Glimmer [Part II]

[Arvælyn]

Continued from Glimmer

36th of Frost
120th Year of the Age of Steel

Arvalyn let his back rest against the wall behind him, tipping his head back to join it, as he listened to Finn the Future Fantastic recount his tale. His eyes widened in unabashed surprise at the story's twist. Finn had mentioned House Zatrian before, but he hadn't really registered what such patronage really represented.

"Wow, Finn..." He knitted his brow, "I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but you seem really well-connected for a street performer." A smile curled the left side of his lips, "I'm honoured to know my ears are as sharp as the Shinsei's." Arvalyn had, after all, sought Finn out as a teacher based on his busking performance, and it seemed the House of Zatrian was impressed enough to bankroll his higher education.

His smile faded abruptly.

"Oh. You take me for a courtesan..." He lowered his eyes, "I don't like to think of myself as a courtesan." He used to think he might, based on the way Aurin had defined the term, but as he spent more time performing for large crowds, he was less and less interested in performing for participatory audiences of one. They could be so demanding and, more often than not, they were disrespectful- Oftentimes downright degrading. He knew that Aurin hadn't lied and that there were indeed courtesans of power, prestige and privilege who'd found patrons, much like Finn had, to endow them with lives of leisure. Arry hadn't had such good fortune with his clients. Not that there weren't those who plied him with promises, but their troths always seemed spent as soon as their lust was. He knew better than to get caught up in such dreams, now, when the odds were so against him.

"Maybe, with your help, I won't need to behave as one anymore."

[Finn]

"Oh, I don't mean anything disrespectful by it," he said, face falling a bit, quick to reassure him. "Everyone I've worked with their has been talented. If the subject matter tends toward the prurient, well, sex sells. Sorry, I just learned the word prurient the other day so I'm using it a lot, probably incorrectly. But I can see how that could get old quickly. Someone said I might be able to swing a full-time job there if the only thing I was wearing was my lute..." He laughed a bit nervously.

"And I don't think I could be artful while naked. With or without my lute." He laughed again and sipped his cider, the empty bowl set aside.

"It was meant as a compliment. I apologize if it sounded like anything else. But I suppose if you're looking to become more of a chanteur, your good looks could be a double-edged sword. You want people to look at you, of course, but, more importantly, you want them to listen to you. And they might not listen if all their blood rushes to their crotch. I suppose that's with the high art singers tend to wear things that are flattering, but not sexy... And the fine orchestras wear simple black things. Not unattractive by any means, but less flashy, less ornamented, letting the music speak for itself."

After a pause, Finn took another quick sip of his cider. This was a new sort of negotiation for him. The last time someone had wanted to collaborate with him, it had been Telion in the prince's taproom, demanding he play a song with her and then making him make all the decisions about it when it was her idea. That had been frustrating, but eventually, it had turned out all right.

"Sorry, I'm just babbling thoughts now. But you have me now. Do you have questions for me...? Concerns? Comments?"

[Arvælyn]

"It's fine." Arvalyn waved one hand above his shoulder, dismissively. "I am a courtesan. I'm just trying to... Evolve. And hoping you might help me to that end." He chuckled, "And for what it's worth, I think you're using it correctly, but this isn't my first language." That was a lie, but one he told so regularly he almost believed it. At least until he met someone like Sivan and was faced with the extent of his Mythrasi ignorance.

"I've seen very attractive people entertain in settings that aren't as, well- prurient as my place of employment. Why, just this afternoon I saw a sublimely attractive young man playing music right out on the street in the middle of Frost!" He said, with a cheeky wink.

"I guess, um... My most pressing question is- when do we start? You've got me quite eager, now." The smile that spread across his face was lit by excitement. "And I suppose we should figure out how I'm to compensate you... I know it's vulgar to talk of finances... Especially over a meal, but I don't want you to think I'm avoiding the subject. I'd like for you to be happy with our arrangement." He wanted the best of Finn. He knew from how he himself operated, that he did better work for clients who treated him well and compensated him generously. He was to be a client, in a way, to Finn and he imagined the young minstrel might be similarly motivated.

"As for comments, well... I like that you fill the silence. When I met you you were making music, and since we've been speaking I've noticed that you-... Well, I don't want to call it rambling, because that has a negative connotation and what you do is altogether charming. It's like you're giving me a preview lesson, sometimes, in advance of our making a clear-cut arrangement."

