Rie had come immediately when Pio had told her that the stranger had indeed been talking about her. Before she could introduce herself, the man began to play on his instrument, and Rie found no words. Her heart swelled with joy and her green eyes danced as he played, and she felt a peace that she had not felt since long before she had left her father's house. She watched the man's face as he played, and it seemed that his face was transformed as he weaved the notes into a seamless tapestry. She hardly heard his words, but they touched her spirit. When he was done, the final note seemed to linger in the air, as though to seperate only gently the listener from the music. Rie would have laughed for pure joy, had anyone else been making any sound, but she contented herself with taking a deep breath (and the air itself seemed sweet after the song) and smiling. When the other patrons began to speak once more, she leapt from her seat and ran over to the singer's table. She waited patiently for the others who had gathered around him to speak, then she caught his eye and bowed low from the waist.
"My lord, please accept my sincerest thanks for your wonderful song. Never in my life have I heard anything so beautiful. You were speaking of me earlier, and you asked if I would like to hear a song. Lord, anything that you sing I would rejoice to hear! My thanks again, and the service of Talmérië daughter of Almarien, whatever aid that may bring you." Again Rie bowed, and with one last smile she went back to her seat, trying to capture the song and the stranger's voice in her memory forever.
[ December 28, 2002: Message edited by: Orual ]
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"Oh, my god! I care so little, I almost passed out!" --Dr. Cox, "Scrubs"
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