"Bah!" she thought to herself. "He calls himself a bard! Sure he can charm a savage beast as well as anyone, but can he sing the glories of the queen and bring a tear to your eye?" She clenched her teeth, spun on her heel, and headed South toward rumors of the queen's new castle. "New," she chuckled to herself. "For all I know she might have moved years ago." It had been much too long since she had seen her queen. Her regrets were many.

As she set out upon the long, dusty road she began to sing the travelling song that she had composed for just such an occation:

As I set out upon my road
That once I travelled long ago,
I question now just why I rode
And what it was that made me go.

Oh yes! Now my lost memory returns.
Inside I longed for a hearty adventure
And in my flight I ran not from, but to.
I wished to live life in fullest measure.

I desired to have my song sung by
The bards of the kingdom, throughout the land.
I packed my steed and kissed my queen goodbye.
So thus it was that my journey began.

For many a year now I have travelled
The long and lonely road, accompanied
Only by beasts who have never groveled
Under the hand of man, nor have had need.

The lowliest of beasts have been my friends
And confidants, much better company
Than that of men who seek their selfish ends.
We shall always be one my beasts and me.

But this long and lonely time now is done.
Homeward now to that embrace so tender.
I return whence my long journey begun,
To my lady liege, The Queen of Zender.

And thus it was that Cyrissia began the long journey to rejoin her cherished queen.

The journey was long and arduous, but she gladly endured the hardships in the company of her beasts, daydreaming of the joy she would bring her queen upon her returning. Little did she suspect the raging battle within which she would soon find herself immersed...