#ragh week

Ragh follows it down to the piano, where Aelwyn is seated with her eyes closed, slender fingers moving expertly across the keys and playing a beautiful song that he’d never heard before.

When she finishes, he claps, making her jump in her seat.

“I didn’t know that you were standing there.” she told him.

He shrugged. “I heard you playing and thought it sounded nice. You’re very good.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I took lessons as a child. So did Adaine, but she wasn’t interested enough to continue on with it.”

“What were you playing?” he asked her.

“It’s a well-known classical song from Fallinel. Because we lack crystals and such, most of our music is passed along from person to person so all musicians know a few songs really well, and this is one of them,” she explained. “Do you play?”

He shook his head. “I mean it sounds like super cool and relaxing but I can’t.”

Aelwyn raised an eyebrow. “Why not? I know it was out of tune when we moved in, but I had someone in the other week while you were all at school so now it’s okay.”

“No, it’s just that-” he held out his hands and wiggled his meaty fingers. “I don’t think that I have the touch for it.”

“Because you have hands?” she asked. “I assure you, the use of hands in playing the piano is quite important.”

“No, because my fingers a huge,” he explained. “And I’m a barbarian anyway. I’m not supposed to do music stuff.”

“First of all, your fingers aren’t too big to play the piano. That’s quite a preposterous assumption,” she replied. “And who’s to say that you can’t play the piano? Gorgug plays the drums and Fabian is a fighter that dances. If anything, it could be a good way to manage your rage, though I’m not an expert since I don’t experience barbarian rage. I’ve often used music as a way to calm myself.”

“So there’s nothing wrong with somebody like me playing the piano?” he asked.

Aelwyn shook her head. “No, of course there isn’t.” She vacated her seat. “Hear you sit down.”

“I-” he started. “I don’t know how. It’s just going to sound really bad.”

“Really, Ragh, the only other person home is your mum and I seriously doubt that she would mind,” she pointed out. “And I can teach you, if you’d like. Being more patient is something that I’m trying to work on. Perhaps this can be a growing experience for the both of us.”