The crowds flowed around Idril as she pushed her way through, trying yo find the perfect spot to preform. Glancing to her right, she spotted a large fountain which shot blue water into its marble carved bowl. Out of her bag, she pulled a wooden bowl, setting it below her on the edge of the wide fountain. Glancing around, she tried to find inspiration of what to play.

To her, song choice was almost as important as the playing of the song itself. A cheerful song in the wrong place could be deeply frowned upon, or a somber song in the midst of a festival wouldn't be advantageous. Glancing at the buildings, she noticed a church spire puncturing the sky above the building tops. She decided on a song she had written herself, called Gold Cathedral. Taking a deep breath, Idril began to sing.

"Lonely nights, cold cruel days, people are hungry, starving for praise, somewhere in town, quiet and poor, sits a small church house with wide open doors, filling the wooden benches and more, hymns ring skyward, people are moved, through all their sorrow and through the dark gloom, even though modest, even though grey it might as well be a high Gold Cathedral."

A few people stopped to listen, respectful and filled with awe at the smooth tender falsetto voice. As she turned the second verse of the song, a dozen more people joined the crowd. Bronze, silver and even a few gold coins chimed in her bowl. After the last notes rang out, the group cheered loudly, putting a smile firmly on her face. The bowl was almost completely full now, so she bowed gracefully to the crowd and slipped the bowl into her pack. 

Ember and Mayabelle came struggling through the clapping mob, Mayabelle swinging a bag of some sort of food and Ember trying not to be touched. 

"Come on," said Mayabelle excitedly. "We got us some dumplings! Should we eat them on the way to find those whistles?" 

Idril nodded, still beaming brightly. Whenever people cheered for songs, appreciated the magic in it and listened the full way through, it gave her pride and joy. She felt as though every coin she had earned was a small connection she had to every person who had thrown it. 

"How much did you make?" questioned Ember, clapping her friend on the back. 

"I'm not too sure, but-" she said, undoing the clasps of her pack and showing them the gleaming coins inside. Mayabelle gasped with excitement and Ember issued a hushed "wow". 

As they ate their warm steaming dumplings, they counted their money. 

As the last coin was counted, Idril whistled in disbelief. "Sixty drachmea," she said in a hushed voice. (Note: a drachmea equals about $35.)

Ember and Mayabelle looked in disbelief, pride and excitement up at her. Idril was so proud to be able to provide, to share her gift and earn for her friends. Together, they stood, walking through the street, off to find a whistlemaker.