Richard's Lute

A small, pear-shaped lute with a bowed neck and four double courses of strings, its polished wood body gleaming under lamplight during the interruption of Ace and the Doctor’s tense confrontation. Richard carries it under his arm, its strings lightly plucked to produce brief, melodic fragments that briefly halt the dialogue. The lute’s intimate, handcrafted appearance contrasts with the orchestral uniformity of Forum Square’s music, its rustic quality offering a momentary sonic reprieve before the conversation resumes.