[Finn]

"Oh, well..." His smile went a bit bashful. He didn't play the Velvet Cabaret often and so he wasn't quite so used to flirtation as Arvalyn was, to be sure. He ducked his head and moved right along. Finn could flirt, but now he was used to talking about music and performance in an academic setting and flirting wasn't exactly encouraged in that venue. Also, Arvalyn's actions seemed to say he liked him, though there had been quite a few withering glances already.

"In general, I'm at the Academy during the day and performing in various venues in the evening. But, as with today, sometimes I change it up. And some of my Academy engagements are one-on-ones with professors or instructors, which can be rescheduled, so I suppose if you would be willing to share your schedule, we can try to find a convenient juxtaposition before we have to start getting creative." He paused. "I mean, best save that creativity for the songwriting, no?"

Finn paused again. "And then we need to decide on a venue for rehearsal and, I suppose, compensation." One of his many problems was he didn't know how to bargain for himself. In his experience, the proprietor of the venue held all the power so he tended to come into things as a suppliant even if that was not his natural mode of presenting himself. Collaborating as a partner with another artist was new and while he wanted to acknowledge that on some level it was them against the establishment, he also wanted to be able to pay for food and his rent and perhaps save a bit against a rainy day. One never knew when illness or ill luck would strike, after all.

But if Finn was obliging, he would remember how he was treated and factor that into future dealings.

[Arvælyn]

Arvalyn smirked to see the handsome human's sheepish response to his coy compliment. He was tempted to dig in deeper and see whether he might advance those fair cheeks to a more vibrant shade, but he elected to be merciful. The languid trail of his eyes over the delicate features of Finn's countenance were as much further as he pressed with his flirtation. At least for the moment.

"My evenings are rarely my own, because- Well, courtesan life. Usually if I have major rehearsals, those take place in the morning." The stage was free before the performing day began, so he would sometimes have to rise early to practise his track when there were no patrons in that part of the venue.

"Things clear up in the afternoons." He didn't typically do any serving work, unless Lunaria herself asked or Aurin begged on bended knee. Oftentimes, he'd go back to his room to nap between rehearsals and shows, because that was the only time to catch up on much-needed hours between his late nights and early mornings. For this opportunity to hone his craft, though, he'd forgo a bit more sleep to make time for Finn the Future Fantastic.

"I'm not sure I have anywhere good to rehearse..." Even if Arvalyn would be comfortable having lessons in front of his coworkers at the cabaret, there wouldn't be space for it. The stage was rarely available during non-show hours, unless rehearsal time was booked well in advance and groups took priority over individuals. As for his room, that was not really conducive to a learning environment and only comfortably housed two people if both were laying down. Though he could imagine laying down with Finn, it seemed that might better practise the skill set he attempting to phase out, as opposed to the one he was actively seeking to improve.

[Finn]

Recovering his aplomb quickly once Arvalyn had mercy upon him, Finn delved into finding the best possible times and places for their forthcoming collaboration. Nodding along thoughtfully, he agreed.

"Afternoons could work. I think it might be best to have several close together and then perhaps take a break to work things over in our heads before coming back together. The creative process is different for everyone, I suppose, but I find that sometimes I need to take a step back before I can be properly productive again. But we can play that by ear, of course. I will just try to have several afternoons free in a row when we begin."

Considering places, he rubbed at his jaw thoughtfully.

"If you don't mind trekking up to the Academy, I can book us rehearsal space. It is limited, though, so there might be afternoons where nothing is available. If we can't wait to keep working, you could trek down to the Low-City. I have a room at the Crown and Lion, and they are used to me caterwauling while working on something new. Or even just practicing. Can't let a day go by without scales and whatnot, for both instruments." He patted his lute case.

"As for compensation," he continued, "coin is best, of course, but we are collaborating on a thing and while you will benefit the most from the finished product, it's not as though I won't benefit at all." He frowned. "I apologize. I'm not good at this part. They really ought to teach classes on the business side of things, but so many of my fellow students are either from wealthy families who don't need to worry about income or they just assume that the money will keep rolling in as long as they keep working."

[Arvælyn]

"That makes sense to me." Arvalyn nodded, enthusiastically. He wouldn't say so to Finn, but it wasn't as though he was particularly experienced when it came to formal education. Finn was in the midst of it as his academy, and so the Elf would happily defer to his wisdom on the matter. It wouldn't be ideal on his end to have multiple sessions in a row, given how much that would cut into his sleep time, but he remained mum on the matter. This was too important to him, now, and he would gladly make sacrifices far beyond a few hours sleep to see his dreams come to fruition.

"I wouldn't mind either. I should love to see your academy firsthand," Plus, perhaps, some professor walking by their rehearsal room might be dazzled by his ethereal voice and insist upon offering a scholarship on the spot. At least, such was where Arry's little flights of fancy tended, before vanishing into the aether.

