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 Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:49 pm
 The sun had gone down and the air had begun to cool some from the heat of the day. Having been dropped off at T'rel's weyr's ledge by Rumith, who had flown off to perch somewhere on the caldera to let the wind blow across her wings, Lutfiyah had kicked her dark leather sandals off by the entryway. It was pretty late, late enough to allow her to opt out of her usual day wear for her preferred down time outfit. It was comfortable, cool, and easy to move around in. Greetings had been exchanged as had some pleasant chatting and carrying on. A basket on the table bore the fruits of some sneaky labor on the part of the host wingleader. Bubblypies, several of them, were nestled in the basket and half covered with a cloth to help keep them warm. They smelled wonderful, fresh and well spiced, but they remained untouched for the time being. T'rel had said that there would be someone else coming sometime during her visit. That a girl who was coming to visit wanted to meet her. That suited Lutfiyah just fine. A little elaboration would have been welcome, but then again T'rel did seem to enjoy being vague and mysterious when he could manage it. Lute, a nickname of hers from her days all the way back in the Harperhall, took a spot on the couch opposite of T'rel. Sitting at somewhat of an angle, her back nestled into the corner of the couch where armrest met back, the lute she had brought with her resting in her lap. Her master in the hall had a fondness for the instrument and it would be a lie to say that he didn't delight in his apprentice's nickname. With one leg drawn close to her and her foot tucked under her other leg, with instrument held close cradled in her lap, she played away. It was a light dreamy, upbeat, and lilting tune that she played. Her dark eyes remained mostly on her playing but would sometimes look up to her old friend with a smile or grin before looking back down to her hands, even if her would occasionally close for a favorite series of notes. At the end of her song, she let the notes fade away as if carried on the breeze. Looking up and over to T'rel, she flashed a toothy smile. "What do you have to say to that, hm?" Lute asked with a chuckle touching her words.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:17 pm
Times like these were when T'rel was truly happy. It was like being back at the Harper Hall; no words were needed. They could communicate through tunes and the sounds of notes. "Just this," he said. He grinned at his friend, nestling his guitar close to his chest as he began to play. It was the same tune, this time with a distinct, higher pitch to it. Slowly, he began to increase the tempo of the tune; causing it to sound more playful than dreamy. It was energetic in both sound and rhythm.
All at once, however, he stopped, smirking at his companion from his armrest. "There, I improvised," he said, brown eyes gleaming merrily as he looked to Lute. "Think you can keep up? I can slow down..." He demonstrated by playing the same tune, only using lilting notes to create a haunting, slow effect. "I wonder when our guest will arrive," he added, looking over his shoulder and towards the enterance.
"She was rather excited about hearing you play, Lute," he gave her a playful smile. "I didn't have the chance to tell her that when playing the lute, my Lute's a wonder to listen to!"
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:53 pm
Lute listened to T'rel's version of her tune, grinning at what he did with it, turning it as playful and energetic as a couple of young firelizards. One hand remained holding the neck of her lute, while her other forearm lay resting along the curved side of the instrument. The sudden abrupt stop prompted her to quirk a brow at him from across the couch. Bring her free hand up to rest her chin in her hand, she shook her head slowly. "Indeed you did." The greenrider chimed as she began. Just being able to let loose after a long day was always enjoyable, especially so with the company of a great, old friend. "We shall see."
Pausing as he turned the once dreamy tune into a somber, haunting number, Lufe angled her head slightly as she brought her hand down to wait over the strings. The woman nodded. "Impressive, impressive. If I can't keep up, I can certainly take it in a whole other direction." She traced her fingers over the stings, making them sigh in a strum. "Wanna see all the places we can take this little ditty?" She asked, a smirk of her own playing at her lips before blinking over to him, casting a glance towards the door. "I wouldn't know, especially seeing as you haven't told me who exactly wants to come here and meet me."
