:I will. Is she training to be a Herald, will I need to work around that?:

:She is. She's a mage like Van, er, not as many additional Gifts. She should have about ten candlemarks a week free – she seems to spend at least that on learning about alchemy as a hobby right now – and if she's very excited about helping you, I would consider carving out more time for her. Would that availability be enough for what you needed?: 

:I can work with it, yeah. What else is she doing, out of curiosity?:

:Well, she has her mage-lessons with me, that's a couple candlemarks every day. She's also a Mindspeaker; she's training that with Herald Tantras, I think twice a week right now. And she has some other lessons, in Valdemaran law and history, she's actually in the classes over at the Bardic Collegium and she has one class shared with Healers': 

:Sounds like I should cover math and science, too, then. I'm not a teacher, I don't think I should try to take on a whole class, but maybe there's a way of doing it where someone who can teach it can pick it up - the science especially, I think, there's a lot you can do with it even without me involved once you have the basic idea.:

:That's certainly an idea: Savil agrees. :I have a lot of teaching experience, but not a lot of free time, unfortunately, and I'm not sure I have the head to pick it up quickly: 

:Well, whoever you come up with I can teach. Maybe someone who can write a textbook, if that's easier to come by.:

:I'll give it some thought: Savil agrees. 

She nods and signs to DZ without translating for a minute.

How would you feel about sitting in on the history lessons for me?

    Of course.

That's not what I asked, Love.

   Oh. There's a pause. It would be faster to read the books in the library, but I don't know if they have all the same information.

That's not what I asked either. You can go to the library any time you want, though, just let me know where you'll be.

    Thank you. Another, longer pause; Deskyl waits patiently. I don't think I know enough to answer the question.

Okay. Do you want to try it and find out?

    I don't know.

In that case I think you should, that way you'll know more for next time.

    Okay.

:Would it be all right for my droid to sit in on some of the history lessons, if they're happening anyway? That seems like it'd be good information for us to have.:

:Of course – that's a clever idea, actually. She has a perfect memory, no?: 

:She does, yes.:

:How useful: Savil seems to have run out of conversational topics; she keeps eating in silence. 

"Did you end up looking at more of the songs from the book?" Vanyel asks DZ politely, out loud. 

"Yes sir. I liked Another Morning's Birth the best in it."

"Oh! Yes, that is a very good one." He should have played it instead of the other one – unlike more than half the songs in the semi-historical tale of Darshay and Windrider and Sunsinger and Shadowdancer, it's not a goddamned romance ballad. "Do you have any favourite lines? I really like 'all of creation is born of causation, this is the rapture we will ride.'"

And now he has the tune stuck in his head. "Er, if you want to hear how it's sung, I could run next door and get my lute...?" 

"I'd like that, if that's all right?"

Deskyl nods, and she looks to Savil for permission too.

"What a lovely idea, ke'chara!" Savil agrees. "Serenade us with a few songs before it's time to wrap up for the night. Let's move over to the sofa." 

:The lad loves to play music but he'll never think to do it just for fun: she sends privately to Deskyl. :If it's for someone else's pleasure, though... Er, just to say, I'm delighted that DZ enjoys it. And would you like more wine?: 

:Yes, thank you.: She shifts to the sofa, settling DZ beside her, and begins adjusting her standing Force effects so that she'll be able to hear the music. :It's good that she's found something she likes.:

Savil doesn't say anything about her Force work, though Vanyel blinks a bit, before turning and heading for the door. By the time Savil has refilled all of their glasses, carried them over to the end-table by the sofa, and settled into her own huge overstuffed armchair, he's back with his lute, and perches on the arm of the sofa to tune it. 

"All right, here we go." Smiling at DZ, Vanyel starts on the opening chords. 

Wake up to the sound of moonlight, falling soft upon the early morn,
Hear the distant crack of thunder 'cross the canyon 'neath the crimson dawn.
Feel the coolness turn to warming, touch the mystery of the morning,
Smell the fragrance of another new days' birth.

DZ translates; it doesn't seem to distract her from the music.

Vanyel finishes. He does seem a lot happier and more relaxed than usual. "Would you like to hear more songs, DZ?" he asks. "Is there, er, a genre or kind of song you like in particular?" 

"Windrider Unchained, please?" 

Vanyel can do that! He plays, his expression more animated, lost in the music enough that he's putting in some of his weak Bardic Gift without realizing it. Deskyl will probably notice a faint pull against her emotions, easy to block, but tugging toward making the emotion of the song more vivid and real if she lets it. 

His voice rises on the final stanzas. 

Dancer in Shadows, she weeps as she dances,
Dancing unmaking the shadow-born bands.
Sunsinger now through tears gives up his power--
Sings back the magic to Windrider's hands.

Spent now, the twain fall unseen into shadow
Gifted to strangers all that they had gained.
Darklord returns, and by fear is confounded--
Flees the avenger, Windrider unchained!

Vanyel lowers the lute to his lap, blinking. :...Oh, sorry, I was projecting, wasn't I? I didn't mean to: 

:A little. It's fine, I think. That was very nice.: