Lost in the tranquil gardens, Adenline made a mental note to thank the bellhop who'd recommended them. Vesper Gardens. Filled with pathways and nooks, all drenched in the glory of nature's finest work. Moving slowly through the oasis, the girl reached out to some of the specimens, allowing the foliage to caress the back of her hand or slightly graze her knuckles. The heady scent drew her in further until the softest music could be heard. Being played somewhere in the distance, Miss Cain wondered deeper into the small wilderness.
Could it be playing through speakers? No. She would have heard it sooner. The idea passed through her mind as quickly as it had entered. Still, she pressed on; electing to ignore couples that stopped to canoodle nearby. As the sound grew louder, Aden absentmindedly began to move quicker; a small voice in her head worrying that she might miss the show.
Finally arriving at the source, the girl eyed the musician for a long moment. Male, appearing a couple years older than herself with a tan she instantly envied. Noting the violin in his grasp, a soft smile snaked across the girl's lips; she always appreciated the musically inclined. Standing there, peeking into the small nook, Adenline reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before allowing her lashes to slip to half mass. Allowing her body to relax, only for a moment, the girl finally closed her eyes completely and simply stood, enjoying the sound as it slowed danced around her.
Music in the Garden
It was early evening. Julian's first few performances with the symphony had gone well. Everyone there was nice and it seemed like many of them had been with the symphony for quite some time, which spoke well for their level of loyalty. He'd played in orchestras before where the musicians were discontent and the turnover rate was incredibly high. Nachton's symphony was proving just the opposite. It had been a good idea to move here, apparently.
Julian had expected to supplement his income by finding another band to play in or otherwise selling his skills, but between his stipend from the symphony and the extra he was being paid for his solos he didn't think that was necessary. The symphony members were, however, encouraged to play in public in their free time as long as they didn't cover the material from the current venue. It drew people to the symphony and kept the audiences bigger than the average symphony would usually attract.
With that in mind Julian had taken his violin with him when he went walking, wandering around Nachton until he found an inspiring spot. That turned out to be Vesper Gardens, where the caretaker on duty had told him there would be no problem with some quiet playing. So Julian had wandered through the beautifully manicured flowers and bushes until he'd found an out-of-the-way nook. There he'd unpacked his violin from its case, tuned it, and begun to play a series of lively but quiet Irish tunes.
Several people had wandered by looking for the source of the music and he had been forced to put his violin case away, tucked under the bench he was sitting on, as some of them had assumed he was working for tips and had placed money in the open case. Julian did his best to engage anyone interested with a smile or a nod, talking to those with questions between songs. The better the symphony did, after all, the more secure his position.
Adenline Cain
13 years ago
Julian Stephenson
13 years ago
Julian smiled and softly greeted the people who wandered by, taking a song request now and then but mostly sticking to the soft Irish tunes he enjoyed playing. They sounded so light on the violin's strings and seemed to suit the garden well.
When he saw someone lingering just around he corner of the small section of the gardens he was playing in, he smiled. From what he could see it was a young woman with reddish brown hair. That was all he could see, however. He directed his cheerful expression at her, following it with a playful little run on the strings of his violin, nodding his head invitingly to her.
As the last few listeners moved on they were left alone there; Julian playing softly, trying not to stare at the young woman lest he make her nervous, and she peering at him in what seemed like a shy sort of manner. Still playing, he flashed a friendly grin.
"I don't bite," he said cheerfully. "Name's Julian."
He continued to play, tapping his foot to the beat of a soft energetic jig. At the start of the evening he'd been a little confused as to how to introduce himself but he'd finally settled on something that seemed to work.
"I'm representing the Nachton Symphony tonight. Anything you want to hear, just let me know."
When he saw someone lingering just around he corner of the small section of the gardens he was playing in, he smiled. From what he could see it was a young woman with reddish brown hair. That was all he could see, however. He directed his cheerful expression at her, following it with a playful little run on the strings of his violin, nodding his head invitingly to her.
As the last few listeners moved on they were left alone there; Julian playing softly, trying not to stare at the young woman lest he make her nervous, and she peering at him in what seemed like a shy sort of manner. Still playing, he flashed a friendly grin.
"I don't bite," he said cheerfully. "Name's Julian."
He continued to play, tapping his foot to the beat of a soft energetic jig. At the start of the evening he'd been a little confused as to how to introduce himself but he'd finally settled on something that seemed to work.
