He had been traveling for several years painting landscape after landscape and portrait after portrait. There were times that the artist had to stock up on art supplies like brushes and canvas. It was at one of those times that he had run into Hilda again.
During his travels he had heard about an artisan school that had opened in Fódlan, but he wouldn’t have thought that Hilda would be the founder and headmaster of such an establishment. Even so, it truly suited her to create and teach, he thought. She always had a good eye for design and her compliments and encouragement were well suited as a teacher.
They had caught up with each other over purchased art supplies, both artists showing off their work and enthusiastically complimenting the other’s.
“If you would like, I can ask my family to help distribute and sell you and your student’s work. You have incredible talent and I think the Victor Trading Company would love to be affiliated with you. Just say the word and I’ll send a letter to my brother.”
“Oh, that’s really kind of you, Ignatz! Your work is incredible too. You look so well traveled, and I don’t suppose you’ve been gathering souvenirs for me, have you?”
“Gifts for you, huh? Well, Hilda, I may not have souvenirs but I think I do have something you would like to see.”
He pulled out a well-worn and thick notebook and flipped open the pages. Inside there were pressed flowers and leaves and various notes and swatches of pigment. He handed it to her with an air of confidence.
She looked at the pages stuffed with various objects and blinked slowly trying to process what she was seeing. When it finally registered, her face lit up with a grin. “Ignatz! This is incredible!”
“Of course! All these flowers and plants, who knew that this would be capable of making such a vibrant red when crushed?”
“Even back in Garreg Mach I preferred making my own pigments over purchasing them. I’ve done a lot of experimenting with my own pigments while traveling and I have a few samples if you may like them. I think that it would be a valuable asset.”
“Oh, if you don’t mind! Oh Ignatz, you really should stay here. You can teach at my school.”
“Thank you for the compliment, Hilda.”
“I’m very serious about this, Ignatz. You should teach.”
“I’m afraid I’m not as clever or smart as my glasses make me look. I don’t believe I would be a good teacher.”
“I see even after all these years you haven’t fixed that habit of yours. Have some confidence!”
“I don’t believe confidence is the issue here.”
There was a silence between them, as both of them had no idea how to continue this line of conversation.
“Well, if you don’t mind, Ignatz, you should hold an exhibition of your work at my school. Even if you don’t want to teach my students can very much learn a thing or two from studying your work.”
“An exhibition…” The thought was certainly very appealing to him, and he was curious to see what others would think of his work. “I’ll do it.”
“Oh, truly? I’m so glad.”
He was given a guest room at Hilda’s school in the meantime. They had begun exhibiting his work, though Ignatz did not have many completed pieces on him. He decided to paint some new things to add to the gallery. However, no matter where he seemed to go, students would notice him and watch him work with interest. Still loathe to having people watch his work, he abandoned more than 10 canvases this way.
He eventually went quite far from the campus to a field of flowers. Hilda stood among the flowers with several gathered in her arms. Somehow, this view was very nostalgic…
“I was looking for somewhere peaceful to paint. Your students are persistent in trying to watch me work and I just couldn’t quite handle it.”
“I see…” She looked quietly at the bundle of flowers in her arms. “Is it ok if I watch you paint? Or would you rather me get out of your hair?”
“No, you can stay.” It wasn’t that he wanted her to stay and watch him paint. He still didn’t want anyone to watch him work, but somehow he felt the scenery would be better with her in it.
“You know, Ignatz,” Hilda muttered quietly, “this reminds me of when you first painted me. It was among the flowers too. The same ones as these.” She gestured by raising her arms filled with flowers.
“Oh, so that’s why this felt so familiar.”
“I planted these here, because of you.”
“Ah.” Somehow Ignatz could tell his face was starting to turn red.
“I still have the portrait you painted for me.”
A pause. Ignatz tried to hide his reddened face by feigning sudden interest in his art supplies and he sat down upon the grass to start his work. As he kept his head down towards his work, he heard the shuffle of grass and foliage as Hilda moved to sit next to him.
It was a quiet peaceful spring day, and Ignatz could hardly stop his hands from trembling as he tried to paint under Hilda’s scrutiny. However as time went on he slowly got into the rhythm of his work and became quite absorbed into painting to the point of nearly forgetting she was there. It wasn’t until he felt a something light on his head that he suddenly was made aware of her presence again.
“A flower crown, for you.”
“You know, Ignatz. I guess I haven’t been very honest with you. I asked you to stay to teach, but really, that’s not what I want. I actually want you to stay, just because… I want you to be here with me.”
He could feel his face flush as his mind hurried to try to find words.
“After looking at all your works you’re exhibiting I see that your calling is traveling around the world; taking in all the sights and sounds and putting it to canvas. I felt very selfish at that moment, you know, when I realized that I wouldn’t be anything more than a shackle to you.”
“That’s not true, Hilda.”
“It is true. But, if you ever need a place to stay, you’re always free to come here to my artisan school. There will always be a room open for you.”
“Don’t worry Ignatz. I understand.”
“Hilda… There’s so much more of the world I want to see. But if you’re ok with that, I’ll take you up on your offer. Someday, when I’m more worthy to stay by your side.”
“It was never about being worthy,” she said, leaning her head against his back. “It’s just that the world looks so much more beautiful when I’m with you.”
And that concludes @ignatzweek! Everything was written and drawn pretty much on the fly and I hope if this event happens again that I’ll have the time to draw and write more wonderful things.
You can read all my entries on AO3.
vaporwave
kianamaiart
titsay
izzy806
kaledo-art
romaincrisis
areudirty
stormborns
