704 Ashan 23...
“Ah-peel.”
A trill passed. “Apple.”
“Eh-peel.”
Two trills and a very gentle sigh. “Apple.”
“Eh-pool.”
Madame Graciana Moreno lightly pressed her fingers against her temples, let her eyes close for a brief moment, and sighed. Picking up their conversation in Vahanic once more, she stared perplexed at the small blonde child before her. “Well, I suppose that is close enough, darling.”
“What is…” Mads paused, frowning deeply in concentration. “Eh-pul?”
“An apple. Like the fruit?”
Small, thin shoulders rose and fell.
“What did I say about shrugging, Mads?”
The frown returned, only this time there was apology behind the sheen of thought that settled over his bright grey eyes. “I apologize. I do not… know what an apple is.”
“We have not had apples yet?” Surprise quickly faded in favour of quiet comprehension. “Oh, no. I suppose that would be a bit… outlandish, all things considered.” Leaning back into her chair, she eyed him over the brim of her half-moon spectacles, brow raised just slightly. “Then, shall we move on?”
“Yes, please.”
With a dainty nod, Graciana picked up the book that she’d left open on the smooth marble surface of the small, rounded table between them. Adjusting her spectacles with a light tap to the wire that had slid down the bridge of her nose, she stared down at his handwriting with a mild, downward curve of her lips. “Hmm.” Glancing up, she spoke slowly, though this time in Common, “How are you today, Mads?”
He blinked, three times in quick succession; his rounded, button of a nose scrunched as if it had suddenly begun to itch, but within the next trill he responded with a heavily accented but confident, “I ehm whel; end you?”
His professionalism seemed to pluck at the corners of Graciana’s mouth, drawing her expression into one of a more merry amusement. “Fine, thank you. What are you doing, Mads?”
Another brief burst of blinks. Another scrunch of his nose, this time with the added volume of his furrowed brows. “I ehm… study the… Kommin?” His voice rose in question at the end
“’I am studying Common.’”
“I ehm studink Kommohn.”
“Study.”
“Study.”
“Eeng.”
“Eengk.”
“Eeng.”
“E-eeng… k.”
“I am studying Common.”
“I ehm studyeeng…k Kommun.”
It was much easier for him to repeat what he heard than to generate it himself. Common was such a clumsy, dull sounding language. Similar to trying to speak while simultaneously drinking water or holding one’s own tongue, the act felt unnatural, uncomfortable, and vaguely humiliating. He wasn’t accustomed to feeling hopeless when it came to Graciana’s schooling, but the study of language had proven to be, by far, his most worthy adversary.
Settling back into the far more whispery and harmonious Vahanic tongue, Graciana set the book back down, pages rustling as her thumb disturbed them when she withdrew her hand. “Your pronunciation is getting much better, darling. It is no easy task. For now, let us set aside perfection in pursuit of comprehension, shall we?”
“Comp…”
“Comprehension, darling. It is similar to ‘understanding’ or ‘apperception’.”
“Okay.”
Tapping the bottom of her chin with the bend of a knuckle, Graciana eyed him thoughtfully. “Have we discussed proper pleasantries yet?”
Nodding Mads responded in Common, confident in speed and tone, pressing through his mistakes without hesitation. “Hello. Eet snize tomeetsu. I ehm fly. Do you whents um or? No tenkyou. Yesplis-“
With a raise of her hand that had the exact same effect upon Mads’ words as if he’d been the one to shut his own mouth, Graciana let out a mild chuckle. “Ah, yes. So we have.” Glancing down at the open book, she opted to shut it, the leather binding letting out a soft sigh as it was allowed its rest. “Now, you have just bumped into someone. What should you say?”
It was a simple question – one he knew the answer to immediately. “Squeeze em.”
Though she opened her mouth for a moment, as if preparing to correct him, she let it close for a trill before presenting her next scenario. “Alright… a young woman has just collided with a low-hanging awning. What should you say now?”
“Arr you arite?” His eyes widened in feigned concern, head bobbing to the rise and fall of his own voice.
“Are you alright.”
“Arr you all rite?”
“Better.” She pushed right along. “What is the Common phrase for: ‘that is an excellent idea’?”
“Mmm.” He stared, blankly, at a particular swirl within the marble’s face, one that looked vaguely like a snake ensnaring a frantic finch, “Sounds goodt!” Both his head and thumbs popped up, a forced exuberance over his features.
“And ‘I must be leaving now’?”
Simple. “Bye-bye!” He gave a little wave with his left hand.
“’Yes, I understand.’”
“Wow, very goodt!”
“’Where is the lavatory?’”
Three blinks. Several trills of thought. “Where… is toylet?” Before Graciana could correct him, he quickly reattempted, shaking his head in a clear display he knew he’d misspoke. “Where is the toylet?”
“Well, you do seem to at least be retaining most of what we have been covering, darling.” She slid the book across the smooth surface of the table, glancing out of the dining room’s window with a gauging curiosity. “It would seem there are about… four more breaks of light?” Settling her gaze back to her student, she nodded curtly. “Please finish your Common letters for now. We shall start on your maths once you have finished.”
Taking the book in his small hands, Mads nodded his understanding and spoke a clear, Common, “Okay!” for which he received a soft smile from the snowy haired woman across from him.
Rising up from her seat, Graciana smoothed her robes with steady hands. “And, once we have finished will all of that,” She started, heading toward the sunroom to begin her evening readings, she turned to offer Mads a mischievous grin. “Shall w make some pies.” There was a twinkle in her eyes that found itself reflected in the boys.
“Sounds goodt!” Mads liked pies.
