Running his long fingers over the known and well loved grain of My Lady
Jadus found himself smiling a soft smile that hid the pain he held.
Plucking a few strings of a simple melody Jadus looked up at the expected
knock.
"Come in" he called and unsurprisingly Dean Elcarth made his way into the
relatively empty room and quiet room. "Ah Elcarth, I appreciate you coming
at such short notice to see me. Please have a seat." Jadus motioned with a
tilt of his chin towards the empty chair that Jadus had placed in
preparation for this meeting. Elcarth smiled softly as he took the offered
seat watching the elderly man who so many years ago had been his patient
and caring advisor on his first and only internship away from Haven.
"Its my pleasure Jadus, but what could I help you with today?"
Jadus put his beloved harp down into its case softly, running his fingers over the grain one last time, before closing the cover and turning to the younger man, who had surpassed all of Jadus' expectations and made a wonderful dean.
"Elcarth my time is coming"- Jadus raised his hand to stall the negation already on the Dean's lips before continuing-"and I have accepted this fact, but I ask you my dear friend to fulfill my last few wishes." Jadus reached over and handed him a scroll "This is in my handwriting giving most of my worldly possessions to different charity houses in Haven. Besides that I have one more thing I want you to personally make sure gets to her new owner."
At this Jadus reached over to clasp the snaps on his harp's cove r before picking it up and handing it to Elcarth, who took it gingerly and in shock before raising his eyes to meet Jadus'
"And you mean to give this to Talia?" the Dean asked quietly while Jadus nodded
"It belongs with her now so it may bring her some comfort when I am not able to any longer." Jadus smiled sweetly at the harp that was no longer his and sighed deeply. "These last two years...who knew that a frightened little girl could bring me so much happiness when I thought it could no longer be possible." Jadus' voice was almost in awe when thinking about Talia and how much she had grown to mean to him. "She made me feel useful when I had never thought to be anything but a menace. We all knew I was abysmal at teaching but she" Jadus gulped fighting back tears "she needed me to scare away the nightmares no one else." Jadus paused for a moment before continuing finding it easier to just go on before he broke down "Can you even imagine the feeling when she brought Skif to me with help in the Hulda episode? She chooses to wake and ask me for help, how can I not be proud of that? I don't think I have ever been prouder of anything in my life...my whole life..."
Elcarth smiled and nodded laying a hand on Jadus' old and slightly withered one. "Let me tell you this Jadus, when she first came off Rolan's back I knew that she would have problems making friends. It was obvious that she was scared shy beyond belief and without reason to trust or believe in herself. I think you were one of, if not the first, to show her true and unbridled love, you were there no matter what and in times of need she will remember your love more then anything else. She needed you just as much, if not more then you needed her."
"She made me not miss having a family, she was more of family then I ever did have. Both her and the friends she brought to my once lonely door. She will make a fantastic Queens own, Rolan choose correctly in her."
Elcarth smiled and nodded looking down to the harp "She will, both Selenay and I have high hopes for her."
"Make sure she takes care of herself as well, I can already see the desire in her eyes but make sure she does not run herself rampant. I know Talia and if she can help others she will run herself ragged to do it." Jadus smiled lovingly while thinking about her and for a few moments went into his own world before turning back to the Dean.
"Look at me rambling! You have more then enough to do without listening to a lovesick man. Go, do not let me keep you."
"You are not keeping me, but alas I do have much work to be done." Elcarth rose taking both scroll and harp looking at Jadus one more wondering if it would be the last time. Jadus must have read his eyes.
"Do not worry my friend we will see each other again, just do not say anything to anyone please?"
"Of course Jadus, my lips are sealed but call upon him anytime you need alright?"
