Datchi
I am not a happy person…
"That's it" Professor Dearo exclaimed clapping his hands together like a manic beast. "Feel the rhythm, feel the beat, feel the sound seep into your soul as you become one with the wind".
But also, I am not a sad person either…
"Percussions one note higher" He commanded, pointing to the group of girls sitting on the upper aisle of the choir stand.
They started singing in a higher key.
"Yes! Yes! Now roll the notes! Let the wind control it!"
Our weave began to grow with each added note, sending blue pulses of air throughout the practice room.
"Now feel it!"
"Feel it!"
"Feel it!"
"Feel…"
A croak sounded somewhere in the middle of the organized notes and the air currents lashed out violently flinging the piano out the window. The drum set rolled off its hinges into the nearest wall and the crack of a breaking drumstick punctuated the chaos.
I blinked once and looked from left to right trying to figure out who had caused the rip in melody only to find the whole room staring at me.
Oops
"Young Master Datchi" Mr Dearo called dragging my attention to where he stood akimbo with a drum stopped at his feat.
One missed the wall!
"Yes"
"Would you mind explaining to us the purpose of unison while creating a melody"
"No sir"
"Well?"
"Efficacy sir"
"Good. Go on"
"According to the philosopher Memphis, the core of a group melody is a unified heart and mind, therefore singers are encouraged to cast aside all thoughts and desires except for what they hope to achieve in unison"
Wait, a mistake…
"Oh sorry, singers are required to cast away all thoughts at the moment of weaving except for what they hope to achieve in unison" I corrected hastily.
"Good, good. Since you know this, do you recall the weave we were trying to create just now"
"Yes sir"
Mr Dearo "…"
"Oh, you meant for me to name the weave"
Mr Dearo "…"
"The serenity weave sir"
"And how? pray tell, does a croak belong inside the serenity weave"
"It wasn't really my fault…"
"What where you thinking about? What were your thoughts while singing the weave?"
What was I thinking about? Even I myself don't know the answer to that question. I tend to think about everything and nothing while stuck in these lessons.
"Nothing, sir"
"Nothing? Do you hear that?" He asked the rest of the students dramatically. "Young master Datchi does not know what to focus on while singing something as basic as the serenity weave"
A few of them snickered.
"You have been given a lot of grace because of your father but you keep on misbehaving…"
"But sir Dearo…"
"Not another word from your mouth. Get out of my class. Go straight to the disciplinary grounds, report in detail the misconduct you have committed today and await punishment"
Feeling a bit dejected, I stood up and grabbed my storm coat.
I tried. I really tried my best this time. But no matter how hard I try, I always end up causing trouble.
"And you are not to step foot in my class for the next two weeks. This room is exclusively for students who value weaves"
"Yes sir" I responded and strode for the door.
Once outside, I put on my storm coat and stood near the stair railing watching dust particles dance together with the wind. Harmattan was fast approaching, during this time of the year the air usually become dense with a mix of dust particles, minerals, and stray weaves, creating a storm.
At least the sun was still visible; for now. Soon the storm would cover the sun leaving nothing but heat behind. Hot scorching heat. The kind that would drain a person without the protection of a storm coat.
What awful fate we suffer!
There was a time when Koninhell's harmattan was a dreg of cold winds that thread the skin like soft whispers. The sun always shone bright and farmers tilled the soil, prepping the land for cultivation.
Now, farmers tilled the land during the rainy season and mages cast weaves to grow crops.
Now, nothing worked as it used to.
"Ahhh" I exclaimed as I stretched my body while mentally preparing myself for what awaited me on the punishment grounds.
Somewhere at the back of my muddled mind I wondered what they would make me do this time.
Count crop seeds? Count animals migrating from the storm? Hold a plank for an hour? Last time they made even made me climb up and down Nan tower ten times.
"Looks like it's going to be a long day" I sighed. Taking one last look at the forming storm, I straightened my posture and walked down the stairs into the courtyard, towards the punishment grounds.
As I said before…
I am not a happy person.
I am not a sad person either.
I just am.
A person in existence.
Another soul in koninhell's abyss striving to survive the next harmattan.
Another outcast.
Another disappointment.
A royal one.