Claude
*Underneath the cloth wrapped around his face, Karl blushed wildly as he moved to pack his fife away, watching as the conjured bird moved to land on his shoulder. That was... Sweet. He grinned heavily, raising a hand to pat the magical bird on the head. He always had a soft spot for the little creatures. He had always loved birds. The smaller ones, of course. Songbirds were quite obviously his favorite. He held a certain dismay for larger fowl, finding hawks and eagles too close to the form of the Wretched Herald for comfort. His smile only grew even larger as it's beak erupted with the beautiful, gentle voice of Caleesi. He was truly ashamed to see it go, but nodded all the same, now able to gaze back towards Caleesi's visage. He was still stuck on her face, inspecting every gentle curve of it. He almost felt selfish, knowing how he was allowed to gaze upon her beauty while she was stuck with his mask. Eh. She'd have to get over it. He chuckled as she smiled, raising his hand towards her.*

"Not a problem at all, Miss Caleesi. An audience with you is all I need." *He smiled, moving to relax on the windowsill. He sat against the warmed stone, nestling into the corner like a bird finding it's nest. He hummed softly for a moment, his eyes gazing back to the night sky. It was a strange thought, but he wondered if she remembered him. He'd been across the realm multiple times. Played for many young royals. It was his favorite thing to do, really. He always liked sitting in the windows of young royals, playing cute little tunes to prepare them for the day coming ahead. He looked back to Caleesi, seeing that same young girl he had played for all those nights ago. She was prettier now, though. And smarter. A lot calmer. She'd grown up. It was worthy of a hefty smile and a light chuckle. He stopped himself prematurely, trying avoid feeling a sense of attachment. This was just another visit. He'd done them all before. This one wasn't any different.*

"Nervous?" *Karl asked, staring off towards the fire. He didn't want to keep looking at her. Didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. But there was a sense deep inside him that almost forced him to look back at her. His eyes slowly darted back over, meeting hers. His were red, but they seemed calm. They portrayed a sense of kindness. Of safety. Of joy. They were red, but they were cozy and comforting. Eyes you could get lost in.* "Don't be. If that bird is any show of your ability, you'll make for an excellent grandmaster. Besides, Thunder Fest isn't a big deal. Just time to have fun." *He chuckled, sighing as he leaned against the palm of his gloved hand. She only really got prettier the more you looked at her, didn't she?* "And don't worry about the tea. You don't have to be that cordial. Especially considering I am technically breaking into your room." *He laughed heartily, shaking his head at his own joke. This was nice. He could've been doing so many worse things, couldn't he?*
Earl
That angelic looking smile continued to radiate dazzlingly under the dimly lit room. Never had Caleesi had such a heartfelt performance made just for her... Let alone a charitable soul to provide it. Karl's words of courtship caused the young woman to blush unexpectedly, as her face could be seen heating up around the apples of her cheeks and up her ears. Though, the high elf was quick to shake her head bashfully, looking away for a moment to compose herself. That wide grin stung her face as if it was a muscle she had not used in such a long time- Cali pursed her lips to refrain the silly smirk, though there was no hiding it. Giving a faint giggle, the grand mistress pulled a few strands of her golden blond hair behind her ears, finally bringing her attention back to the man. 

"Please, you flatter me good sir. Do you always say that to every person you sing to?" 

Teasingly, Caleesi raised a brow towards the songbird. Of course he must've buttered up all his guests, as is the life of a performer. Nevertheless, Cali knew his kindness would stick with her. His next words however, caused something close to a shiver that resonated within her chest. Shifting ever so slightly in her seat, the elven woman fixed her eyes elsewhere for a moment. In truth, she was nervous at first. As would she be around any man who decided to slip through her window- much less walk through her front door. But of course the songbird didn't know her reasons as to why, which meant he must have thought her reaction from earlier could have been taken as offensive. Playing it back in her head now, Caleesi couldn't help but give an airy laugh. "No," The high elf started, tracing her tongue playfully over her teeth before flashing a gentle smile once more. "Just surprised. It's not every day you get to be greeted by the wondrous songbird, no?" Caleesi traced her blue eyes over towards Karl in a careful attempt to meet his gaze.

