While the Prince is Away, the Bard Shall Play|New

[kekewy]

Arlene smiled brightly at him. "That'd be lovely," she said. The thought of going inside the palace to look around was very exciting to her, even without the royal family there. She'd seen the palace from the outside when she'd arrived with her father and wondered what it would look like inside.

[Darastrix]

Zack smiled back and got to his feet, transferring both violin and bow to his left hand as he offered his right to Arlene. "Shall we, then?"

[kekewy]

Arlene nodded and took Zack's hand, standing also. "Yes, let's go."

[Darastrix]

"You are allowed to say more than a few words at a time, Lovely," Zack said in a gently teasing tone as he led the way to the palace. "I won't bite, I promise."

[kekewy]

"I'm sorry to not be better conversation, the chill of the mountian has taken a toll on my throat," she said, though she did give Zack a smile in answer to his comment. She didn't look like an experianced traveler in the least.

[Darastrix]

"No worries, Lovely," Zack said with a smile. "I'll just do most of the talking, then. What would my lady prefer to hear me ramble on about? I can go on about nearly anything."

[kekewy]

"I'd like to hear more about my escort. Being a bard sounds like an interesting carreer. The ones that visit Maelstrom come from all over Naruta."

[Darastrix]

"I've been a few places, though I'm not quite as well-travelled as some bards. I've spent most of my life in Talen'sul. More or less grew up in the bard guild. Music's the only thing I really need to be happy. Well, that and good company," he added with a grin. "One of my favourite things about being a bard is getting to share music with people, make people happy. I leave the melancholy pieces to other bards," Zack said in a flippant tone, waving a hand dismissively. "It's just as well. I'm seldom in a low mood and my mood affects my music."

[kekewy]

"Do you only play the violin or do you play any other instruments as well?" she asked.

[Darastrix]

"I know a bit on other strings, but not much. I'm a singer as well, though. I've been singing a few years more than I've been playing, and I started playing around twenty years ago. Ah, here we are," he interrupted himself as he led Arlene into the palace. "I suppose you could say my talents have served me well, what with having quarters here, though I imagine hitting it off so well with Twilight certainly helped."

As Zack led Arlene though the areas of the palace he was allowed, he went on to tell her a bit about the royal family (Twi in particular), the Moonwings, the people he'd met in Maelstrom and Naurorod, and the folks he'd left behind in Talen'sul--his mentor, his cousin, and his friend, though he didn't share the particulars about Zira that he had with Twilight.