Something New: Apprentices

Posted: October 12th, 2013 under the writing life.
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Galdon stared at the columns of figures –some taller, some shorter–and felt hopeless.    Around him, his brothers and his uncles and his father worked at similar desks, the elders with pen, the younglings with styluses on wax tablets.   Galdon had a wax tablet and a stylus and this was only the fourteenth day of what he could not imagine doing for the rest of his life.

A stool scraped; footsteps neared.  “How are you coming, lad?” asked his youngest uncle, leaning over to look.  Galdon braced his shoulders.  “Umm,” said his uncle.  “You’ll need to do better than that.”

“I’m trying,” he said.

“You’re trying your father’s patience,” his uncle said, warm breath in Galdon’s ear.  “Do you want a whipping?”

“No, Uncle.”

“Then you’d best have the rest of your tablets done by the next turn of the glass.”

The footsteps went away, his uncle’s stool scraped on the floor again. Galdon stared at the figures.  They were just numbers.   If only they were musical notes…he blinked.  Maybe they could be musical notes and maybe–maybe he could do sums with them.   He let himself hum the first note of a tune–very quietly.  Let that be one.   Plus…seven, all right, that could be…that note.  And the seven plus one was eight which might be…that note.  So far so good.   He finished that tablet, sweating heavily, tongue between his teeth to keep from singing out loud.   Now…if only the answers were right.   But at least he could set that table aside and take the next one.

……………………………………………………………..

Of all the chores in his family’s cheese-making business,  Mala hated most scrubbing out the vats.  Not that he had any choice.   He was big enough now to reach the bottom with the scrubber, and yet young enough to be the all-around chore boy for the rest of them.   Last year he and Galdon, a boy from down the street, had been able to spend most of the day playing…well, sneaking into inns to listen to traveling bards, sneaking into a luthier’s shop to watch how instruments were made, making what music they could out of anything they could find–for neither family thought providing even the simplest reed-pipe or drum was worthwhile for boys whose lives were firmly set in the way of the family business.  He and Galdon had made their own reed pipes and learned to produce sound, if not music, from them.  They had tapped with sticks on stones, railings, trees, boxes…anything they could find.

He tapped on the vat wall with the scrubber…it really did have a musical sound to it…the copper rang a little, not really bell like but it had a tone–

“Mara, you thick-head–stop beating on that; you’ll make dents in it!”   His oldest sister, now a journeyman cheesemaker,  strode toward him, her crinkly hair burstin out of confinement yet again.  She stopped, stuffed it back under her cap, and glared at him.  “Don’t do that.  Don’t sing, whistle, hum, tap rhythms–just clean the vat before the next milking comes in…NOW.”

Mara thought about the pitch tones in her voice as she scolded.   If you could only get it on paper, or on something, all the ups and downs and the places her voice broke–her hand caught him by surprise, a hard smack to the side of his head, and he stumbled.  She grabbed his arm and held him upright, leaning close to glare into his face.  “Do your work or Da will make you wish you had.  You’re lucky he’s at the market right now.  GO!”

She could not hear the inside of his head, full of melody and rhythm.   He bit his lip and went back to scrubbing vats, first with soap and hot water, then with vinegar and hot water–his brain told him that vinegar smelled the way some music sounded, but he tried to ignore that–and finally with water alone, boiling water to scare away the demons that spoiled cheese.

His mother came by to inspect and finally nodded.   “This one’s done, ” she said.  “Now quick–do the rest before the milking comes in.”

……………………………………….

The writing life is writing.   Whether there’s a contract, or a suggestion, or not.   So…this is what came to me suddenly today.  I have no idea whether it’s going somewhere or not, but it started with iphinome’s comment about pages of writing.

24 Comments »

  • Comment by Daniel Glover — October 12, 2013 @ 2:00 pm

    1

    Sounds like Mercedes Lackey’s Bardic Voices series meets Mindy Klasky’s Glasswright’s series. In the hands of my favorite author. If something does come from it. Let me know. I’ll buy it.


  • Comment by Daniel Glover — October 12, 2013 @ 2:01 pm

    2

    Shoot, it’s technically The Lark and The Wren by Ms. Lackey.