“Ah-peel.”
A trill passed. “Apple.”
“Eh-peel.”
Two trills and a very gentle sigh. “Apple.”
“Eh-pool.”
Madame Graciana Moreno lightly pressed her fingers against her temples, let her eyes close for a brief moment, and sighed. Picking up their conversation in Vahanic once more, she stared perplexed at the small blonde child before her. “Well, I suppose that is close enough, darling.”
“What is…” Mads paused, frowning deeply in concentration. “Eh-pul?”
“An apple. Like the fruit?”
Small, thin shoulders rose and fell.
“What did I say about shrugging, Mads?”
The frown returned, only this time there was apology behind the sheen of thought that settled over his bright grey eyes. “I apologize. I do not… know what an apple is.”
“We have not had apples yet?” Surprise quickly faded in favour of quiet comprehension. “Oh, no. I suppose that would be a bit… outlandish, all things considered.” Leaning back into her chair, she eyed him over the brim of her half-moon spectacles, brow raised just slightly. “Then, shall we move on?”
“Yes, please.”
With a dainty nod, Graciana picked up the book that she’d left open on the smooth marble surface of the small, rounded table between them. Adjusting her spectacles with a light tap to the wire that had slid down the bridge of her nose, she stared down at his handwriting with a mild, downward curve of her lips. “Hmm.” Glancing up, she spoke slowly, though this time in Common, “How are you today, Mads?”
He blinked, three times in quick succession; his rounded, button of a nose scrunched as if it had suddenly begun to itch, but within the next trill he responded with a heavily accented but confident, “I ehm whel; end you?”
His professionalism seemed to pluck at the corners of Graciana’s mouth, drawing her expression into one of a more merry amusement. “Fine, thank you. What are you doing, Mads?”
Another brief burst of blinks. Another scrunch of his nose, this time with the added volume of his furrowed brows. “I ehm… study the… Kommin?” His voice rose in question at the end
“’I am studying Common.’”
“I ehm studink Kommohn.”
“Study.”
“Study.”
“Eeng.”
“Eengk.”
“Eeng.”
“E-eeng… k.”
“I am studying Common.”
“I ehm studyeeng…k Kommun.”
It was much easier for him to repeat what he heard than to generate it himself. Common was such a clumsy, dull sounding language. Similar to trying to speak while simultaneously drinking water or holding one’s own tongue, the act felt unnatural, uncomfortable, and vaguely humiliating. He wasn’t accustomed to feeling hopeless when it came to Graciana’s schooling, but the study of language had proven to be, by far, his most worthy adversary.
Settling back into the far more whispery and harmonious Vahanic tongue, Graciana set the book back down, pages rustling as her thumb disturbed them when she withdrew her hand. “Your pronunciation is getting much better, darling. It is no easy task. For now, let us set aside perfection in pursuit of comprehension, shall we?”
“Comp…”
“Comprehension, darling. It is similar to ‘understanding’ or ‘apperception’.”
“Okay.”
Tapping the bottom of her chin with the bend of a knuckle, Graciana eyed him thoughtfully. “Have we discussed proper pleasantries yet?”
Nodding Mads responded in Common, confident in speed and tone, pressing through his mistakes without hesitation. “Hello. Eet snize tomeetsu. I ehm fly. Do you whents um or? No tenkyou. Yesplis-“
With a raise of her hand that had the exact same effect upon Mads’ words as if he’d been the one to shut his own mouth, Graciana let out a mild chuckle. “Ah, yes. So we have.” Glancing down at the open book, she opted to shut it, the leather binding letting out a soft sigh as it was allowed its rest. “Now, you have just bumped into someone. What should you say?”
It was a simple question – one he knew the answer to immediately. “Squeeze em.”
Though she opened her mouth for a moment, as if preparing to correct him, she let it close for a trill before presenting her next scenario. “Alright… a young woman has just collided with a low-hanging awning. What should you say now?”
“Arr you arite?” His eyes widened in feigned concern, head bobbing to the rise and fall of his own voice.
“Are you alright.”
“Arr you all rite?”
“Better.” She pushed right along. “What is the Common phrase for: ‘that is an excellent idea’?”
“Mmm.” He stared, blankly, at a particular swirl within the marble’s face, one that looked vaguely like a snake ensnaring a frantic finch, “Sounds goodt!” Both his head and thumbs popped up, a forced exuberance over his features.
“And ‘I must be leaving now’?”
Simple. “Bye-bye!” He gave a little wave with his left hand.
“’Yes, I understand.’”
“Wow, very goodt!”
“’Where is the lavatory?’”
Three blinks. Several trills of thought. “Where… is toylet?” Before Graciana could correct him, he quickly reattempted, shaking his head in a clear display he knew he’d misspoke. “Where is the toylet?”
“Well, you do seem to at least be retaining most of what we have been covering, darling.” She slid the book across the smooth surface of the table, glancing out of the dining room’s window with a gauging curiosity. “It would seem there are about… four more breaks of light?” Settling her gaze back to her student, she nodded curtly. “Please finish your Common letters for now. We shall start on your maths once you have finished.”
Taking the book in his small hands, Mads nodded his understanding and spoke a clear, Common, “Okay!” for which he received a soft smile from the snowy haired woman across from him.
Rising up from her seat, Graciana smoothed her robes with steady hands. “And, once we have finished will all of that,” She started, heading toward the sunroom to begin her evening readings, she turned to offer Mads a mischievous grin. “Shall w make some pies.” There was a twinkle in her eyes that found itself reflected in the boys.
“Sounds goodt!” Mads liked pies.
