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Date Posted: 15:05:00 12/07/01 Fri
Author: Laurel and Tristan
Subject: More lessons and a slight rant
In reply to: Marz, Tia, etc 's message, "Dinner, music, and chit-chat" on 09:43:35 12/07/01 Fri

Laurel was astonished when Marz suddenly sauntered up to her and whipped the lute right out of her hands. She saw Rowan subtly tense, like a cat about to spring, but she simply laid a hand on his shoulder to relax him. It was his habit to react without thinking when he thought she was being harassed, but lately, they were both having to learn to adapt to the strange manners of their newest companions.

She winced involuntarily at the horrible sounds Marz was making come out of her trusty little traveling lute. A smile, however, brightened her features somewhat when he boldly asked if she might teach him how to play.

“Since you asked so sweetly,” she answered, laughing lightly. “Come, sit down beside me. Move over, Rowan. Oh, don’t look so cross, little brother!" Rowan grumbled to himself before finally getting up and moving to a new seat."

Yes…right here.” She patted the area next to her on the log she was sitting on and motioned for Marz to sit. Once he complied, she placed her fingers over his, that is, the ones cupping the neck of the lute, and moved her other hand further down.

“This,” she said, plucking a single string, “is called A.” She proceeded to go up the scale, showing him each note as well as pointing out how the positioning of his fingers on the neck would change.

“Now you are just as confused as ever, no?” She laughed at the baffled look he was trying to hide. “That is because only good musicians can play like that. It is good to know your keys, but beginners learn strumming. See? Like this.”

And again she placed his fingers in a certain way and strummed downward, creating a pretty sounding chord. She had him repeat the movement before introducing two more, and then showing him how to play all three together in a light, simple little tune. He picked up on the strumming rather easily, as if he’d been born to play music.

“If you know enough chords,” she explained, “You will be able to create you own songs someday.” She smiled again and raised an eyebrow at him. “Any questions?”




Although he didn’t quite burst out laughing like some of the others, Tristan was grinning from ear to ear when he saw Isobel snub poor ugly Justin. He silently added his promises to help her should it become necessary to teach the fat mercenary a lesson. Justin was another one who didn’t like Marz all that much, and Tristan was automatically inclined toward hating someone who professed such a stupid opinion like that.

He drank the cup of blood Marz shoved into his hands, wiping his mouth with his hand once he’d finished that one too. He hoped he didn’t have any red marks on his teeth. When Marz also finally realized just what those indecent women were planning on cooking over the fires, he wisely echoed Tristan’s reaction, though he was a tad more dramatic about it, as usual.

His eyes lit up when Tia moved to toss something into Marz’s lap, explaining that it was the food the Queen had packed for them. It’s like having a mommy to make our lunches, he thought, his smile turning wistful as he wondered how nice it must have been to have someone like that for real. Quickly, he forgot his brief melancholy reflection, perking up at the steaks Marz was unwrapping.

Of course, Tristan passed on the bread and apples, but his eyes lit up when he saw Jeremy passing around some of his famous candy bars, all of which contained that delicious ingredient dragons loved, chocolate. The Pepsi tasted odd, but he didn’t mind, since he was hoping it might wash his mouth out, just in case he did have any red marks on his teeth.

He shook his head slightly when Marz jumped up and grabbed the lute out of Laurel’s hands, before asking her if she could teach him how to play. He’s never subtle about anything, is he? he thought, finding a smile coming to his face. He balled up his now empty paper, his steak finished, and watched silently as the druidess agreed to show Marz how to play.

“You love him don’t you?”

Tristan started slightly and glanced at Tia, who was still sitting beside him. Was she talking to him? About Marz? Of course she’s talking about you and him, you ninny! he chided himself. Why had he gotten it into his head that nobody knew about the two of them?

“From the way he looks at you it's easy to see that he loves you too,” she continued, seeming not to notice his surprise. It warmed him a little to hear her say that, even though it was a bit embarrassing to know they were that obvious. She went on to admit having never been with someone like that, and he wondered if she was as innocent as he’d been so recently. He almost snorted when she asked if love made “everything work perfectly.”

It was then that he noticed the half-eaten piece of steak she’d placed before him, and he took it gingerly, giving her a tiny smile. “Thanks,” he said, though he didn’t start eating it immediately. This was kind of odd. He never thought he’d get a chance to rant about how crazy Marz was, but now that he finally could, he couldn’t quite think of anything to say.

“It’s not easy!” he finally blurted out, though he kept his voice as low as usual. “It’s so hard!” He shook his head morosely, giving her a slightly abashed look. “You know, before I met Marz, I’d never been in a relationship either, so half the time I don’t even know what the hell I’m supposed to be doing.” He sighed. “And he isn’t exactly the easiest person to please. I mean…”

He fumbled for words, feeling a bit flustered. “I mean…it’s like…not that I can’t please him, because I know what he wants, and I try to give it to him. But we fight all the time. And you have no idea how much it hurts to fight with someone until you realize you’re head over heels in love with him.”

He shook his head again and nibbled a bit on the steak. “Take my word for it,” he said after a while, “Stay single!” He smiled slightly, averting his eyes as he played with the little metal piece on the end of the Pepsi drink. “Unless of course you run into someone like Marz. I know it must sound like I hate being with him, but I don’t.” He frowned, ever so slightly. “I just wish I knew how to make us work all the time instead of just some of the time.”

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