Winter walked down the stairs with Sophie at her back. The bard from the night before was already downstairs, being handed a large wooden tray. Turning, he looked up and grinned. "Herald Sophie, I have composed the song you requested. Though I feel a sense of sadness that I will never play the song in public."
Sopheria's voice gently replied, "It is as it must be. It is a dear and precious gift that only my dearest friend will understand."
He nodded and handed her a rolled parchment. "I have a tube for it to be stored in. Figured you would want to read it. I called it "The Cost of the Crown." Here..." he handed it to her. She gently took it so he could more easily balance the tray of food.
"Winter, go with the bard on outside to the Companions and break your fast together. I wish to read this." Winter nodded and followed the man dressed in red outside. Looking back over her shoulder, she lingered a moment and saw Sophie whisper as she read "the freedom I gave up so long ago..."
Stepping outside thoughtfully, the little girl saw Susan and ran to her side to hug her feathered friend. Susan mind-touched her and mentally explained, "Herald Sopheria and the Queen were roommates who studied, trained, fought, and navigated circuits together as Herald Trainees. She wanted to give a gift to her friend who can only truly be herself with fellow Heralds and who holds a lonely responsibility. So the bard worked with her to create that gift. One that would speak from the heart."
Nodding in understanding, Winter voiced out-loud, "I can understand. Only my cousins who I worked with and practiced fighting with can understand how I think. Those that lived in the village and in walls don't understand." After a pause, she added, "And you. I have you and you understand me too."
The gryphon grinned as only a beaked species could and suggested to the bard's obvious relief. "Let's settle down here and eat this good food. Or rather you two start eating, I ate earlier a much larger meal."
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