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Chapter 5: The Ginseng king (part 3)

“As I told before you all are required to bring your lyres today.” said Professor Linus, “If anyone of you forget your lyre, stand up find the way to get out. I will take five points from your family.” 

He kept silent looking around one more time. “If no one did, we start our lesson.” he added.

“Please take your book out, open page fifty eight. There had a piece of music. I want you to use your lyres and play it.” said Professor Linus.

“God, what does he want?” whispered Gwen, turned to Heracles, “How can we in the first time.”

“I don’t know.” lamented Heracles, “Focus on others and imitate them.”

“Who want to try first?” asked Professor Linus. Lyre was a popular musical instrument. Therefore, it’s nothing special if someone knew how to play it before going to the Hippocoon. However, it was not true for Heracles and Gwen who were not interested in it.

There had very few raising hands and almost the hands belonged to girls. One of them was Amelinda who was sitting front of Heracles. Professor Linus looked around then stopped at her and called her names.

“Amelinda please,” he said. Amelinda stood up, hold her lyre against her chest then started playing. She played the piece in minutes then stopped and kept staying in place. 

“Good skill Amelinda,” said Professor Linus, “but I want more emotion. You seem not to spend much emotion as you play lyre. Remember that real music have to come from emotions not skills.”

“Anyway, thank you so much. Please sit down.” he added, turned to others, “I need some others.”

Arms raised again. Professor Linus called another girl. She was Adela who sit in front of Amelinda. She was a slim girl. Adela stood up. As like Amelinda, she kept playing the piece in minutes. Professor Linus seemed gotten more satisfied as she finished. “Well done!” he said. “Anyone else.” he added.

Still the hands raised. Professor Linus looked around. “I needed a boy this time.” he said. His eyes stopped at Heracles. “How about you Heracles?” he said, “I want to hear you to play your lyre.”

Heracles awkwardly stood up. “Uhm--,” he said, “I think I’m not great in lyre.”

“Just do it Heracles.” said Professor Linus sternly.

It took Heracles about a minute to stand still there. He held his lyre against his chest and started playing. 

“Stop! Stop it.” screamed Professor Linus, “What are you doing torturing us by the thing you call music?”  “Let me see it.” he added, left his desk striding toward Heracles. He grabbed the lyre from Heracles’s hand. “A lyre made of Koa, a good lyre but useless in your hand.” he sneered, staring at Heracles. It made Heracles’s ears went red because of shame. He chose not to speak. “Please sit down.” said Professor Linus, gave Heracles’s lyre back then strode along the class. “Anyone?” he added. Heracles sat down and became quiet from that time.

“Are you still okay?” whispered Gwen.

“Have a bit of discomfort.” answered Heracles.

“Don't let it bother you.” said Gwen.

“Yeah, of course.” replied Heracles.   

Their lesson continued. Professor Linus asked some more first year to play. Then he finished the class and left. People scattered and turned back their dorm after that. Heracles, Gwen kept Amelinda staying in class and waited for the others gone. 

“We plan to go and meet Roger today. Do you want to go with us?” said Gwen.

“Yes, I will go. It’s long time no see him.” said Amelinda clearly, “Honestly, are you right Heracles?” she added.

“I’m fine Amelinda.” said Heracles, “It always happens to me and I got used to it.” 

“So let go back our dorm for the lunch. We will visit to Roger after that.” spoke Amelinda.

“Right!”

Heracles stood up. He, Gwen and Amelinda made the way to leave their class and go straight to the dorm. They found their way to get in the ground floor. There had a wide living room called family room and a large canteen. Almost of their family members had been there in the canteen. They filled full of the tables and enjoyed their servings. Heracles, Amelinda and Gwen made their way heading to the food stall at the end. They hurriedly stood in lines after some people who also came late. The people front of them quickly got their servings then left the lines. They moved ahead standing at front of three women who had the same face, were distinguished by different color headbands, standing behind the stall.

“What do you want?” they said together.

“A serving of Moussaka and some milk.” said Heracles, still kept looking to Amelinda chatting. 

“A full serving of Souvlaki with pita bread, salad and tzatziki sauce.”

“A serving of Spanakopita.”

“Do you both want something to drink?” 

“Like him.” said Amelinda.  

They hurriedly made their way to a table at the middle where some people just left, managing to sit down. 

“How are Professor Drusilla and…?”

“Dai,” said Amelinda quickly reminding Heracles.

“Yeah,” said Heracles, “How are they?”

“They are fine now.” said Amelinda, helped her to have a little milk after a piece of Spanakopita.

“Dai woke up after we left and he got no serious problem.” added Amelinda. “However, Professor Drusilla doesn’t think that and takes care of him too carefully. Of course, she has her own reason to do it. Anyway, forget it. What about your plan this afternoon. When will we go?”

“I think we should visit to him in afternoon.” said Gwen, “We may need to take a rest after lunch.”

“Yeah, I think that is okay.” said Amelinda, ate another piece of her Spanakopita. 

“How about you Heracles?” asked Gwen.

“I don’t have problem with it.” answered Heracles.

“So, we will visit to him in afternoon.” said Gwen, drank.

They kept staying in the canteen enjoying their meals till it turned deserted. When they left there had very few people. They walked straight to the seventh floor, parted. Amelinda came to her room while Heracles and Gwen also that. They got on their beds and fell in sleep.

!!! The above post is a draft of my first book on Heracles, Heracles and the Nemean lion in Hippocoon land. Its content can be omitted, modified or replaced. If you want to read the full version, click here buy a ebook: Heracles and the Nemean lion or click here to a paper book: Heracles and the Nemean lion by Hung Nguyen !!!




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