After an hour Talora finally pulled herself from the tavern, a pleasant warmth filled her body and her pain was lessened by far. She steps out into the street and walks toward the city center, she will use this as her staging ground for what comes next. The air is cool and the wind picks up as she saunters down the road, and music blows in from the fountain down the road. Quite lovely music in fact, a soft sad song bellows and reverberates off the building. The whaling viola strings tickling her ears just the faintest it, ‘this will be Darrio’ Talora thinks. He’s a popular bard in the city, he’s lived in the capital for as long as Talora has been here at least. Talora leans back, relaxing her arms in her work pockets looking up to the clouds. The song reminds her of home, you could hear her father testing instruments most days. Her favorite pastime while not playing herself, was to go fishing on Crocato lake as her father played. He wasn’t a great musician that they would tell tales about, it wasn’t truly his passion. His passion was to make the instruments that truly great artists would build their stories on, but she loved it nonetheless. Nearly dreaming with visions of home she stepped out from the road the inn was situated on, and moved toward the musician. She sat down on a public bench near the fountain listening to the soft strings, the staring from strangers had lessened since the start of the day. People still occasionally stopped to look at the recently freed child, but they never lingered long. The song ended with a soft dragging resolution. As the man proffers his viola case for tips, Talora strides up to him.

Nervous energy fills Talora as she grows closer to the man, she’s never felt this kind of stomach ache before now. It’s strange to her, as a young girl she’d always felt so assured. Bolstered by her parents, supported by the chieftain, she always felt like she could do it. Standing in front of this man forming the words made her do something she’d never done before, if she could do it. No higher stakes had ever been the premise of a conversation than this, possibly her whole future lay in front of her and now might be her only chance. “Sir bard mister, I uh, may I uh”. “SHIT I’VE GIBBED IT ALREADY” Talora thinks to herself, her face not hiding the feeling at all.

The man with the viola looked her in the face, confusion written in his expression. He finally processes the words and replies “you, sorry miss, did you need to speak with me”?

Talora, used to rolling with situations by now, carries on. “Yes sir, I’d like to discuss an apprenticeship with you sir”.

The man's face instantly sours “sorry little miss, I don’t take apprentices. Too much to keep track of on the road”.

This hurts, but Talora is ready for it as she replies “please sir, at least let me show you what I can do”. She’s being more sincere than she has in years at this moment, it feels strange after so long.

The man seemed to reconsider for a moment, a thoughtful look passing over his face for only a moment “sorry kid, I really can’t have anyone tailing me. It complicates things too much, especially right now”.

Okay, not going great she can see that, but she has one last thing. This is going to be risky as she suspects it’s going to cut into her survival money, but right now she needs to bet everything she can on this. Talora looks at the retreating form of the bard, and yells out one more line. “I’ll buy you a drink, and a meal if you want. Just hear me out, please sir it’s what I know best”.

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The man’s form stops moving, and stands for a moment. After a few breaths, his tensed shoulders drop. Without turning around he yells out “come on then, follow me to tall tails”.

Talora, somewhat surprised that got him, stutters out an apology and jogs after him to catch up.

The young man sits back in his chair, fat and slightly drunk. Talora had learned his name was Dago, so she addressed him. “Now may I show you something, a song from home. Me and my father wrote it together when I was younger, it’s what I know best”. Dago pushes his viola case down towards her, and she grabs it and puts it in her lap. She pulls apart the leather straps holding the case shut, and with reverence slowly opens the case. A beautiful instrument lies within, not of Hagh Nahn make, but surely some master craftsmen in Ga’Ul’Shire. The case has a faint humidity, the smell of wood and gut strings fills the air around the table. Talora unhooks the bow and rosins it, the bow is well kept and tight. She sets the bow to the side and ,very carefully, pulls out the viola. It’s almost funny how small it feels in her hands, she hadn’t touched an instrument in so long that it feels strange to hold. She places it in her lap and plucks the strings one by one, making sure everything is still in tune. The quality of the instrument doesn’t stop at the wood selection, and so it’s still perfectly in tune. She places the viola on her shoulder, and plucks out the intro to the song. It’s quick and whimsical, one could imagine a small animal chasing a butterfly to fit. It’s not perfect as Talora is out of practice, but it’s fun. After four turns she picks up the bow and plays the same melody, it feels more somber now. Still happy and light but the notes drag on just a touch. Talora catches a string wrong and a terrible screech sounds out, she winces as she recovers. Ever slowing now the melody falls away and it switches to a bittersweet dance, like the feeling of long ago memories burning once more. The song closes with a deep long note, slowly fading out. It’s longer but with the early mistakes Talora thought she’d take her victories and not risk anymore.

Talora sits back and places the viola in the case. She can already see it in his face, he’s not going to accept it. A cold calm washes over Talora before panic can set in, she had just spent half of her survival money on this. ‘What a fucking fool I am, believing this might work out.’

Dago sat up in his chair now, pulling his case back towards him. He says softly “listen kid-”.

Talora cuts him off “please don’t, I don’t need to hear it”.

Dago frowns and continues “I’m sorry kid, it just wouldn’t work, I’m employed by the king and his office would never pay for a green apprentice”.

Talora shrunk further ‘a fool indeed’.

Dago keeps speaking “I’d have to get you approved by the treasury and you’re just, it’s just that”.

“Because I was a slave”.

Dago’s frown grows deeper as he says “they’d say it’s because of the war, but yes I think so”.

Talora stands from the table and walks out the door without saying another word.

Dago follows her out but stops in the doorway, he watches as she leaves but says nothing.