The first note was surprisingly good, and he smiled faintly to himself as he slowly rummaged through items he kept neatly stored to retrieve a simple flute of his own. Not the twin-tailed, that he played at the tavern or in public, but one similar to that which he gave Kiada, though in a darker wood and lower key. The squawk a moment later only had his smile quirking a little higher, recognizing the beginner's impulse. She was exploring the instrument and the sounds it made, and that was what mattered at the moment, far more so than how true the tones were.
He returned to settle into his chair, taking the flute in his hands and raising it with a nod to her. "If you blow too softly, the notes will be quavering and thready," he explained. "Blow too hard, and the flute will squawk like a plucked chicken. The first lesson is simply finding how hard to blow to make a steady note without overpowering the instrument. Whichever note you like will do for practicing. We can practice together," he added with a soft smile for the companions.
Sharing the joy of music with Kiada, her willingness to learn from him, softened some of the jagged edges the previous night had left him with. As Rory had once taught him, she might not need his company, but he hoped she stayed because she wanted it. That she chose to do so made the shaky foundations Amalia and Rory had laid strengthen a little further, reminding him that he had more to offer than his rapier or lost magic in times of conflict.
Jigano blew into his flute, producing a single, steady note with all his fingers covering the holes, then he lifted one finger at a time starting from the bottom so Kiada could hear the change as he moved up the scale.
He returned to settle into his chair, taking the flute in his hands and raising it with a nod to her. "If you blow too softly, the notes will be quavering and thready," he explained. "Blow too hard, and the flute will squawk like a plucked chicken. The first lesson is simply finding how hard to blow to make a steady note without overpowering the instrument. Whichever note you like will do for practicing. We can practice together," he added with a soft smile for the companions.
Sharing the joy of music with Kiada, her willingness to learn from him, softened some of the jagged edges the previous night had left him with. As Rory had once taught him, she might not need his company, but he hoped she stayed because she wanted it. That she chose to do so made the shaky foundations Amalia and Rory had laid strengthen a little further, reminding him that he had more to offer than his rapier or lost magic in times of conflict.
Jigano blew into his flute, producing a single, steady note with all his fingers covering the holes, then he lifted one finger at a time starting from the bottom so Kiada could hear the change as he moved up the scale.
