Sweet Sorrow

A cold day begins to lead into a colder night, and the Fernwood is modestly full. Many gather at the bar, sharing ale, food and chatter. A card game of some sort is in full swing at two of the tables, pushed together with at least ten people gather'd round. Near the fire, a wee Gobbo sits, warming her bare feet at the fire. She idly plays a violin, gentle background music barely heard above the voices of those playing cards.

The door opens briefly, allowing a gust of chilled air in, and also an elf. Long blue hair that is darker near the top and fades to white by the time it touches the floor marks this particular sildanyar, as well as blue robes of an unusual design that is lovely none-the-less. Shizin's lavender eyes roam the room, breathing in the ambiance and the space before making way into the room. It is a busy night tonight, and Shizin is drawn to the sound of the music light as it is.

Slowly but surely and with careful grace the elf makes way to the fireplace, finding a small place there out of the way where the warmth of the fire touches and the music can be heard above the noises of the bar. It puts the dawn elf quite close to the player, but Shizin stays out of the way. Only folding hands into the lap and covering them with the long folds of the robe, foot tapping subtly to the rhythm.

The Gobbo continues on for some time, just being background music, and mostly relaxed by the fire. But her ears are drawn to the tapping of a foot, and she glances around the area in search of the source of the noise. Acedia grins as she finds the elf, and the wee woman stands, slowly making her way over. She soon dances lightly on bare feet before the elf, grinning toothily. "Hai!", she says softly.

Lavender eyes follow the goblin even as the music comes to an end, particularly given the goblin's motions in this the elf's direction. Even so, Shizin's eyes widen slightly at being addressed, and the elf automatically nods politely to the bard. "Greetings." The elf's words are smooth and quiet, but they hold a certain quality that assures that they can be heard quite easily. "Your music was lovely."

The Gobbo blinks and smiles brightly at Shinzin, and offers a wee bow. She puts bow to violin once more, and begins another piece, something that has definitely taken inspiration from Elven music. It flows much like a river, having fast and slow parts, and wanders. Acedia slowly moves about in time to the music, before she turns and gently settles onto one of the Elf's knees, the music still flowing.

Shizin settles back in the seat comfortably as the music begins once again. This time it is almost recognizable, like something taken from home. Which the elf recognizes that it was indeed taken from the sort of music that comes from the elvish nations. It is well done though, an appropriate nod to another cultures kind of music. The dawn elf says nothing as the goblin draws closer, but its clear that Shizin is surprised when Acedia takes a seat on one knee; still playing music lightly. Clearly loathe to disturb Shizin does not move, but observation of the goblin becomes more notable.

The music takes several minutes to go through, such as it bobs and weaves about. The Gobbo finishes with a flourish, and she giggles lightly, looking to Shizen. "So what do you think?" Her feet swing back and forth lightly as Acedia waits expectantly for the answer.

"Clearly inspired." The words come after the briefest of hesitations. The elf looks with interest at Acedia's instrument now that it is no longer being played. There's knowledge of instruments in that gaze, more than mere curiosity, but something more professional. Shizin knows a good bow when one is seen. "You play with light fingers." It is an old elvish complement, and one that Shizin says easily.

Acedia is verrrry curious about the looks the Elf gives her instrument, and she offers it up to him, should he want to more closely inspect it. His compliment is taken as one, and she grins broadly. "Oh?", she wonders, "Is that a good thing?" The look she has speaks to fishing for more compliments. "People do like the songs I play, even when they are bawdy."

Shizin accepts the instrument, turning it over with fingers that clearly know such work. It is not just a cursory examination, but a close one and when Shizin is done the instrument is offered back to Acedia with great care. Purple eyes blink at the goblin, and a soft smile touches upon the elfs lips. "Does it matter if they do?" Shizin's eyes glance away at the somewhat bold question.

"Yes.", she says softly. "I mean, I want to play what I want to hear, but I also want other people to enjoy it, you know?" Acedia lets out a long breath, and sets the instrument aside on the table. She turns a little, so that she can better see Shizin. "I also make my living playing music and singing songs and telling stories. And people pay more when they like what they hear."

The blue-haired elf rolls shoulders. Not agreeing with Acedia, but not verbally disagreeing either. The fact that the goblin is sitting on Shizin's knee puts them quite close to one another, and Shizin is not so apt at hiding expressions that the fact that the elf actually disagrees is witten on those pale features. Even so, Shizin says nothing of it, merely nodding to Acedia's words as the goblin continues to explain the reasoning.

She sort of stops talking, and eyes Shizin for a few moments. "So what do you think of that, then? Should I just play and damn the consequences?" Acedia cants her head to one side, and smiles shyly. "Are you a musician, then? A bard?"

Shizin can not help but smile slightly at Acedia's bold words. Considers them inside, and rolls the answers around in the mind before allowing any of them freedom. This creates a moment of silence before Shizin finally replies. "I am a musician." This is easy enough, and the elf's free hand moves subtly, a slight 'carry away' motion made. "A bard perhaps." Then the lavender eyes fall and Shizin looks at the fire rather than the goblin. That hand lights upon Shizin's chest briefly. "Play what is in the heart."

