#which i fully support. it's fun to learn new phrases now those are just rattling around in my brain

[gideonisms]

you know as someone from the southern US I am fully in favor of kiwi authors using the slang they want to use in their writing. I do say y'all on a regular basis and I hope everyone imagines my ocs with texas accents forever. all that said. to my dear friend carl who stopped "rustled your jimmies" from being a thing. I am sending you a bouquet and a fruit basket

[kote-the-inn-keeper]

                                         - 3. Travel and Finding Ways - 

The day had been kinder to travel than anyone had anticipated. It lightly rained on and off, heavy clouds rolling in and darkening the sky slowly. The roads weren’t too bad, slowly growing soft from the rain an gathering puddled in long eroded paths of wheels and other pot holes that had found their way one way or another. Nothing but woods on one side, and open field on the other, it was peaceful. Most noise came from the horses and oxen pulling the caravans, wheels creaking and rattling the wood around with their inner contents.

It was all probably much nicer to me because I wasn’t walking, instead, sitting next to Kvothe as he kept the train of caravans moving by leading the way. I was bundled up in a thick quilt, due to his mother refusing to let me sit with only my cloak. There were no complaints to this, of course, it was much more comfortable being warm than damp and cold. Of course, it was all made better to breath since dust wasn’t being kicked up, or at least nicer than smelling work animal and dirt together in one.

I watched Kvothe talk to people as they walked along side the caravan, holding long conversations with just about anything he was prompted. Weather, animal care, where they would set up in the next town to preform, and a few other topics I vaguely listened in on. Just sitting and listening taught me a lot about him and how he viewed those around. I lost count of how many times he smiled, how many times he made jokes and started up banter. He didn’t seem to regret taking up his families name, enjoying it to the fullest. It was a strange site, almost. Considering most people were resentful towards their parents and taking up the family job or line, or people were miserable in doing something they were forced into doing due to expectation. 

“Do you only act?” I asked, once the person he had been talking too finally walked off. Adjusting the quilt around my shoulders, he looked to him. “I mean, you do acting here, right? Is that all you do though?”

Kvothe looked to me with a small smile. “No, we have other types of performers. Knife throwers, ‘magicians’, musicians, entertainers, and some others. Acting is among them, yes.”

“I mean you -- as in yourself.” I replied, “Some people were asking what you were going to preform this time...”

He hummed in thought. “Well, in that case, no. I act and play music. But that’s about all I’m good for. Both of which I learned from my parents. My father taught me how to memorize long chunks of text and how to give a proper emotion on stage. My mother taught me to sing and find notes from a young age.”

That was more than I ever could do. “Oh.”

“Were you expecting more?”

“N-No! No!” He replied swiftly, shaking my head. “I... It’s really impressive.”

“But?”

“...Pardon?” I asked back, confused.

“You stopped. Usually when someone stops speaking so much there is a ‘but’ to follow. Like they are planning to say more. I don’t think ‘impressive’ was all you had to say on that subject.” Kvothe explained, raising a brow to me. “You may not be one full of words, but I can tell on face you have a lot to say.”

I sighed softly, “I didn’t have anything else to properly add. No but about it, I do think it’s really impressive. And I think it’s really sweet that you would take on something like this with your family. I’m just a little taken back by it, that’s all.”

“Okay, now I have to ask. Pardon?” He asked back, smiling and giving a bit of a chuckle. “Why would you be so surprised at something like me taking up acting?”

I shook my head softly, “It’s not the acting. It’s taking up your... tradition, I suppose is the word. Family tradition, probably is a better word. I’ve never seen someone so eager to do so and to lead anything in my whole life. But, you seem content; happy even. You don’t seem like you want to be anywhere else or do something else... I’ve just come to know people who have traditional expectations on them grow to resent and hate whatever it is they are ‘supposed’ to do.”

Kvothe looked ahead for a moment, before looking back to me. “I don’t think I ever hated the idea of joining my parents one day with the troupe. I always wanted too, so maybe that could be it. But, I also think I don’t mind and wanted to do this because they never really forced me into anything. They never told me I had to take over one day, or told me I had to act and play music. No one forced me too. They just let me do what I wanted and supported me in whatever I chose. I had influences around, of course. People played music around me, so I wanted to learn to play music. People acted, so I wanted to learn to act. Of course I had to help out and do things, but there were no serious expectations placed on me. Everything was for fun, for the joy of it all, just because.

“My parents let me learn and grow at my own pace; which was a bit quicker than most. An old friend, Abenthy, came across our caravan one time when I was a young boy. He ended up staying for a long while, teaching me about alchemy and identifying plants and things people consider ‘magic’. He taught me a lot of interesting and new skills; all of which I was apparently very fast at learning. Abenthy eventually offered for me to go to a place where I could practice such skills and work my mind to it’s full potential. The University - such a bland name for a place where they were all supposed to be rather great at naming.

“Of course, my parents weren’t all to thrilled to send their fifteen year old off half way across the map to go learn alone. But, it was what I really wanted to do. So in the end they let me. I staid there for... three, four years maybe. Then I ventured around on my own and met strange people. In the end, I came back home though. I just brought back new skills and stories to tell.” 

I watched him as he told me more about his life, amazed. He went to The University? He went and didn’t even talk about it like it was something amazing? Even I knew young people couldn’t get it; or anyone who wasn’t worth at least half a talent. I was only just eligible to get in and he went at fifteen! Hearing he had ventured around and went on adventures was almost embarrassing to myself. What great things had I done in my life so far that Kvothe had done in his teenage years? Nothing comparable to all that. He was so casual speaking about all the wonder he had experienced in his life... it made me slightly jealous.

