Stereoheart {Saphor}

[Tashe]

Sundown. It was a truly beautiful time of day. A little bright for Zemask, but with the aid of a slitted blindfold, he could accompany His to the watchheights. He didn't come up here on a normal basis, only when a Rider he knew was on night watch. Today it happened to be Ithanna of Iwyrth, Hinsero's girlfriend. She was nice enough and promised not to bother him if he came up to the high ridge to play his music. Tapping his dangling leg against the rock face, the Brownhandler removed his bow from its case, deftly dragging resin down the runner hairs to make them limber. A few passes later Zemaren put the bow down and uncovered Vivian, his violin, bringing it up to his cheek so he could listen while he tuned her strings. He always loosened them when he per her away, the strings lasted longer and were less likely to break that way. It took him a few minutes to bring the pitch of the strings to the correct sounding notes, that was perhaps the downside to it all. Tuning could take such a long time, but today he finished the task quickly.

The Journeyman sighed as he retrieved the bow, resting it against the strings he hesitated before drawing it slowly across them. He played the overture of the song before adding his voice to it, the tune by itself might not have been recognized, but with lyrics there was no doubt. It was an old song written long ago, but at the Harper Hall it had been kept alive, for it was what the song was about.

A heart that's true in harper blue
makes song from heart's own fire,
and though betrayed, is not afraid:
in danger, leaps up higher.

No world is free of minstrelsy,
nor noise, nor rage, nor sorrow.
A harper must discharge his trust
before he asks to borrow.

My Harper Hall is free to all
who serve with song and playing.
But you who'd hide your song inside
are very sadly straying.

Will you withdraw beyond the law,
lie safely in your slumber,
while dangers shake your world awake
and Death makes up his number?

By this point his eyes were closed, he was lost in the music like any Harper should be. Fingers and bow flew from one note to another, seamlessly blending voice and instrumentals as if he'd played the song for his whole life. Zemask crooned as he listened, he enjoyed the noises His made with the wood thing. It was really different from anything else he'd ever heard.

Did harper here betray those dear
he'd feel more than my tongue.
If place you'd earn, you'd better learn
more music than you've sung.

For if you die, while safe you lie
halled in your selfish bone,
no chant will come, no harper drum,
and you'll lie long alone.

Get up, take heart--go, make a start,
sing out the truth you come for.
Then when you die, your heart may fly
to halls we have no name for.

Zemaren's voice changed, noting the end of the vocal point of the song, but he continued to play the violin. He held the last note for a few seconds before sighing and running his hand with the bow in it through his hair. Faranath, sometimes he missed the Harper Hall despite all its complexities and disgusting habits. His eyes remained closed until Zemask made a warning noise...

[Zephyr]

The blonde woman didn't really have any reason to be at the watchheights this evening. Phaiden was spending time with Piden and she felt it an opportune time to explore the new weyr. The stone heights were a new experience for the woman. She hadn't actually been here for any of her routine candidate chores, and it might be a nice place to watch the sunset from. Something stopped her in the tracks, however. She heard music, floating towards her from somewhere in front of her. She instantly thought about turning around and returning the way she came, but she couldn't pull herself away from the music. It was unlike anything she had ever heard before.

Saphor hadn't meant to stay so long. In fact, it would have been quite embarrassing to her to have to explain why she was standing around listening to someone's private music. That wasn't something that people did every day. So, when she heard the wher's warning growl coming from in front of her, she instantly knew she had stayed too long. Every muscle tensed, and she debated the wisdom of turning around and darting away from the spot.

Unfortunately, he probably already knew she was standing there, thanks to his beast. So running away was probably out of the question if she wanted to quell any further embarrassment. Sky blue eyes darted this way and that, possibly looking for an escape, possibly looking for something else. At last, she spoke, her voice low. " It was beautiful music." Lame reply, but there was nothing else she could say short of 'I know I was rudely listening to your private music, but it's good!'

Cue faceplantage.

[Tashe]

Reddish brown eyes tracked over the woman's body as she came into focus, calculating the risk and deeming it low. Ithanna and her Dragon were not but a couple of dragonlengths away and would have stopped the woman if the Green had sensed any threat. Plus Zemask was perfectly placid now, his warning was more of a sleepy rumble than anything else. And although he trusted the Watchpair on duty, he trusted his Brown above all else, and his lack of advances toward the female spoke louder than words. In fact, the huge Brown chirped happily at the blond, singing a hello in Wher sounds. Dipping the bow down into the resting position, he bowed slightly from where he was sitting in true Craftbred fashion. "Thank you. I was not expecting an audience, but as a Harper I believe all music should be heard."

Adjusting himself he inspected the woman again, but focused mainly on her face. Harpercrafts and Holderkin things aside, if Zemaren was good at anything, it was remembering faces. Names not so much, but he was ridiculously good at faces. "I know you. You are the woman who comes by the Wherhandler rooms to drop off little Phaiden with Piden." He knew the girl's name by overhearing the Bronzehandler call it out more than once. "You're... you're... " He searched for the name. "Saphor right? Excuse me if I don't get up to greet you, I'd have to put away my instruments. I am Journeyman Harper and Wherhandler Zemaren and this is my bonded, Zemask. He doesn't bite, if you wish to come closer. The only thing you run a risk of from him is being nuzzled to death."

