"About time Topher." Ethan groaned from his seat in Chris' room. "If I warmed up any more my fingers would've started cramping."
Chris threw a nearby pillow, hitting his friend squarely in the face, "Whiner."
"So what took so long?"
Chris untied his shop apron and threw it on the bed, "Some girl, I think she goes to your school, came in and dropped almost 400 mofles on some old fabric. Totally looney if you ask me."
Ethan made a face, "weird."
"Yeah, that's what I thought too." Chris gave a shrug, "so, we gonna practice or what?"
Ethan rolled his eyes, "no. I came here just to practice alone. Of course we're gonna practice!"
Chris carefully lifted the lid from the keys of his old piano. His parents had complained loudly when he'd first asked for one, and even more loudly when he wanted it upstairs in his room, but they had finally consented. That was years ago. Now the keys were chipped from use and the piano itself had numerous scratches in the wood, but when it played, it gave a deep rich sound. Chris set his fingers lightly above the keys and started playing.

"Okay, this is the last one. We play anymore songs and my hands are going to be too tired to write the five homework assignments I have to do this weekend." Ethan moaned.
"It's 'cause you don't practice enough on your own." Chris lectured.
"Ugh, you sound like my mom."
Christopher turned around and stretched his arms above his head, giving Ethan a chance to rest a bit. He cleared his throat and tried his best impression of Ethan's mother. "We made so many sacrifices to get you that violin Ethan. The least you could do is practice from time to time!"
Ethan made a face, "okay, that's really creepy. Never do that again."
Chris laughed, "alright, alright, easy. It wasn't that bad."
Ethan frowned and sat lazily on the bed, his instrument in one hand, the bow in the other. "So... when are you going to do something with your music Topher?"
Christopher looked a little indignant, "do something?"
Ethan shrugged, "well yeah. It's like, you do all this work, write all these songs, and they're really good 'Topher, but who's gonna hear 'em?"
Chris tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow, "and who exactly, is going to hire me to play? You know I don't do so well in front of people. Even you and all your sweet talking couldn't get someone to hire us."
Ethan set his violin down and stood with his hands on his hips. "That sounds like a dare to me."
Chris laughed, "wicked. Let's see you try."
"Well if I get us a place to play, you better show up." Ethan picked up his bow and was wagging it at him like an old woman scolding a child.
"I'll be there with bells on, now grab your fiddle and let's finish up this last song. You've had a long enough break." Chris turned back to his piano.
Ethan picked up his instrument, "For the last time, it's violin, not a fiddle!" He mumbled a few more things under his breath before finally getting into position to play.
Chris' fingers almost shook as he pounded out the chords. Who's gonna hear 'em? you do all this work, write all these songs, and they're really good Topher, but who's gonna hear 'em? Chris swallowed hard. He knew Ethan would make good on his promise. He just hoped he'd be able to make good on his own.

* * * * *

"You think he'll make good on his promise? He seems a little shy to me."
Two men in rather rich-looking clothing were gazing somewhat lazily into a mirror. But this was no ordinary mirror. It didn't reflect the handsome features of the two brothers as they watched it. It was enchanted, a scrying mirror. With only a word or a thought, they could easily see things happening anywhere they wished.
"Well, there's only one way to be sure, of course." The older of the two men glanced over at the large marble table behind them. On it sat a beautiful leather-bound book, a few feathered quill pens, and a rather ornate looking inkwell.
"Really now," the younger one stated flatly, "use the book for that? I'm sure they'll do it on their own. It won't make a very good story anyway. Quick, go back to the girl in the little red cloak. She's almost to her Grandmother's house."
With a mere flick of his finger, the mirror rippled, much like a lake when one throws a rock upon it's calm surface. It was only a moment and a young girl appeared in the mirror.
"Grandmother, what big arms you have!"

* * * * *

Ethan's thin arms ached as he trudged home in the relative darkness. He'd been smart enough to bring a lantern this time, since the clouds covering the sky made the moonlight unreliable. He adjusted his backpack and kept walking. 'Topher sure was in a strange mood lately. I wonder if it's because he has to watch the shop so much now. His mother and father are almost always out making business deals, going to parties... Not that you've gone to visit him much either... his conscience echoed.
Ethan kicked the dirt path. That's not my fault. I can't help it with all the school-work and farm-work and... his shoulders slumped. Alright, I get it, I'm a total scatterbrain, and maybe I haven't been the best friend to 'Topher lately... I've just gotta get him a job playing somewhere to make it up to him... But where... now that's the question.
He rubbed his arms. It was getting cold early this year. He wished his father would just let him borrow Allie, their horse. He'd make it home in no time flat. But ever since taxes had been raised a couple years back and they'd had to give up their other horses, as well as about half their property, his father had been very careful with what they had left.
Not that the nobility really needed their money and their horses, but they were the nobility, and they got what they wanted. He couldn't wait to get his Rune Arts mastery completed so he could prove to those other idiots that commoners could be just as smart and in my case a LOT smarter than the nobility.
There was just one problem with that. The noble Lords, Counts, Ladies, none of them liked to be proved wrong. And certainly none of them would ever admit that they weren't several times better than a commoner, regardless of certificates, papers, or awards. "It was just a fluke." "He probably cheated." "You can't be serious!"
He'd heard it all before. Just entering the school he now attended had been a very difficult task. It had been quite a rocky start and Ethan had been glad things were cooling off. Until now at least. So maybe the assignments for mofles idea wasn't one of his best, but just seeing Briar Rose today was worth it. She actually knew my name! I thought for sure she wouldn't notice me. Just that much must be proof that this wasn't an entirely bad idea.
The lamplight bounced with each step he took, swallowing just enough of the darkness for him to make sure he stayed out of the gutters and mud of the roads. A couple more miles and he'd be able to see a light in the distance, his home. Alex was probably putting Allie and the chickens inside for the night. Lucinda would be in her room with her dolls, or maybe even asleep by now. The younger boys would be arguing over which one of them would have to go first into the tub. His mother would be making sure at least one of them got a good scrubbing, while his father would probably be sleeping while sitting up in the large overstuffed chair he was so fond of.

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