“To answer your question in short: I wanted to do this and wasn’t forced with expectations to. While it was kind of assumed I would one day, the idea was never pressed into me.” Kvothe re-iterated, seeming pleased with his shorter version. There was a long pause before he spoke again. “And what of you? Were you pressed for something you didn’t want to do?”

I looked up and over to Kvothe swiftly, “Ah? Me? I, well, um...” I fumbled with my words, trying to grasp the correct ones quickly. “No, not really. I... Well, you see...”

Kvothe held up a hand, “Easy, easy. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want too. It’s fine. Don’t force yourself, Mouse.”

“S...Sorry. I wasn’t expecting a question, that’s all.” I sighed slowly, calming down and trying to think of how to phrase myself. “No, I wasn’t expected to do anything like that. I don’t really have family traditions... Never have. Everyone kind of did whatever they wanted as work.”

“Not why you left then?”

“No, not fully.” I admitted, shaking my head. “My family had made kind of a staple in black-smithing and horse care. I wasn’t ever strong enough to throw a hammer about and make things, and too nervous and spooked to work with horses well. It was the worst when they two were put together, honestly. But, it wasn’t why I left. Just some of it.”

Kvothe nodded, looking like he wanted to ask for the reason why, but never pressed. “I see. Well, good thing we already have people to care for the horses and oxen! And we go to local smiths for what we need, or tinkers. Nothing you have to do, Mouse.” He offered another kind smile to me. 

I smiled back softly, “Yeah... good news for me... Um, you mentioned going to the University and having someone teach you stuff.”

“Abenthy.” He reminded.

“Right. Abenthy taught you... stuff. What kind of stuff? What did you go to that place for? I’ve heard of it, but never been myself.” I buried my face into the quilt a bit more, cold wind whipping through and chilling my nose too much for comfort.

“He was taught sympathy!” Bast chirped, hopping up onto the side of where I was sitting. “Scoot over, I can’t ft with you taking up so much space.” He complained, moving me before I could even look at him fully.

Squished between both men, I huffed in agitation. So much for being comfortable. 

“Well hello to you as well, Bast.” Kvothe replied. “Get bored of walking?”

“There’s nothing to pick up off the sides of these roads. not even nice stones. Which is a pity, because now we have to buy some supplies in the next town.” Bast complained, making himself comfortable. Well, as comfortable as three people could be where normally one was supposed to sit. He pushed my blanket out from under himself a bit, looking confused for a moment as to why I was so bundled up.

Kvothe rolled his eyes, “As we always do. Anyway, to answer your question, Mouse, yes. He taught me sympathy and I went to the university to expand that knowledge among other like things.”

I ‘accidentally’ elbowed Bast as he tried to scoot me around more, narrowing my eyes as I had to try and find a more comfortable position to sit in again. “Sympathy? Like the emotion?”

Both men laughed at me, making my face burn red.

“No, no. Not that kind of sympathy. The sympathy I went off to learn is energy manipulation. It requires a lot of focus and understanding how things connect to one another for better results.” Kvothe explained. “A lot of people call it pure magic, but, it’s all relative and has bases in science. Some things work easier than another together, and others don’t work at all.”

“What can you do with it?” I asked, not even sure what it all meant in the first place.

“I can show you some time. Not right now though, I’m kind of driving.” Kvothe chuckled, looking over me to Bast. “And he won’t show you because he’s lazy and refuses to study.”

Bast looked appalled, before embarrassed he would be called out in such a manner in front of someone else. “I am too studying...” 

I laughed, hiding my smile behind a quilt covered hand. 

“I’m sure you are.” Kvothe replied sarcastically. “Studying very hard all day every day. Such as right now. Reading so in depth and with great vigor, oh, how no one could pull you from such concentration!!” 

I laughed more, watching as Bast grew more embarrassed and pouted. I couldn’t help myself, it was a priceless interaction. Not to mention seeing Bast deflate so quickly from his ‘mysterious’ and ‘sly’ ways was more entertaining than anything else.

“Reshi, please.” Bast whined, crossing his arms. “I get it, I get it. I’ll study more, okay? I’ll go do it in a minute.”

“Should I have Mouse read to you instead?” Kvothe pestered more.

“Reshi!”

Kvothe joined in with my laughter, but he apologized. “Sorry, sorry. That was a bit too far. I’ll make it up to you later, alright? But go away, you’re taking up too much space here and I’m about to fall off.” 

Bast got up and narrowed his bright blue eyes at the both of us, a look that said we had something coming our way very soon. “You better.” With that, Bast hopped down and tot he ground easily, falling behind our sight to possibly go and study as he was ‘harrassed’ into doing.

After a little while of silence, I felt that I had to say something. Just anything from the quiet creaking of the caravans and the soft thunder rolling in the dim sky. “Hey... Kvothe...”

“Yes, Mouse?”

“...Thank you. Thank you for allowing me to travel with you to the next town. I don’t think I’ve laughed or been so comfortable in a long time... I forgot what it was like. Thank you.” I said softly, huddling in my quilt more and looking down.

Kvothe carefully placed a hand on the top of my head, gentle to not startle me. “Don’t worry about it. Thank you for joining us for however long you will. We are one family, and one family keeps together.”