing embers. "I don't desire anything," she replied solemnly, "neither do I expect anything." "I'm impossible to impress," she mused, her eyes turning towards him. He had already piqued her interests quite a bit, but she was unwilling to call it love, or even an intense attraction, no matter what the pit of her stomach were to tell her. She willed herself not to feel such things for anybody. For some reason, however, she was failing to do so in this situation. "Now I am very interested in hearing your story, but if this is not yet the time to tell it then let us be off somewhere else. There is still much to see in the city!" Sigrun responded quickly after he'd finished his sentence. With a sad smile, she revealed everything. Her words rose from her shoulders, and there was nothing she could do but expel them, reveal them. It wouldn't hurt for one person to hear, and if it did, she felt that she wouldn't end up regretting that it was Ethan. "My mother died giving birth to Sigmund," she said casually, though her voice began to shook a little. She took a long swig of ale and continued. "My father, when I was around fifteen or sixteen, eventually left us, and I had to take care of Sigmund by myself," she turned to face the young man, "which, I tell you, wasn't easy." Chuckling, she took two more swigs of ale. It was slowly turning sweeter once more, just as her shoulders began to lighten. "Sigmund passed away a few years back because he got sick," she spat out the last word of her sentence as if it had been poison stinging her lips, "and I couldn't help him." She shook her head. "I sold our home at the Maiden district and settled into Traveler's Row because I didn't want to continue on living amongst all those memories. I can't leave, even if I wanted to, I..." Sigrun dug her fingernails into her palms and laid both her furled hands onto the table. "I can't." She laughed bitterly, "I don't even have a reason to stay, but I... I can't. I can't leave."

[Ethan Terran]

Ethan listened quietly, setting his fork aside and pushing away the clean plate. He folded his hands on the table, sitting straighter in his chair as he looked forward, letting her speak the words he knew weighed heavily upon her. Her nails upon the table told Ethan where he could find her hand, and as she finished he would reach forward and place his carefully over hers, moving slowly so as not to startle her. He gave her a sad smile, still looking forward, "I know you carry much grief within your soul, but I also can hear the songs of your heart that tell me that you do wish for more. Do not try to hide it," he winked, "I have very good hearing." He would let his hand rest on her's for a moment longer than necessary, but then politely withdraw it, "I cannot promise you that I can make the pain go away, nor can I promise that I could fix anything that troubles you. However, I can promise you that there is hope in this world, in this city. Perhaps, if you are willing, I can show you the world through my eyes, and maybe... just maybe you will find a reason to stay." He stood, using the table to aid him, "And if no reason can be found, then perhaps this large and wonderful world holds some city, some place that you can truly call home, where you can find what your heart desires." He looked down toward her, offering her his hand, "For now though, you may have to simply trust a man who follows his heart blindly." he smiled, "There is still more to see today, and I will gladly show you the world if only I could hear your laughter again."

[Sigrun Dominic]

"I know you carry much grief within your soul, but I also can hear the songs of your heart that tell me that you do wish for more. Do not try to hide it." Sigrun pouted at him as he winked, silently thanking the stars that he was blind and couldn't see her facial expressions. She wondered what would be the most appropriate response to his statement, but suddenly found it hard to explain herself. "I have very good hearing." "Why do I have to explain myself?" she thought, in a scolding tone. She wasn't much of a talker until much recently, and it was a little bit hard to re-adjust. Her eyes shifted quickly over to his hand, watching intently as it traveled from across the table until gently, his fingers wrapped over hers. She looked over at him and found it hard to translate his intentions. "I do want something," she said, "but I'm not looking for anything. I don't believe I'll find it." "I believe it'll find me." "I cannot promise you that I can make the pain go away, nor can I promise that I could fix anything that troubles you. However, I can promise you that there is hope in this world, in this city. Perhaps, if you are willing, I can show you the world through my eyes, and maybe... just maybe you will find a reason to stay." Ethan let go of her hand. Sigrun wordlessly watched him as he got out of his seat, a refreshing sort of admiration sprouting from her heart for him. His flowery words gave her so much hope that it felt terribly wrong to be feeling so much positivity. Sigrun struggled to trample down her esteem to a much more normal size, but found that she couldn't. "And if no reason can be found, then perhaps this large and wonderful world holds some city, some place that you can truly call home, where you can find what your heart desires." "I honestly don't know what I desire," she shook her head as she slowly got up from her own seat, eyeing the young man as she did so. As the young man offered his hand to her, Sigrun took it with a grin. It was a shame he would never see the way other people looked at him, she was sure that most of the people that he'd come across had given him the warmest of smiles. It saddened her the most that he would never see her appreciation through the expressions on her face, and that she had to compensate for that through her words. "For now though, you may have to simply trust a man who follows his heart blindly. There is still more to see today, and I will gladly show you the world if only I could hear your laughter again." Sigrun giggled, gesturing over to the exit as she did so. "Alright, go on then, lead the way. Prove something to me."