Tale 94- The Five Fiddle Fighters

 Continuing on, the scenery began to get more and more familiar, though the Traveler wasn’t sure why. Perhaps she was taking an alternate route to a town she’d visited before? Though she was sure she had walked away from Sarafelle’s home, she still found herself in familiar locations. Regardless, she felt more free than ever, and managed to keep herself motivated to go and find the last few tales she needed. As she walked, she encountered a man who was sitting by a tree and playing some music, the Traveler stopping to listen. His guitar was etched with the initials ‘FFF’, which piqued her curiosity, and the man smiled, offering to let her try playing. The Traveler gave her best attempt, though the instrument was a little big for her, and plucked at the strings, the man showing her the best way to hold it and the hand positions needed to play a simple song. By the end of it, he’d taught her some basic strumming and how to play a melody, the Traveler recognizing it as the lullaby that every child knew and giving a smile. It was simple, but beautiful. She pointed down at the initials, the man smiling and offering to tell her the story behind how he got the guitar, the girl nodding and pulling out her book. The man took a deep breath, and prepared to tell the tale of ‘the Five Fiddle Fighters’

‘Once, there was a martial arts teacher who taught many young men how to swordfight, being a skilled coach and one of the best of his generation in terms of fighting, so many a man would come to him for advice. His first piece of advice was arguably laughable, but he encouraged his students to play a musical instrument alongside their sword fighting, as he claimed it could increase concentration, build strength and even help with critical thinking, only five out of the hundred men actually training, however. Each of them played a string instrument, and would often impress the teacher with their skill in both combat and instrumentation, and all five of them graduated with honours. One evening, the five of them were invited to play at a ball, creating a soothing and elegant atmosphere through the sound they created, until it was interrupted by a group of men at the masquerade revealing they were actually assassins and planning to kill each and every member of the nobility so they could take their place. Quietly, the five musicians made a plan, appearing as if they were just putting away their instruments, but actually pulled out weapons they had fashioned to appear as mere instruments. A bow was actually a long sword, a guitar pick was a tip of a dagger, and the resin blocks were disguised rocks to be used with a slingshot. All five men sprung into action when the bandits least expected it, managing to take out the foes easily and overpower them with their skill, leaving them to be known as the Five Fiddle Fighters and etch the initials into their instruments as a mark of their feat. And of course, their teacher couldn’t be prouder.’

The Traveler wrote the tale down, before being handed the guitar a final time, the man asking her to try and play for him. Doing her best, she quietly began to sing the melody alongside her playing, just as her mother had taught her, the man clapping and telling her she could possibly pursue music if she so chose. The Traveler took a moment to reflect. She could do anything she pleased with her future- the only real limit was her imagination, and as she stood, she bid the fighter goodbye, the man smiling and waving her off.