"Orchestra" (Ambrose, Rated G)naturalbluiconsNovember 21 2009, 18:50:15 UTC
Buttoning up his best coat, Ambrose looked at himself in the mirror, smoothing out the fabric as he drew himself up in full composure. It seemed liked ages ago that he'd requested the evening away from the palace; now it was here and he smiled wanly at his reflection in anticipation. Pleased with his appearance, he strode from the room and made his way to the Queen's sitting room. Little DG was asleep in a winged armchair, the Queen sitting and reading in another chair by the fireplace. Azkadellia sat by her feet, absorbed in her own book.
"I'll be leaving, now." Ambrose said, and bowed slightly out of respect.
The Queen and older princess both looked up, her majesty smiling while her daughter looked puzzled.
"Leaving?" Azkadellia frowned.
"Only for the evening, Az." The mother smiled softly at her daughter. "Ambrose is going to see the Gillikin Orchestra. They're visiting Central City tonight, you see."
"Ooh," Azkadellia looked form her mother to Ambrose. "Have you seen them before? Are they very good? I'd like to see a full orchestra."
Ambrose smiled at the princess' curiosity. "I have. I enjoy them very much, but I might have a slight bias. They remind me of home."
"But this is your home!" The girl smiled as though he'd said something silly.
"It is, now." Ambrose nodded. "But I was born in the North." His tone was patient, though he knew he needed to be going.
"By the Northern Palace?"
"Not so far north as that, no, but when we travel there we pass by the roads that lead into the Gillikin territory." His eyes flickered to the Queen, somewhat apologetically asking for a dismissal.
She smiled graciously. "Do enjoy the concert, Ambrose. I know how much you enjoy music. But, do try not to strike up a dance, hm?" Her eyes glittered with lightly teasing mirth.
Ambrose's lips quirked up into a light smirk. "I'll try to resist. Goodnight, majesty. Princess." He bowed again, retreating back into the hallway. He had to move quickly now, lest he be late.
The music was breath-taking. Old and new pieces thrilled and soothed and Ambrose thought he could happily stay in the embrace of the music for all of his days. He returned to the castle still softly humming to himself, his feet moving in tune down the hall. He paused however when he heard a soft giggle from behind him. Turning slowly, he saw Azkadellia peeking out from her room.
"I believe it's well past your bedtime, princess." He raised a brow at her, but smiled thinly.
"I wanted to ask if you liked the concert." She said softly. Smiling as well. "I think you did."
"I did." Ambrose nodded. "I'll play you some of their music when it's not so late."
"Is it a very big orchestra?"
"Fairly big, yes." He nodded again. "If you'd like, should they come again when you're a little older, you could accompany me to see them."
Her face lit up. "I hope they come again."
"I'm sure they will."
"You play insturments, don't you?"
"I have some skill with a harp." He answered modestly.
"I'd like to hear you play one-" Her words were punctuated by a yawn. "-one day."
"When it's not so late." Ambrose said with a gentle and fond smile. "Goodnight, Azkadee."
"Goodnight, Master Ambrose." Azkadellia waved a sleepy hand, rubbed her eyes, and retreated back into her room, the door closing quietly.
Ambrose stretched his shoulders and unsuccessfully tried to suppress a yawn of his own. Returning to his own chamber, he dressed for bed with the tunes of the orchestra still soft on his lips. No one in all of the Outer Zone could make music like the Gillikin. It was something he missed, though this place was his home now. He'd made a good many trade-offs in his life, and he had done well for himself. His ambition and intelligence had served him greatly and he was a happy man. This was his home now, yes; but the place he had grown up remained ever dear even if he was no longer fondly welcomed.
"I'll be leaving, now." Ambrose said, and bowed slightly out of respect.
The Queen and older princess both looked up, her majesty smiling while her daughter looked puzzled.
"Leaving?" Azkadellia frowned.
"Only for the evening, Az." The mother smiled softly at her daughter. "Ambrose is going to see the Gillikin Orchestra. They're visiting Central City tonight, you see."
"Ooh," Azkadellia looked form her mother to Ambrose. "Have you seen them before? Are they very good? I'd like to see a full orchestra."
Ambrose smiled at the princess' curiosity. "I have. I enjoy them very much, but I might have a slight bias. They remind me of home."
"But this is your home!" The girl smiled as though he'd said something silly.
"It is, now." Ambrose nodded. "But I was born in the North." His tone was patient, though he knew he needed to be going.
"By the Northern Palace?"
"Not so far north as that, no, but when we travel there we pass by the roads that lead into the Gillikin territory." His eyes flickered to the Queen, somewhat apologetically asking for a dismissal.
She smiled graciously. "Do enjoy the concert, Ambrose. I know how much you enjoy music. But, do try not to strike up a dance, hm?" Her eyes glittered with lightly teasing mirth.
Ambrose's lips quirked up into a light smirk. "I'll try to resist. Goodnight, majesty. Princess." He bowed again, retreating back into the hallway. He had to move quickly now, lest he be late.
The music was breath-taking. Old and new pieces thrilled and soothed and Ambrose thought he could happily stay in the embrace of the music for all of his days. He returned to the castle still softly humming to himself, his feet moving in tune down the hall. He paused however when he heard a soft giggle from behind him. Turning slowly, he saw Azkadellia peeking out from her room.
"I believe it's well past your bedtime, princess." He raised a brow at her, but smiled thinly.
"I wanted to ask if you liked the concert." She said softly. Smiling as well. "I think you did."
"I did." Ambrose nodded. "I'll play you some of their music when it's not so late."
"Is it a very big orchestra?"
"Fairly big, yes." He nodded again. "If you'd like, should they come again when you're a little older, you could accompany me to see them."
Her face lit up. "I hope they come again."
"I'm sure they will."
"You play insturments, don't you?"
"I have some skill with a harp." He answered modestly.
"I'd like to hear you play one-" Her words were punctuated by a yawn. "-one day."
"When it's not so late." Ambrose said with a gentle and fond smile. "Goodnight, Azkadee."
"Goodnight, Master Ambrose." Azkadellia waved a sleepy hand, rubbed her eyes, and retreated back into her room, the door closing quietly.
Ambrose stretched his shoulders and unsuccessfully tried to suppress a yawn of his own. Returning to his own chamber, he dressed for bed with the tunes of the orchestra still soft on his lips. No one in all of the Outer Zone could make music like the Gillikin. It was something he missed, though this place was his home now. He'd made a good many trade-offs in his life, and he had done well for himself. His ambition and intelligence had served him greatly and he was a happy man. This was his home now, yes; but the place he had grown up remained ever dear even if he was no longer fondly welcomed.
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