Chapter 107: The story of the old Musician
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"We are not here to cause trouble, so you can relax. Our visit has nothing to do with the Royal Guards."
"Do I give you the impression I am stressing about something, young man? I am indifferent. Just don't disturb me too much, and you can look at those rotten junks."
It was an old man with a long white beard, with a similarly long moustache that he had twirled, his clothes looked to be dusted and dirty, but had a unique flair to them, akin to a gentleman, something he didn't see around the individuals on Arcadia's Streets.
Standing there at his old-fashioned counter, with a hand supporting his resting head while another one holding a piece of paper that he was reading, lost in his activity.
Vlad, who didn't bother to wake Amadeus, approached closer to the instruments put on display, all filled with dust and spider webs, but overall in great condition without rust on the metal parts.
Placing his hand on a trumpet, he couldn't help but remember the horns from his first life, removing a big chunk of the dust and spider webs in the process, and out of nowhere he was taken by surprise, with his pants down when Amadeus screamed like a crazed person, waking himself up.
"Magic! Magical! This place has everything! Just like in my dream! Lord, lord pleasssee bbuuyy m-e all of the instruments!" cried the young boy, while rushing himself to Vlad's leg, grabbing for dear life, and pleading in such a way he started to not get coherent.
"What did you promise me?"
"… I-I don't remember! Look! T-there's so much."
It was an understatement to say that Vlad wasn't slightly taken aback by the variety of instruments that he had never seen in his life, but for certain, they had some similarities with what he knew.
Yet, Amadeus who was checking around many other instruments with his eyes, getting reminded of his dreams, instantly blanked out again, before returning to consciousness while holding onto Vlad's expensive trousers.
"What a rabid kid. You should dispose of him while you can, or you'll get in trouble with his attitude." commented the old man, taking a look at Vlad and the curly blonde musician, who snapped back to reality when that peculiar voice was heard.
"Fuck me! Everything is real! They exist. I can become a great musician like in my dream."
Looking down at the boy, both Vlad and later on the old man who scoffed in the face of this statement, met their gazes with the old man's blue eyes noticing the collected abyssal eyes that were shielded by a slim pair of correction glasses.
With a slight difference in his tonality, the old man told Vlad as if to sternly warn Amadeus.
"That kid, you better make sure he doesn't break anything around here. Also, why would he even pass out from seeing those instruments? They are old, rusty squeezeboxes, and some don't even work."
"... Don't bother with this boy, sir. He is just, hmmm, overwhelmed with the amount of instruments you have here. Even I can only lower him hat if I had one at this sight, even if I don't recognize much, apart from that variation of the organ instrument."
"This? I guess, but they are old pieces that I can't even sell. Curse that stupid King for banning great music in his shit capital and being petty for having zero talent and musical sense in his inbreed line."
That spicy remark from the old man who stopped reading his sheet of paper, had Vlad smile with a sly expression, not telling much to the watcher, only that he might or not tasted the acidic comment at the Briss King.
"Interesting. Are you a musician?" asked Vlad casually, one of his many curiosities about this old gentleman.
"Me? I used to delight an entire country, now I am just a ghost of my former self. The last among my musical kind is still rooted to this undeserving land."
"Intriguing. So, music is banned in this Kingdom, for that Witchcraft those Royal Guards and Marines keep on mentioning. Have I got a part of the picture?"
"Just a small fragment of the whole picture. But, it is clear you aren't a native of this place. Curious? Why have you stepped on my shop?"
"Not much, I heard from passing that this shop of yours held musical instruments and decided to make a visit with my young musician."
"That boy? He clearly doesn't look like one, and trust me, I can tell after playing music for half a century."
"I take it as a sensible subject for you, sir."
"I am detached from the whole bullshit of this situation. Anyway, what business would a traveling merchant want with me?"
Vlad liked the tone and conduct of this old man, reminding him about a particular old guy who had managed to sneak himself in a corner of his cracked heart.
"Rather simple question and request. If all the instruments here are for sale? And if you are willing to part with them?"
The old man could barely hold back a laugh from his bushy face, but focusing on acting professionally, he mentions Vlad.
"Is that even a question? They are there for a reason, to get my hands rid of them. However, some advice for you merchant, more like a warning, but take it however you wish. You'll get in trouble immediately when you start using them like they were supposed to be."
