Let the Music Set You Free [CinderWalk]

[Maiden of Loss]

During one late evening in the seaside town of Cerenis, a tall, pale elven bardess hurried her way through the lantern lit streets to a local tavern. Aislynn hurried her way through the streets, narrowly dodging horse drawn carts and fishermen returning home for the night. Lynn, on the other hand, was just beginning her night; she was on her way to yet another musical gig, scheduled this evening in at her favorite tavern. The Beguiled Mermaid was one of her most favored local haunts, full of locals, the occasional rowdy pirate crew, mercenaries and even a few of the nobles came by to hear her play. It was a warm and welcoming atmosphere and she couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought of spending yet another long evening there. Tonight, Lynn wore a black, lace corset, matching black pants and her treasured black-heeled boots. She knew she was a vision in all black and though it was probably a bit over dramatic and over the top for the small, seaside town, she felt she performed at her best when she looked the best. The hurried elf made her way through mid-town, through the merchant district and then finally arrived at the doors of the tavern.

The bardess curried a couple of instrumental cases, housing her lute and lyre, among with her sheets of prepared music and lyrics. Lynn waved quickly at the bartender seated at the bar and he frowned at her. "You're awfully late, Lynn!" He shouted to her and the Starstrider elf gave a bit of a sheepish shrug. She was often more fashionably late then not but most nights before a performance, she didn't rest much and then ended up resting during the day instead. She called back to the middle-aged human bartender with a grin. "Be glad I'm just fashionably late, huh?"

Without much fanfare, the pale elf made her way towards the back of the main part of the common room and towards the rooms instead. The owner kept a room ready for performers and bards so they could prepare themselves before the night's festivities. Lynn hoped a few of her newer instrumental arrangements would go over well with the audience. It usually did and she was a bit of a local figure, reveling in her music and art. Her aquamarine eyes glimmered with excitement as she made slowly entered her little room, furnished with a sofa, a chair and desk, and a few chairs stacked in the corner as well as a few instruments the tavern owner allowed her to keep for storage since her home on the coast wasn't very large. Once she arranged the instrument cases on the wooden desk, she opened one and slowly drew out her lute. Considering her size, Lynn had to have her lute made especially for her. Dubbed fondly, "My Lady," the lute had been made during her travels to Thantatos. Taking the stringed instrument between her loving hands, she began to tune it carefully. Once the musical notes were in tune and pleasing to even her ears, she made her way back into the main area of the tavern.

Spoiler

[Art by Feillyne, Gameforge Developer]

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The common area was bustling, the wooden tables and chairs full of familiar patrons and even a few regulars Lynn knew. She passed by the brick fireplace burning in the center of the room, opposite of the polished, wooden bar and made her way to the small stage facing the front. As usual, she asked the staff provide her a chair and stool on stage, so she can set up whatever she needs. She had even bought a spinet, an instrument made of keys, which was closely related to an organ but had a much father range than a typical organ; the owner let the elf store it on stage for the sake of ease. Lynn looked over the crowd as she sat herself on the wooden chair, facing her audience and holding "My Lady," cradling the lute tenderly between pale hands. Her aquamarine eyes peered out curiously and they set upon someone new within the gathering. She tilted her head slightly, wondering who it was. He looked like a human in his mid-twenties, a wanderer maybe, his face oval and his own gaze quiet and shy. He certainly stood out from the rest of the crowd of regulars and traveling sailors and those wandering through. Still, she didn't have much time to consider it because a moment later, the tavern owner made her way to the stage and announced Aislynn's performance. The whole main room fell silent and Lynn felt, many, many pairs of eyes on her. The tall elfess inhaled softly before she lifted the lute and she began to play, her pale hands knowing exactly where to go; one hand around the neck and then one resting near the strings.

Aislynn began to play a soft, romantic ballad; one of her most coveted tunes. She always began a performance with something to catch the audience's attention; otherwise, it was difficult to gain their full scrutiny. The ballad echoed softly, her pale hands gliding effortlessly over the strings and she began to sing in that haunting tone of hers; silvery and reverberating loudly between the tavern's walls. Her secondary voice emerged on the second verse of the song, the elf's attention caught between the strings and her audience. She grinned to herself as she caught the majority of the audience's attention and perhaps even that of the staff. Most went silent and focused on the bard's lyrics as they echoed within the tavern.

At the border of the plain where suddenly the forest dies
On the first day of the season
When the moon will shine full in the sky
I will wait for you there bathed by a magic light
I will wait, I will pray for this moment to become alive
For this night I will see as an elf clad in leaves
You´re going to see myself the fairy of your secret dreams
Even if all this belongs to worlds of fantasy
For this time, only this night everything is fair, belongs to me
A one night fantasy...

The elven bardess reached deep within herself and allowed her vibrato ring throughout the first set of verses within the song. The melody, haunting and nostalgic, reached those in even the furthest reaches of the common room and she used those huge lungs of her, but the words still delivered in a way to please the ear; even if she did have the lung capacity to breathe out the first stanza without much strain. She simply took her time, reveling in her art and finding some semblance of peace for a little while.


@CinderWalk

Spoiler

[Lyrics from Elvenking's On the Morning Dew.]

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