Chapter 06 - Friends I

Wherein a lady offers her name.

The barista of Paragon’s Cup – the little café they’d visited on their first day – had no objection to Rose playing just outside the shop, as long as she didn't scare his customers away with the godawful modern screeching that bards seemed to think was cool these days. Rose promised – with ease – that she would stick to the country tunes, marking herself once again as a Fairfield's girl. Only this time... it didn't make her feel less than, as it did on College campus.

She picked a languid tune that she could stretch until she’d had enough of it and slipped into that meditative state where music seemed to flow from her fingers without thought. Her eyes closed, her thoughts drifting to the familiar sights of home. The mist over the hills. The tall firs around the edges of the fields, the darkness between their trunks undisturbed for centuries.

The last notes drifted away into the din of city life. She opened her eyes and was flustered to find she'd gathered an audience. Customers and passers-by alike applauded. Feeling her cheeks heat up Rose flourished a bow. She bit her lip. “Shall I play another one?”

Some people decided that was the moment to move on, but there were enough agreeing voices going up for Rose to put bow to strings again. This time she played something more up-beat and just as sweet. Country meadows and wildflowers came to mind. Bees and bugs and little life.

As afternoon shifted into evening, and the public changed from casual enjoyers to rushed travellers, Rose put down her bow. Hours had passed. At some point people had started to request songs and Rose had tried her hardest to accommodate them. Now she picked up her case, the bottom littered with a smattering of hollow coppers and half-sesters, even a few single silvers. As she put away her violin she was approached by the lady Bosra and she met on their first day in the city. "Have a seat with me, your legs and back must be hurting after standing up for hours," the lady invited with a gentle smile, offering a cup of dark brew to Rose.

Rose sat down at a table just inside the wide open double doors, out of the rush of people. "Thank you for this." She lifted her cup at the other woman. Her feet and back were aching, now that she'd time to consider it. 

"You're welcome. You brightened my day considerably."

Rose smiled, a little rest would fix her aches quickly enough. Grandma Rosalinda had loved to state that art could only come from suffering.

"Did you manage to find lodging? You and your big friend?"

Rose confirmed with a nod. "At the smalls house. It is... a little cramped. More for Bosra than for me." But she wasn't complaining. Costs were relatively low - pun intended - and the amenities were clean.

"Why did you come to the city?" the lady asked.

"To attend the Bardic College, but so far, it's..."

"Not been what you expected?"

"Not at all," Rose sighed, more than a little frustrated. "I'm determined to make it through introductions though. It can hardly get worse after this."

The lady smiled into her cup. "I'm Valentina."

"Rosa. Rose." Rose held out her hand for a shake that was a little awkwardly returned by the lady, who was obviously not used to shaking hands.

After a short inspection, Valentina declared: "You look like a rose."

Rose frowned mildly, not knowing whether or not to take this as an insult. She decided to take it for a compliment. Bardic must've messed with her head already, if being likened to a flower raised her hackles.

"What about your friend? How is she settling in?"

Rose relaxed and smiled again. She concluded, after a few seconds of thought on the matter, that yes, Bosra was her friend. "She's found a job at a livery stables, but she'd rather be training monstrous pets. That's what she's good at." Rose hadn't seen this confirmed, but with the ease with which Bosra handled the beasts at the stable, she must be.

"Monster trainer? Really?!" Valentina sounded more curious than judgmental. "I know a few monsters that could use some training. Especially the more exotic pets seem to be always misbehaving."

Sensing an opportunity for her friend, Rose dared to ask: "Any drakes? Anyone you could recommend Bosra to?"

Valentina recognised the eagerness and once again smiled amusedly into her cup. "I can try. Does she have a calling card?"

Rose frowned again, making a deep furrow appear between her eyebrows. "No...?" It must be a city-thing, she concluded. Out in the Wold no-one had seemed to need one.

"Nevermind, I can rectify that." Valentina took a tiny notebook out of a sequined reticule, as well as a mechanical pencil. Rose watched her scribble down some illegible marks.

Not that she was suspicious, Valentina seemed nice enough, still Rose asked: "Why are you helping us?"

This made Valentina stop and look up slowly. Giving the impression of a spooked deer with her widened eyes and flaring nostrils.  

Rose simply waited for an answer.

"Well... I... I am looking to... repent myself."

"For a boy you fancy? Or for the Gods?"

"Nothing so dramatic..." Valentina sounded embarrassed. "And the boy... he's history." She sounded sad, yet determined. "I have decided... that I do want to learn how to stand on my own two feet. Learn to live outside of... you know... the whole wealthy heiress stereotype. It's not as exciting as those ballads make them sound."

Rose could respect that. The tone used didn't make her sense a lie or untruth. "And helping us is doing that for you?" she inquired gently. It didn't make sense to her.

"Well..." Valentina sighed. "I have no idea where else to start. I've been coming to this café for a few weeks now, just to read the periodicals and day-journals, and to... you know..." she shrugged, "soak up the atmosphere?"

The earnestness with which it was said made Rose laugh. "I'm sure Bosra wouldn't mind the help."

"That's settled then. Where could I find you, if not at the smalls lodging?" Valentina asked hopefully.

Rose gave the lady directions to Reggie's Livery Stables - the one Bosra worked at. She didn't think it'd be easier to find herself at college, not with the masses of people that just seemed to hang around the place. Not all of them savoury types either. If they'd hung around the village hall at home, they would've been run off. 

"Or I could meet you back here on Luminsday. That's the only day I don't have classes."

"You have classes over the weekend?" Valentina asked incredulously.

Rose nodded. "I think it's just to annoy us, at this point. See how many students drop out. Full attendance score required to pass." Luckily those sessions didn't last the entire day, but they broke them up in an inconvenient way none the less.

"I... didn't know." Valentina sounded shocked. "I've always had private tutors."

Rose smiled. "I had my mother, growing up. And my father. And the neighbours or the village priest."

"That must have been wonderful," Valentina said wistfully.

"Actually... it was," Rose realised. Maybe that was why Bardic College was such a shock. Suddenly, she felt homesick. She wanted to throw up. She wanted a tight hug from her mom, and to be in her the bedroom she shared with her sister. Thick saline beads dripped down rounded cheeks.

With a silent pat to Rose’s hand, Valentina offered the girl that could not be older than she herself was a handkerchief.

Forcing the sadness down – this was not the right place nor time for it – Rose  inhaled deeply through her nose. Gently she patted her face with the fragile silk square.

"Keep it," Valentina said quietly. "I have plenty."

Rose breathed deeply. With a grateful nod she put the kerchief up her sleeve.

"Luminsday?" she asked confirmation of their agreement to meet up.

"Luminsday," Valentina agreed with a nod. "I look forward to talking with you again."