A warm, hearty laugh rose from Lutfiyah at T'rel's pun. "Well, I'm always willing to play for an interested audience. Maybe you can make mention of your 'wonder Lute' some other time." As she spoke, she picked their tune back up, quickening the tempo and adding drama and suspense to the notes, tapping a wrist on the wood to add beat. "Feel free to hop on in any time," She teased as played a rapid string of notes. "Care for a duet?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:26 pm
"We could take this in so many different directions," T'rel playfully remarked, taking his guitar and following along with Lute's notes. Pleased to have impressed his friend, he happily kept along with her. Each note resounded hers. A rich sound, blending the guitar's chords with her lute's. After a while, he diverted, playing a cheery tune upon softer notes to lessen the suspense in Lute's. It had a nice sound to it, their duet. The harmony was lovely; and though T'rel had changed the sound and direction of his playing, he kept up with the tempo easily.
He smiled at her. "You can't have suspense without hope," he explained. "Do you have another, or shall--" he fingered a chord, "I pick? Let's see what you've kept from your lessons," he teased her. They had been apprentices at the same time; Lute having arrived at the Hall when she was nine turns; just old enough to become an apprentice. "Do you remember when we gave you your nickname? Maybe I'll tell her that tale, after I tell her about wonder Lute."
He began to play again; a slower tune, softer in sound. A lullaby. The notes were clipped and the lilt had been shortened, though certainly recognizable as the same tune they had been playing.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:51 pm
"Mm-hmm," Lute half hummed and half said. The pairing of guitar with lute wasn't something done too often. Lutes were among her favorite instruments too, thanks to the influence of her master and his teaching her how to play. Unfortunately, they were harder to find outside of the Harperhall and outside of Fort. Rather, it was her experience that she didn't see many lutes being played, repaired, or built too far from harperhalls. Her lute was precious to her as it had been a parting gift from her master after she had been Searched. He had sent it to her family's home in Ista, where it remained until after she and Rumith were old enough to choose a weyr of their liking. Anyway, the two string instruments paired well when played properly. The duet had a richness of tones that appealed to her musical taste. She smiled.
"Oh, that much is certain. Otherwise the song would just keep building and building. There would be no sense of relief for the listener. It's tempering the sharp with the sweet, as it were." As she spoke, Lute began to tone down the suspense, softening her notes with a slight vibrato effect. Looking over to him at his tease, she smirked at him with a brow raised, her playing coming to a stop. "What I've kept? Well, I don't think I have to worry about being an embarrassment to the Hall. The lessons we learned aren't the sort to be forgotten easily, like swimming." We was used because they were in it together, the same group of apprentices, even with her being a few months older. But really, what was a few months? Depending on the part of the Turn it was at any point in time, they were technically the same age, numerically speaking. The woman chuckled quietly with a bow of her head. "Yes, I remember when I got my nickname. Considering where we were, it was no surprise everyone took to it so quickly." A smile was playing at her features. It was a pleasant memory and one that could bring a bit of brightness to her day if she was feeling harried during a long or hard day. Returning her gaze to T'rel, her smile widened. "You're more than welcome to do so. I certainly don't mind hearing it again and again and again."
Listening for a moment, she put her fingers back to their strings, picking back up the tune they had been playing around with. This round was softer and warmer, quite close to what it had been originally, adding a bit of depth to T'rel's lullaby version.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:18 pm
A haunting melody floated through the sky, even outside the ledge as Bayeth was dropping her off, so that Neri could be sure she had the right time and place. Yet as she slid off from Bayeth's neck and made her way inside the weyr, the melody slowed, and transformed. It still had elements of the old in it, to the point where it was undeniably the same song, but the chords were warped and mutated, so that now it was a lighter and gentler sound that was like a lullaby.
Neri sighed, and slowed her steps. She stopped and leaned against the wall of the weyr, listening. Even without knowing what instrument belonged to which player, Neri could pick out who was T'rel. That old familiar sound brought her back to her candidacy in an instant. That was the sound that no harper in Igen could recreate, especially when it was him and R'yn together. Her two boys. No amount of mastery or skill could compare to the fondness of those memories.
