Into the Beckoning Woods [open]

There was a slight change in the feel of nature just then, something rustling nearby followed by a faint rhythm of hooves, adding its own beat to nature's music. Still, the sound was not enough to disrupt the steady tune. He was well practiced, particularly in this song, and a little noisy forest wasn't going to deter him from his songs. Really, he didn't start out as much of a musician, rarely touched an instrument at all, for that matter. It wasn't until...ehm...her...that he started to find a fancy in the art. Not that he lost any interest in his previous engagements; flirting still snaked its way into his days, much as he tried to avoid it. And of course he was still fashioning his dyes; sure he could buy some, but there was just something about making things yourself that made it seem that much better.

Bright green eyes looked up as he ceased the second verse, and there he saw the source of the earlier commotion. A young-faced male, and quite clearly a elf, rode atop a rather majestic horse. The lad, quite clearly young by the innocent way he talked, had taken to the draw of the tune, much as he had hoped. Better yet, he showed interest in the talent it took to vocalize it. Certainly his talents were appreciated by those who listened, but so many simply took those talents for granted. Naturally it was a youngling that came to appreciate the hard work, and not a conceited adult; oh how backwards life was.

Carefully setting the ukelele down, the redhead crossed an arm over his knee as he addressed the other. "I'm glad you like it." he started, smiling that friendly smile of his. "To tell the truth, it took me close to four years to really master the lyrics. The beat's unusual, and when I first started, I kept losing track of when one line ended and the other began. But I think the hardest part was pronouncing it all right. Without the accent it just isn't the same, you know?" It really was true; he first had heard the song from Maeve, when she was tending the garden by herself. She didn't know he was there and started singing...really it was such a catchy tune, and the redhead practically forced her to teach it to him -- after he begged forgiveness for spying on her. She always got this amused smirk on her face, when he tried singing it himself. Sure he had a prettier voice but...without her accent, it just wasn't right.

Fayn stood then, wiping the stray red and silver hairs out of his eyes. It wasn't every day he performed for a sole young'un, one who shared an appreciation for music. "My name is Fayn, performer of the arts, and I am at your disposal." He gave a courteous bow, playing up the hamminess as much as he could; despite having aged over a hundred years, he never really could grow out of spotlight addiction. Straightening up once more, he crossed his arms over his chest. "So, who do I have the pleasure of performing for?"

Riley. Not a particularly common name for a male, but a good name nonetheless. It humbly fit the boy, what with his quiet wonder and obvious youth. Watching as the boy dismounted, he was pleased to see how tenderly he treated his riding companion. The horse was a friend, not an animal; such kindness was always heartwarming.

Once again the boy was talking. Fayn tilted his head slightly when he voiced his first question, and had to hold back a slight chuckle at his politeness. Really, Fayn was never this nice when he was younger. He wasn't exactly one for conforming to standards though, either. "Well, no disrespect received. Besides, you're right; and usually I do perform in Asgard. But I grew up around these parts so I like to take one day of the week and play here. 'Sides, my other half works here, so I like to keep close often as I can." He smiled, picking up his ukelele again, idly strumming it. "Besides, I usually gather a crowd even in here. Usually people who live nearby. Also..." a light smirk dusted his face. "You came, didn't you?"

A few moments passed then, the only sounds being the horse's happy munching and his own idle strumming. The silence did not last long, though, for Riley the Boy of Questions seemed not yet to be satisfied. Fayn grinned at the question, this time unable to hold back his laugh. The boy wouldn't know it...but he was talking to someone nearing his two hundredth year. If he didn't know a lot of songs, he may well hang up his instruments and quit.

"Oh, I know plenty. Most of them...kind of like the one you heard just now are folksy or even drinking songs. Not that I'd know. But I know a fair few ballads, some tunes I wrote myself...and of course plenty of instrumental numbers. Don't think I can name them all off the top of my head...even if I did it'd go on for a while. See thing about music...it's not always about playing the song like it is; your own flair sort of gets thrown in, and the more you play it, the more flair gets added...and then it's not even the same song any more. So to add up all the songs I know...yikes, that would be one helluva brain ache."

