An Enthusiastic Pupil

Writers: Eimi, Ames
Date Posted: 17th February 2013

Characters: Vestian, Elmaldi, Grayvor
Description: Master Vestian finds a very attentive audience in Apprentice Emaldi
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 12, day 19 of Turn 6

Vestian

Elmaldi could hardly contain her excitement. They were standing
outside the exhibition hall. She and a few other apprentices. Grayvor
had invited them. Had said they would at least get to see some of
Vestian's work, even if it was for just a quick peak. Elmaldi didn't
care. She adored the mural of Vestian at her home hold.

She felt like the young teenage girl she was, eager and excited. Her
heart even fluttered at the thought of examining his work close-up, in
person before anyone outside the Hall would see it.

Vestian didn't mind doing his old Master a favor. He liked showing off
his work to anyone who showed an interest. Of course, he had taught
enough classes to know that having their _full_ attention would probably
not happen, but most of them would be able to appreciate the work he put
into this particular collection. Adjusting his new knots once more, he
strode into the room. "Master Grayvor! I hope I have not kept you
waiting."

"Not at all, Master Vestian," the older gentleman said, reaching out to
shake his formal pupils hand with warm affection.

And then _he_ was there. Elmaldi couldn't take her eyes off the man
who had entered. She had met him before, briefly. He'd popped into her
class now and again, but this would be the most time she had ever
spent with the _Master_ whose work had inspired her to find her own
voice in art.

Elmaldi was eager to hear him share his work, eager to examine each
brushstroke, each nuance of the art. She was so excited she wanted to
give a squee of joy.

"The students are yours, Master Vestian," Grayvor said, joining the
small crowd and giving him his full attention.

"Good morning apprentices," the artist said with a confident smile of
one who owned the room, for in a sense he did. It was all his work they
would be admiring today, and Vestian was never more at home than
discussing his art. "I will take you around the room, explaining each
piece, it's history, the techniques I used, the time it took to finish,
and hopefully you will gain a better understanding of the works. Let's
start with this portrait I painted of a dragonrider from Dolphin Cove
who was kind enough to model for me. This was one of my Masters
projects and was not a commissioned piece..."

Elmaldi hung on his every word, unlike many of the other apprentices.
She noted an amazing brush stroke here, laughed at something he said
that many of the others missed, and followed him around like a little
puppy. At one point as he stood there, explaining one piece, she noted
just how attractive he was. That was something she hadn't expected.
Not only was he an astonishing artist, but he was very appealing to
her in other ways as well. Perhaps it was simply that she had placed
him on a pedestal from the time she'd first began to study his work,
or perhaps it was just her own teenage emotions running rampant.
Regardless, she was having more difficulty than normal focusing on his
_art_ as she was busy focusing on _him._

When at last the tour was over, the group divided, going to examine
any piece they chose. Elmaldi moved around the room, stopping at the
one she recognized. Her smile was bright as she stared at the face of
the man who had been her teacher for many months now. Vestian had done
an amazing job capturing his likeness in art. Elmaldi was mesmerized.

"Ah, you've found my favorite I see," a voice said from behind her.

Elmaldi turned and found herself staring at the man she'd been gawking
at most of the evening.

"Master Vestian," she gushed, nodding her head in deference to him.
"Tis one of my favorites as well. Master Grayvor has helped me greatly
since arriving here. You captured his essence so well in this
painting. I feel as though I am speaking to him in person. Amazing!"

"Thank you," he said, genuinely pleased that she seemed to impressed.
"I decided to paint him as if he were working on one of his own works.
Do you recognize what is on the canvas? Of course, I'm not claiming I
captured it perfectly..." Though, in his own mind, he felt he did.

"I do!" Elmaldi declared excitedly. "That's his 'Weaver Works Wonders:
Portrait of a Weaver at Work.'" She turned and beamed a smile at
Vestian. "You captured it so well I would have _thought_ it was
Grayvor's original itself! The depth of your work is amazing, and the
people and places all feel so _real_!" She sighed a happy sigh,
wishing she could create work that was so beautiful.

Vestian liked her enthusiasm. She seemed like a pretty bright young
apprentice. Crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes sparked with
challenge. "Do you see any other references to the Master's work in the
painting?"

Elmaldi leaned even closer to the painting, squinting her eyes,
reaching a hand out to almost touch certain spots.

"There," she pointed, turning a smile towards Vestian. "That's the
flit couple from 'Flits at Turns End'. Oh and there is the
vase from Grayvor's 'Flowers Still and Silent'. We studied that one in
class just last sevenday!" Elmaldi was nearly bouncing on her toes in
excitement, feeling as though this was a treasure hunt through the
painting.

"You know your Master's work well," Vestian said with a satisfied nod.
"I wanted to add as many touches as I could. Recognize this?" He
pointed to a framed piece he had painted onto the wall behind the
subject. This one was not Grayvor's work. He wondered just how well
this young woman knew her artists.

Elmaldi squinted at the work, looking closely at the frame Vestian had
pointed out. Then her eyes grew wide. "Is that Greens on a Mountain"
by Balmaria?" She asked, turning her wide, curious eyes to look at the
Master artist.

"Very good, apprentice," the Master grinned approvingly. "Master
Balmaria was Master Grayvor's teacher. That's why I put it up there.
And this one," he said pointing to a apparent drawing on a sketchbook,
"is a line drawing of 'Woman with Pearls'. The painting was done by
Balmaria's father and teacher, Balmor. In a sense, this painting is the
story of our history, our lineage."

Her lips formed the shape of an o as she gazed at the painting in
surprise. "This took alot of work on your part," she said with
amazement as she gazed at Vestian. It was his mural that had inspired
her to follow her dreams. Now, staring at him, she felt her heart beat
rapidly. **He is so amazing. I wish I could be like that,** she
thought to herself.

"Well, it's for Master Grayvor." He leaned in, like he was letting her
in on a secret. "I plan to give it to him at his retirement party." It
was a most suitable gift for the man who had taught him so much.

She actually clapped her hands together at that statement. Her face
alight with joy. "He will _love_ this. I just _know_ it!" Still a
shadow flickered across her eyes for just a moment as she thought of
Grayvor retiring. He'd been such a good mentor, she didn't know if she
would relate to anyone the same way she did to him.

"I certainly hope so," he said, quite pleased at her reaction. "So, are
there any other paintings you were interested?" Vestian was happy to
discuss his work with such an enthusiastic pupil.

"_All_ of them," Elmaldi replied a bit breathlessly. "I adore your
work." She actually blushed a bit at being so forward with the Master.

That made Vestian stand a little taller. And here he thought he'd have
a room full of students just waiting for class time to end. It was
refreshing to see someone took their craft as seriously as he had.
"Let's start over here," he said, gently leading her to the next piece.

Master Grayvor's eyes followed them, twinkling with delight. He had
wanted to find the perfect teacher to nurture Elmaldi's talents. It
seemed they found each other.

Last updated on the March 28th 2013

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An Enthusiastic Pupil