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"You’re doing fine," she said It was a lie and we both knew it But I appreciated it nonetheless

Neither Tobias nor Roden see h, and after several tries, we all began to make the steps in a respectable manner

At a break between dances, Conner asked if my father was a musician

"As I’ve told you on more than one occasion, sir"

"Surely you play an instrument, then"

"I’ve also told you my father was a poor her than his teacher"

Conner walked to the corner of the room, where a small instrument case was propped He pulled out a fippler and fitted the pieces together "I’d like to hear you play, Sage If you were taught by your musician father"

"I’d leave my lovely dance partner alone, sir"

"I’ll dance with her, if you play so we can dance to"

I eyed Conner "Is this a test?"

With a tilt of his head, Conner said, "Everything is a test"

So I took the fippler It needed a bit of tuning, which ard for me at first I’d actually never played a fippler, but it was a basic wind instruuess at the fingering "What I don’t reive an to play It wasn’t a song for dancing but was instead a sad otten beach in the night It was a tune that used to er played it After a while, he no longer played any songs at all But I never forgot the tune

When I finished, there was a hush in the room I handed the fippler back to Conner, who soleher than his ht Conner’s eye a few ti what he had intended by askingabout my father’s hobby, all I would have had to say was that he never taught me

After the dance finished, Conner told us to rest a moment, then folded his arreat dancers," he said "But at least you won’t huer, then I’ll have each of you boys go and change clothes You’ll work in the kitchen tonight, learning frouests You’ll need to learn these roles because I’ll have you serving the betrothed princess A"

"When does she arrive, sir?" Tobias asked

"I expect to receive her so to dine with us until to on your accent? If you are called upon to speak to her, I won’t have you replying with an Avenian accent"

"I happened to be alone quite a bit in recent days," I said in a Carthyan accent "It gave reat deal of time to practice"

"Not bad," Conner said with a shten theain"