Ylvir knew his parents would be proud. That's what he kept thinking to himself as he laid sprawled on the floor of his room. His room. There was nothing like the feeling of having something to call his own when he had worked for and earned it himself. He touched the ruby strung around his neck. It was warm, almost like his mother's love was seeping through it to him.

Of course, he had yet to play with other musicians. He was actually quite nervous to. Those that Triel had introduced him to had all eyed him with suspicion. He couldn't blame them, though. He was a suspicious character, when he thought about it. Triel may have bought into the illness excuse, but it didn't mean everyone would. Thank goodness his room had a lock, or he never would have felt safe in a place so full of people who so obvious distrusted him.

He looked to the side at his folded cloak, the golden pin that marked him a new member gleaming atop it. He wished he didn't have to wear a cloak, but with that wish were a slew of underlying ones he would rather have not gotten into at that moment. Even if the thing made him seem shifty, he would take suspicion over contempt any day, for he knew that's exactly what he would get if he went without it.

Ylvir turned onto his belly, looking at Dandy who slept peacefully in her little corner. Thinking about home made him miss it a little, but he had enough pieces like her from it to placate him. There was also the necklace, as well as his book. He reached out to his pack, rummaging through it for the very thing.

He felt as though he were back in his hut, curled by the fire, between his parents as he read the same book he had read so many times before, never growing tired of it.

It was in that manner that he fell asleep alongside Dandy, dreaming of home.

~*~

Ylvir awoke to a loud knocking on his door.

"C'mon Ylvir. Hurry up, or you'll miss breakfast."

Ylvir rubbed his eyes groggily, looking at the hen who looked very miffed. He stroked her soft feathers, pacifying her. "I know. But you should be used to early mornings."

She cooed, rubbing her head against his pawish hand.

"Nervous? Why would I be nervous? There's nothing to be nervous for," he chuckled weakly. She nipped at his padded finger. "Ouch. Alright, maybe a little. But I'll be fine. Don't you worry. I'll be back soon enough with some bread, okay?"

The hen bobbed her head a few times, fluttering her wings as though to rush him out the door. After donning his disguise, he did just that.

He was surprised the smell of the sausages and rolls hadn't woken him instead of Triel's knocking. It smelled delicious--only slightly burned. When he entered the common room, he received many narrowed stares from its occupants, making him more than a little self-conscious. He brought his wings in tighter beneath his thick cloak to hide their nervous trembling as he walked to the spread of food across the room. It reminded him a little of his time in Grey Castle, but as he sat at a table by himself, that feeling vanished quickly.

Ylvir ate his food quietly, careful to avoid showing any fur or feathers. He handled the cutlery with care, grateful his father insisted he learn to use it properly, despite his many protests. When he became more comfortable and confident in his eating, he let his red-eyed gaze wander about the room.

The others wore all manner of clothes, the only thing really joining them together being the pin. They conversed quietly to each other, which Ylvir's hearing allowed him to listen to without strain. A lot of them actually seemed to talk about him, stealing occasional glances his way that caused him to tense and stiffen. The things they said did not put him in a particularly good light, but he supposed he should not have expected otherwise. He was glad that he wasn't the only topic, though. Others seemed to focus on the event that day in some way or another, and a few talked of how cold the last night had been and how it affected their sleep. It hadn't bothered him, but his thick fur usually kept it that way. Of course, the chill did make sense. Winter was creeping upon them.

Ylvir finished his breakfast in time, saving a roll that he took back to his room, feeding it to Dandy.

"The event shouldn't be long. I think it'll be fun, actually. And who knows. Maybe I'll see that girl again," he spoke to her, tearing another piece of the roll. She responded with a cocking of her head, focusing one eye on him.

"Right. I forgot you didn't see her. You should have," he spoke wistfully. "She was...beautiful."

A quick peck to his outheld hand brought him back from his daydreams.

"Ow! That was hardly necessary."

Dandy clucked clear disagreement. Ylvir frowned, but instead said, "I hope I'll see her again today."

A knock interrupted his daydreams this time. "Hope you're ready Ylvir! Time to go!"

Ylvir stood up, giving Dandy one last nervous smile. "Wish me luck."

And then he was off.

Clutching his whistle in his gloved hand the whole way, the troupe of musicians made their way through the winding streets, back into the clamor of the city, Ylvir bringing up the rear. He knew the others were avoiding him, but he again chose to do nothing on it. Instead, he was caught in the port's day to day activities once more. It still fascinated him, and he wasn't entirely sure it never would.

He was caught by surprise her he bumped into one of the musicians that had previously been far ahead of him, only then realizing they had stopped. He muttered a quick apology to the woman before She turned around, giving him a scathing look. "Watch where you're going."

"Sorry," he apologized again, taken aback by her sharp tone. She scoffed and turned back around, wounding him further. He truly was sorry, and felt very much at fault, but the woman's actions upset him.

He started to feel something build up inside him that wanted to lash out and fight, but he quickly recognized it, snuffing it out before it had the chance to get worse, his heart racing in his fear, his throat and chest aching from the suppressed growl. He would not let his curse rule him. Not if he could help it.

When he gathered his wits, he noticed the musicians moving about. He had missed the instruction, and felt at a loss as to what he should do. He felt some relief, however, as Triel approached him with a friendly smile.

"I know it's your first time with us, but that's nothing to worry about. My judgement is pretty good. You're a decent player Ylvir. You'll do fine. Just make sure you keep in time with the rest of us, eh?"

Ylvir merely nodded. He was too choked with nerves to trust his voice. He had only then thought of how different it would be to play in a group. He never had before. But if Triel said he would be fine, he would trust him.

Triel's smile broadened. "Great. Let's get started then, shall we?"

Triel picked up a small drum Ylvir hadn't noticed before, and they both joined the rest of the musicians, Ylvir's heart still pounding. A crowd was even beginning to form at their arrival, waiting in expectation. When the basket for the money was placed, one of the musicians spoke up.

"We'll do the Drunken Sprite! Ready? A-one, a-two, a-three!"

A flute similar to his whistle started them off with a trill, and soon the other musicians joined in the lively tune one by one with their own instruments, until Ylvir was the only one left. The name of the song had caught him off guard. He had never heard of it, not had he actually known the name of any other. But when the song really began, he remembered that it didn't really matter to him. Only the song did. He closed his eyes and took a relaxing breath, then he joined the rest.

He wove his tune into and around the others, and he found that playing in a group might actually be more enjoyable than playing alone. His spirits renewed and nerves relaxed, Ylvir opened his eyes again, only to falter at what he saw.

The crowd had formed a circle much like the day before, and just like then, there was the red haired girl in the middle of it all, dancing just as wonderfully as before.

A nudge to the side alerted Ylvir to the fact that he had stopped playing. He fumbled with his whistle, muttering an apology once again, then played it. It was a little different this time, though. This time, he made it so the tune not only complemented the other musicians, but also added to the girl's dance. He was more than delighted with the results as she seemed to almost immediately respond to him, her smile broadening.

The new and unique feeling he got from that simple interaction far outweighed that of merely having a room to call his own. This feeling made him giddy and nauseous at once, and he would have thought he truly was sick if hadn't actually enjoyed it, much to his surprise. He enjoyed it so much, that he felt all the more bitter when the song ended and the girl vanished again.

As the pieces from the basket made their way into his glove and he got a generous smile from Triel along with a "well done", Ylvir knew he didn't regret his decision to join the guild at all. His hopes had come true, and not just to see the dancer. The other musicians seemed to have a new regard for him, their whispers now putting him in a better light, though they were still noticeably wary.

All in all, the performance had gone well.