Jakar

You wonder the halls of Adanuk Weyr, looking for something to do.� Suddenly you hear faint music coming from one of the rooms in the candidate baracks.� You decide to check it out.� The door is marked JAKAR in faint letters and the light is dim inside.� You see a youth, sitting on his bed, playing music.� He has charcoal grey hair and big, round black eyes.� He continues his song, his eyes examining you.� You stand, mesmerized by the music.� You notice a blue firelizard sitting on his desk, nodding in time to the music.

When he finishes, you snap out of your trance with the firelizard.� "That was beautiful," you murmur.

He smiles in a quiet way and points to the firelizard.� "Zanari likes it."� His voice is so soft you almost don't hear it.� The firelizard, realizing it is being mentioned, flys over to the boy.�

"My name is Jakar."� He says in the same quiet voice.� You introduce yourself.�

Jakar is wearing loose clothes that make him appear even thinner than he really is.

"Are you training to be a harper?"� You ask, sure that he would make an amazing harper.

He smiles.� "Actually no, I don't have the voice.� You would barely hear me over my instument."

"Oh," you say softly, thinking that that shouldn't be a reason for him to not be a harper.

"My parents thought I should be a harper too.� They were rather,"� he searches for words,� "upset when I chose to come here."

"Why would they be upset.� I'm sure you could continue training as an apprentice harper here."� You say.� Adanuk Weyr has always had a nice Harper there.

"That's not why I came though."� T'nir and his brown, Feth, pass by his window.� He looks at them and then you.� His big, black eyes are open wide in astonishment.� "I came to see the dragons."

You nod.� More than one young boy was probably lured here from the nearby Hold by the dragons.� Jakar just doesn't seem that type of person on first glance.�

He smiles, almost having read your thoughts.� "I know I don't look much like rider material, but you can't blame me for trying."

You blush, slightly embarassed and wondering how he knew what you were thinking.

"My father was a harper, and my brother is a rider.� My dad always expected me to follow in his footsteps.� I've always been thin, and sickly looking,"� He sounds bitter.� "I guess everyone thought I wasn't strong enough to do anything but play music.� I know I can do this though."� His bitter memories erased by the conviction in his voice and the passion in his eyes.� He repeats it again, softer this time.� "I know I can do this."

You uncomfortably break the silence.� "Umm...are you a candidate here?"

"No, I'm a candidate at Seasparkul Weyr though,"� he gives a half-smile as he thinks.� "That sure surprised everybody.� I think even Magika was impressed I was searched."

"Really?"� You ask.� "Why?"�

"Well,"� he says it's a long story.� "Do you have time to hear it?"

You nod and sit down on the bed beside him.� Zanari flies to your lap to let you pet him.� You smile and do so.� Jakar's voice, although soft, has a melodic quality to it and you find yourself drawn to the story.

Listen to Jakar