A Lullaby For a Visitor

It's morning time, which means babies are crying. Of course, any time means babies are crying. Niena is rocking one of them and singing softly to him.

It seems excruciating for this to be happening to the young Harper, but he does indeed make his way into the Children's Cavern without incident. A small satchel slung across his back, every step he takes jingles and tinkles pleasantly, though when he spies Niena and her predicament he slows his pace so that it may stifle the noise. "The Harper Hall's duties to the High Reaches and her Queens," Derindrel somewhat whispers, formally, as he approaches the candidate. "I have some things here to deliver... who should I give them to?" Unfortunately, the jingling is not entirely stifled, and a few curious children have been drawn, peering carefully at this tall, willowy harper boy.

Niena looks around, then points to the Head Nanny. "Probably her. Tambourines?"

Derindrel looks in the direction Niena points, though the Head Nanny seems preoccupied with her own little group of trouble. The other group of children, the ones drawn by the noise, seem to perk up at Niena's mention of the delivery, speaking excitedly amongst themselves. "Yes, and some other things. I... suppose I'll wait." He deduces, shifting the satchel on his back and assuming a more comfortable standing position. His eyes are drawn, perhaps out of awkwardness, to Niena once more, and he whispers, "Which lullaby was that? The one you were singing? I am sorry to interrupt, by the way."

Niena hmmmms? "Oh, just a random lullaby. The words are about how snow looks like a blanket."

"Interesting. I don't know many songs about snow. Is there a tune that goes with it?" Derindrel reaches around to his back, withdrawing a child-sized lap harp from the satchel. A wary look is given to the baby, and he arches an eyebrow by way of permission inquiry.

Niena nods, humming a stanza, while the baby still frets. "Teething", she offers by way of explanation.

Derindrel makes a face at the mention of the child, seating himself on an empty space beside Niena. Effortlessly, he plucks out the stanza on the harp, adding a few harper-y harmonies here and there. Once he's satisfied with the way it sounds, he cracks something of a smile up at the girl. "Care to sing along?" The gathered children stop their squabbling and direct their attention to the pair in anticipation.

Niena nods, still standing, and waits for her cue. Apparently she paid some attention in Harper classes.

One, two, three, four... the tune is gradually brought to life, an improvisation of an introduction on Derindrel's part, mixing the notes into something dreamy and wistful, like the sound of a gentle snow falling. The proper song starts and he nods along in time, looking up at Niena four beats before her cue. Three, two, one...

Niena begins singing the tune, which is very much suited to High Reaches winters. With accompaniment she stays in tune, though she would never make it as a Harper.

As the song progresses it gets more and more complicated on the harper's part while he plays with the lullaby. He closes his eyes, listening intently, hint of a smile pulled thin on his face.

Niena sings three verses, then stops. No other nannies pick up, so it's either the end of the song or no one bothered to teach beyond those lines. At least the baby is asleep, though, and Niena puts him in a crib.

As the song ends a flurry of notes is plucked, picking up a short snowstorm before he settles. "Thank you." He says, smiling a rare, genuine smile that removes the beastliness from his appearance. "It's a lovely song. I'll play it next winter at the Harper Hall."

Niena nods and picks up another infant, this one not outright crying, but still fussing. She runs her finger along the baby's gumline after checking the diaper, and hmmmmmms.

Derindrel stands and peers over, curious yet still somewhat repulsed. "What's the matter with babies, anyhow?" He frowns, plucking a few inquisitive notes as he leans to look. "How do you stand it?"

Niena says "I'm not sure with this one. Usually at this age it's a diaper or teething. You get used to the sounds eventually -- I think it's like any other noise, really. Hear it enough, and you can tune it out unless you are really listening."