That sound was comforting, familiar, but the other was intriguing. They blended so well together. This must be the mysterious Lute, whose real name T'rel had yet to tell her. Neri could have listened for much longer, but she decided she had better make her entrance sooner or later, so she finally continued into the main part of the weyr where T'rel and Lutfiyah were sitting. She waved and smiled warmly at her friend, then waited, eager to finally (properly) be introduced to his friend, as T'rel had also been intentionally vague with her.
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 8:36 pm
"And if you did mind," T'rel teased her, "I'd play it all the more, just to bother you." After all, being friends with someone meant that they had rights to bother each other when few others did. When he did spot Neri--and it took him a moment, he leaned his guitar carefully against the inside of his right leg. "And here's our audience!" he greeted Neri with a smile. "Lute, this is Neri. You might have seen her around before; she was a candidate the turn I was Weyrleader. She Impressed to green Bayeth," he veered his attention from Lute to Neri, smiling warmly at the greenrider.
"And this, Neri, is Lute," he gestured to his friend with another smile. It was clear T'rel felt completely at ease in the presence of his companion, unlike the situation earlier in the day. "Lutfi--" he struggled to pronounce Lute's given name, frowning. "Lut--" His struggles had been the cause for Lute's nickname. Upon meeting her, at nine turns old, T'rel had spent the majority of a candlemark attempting to pronounce her name. He'd given up, informing her that he would call her Lute, because she had a voice that made him think of the instrument. "A friend of mine," he finished, sighing.
"Have any requests?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 12:46 am
Giving a short laugh, Lute shook her head. "Well, I suppose it's a good thing that I like hearing it then. It'd be quite a headache if I were serenaded with a memory that I didn't particularly care for. Granted, I'd probably find some way to be a mutual headache for you." It was true and it only be fair. There was enough history with T'rel that she'd probably get aggravated, but never super angry. Why get really angry when she could get even? Or, just ignore him long enough to take the wind from his sails. Not that avoiding him would be easy. He was wonderful to be around and was one of her preferred musical partners.
While she didn't initially notice Neri's arrival, she straightened her posture some and smiled, nodding to her in greeting at T'rel's introduction. "Good evening, Neri. I'm pleased to meet you." Lutfiyah shifted her lute, setting it more upright in her lap, leaning it back so that the neck rested along her chest and shoulder. She looked over to T'rel and back to Neri with a chuckle. "My name is Lutfiyah. My proper name has always sort of given him trouble. Lute works for me just fine though. You can use it also, if you'd prefer it."
At the mention of requests, her lute was shifted back into proper playing position. "Also, feel free to get into the pies if you'd like one. T'rel insisted that they remain left alone until all of his guests arrived, even if he was vague about it. I know that this is his weyr, but feel free to sit anywhere." It was plain to see that she was comfortable in the weyr. It wasn't a big deal to her, considering how often she visited and the good times that were had.
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:15 pm
"And it's lovely to finally meet you, Lu- Lut-" Neri struggled. She could see what R'yn meant. She paused and thought it over slowly in her mind. "Lutfiyah. Of.. green Rumith, I heard?" she said, nodding as she finally finished the word. She finished listening to Lutfiyah with a slight smile. "I think I might just call you Lute then." Neri said, laughing softly.
Neri crossed the room and came to perch on the side of the couch by T'rel. "Requests? Oh.. I don't know." she said, shrugging shyly. "I'm afraid all I know are sea tunes, not terribly interesting. Besides, what you were playing before was so nice, you should just keep going like that, don't let me get in your way. I wouldn't have imposed at all, except that T'rel spoke so highly of your skill, L-Lute," -it felt odd to call a near-stranger by their nickname, but Neri pressed on- "that I simply couldn't wait."
Neri looked from the pies, to T'rel, and then to Lutfiyah, exagerating each one, so it was terribly obvious. She opened her eyes wide, in mock awe. "Really? T'rel? Wait? For Bubblypies?" she asked, her voice growing in shock with each question. By now it was quite obvious she was teasing him. A slight grin spread across her face. "Well! I'm honoured." Her tone said she was teasing, but in fact she really was. She knew how much T'rel loved them, and she didn't expect anyone to wait for her.
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:33 pm
"I know some sea tunes," T'rel offered with a smile. He'd learned several after coming to Ista. They weren't particularly difficult--and some were the type only a harper would know. "That was practice," he grinned, looking to Lute. "I'm sure we don't mind changing it up a bit. Do we, Lute? Your turn to pick."
He smirked playfully at his companion, then looked at Neri. He did so like complimenting Lute when she was in the room. Perhaps he would be able to cause her to become flustered! He'd be able to tease her for a sevenday. At least, until she started teasing him back. "Ah, the amazing Lute. She's quite talented. At singing, too."
He took up a bubblypie from the basket, grinning. "Well, now that you're here," he said, taking a bite of the still warm pie. He chewed, swallowed, and grinned. "Kitchens have really out done themselves this time," he said, delighting in the taste. "Delicious! They haven't been this good in turns. Lute, try one. You too, Neri!" he offered each of them the basket of bubblypies, beaming. "Of course I waited, Neri. It's impolite to invite guests and then eat all the food before they get to the gather."
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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:56 pm
[Bawdy, raunchy shanty warning! wahmbulance Mildly censored though.]
"Yes, that's right," The woman affirmed. "Rumith is mine and I hers. You are Neri of.." She paused as Rumith filled her in on Neri's green's name. "Green Bayeth, if Rumith is correct, yes? Perhaps some time we can get together so they can visit. Visiting is always nice." Lute nodded as she continued with a smile. "By all means, do so. I don't mind. That nickname has been with me for, oh...What, T'rel, about sixteen, seventeen Turns now? It's as comfortable to me as my own skin."
With lute in proper playing position, Lute looked from Neri to T'rel and back. Sea tunes and shanties were welcome in her books. They were fun to sing and quite memorable some way or another. Being born in Ista didn't hurt either! So, yes, Lute knew a good few sea tunes, from clean and extremely bawdy. She chuckled. "I do too. They're fun to sing and learn and are usually pretty easy to pick up with their penchant for repetition." Blinking at T'rel as he laid on the flattery, a hint of a flush touched her cheeks, but there was a smirk on her face. She knew this game. While it worked sometimes, two could definitely play. "Sure, I'll pick."
She chuckled warmly at Neri's questions. "He can have his moments of displaying his willpower. Although it doesn't always coincide with fresh bubblypies." With the cloth now forgotten and tossed aside, the still warm pies' fragrance wafted through the weyr. "Mm. I'll pick after one of those pies. They smell heavenly!" Accepting the offered pie, she leaned back and away from her lute to avoid any crumbs or filling that may decide to drip on her instrument. The crust was flaky and warm and the filling was both well spiced and wholly flavorful. A soft, short titter escaped her as she licked the last of the crumbs and filling from her lips and fingers. It really was exquisite tasting. Perhaps some new spices got shipped in from somewhere, or at least something the kitchens hadn't used recently.
With her face and fingers clean, she resumed playing position. "Alright. I have a little something in mind. It isn't my usual thing, buuut here it goes..." It was some shanty actually attributed to pirates that she had picked up from somewhere. The game was on. T'rel had tried to get her flustered, with some success in that she blushed a little, but what she had in mind would probably turn the tables right around on him. Hopefully her antics wouldn't put Neri in too much of a spot though.
"I put my hand upon her tw*t yo ho, yo ho.
I put my hand upon her tw*t yo ho, yo ho!
I put my hand upon her tw*t; she said ya pirate? Ya found the spot,
Stick it in, stick it out, stop f*cking about, yo ho, yo ho, yo ho!