Fayn's initial rhythm suddenly quickened to something a bit more lively, and he began tapping his foot along with it, adding his own rhythm. "I guess you could say I work for my hobby. I mean...I wasn't always musical, really, but when I started to catch on, I really found I enjoyed it. And...well, performing for a living was always a thing I wanted to do...so having the skill really just completed that dream. I'm sure you hear this from every adult ever, but really, you do need to find something you enjoy and do that for money. It makes life real bliss." Pausing in his tune, the redhead turned to his young companion so he was fully facing the other. "Now, I'm curious....you seem to be quite interested in my music. Do you happen to play as well?"

Ah, a student of the guitar. It was a start, even if he only played to "pass the time" as he said...all music started from just a few pings and strums and whistles and playful beats after all; yes, Riley could yet be made into a musical prodigy. Or at the very least an apprentice. He wouldn't mind taking a student, if anything it would be another source of income, even if just a little. He listened quietly as the boy commented on his hidden braggery of his wife -- and that was where he sort of...lost it.

It wasn't really the boy's fault...rather it was his own; elven physiology meant staying around the same appearance for a long, long time. Still...he couldn't help but laugh at that last comment. This one he couldn't really stifle, either; not only was he going to be married soon, but he had been working at this relationship for the better part of his life. Of course it didn't start off as a relationship, more just...as a pitiful puppy and the one person who was nice enough to take care of him. She probably called him a dog at one point too, now that he thought about it.

Fayn joined the lad in the soft grass, still chuckling just a bit. "I guess it's hard to tell but...uh, I'm almost two hundred now. Well sort of anyway." he smirked coyly. "Guess my handsome and dashing looks make me seem a hundred years younger, eh?" Ah, the life of an elf was truly wonderful. You stayed pretty for ages, and all the short-lived folk adored you. Of course...it was a bit sad that way, too; it was much better to avoid contact with those kinds, or at least avoid getting close to them...because they died so quickly. And for someone like Fayn, that was hard to do.


"So then, you play guitar to pass the time...but, what is it you do most? Much as you seem interested in the arts, I get the feeling there's something else that beckons you. What might that be?"

It was sort of interesting listening to all that Riley was saying. He was in a sense lecturing casually, but at the same time, he was learning from the child, learning about matters that would soon become his own burden -- though he preferred to think of it as a blessing. 'Least for now. He knew, though, that tending to a teenager was the most difficult part of being a parent...mostly because he was that difficult teenager. He still could be even now, though now it was Maeve's annoyance and not his mother's. From what he could see, Riley seemed to be a good enough kid with a...taste for exploration and adventure and a distaste for sitting in stagnant classrooms. Which...wasn't bad for a teen, really. Mentally he started to take note of everything the boy did and said; after all, in a good eighteen some years he'd have a teen to deal with, too.

"Trust me I know how you feel about that. I actually never got properly schooled, I learnt most of what I know from home...but that sure didn't stop my mother from giving me piles of written work. I don't know, I sort of wish sometimes I got proper schooling, since that's apparently where most people meet their friends that they keep for the better part of their life. It's good to learn at least, and...well, when you think about it, for us two school is just a tiny spec of our lives. Once it's over we have all the time we want." Come to think of it, today....would be a school day wouldn't it? Or he thought so at least, he didn't really pay any mind to that, hadn't for a good hundred years. The little rascal was out in the woods instead of in class, eh? Nope, couldn't blame him. Though it was true, most people in school kept the friends they made there.

