Skywrath minstrel gave voice to a melancholy which transformed the song's meaning completely. As the song came to an end, the light began to fade, and Shendelzare began to clap.
Startled, the minstrel jerked around suddenly, and as his features finally came into full view, the Skywrath princess finally understood the source of the halo that had surrounded him before. Shendelzare smiled.
"I never knew you could sing like that, Dragonus." Shendelzare began to walk forward as the mage stooped to pick up his staff. As the princess neared, Dragonus knelt in front of her.
"Well met, Your Highness," Dragonus intoned.
"Dispense with the formalities, my friend," Shendelzare snorted. Irritably, she waved her hand, motioning for him to get up. "As Court Mage, your position ranks no lower than mine, and the ties between us surely warrants us to be above such trivialities. Although, you never did tell me you could sing..." A twinkle came into Shendelzare's eye.
"There are a great many things that you do not know about me, Your Highness. This is but one of them," Dragonus smiled.
"A great many, you say? Well then, you best be wary, for learn it all I shall!" Dragonus always had liked to banter words with her, and truth be told, his company had always been more than welcome to her as well.
Dragonus laughed at her little jest, but his face quickly lost its grin. He gave a small sigh, then sketched a lopsided grin at his childhood friend. "Ah, but you shall have little time to do it, Your Highness. For I am leaving, on the morrow."
"Where?" Shendelzare was startled; she had never heard of a Skywrath mage leaving the court before. To her question however, Dragonus only turned away, gazing across the treetops into the distance. In a quiet voice, he said, "My mentor wishes me to seek further strength. He has cast his divinations; a troubled time approaches for the Skywraths. As his successor to the title of Royal Mage, he fears that my strength will not be enough to protect the realm. To protect you." The last was pitched even lower than his words before, but Shendelzare heard them anyway. She felt as if she had been boxed in both ears; her ears were ringing and her heart began to pound.
"When will you return?"
"I know not, Your Highness. It may be months; it may be years. But I swear on Scree'auk's name," Dragonus turned back to the princess, "Return I shall. Trust me in this, Princess." Their eyes locked, and she saw the fierce emotion burning in his eyes. Shendelzare's heart skipped a beat, but she made no action to that regard. Instead, she walked forward and stood next to him, and together they stood for a while, looking over the distance.
"'Twas a time, when you simply called me 'Shendelzare'." Her voice was soft; any louder and she feared she would betray her own emotions.