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[center][sub]Interacting with: Anyone in the Eye of the Beholder[/sub][/center]
[center][sub]Written in collaboration with [@Qia][/sub][/center]

[color=lightgray]For a while, Aldrick let the music-less ambience of the Eye fill his ears. There was a comfort to the gentle hum of the crowd, the warmth of the fire roaring within and the faint smell of mixed alcohol that wafted throughout. He wandered the crowd slowly with a drink in hand, his attention never stopping on a single voice for more than a moment. His eyes wandered the many faces before him, all of them engrossed in conversation and revelry that had come of the prince’s generosity.
 
His dance with Nyla had brought a new life to him, a new fire in his eyes. Since they’d parted, he felt a warmth in his chest that had been absent since he’d succumbed to the Blight.
 
And was it ever a welcome feeling after travelling alone for all of the years since.
 
The bard smiled as he sipped slowly at his ale. Slowly but surely this place was growing on him. Like many a tavern before, the energy in the air was familiar with its own unique personality. Each place had its own, from the dimly lit and gritty watering holes of the north to the classier and bright tap houses of the south. In Lunaris, he’d found the crowds were far more interactive in song and enjoyed singing along to the tales and hymns of their people. Many nights had been spent filling the room with the sounds of a hundred passionate voices singing in unison. By contrast, though the people of Aurelia were just as lively, they seemed to enjoy more the dancing that accompanied his faster instrumentals. In particular, his foot-stomping violin chariot-race songs were particularly popular.
 
His mind wandered as he finished his ale, letting the mug rest at last on the bar before leaning his back against it. What type of place would Dawnhaven turn out to be? What kind of songs would capture the audience, what would provide them with unforgettable times at the Eye?
 
His attention was pulled for a moment here and there by the various moments of excitement; a rather large man uttering something to a smaller but still impressively-tall woman before they both disappeared outside, what appeared to be business dealings between two Lunarian men though very different in their appearances, and the usual scene of an easy-looking man trying his hand at getting the attention of a fiery-haired Aurelian woman. Aldrick smirked at the latter, his head shaking gently as he watched the scene unfold. It was a scene that would have been all-too familiar to himself in the years prior. A scene he had played out many times himself.
 
With a sigh, Aldrick stood from his place and paced across the room to where he’d let his instruments lie. The lack of music was becoming too intrusive for him to allow it any longer. Picking up his lute, he took a seat and began to play a quiet tune from memory. It was a tune that would fill in the missing piece, but not overcome the welcoming hum of the Eye. Something to fill the gap while he decided what to play next.
 
As his fingers mindlessly wandered the strings, a brief flash of auburn caught his attention before disappearing below the crowd once more. His eyes curiously glanced around the crowd in a small effort to find its owner again. Moments later, he began to pick out the soft sound of boots on wood before the red-head slowly weaved through the crowd towards him. A lazy smile spread across his lips. Maybe this day would garner a bit more interest after all.
 
Aldrick’s lyric-less song did not falter for a moment as Thalia came fully into view before him. His eyes raised to meet her own but the bard remained silent, his head gently nodding with an imaginary beat. His smile only grew wider as the woman before him cleared her throat.
 
[color=6A0891]“I am familiar.”[/color] He spoke gently, a slight accent coming through. Aldrick leaned back in his chair and palmed the strings of his lute. [color=6A0891]“From as recent as Gimble n’ Delvin, all t’ way back to the great Orpheus and a few by Master Firebrand ‘imself.”[/color] He let his words linger in the air, his curious golden eyes fixed on Thalia’s face. There was a flicker of recognition in her appearance that he couldn’t place. Perhaps he’d crossed paths with her in the capitol in past life.

[color=#663399]“Master Firebrand,”[/color] Thalia reiterated, her tone teasing as she allowed her hazel gaze to wander towards the lute he cradled tenderly in his embrace.[color=#663399]“You possess quite the refined taste, then.”[/color] The delicate strains of the tune he plucked stirred memories within her, harking back to a festival of yesteryear when Aurelia's heavens sparkled radiantly beneath the golden caress of the sun. The melodies from that festive epoch had exuded a certain exuberance — yet in the current cadence, she discovered a profound connection that bridged her current existence with those illuminated days of happiness. It felt like the music might rekindle a bit of vitality within her that had remained dormant since she’d left her home.