Acedia nods slightly, and reaches for that hand. Should he allow, she pulls it to her chest. "And what is it that you can hear in my heart?", she wonders, "And what is it that you hear in your own?" Bold, indeed.

The elf allows the hand to be taken, tilting blue hair to the side and watching Aceida curiously. "You play joy and welcome." Shizin offers quietly, taking the hand back after a brief moment and looking at it as though it might hold the answer to some question. "I know only heartache." Indeed, looking into those lavender eyes now there is a world of hurt there, an ache that even Acedia's song could not penetrate. Nor their conversation.

The Gobbo's eyes widen when he answers her questions, and she peers at him, seeing the ache in his eyes. "What is it that has caused you to feel only heartache?", she wonders, sniffling lightly. "Are you wounded?"

Shizin shakes blue hair back and forth. "Only my heart." The elf offers a small smile and shifts in the seat. Shizin is not accustomed to holding even the light weight of a goblin so. "I have known love and loss."

She nods softly and leans against him lightly. "Better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all." A beat. "Or so they say. Were you rejected? Or did they pass on to the next world?", she wonders. "If it was rejection, then it is their loss. If it was death, then please have my condolences."

The sildanyar tenses subtly against Acedia's gentle lean. Words tease along the edge of Shizin's lips, their course seen on the elf's pale features, but there is nothing to say what they actually are. They simply never form. It is hard to tell if even Shizin takes comfort from Acedia's closeness, however brief or long that may be. Only that the sildanyar is deep in thought. "They then, speak lies." Shizin finally offers these words softly.

Acedia peers at him for some time after that, her own expression full of words. She takes a deep breath, and lets it out. "Do they, though? Would you have rather not loved?" The Gobbo rubs at her cheek a moment before continuing. "There is no joy without sorrow, yes? One cannot exist without the other."

Shizin meets Acedia's gaze briefly. "Ask me in a hundred years." The elf touches a hand to breast briefly and shakes long hair back and forth again. "Perhaps I will have healed then." The elf is staring at the fire again seriously, eyes heavy-ladened with sorrow too fresh to know solace.

The Gobbo blinks and a few tears roll down her eyes. "I won't be able to. Gobbos barely live sixty years... I won't make it a hundred." She peers down at her feet a moment, swinging back and forth. She looks up at him then, and leans forward a little, her hands coming up to gently press against his cheeks. "Why wait so long?"

That reminder is enough to cause Shizin a shot of embarrassment, so deep in sorrow was the elf to say something so unkind. The elf blinks and looks down, hands capturing cheeks tattooed in blue. Forcing Shizin to meet Acedia's gaze. "A wound this deep takes time to scar." The words have an empty feel to them, the echo of sadness which lingers so well that it can be felt. "Forgive my words; please."

Near the fire, Acedia is delicately seated upon the knee of an Elf, Shizin. Her violin is set carefully upon the table. The Gobbo is currently holding her palms to the Elf's cheeks. "No, you don't have to apologize. You didn't mean it. You're in pain, it is obvious." She lets out a breath, and shakes her head. "You might feel a little better if you at least told me what happened?"

Erendriel comes on into the pub. Hands on her backpack straps, gripping onto them as she steps inside. Looking around. "Huh, never been in here before."

"Would that I could. I know only that I am being kept safe." Saying so much takes it out of Shizin. So many words. Even with Acedia holding onto either cheek Shizin manages to look down, to allow those lavender eyes to fall and remain upon the ground. Not only because of the hurt, but because to bear so much is nearly unbearable.

Acedia peers at Shizin, and reaches for her violin. The tune that she plays is fast. Cheerful. But low. Personal. As if not meant to be heard by the rest of the pub. "I walked here, yanno.", the Gobbo says, quietly. "From the sandseas to the south."

Erendriel folds her hands behind her back, walking around the place a bit. Then seeing, and hearing, a musical instrument, she grabs a seat nearby, and takes a look, and a listen.

Shizin smiles, but without joy at the sound of the music. Music is... There's a longing in the elf's lavender gaze for the sound, but it can not penetrate the haze of hurt that sits in the heart. So the sildanyar shakes blue hair back and forth, the fingers of one hand shifting as though they too play the song unconsciously.

The Gobbo blinks at the arrival of Erendriel, and smiles shyly, and then she looks to Shizin. She leans in slightly and offers him the violin. "Play.", she says softly. "Play."

Erendriel takes a moment to get herself some bread, and takes a seat again. "Hello," she nods to Shizin and Acedia. "I hope I'm not intruding."

The instrument is thrust into Shizin's hands and the elf holds it for a long moment as though it is an unknown object. The elf looks at Acedia and then Shizin's fingers wrap around the neck of the violin with fingers that have not forgotten what they are doing. Delicately, lightly, but with a possessiveness that bespeaks ancient understanding. This is then something that belongs in Shizin's bones. Just the tilt of the elf's body gives it away. That this is where Shizin is meant to be.