A big, silly smile crossed his face when Riley brought into light his truest aspirations. It wasn't so much that he thought his desires were outlandish and silly -- in fact they were well suited to an elf, since he'd have ages to traverse new land and explore. Rather...the smile came from what the boy hoped to accomplish as an adventurer. Now...that had never crossed Fayn's mind when he thought about getting girls. It had always been some kind of performing art -- musicians always seemed to get girls flocking to them, and of course most women loved a good artist, and acting seemed to get many a sigh from the lovelies.

Fayn leaned a bit towards the boy, a slightly mischievous look on his face. "I may not know much about being an adventurer, being a homebody myself...but if you want to get girls....now that I can teach you. First off it's the profession -- to get a girl's attention you need to have a job or a hobby that's interesting. For me...I mean...I may not have started a musician but...a lady just loves the beautiful sound of music. Sure, men like music too...but when a young lady happens across a lone handsome fellow playing a tune...her heart melts." He paused for a moment, thinking. "Of course it's not all in the profession, it's visual too." The redhead pointed to his bright hair, smiling. "That's what this is all for. With my...lovely hair and loud clothing, it's impossible not to notice me, especially when I'm performing.

"Once you have a girl's attention though....well it's not enough just to keep her listening. You gotta be there for her you know? Notice her. In my case, when I'm performing for a crowd, I like to call on people to join me and dance and sing along. And of course when I'm not performing, it's all about flattery and charm~" Fayn scratched at the material of his undershirt, looking at Riley thoughtfully. "I think it'd be different for you though, since you're more....well this is just a guess but...you seem a little shy...but you definitely have spunk. Hm...wanting to be an adventurer is sure to catch attention, but to get girls flocking you'll want to really let them see how you feel. Make sure they know how much you love the idea of being an adventurer...and make sure they know that everybody's safe while you're out exploring. Also....you can play up the shyness to really get them coming. Girls think it's real sweet when they have a quieter person, even a bit sensitive, who then turns around and declares he can protect them. There's nothing better than a strong but sensitive and shy hero, right?"

Leaning back again, Fayn crossed his arms behind his head and rested. "It may be a bit early to be...y'know telling you all that. But hey, it's good for the future, when you go out and become a real adventurer, right? I say you definitely should follow up on that. Who knows what you might find out there, huh?"

Fayn's brow creased slightly as he considered the boy's response. Well, being shy sort of entailed having difficulty talking to people or avoiding social situations. He sort of figured Riley was shy by the way he talked all polite and respectful, but that could just be...well the fact that he was talking to a stranger in the woods with a crazy fashion sense. Not exactly someone you'd open up to immediately. "Guess we'll find out soon enough, won't we? I guess if you aren't the shy type then instead of playing up the quiet hero bit, it would be more suitable to be the friendly hero, the one who mingles in amongst everyone and always has a smile. So...whichever you turn out to be, you should play up one of those two types to really get the girls swooning over you."

Adjusting the choker he wore, Fayn watched as his young companion stood and wandered about. He was really speaking from his heart now, the hopeful future present in his eyes. As much as Fayn preferred not to wander about in unfamiliar territory, he could see the appeal -- nothing but yourself and all of nature surrounding you. Everything would be new every day, and all sorts of different discoveries could be made -- all without the hassle of other people getting in your way. Definitely not his lifestyle, but it did somewhat remind him of the way Maeve liked to live.

Resting his thumb and forefinger against his chin, Fayn idly began tapping against his skin to some unknown beat as he thought. Well, he certainly never thought he'd ever end up settling down, so that was one thing that was unexpected. And...well, music definitely wasn't his first desire, no...what he wanted in life was something immaterial. Music just ended up being the way he channeled it. "Well...I wouldn't say I ever had a certain...job in mind, come to think of it. All I knew was that I liked being able to perform, you know? Even just talking to people was a big performance for me. But more importantly what I always wanted, and still do want, is to make people happy and accepted. I just want everyone to enjoy life as much as I do. Music is a pretty good way to get that kind of message across, and it's also a great medium for me to perform. So...I guess I never specifically wanted to get into music, but...it fulfills what I want in life. The way I see it, there are a lot of different ways you can fulfill your dreams...I just got lucky since what I wanted, I was suited for fairly early on."