Vlad simply shrugs his shoulders, without caring much about this well-intended warning, but his tone spelled clearer his stance.
"It would be fine, after all, I am a foreigner. I'll be able to use those instruments when I go to another place."
"I guess, you'll be fine, as long as those Royal Guards don't see you with instruments they deem of "Witchcraft". Bollocks. Still, I wonder, from where are you sailing, if you don't mind?"
"Picodras Island, if it brings up any memories you might have about such a place." replied Vlad casually while walking closer to the old man, and also checking the various instruments, lifting dust.
"Picodras Island? By chance, you know an old fool that goes by the name Patrick Cochrane?" inquired the old man, while waving his hand to clear some dust reaching for his place.
Stopping from his advance, it made him wonder how much mystery was surrounding around this old man, something that he was bound to find step by step, and probably "confront" him, making fun of his exploits.
"... Are there any connections between you and sir Cochrane?"
"Connections? I used to be a frequent guest of his when he was a Count in Kaysang. I played with my band for him, his close friends, family, and the nobility. However, I always missed the big opportunity to play for King Siloriel."
"Imagine the grace I, Antonio Valdin, would have received, by delighting the ears of His Royal Majesty. A grand achievement for most musicians of that time, back in time about 20 years ago."
The old man turned nostalgic, but Vlad could see in his blue eyes a spark of life that was ignited from the moment he started speaking about old Patrick. He was even filtering on another section of his mind, the information with regard to his possible family.
"Sir Valdin, you leave me impressed even by this small fragment of your story. But are you sure, is it okay to share this with me?"
Old Antonio, waved his hand with disgust, and his language got even spicier, akin to a person from the Slum that had Amadeus wonder the origins of this old man who talked so casually with Vlad, someone he saw killing a man like it was a chicken.
"What problems lad? Those Royal Dogs can literally suck my dick for all I care. Not even allowing people with talent to play actual music. They go about preaching that is the music of the wicked, but is them who are corrupt as fuck."
"Quite the disdain for the Royalty of this Kingdom, which I can understand from where it brews. However, you are aware that if the Guards take note of your thoughts with regard to the King, you'll get in trouble."
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"So what? That brat wouldn't dare to kill his own tutor, no chance in hell that coward would have the guts."
"Not him, but his people, for sure."
"Nah, he had 12 years of chance to kill me, and even make trouble for my family. He at least learned not to bite the hand that fed him."
"Interesting."
Vlad's intrigue levels reached 100/100 with regard to this old gentleman, Antonio Valdin, which happened to be stupidly rare that he would want to interact on a personal level with someone. Even his anti-royalty speech didn't bother him because he was literally able to see the world from another perspective, the one of someone liberated from the burden of the Crown and Throne.
Amadeus didn't share the same calmness as the two adults, and instead jumped on like an imp closer to old Antonio, and with a visibly excited expression he rushed to show his violin and bow.
"You are a musician? You know how to play all of them? No wait, no… Do you know this instrument? What do you call it?"
Antonio extended his slim, old hand, and held Amadeus by his head, keeping his personal space bubble still intact.
"Easyy, boy. You are still troubled and you need to calm down. Breath … In and Out."
"Fuck, it's all dusty. *Cough" Fuck you old man, just tell me what this instrument is if you are such a great musician."
"Now with that speech, I can just tell you to piss off. Nonetheless, your Boss seems to be curious too, so I will tell you. Not as if it would hurt me in particular."
"What you are holding is a badly crafted violin. Besides, where have you got it? I thought most knowledge about authentic music went down the drain with the imposed ban on music." mentioned old Antonio in an eccentric fashion, mocking the hard work that Amadeus spent on crafting his violin, all according to the visages of his endless dreams.
Taking in hand the badly crafted violin and even the bow, he made an expression of puking, before giving the instrument back to its owner.
"A 100 𝔅 deject is still a violin regardless of how much I want to deny it. Hahh, what got to the pure music artform of my time … all of the important musicians of my time either died or moved out to Samba, Kaysang even the chaotic Velhard respect music compared to this joke of a King."
"Hmmm, I take this as an insult, old man. If you want to escape scot free from this insult, I want you to check my violin and if I play it right."
