<p>With the silvered rapier swinging confidently upon his hip and his beloved lute in hand, since his back was still rather raw, Valmont made his way toward the School of Bards. He was not sure what he would find there, but since his current position would more than likely keep him rather busy, there was nothing wrong with furthering his skills in music while he had spare time.
On the same square as the Red Rose Guild and the Temple of Pan, The Bardic College stood, as it had for many yaren. A small doorway off the street led into a brightly lit antechamber dominated by a dark wooden desk. Behind the desk several doors opened into other parts of the college. The air of the chamber was scented with the fragrance of lavender, and something a bit sweeter, a light citrus smell of sorts. The walls were hung with a variety of tapestries, most depicting bards in various poses, but some showed battles of the past and other glorious events. The sound of the feet of those entering was muffled by the deep pile of the rug throw over the cold flagstone floor.
Sitting behind the desk was small birdlike young man, busily scribbling in a ledger opened before him. Behind the desk the young man looked up from his scratchings, a look of mild surprise on his face. It seemed that he was not expecting visitors, or perhaps he had just been so engrossed in his work that he had forgotten where he was.
"Welcome to the Bardic College of the Citadel. How may I help you?" he asked, but then added quickly, "There are no concerts today."
<p>Smiling, Valmont merely replied, "Of course not. I have just arrived." Whether the man understood the youth's humor or not, Valmont continued. "Tell me, sir. What does the college offer? I have a little skill with musical composition and with the lute, but would like to further my studies. How does one go about this?"
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