His Royal Highness, Prince Cal Trigoran Binora VII, Heir to the Throne of the Glass Mountains, Defender of the Great Underground Key of Power and Captain of the fearsome Shatter Corps made a small choking sound in the back of his throat and went a bit red in the face. His best friend and oath buddy Prime Traveller Zara Sparkes sidled up beside him and discreetly offered him a swig from her hip flask.

"You alright, Cal?" she whispered through the side of her mouth as she stood beside him in her glittering dress armour, making eye contact and smiling at the throng of ambassadors and dignitaries that milled about them.

"I think something just went down the wrong way." The Prince's eyes were watering and he was making little hiccough sounds as he clutched at his tunic. It made all his medals jingle against each other prettily.

"What did?"

"What did what?"

"What went down the wrong way?"

"I don't know, Za. The air? Now give me that flask." Cal grabbed the alcohol from his friend and took a clandestine swig. He handed it back to her with a nod of thanks.

"For what it's worth, I think you handled it very well, sir," Zara was warming to her subject now. She smiled and took a hit from the flask herself "I don't think anyone else noticed that cute little noise you made when he walked in. It was so high-pitched and darling, like a terrified pretzel-vole when it sees a shudderhawk swooping from the treetops."

"Yes, thank you, Za. You know how much I appreciate your colourful ruralisms. And what prince doesn't like being compared to a rodent?"

"I didn't say you WERE a pretzel-vole."

"Yes, well..."

"I just said you sounded like one. It's a really distinctive sound they make when they're scared."

"Za, he's coming towards us."

"I'm not sure how to describe it. It's sort of a cross between a miniature klaxon and a death rattle."

"Za!"

"There's a keening quality to it. An ululation, if you will."

"For Taj's sake, Zara."

But it was already too late. There was no escape now. Nowhere to run. The crowds parted and out stepped Rainn Dawnkeeper, smiling shyly, his hand raised in hesitant greeting.

And for His Royal Highness, Prince Cal Trigoran Binora VII the whole room suddenly fell away. Everything became so unimportant, it simply ceased to be - nothing existed but Rainn's strong, handsome face, his kind eyes, his exquisitely cut suit.

And then, just as suddenly, there was a voice in his ear.