And as the two naturally locked onto one another's glowing hues, a warmth began to wash over them both within the silence. 

_ _

Something about the man's abnormal red eyes made Cali fall under a hypnotic stare. She couldn't quite understand how they held such a softness to them, almost as if they screamed for recognition. For an understanding that they were harmless. Watching as Karl pulled his attention away to bask in the fireplace, Caleesi took that time to observe the rest of the shapeshifter in his human form. For such a kind guy, he surely didn't dress the part. Though, perhaps that was just the ignorance talking in the woman's mind. As the silence crept in further, Cali opted to speak up. However, her voice came out hushed. Almost as if she were hesitant to speak. "You know.. My parents, they would tell me stories about you." Swallowing the lump in her throat, the high elf carried on. "Of a spirited starling who searched the skies for those who had lost their spirits long ago... You were the reason a lot of people still carry on today." 

As Karl allowed his focus to return to the grand mistress, inevitably locking eyes once more- Caleesi could see the gentle flame sway in those red hues. Finally, something clicked. The reason she was so captivated, so curious about this man. It was because he reminded her of home. Of her parents so long ago. Pulling her bottom lip into her mouth in thought, Caleesi offered one final smile before bowing her head in grace. "So thank you, songbird." Once she lifted her head, a small sigh drew from the woman's lips as she rolled her eyes in a sort of carefree motion, thinking back on what Karl had said about the festival. "Well, you're one to talk. *You* Are far more cordial than i. Besides, i haven't been to an event in years.." Shifting her gaze elsewhere, the light in Caleesi's eyes seemed to dim a bit. "I wonder if i will still fit in, you know?"
||
Claude
"I do, but I mean it every time I say it. I'm always genuine. Every word I say, I mean."

*He smiled, giggling slightly at her flushed and embarrassed nature. He never buttered people up. He found it counter-intuitive. Fake smiles and ingenuine laughs were never his forte. He didn't like telling people the things they wanted to hear, he liked telling people what he knew would truly make them smile. And he did mean what he said. Compared to the people he had sung to recently, Caleesi had been the most interesting by far. The rest had all been scared or angry, trying to kick him away. But Caleesi remembered him. Caleesi knew why he was here. She appreciated him being here. That wasn't a feeling he was really used to. He was a baron of happiness, of course, but most didn't really WANT to feel happy. He understood that, of course. It didn't discourage him. But he still wasn't quite used to that feeling. To be wanted. Even if it was a surprise, Caleesi was glad he was here. To say he flushed heavily under his mask was an understatement. Never before was he happier to be hidden.*

"I-I-I..." *Karl frantically seemed to try and search for words, juggling thousands of thoughts in his mind. His relaxed demeanor was reduced to that of a flustered child, scrambling to find some sort of mental stability. Even his smoothed out sitting position was disrupted, his legs immediately smashing into his thighs. Quickly, he swung over towards Caleesi, his feet finding the wooden floor of her quarters. With a surprisingly silent thud, they landed on the hardwood, and Karl's gloved hands found their way to his chin, allowing him to rest on his knees.* "I don't know about that. I just like to make people smile." *He shrugged, grinning awkwardly under the cloth. The thought that anyone could've ever relied on her for mental stability was... Terrifying. He liked spreading joy, but he didn't know if he could shoulder that responsibility. To know that hundreds, maybe thousands of people a

Re still alive because of him was... Paramount. Infinite. Grandiose. Terrifying.*

