(no subject)

[thewidewideworld]

{Continued from here}

Sinric heads down the stairs and out into the gardens, a wrap pulled around his shoulders and his hair still damp. He breathes in the scent of approaching evening as if committing it to memory before turning towards the lake.

He has no idea which way Athelstan might have gone but the lake always seems like a good place to start.

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

"Not at all. Languages are never a hardship for me."

[thewidewideworld]

"Had it helped you, before Ragnar brought you North?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Helped me?" He considers. "Not in any very practical way."

[thewidewideworld]

"You travelled in your youth, did you not? Where did you go?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Many places. But for the most part, we spoke in Latin."

[thewidewideworld]

"It is the common language of wisdom and intellectual discourse in the West." He smiles with a touch of pride on his father tongue.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan nods.

"And for the most part, those who can read can also speak Latin."

[thewidewideworld]

"It is the language most often taught, to those in the church and those high enough to afford it."

"I confess that of my parent tongues, I prefer Greek for speaking and Latin for writing."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Just so. Because there must be a common language, or else those of so many different countries could not learn from each other. Why do you favour Greek?"

[thewidewideworld]

"In the west, perhaps. It was a great challenge going east where there was no common tongue, at least once I left the trade ports."

He smiles softly. "I think because of it's commonness, it's easy patter."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It's not such a - lofty language?" Athelstan guesses. "More one that the ordinary folk can speak."

[thewidewideworld]

"Something like that, yes." He smiles fondly. "Latin, like most formal languages, has a tightness to it. Where as any language that grows and flows with it's people, meanings changing with use."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Perhaps Latin itself was like that once. When Rome was still a power to be reckoned with, and brought its language with it."

[thewidewideworld]

"Just so." He smiles warmly. "I do very much enjoy the Northumbrian you taught me."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Maybe you'll go there one day", he says with a small smile. "And have a chance to use it."

[thewidewideworld]

"I'd like that. I know very little about Northumbria, or the other kingdoms, other than what you've told me. The Byzantine court rarely had emissaries from England. Frankia, yet but not England."

[athelstanthescribe]

He nods.

"It was further away, and perhaps Byzantium and the English kings had little to offer each other."

[thewidewideworld]

He tilts his head and considers. "I suppose. England does seem very self-sustaining. And I'm sure traders carry the luxuries that could travel the distance."

[athelstanthescribe]

"That, they always have. Though the nature of the luxuries has changed."

[thewidewideworld]

He cocks his head in question. "What sort of luxuries?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Metals and stones of kinds not found in Britain have always been in demand. For crafting."

[thewidewideworld]

"Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Silk and spices, yes but I hadn't thought of metal and stone. Precious stones?"

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan nods.

"Amber from the Baltic, and so forth."

[thewidewideworld]

"Oh, of course! I hadn't thought of that. I recall amber is very popular with the Varangians. Amber and bright glass beads."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It's a beautiful stone, and with no other use than for jewellery", he agrees. "But, as I understand, not terribly hard to come by where it is to be found."