  • Comment by Genko — October 12, 2013 @ 5:17 pm

    3

    I like it. I’m from a musical family, and we have these kinds of young men in our family — always banging on things, listening to the sounds, humming pitches of things like copiers, pots and pans, cars going by, dogs barking, etc. I can hear music in a lot of things, have a pretty good ear, and enjoy choral singing. Played the piano back in the day, have done a little with a guitar. But for those who think in music, it’s more difficult, especially when there’s no good outlet for it or understanding of it around them.


  • Comment by elizabeth — October 12, 2013 @ 7:05 pm

    4

    Really? Drat…I guess I should’ve read a bunch of Lackey before playing with this. (Why I *don’t* read a lot of writers is to keep from accidentally soaking up something from them and using it.)


  • Comment by LarryP — October 12, 2013 @ 8:50 pm

    5

    or It could be form bits of music that pops in to your head for no reson at all. sorry cant spell tonight at all and my spell checker seems not to work either…rats and bats.


  • Comment by Daniel Glover — October 12, 2013 @ 9:02 pm

    6

    Elizabeth,

    The music part rings (pun intended) toward Lackey. But the guild related part is more like Klasky, Ms. Lackey’s never went hard toward developing anything other than the music guild that is not a guild.

    It’s all in your own voice so keep going with it. This is pure Paksworld setting and like neither of the two mention works but for one writing through the eyes of developing a music guild counter culture to the currently existing one and the other going in to great minutia about guilds and guild warefare.

    This snippet is starting someplace where neither of the others tread–but it resonates (pun again 🙂 ) to both.


  • Comment by elizabeth — October 12, 2013 @ 10:55 pm

    7

    The problem that will come up is that both boys are supposed to be loyal to their respective families’ guild membership. There is no “music guild” as such (or as yet…maybe later?) They don’t want to be what they’re expected to be, and their families haven’t got a clue that their musical ability is worth a handful of dirt. So when they do what they do, they will both be accused of conspiring against the guilds their families belong to, and sorting it out is going to take something (don’t yet know what) that’s interesting. Maybe. Of course they keep secrets from their families (all kids do, about the same time they finally get it that they’re not supposed to blab everything they hear in the family to everyone outside the family. But their secret looks bad, dangerous, seditious…and it’s not.


  • Comment by iphinome — October 13, 2013 @ 2:52 am

    8

    @Lady Moon

    My comment came from the ones you made about piles of copyedits needing to be checked on a short deadline, which came from publisher timing, which came from when you submitted the revised manuscript, which came from…

    That all started with the big bang!

    But how do you know if the whole thing is going somewhere good? Do you just walk away from it if you see an unsatisfying end coming?


  • Comment by Richard — October 13, 2013 @ 4:30 am

    9

    Square pegs, round holes, a promising start indeed.

    You gave us a glimpse once of the same situation only in reverse, as it were. Vik is a harper’s son. He has no voice, and no skill with a harp despite one being shoved into his hands as soon as he could pluck a string. So then his father tried to make a scribe of him, but he wrote as badly as he played; and got into trouble, liking to fight, which is why he is now a mercenary soldier.

    You never told us if there is a guild (by his and Paks’ time) for harpers and for instrument-makers (like the one with a shop in Foss, near to where Paks bought Saben the red horse trinket), but they do have their own patron (Garin), above whom Vik’s family worship Sertig (counting themselves craftsmen) as well as Adyan. One of the Fin Panir Hall windows shows the harper saint playing to a tree that seemed to be turning into a girl.


  • Comment by Mollie Marshall — October 13, 2013 @ 1:36 pm

    10

    The bells that are ringing here for me are those of the harpers of Pern. With perhaps a touch of Joy Chant’s When Voiha Wakes. Also, musical notation as mathematics comes close to Merlin’s use of music as cryptography in Patricia Kennealy’s Arthurian trilogy. An interesting start – I’d love to hear more!


  • Comment by Mollie Marshall — October 13, 2013 @ 1:45 pm

    11

    Sorry, not Merlin, but Taliesin. Should have checked before I posted!


