Dukes

Cap. 1 Brett

Brett had always been a shy and silent boy. Quite short for his age and very pale, but really cute and tender. He was only six years old when he discovered his love for the violin, and it didn't take him long to convince his parents to let him play his father's instrument. Maybe his big child's eyes didn't notice that his mother had only agreed to let him play in order to keep him far from their house, in which she "worked". Brett's father had died some months prior from illness, and since his death his mother had tried her best to spend as few money as possible, in order not to have to begin that type of work while her little boy was still in the house. Playing the violin would have permitted him to busk in the streets while she dealt with her occupation. Not that she wanted to do that job, but it was the easiest way to find a man and maybe get married again, or to be brought to a castle as a courtesan.

b-mum: "Are you excited?"

Brett: "Yes mum...but why do I have to stay in this street till lunch time?"

b-mum: "We've already talked about this: you have a gift Brett, people need to know how good you are, and maybe some of them will also decide to give you money"

Brett: "But I prefer playing just for you mum, like we did for the past months"

b-mom: "Don't worry Brett, if everything goes fine, soon you will be able to go back to playing only for me, but for now let the other people in this city know how wonderful you are, my boy!"

Brett: "Ok mum, love you"

b-mom: "Love you too"

She turned around quickly, covering her teary eyes, and headed home, leaving her little man facing the streets. Brett was talented, in just a couple of months he'd learned how to play different pieces quite well. He opened his case and pulled out the 4/4 violin, definitely too big for his small figure. He lifted his bow and gently landed it on the strings, making a beautiful, sweet sound. Some people started to group near the small musician, amazed by his talent. He finished his first piece and looked at the clapping crowd. His mum was right: people appreciated him and many of them decided to leave some coins in his father's hat that his mother had put in front of him.

Lunch time came quite soon and the hat was full of coins and bills. He was about to start playing again, when his mother made her way to him through the crowd. He put his violin in the case and ran to his mother giggling, which made all the people in the crowd go "Aww".

Brett: "Mum!"

B-mum: "Hey honey, how did it go?"

Brett: "You were right mum, many people stopped to listen to me and many of them gave me money!"

b-mum: "Sounds great! Fetch your violin so we can go home and have lunch"

Brett made his way to the case while his mother collected all the money in her bag. They were about to head home when Brett noticed an old lady showing up as the crowd dissipated around them. She was wearing a pompous dress and a large hat covered in peacock feathers. She was surely a noble woman who was walking through the poorest streets of their little town for an unknown reason. She approached Brett and his mother, loudly hitting her ivory walking stick on the ground. Brett raised his big eyes and glanced at her with an innocent face. She stopped right in front of him and only in that moment his mother realized that the Duchess was in front of her son, sweetly smiling at him.

Duchess: "Hello little boy, what's your name?"

Brett: "Hello madam, I'm Brett"

b-mum: "Hello Mrs. Becket, it's an honour to meet you"

Duchess: "You must be this little prodigy's mum"

b-mum: "Yes, I am, madam"

The Duchess smiled at her and looked down at Brett again.