A Bard's Tale (x Bakara)

[BitterChalice]

Farin had followed Larin's movements all over the field, out of the corner of his eye.
He sighed, lowering the flute and holding it in his lap, weighing the question as he leaned on his mentor. He liked when he had those affectionate gestures, he hadn't had many during his childhood

But he was a crafty little devil, he couldn't help but think that a smug bard would be less inclined to be stern.
"I'd rather sing," he said.
He was aware, by the bard's own admission, that having taken the path of singing before his voice began to change would have made him a remarkably talented adult.
And Farin had shown that he already possessed a lot of talent.

[Bakara]

He ruffled Farins hair, holding him for a moment. "All right then, let me get my lute." Lariel stood up and strolled over to the wagon. He returned with his trusty lute. It was an older instrument, and it wasn't the best looking lute you could find. But it still produced a beautifull sound in the right hands. It belonged to Lariel's old mentor, and Lariel planned to pass it down to Farin one day.

Lariel once again sat beside the boy and tuned his instrument.
"Do you want to choose a song?", Lariel asked.

[BitterChalice]

Farin moaned softly as the thick red hair slipped from the ribbon with which he had gathered it. But it was an amused moan.

As Lariel returned with the lute, the half-elf had tclose his eyes, listening to the hum of the pot and muttering time with his mouth. He had a fairly fast pace.
Asked by Lariel he began humming a tune, the melody of an elven song about an epic battle.
Farin had grown up with humans, his elven wasn't the noblest, but his southern lands accent made it almost more pleasant.

[Bakara]

Lariel took the melody Farin sung and started to play his lute. He keept the loudness of the instrument lower than he normally would. He wanted to let Farin play the bigger part in this duett. His clear, young voice would make a great impression on the fare. Lariel was sure of that.

But he made sure that Farin's singing stayed the same speed.


After they finished their song, Lariel put down his lute. "That was excellent, Farin. You can be proud." He layed his arm around the younger boy again.

"Listen, there's one thing I want to talk with you about. I think that we can go one step further on this fare. Would you like to join my perfomance? Not just collection money, but making music with me?"
He knew that there's a big different between practicing music and playing in front of a bunch of people. So Lariel hoped that Farin would like the idea.

[BitterChalice]

Farin had snuggled quietly against Lariel, satisfied.

At that proposal he straightened up suddenly, his eyes widening. Until then he had limited himself to collecting the money, setting up the scene and sometimes just beating on a tambourine or rattles in the most complex performances when Lariel needed to simulate sound of thunder or horse harness in epic ballads.

His face flushed with emotion as he nodded "Yes!" He exclaimed. "I mean... if you think i'm ready ...", but the bard could see how much he was impatient and excited.

[Bakara]

"Well, there's no reason in asking you if I wouldn't think that, right?" Lariel held the boy close to, letting him snuggle up. He was glad that Farin agreed to this. He was proud of his little apprentice.

"You are practicing hard every day, I can see that. And I'm sure that you and me will make a great duett on this fair." 'Even if you need some extra motivation every now and then', the older half-elf thought to himself. "So it's a deal then!"
Lariel took Farin and stood him on his feet. "Well then, I think dinner is ready. Please put your lute away and get your bowl.", Lariel told the young boy, before he went to the wagon to put his own instrument away.

---------- Post added at 10:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------

Lariel and Farin finshed their dinner. It was a quiet one. Farin was lost in his fantasies about the fare, and Lariel had his own thoughts, regarding how to handle things after dinner.

They washed their bowls and the big pot on the nearby stream. The sun would be going down soon. Lariel want them to start early tomorrow, so they would arrive in the city before the gates would close.


Lariel took the boys hand and leaded him inside the wagon. He sat on Farin's bed, and placed the boy beside him.
"Listen, Farin. I know that a long day of traveling can be boring. And I know that you just wanted to help us with catching some fresh food. But I told you many times that I have very strict rules whenever we are alone outside of cities.
I am not making these rules just to spoil your fun, or to punish you. These rules are there to protect you. So if you want to try and catch a rabbit, I'm fine with that. But tell me beforehand, so I know what you are up to. And I can take some precautions, understood?
And I'm glad that you want to help, but as long as we are outside of cities and not travelling in a group, I want you to always tell me what you are up to.
So, do you understand why you are getting a spanking?"

[BitterChalice]

Farin had been so engrossed in his fantasies that he completely forgot the detail of the unfortunate hunt.

Actually he had hoped that Lariel had forgotten too, but it was immediately clear that this wasn't the case.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, the young half-elf moved his legs back and forth before sighing. "Yes, yes I understand ..." he grumbled him. And actually he understood it, in his own way. In his belief he knew how to take care of himself, Lariel was exaggerating in apprehension and the punishment was simply for making him worry and not for real danger. Nothing tragic had ever happened when they stopped in the woods.

Farin could have limited himself to that, however he was just a kid, he couldn't help but retort. "But I just wanted to get us dinner, that's it," he snorted, pouting slightly.

[Bakara]

Lariel sighed again. Maybe a different approach would be more sucessfull. He picked the boy up and make him stand in front of him. His voice was getting more serious. He put his hand on Farin's right shoulder, looking him straight in the eyes..

"Ok, young man. Then tell me this. What do you think would happen if you would tried to open the trap on your own? How do you think this badger would react?"
His voice was stern, but he took great care not to raise it.

[BitterChalice]

Farin wasn't too difficult for Lariel to lift and move.
He snorted, thinking. "Well, in the worst case he would have run aw.." he said, but at the end of the sentence he became uncertain.
In town, he had dealt with pissed-off rats.

If you weren't careful you could have those little bastards gouging out your eyes.

And indeed a badger was much bigger than a rat.

"Okay, maybe he would run away after eaten my face," he grudgingly conceded.
He hated when the bard was right - that is, always -, because he had nothing to dispute the punishment that was about to fall upon him.

"I got there, I swear I understand now", he tried, with that half smile that for being that of a kid he already knew how to be charming.
Not that he really hoped for it, but he always tried.

[Bakara]

Lariel smiled a little. "Good, I see, you understand that what you did was dangerous. And you know fare well what happens if you do something dangerous.", Lariel told the little boy. Doing something dangerous will always end in a bare-bottom spanking with the hand, and some finishing blows with the hairbrush.
Larial started to unfasten the pants of the little half-elf. He took them down in one swush, tugging his underwear with them in the process.
"Now please step out of them and go collect the brush" Lariel said in a stern voice.