"And, as you may have inferred from my current place-of-employment, I'm not too posh for the more... pedestrian environs of the city. I am not what I once was..." True enough, though not as he'd implied it.

"We can keep it to coin, if that serves you best... Assuming you don't want a fortune for your services. As I said, I am not what I was, and... I could also probably nic-, er... procure some victuals from the cabaret for you, so um... How much would you want per lesson, would you say?" He clasped his hands on the table before them, and considered Finn's face. It was a good face for a teacher, he thought. Arvalyn would like to bring smiles to that face, and so he'd work that much harder at his studies to achieve that end.

[Finn]

"All right, well," he began, which was really just hemming and hawing because, as he said, he was very bad at financial negotiations of any sort. He wished his mother had taught him that at her knee along with how to forge tools; it would have been more helpful given his career choice. But there was no going back in time so far as he was aware.

"How about you bring enough food to the Academy for me to lunch while you warm up and have leftovers to take home." He laughed a little, but the food was a totally viable payment for him. Especially given he half expected Arvalyn to offer sex in exchange for some vocal training and collaborative songwriting—not that he assumed that all courtesans bartered sex and not because there was anything wrong with those who did. He just would have reverted to a country boy and been useless for a while.

"We'll warm up your voice. We'll have you sing something to see where your tension shows and try to work on that some, and before your voice gets too tired since you might have to sing in the evening, we will work on your song. It'll help to know your voice better, too. We can probably expand your comfortable range, but if we're making a song specifically for you, it should mostly fall where you are naturally comfortable. I mean, we will try to challenge you, of course, but we want it to be something you're confident singing."

Finn turned the mug around in his hands. He was going to have to brush up on exercises for tension beyond the ones that worked for him because there was no telling whether what worked for him would work for Arvalyn, voices being distinctive as they were.

[Arvælyn]

"The food offer was meant to be a bonus, Finn, to supplement the monetary compensation. I'm angling for a discount, not trying to cheat you out of your due." Arvalyn explained, with a faint smile in his Hytori eyes. The food he'd nick from the cabaret would just be out of the free meals the kitchen made for staff between shifts. If that was his payment, the lessons would cost him nothing, and that would feel like cheating. The elf smirked inwardly, thinking he must truly be losing himself in his character. The Arvine of one year ago would leap at the opportunity to pull a fast one at Finn's expense, whilst the Arvalyn of today looked at that warm, open face across the table and saw a creature he didn't wish to exploit.

"Ugh, you're so smart." He sighed heavily, and leaned forward with his elbows on the table and his cheeks in his hands. "No wonder the birdbo-... Er, the city's keepers, rather, saw fit to patronise you." He paused, his gaze lingering as his head tipped toward the right, freeing his left hand to slip away from his cheek and rest on the table between them. His index finger idly traveled in figure eights about the centre of the table, and the studs on the broad, leather brace he wore taut to his left wrist glinted in the light pouring through the window.

"I'm so glad I stopped and spoke to you." He said, earnestly. "I'll admit, I was nervous. It's silly, I know, but you're just so talented and I'll confess I was embarrassed to ask for help. You couldn't have been nicer, as it turns out... Nice people." He chuckled, "Such a curious novelty."

[Finn]

Finn laughed, but in self-deprecation.

"Smart? You may be the first person to say so. I can read and figure, but I'll admit I feel out of my element most of the time at the Academy. I mean, I'm passionate about what I'm studying, so that helps, but I do feel like I fell asleep at the starting line and woke up to find everyone miles ahead of me. Not that it's a competition, I suppose." He considered that. Certainly, some of the other students saw everything as a competition — but they also only had ego in the game, while he wanted to be sure he had food and a home and other such basic needs met.

"I suppose I'm nice." He shrugged again, still not graceful at accepting compliments. "Aren't those the fellows who lose, though? I can't recall the saying just now. Oh, nice guys finish last. I suppose it goes along with my analogy of the race. That's an analogy, isn't it? I'm still figuring out all the differences in narrative devices." From what he understood, House Zatrian saw to the education of all children in Kalzasi proper. He had learned mostly from his father while his mother was working in the forge and he had done well enough by his children that they passed the exams when officials made the rounds through the attendant villages of the great city-state.

"I don't know that I've ever intimidated a fine elven nobleman before. Perhaps the Academy really is making me greater than I was before." He considered, and considered another cider, though perhaps he ought not drink too much when he had some singing to do in the evening.