I f*cked her long all through the night yo ho, yo ho,
I f*cked her long all through the night yo ho, yo ho!
I f*cked her long all through the night I f*cked her left and I f*cked her right,
Stick it in, stick it out, stop f*cking about, yo ho, yo ho, yo ho!
We laid her in a long pine box yo ho, yo ho.
We laid her in a long pine box yo ho, yo ho!
We laid her in a long pine box; I guess her body couldn't handle the shock,
Stick it in, stick it out, stop f*cking about, yo ho, yo ho, yo ho!
We dig her up every now and then yo ho, yo ho.
We dig her up every now and then yo ho, yo ho!
We dig her up every now and then; I f*cked her once and I'll f*ck her again,
Stick it in, stick it out, stop f*cking about, yo ho, yo ho, yo ho!
The worms and maggots have eaten her through yo ho, yo ho.
The worms and maggots have eaten her through yo ho, yo ho!
The worms and maggots have eaten her through; well that's okay, more holes to screw!
Stick it in, stick it out, stop f*cking about, yo ho, yo ho, yo ho!
All us pirates must go to hell yo ho, yo ho.
All us pirates must go to hell yo ho, yo ho!
All us pirates must go to hell; we'll f*ck her down there and the devil as well!
Stick it in, stick it out, stop f*cking about, yo ho, yo ho, yo ho!"
Giving a piratey laugh, that boiled down into her usual laugh, Lute shook her head. It had it's nasty bits, but it was still pretty funny in a gross way. "Ahh, I haven't sung that in ages it seems." Probably for good reason. That shanty wasn't meant for most places. Ships, taverns perhaps, and apparently one Harper playing around with another. She sighed. "Ahh...Gracious."
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:53 am
T'rel's initial reaction was to stare in horror at Lute, eyes widening. Then a dark blush crossed his features, reaching from the tips of his ears to his exposed neck. "I--" his voice was an octave higher than it usually was. "I didn't mean that song!" he protested, hiding his face behind his guitar. He cursed under his breath, and took another bite of his bubblypie, this time taking much longer to process it.
"Did you have to sing that song?" he demanded in a furious whisper. "You could have sung any song but that one! You know how I feel about that song! There's good reason why you haven't heard it! Shards!" He inhaled, emitting a sharp breath as he exhaled. "I'll repair what damage you've done. Now you've frightened poor Neri!"
He took up his guitar and began to play a softer tune; certainly recognizable; and certainly not as bawdy as Lute's chosen song. "This one's better," he informed the two women in the room, shaking his head at Lute. Honestly! Harpers were supposed to teach! Shards, she'd sung possibly the most offensive--the most bawdy--terrible--shards, who would have written that? Whoever had, T'rel had something to say to them. They had a disgusting sense of humor.
"The fickle wind's my foe,
With tide his keen ally.
They're jealous of my sea's love
And rouse her with their lie.
Oh sweet sea, oh dear sea,
Heed not their stormy wile
But bear me safely to my weyr
And from their watery trial."
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:12 pm
As Lute began her song, Neri's reaction was quite different. While T'rel blushed, she burst into near-uncontrollable laughter. That was indeed the sort of raunchy shanty Neri was used to hearing, though not usually out of the mouth of such a sweet-looking girl. She hoped he didn't think her terribly immature. But it was a funny sight.
"Ah, you have as rough a tongue as my brothers." she said, laughing. "Well.. brother." she corrected herself, her smile falling from her face. It was funny to see T'rel so flustered though. She imagined that was Lute's main objective. As she bit her lip, trying to quell the laughs that were threatening to break through a second time, she finally reached into the basket of bubbleypies and took a bite. Yet as T'rel picked up his guitar and began to play, her expression softened.