"I promise. Go! I will be here when you come to visit next"
Jadus smiled looking as he had years ago. Elcarth smiled and took his leave of the elderly herald who turned to look out the window and find his own companion sticking her head in the window. Jadus smiled and moved to take another seat that was waiting by the window. There was no need for words between herald and companion as Jadus began to run his fingers through her silky mane and down her neck scratching at certain points that Jadus knew she loved. It was at this time that Jadus allowed himself the privilege of sobbing as he wrapped his neck around Fortunea's neck and allowing her calmness to wash over him...He would miss his friend but a part of him knew that one day they would be together again and for now that was enough.
"Its my pleasure Jadus, but what could I help you with today?"
Jadus put his beloved harp down into its case softly, running his fingers over the grain one last time, before closing the cover and turning to the younger man, who had surpassed all of Jadus' expectations and made a wonderful dean.
"Elcarth my time is coming"- Jadus raised his hand to stall the negation already on the Dean's lips before continuing-"and I have accepted this fact, but I ask you my dear friend to fulfill my last few wishes." Jadus reached over and handed him a scroll "This is in my handwriting giving most of my worldly possessions to different charity houses in Haven. Besides that I have one more thing I want you to personally make sure gets to her new owner."
At this Jadus reached over to clasp the snaps on his harp's cove r before picking it up and handing it to Elcarth, who took it gingerly and in shock before raising his eyes to meet Jadus'
"And you mean to give this to Talia?" the Dean asked quietly while Jadus nodded
"It belongs with her now so it may bring her some comfort when I am not able to any longer." Jadus smiled sweetly at the harp that was no longer his and sighed deeply. "These last two years...who knew that a frightened little girl could bring me so much happiness when I thought it could no longer be possible." Jadus' voice was almost in awe when thinking about Talia and how much she had grown to mean to him. "She made me feel useful when I had never thought to be anything but a menace. We all knew I was abysmal at teaching but she" Jadus gulped fighting back tears "she needed me to scare away the nightmares no one else." Jadus paused for a moment before continuing finding it easier to just go on before he broke down "Can you even imagine the feeling when she brought Skif to me with help in the Hulda episode? She chooses to wake and ask me for help, how can I not be proud of that? I don't think I have ever been prouder of anything in my life...my whole life..."
Elcarth smiled and nodded laying a hand on Jadus' old and slightly withered one. "Let me tell you this Jadus, when she first came off Rolan's back I knew that she would have problems making friends. It was obvious that she was scared shy beyond belief and without reason to trust or believe in herself. I think you were one of, if not the first, to show her true and unbridled love, you were there no matter what and in times of need she will remember your love more then anything else. She needed you just as much, if not more then you needed her."
"She made me not miss having a family, she was more of family then I ever did have. Both her and the friends she brought to my once lonely door. She will make a fantastic Queens own, Rolan choose correctly in her."
Elcarth smiled and nodded looking down to the harp "She will, both Selenay and I have high hopes for her."
"Make sure she takes care of herself as well, I can already see the desire in her eyes but make sure she does not run herself rampant. I know Talia and if she can help others she will run herself ragged to do it." Jadus smiled lovingly while thinking about her and for a few moments went into his own world before turning back to the Dean.
"Look at me rambling! You have more then enough to do without listening to a lovesick man. Go, do not let me keep you."
"You are not keeping me, but alas I do have much work to be done." Elcarth rose taking both scroll and harp looking at Jadus one more wondering if it would be the last time. Jadus must have read his eyes.
"Do not worry my friend we will see each other again, just do not say anything to anyone please?"
"Of course Jadus, my lips are sealed but call upon him anytime you need alright?"
"I promise. Go! I will be here when you come to visit next"
Jadus smiled looking as he had years ago. Elcarth smiled and took his leave of the elderly herald who turned to look out the window and find his own companion sticking her head in the window. Jadus smiled and moved to take another seat that was waiting by the window. There was no need for words between herald and companion as Jadus began to run his fingers through her silky mane and down her neck scratching at certain points that Jadus knew she loved. It was at this time that Jadus allowed himself the privilege of sobbing as he wrapped his neck around Fortunea's neck and allowing her calmness to wash over him...He would miss his friend but a part of him knew that one day they would be together again and for now that was enough.