And yet, she reminded herself, it was equally plausible that this stirring sentiment was merely a consequence of the spirited libations now flowing through her system.
[color=#663399]“Let’s see if you can keep up then,”[/color] Thalia declared anyway, her voice just loud enough to carry above the murmurs nearby. She stepped closer, her boots tapping lightly against the wooden floor as she positioned herself beside him. It wasn’t quite a challenge—it was an invitation. The kind that came without pretense, drawn from some instinct she hadn’t yet defined. For all her calculated movements and guarded words, there was something undeniably genuine in her presence now, something unspoken but deeply felt.
Thalia took a steadying breath, her gaze holding his for a moment longer before flickering to the crowd. [color=#663399]“Play,”[/color] she said simply. [color=#663399]“I’ll follow your lead.”[/color]

[color=6A0891]“Master Firebrand it is, m’ fair lady.”[/color] Aldrick’s smiling eyes followed her as she moved to his side, a grin ever present on his face. It only grew wider as she seemed to challenge him. 

With a quick movement, the bard stood from his chair and strummed three quick chords across the lute, the warm sound filling the tavern and drawing most eyes towards them. He let the crowd’s chatter die down a moment before addressing them, eyes dancing across all of the unfamiliar faces before him. [color=6A0891][b]“My good people of Dawnhaven, may I present ‘n ode to the Aurelians, and in honor to one o’ the greatest musicians to ever live--myself not included of course.”[/b][/color] He shot the crowd a cheeky wink. [color=6A0891][b]“Master Cornelius Firebrand.”[/b][/color]

And with his last words ringing out, Aldrick strummed a few gentle chords and began to sing. It was a song many Aurelians would recognize and likely know the words to. One of somber happiness that he felt fit the mood of Dawnhaven perfectly. He had to admit, the redhead had good taste.

He started slow, fingers gently strumming the lute at a lazy pace until he made his way to the end of the first verse.

[color=6A0891][i]Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again[/i][/color]

With the last words of the verse, he slammed a foot down onto the wood and began the unforgettable chorus. With a gentle nod, the violin to his left rose gently into the air and provided a subtle background harmony to the lute, floating once again amidst gentle strands of light magic.

[color=6A0891][i]Here's a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again.[/i][/color]

Thalia felt her breath hitch in her throat as the melody began to unfurl, each strum of Aldrick’s lute intricately creating a feeling of warmth throughout the tavern. Her gaze traversed the bustling establishment, observing how heads slowly turned towards the bard, with conversations dwindling as if irresistibly ensnared by the enchanting spell of his music. A gentle smile graced her lips as the familiar refrain reached her ears, the melody tugging at the edges of half-buried reminiscences-memories of joyous festivals and evenings spent basking in the company of friends and kin. Her hand sought the edge of the nearest table for stability, though it remained a mystery whether it was the enchanting music or the earlier elixir that brought on this delightful sway to her senses.

The bard was lost in the music, his focus nowhere else but the lyrics that resonated from inside and the melodies he wove with the instruments before him. Steel strings rang with a warmth matching the hearthfire of the Eye, and the bow of the violin tempted the audience like the very best siren. Aldrick could feel that his magic would not last much longer, but he didn’t let it bother him. Regardless of whether it was confidence or arrogance, he knew that he could serenade a crowd just as well without it.

As the final chorus ascended to its effervescent zenith, Thalia felt an irresistible pull to move closer to Aldrick and, without a moment’s hesitation, she raised her voice in harmony with his own, as if her very essence had been waiting for this moment to breathe life anew. 

The bard’s grin only grew wider as he noticed his newfound partner join in for the final chorus, serving only to further motivate him. He let their voices ring out without an instrumental for a single line--for dramatic effect of course--before reuniting the crowd with the violin and lute as the pair of them sang their hearts out. 

Through the crowd, he could hear scattered voices singing along and after a moment, noticed a mixture of ale-mugs and wine-goblets swaying along to the rhythm. Now this was a good [i]new[/i] first impression, one the people of Dawnhaven would not soon forget.

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As the final lyrics of the song rang out across the tavern, a few whoops, cheers and claps could be heard in appreciative-reply. Aldrick, a grin still ever present, took a bow before them before calling out across the tavern, [color=6A0891]“My good friends, I thank ya’ truly.” [/color]

Turning to Thalia, he laughed gently as he paced over, [color=6A0891]“Well, m’lady, did I keep up to your expectations?”[/color]
 
Thalia’s lips curved into a sardonic smile as she pivoted toward Aldrick, her hazel gaze shimmering with the residual afterglow of their shared performance. Her posture was regal, chin lifted in subtle defiance, while her fiery tresses, catching the gilded luminance of the tavern’s flickering sconces, seemed to smoulder like embers stirred by an unseen breeze. 

[color=#663399]“[i]Keep up[/i]?”[/color] she echoed, the timbre of her voice imbued with a teasing incredulity that bordered on playful mockery. Her arms folded in a languid, almost careless gesture, as though the compliment were a jest she could scarcely entertain. [color=#663399]“You surpassed mere adequacy, bard,”[/color] she continued. [color=#663399]“For all your cheek, you managed to make me feel like I was back home for a moment.”[/color][/color]