Then Erendreiel speaks and it is lost. Shizin is lost. Helplessly the elf holds the instrument finally pushes it away, back to Acedia. "There is no music in me." It's a lie and that anyone could see clearly enough. Shizin is not well enough versed in lying to hide it. Shizin shifts, meaning to rise but Acedia is still on one knee; holding the elf in place.

The Gobbo watches in fascination as the Elf prepares to play. She practically quivers in anticipation. Her jaw drops when he suddenly pushes the violin back into her hands. She pouts and blinks at Shizin. Letting out a long breath, she slowly stands. "I am Acedia. It is nice to meet you.", she offers with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Erendriel watches all these quiet, soft motions, and sighs. "Sorry, I can go." She says, taking a bite of her bread before she continues. "I'm Erendriel, hello." is her simple answer, as she glances around and considers where to go to leave them alone.

Shizin rises carefully, bowing to Acedia and then to Erendriel. "No, I should go." The elf looks longingly at the violin, fingers shifting as though perhaps the offer is still lingering in the sildanyar's mind, but... Shizin turns to go, robes folded neatly and face troubled by sorrows unspoken.

The Gobbo huffs and stomps one of her little feet. "You're not even going to give me your name?", she asks with a hint of irritation. She sees the look in his eyes, and once more offers him the violin. "If you must go... come back again soon. I will be here." She glances then to Erendriel. "You don't need to apologize, you've done nothing wrong."

Erendriel was getting up just as Shizin also gets up. "Wait what?" she blinks, looking between the two. "No really, it's no problem, you stay." Still not sure of what's going on, she starts stepping back a bit.

The elf pauses, wryly smiling at Acedia. "My name is Shizin." Embarrassment erases the elf's sorrow briefly, but only on the surface. Shizin looks over at Erendriel, clearly torn between the violin and leaving. Lavender eyes fall and then - finally breaking Shizin takes the violin. Accepts it and holds it with great care. "Stay, I will play."

Those words are the last soft warning before the bow comes across the violin strings and the world is suddenly crushed with sorrow. Sorrow to taste on the lips like ripe berries just waiting for this time to be spilled out. A staggering weight pressing downwards. A scent of it, like freshly fallen rain dripping down from the sky. Shizin's music captivates in the way that great music can and does, and yet this is clearly not a song passed down by many hands. This is something poured forth from the musician's heart and brought forth to bloom in the dim light of this bar. It creeps into the ears and by the middle of it Shizin has the attention of the bar. By the time it's reached its fouth tears are flowing freely from most of the inhabitants. It's the ache of something freshly torn away, something lost for an eternity that you will have to live alone without. Always feeling its loss like an arm gone from your side. It's a pain that anyone can relate to and yet it is uniquely Shizin's.

The music leaves dead silence in its wake, a haunting emptiness like the one inside; echoed outwards.

The Gobbo, like other in the Pub, is reduced to tears only part way through the song, and only blinks in confusion when the music comes to an end. She looks up at him, smiling wanly. "N.n.nice to meet you, Shizin. Did... did that help, ah.. at all?" Acedia moves forward to hug the Elf, burying her face in his stomach.

Erendriel is very good at putting on the face that she wants to put on, so she does maintain her composure, but goes very quiet as she listens to the playing. Taking a slow, deep breath. Then she nods to Acedia's question, letting her do the speaking and hugging for that thought. For her part, she claps quietly.

With the music dying and reality reasserting itself Erendreil is one of the few people clapping. Most seem too stunned by the feelings evoked to be that appreciative. Instead the elf gets a lot of lingering looks before people - more quietly now - return to their own business. Shizin doesn't seem to mind. The attention, or the lack of it. The elf somewhat awkwardly pats Acedia on the back and shakes blue hair back and forth. "It is all still here." One hand presses to Shizin's chest, and the dawn elf offers Acedia's violin back.

Acedia sniffle, and rubs at her eyes, accepting her violin back tearfully. "It was beautiful.", she sobs. "Haunting and full of pain, but beautiful. I... I could never do anything even a tenth as emotive." She glances about at the rest of the patrons, and nods to Erendriel, before looking back to Shizin. "But did it help?"

Erendriel finishes her bread, watching the two. "That was very good" she says, brightly. "I mean look. You've made the whole place go quiet. I need to get some rest, I think my arms are tired from being taught lessons today. But... I hope to hear you play again."

Shizin looks at Acedia ruefully, motioning from chest to chest. "Play from the heart." The elf looks toward the door. No, playing did not help, but it was good. Lavender eyes take in for the first time the audience forced to listen to the heartbreaking song and embarrassment takes flight on Shizin's pale features. "I should not have." With that Shizin departs, actually leaving this time without a backwards glance. The air of sorrow goes with the dawn elf, leaving everyone else in the peace that they can find in that wake.

The Gobbo squeaks and takes up her violin, and runs out of the pub in Shizin's wake. "Waaaaaait!", she calls out, chasing after him.

-End