Private Tales Steppebound

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir was mid-nibble as Vyx'aria clarified the confusion and he both blushed and gave her a very cheeky, almost impish grin as if he knew all along.

"O-Oh. Right!"

As Ria lingered her gaze on him he would stare back at her, a blush softly glowing on his cheeks more and more as she spoke. Her measured, sincere compliment made him squirm in place a bit, before he scooted closer to her. Staring up at her with eyes that seemed to glimmer in the firelight.

"I umm.... I'm glad I came across you too Ria. Uhh...."

Something would change for only a heartbeat about his stare, then his head would turn toward the flames, eyes avoiding those rose red orbs as if his life depended on it. Because he wasn't sure if he looked into them right now he would be able to look away. Instead he simply swallowed gently and fiddled with the skewer in his grasp.

"S-So umm.. what.... what instrument did you want to learn?"

He would suddenly ask, harkening back to their earlier agreement that if they were successful here he would teach her to play an instrument and she would teach him how to use a sword. A small grin gracing his lips as he stared into the flames, his features not shadowed and angularly beautiful like her own, but instead radiant and open, honest, and beaming.

"After all, with the two of us, this last challenge doesn't stand a chance. Right?"​

 

[Vyx'aria]

Vyx’aria considered the question for a moment, gaze drifting to the fire as she finished the last of the meat and set the skewer aside.

“The drow favor the lyre,” she said at last. “Its sound carries well in the underrealm. Clear. Melancholic. Beautiful.” There was no mockery in her tone, only quiet acknowledgment, as if recalling something distant but familiar.

She shifted slightly, stretching one shoulder, then the other. “But as curious as I am, I do not have the patience for it,” she added honestly. “Learning an instrument sounds… tedious. Strings, repetition, mistakes made slowly.” A faint scoff escaped her. “I would rather bruise my hands on a blade than grow frustrated counting beats.”

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir continued nibbling as Vyx'aria finished her food. Staring into the fire for a long moment as Ria thought over the question. At her answer he gave a nod, chewing thoughtfully, before agreeing.

"That sounds right. Softer strings or more melodious wings are what you would want. The acoustics of caverns don't play well with sharper winds or higher pitched strings."

As Ria stretched her shoulder she would finish his food, toss his skewer with hers, and hug his knees up to his chest before blinking at her sudden backpedaling. Even turning to look up at her as he tilted his head. Only to giggle a bit and grin.

"Wow that's the closest to shy I've seen you, Ria."

Shaking his head he would shrug.

"I don't think it's THAT different really. You get callouses on your fingers from practicing strings just like you get callouses on your palms from using a sword. You memorize notes and the flow of music just like you memorize strokes and movement during swordplay."

He would think for a moment.

"I mean I'm not a warrior but I've heard enough tavern stories to think that anyways."

Pursing his lips for a moment he would then murmur to himself as he turned back to the flames.

"A lyre... Okay."

Suddenly turning to look back up at her he would grin.

"What's your favorite color, Ria?"​