Ah yes, there wasn't a moment he went into public without putting on an act the whole time. Riley was one of a very few people who actually got to see him being himself, how he was away from the crowd. Just the idea of being able to perform for people, to make them see the best in themselves...that was what he lived for. He imagined that the sense of euphoria he got from that was the same way that Riley felt when he wandered about on solitary nature-walks. It really was exhilarating, to feel your dreams coming true.

He really seemed to be getting deep in thought now, barely sharing an ear to listen to Fayn's words as he pondered the many faces he could personify. It was nice to have someone listen to him though, and take him seriously; this was one of the rare occasions in which he could actually be of some use. He couldn't rightly give advice to the boy on...survival skills, combat techniques, or in general most male-dominated areas of learning. He had more talent in the typically "feminine" areas -- designing, cooking, personal presentation...at least he had this one gem.

He watched as his...apprentice womanizer went from deep-thinking and pensive to an excited pirouette-flopping mess of energy. He would have asked if he was all right...if it wasn't so hilarious and slightly adorable. Even Riley was laughing about it. Fayn supposed his lack of concern could be excused if the victim of the fall was laughing over it himself. Instead, he waited for the boy to calm a bit and ask his question. He thought for a moment, reaching out to help the fallen lad to his feet. He had a good heart at least, wanting to be of service to the people during his lifetime. That would be a good five hundred years of being a helping hand.

"Well I'd say that any of the above mentioned personas would work, but you'd need to do a bit more than just have the personality -- if you're going around helping unknown villages, you need to have a story. People would be totally accepting of an adventurer if you introduced yourself as one and that'd be fine...but when you're an adventurer who seeks not to explore but to help people, they will always assume that there's some kind of story to go with it, some specific reason why you would want to leave your home to save people you don't know. So depending on how your home life is..that's how you would decide which type of hero to portray." he paused for a moment, trying to come up with examples of the family-relations of those hero types.

"Now if I were an adventurer, I would probably be closest to the friendly hero who's really chummy with everyone. Why's that? I come from a fairly large family with lots of siblings, and I was always the one they relied on to help out and make things enjoyable. So see...if you have that kind of family, that's the kind of hero you would be. Now...the angst-ridden mysterious hero...he probably had some sort of tragedy in his family, or there was some sort of falling-out between him and his family, and the reason he's going around helping other villages is so that kind of thing doesn't happen to other families. And of course there's the mysterious and possibly shy hero, who probably would keep that kind of story to himself and tell the people that he just wants to help people for the rest of his life."

Fayn paused briefly to take a breath; he hadn't spoken so much about a single topic in a while now, courtesy of his somewhat isolated home and desire to stay close to Mave. He let out a low sigh before continuing thoughtfully. "Those are the big types of heroes anyway, now you could play a combination of those or do a more dramatic version of one, or even a watered down one depending on what you're most comfortable with. Thing is, when you take on a role and you plan to live it for the rest of your life, you have to be comfortable doing that for hundreds of years, y'know? ...Of course you could always let loose sometimes and show the other sides of yourself to the rare, lucky person. Now that is enticing to a girl! You know how ladies can be, they like to know more about you personally and stuff...so letting them see that you're a person just like the rest of them...now that's what they like to see."

Now though he was curious. Sure most guys wanted to get girls and stuff...but at his age....surely, there was someone specifically he wanted to catch the eye of? He said he didn't really engage in social situations...but that didn't mean he didn't see or know anyone. Fayn leaned just a bit closer towards the boy, lowering his voice. "Now....I'm curious, all I'm teaching you...is there someone in particular you're hoping to woo and charm?" he asked, winking discreetly as a little smirk made its way onto his face. He sort of hoped there was someone, that would make this so much more fun.