"I'm representing the Nachton Symphony tonight. Anything you want to hear, just let me know."
Adenline Cain
13 years ago
Feel rather foolish to have been practically hiding, Adenline easily stepped around the bend and into the small alcove. Cocking her head to the side, bangs slipped into her eyes once more and she made a mental note to never forget a ponytail elastic again.
Even as the tresses continued to fall out of place , the annoyance faded as her ears took in the melody he played. So soft and light, the cords had all of her defenses melting away. Moving to a nearby bench, Miss Cain sank onto the furniture and sat with her ankles crossed and her hands folded.
Occasionally, the female gave into the urge to close her eyes and merely bask in the delight of his creation. How charming, the mere thought of taking a simple instrument and using it to birth something so serene and graceful.
Time wore on and eventually Aden realized she'd been there a great deal longer than she'd anticipated. Sighing, the girl opened her eyes and offered Julian a soft smile. "I hope the Nachton Symphony is aware of your excellent advertising," she murmured softly, tucking her hair behind her ear once more.
Even as the tresses continued to fall out of place , the annoyance faded as her ears took in the melody he played. So soft and light, the cords had all of her defenses melting away. Moving to a nearby bench, Miss Cain sank onto the furniture and sat with her ankles crossed and her hands folded.
Occasionally, the female gave into the urge to close her eyes and merely bask in the delight of his creation. How charming, the mere thought of taking a simple instrument and using it to birth something so serene and graceful.
Time wore on and eventually Aden realized she'd been there a great deal longer than she'd anticipated. Sighing, the girl opened her eyes and offered Julian a soft smile. "I hope the Nachton Symphony is aware of your excellent advertising," she murmured softly, tucking her hair behind her ear once more.
Julian Stephenson
13 years ago
Julian felt rewarded when the young woman slipped around the bushes and into the alcove with him, seating herself on one of the other benches and appearing to enjoy the impromptu concert. When she closed her eyes in apparent enjoyment he switched tunes, moving from quiet and lively to something much prettier. It was a countryside waltz, smooth, pretty, and plain. Julian played it without much ornamentation at all, letting the strains echo through the air against the faint sound of the water fountain somewhere behind them.
The young woman seemed to slip away a little; she sat there for quite some time. Julian watched others come and go, walking silently, looking for places to drop money, smiling at him when he greeted them in return and shook his head to deny the need for a donation. He'd need a sign if that kept up.
Eventually they were left alone again as the passers-through ebbed and disappeared. Julian was surprised she'd stayed so long, but was gratified that she seemed to be enjoying the music.
"Thank you," he said with another smile at her compliment. "It doesn't matter as long as the people who hear find it enjoyable."
That was really his goal after all, whether he was on the street, here in the gardens, or on a stage in a theater full of people. The girl hadn't given her name in return but he didn't need it. It was enough to see her enjoying herself.
As he finished his song he finally stopped playing, resting his fingers for a bit, laying his violin carefully in its hard case with the bow tucked into its compartment. He smiled at the woman and leaned back on his bench some, stretching his legs out. He flexed the fingers of his left hand before carefully massaging them with his right, trying to loosen up the webwork of scars that traveled up his arm.
"You like music a lot," he observed. "Do you play, too?"
The young woman seemed to slip away a little; she sat there for quite some time. Julian watched others come and go, walking silently, looking for places to drop money, smiling at him when he greeted them in return and shook his head to deny the need for a donation. He'd need a sign if that kept up.
Eventually they were left alone again as the passers-through ebbed and disappeared. Julian was surprised she'd stayed so long, but was gratified that she seemed to be enjoying the music.
"Thank you," he said with another smile at her compliment. "It doesn't matter as long as the people who hear find it enjoyable."
That was really his goal after all, whether he was on the street, here in the gardens, or on a stage in a theater full of people. The girl hadn't given her name in return but he didn't need it. It was enough to see her enjoying herself.
As he finished his song he finally stopped playing, resting his fingers for a bit, laying his violin carefully in its hard case with the bow tucked into its compartment. He smiled at the woman and leaned back on his bench some, stretching his legs out. He flexed the fingers of his left hand before carefully massaging them with his right, trying to loosen up the webwork of scars that traveled up his arm.
"You like music a lot," he observed. "Do you play, too?"
