Sweet and Sour Notes (Kia)

[4horseshowgirl4]

L'ven came ambling into his room, a small roll of parchment clutched lightly in his hand. Valleth, now seeming impossibly big for his string bed in which he was lounging, had been napping, and raised his head groggily when he heard L'ven's footsteps. L'ven carelessly swung the door shut behind him, not quite managing to close it. He was not too concerned about privacy; he had his own room, as Valleth's bulk now justified, and none of the male Weyrlings would simply come barging into his room.

Whatcha got there, Mine?

[/color] Valleth asked, yawning and showing off his teeth. He had eaten and been bathed and oiled earlier this morning, and he was too full and content to bother getting out of his bed. L'ven ambled over to the string bed and tried to find a spot to squeeze in with his dragon, found the task to be all but impossible, and went to sit down on his cot instead. L'ven unrolled the parchment and skimmed its contents quickly. "It's the reply from my parents!" he said joyfully. Reply? When did you write them?[/color] Valleth said lazily. "Right after I Impressed you," L'ven said, noting Valleth's poor draconic memory. "Neither my parents nor I have a well-trained flitter, so my letter had to travel by caravan to a port, sail to the Northern continent, and travel by another caravan all the way to the Harperhall." He smiled grimly. "A letter from a Weyrling to his parents containing nothing vital to Pern doesn't qualify for a dragon to /between/ it in a few seconds, and I couldn't pay a messenger!"

There was a moment of silence in which L'ven began to silently read the letter, before Valleth interrupted. Read it out loud. I want to hear your parents brag about me![/color] "Bronze egos!" L'ven taunted, before succumbing to his dragon's wishes.

"Luven, or L'ven now!

We are so proud of you! Of course we told the Harperhall what our son has become. No one could believe that you are now a Bronzerider!" L'ven winced as he said that; he was well aware of why the Harpers that had struggled for so many Turns to teach him might find it hard to believe he had amounted to anything so glorious. Go on.[/color]

We are simply bursting with pride that you have managed to achieve something of this caliber after all of the setbacks you met here. You have 'spread your wings' (no pun intended!) and made a living for yourself in a way beyond even our most ambitious hopes.

Do try to visit us when you can! We all want to see you and Valleth-- some of the Harpers won't believe what you did until you come here with that big Bronze of yours! (L'ven winced again.) We are sure that you can accomplish your dreams together!

Write us back as soon as possible.

Love,

Mom and Dad

P.S.- enclosed is some of the newest music we thought you would enjoy.

L'ven set aside the first bit of parchment, frowning slightly. Valleth caught his eye before rumbling with greatest amusement. Wow, they sure held you in high esteem![/color] L'ven didn't smile. "One day, I'll show them," he muttered, pulling out the sheets of music his parents had enclosed. He grimaced-- they knew he was rubbish at music, but they could never quite give up their hope that L'ven would be a Harper one day.

What is this?[/color] Valleth said, prodding the music with his nose, his warm breath ruffling the pages. "Music." Sing it.[/color] "I don't know where to start!" May I suggest at the beginning?[/color] Valleth quipped teasingly. "I meant pitch-wise! I don't have a pitch pipe or anything." For Faranth's sake, pick a note and start there.[/color] L'ven hummed a note for a second before opening his mouth, his first note uncertain and quavering. He quickly went to the second note, but missed the interval, and floundered onward from there, scrambling the simple melody into something that sounded more like a baby stringing notes together than a song.

Not noticing Valleth roll his eyes and place a foreleg over his headknobs, L'ven paused before drawing in a deep breath and trying again, his second attempt no better than his first. It rather sounded like someone was dying.
[/right][/font]