  • Comment by Kathy_S — October 13, 2013 @ 3:49 pm

    12

    As someone who used to hear music in the Bookmobile’s machinery, I have to say the idea resonates…. Yes, indeed, I’d love to read the full-fledged novel or story arc.

    I really don’t see any overlap problem with Lackey, Pierce et al. From what we’ve seen so far, the only similarity seems to be that both guilds and music are involved with Lackey & McCaffrey, while Pierce includes magic based on all manner of talents not recognized by the established magic guilds. Should Lackey have refrained from writing the Free Bards series (‘Lark and the Wren’ etc.) because McCaffrey’s ‘Dragonsong’ and ‘Dragonsinger’ had already included an element of the established guild/hall not approving of female harpers? Or maybe music and magic are just too old hat because Orpheus combined them mumble years ago? I think not. Then again, I also have two versions of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ by the same author on my regular reread rota….


  • Comment by GinnyW — October 13, 2013 @ 7:15 pm

    13

    I got a few echoes of Menolly as the born musician slated for other pursuits. But there are many square pegs in a variety of worlds trying to fit into a wide variety of round holes. There is a shortage of cheesemaker apprentices, as far as I know.

    Galdon, and the numbers, sound like a moneychangers guild to me. And that could lead to a variety of insights into Paksworld. And I like scribes and records. And I wonder what is coming next?


  • Comment by David Watson — October 13, 2013 @ 7:16 pm

    14

    Keep going, you’re onto something. Brother D.


  • Comment by pjm — October 13, 2013 @ 8:23 pm

    15

    It does remind me of Lackey’s stories and of the Pern harper books, but there are plenty of historic examples as well. Handel senior did not want his son to be a musician, and we know how that ended up.

    Peter


  • Comment by greycats — October 14, 2013 @ 1:02 am

    16

    I’d be willing to bet that in every county in TX (and elsewhere) there’s at least one one band of folk who just get together to play–in museums, church gyms, school cafeterias, nursing homes, farmer’s markets, pine groves, even on the town square. And now I begin to notice modern minstrels with their cased instruments and boxes of CDs coming to these remote places to play a while and generate a few sales.
    Yesterday I traveled 100 miles north with a friend to attend such an event even though with a few key strokes I could have had the same music at my doorstep in a few days via Amazon or even the musician’s website. But there is nothing like being present when music is being made. The process is the closest thing to magic that I can imagine.
    So I’m not surprised that music is a staple element in Fantasy. Nevertheless, when a writer gets past harps, there’s a lot of unworked ground with magical instruments strewn about: fiddles, harps of course, lutes & flutes, pipes—bag and pan, to say nothing of drums and instruments that may have been designed to scare people, like tubas. Oh, and bells–the only magical instruments in Paks-world.
    Of course magic without swords would be practically unthinkable. Now that would scare me if I were trying to write Fantasy. I’m good with a machete but that’s the limit of my experience with edged weapons. And yet all those prior sword fights and countless magic swords didn’t scare you, Elizabeth. You had your own way of mapping that particular subject. I suspect it will be the same for music.

    My personal favorite for music magic is McKillip’s Song for the Basilisk.

    greycats


  • Comment by Mike G. — October 14, 2013 @ 11:01 am

    17

    I was also going to say that this reminded me of Lackey’s _Bardic Voices_ books, but others beat me to it.

    Maybe any “I want to make music, but that’s not my guild” fantasy would remind us of Lackey or McCaffrey… Don’t let us discourage you – I’m sure the end result will be quite different.


  • Comment by Mary Elmore Kellogg Cowart — October 14, 2013 @ 10:17 pm

    18

    what a wonderful idea. music could be used as a code or cypher. this might not have been where you were going with it.
    Diana Gabaldon used a piece of music as a code and the key signatures were the signals of where the code would change. this was in one of her Outlander books. cant remember which, I think it was the third or fourth book, when prince Charlie was still in france and Jaime and Claire were in france stealing correspondence from those in favor of Prince Charles.

    the way the story reminded me that music is very imbued with mathematics as you know. it would be an interesting use of music. even with untutored musicians.

    I am also a musician, but I don’t say much about that. It is unimportant.