The Bronze sized Brown wuffed happily. Yes he was not dangerous at all! At least not to her. She was pretty and she liked Hislove's pretty noises, so she should definitely come and sit with them. A micro-fragment of a frown touched the corners of the Brownhandler's lips because of Zemask's enthusiasm but disappeared behind the Harper within him. "If you have no business to go about, stay a while and I shall play for you. Do you have any requests?"

[Zephyr]

Saphor realized she was tensed up, ready for the man to tell her to leave. Not that she would have minded, normally. As a rule, she didn't like to suffer undue embarrassment. In this case, however, she wanted to hear some more of the music he was playing. She didn't hang around harpers normally, and she, out of all people appreciated music wherever she could get it. So, it came as a relief to her when the handler didn't tell her to leave. He didn't seem as upset as she made him out to be in her mind

" Sorry." She apologized for eavesdropping on him. " It was hard not to listen, I don't...get to listen to music often. I agree..." She said, stepping closer. " What's the point of beautiful music if no one else ever gets to hear it?"

When he identified her, she frowned slightly. Why did she have to be associated with Piden? She supposed that since he was well known here and she wasn't and she was around him often enough for their daughter's sake, the association was inevitable. It still upset her some, not that she would ever let anyone know that she was upset in the least. " Yes. Do you know my daughter? She's wonderful." It was always nice to talk about Phaiden. She loved the girl so. Eyes went to the wher for a split second before she took the invitation and stepped even closer, falling into a graceful seated position near the two of them. " I understand. Well met. And you too, Zemask," and she grinned happily at the wher. Saphor liked whers. They didn't seem as needy as the dragons, another reason why she was glad she didn't impress at the hatching.

" Mhm, no." She looked back to Zemaren. " I don't know many songs, so you can choose what to play. What was the name of your last song?" Her head tilted slightly, wavy blonde hair falling down her shoulder.

[Tashe]

"I have met her a few times in passing, she's a bouncy one, your daughter." Adjusting himself so his back was more comfortable against the rock, Zemaren gently plucked at the strings with his fingers and waited for the woman to sit down. Zemask crawled a little closer to nose the woman's leg with a rumble. Would the prettylady be so kind as to scratch his eyeridges? He would like that, he liked being petted. It was very soothing! Chirping he nudged her gently again as his Human replied to her talking. "The name of that song has been lost over the years, but the lyrics have survived. Its sort of... the anthem of the Harper Hall? At least, everyone there knows it. Its one of the first songs you learn, a simplified version for instrumentals until you get good enough to adapt it to your chosen instrument."

Reaching down he popped open the hidden compartment in the violin case to ruffle through the folded sheafs of paper. "Hmm... well... lets see." He was currently going through a dark haunting phase, but he felt like the woman might appreciate a lighter song with a pretty jaunt to it. "Ah, here." Pulling out a paper he unfolded it, scanned the notes to refresh his memory then replaced it. "This one is called the Firelizard Song. Its a very old one too." He sat forward and placed Vivian under his chin, moving his fingers to the first note before resting his bow on the strings. Taking a breath, he pulled the bow and started the song. Normally Zemaren played this song with a harp accompanying him, so he had to change the melody minutely to cover that lack.

The little queen, all golden
Flew at the sea.
To keep it back,
To turn it back
She flew forth bravely.

As she attacked the sea in rage
A holderman came nigh
Along the sand
Fishnet in hand
And saw the queen midsky.

The beat of the song slowed, the violin's music slowing slightly to echo the man's wonder.

He stared at her in wonder
For often he'd been told
That such as she
Could never be
Who hovered there, bright gold.

After the stanza was over, Zemaren went back to the increased tempo of the first two.

He saw her plight and quickly
He looked up the cliff he faced
And saw a cave
Above the wave
In which her eggs he placed.

The little queen all golden
Upon his shoulder stood
Her eyes all blue
Glowed of her true
Undying gratitude.

Drawing out the last note of the song, the Brownhandler lifted his bow from the strings with a small sigh. His mother had learned the song from their Harper at Telgar, who had taught him the violin accompaniment later when he'd shown clear musical promise. It had been one of his favorite songs, singing it for his mother because she hadn't been able to follower her dream of being a Singer. All his talent had been inherited from her. "Its about the first meeting of humans and firelizards after they disappeared for a long time, many, many generations ago." At least that's what was thought. Some of the old teaching songs had lost or broken meanings now a days because they were so old.

[Zephyr]

" She is a handful at times..." Saphor's voice came as she was looking down at the wher, extending her hand to scratch absently at the beast's eye ridges for a moment, smiling pleasantly down at it. But I love her more than life itself...

Still giving attention to Zemask, Saphor's blue eyes moved back to Zemaren, head tilted slightly. " That's a shame." She said with a small smile. " A beautiful song deserves a beautiful title. Though, it is nice that it hasn't been forgotten over the years. That's the nice thing about songs, they are hard to forget...thanks yo you harpers." She was silently excited when he pulled out a new song, and she loved the name of it. Firelizards, along with whers, were one of the few draconic creatures she could actually tolerate. They were as needy as dragons, but they didn't talk to you.

As he started, Saphor absently patted the wher, her head still tilted, long blonde hair tumbling down her shoulder. In mere moments, the woman was entranced by the music. She could almost see the golden firelizard, protecting her dear eggs from the sea, something she could fully understand, being a mother herself. As he finished, her grin widened, and she clapped her hands softly, laughing lightly. " That was beautiful." She said at length. " You are very good." She complimented him, gently scratching Zemask. " You're the luckiest wher in the entire weyr, being able to listen to that all the time." She crooned to the wher, looking back up at Zemaren for a moment.