~The Rope Trick fanfic~
#1- The Guitar
{by Nina D.}
The moment Lidi saw
the silly, boyish grin on Julian's
face, she knew something was up. When he proudly showed her the "almost
new" guitar he had found, she mentally groaned. "Can you- play
it?" She asked tentatively. "Of course!" He replied indignantly.
"Everyone plays it where I'm from." "I'm really not overly
interested in THEM- I asked can YOU play it? Have you ever played before?"
"Nooo… but I'll learn. Just a matter of-" "Principle?" Lidi
interrupted dryly. "No, time, actually. Can't be that hard…" Julian looked confidant, but Lidi had her doubts. She
inspected the instrument more closely. "It's missing a string!" She
exclaimed. "I'll fix it." Julian
assured her. "With what?" "I don't know yet. Wire, I
guess." He added as an afterthought. Lidi shook her head. Yet, despite her
misgivings about the guitar, it was nice to see that silly smile on his
face…She sighed. "Well- have fun" She meant it. His grin widened, and
he disappeared behind the property wagon, where they kept odds and ends.
"Where is he off to?" Jericho
walked up. "A project" Lidi said nonchalantly. "Is it going to
keep him from his work?" Jericho
asked suspiciously. Lidi bit her lip. "It… may." "Humph." Jericho shook his
bandana-wrapped head and grumbled away. Lidi half shrugged and headed towards
her tent wagon. She had a feeling she might end up with some extra work, and it
was just as well to get started now.
* * *
Jericho was right, as usual. Julian spent most of his time tinkering away at his
guitar. After attaching a makeshift "string" he spent hours plucking
and plinking away, trying to work out tunes. Lidi wondered briefly if he was
even musical enough to figure some out. He had never shown or mentioned any
interest in music; but these Campanian peasants all seemed to be musical in one
way or another, and Julian himself had
a sort of musical air. Lidi didn't know, but she had grown used to expecting-
well, anything. Daniella, when not watching the horses or piggies, or pestering
Pompadoro's human performers, could often be found 'helping' Julian. While Lidi did their work, she would often
catch sight of them, bent over the beat-up instrument, and as the days went by,
she began to catch snatches of tunes. Though the extra work was a bit taxing, it
was worth it to see the sparkle growing in Julian's
eyes, and the excitement of a shared secret in Daniella's. One clear night, as
Lidi's little quartet of a troupe gathered around a fire, Julian
cleared his throat. Lidi glanced up. Daniella looked about ready to explode.
"Would anyone care for some music?" he asked, with repressed
excitement showing in every carefully careless word. Lidi smiled at him, and
raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Do you happen to know of anyone with
some to offer?" She asked. Julian
grinned. "Miss Added Attraction, would you be so kind as to fetch-"
Daniella was already back with the guitar, before he could even finish. He
grinned his thanks and tousled her hair affectionately. Her face was alight
with immense self-importance as she settled back into her spot, her sea green
eyes expectant. Julian looked around,
with a brief moment of self-conscious hesitation. Lidi smiled encouragingly.
His eyes met hers for a moment. Then, with a deep breath and an introductory
chord, he began to sing. Lidi caught her breath and stared at him in wonder. He
was already lost in the song, his wonderful, beautiful voice- soothing and yet
sorrowful, happy yet heartbreaking, passionate yet peaceful, filling the night
air. Lidi could have listened forever. As he finished, his eyes met hers again.
They were filled with some concern. "Did you-like it?" He asked.
"That was…" Lidi searched for words. His face grew tense as he
waited. "That was absolutely the most beautiful thing I have ever
heard." His face lit up. "Really?" "Really. It was worth
all the extra work-" He looked down sheepishly. "And it would have
been worth twice as much work, to hear that." She finished honestly. He
looked back up, his hazel eyes warm and grateful and happy. Lidi smiled.
"Could you sing something else?"
~The end~
inspired by/based on The Rope Trick, by Lloyd Alexander
artwork is clip-art from Microsoft office