"Brat, you are asking for free tutoring now? The gall on you. Well, I am curious what you can do with the violin while being self-taught."
He was aware that Amadeus was someone who learned by himself, because he was the only person capable of playing the violin, along with some high nobles that were mediocre at best, while all of the rest didn't even reach mediocrity, being garbage.
Not expecting much from this small brat, from how he acted, he let Amadeus get ready.
Then with all preparations done, and even taking a cloth from his pocket to protect his shoulder and neck, just like Vlad corrected, Amadeus started playing his music, the first movement from Vivaldi's Spring, which took aback the old man who never heard such melody in his whole life, only pieces that sounded closely related, but not what he just heard.
"Whoaa, that was unexpected. For a shitty brat who is clearly just a newbie … it was … mediocre."
"Mediocre? You are deaf, stupid old man. You have in front of you the Greatest Musician to walk on this Earth, Amadeus-sama."
"Ohh yeah? Even a genius will be mediocre with crap technique and transitions. Hmph, I was even about to compliment you, something about your movements, but I changed my mind.
Here, if you are curious to see how this piece is played, fetch me the sheet piece. I wouldn't mind showing you how a maestro plays music."
"Sheet piece? What's that?"
Amadeus was stunned, he was hearing new notions from this old man, like it was some holiday for him.
"The piece of paper where you write the song and use it to read the music afterward. Obvious… Like this? Come on, don't play the fool with me, child. No way in hell you are able to play that type of song by the ear."
The old man quickly took from his counter a sheet of paper filled with various symbols that Vlad couldn't understand regardless of how much he tried to recall the books he read so far. There wasn't anything about music, and even the adventuring books he got didn't place any importance to that aspect.
And yet Amadeus's green eyes enlarged two times, as if an awakening happened in him, beginning to comment like he was possessed by a devil.
"It is that piece I always ignored when I played the violin in the dream … I couldn't understand jack shit, and only focused on the beauties playing their instruments and the audience, like some grand person.
…That is a sheet piece."
Slowly but surely with old Antonio staring explaining some random basic information about music, what various symbols mean on the sheet, and giving an example while playing an original piece of his using an old, dusted violin, dumbfounding Amadeus who could see this annoying old man insulting his own music, as something to aspire.
On the other hand, Vlad remains quiet, assimilating everything he was receiving from the old musician, and each of the small lessons given by old Antonio was breaking a new view for Vlad. Continuing on the small lessons given to both youngsters, seeing their oblivious expressions made him want to show off.
"Just look at your long faces. Is clear you have understood nothing."
Looking around himself while at the counter, he looked as if he was searching for something and it didn't take long for old Antonio to pick up a violin that looked far better than what Amadeus was flaunting around with his own violin/
He breathed heavily on the violin, and with his bow being rubbed close with his trousers, the image he was giving wasn't of a musician whatsoever instead it was closer if not similar to some lazy peasant.
Afterwards with some screeching sounds from the violin, clear disregard of music, he started playing his violin.
Antonio shifted their perception about music the instant he played the first tunes of Spring, acting playful before he slowed down and shifted the song to something Amadeus didn't hear in his dreams.
"No way, this old bags is good. Damn it."
"Am I good, brat? How much money are you willing to bet that I am even better than what I am showing you. By the way, this song I wrote down when I was 5 years old." asked old Antonio, the young musician as if to rub salt in his wounds.
Without any shame, as if it was a foreign concept for him, Amadeus got closer to Antonio and asks something that makes the old man laugh satisfied.
"How much do you want for you to become my teacher?"
"Teacher? I am done with that job, besides, I am not that great of a teacher because I am impatient when it comes to mediocrities." declined the old man, not being interested in teaching anyone.
Vlad nods, finding the old man reasonable, and as he goes around the shop again ignoring the scene made by Antonio and Amadeus, where the blonde kid was on his knees, holding on the old man's legs acting pathetic, pleading for him to be his teacher.
"With someone like you, old man, no … teacher, I will truly be the Greatest Musician in this World. With your technique and me with my dreams and music, we'll take down any musician standing on our path."
"Brat … stop lowering yourself. Also, what part of I decline your offer, don't you understand?"
"Please!!"