Adenline Cain
13 years ago
Pools of beryl studied him as he leaned back into the bench, the smile she wore had widened when he thanked her-- the only way she could bring herself to say 'your welcome' as words would merely take away from his song. When Julian did finally finish his tune, she had wanted to say something more; to somehow explain what his art meant to her, but she found herself watching as he flexed his hand instead.
His question stung strangely, her smile shrinking considerably as she shook her head softly. "I used to dream that I did, as a small child. Beautiful music, it gave me such sweet dreams..but when I woke I was as tuneless as I've always been," she paused, eyes beaming suddenly as she thought back over those dreams and how inspired they'd left her. "My name is Aden..it's been lovely to listen to you."
Thank you. She wanted to to say it again, needed to say it. Thank you for letting me just sit and be. A sigh was all that managed to escape her lips. It was small, but grateful none the less.
His question stung strangely, her smile shrinking considerably as she shook her head softly. "I used to dream that I did, as a small child. Beautiful music, it gave me such sweet dreams..but when I woke I was as tuneless as I've always been," she paused, eyes beaming suddenly as she thought back over those dreams and how inspired they'd left her. "My name is Aden..it's been lovely to listen to you."
Thank you. She wanted to to say it again, needed to say it. Thank you for letting me just sit and be. A sigh was all that managed to escape her lips. It was small, but grateful none the less.
Julian Stephenson
13 years ago
Julian continued to flex and bend his fingers, loosening them after such a long bout of playing. He was pleased with himself; it had taken hours of practice on end after his accident to be able to this. He hadn't quite realized just how important music was to him until he'd nearly lost the ability to make it himself. Sure, he could have continued to compose, but playing meant a great deal to him.
He listened to the girl - Aden - as she told him her short story... an anecdote, really. He shook his head at her when she finished speaking, as if to deny her self-proclaimed tunelessness.
"It's a pleasure to play for you," he said. "You know, it doesn't take a virtuoso to play a simple instrument. It's not necessarily out of your reach."
Julian knew several tone deaf individuals who nonetheless loved music. Granted, two of them were percussionists and everyone knew they weren't real musicians but still... there were ways to make music that didn't require you to be an opera aria singer.
Furtively Julian glanced around, hoping there weren't any percussionists lurking in the bushes nearby reading his thoughts. It wasn't his fault - the joke was funny to everyone but them. How do you tell if your stage is level? Put a percussionist on it and see if he drools out of both corners of his mouth!
Personal introspection aside, however, Julian paid attention to the one person tonight who had stayed to listen to him for longer than five minutes or so. "Have you been to the symphony a lot?"
Julian had found a curious mix of folks who had and had not attended the symphony. Some were surprisingly young but avid fans; he hadn't realized the symphony here in Nachton was quite so popular. Perhaps Aden belonged to that crowd.
He listened to the girl - Aden - as she told him her short story... an anecdote, really. He shook his head at her when she finished speaking, as if to deny her self-proclaimed tunelessness.
"It's a pleasure to play for you," he said. "You know, it doesn't take a virtuoso to play a simple instrument. It's not necessarily out of your reach."
Julian knew several tone deaf individuals who nonetheless loved music. Granted, two of them were percussionists and everyone knew they weren't real musicians but still... there were ways to make music that didn't require you to be an opera aria singer.
Furtively Julian glanced around, hoping there weren't any percussionists lurking in the bushes nearby reading his thoughts. It wasn't his fault - the joke was funny to everyone but them. How do you tell if your stage is level? Put a percussionist on it and see if he drools out of both corners of his mouth!
Personal introspection aside, however, Julian paid attention to the one person tonight who had stayed to listen to him for longer than five minutes or so. "Have you been to the symphony a lot?"
Julian had found a curious mix of folks who had and had not attended the symphony. Some were surprisingly young but avid fans; he hadn't realized the symphony here in Nachton was quite so popular. Perhaps Aden belonged to that crowd.
Julian Stephenson
13 years ago
The girl might not have heard him, or otherwise opted not to respond. Julian didn't mind. He was just here to make people listen, and she was clearly doing that.
He played for another half hour or so until he was worn out enough to want more than a five minute break. So he packed up his violin in its case and headed out, stopping on the way back to his little apartment for a coffee to help keep him awake for a few hours more.
((ooc: Julian out and closing the thread due to inactivity))
He played for another half hour or so until he was worn out enough to want more than a five minute break. So he packed up his violin in its case and headed out, stopping on the way back to his little apartment for a coffee to help keep him awake for a few hours more.
((ooc: Julian out and closing the thread due to inactivity))