That was the sort of song she was thinking of. It reminded her of home. Shards, it'd been so long since she'd been back to her Hold. She hadn't seen her brother in turns, nor her father. Now she never would. Neri sighed heavily. She closed her eyes and let the music take her away. Although it made her sad, it was also comforting. It took her back to a happier time, before thread, when her father would take the boats out and Neri had to beg him to take her along. That was the sort of song he used to sing to her. Neri hummed the tune along with him, and then, as it came to the second verse, she began to sing along softly, adding her flutely voice to his.
"Oh sweet sea, oh dear sea,
Heed not their stormy wile
But bear me safely to my hold
And from their watery trial.
Oh wide sea, oh sweet sea,
Forever be my lover.
Fare me on your gentle wave
Your wide bed over."
Neri smiled as the song ended. "Yeah. That is better." she agreed. Normally, she might have teased him more, but since T'rel seemed all bent out of shape today, she decided to let it go.
She looked up, suddenly getting a great thought. "Ah! T'rel (and you too Lute), you ought to meet my friend Finbar. Since you've been so kind as to introduce me to your playing partner, it's only right I do the same. He had poor hearing as a child, but he's an ace on the drums. He would play for us on the boats. That song reminded me of him just now."
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:16 pm
Ah ha! Excellent! She hadn't weirded out Neri out with her antics. Nothing quite like burning your bridges as soon as coming across them. Lute gave another laugh, pleased to not have scared the other woman and was quite delighted at the degree of T'rel's reaction. He appeared to be blushing from top to toes and was caught off guard in no small way. She was a rider and a harper, not a saint. Yes, she was trained for teaching and music, but it didn't mean that she had to carry on in a manner that was appropriate for children all the time. That sort of language wasn't her usual, but it suited her purpose for the time being. That purpose being to get T'rel blushing like a weyrbrat with a crush. Mission accomplished, if she did say so herself. She could practically feel the embarrassment and heat from his blushing radiating off of him.
Lute looked to Neri with a grin. "Not always, but I can pull it out on occasion. Nowhere near any kids though. I won't put myself in the position of getting grilled by steamed parents when their kiddos come home with that sort of talk. Mm-nm..." Neri's correction and the smile falling from her face brought a soft sympathetic sigh from the woman. She hadn't lost any family or anything, but it didn't mean that she didn't understand how crushing loss could be. Returning her attention to T'rel, she flashed him a decidedly cheeky grin at his head shaking. Boy, was he ever flabbergasted! Even with the impish grin, she softened her expression to listen to his song, and Neri's verse of the same. It was a nice song. More appropriate for being sung in public too.
Setting her lute next to her to free up her hands, she gave a small round of applause. "Very nice. It is better, yes." Pushing herself to her feet, Lute moved over to T'rel and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've gotta do this or I'll be all bothered for getting you wound up so." Leaning up, she placed a kiss on his cheek. "I'm sorry I chose that song to sing. I know you don't care for it...at all." She dropped her hand and looked over to Neri. "He is cute when he blushes though, isn't he?" She asked with bit of a grin and a little nudge to T'rel with her shoulder.
Taking a side step to lean against the table, she beamed at the suggested idea. "I'd definitely be game for that! Drums always add a sort of heartbeat to songs they're apart of. Deepens the sound. Good stuff. Yeah. I wouldn't mind meeting Finbar."
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:53 pm
"You have a nice voice, Neri," T'rel complimented his friend with a smile, seeming to have (for the most part) recovered from being so flustered. "Maybe you can look into taking lessons. Or have you?" He seemed intrigued, glancing over at the greenrider. "You could sing at the upcoming gather with me, even. Do you play an instrument? We could have a duet, if you like."
He hesitated, and then nodded. "I'd like to meet Finbar," he said with a smile. T'rel was fond of meeting new people. Having been raised in the Harper Hall, it might have been near to impossible for him to have developed a shy streak. "Is he a candidate?"
He fell silent as Lute put a hand on his shoulder, puzzled for a moment. "Do what?" he asked, blinking rapidly. The blush that had spread across his face earlier returned, darker than before when she placed a kiss on his cheek. "Am not," he protested, hiding his blush behind his guitar.
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