The Hope That Died Within -- Part 1

Writers: Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 15th April 2007

Characters: Tayette, Hartam
Description: Tayette finally listens to Hartam's new song, with surprising effect.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 3, day 13 of Turn 4

The meal had been pleasant enough. The food had been good. A few people had stopped by to talk to him, but none had presented major problems, so the conversations had not felt like work. However, now the dining hall was clearing out, the vintners returning to their work, the kitchen staff removing dishes and food from the tables.

Hartam pushed back his chair and took his gitar from the chair where it had rested during the meal, removing the hide case that protected it. He plucked at the strings and turned the tuning pegs, idly adjusting the tones as he waited for her to join him.

Tayette was clearing the tables, her nerves building up despite the fact she wasn't going anywhere with him. _Him_, she shook her head, his name was Hartam but in her mind he was the Harper. Her fingers slipped off the basket, as she became distracted, and crumbs of bread spilt across the table. Would she always have this reaction about men?

The first chords of music reached her ears, and she was dragged from her musings to realise the room had almost emptied completely, that only she and a few workers remained, besides the Har. . . Hartam - she corrected herself. Her pulse quickened, he wanted to sing his song to _her_, she was still totally flummoxed by his declaration. Quickly she finished cleaning down the tables around her, not wanting to detain him longer than needed.

She turned and walked back towards the kitchens, passing him on the way, "I'll be back out again in a moment." she felt colour rise in her cheeks, and quickly scurried away.

"I'll be here," he called after her softly. His fingers idly plucked a tune, another song that had been tickling at his mind lately, avoiding the one that he was saving for her, waiting for her return.

Why did she so at odds, he wasn't here for anything more than to show her his song; no more than that, harmless even. She stirred herself, and made her way back out to the dining hall, there really was no one else here now, apart from the two of them, but the staff in the kitchens were there
- she knew they were and felt secure in that knowledge. **Stop being so silly!** The thought flashed through her mind as she made her way through the tables. "Back" she said, stating the obvious, and settled herself into the alcove just behind him.

He smiled at her and segued into the chords to accompany the new song.
"Then I'll play!" His eyes dropped to follow his fingers as they described the final notes of the chorus and then started back at the beginning. His voice joined in, softly but clearly, carrying only a few tables away from the two of them.

Oft I've wished I could go back To days of Turns gone by When all we had from overhead Were dragons in the sky.
But I'm older now and more wise Or so I'm meant to be So those regrets I'll set aside For they are what made me.

He may wish he could return to a time of Thread free skies, she may have even given him words to help him with his song, but she would never willing go back to those times. She could feel flutterbies in her stomach when she so much as considered the option. She shook her head to clear it of her thought and gave her full attention to the song again. His voice was pleasant and soothing, would she always associate that word with him?

The disappointments of my youth The friends who let me down The aches of unreturned love The smile turned into frown The sadness oh so personal The loss of friends and kin The dreams discarded over time The hope that died within She couldn't move, if she so much as moved, she would run, run as far away as she possibly could. She couldn't allow her eyes to leave the ceiling, if they dropped to look at the Harper, he would see the pain he was causing her, see the tears flowing freely from her eyes. Instead she looked to the ceiling, hoping he wouldn't see that she couldn't take his words.

Disappointment of youth? Of life! Every word of this song was her life, how could he have known? Too many disappointments had died within, she was no more than a shriveled, old piece of redfruit within. Nothing could dwell in her, nothing nice, nothing healthy Oft I've wished I could go back To days of Turns gone by When all we had from overhead Were dragons in the sky.
But I'm older now and more wise Or so I'm meant to be So those regrets I'll set aside For they are what made me.

Midway through the chorus he had glanced over at her, lost in the words, oblivious to her reactions until then. What he saw. . . he kept singing, his craft taking him through the words and music that he had rehearsed so assiduously. Had he misjudged the words? Should he have rewritten the rhymes, worked at them longer before presenting this song to her? Were they truly that bad? Or was it something else?

Last updated on the April 17th 2007

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The Hope That Died Within -- Part 1