Open.

[element_wizard]

Alec sat in the window of the Inn, bent over a rullete. It was an instrument that looked as if could be a cross between a guitar and a lute. It was a new instrument, a gift from his Bardic Uncle Cricket for his coming of age. Back when Alec had traveled with his grandfather, he had been apprenticed to his Uncle, but it never went anywhere. Alec's voice was just not made for singing, something that was very important for a bard. But he still knew how to play a few instruments and now that he had some sort of attention span, he felt like trying to get a bit better at it.

His fingers lightly brushed across the strings as he tried to recall a favorite melody, wincing at the wrong notes he struck.

Comments

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

This statement caused Alec to laugh.

[nybard.livejournal.com]

Eric grinned and moved closer to look at the instrument.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

Alec offered it to him to inspect. The sound box had phoenixes painted on it. It gleamed with newness. The strings were gut and not steel and it had the feel of being hand made. "My uncle made it for me. He's a Bard." There was an implication that it was more than a music maker but less than the magical sort that Eric was.

[nybard.livejournal.com]

He nods and reaches out a hand, but doesn't quite touch it. He raises an eyebrow in question.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"They're... keepers of lore and they can effect how a wizard senses the elements with their music. I was apprenticed to him for two years... but it didn't go anywhere. I can't sing, which is important."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

He nods slowly. "Singing can be taught, though, if you'd really wanted to."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"It's not that... I mean... he did try and teach me... but my voice... it cracks and wavers and doesn't stay consitant when I do try to sing," he shrugs helplessly.

[nybard.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I'm sorry."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

He smiles, "It's okay. See, if I had been able to sing then I would have stayed on with my uncle and would have become a Bard and I might not have met my wife. So it all worked out for the best."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

"I know how that is. If my life had been any different..."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"I heard about the incident with younger you. Must be scary looking out at that mirror."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

He winces. "Yes. It was. And if I did anything to help him, he never would have been who I am now..."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"Do you think he'll show up again?"

[nybard.livejournal.com]

He shakes his head. "I think I managed to erase the memory of the Nexus from his mind."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

He nodded, not knowing the evil plotting of the Muns which would prove Dear Eric wrong. "At least it was a younger you instead of some wild alternate of you."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

He nods quickly and gratefully. "Magnus was freaking out enough as it was."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

He didn't hear that one, "Was he?" he frowned, "I guess that would be kinda freaky..."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

"Apparently younger me told him that, one, he didn't know who he was, two, didn't have a brother, and three, wanted him to go the hell away."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"Ooh... ow... yeaaah. That'd be bad." Alec winced.

[nybard.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. I've never seen him so torn up. Even after... after... what our parents..." Eric breaks off.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

Alec fiddled with the Rullete for a second, "I know if my brother suddenly said he didn't know me I'd be pretty torn up about it too... specially since my parents didn't have as much hand in rasing me as he did."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

"I'm the first person who really cared for him, besides Ace and Jaycie," he whispers.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"And you're family... which makes you even more important." he shook his head, "But I doubt younger you knew that."

[nybard.livejournal.com]

"I was an idiot back then. And drunk off my ass." Eric's eyes smoulder as he remembers.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"And your brother wasn't even born yet. It was a reasonable response for you to give, even drunk off your ass. You shouldn't be too hard on yourself for that. The one you should be hard on is if you meet an alternate who's your age and still drunk off his ass."