    I enjoy your books. and that would be an interesting use. at least that is what the snippet or idea brought out in me.
    Take the idea and run with it, no reason not to at least investigate the possibility.

    Thanks for all the work you do to get a book published. We forget that a book does not come out of a writers hands ready to read. we forget the long nights and days of writing, the family events and problems, and sicknesses which intervene. Thank you again. Keep up the good work. and get enough rest so you can keep up with your schedule.

    God bless you and yours.
    Mary


  • Comment by GinnyW — October 15, 2013 @ 5:48 am

    19

    I had the opportunity (misfortune)to engage people who disliked music and singing in church a few years ago. It made me very aware of just how much music is tied to joy. It nourishes the soul much as water nourishes the body. Even somber, minor key pieces get the mood out-there where it can be dealt with, instead of locked inside producing depression.

    The point is that for much of human history, people made their own music. That is the folk in folk dancing, folk singing, folk music. The music often becomes quite complex.

    In fantasy, we see many who run off from their (boring, mundane) families to become bards. We don’t see much of how singing while we work makes the task lighter, smoother, and more joyous. I like the way Galdon finishes the job at hand quickly because of the notes. And sense a plot line when Mala’s sister stops him from singing at his work. The pots will be no cleaner from silence.

    Gird’s peasants sang and danced and played music. It seemed an extension of the gifts of Alyanya. And the Unsinger is aptly named. Perhaps it is time for a story to be told.


  • Comment by ElizabethD Horn — October 15, 2013 @ 10:12 am

    20

    I agree with Ginny that music is the opposite of the Unsinger. Perhaps more music is needed, both in Paksworld and here. I like the story beginning; no need to worry about other authors. As usual,you will make sure of the details. Their pitches might help bring back healing magic, or something.


  • Comment by Ed Schoenfeld — October 16, 2013 @ 5:30 pm

    21

    GinnyW draw this snippet to an earlier time, maybe before Gird, but my thoughts went to Galdon’s family working for someone like Kieri/Arcolin’s banker in Valdaire, and Mala’s family as recipients of some kindness originating from Arvid (not directly, more at Arvid once took care of Thieves Guild problem x, which benefitted y, who could afford to help z, who did somethign for the cheesemakers.)

    My brain works like that, a lumber room of odds and ends looking for context. Whenever I see music mentioned in a fantasy I keep getting drawn to Hroswitha von gandersheim’s Paphnutius, with its drearily long introduction discussing the theory of harmonics. I see the Abbess in the role of editor there, while the stern and dyspeptic head teacher of the Canaonry looks on, just after having thrown a tantrum about the disaster that was the last math class. ‘Rosie’ says the Abess, her head in her hands, ‘I know you’ve turned next weeks play into a really quick moving sotry, but can’t you please do SOMETHING to hammer the math lesson into their empty little heads?’


  • Comment by Ed Schoenfeld — October 16, 2013 @ 5:38 pm

    22

    Hroswith von Gandersheim, story, and Abbess.

    I will not post before copy-editing.
    I will not post before copy-editing.
    I will not post before copy-editing.
    I will not post before copy-editing.
    I will not post before copy-editing.
    (Ok, I won’t actualy do that 100 times, but you get the drift.)


  • Comment by Margaret Poore — October 17, 2013 @ 12:44 am

    23

    The part where the boy unknowingly beats out a pattern after his sister’s reprimand reminds me of a book by Chaim Potok, My Name is Asher Lev. Asher’s ultra-orthodox Jewish family forbid him to draw. He gets in trouble at the breakfast table for using his fork in his egg yolk to unconsciously draw what is in his mind.

    It also reminds me of Paks and her need to leave her family because of an inner drive. Will these boys have any choice, with the inner music, but to run away to find freedom of expression? Are they somehow connected with the children suddenly showing magical ability? Will there be some need that requires teams of magician/musician? Will there be a small army of runaways from families forbidding magic/music who will hook up and????…….


  • Comment by GinnyW — October 20, 2013 @ 7:02 pm

    24

    I would rather see the boys stay home, and the families learn that it is better to “whistle while you work”.

    Even more I would like to see where the story leads Elizabeth.


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