Revelations from the Harper

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 27th June 2019

Characters: Thayde, Enamra, Gifren
Description: Gifren has a breakthrough and diagnosis in Enamra's education that he shares with her and Thayde.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 11, day 8 of Turn 9

Thayde

Enamra

A soft knock on the door made Enamra look up from wiping down the
table. They'd just finished dinner and she wasn't expecting company,
but perhaps Thayde was. She went to the door and opened it, then
blinked as she saw Gifren, the Hall's teaching Harper. "Master
GIlfren, can I help you?"

He smiled gently down at Enamra. "Sorry to come by so unexpectedly,
but I wanted to have a word with you and your husband if you have a
moment." He lifted up a small package. "I've news and I've brought
some things for you to use."

Thayde stood, surprised as well to see Master Gifren. "Please come in,
have a seat, we just finished dinner. "

"Thank you." Master Gilfren stepped in and took the proffered seat,
waiting for the couple to join him. He shook his head when Enamra
offered him a drink, then folded his hands on the table. "I came with
some information about Enamara's reading difficulties." As Enamra
sighed and seemed to shrink, he lifted a hand. "Oh no, dear, you're
not doing anything wrong. And I can assure you that you're not stupid
or dumb or whatever else someone has told you." He looked at Thayde.
"I actually believe Enamra is very bright." He smiled at her flush and
continued. "The problem isn't a common one, but I've seen it before.
Normally, though it's caught much earlier with young children just
starting Harper classes. It actually looks like her young sister may
have the same concerns, but we'll be working with her too. With some
children and adults reading is more difficult because the mind
switches the letters or they seem to wiggle and it makes it hard to
remember them or read them. The mind seems to work differently. That
Enamra has learned as much as she has in her short period of time
learning speaks to the fact that it's not severe. It just needs a
helping hand, so to speak."

Thayde couldn't help the flare of irritation that jolted through him
when the harper looked at him, as if to say that Thayde had somehow
told Enamra that she wasn't smart. He'd never said that! If anything,
Thayde had felt that the problem lied within himself as a teacher,
rather than with Enamra as a learner. Still, it helped to know that
the difficulties had stemmed from a different cause.

The dolphineer felt a little twinge of jealousy at the smile and flush
that came to his young wife when Gilfren complimented her
intelligence. "So what is next then?"

"You gave her a good start, Thayde. Especially with the sand table and
using her finger. That's what we do and what we'll continue to do.
We're not concerned as much about her ability to use a writing tool
right now and the textures of the sand or clay do seem to help. I'll
work with her one on one along with her younger sister." He unwrapped
the small package, revealing a hide and small framed pieces of colored
glass. "I want you to try this."

Enamra frowned, uncertain as she leaned forward. "Try what?"

Gilfen laid the hide in front of her, then placed a framed red-tinted
piece of glass over it. "Can you read what's under the glass now? Do
the letters wiggle around?"

She looked down, tilted her head and then blinked. "No." She studied
the words, then spoke, with halting uncertainty. "Fish. Dock. Net.
Girl. Boy. Man. Woman." She looked up. "Did I get it right?"

Gilfen grinned. "Yes. All of them."

Enamra turned to Thayde, a wide smile wreathing her face. "Thayde, I
can read it!"

His wife's features were completely transformed by the breathtaking
smile she wore. It was like a punch in the gut. She was beautiful.

"I know," Thayde smiled. "I'm so proud of you Enamra. This," he tapped
the tool and looked up at Gilfren, "is incredible. How does it work?"

"We don't know _exactly_ how it works. With difficulties like hers,
the colored glass seems to work to stabilize the letters for the mind.
Sometimes it's red, or blue, or even green. But the red is the most
common. Writing may still be difficult and the backwards letters are
common. The key is repetition. Also, these may help as well. " He
pulled out the last items in the hide, a large bunch tiles half-a
handspan wide, each with letters on them. "She can use these to put
words together for practice at home." Gilfren reached to lightly touch
Enamra on the hand to catch her attention. "Enamra, your ability to
read has nothing to do with your intelligence. I want you to remember
that. Never call yourself dumb or stupid. You aren't. And you'd
started classes when you should have, we could have caught this much
earlier."

Her hand found Thayde's on the table, gripping it as she listened to
the Harper. "Yes, sir. I'll try."

He looked up at Thadye. "I will tell you that I've seen this sort of
things run in families. So, when you have children, you'll have to
watch for any similar symptoms and let who ever is their teaching
Harper know."

Thayde gave Enamra's hand a squeeze. "We'll keep that in mind," he
assured Gilfren, although there were certainly no plans in his mind of
having children any time soon.

Enamra blushed and lowered her eyes, but nodded. Gilfren smiled,
patted her other hand and rose. "I'll see you in class, Enamra. Keep
those items, but if the glass breaks, you'll have to order another on
your own from a Glass smith. The Harper offered his hand to Thayde.
"Thank you for having me this evening, Master Thayde. We'll keep
working on her reading and writing as much as possible."

The dolphineer stood and shook Gilfren's hand again. "Thank you so
much. We appreciate everything."

Giving a nod to each of them, the Harper took his leave, shutting the
door behind him quietly. Enamra turned to Thadye with a bright smile
as she held the colored glass. "I'll be able to really read, Thayde."

"I know," he watched her delicate fingers as it grasped the glass.
"Let's celebrate?"

She beamed at him. "I'd like that! What should we do?"

"How about...." he glanced around the room. Inspiration struck as he
grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen. "How about we take a bottle
of wine and go take a night swim?"

She'd only had wine a few times in her life, but his suggestion
brought a swift nod. "I'd really like that." She hadn't gone for an
evening swim since before they'd married and missed the cool lap of
waves in the moonlight. "Right now?"

"Right now," Thayde grinned. "Put on your swimsuit," he still had his
swimming shorts on from earlier in the day.

Putting down the colored glass, Enamra flashed a wide smile and darted
into the bedroom. It didn't take long for her to emerge, but wore an
old tunic over the swimming suit that had been provided to her when
her old one was deemed far too small after her reaching a healthy
weight. Tucking her hand in Thadye's arm, she beamed up at him. "I'm
ready."

Putting his hand over Enamra's, Thayde led her from their quarters,
feeling lighter than he had in weeks.

Last updated on the July 22nd 2019

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Revelations from the Harper