Rolling his eyes, Vlad, who was exploring around the shop, stops frozen like a statue in front of a decently sized instrument, something that resembled only in keys, a familiar instrument, the church organ.
"Kid, wasn't this the instrument you were so desperate for? The one where you play it at the keys?"
Amadeus, who was focused with old Antonio, shifts his gaze at Vlad only for a bit, but it only took one glance for the boy to be charged again, and like a kid who found a new toy, Amadeus jumps at the piano.
"Yes! Yes! This is what I was missing, the instrument I could only play and practice in my dream. Let's see if I am good outside of the stage with this thingy."
Cracking his fingers the boy didn't hold back at all as he began playing just like he was doing in his dreams, starting with a small part from Moonlight Sonata, then changing around with Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu, and at the end of the small piano concerto, he began to giggle and ask Antonio.
"No way my dreams would let me down. Ahem, maybe I am a bit slow … and I messed up some notes, but it is still the correct song."
"Old man, what do you call this instrument?"
A question baffled the old man because he was this time shocked by the raw talent the kid had for someone who might have touched the keys of the piano for the first time in his life.
"What you just played was the piano."
"Was it any good?"
"Decent enough. But you butchered the melody."
"Now, gentlemen. Could I also give it a try?"
"Do you also play music? I thought you were this kid's patron."
"I guess I can play a bit of music, but it's nothing like that kid's talent."
Vlad also tags along, picking up Amadeus like a feather, and taking a comfortable position at the instrument that barely looked human size for him, giving the impression he was standing uncomfortable at the seat.
His long arms gave him freeway at playing the notes easily, however he couldn't find a proper way to sit, which in turn triggered Vlad to pick up the old piano up, and use Anathema as a support to raise the instrument for his level, while for a seat, he picked up something taller.
"Now I start realizing that there needs to be a balance with one's body. If I get even larger, I will no longer be able to enjoy commodities of the plebs."
Playing around with the length span of his arms and the keys he would at times press using various tunes, to find their response and see if they were in tune with his keen hearing, suddenly he took both Amadeus and the old Antonio on guard with the same melody the young musician performed for the two.
"And here, boy, maybe you could have continued with this line."
From nowhere Vlad was improvising on the song unfinished by Amadeus, scaring Antonio who didn't expect that both of these kids would turn out to be monstrously talented at music.
This mixing of spirits, from the youthful and careless touch that Amadeus had, to the collected, prideful and elegant touch that Vlad had with the music, made the old musician to finally stir up, beginning to play his violin, accompanying both youngsters whenever their turn would be to try the piano.
Time passed with all three of the guys in the Antique Music Shop failing to notice that dusk was approaching them, and brimming with a spirit of music, both Amadeus and Vlad made their way back to Briss Royal Hotel, both in great spirits, especially the young musician.
"Lord, that old man … I need him for my orchestra, as old Antonio called it. No, I need many other great musicians to make the greatest orchestra in the World."
"... Haven't you heard, him? He isn't interested in teaching you any music."
"Come on Lord! There is a chance that if we work around him, he will join us. Afterall, he gave you a lot of books about music, and even his violin."
Vlad, who was walking the streets of Arcadia holding in his right hand a brown black violin, along with a bow, while in his left arm, there was a cloth fabric bag filled with what the shapes gave to be … books.
"Boy, there's no point in forcing sir Valdin to do anything. What I can suggest to you, is to stick around for as much as you can with him, and learn music. Even two weeks we might stay in Arcadia before leaving would prove to be enough."
"Understood, sir."
"Besides, has Linda taught you to read?"
"... Mom? Yeah, I know how to read."
"Then you are good for tonight. Since I doubt the girls would be back by 18:00, so you'll either read or play your violin."
"Ohh, you are going for that Mission of yours? The Key in the Tomb of Kings?"
"Pretty much."
"I'll be fine … I guess. Unless some dimshit calls the Royal Guards on me for playing music."
"Highly unlikely, afterall, that Hotel is a place where the wealthiest of the nation take residence. Taboos, like playing music, are inoffensive there, so don't worry."
"Okay, then I'll be fine for tonight."
"No going around alone. You will for sure get in some trouble."
"Yes, yes. I'll be at the Hotel, playing."