*He gazed back towards her, happy to meet her crystalline gaze. Gods was she beautiful. It felt terrifying to know that he now carried the burden of her happiness. That she had blushed because of him. That she was so... Embarrassed but happy. Because of him. He quietly cleared his throat, his eyes refusing to leave hers as he stood, slowly and silently standing back on the windowsill. He hated to leave her, but he didn't know if he could still stay here. He wanted to waste the night with her, but she had business to attend to tomorrow, didn't she? Her work, her happiness, and her feelings were far more important than his. That's how it was with everyone. She was no different, and she'd never be any different.* "You'll fit in. I'm sure of it. Just walk proud. One look at that smile will warm the hearts of all of your subjects, I can assure you. It's warmed mine." *He grinned, giggly softly. He gazed back out into the night sky for a moment, before turning back to Caleesi one final time. His voice somewhat solemn, but always infected with the tune of happiness.* "If you ever need me, Caleesi, I'll be there. Just ask for me. It'll be my pleasure to bring a smile to your face once more." *He flashed a cheshire grin, chuckling as he spoke.* "And it's Karl. You don't have to keep calling me Songbird." 

*Quickly, he shifted back into a bird, the moon reflecting off of his lavender spotted wings. The fowl quickly flashed a solemn bow before darting out of the room, disappearing into the night sky.*
Earl
Watching just how antsy the shapeshifter had become, Caleesi couldn't help but toss her head back in amusement as sweet-flowing giggles blew from her peach lips. She was used to the occasional flustered individuals who had the chance of speaking to her, knowing that her appearance more than likely caused one's flesh to rise shades of pink. Cali never truly understood what others saw in her, be it beauty of course. It had been years since the high elf ever thought of herself as a beautiful soul, let alone a soul at all. In her mind, she was merely a servant to the greater good. Not that it was a bad thing, given Caleesi knew her powerful place in the world. She just simply chose to be of use rather than be the problem. Nevertheless, the elven woman sought comfort in Karl for tonight. Even in his silly rambles to pull himself together, she appreciated his genuine nature. 

"Well, I do believe you should give yourself more credit than you lead on. Without your songs to guide broken minds, I don't think there would be half as many smiling faces. Don't you think so?" 

Pursing her lips into a slight smirk, Caleesi took note of the resistance in the songbird's eyes. Call it a hunch, but she could read him like a book. The eyes were a window to the soul, and in all the young woman's years of learning, she knew that very well. Picking up on the language of the body, and all its mysterious ways of sending signs- Cali could sense the battle within the bard. Though, what for, she couldn't quite put a finger on. Tilting her head, locks of simi-long and wild blonde curls draped down the side of the woman's face and bare shoulders. Her crystal blue gaze searching for the answers in his hymn of red. But alas, Karl had turned away and thus was their window closing for just another moment of solitude. 
_ _

Caleesi slowly stood out of respect for her guest's departure, giving a gentle nod of the head in acknowledgement to his last words. However, as the shapeshifter morphed into his feathered side and took off for the midnight sky, Cali pulled some of her own strings and sent that same illusion of his favorite bird after him. Its pale, translucent figure drifted alongside Karl as it chirped in contentment. Suddenly, the chirps became more rhythmic, and soon the tune of the song Karl had played for Caleesi was singing into the air. Only this time the tempo was slower than his as the magic bird opened its beak to sing– The voice was none other than the grand mistress of course, her voice was soft, dainty and slow just as the tempo of the song she had now revised as her own. *A song made just for him.*
_ _

```'Folks gather 'round for I'll tell you a tale, 
Of one so sweet, you'll never feel stale.
For I'll spin you a story of a the songbird- so wild
His magical tone, it'll make you cheer mad.
 So cheer, cheer, loud so he'll hear.
Yes cheer, cheer, for the wondrous years~
Here comes the songbird, so swift and so brave 
With his fife in hand, no stranger shall stray.
A bringer of peace and friendship so strong,
A beacon of light, always singing his song.
 So cheer, cheer, loud so he'll hear~
Yes cheer, cheer, for the wondrous years```